584 of Effeïlual Calling. S e c a.. XI I. Thirdly, InGods calling ofae,,confider the freene,Qe oflsia grace, and theabfdlme- neffe of his pnrpofe andgoodpleafure therein. He cals fome, and leaves others; yea thefare greater part ofmankinde, and thofe who have the greaten pomp and glory in this world, onwhom the eyesof the worldare molt open. Thus theApoltle, Normany noble, notmany Voileloath Godcalled, sCor.r.28. but the poorand defpicablethings of the world Math Godchofen. Indeed God partly byhis Word to forne, and partly by the works of Creation to others, bath left every manwithoutexcufe; he bath givencoati men pregnant witneffes of his goodneffe, wifdom and power, that they might Peekafter him ; but this is not thecall ofgrace thatis the fruit of Elellion; for that takes etfe& and cannot be totally and finally refilled Thou thereforewho haft been thus called, cry lónd; eh thedepths andunfearehable riches of Gadsmere) ! There are two in a bed, se ja called theother is left : Two in a family, one is taken and theother left. As in Paull Converion, when there was a voice from Heaven, Paul heard difinelly, but his companions did not ; Co in thefame Sermon, which is Gods call, one heareda itdiltinaly,receiveth thepower of it in his heart, knoweth the experi- mental meaningof it ; butothers hear only a general found, they underhand nothing of it. Certainly this freenefs of Gods grace in calling thee and not oullem,who happilyhave not been fuch linnets as thou haft been, never com- mitted fuck foul abominations asthou hall done ; that,bath not called others ofbetter parts, abilities andgreater wifdom, who thereby if converted, might havebrought moreglory andhonour to God thenthou ever art likely to doe. This free arbitrary grace (I fay) ofwhich a man cangive no reafon in theworld but his own good pleafure, may ¡only fill thy heart with all anonifhment and ravithingamazetnents. This is themyfteryofGodsgrace.thatthoufhouldhal- waits becontemplating and beholding, OhLord I Why am I called and not another? Why doth the Word ofGod come home tomy foul, and others feel and undeefland nothingat all? lt was agreat favourof God to little Samuel, a Sam,3.9. whenGodcalled himtwice or thrice, and did-reveal his will to him, andtookno noticeof Eli the Prieft and Judge indfrael.:Oh path not the Lord dote as wonderfully in voting thy foul, callingunto thee often, when thofe of eater parts, andgreater pomp, and glory are patted by Fourthly, This Callof God it cloth alwayes peed. There is a prefent hearing apdobedience in thofe that are thus called. Indeed there isan outwardcalling, andmanywho are focalled do finfully and wickedly rejeft it, andof fuch, few -asse,fated comparatively; but of thofewho arecalled according to his pnrpofe; as theApohle here fpeaketh, thereGod giveth a.ready ear, a ready- heart; that they hand upprefentiy and lay, Behoidlcsmeio do thywill; My earshaff thou opened; Thy .Law it Written withinmy heart : So that however for a long time thou maieil not either underfand this Call of God, as little Samueldid not,but givea little finning, and then liedownto fleepagain; afterthat a fecond time to give a little lifining,andrhen liedown to fleepagain;fo thou have Come affetìions anddeliress then prefently they give over, and thoupen to thy luns and thy fins again, then God a fecond, a third, yea many a time, who knoweth how often,gives thee further calling, and that makes thee more nartle and more awakened, butthou doeh again return to thy old lulls, thy old follies, thy old diftempers, yet at laft God takes away all that blindeneffe and wilfulneffe whichis upon thee, and makes thee readily and fully give up thy fell to obey him. Lanly, This Callof Godis very variousin repe& ofthe rimewhers it id vsuekfa- fed ea them : Some arecalled in their infancy, Come in their youth, dome to theirold-age ; evenas in the Parable, Matth.ao, Come were hired in to -worke in the Vineyard at the ninth, others attic eleventh hour not that this fhould make -a manprocraninateand put offhisconvethontoGod ;forbythe rathhour inthatParable,isnot sneers the laterdaysofascanslife,but the laterdayeofthc world
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