70Our¡ntandvtefitnes rnußnot makeyr neQlea hearing. fit,but alto that weemaybe madefit, who before werevnfit. Neither are we to imagine that faith andother graces go be- -fore hearing,but follow after as fruitsandeffe6s thereof; as Iecn,w.ij.17.. theApoflle plainly fheweth,Rom,a 0.4. But how'hallthey call onhim in whom they hauenot bcleeased ? And howJhallthey 6e- iceue in himofíohö theyhaue not heard?Andhowfhall they /mare withouta Preacher ? And verle 17. Faith commeth by hearing, andhearing by thewordofGod. If-theeit there beno faithwith- out hearing,nor no grace without faith,it mull needs follow, that before weheare,wee aredeflitute offaithand all fauing grace, and that by hearing they are wrought invs, Godpre- uenting vs with his grace,: and calling vs vntohimfelfe,not onlywhen we hadno deferts to merithts mercy,but allo not fo much as any grace to delire it. Andhence it is ÿ theApo- ,Ti,n, :g, ftlefaith,z.Tim.r.9.That,God loath calledvswith an holy cal- ling,not according toóurb'órks, butaccordn} tohis ownpurpofe andgrace, whichwas giMen vntovs through Chra lefiasbefore the w?rldwa4-.The truth heroftnayappeare in al the examples ofGods Saints, who before their calling were fofarre from deferuing any grace at Godshand, that rather theydeferued confufion andvtter deflrulion. For example, what worthi- nes was in Abraham before his conuerfiówho liued in groíhe idolatrie? what worthines in,Rahab the harlot? inMMnaffes a cruell tyrant, awicked forcerer, an-horrible idolater? what worthines inMerry Magdalene poifeffed by feuen.diuels? or inMatthew and Zacheur the Publicanes?or in Paul who per fumed the ChurchofGod ? In aword,whar worthines is in anyofGods Saints,before the Lord ythe prcachi'ngof his word, made effe6lualby.the inward operationofhis fpirit, 'lathcalled andconuerted, and pulled themout oftheir fins- and corruptions in which theywallowed, and indued them - with fonie meafureofhis fan&ifying and fauing graces? §.Se47,2. Seco. dly,wherea5 heobiec`Ieth our.vnñtnes toheare, be- aro!rtuft caufeoureares:aredull, ourcycsblind ,orheartshard,ardour rr'Are tobea. , w ils, affc&ions, and all the powers and faculties ofour bo- 1"''Id ¡lot diesand foules wholly corrupted anddifordered; this muff no4mcue vs toneglca thehearing ofGodsword;but to e- come h.Qarers thereof tip; ith more care and diligence : for it is,
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