S a c T. VII. of the Hearts .Efîablifhxvent by Grace. Eyingatfo. That God (horrid make fuch ablackmore white, fuch anoyfomeweed a pleafant flower,How great wasthat regenerating grace which made filch a change? Lye down then in (piritual fhame and confufeon, Oh thou godlyfoul , and fay , Not unto 0$, OLord, net unto rt4 but unto thy grace let all glory be given : For what was there in thy former life time , that fhouldmerit at Gods hand to make Inch a change? Waft thou not ignorant asothers , it may be, prophane as others, feeking for happineffe in the bowelsofthe Creatures as others ? How often dock Paulminde converted perfons,with their former vain converfations, that lo the remarkable change made by grace upon their fouls might be the more wel- come? Thirdly , Thüworkofgo4linejreiecalledgrace, beeaufeitit arbitrarilybellowed by god upon whom he pleafeth,andwhenhepleafe:h: Wham he will hecalleth. Paul is ravitleed with the unfearchabledepths ofGods wifedomin difpenfing his grace, efpecially God ufeth not to give hisgrace , where there might any outward excel- lency feem to deferveit, for that grace might appear out of meafuregracious : He fete is thofe objefts, that have the lean thew , and that are molt contemptible in the eyes ofmen. Therefore faith the Apostle, He bath not called;many noble, may wife, masj learned;For ifhe lsd taken that method, men would bave thought God bad been affected withfuch humane excellencies, and therefore received the rich rather then poor, the learned rather then ignorant ; this alto is an overwhelming confederationof Gods love. Who art thou that Godbath given grace to thee , andnot to many thoufand others ? It may be God bath chofen thee, one cut of all the family, all thy kindred, yea all the town where thou liveft. adGod lay An- gels afde, one whereof wasable to do more fervice to God, thenmillions ofmen; and take thee? Ohgrace! Again, bath Godlaidmany noble men, many great men slide, and given grace to thee a poor mean man ? Oh unfearchable riches of grace 1 Further, hash God laid many men aide, whoby their Sexe could have been morea hive and vigorous for God, and bellowed grace on thee a poor weak we- man? Ohadmirable grace f The Pharifee thanked God that he was not like o- ther men ; But he did it from a principle ofprefumption and arrogance': But thou mayeft with humble thankfulneffe, andgreat fear and trembling, acknowledge the mercy of God,that he bath not left thee in thy filthy lulls, as he bath done other men. and aggravatedGods providence and cite tothe widow of Sarepta, that therewere many widows in that placebetides her, yet the Prophet was lent toher only.But here is a greater aggravation,howmany men and widows arc there in the place where thou bre(t, yet grace is vouchfafed to thee rather then others? This fhould put fire in thy bones and bowels,ít fhould make thee aEtivefor God ;for then thouldeff think IfGod had called others, given grace ro others, they would have beenbuhe and fervent men ; they would havebeen zealous for his glory. Oh let me not require the goodneffe of God after fo ill a manner : by giving grace to me, and denying it toanother of more learning, pars, boldnelf, and courage, he feemeth to loftby it; others would haveimproved his Talents better then I have done: Certainly this confederationfhould be a goad in thy fide, thou (houlcff fay, Lord, it is fit that I fhould do thee all that fervice which others would have done, ifcc nverted,inmy room. It is not fit thou Ihouldit be a haler by me. fourthly , Its'! called Grace, becaufeie enabletha man todo thofe thing: which ex. ceed all humanepower,In this fenfe grace and nature are alwaies immediatelyoppo. fete; for as thole common giftsof Gods fpirir, working ofmiracles, fpeaking with tongues, and prophefying,are called grace, becaufe not procuredby humane indu ttry,but vouchfafed byGods benevolence; fomuch more the enablingof us Weak and impotent (inners, to do that which is holy and heavenly, may much rather be called grace. This point, if rightly confidered, would make men lookupon graceas amore rare and admirable thing then men generally account it to be. Alas, thou Itself as thou haft been trainedup thou walkeft according to thy education , thou cornett to holy Duties as the cuttomeand manner is, but newt thinkeft until a Tt3 matt 325 3. 4
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