1O8 ....! rft 3° Doll. EzcC.;.t.. Epbejians,Chap.t. VER .9, This mutt move us to diligence, and humble dependance on God, for the teachingofus ; we mutt thinke upon them, commune ofthem, not in proud bafhfulneffe conceale our ignorance one from the other : Above all, let us labour to fee our felves foolesand dull ofheart, that God may makeus wife. Many are more prone to blame the Preacher asconfufed, obfcure, and I know not what, rather then themfelves; like thewoman, which taken blinde in the night, did blame the cur- tains as keeping the light from her,when the fault was inherblindneffe within, not the curtainewithout. Thirdly; We fee hence the love of God, to tell us a fecret, yea, a hidden fecret within his owne will, in what can his love be moreteftifi- ed a lobs 1 5.15. Icallyou friends, for ihave(hewedyou what 1 beardfrom my Father.When Godrevealed the fecret of Nebuchadnezzar toDaniel, and Pharaoh his fecret to iofeph, was it not a mercy, for which they were thankfull e fee Dan. z. and doe not we account them to have found much favour a Bat this is above all , to make knowne hishidden wifedome, which fheweth us what things await us to everlafting life anddeath. Obferve thirdly, that the reafonwhy God revealeth or openeth the Gofpell to any, is his mcere gracious pleafure within himfelfc; were it any difpofitions forefeenein men,then thofe thould be called & taught, who were ofbeft capacity and towardneffe,who were forcivili carriage moft unblameable ; but not manywife,nor manyofgreat wit,butbabes andPimple ones are called, yea Publicans and Harlots were made know thefe things, when Philofophers and Pharifaicall Civilians were exclu- ded. To Phew it in particular, as it is a grace of God togive his Lawes and Ordinances, Pfalm.147. 19. fo it is his meere Gracethat theyare bellowed on any, rather then others : This is (hewed in giving them to Ifraell,who were worfe then lyre and Sidon,then .Niniveh, then the Nations. i doe notfendthee to a Nation of a firange tongue; they would heart thee : Had theft things beene done in Tyreand Sidon, they would haverepented : Niniveh repentedat the preaching ofionah, Lae, agreater then Jonah is here. Yea, God is forced every where to upbraidthem with ftiffe-neckedneffe, a necke offteele ; with hard hearts,hearts like Adamant ; with brazenfore-heads yea,to callthem a gain- fayingand rebellious people. Even as his pleafure carrieth rayne toone place, and not to another ; fo he makethhis Minifters drop the word ofWifdome amongft fome, and not amongft other-fome, cmatth.10.6. Geenot to the wayof theSamaritans, So Ali6.7. Goe not whither thou intendefl,but into Macedonia.Now ifmans outward teachingbeafforded out ofmeere Grace,how much more Gods inward teaching, yea hisopening the eye ofour mindes a In truth as no reafon canbe given why one mans eyes were opened, one dead man raifed, rather then all the reft; fo no man can givea reafon, why thefewhonow feeand beleeve, fhould be made to fee rather then others. This ferveth to confute thofe who thinke the word to begivenor detained,according to force thing in them to whom itis given, or from whom
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