290 S E R M Q N S>tpou Serm. XXXVIII, unto, that 'cis a (name and difgrace to our reafon, to think that thefe things are worthy to be compared, in any ferions debate; ter that all the pleafures, and honours, and pro- fits we dote upon, should come in competition with that blefled immortality, and life which is brought to light in the Gofpel, 2 Tim. t. io. And powerful grace goeth along with all this, to make it effectual, partly, in the time of converfion, taking us in our month, and that feafonwhich is fitteft for the glory of his grace; force are called in the morning, Tome at noon, Come in the evening of their age, as Match. 2C. 3, 4, 5, 6. &c. fome were hired to go into the vineyard at the third, tome the ninth, force the eleventh hour. That any believe in Chrift at all, is mercy; that Come believe in himfooner, force later, is the Lords wife ordering; He that is called betimes, may confider Gads good - nefs, which broke out fo early, before he longer provoked him, and contraCted an ha- bit of evil cuftoms, and that God inftruaed him betimes to take heed of fin, and fpend- ing his frefh and flowry youth in the fervice of the Devil; whereas, otherwife loft days, and months, and years, would have been a perpetual grief to him. He that is called at the latter end of his days, having fo many fins upon him, may be quietened to glorifie God, that he would not refufe him at Iaft, nor defpife him for all his rebellions, nor re- member againft him the fins of his youth: That a long and an old enemy fhould be ta- ken into favour. God knoweth how bell to gain upon every heart; and partly, in the means and occaions which God ufeth to convert us; 'cis many times difpenfed in a contrary way'to human expeûation: Paul when purfuing the people of God, tome when fcoffing and mocking, at leafs when they dreamt of no filch matter. But of That here. after. 2. In this efJèilrial calling, God fheweth firth his love and grace. t. That the rife of all was his eleClive love: None are in time effeaually called, but thole that before all time were chofen to life; for it is laid here, called according to par - pofe. From all eternity he had a purpofe to be thus gracious to us; thofe that were in the corrupt mats of mankind, are diftinguithed from others in his eternal porpole be- fore the foundations of the world, and were in time called out from others; and vocation is but eleltion broken out, therefore called ele &ion. Trace the fit-earn till you find the Wellhead, and you will difeern, that you can afcribe your calling to nothing elle, but even fo father , becaufe it ?leafed thee, Matih. t I. 26. God before time ele- ûed us, in the fulnefs of time Chrilt gave a ranfom to provoked juftice for us; and in due time the effects of Gods eternal love, and Chrifts purchafe, are applied; and fo we come to have a right to the bleffednefs we were chofen unto, and was purchafed for us. Oh admire this grace ! 2. God needed us not ; he had an only Son to delight in, Prov. 8..31. Millions of Angels to ferve him, Dan. 7. 1o. What lofs would it be to him, if the world of mankind had been deftroyed ? Acts 17. 25. Gad is not 'worfhipped with mens hands, as if he needed any thing. No, to the fulnefs of his happinefs, nothing can be added. 3. He was highly provoked and offènded by us, for we had cart off the mercies of our Creation, and from his Cteatures were become his Rebels; and then in due time Chrifl died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. 6. and upon his death and propitiation is the offer ground- ed, tanners are called to repentance, Math. 9. 13. 4. Great was our mifry we fell into by reafon of fn, Eph. 2. 3. Children of wrath; in- deed we were fentlefs of our mifery, carelefs of our remedy, loath to come out of that wretched eflate into which we had plunged our felves, John 3. tg,. And skis is thecon- demnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darknefs rather than light, be saute their deeds were evil. Oh what mercy was this! that God had filch pity asid corn - pafion upon us, when we had none, upon our felves! how freely then did he love us ? How powerfuldid he work upon us? calling and conquering, ruling and over ruling all matters, wherein we were concerned, that he might convert us to himfelf? S. ,That he fiould call us who were fo inconf derable, when others were left to perißi in fins, r Cor. 26. re jeer your calling, brethren, how that not many wife men after the flefb, are called. When fo many were paffed`by, who are before us in outward refpects, learned, great, and wife, and God (hewed mercy to us; we were, as deep in the corn. mon pollution as they, and for many natural abilities and perfections, came far fhort of them; frrely, this is meetly the love and good plealure of God ! . 6. This calling br'ingeth us into filch an efiate, as intituleth as to the peculiar and f ecial protetlion of God. We are his charge, that he may guide all things about us for his own glory, and our good. This is intimated in the text. When once you believe Gods offers, arid
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=