Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

°four efiguallcalling. ;17 ofScripture andexamples. For the firfl, the Lord profeffeth, Efa,65,i. that he offered himfelfe rothofe that askednot after 'Efa.65,i. hirn,and tbnrr foundofthem that fouçht h-m not, 6--c. The Apo- fileEphef,z.i. affirmeth that euen thefe «'ho are the Church and peopleofGod,werebefore their calling and conuerion not ficke only, but even dead in their/înnes,tn which they wal- ked according to thecoarrfe o fthe world; that they wereby nature the childrenof;rash as *ell 4 others, as it is verf.3..and that they werewithout Chrisi,aliantsfrom thecommon-lbealth of11:. rael,flrangers from the cotenant ofpromif , and had no ho9e,etnd werewithout Godinthelhorld, as it isverf,i2.Soi.Cor,6.ti. Eph.t.i.3.t, he faith, that thole who were now fanólified and iuflified, were in time pall fornicators,idolaters, adulterers, wantons, buggerers &c.. The Apoffie `Teter likewife Nvriting to the t,Cor.6.1 , ChurchofChrill, faith both of himfelfe and them alto, that theyhad fpent the_tiite pall before their conuerfation, after theloll oftheCentiler, waling in wantonnes, lui, drunk,çnnes, gluttònie,andinabominable idolatries,z.Pet.4.;. And thePro- 1.Pet.4.3, phet Efay faith,that wee all were wandring fheepe,vntill the Lordgathered vs intohis fheepfold. So that it was fo farre Efi. 53.6. . of, that we fhouiddeerue any grace or mercie at Gods hand . that inhis iuflice hemight rather haue confumed vs as his e- nemies, than calledvs tobe his Church andpeople. . Thisalto is plaine in the examples fpecified in thebookeof. God : for, what excellencie or worthines was in Abraham who beforehis calling was an idolater.?or in Rahabwho had fpent her time in lull and filthines ? or in Mana/Jes who was a cruel] idolater,amurtherer, a forcerer? or in Matthewwho wasapublicane? or in `Paul whowas a bloodie perfecutor? or in the thiefe, whohad fpent his lifein all outrageandwie- kednes? what excellencie or defart was in any of vs, who haue not fo. much as a thought, or inclination to any good thing,orany power to performe it ? and therefore weemuff conclude with the Apoflle, thatweare caged withanholycal. lrng,not according to our ;®ryes, but according to-his ox'nepur- pofe of ace: c,2.Tim.i.9. z.Tim.r9. The fecond'part of etfeauall calling, is that reciproca114,Se (donation whereby G.od. the: father giueth Chrifl-Iefushis onely

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