Sa CT. XI!. ofBffeF,tual calling. thyway of this call, thento &fire to return to his former tufts t To think- it wasbette thenwith u, then now ; we bad more pleafüres more love in the world, more content and effeeni,then uincewe have followed God thus calling of us : Oh whereincan wePhew our (elves a people more unworthy of this mercy, then in fodoing l As it was with the people of Ifrael, when God had delivered them out ofthat placeofbondage,and by a mighty handhadwrought wonderfuldeliverances for them ; whereindid, they demonftratetheir horrible ingratitude more then in this, That they would ,gobacl¿,ageinto Egypt ? They pri- zed not the Manna, but thoughtoftheir old flefh-pots. Thus its asunfufh°rable wickedneffe inany man, whom God bathcalled from his former lulls, and he begins todelire them again, and to do as he bath done : Ohwhat is this, but to repentof thy marriage to God 1 To proclaim to the world, that thou didt1: finde.nìore pleafure and content in lulls, then in the fervice of God I Remember. Lotrwife; when God hadby amercifulhandpulled her out ofSodam,fhelooks, back and was immediately turned into a pillar of(alt. Augaffine Paid, It was to feafon us ; but the Hebrewword for fait, may lignifie brimftone, or fuch ma-. terials, and fo fhewaspunifhed in fome meafure like the Sodomites,partaking of theirpunifhments, becaufe fhe hadfome compliancewith their fins : Oh then confider thy felf I Halt thou forfaken all thy former dear tufts? Haft thou bid them all Be gope? Is thevery memory of thy former life a fhame and a bitter- neffe to thee? Art thoudaily bleffingGod, that he bathgiven thee eyes to fee and an heart tounderfland thy former life, and that for thoufands of worlds., thouwouldit nOt be theman thou oncewert? This is towalk worthy of foho- ly a calling. Secondly, Thafe that walk worthy of this heavenly call, they keep themfedves. unfpottedfrom the wickednef feof the world, they are not conformed to the wayes and cuttoms thereof.Thus the Apofile prayeth earneffly,Rom. i 2.7-hat they might not be conformed to the world,boot transformedin their minde,& true religion is that whirls keeps a manunfpottedfrom the werld,Jam.i.28IfGod bath called thee out ofthis dungeon, out of this noifome and filthy place, itsfor thee to raft offall thy rags4 and not to carryaboutthee fo much as the fmell thereofThe wholeworld lieth in wickedneffe, faith theApollo; And ifye were of theworld, faith Chrift to hit Difciples, the world would loveyoto. Though the godly are in it, yet. not of it. Thou dolt therefore thenwalkin a way befeemingthis holy profefüon, when thy lifeis frngular,and contrary to the world, *thouhateft what that leveth,thoia loveft what that hateth. Thy thoughtsand affeilionsare above thefe things. As God made the fowls at firftout of the waters, but they left them, and fie tap in theair towards theheavens : So it ought to bewith us; though we are horn of ileth and blood, and have one being from below, yet we are to foar above. Do not thendefile thy Pelfwith the pitch'here below. Be as the Sun-beams op- on the dunghil, that are not polluted by thevapours thereof. Beasthofe three worthies in thisfire, andyet not have thygarments frnged. Thirdly, They arevery attentive anddiligent toavoidallthofe wayes thatmay be anatlivefcandal or offence to others. To walkWorthy of the Gofpet is fo to carryour felves, that others may love it,that we may win others by our lifeand converfation.Now on the other fide, theywalk unworthily ofit, who give juft offense and fcandal to others, that are flumóling blocks in other mens wayes. This is an heavyfn : our Saviourcriethout ofa woeto fuch men, Mat. r8.7.and faith, It hadbeen better theyWere thrown into the bettom of the fea With a milftone abonr their necks. Theyhad betternever have been born, that it might be faida There were never fuchmen,then fo to harden others in impiety. How unworthy was 7udas ofthat gracious call he had; whenby his ferret theftand perfidious be traying of atilt, he gave himupto becrucified? What fuch a man to betfound in the number ofthofe that left all and followed Chrifl tWhat a fcandal wss this! Thole that are tender of Godsglory , andof the repute ofgodlineffe they dare PPPP net
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