248 Chap. 38. an Expofitien upon the Book, of J o B. Vert. 2 makeft the curgoings of Morning and Evening to rejoyce; Sóme Stars gó out in the Morning, others goout in the Evening, their times are various,but they all keep their time, (Pfal, 104. 19.) TheSun kknoweth its going etown, that is, the time of its going down,the place of its going down ; In this we may fee what we should do,or ourown duty. Let us come forth in our feafon. The Stars are brought forth in theirs, and íhall not we ! happy are they that come forth, and bring forth in their feafon. hit time is a mercy as well as a duty ! Paul indeed Paidof himfelf, (r Cor. 15. 8.) that he man an abortive, or born out of due time. An abortive in nature, is one that comes into the world before the due time. Paul, as tohis fpirirual birth or new birth through grace, was nor, nor can any onebe new-born before the due time. Wemay rather fay, that we are new-born too late than too foon, or before our times Paul might fay he had been too l011; a proud Pharifie, a formal pro- fefior, and at lall, a perfecutor of thofe who profeffed the truth of the Gofpel in truth and therefore in that fence Taal was not ',an abortive, or born out of due time, namely, before his time: But Pail might fay fo of himfelf, that he was fo , Firft, Becaufe he was the lati of the Apostles that was called. The other ApofIles were called by Chrifi, while he liv d here on earth : Paul was called by Chrifi from heaven, afte- his death and departure from the earth. Secondly , He was born like an abortive, or thofe that come out of due time , becaufe of the violence, and grievous pangs which accompanied his n w-hi,th He wasfmitten from his horfe to the ground, and lay as ene dead in his paffage co his new-life. Such was the fuddenn>fs and violence of his converfaon , that it was moll: like an abortion. Thirdly, The Apoftle himfelf feems to give the reafon in the next Verfe we know abortives are ufually very weak and im- perfect} children, and lets in body than thofe born in due time. Now fuch was Saint 'paule humility , fo lowwas he in his own thoughts, that he calls himfelf (vest. y. ) the lceff of the 4 6. files, not meet to be called an apo/lle. In all these, or isany of there notions, the Apostle Paulmight fay he was born out of due time ; yet both as to the truth and feafonablenefs of his con- verfion, he was born in due time and in his full time. Now as shere is a due time, a feafon for our fpiritual birth, fo for our f(Ult- -41
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