Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

Chap.27. The Old and New Covenant. 197 ed by the Lord Jefus. Though by the working of the man of Sin, and other Hereticks, the glory hath been much dazeled, yet in moll of the Nations of Europe, it lath been happily ef- feded. Let Matter Tombes linde equal! Reafons for the variati- on of the words, as I have done for keepini to the letter of the Text , then I (hall hearken _to him; in the mean time, all, indifferent men may well challenge their reafon that heed, him. . A fecond Text holding out the Covenant in its ancient la- titude, we have from our SaviourChrift, Matth.2ot6. and 22. Mat21.14 14. Many are called, bat few chafen. The clofe of two feverall Mat, zo 3b' Parables : The one, of the labourers hired into the Vineyard, where fome claimed amore large pay upon merit : The other, of the Parable of the Wedding- feaft, where one intruded with- out a Wedding- garment; whence our Saviour infers , Many are called,are of the number of gnefls at the wedding-feafl, are of the labourers in the Vineyard, but few are chafen; from whence I thus argue ; If there be a call from God in the times of the New Teflament in a far greater latitude then the grace of E- ledion, that of mane called few onely are elected ;. then the Covenant in New Teftament- times, is not to be reftrained to the elect and regenerate, but contains all that profeffedly ac- cept the termes of the Covenant, and vifibly appear a people of God. This is evident, feeing the call is into Covenant, all at the Feaft were called ones, all the hired labourers were Covenant - fervants. To conceive men to he called of God, and not to be in Covenant with God, is. a full contradiction. The call Lath its terming quo,and its teraas;'nas ad quern.' flate which upon call they leave, and a new flate on which they enter. They are upon this call in a nearer relation to God, then the reft of the world,.otherwife they were the fame as ever, and not called at all. They are not in fo near a relation, as men born. of the- Spirit, fo they were ele&ed they have a call by the Word,. and minifteriall outward Ordinances, to which they yield a profef- fed fubjedion. They have not attained the inward. working of: the Spirit to a reali San &ification. Now for the- Aíhümption ,.. that there is a call in New Teftament -times in. this jatitude, in a. far greater latitude then the grace of Election, our Saviour e- vidently (hews in.the Text quoted; there are_thofe at the feafti C. c. á tha

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