598 ofEffec7nad Calling. S e c T. Xi t confider, Shall fuch an one as I tutdble and wallow in themire.?Shall I that have loch an holy andheavenlycalling, live like a beafè ? There is nothing fhould foconfound and afhanie a man forall finful and urìgòdly wayes, as that they are not fumbleunto, nor worthy of his calling. Michaldid in a finful way defpife David in her heart, when fhefaw himdancing before the Ark; Thou half made thyPelf (faith fhe, a Sam.6.) like one kfthe vilefellowí this day ; like one of the- bàfe ones of theworld. She did this malicioufly ; but thou mayefltruÍy-fay to thy foul, when overcome with unruly paffions, inordinate affeftions; Thou haft made thy Pelf like the vileft ofmen today.Do then thingsthat are befeeming your calling,that are a grace to it,that may bring an honor and a glory to it in the eyes of theworld. Shall the Sunne fend forth no more light then the dung-hill? Shall a Rofe fmell no fwteter then anoifome weed ? Dead Flies are not fit to fall in a boxof ointment. As 7acob laid of his two fork, when they had com- mitted fuchoutragiouswickedneffeon theSichemites, Toe have mademe to flink before the inhabitants of the Land. Thusallo mayeft thou fay to all unmortified affeaions,uncrucified lofts, You have made me to flink, tobe loathfome and abo- minable before God. Thereforeaboveallthings look to this, that your con- verfationbe asbecomeththis heavenly calling you may not live as you lift, walk as you pleafe, make your lulls and your pleafures a rule to walk by ; but confiderwhat you arecalled to. - Fourthly, Herbst iseffflaallycalled, cloth alwayesdo/i.etoguafter Gods calling of him : Forás in philofophy, we are nourifhed by thole things we at firft cen- fift of, Thus it is here, By what means atfirft we cometo be holy, to be godly, viz_IiyGods callingofus,we did not hearken to other cals.Soit is 1h11 in ourpro- grefs,God 11111 calleth us byhisWord to everyduty,to avoid every fin,and herein we followGod. Oh it is admirable wifdom in all things to confiderwhat call we havelThofe fervants are blamed for their rahinefs,and not commended for their forwardnes,whocome or go before they are called,before theyhave theirerrand. P.1:25.9. The upright heWill teach andguideishis Way,Pf.3 a.8.And fo David,Thoea Wiltguide me with thy eye: As a father by his eye doth lignifie what he would have his bonne todo ; fo it is here,-God doth by his Word either_particu!arlyor generally givehim a call to everyaftion or condition. Andhe that was at firft wroughtupon by Gods calling, lothhill look after this Starre to guide him. He that"undertaketh any thing, doth any thing without Gods calling, doth as the devil tempted our Sabiour, Set himfelf upon "a pinacle, and throw himjelf headlong. For this is theonely fupport and encouragement under any affaults, that all is done in obedience to Gods calling us. Thus Moles, 7faiah, David, 7eremiah and Paul, with manyothers, couldnever haveconfiifted with all the difficulciesaheydid, had not this calling of God fupported them; fo thenas at the firlt ourfpiritual lifecame bya divine calling , thus the progreffealto is by Gods calling; we do not intrudeour felves, we go not before we have a com- mand, we hearken towhat Godwill fay; and henceit is thatthe devil dotti fo indulltioufly imitate thevoice of God ; Even as the bean Hyena imitates the voice of theShepherd toCleftroy the fheep ; he pretends revelations from God, he'brings forcible interpretations of Scripture ; fo great a matter is it efpecially indoubtful things, .and where the Scripture bath onely general rules, and not particulardeterminations,to diftinguifh the voice of God from thevoice of Sa- tan, or our owndefires. How manyare apt to takethe dilates and defrres of their own fpirits forthe voice of God ! As the old Prophet counterfeited a voice and call of Godcontrary to what the other Prophet had received, and thereby feducedhim : It is then a fareand good fign of a called perfon, ie all matters, fpeciallyofgreat concernment, to regard Gods calling, whether it be to do or ro fuller: whereas wicked menthey never attend toGods direfting of them, Gods guidingof them, never pray about this; or hudy and meditate about this, but as their lulls and profits carry them, fo they runheadlong. Fifth
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