Chap. 2-4 about ourholy Calling, orVocation. 223 Thirdly, this voice of the Gofpel, is the voice of God in Chrift, or the voice of Jeius Chria, although difpenfedby men, (who are but weak inftru- ments for fo mighty a work,) fent, and fet InChaffs ftead, Rom. I,6, john 5.29. 2 7 hef. 2.12, I3. Its called Chrifks Call, He6, 3. x. becaufe Ch rift takes (as it were) thewritten Word inhis own lips, and thereby pierces through the Bares to the heart, through all the noife offeares, forrows, obje- &ions a .aina believing, andmakes it tobe heard as his voice. Fourthly, the thing that Chria calls us unto, is, to come tohim : Chrifi will now have the loftProdigal to come home : he will have the burdened foul to come to him for eafe, Mar. I I.27. fer.3.7i22. and 4. 1. He calls for us to come andpoffeffe his fnlnefle, Luke 14.17. I (or. 1.9. Fifthly, thisCall to Come, is all one for fubftance with the offer of Chril 'r, which confiEls in three things. I. A Command to receive Chrift, as prefent and readie to be given; I John 4. 23. 2. Perfwafion and entreaty, to come andaccept of this offer, 2 Corinth. 5. 19i2o. 3. A Promife of the thing offered if we will receiveir. Sixthly, thisCall orOffer bath three fpecial qualifications. r. Its inward as well as outward : For thoufands are outwardly called, which yet never come, becaufe they want the inward Call, John 6. 45. He that hath heard and learned ofthe Fathercomes to me, Hof.z. r 4. a. Its a particular Call, Mar. 16. 15. there is a general Call, and offer of grace to every one : but when the Spirit applies generals CO particulars parti- cularly, this makesthe Call particular, ¡fa. 43.x. John 1 2.5. 3. Its effe&ual as well as inward and particular, Luke 24.23. Compel them ,to come in, John I0.16. Its a calling out of purpofe, Rom. 8. 28. Mat. 9: 12, 13. 2Chron. 3o. JO, I T. Queft. wherein doth thenecefty of this Call appear ? Anfw. Firft, no man fhould come unleffe firf} called. For what hash any man to do with Chri(l, or to make himfelf a fon of God, andheire of glory, except he be called thereto of God ? Secondly, no man would conic without the Lords Call, Mat. 20. 6, 7. ---Noman bath hired, or called rm. There mull be an effeivalCall to bring men home, Ifa. 5 5.5 3, No man could come unleffe called, John 6. 4+ unleffe the Father draw viz,, by this Call. For Rom. I I. 32. we are fiver up underunh:lief. SJueft. How is thee Call a ground of faith ? Anfw. Firfl, its the ground by which, or wherefore if yeas upon the Pro- mife The rminde fees 1. The freenefle of mercy to a poor (inner in mi- fery, and this breeds fome hope that the Lord may pity it. Secondly, the fulneffeand plenteous riches of mercy, and this gives great en- coesragernent to the foul to think, that if it comes, the Lord will not deny it a drop, 411.130. 7,S. Thirdly, the precioufneffe and fweetneffe ofmercy, makes the foul exceed- ingly to long for it, Pfal. 36. 6, 7. and to difeaeem all things to enjoy it : But when to all this, God fends a fpecial command to come in, and to take mercy, and that for no otherreafon,but becaufe irs commanded,thisputs an end to all feares and difcouragements, and the foul anfwers, as Jer. 3. 22. B:hold, roe came, &c. Mr. Shepherds Sound Believer. Qieft. what are the parts of inward Calling? e4nfw. Firff, the enlightning the miede to underfland the principles of Religion, which though alone it benot (efficient, nor more thenmay be in a Re- Iv. VI. I. II. II. I.
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