SEC r. XII. ofSeStaal Calling. 587 be received byyou as thevoyce and calling of God from heaven toyou : The Scripture commanding to leave fuch a fin, and obedience to fuch a duty ; is as truly thevoiceand call ofGod, as any immediateextraordinary call that Gode- ver vouchfafed to any ; its as truly and as really, andwith as much faith to be obeyed, though it be not fo immediately and miraculoufly: As for example, Pealhad this wonderful voyce from heaven, Paul,Pau1, why perfecutefl thou me ? Now everyprophane, ungodly man, bath as really Gods voyce from heaven by the word fpeaking to him, Tarn, turnye, why willyedye ? Itsfaid, when7e- rufalem was fonear its deftruftion, they had a call from heaven, faying, .ìwigre- muehinc, Let us depart hence : No lefs doth every ungodly man hear every day, when he is bid to depart from iniquity, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknefs. Itsnoted as a great mercy of God to Lot, that . befent an Angel to call him out of Sodom, when fire and brimftone was im- mediately to be poured from heaven upon it; and whereas Lot delayed and de- layed, theAngel evenpulled him out, whowas unwilling for his owngood; This is afit reprefentationof our fpiritual callingout of fin; theAngels are the Minifters of God, thatcry daily, Corneout of the world, left you partakeof the judgements of theworld; and men arefo unwilling, they do fo dearly love their Sodom, though it will cuffthem fire and brimrlone, that we are to com- pel youout of it : This then is a main fundamental principle, introduftory to our toner ion , when we confider God as fpeaking and calling tous by his word, to look upon it as truly and really the call of God, as if there were im- mediate voyces from heaven fpeaking to us by name : Heb. no. Chrifì is faid frill to fpeak to us from heaven; And how is that but by the word ? and the Scripture is called the the Word of God ; God fpeaks it now, as well as at firft whenhe commanded it to be written: Oh then tremble, left you fhould be in the number of thofe who rejectGod callingofyou : ShouldGod fend innu- merable company of Angels from heaven to you, tocall you out of your lusts, to the (late of grace, it would not be more really (though more immediately) thevoyce of God, thenwhat we outof theword declare unto you : This then undoeth you, youdo not believe God himfelf by the word fpeaking to you, you do not think this is Gods voyce, that he fpeaks thus and thus to me, and therefore you are ftìll fetled in a willful way of finning. Now the word preached is Gods calling Firft, Inftrumentally, as its the word of God, the word that comes out of his mouth: All the Ministers of God, faithfully difcharging their truft, are voyces crying unto you, Prepare a way for the Lord; and xnpoarhr to preach, is to be the Lords solemn Herald,tooffer peace to Rebelliousenemies, if theywill come in; and if not, in a folemn and dreadful manner, to denounce bis heavy wrath and curfe : Looknot then onMinisters in their Ambaffage, as weak frail men, fubjeft to the like pallions with others, butasAmbaffadors, as coming in the name of God, that cry out, Thus faith the Lord, Oh thou firmer, wafh thee from thy iniquity; thus faith the Lord, and not loan. And Secondly, The word preachedBothcall men objefìively ; the matterof it is fo precious, good, excellent and neceffary, as that it doth ftrongly invite everyman. SomeGrammarians fay, That that which is good and excellent, is called becaufe it doth ,weoe, it Both call and invite mento be in love with it : This is fureabout the matterof Gods word; HowDivine and Supernatural is it? whatpurity, what heavenlyaffeftions cloth that require? infomuch, that no humane preceptsconcerning piety and honefty ever came near to theBible : And than the good things promifed, are wholly tranfcendent mans capacity ; they are fuchas never entered into the heartof man to conceive : Jollification, the light of Gods countenance , Eternal happinefs and glory in heaven, were not men fo bruitifhly earthly, would ravifh them, and make them run after Ffff a them;
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