646 Of Elellsal Calling. S n c r. XII.. *ha areht's : So thatif thedalesofa mans lifeare numbred with God, thatthere cannot be one daytaken from them, oradded to them ; much more mutt this holdin that foveraign and glorious decree. Infomuch that it is falfe Dot rine to fay to any man, Ifthou art not predeftinated, pray thou maieft be ; for this is Godseternal purpofe before the foundationsoftheworld were laid, and are -farm ftronger then thofeDecrees oftheAfedesand Perfiant, which were fo im_ 'mutable that they could not be changed; and fuch aprayer would beas ifwe would inereat God tocreate theworld. There is noneof thefe chofen ones (hall ever be raft away asa reprobate, Noneof the bonesof Chrift sere broken, much leffe will helofe anyof his livingmembers ; The love of God is unchangeably pia. ced upon his people , and thofe that are his Ammi, his people, in this fenfe have this mercy, be will never fay to them, Loammi, you arenot my people. 6. Sixthly, Theft that are thuschervil" God , of his meer ghee/ Will and gracious pleafure, God finder not any thing in onecalledperfon more then another that fhosid diflingsi/h them. Paul Paid, Who bathmade thee to differ(rem another ? r Cor.4. 7. And indeed if in thefe earthlymercies, its God that gives fome riches, and not another; fome wealth, and not another; Come health, and not another; Howmuchrather then is it God, that gives one grace to repent, and not ano- ther; onea broken anda contrite heart, and not another ? Thus alwaies in the Scripture, you (hall finde that repentance is Gods gift. Tobelieve and under- ttand themyflery of theGofpel,is given toone and not to another. Thofe then that are thus chofen, are to be ravifhed with the confìderation of free Grace, that God out of his good pleafure (houldmake fuch a large difference between him andothers that it maybe have been leffe (inners, and have leffedifhonoured God thenhe bath done. How thankful mull the Ifraelite needs have been to fee thedeflroying Angel paffe by his houfe,änd ftrike at thenexte.£gyptian houfe to him ! How much more thenare the godly co rejoyce, who have the ftroak of eternal damnationpaffin.gby them, but falling heavily upon others 1 0¿ -fir And if youobjed, faying, .4/loaf Gods sneer pleafure, and its Wholly of God, that one is left, andanother zs taken; then a mans damnation anddeffrm/lions Who!- ly to be imputed unto God; then a man is no more in fault; for Who bath reffled his Will ? erfn,ie. To this we arfwer : That howfoever it be Gods Soveraign good pleafure to choofe fome andnotothers, yet a mans damnation is wholly ofhimfelf in refpeet of themeritorious caufe; for no man is damned precifely,becaufe God bathnot chufen him, becaufe he is not eleiled, but becaufe he is a (inner, and Both wiles fully refufe themeans ofgrace offered : infomuch that there is no firmer, but he doth as willingly and readily finne with as much choice and delight, as if he were not at all left by God ; and therefore the Scripture cloth wholly attribute a mans claimilion to his own felf: Let noman chink then to evade Gods Ju- Riceunder this pretence. No, God will be juflified , and every man will be found to bea (inner. Neithermay this be thought injullice inGod, for ifhe had not Coved one man, none could have blamed him we fee hedid not fpane one of the Apoftate Angels; Thus alfo might he have done with all man-knde. Let us thereforeadmire the goodneffe of God that choofeth any to eternal life. 01jefl° But afecond Objedion, which cavillers ufe to make, is, If God bath thus chofen fame, and left others, then all our labours and endeavours after God- linefe, are in vain; Why Amid 1 pray?ShouldI fet1 after God, all may be in vain ? stfto. _ To this the Anfwet is cake : Thoumull live by the revealed will of God, not by the fecret: NowGodsrevealed will cals for filch duties, commands fads graces of every one. What is Gods fecret will none cat. tell thee, but in the Wordhe bath (hewed thee, O man, what thou art to do : Do not thou thon cavil
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