Meditations and Devotions On St Mathews Day

Summary

Our Blessed Savior in the Calling of his Apostles, Chose twelv men, to be the Twelv Foundations of the New Jerusalem. Wherof He chose some poor Mean Ignorant men, some Humble Sober men, som rich men, and som Publicans and Sinners ; to Shew His Power in all, His Mercy over all.

He chose the Poor and Ignorant, becaus such are in Greatest need of Comfort and Favor. He chose the Humble becaus He was the Master and Teacher of Humilitie. He chose the Rich to Shew his Power ; He chose Publicans and Sinners to shew his Mercy and Compassion.

He chose the Poor, becaus He would by the Base things of this World confound the Mighty : The Humble ; becaus he loveth the Conversation of the Humble ; the Rich, Becaus He would hav his Kingdom Splendid in the Ey of Man ; Publicans and Sinners to manifest the Necessity, and Grace of Repentance.

He chose the Ignorant, becaus His Mercy Delighteth, in raising out of the Dust, and exalting from the Dunghill. The Humble, becaus He Delighteth in the Lowly, Resisting the Proud, and Giving Grace to the Humble : The Rich that He might make them Humble, and Poor in Spirit : Publicans and Sinners that He might Comfort the World.

He chose some of all these, that His Power might Shine in their Weakness, His Glory Appear in their Baseness, His Riches be admired in their Poverty, And his Holines be Adored in its Touching their Uncleanness.

He reduced them all to an Equal Estate of Humble Poverty, that the Whole Excellency of the Power might appear to be of God and not of Man, wherby the Nations were Converted, and the World subdued : All of them being of mean and Worthless Parts, that they might not Attribut to themselvs any of those Great Graces that were given to them, but by Acknowledging their own Weakness giv all the Glory to Him that Called them.

The Miraculous Conversion of the World cannot be Attributed to Men, but God.