Eoa of Efeé7u6 Calhag. S in r.XIL-. excellency that did thus advance him, but Gods grace onely. Let usfirft confider the introdu&ion, Taufee, or,See your calling, : And obferve, Oblast. That Gods calling of us, iú Worthy of manyferioutandfixed meditations. Its like Tapeftry folded up, which when opened, makes a glorious thew. IF the Qzeen of Shebahad herfpirit faint within her, with admirationof Soeomons wifdom, how much rathermay we, in beholding of thewifdom and goodnefs ofGod herein?Our Saviour faith,The kingdom ofheaven comes not by obJervation, Luke 17.10. that is, theexcellent works of grace, which arethe Kingdoniof rcfpa& of Heaven ; and theGofpel, whichis the inftrumentof thefe; theyeome not as iii`y great Kings and Emperors to a place, with a great'deal of :pomp and often- et "' ratiòn, to fay, Here it comes, andthere it goeth ; but it is after äfpititnal and invilible maner ; even as the wind; which f eùieth to be nothing, we cannot fee it with the eye, or feel it with the hand, yet it hath mightyand powerful operations : As it was with Chrifl himfelf, he was,ina defpicableform, a worm and no man, accounted amongft the wicked, when yet he was at thefame time a glorious and infiniteGod ; but yet becaufe of that outward appearance,they deipifed him,es not this the Ca>pcnters Son ; And how.u.accountedof no reputation Even foit is with the called ones ofGod, they are'fúch that the worlddefpifeth` conremneth, the learned ones and great ones ofthe world;. they do none of thefe things ; not conlideringwhat rich jewels are in thefe courfe Cabinets : So thatas our Saviour faith, Bleffedic he that is not ofended at me; fo alfo, bleffed is he that is not offended at the way and manner ofGods calling : But now let us go into this Temple, and beholdthe wonderful works of God. And t, Fidt, The graceof God it felt in calling anye though never fo few, is with heart and modth to be always acknowledged. God who bad his onely fon to delight in, iandmilliohs of Angela to ferve hint, that he fhouldcall thee fo poor; fo weak, fo inconfiderable, this (hould fet theeupon the very pinacle of admiration. How often doyou fee Paul gatheringup this manna, and eve, ry day,' like a true fpiritual Dives, he fared] deliçtouflyupon comfortable me- ditat ions, fametimes the grace of God, fometimes the riches ofhis grace, forne- times the unfearchahle riches of his grace : Oh how unexcufable are the people of God for their unthankfulnels, dulnels, andunbelief in this particu- lar 1 They are not affedled to ravifhment with the grace of God calling them , theydo not aggravate every meditation, they donot fet home every thing that may make their fouls run over, tomake them fay, OLord, myheart fullers vio- lence withinme, I can hold no longer ; thy love; thygrace in calling me, doth even overwhelm me. 2. Secondly, The time anditáfonslhen God callshis people, dtferves meditation: Meditate of Not onely mercies themfelves, but tie times and feafons of (been, are wifelyor- she time and dered by God : Some God calls in themorning, Tome in the noon, Come inthe feofon when evening of their age: And to every one, this grace of God hath its full mat- cod calls. ter of confderation ; he that is called betimes, he may confider Gods goodnefs to him fo early, that God thought on him fo quickly; he might have gone on and provoked God, carrying guilt and a fadded confeience, even to theve- ry, grave e He heareth others cryout, O Lord, it troubled] me I loved thee no fooner; Oh how much time have I loft 1 how íhall I recover and redeem thole loft hours, and loft days? but es for thee, God inftrudledthee betimes totake heed of fin : He that is called at the latter end of his days; having the guilt of many fins upon him, he alto may be gnickned to glorifie God, that he would not defpife him for all his rebellions, that he would not remember all his uá- kindeneffes, that fuch a long and oldenemy of his fhould be taken intofavor: vea, at that very time when they have been infull purfuie of their lofts, bath God called them, asit was with Paul, yea,and is to every man; When. iLord,I was thinking and working evil againft thee; thosewaft preparing good for me; whenl Lord, had no delight, but inmy lulls, and thofe thingstltatdid gri thy
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