ON ROSEA XIV. -VERSE 8. 235 is that will of God whereby he requires us to work, and which he hath appointed to be observed by us. His will signified in precepts and prohibitions. " This is the will of God," saith the apostle, " even your sanc- tification," 1 Thess. iv. 3. So we are said to prove, to try, to do God's will, or that which is pleasing in his sight, Matt. vii. 21. Rom. xii. 2. John viii. 29. and there is the will of his purpose and counsel, according unto which he himself in his own secret and un- searchable good pleasure is pleased to work ; for he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, Eph. i. 11. whatsoever the Lord pleaseth, that he doth in heaven and earth, Psa. cxxxv. 6. And no second causes can do any thing else, though they ever so proudly break the order of God's revealed will, but what his hand and counsel had before determined, Acts iv. 28. The will of God's precept and command is every day violated, resisted, and broken through by wicked men unto their own destruction. " How often would I, and ye would not ?" Matt. xxiii. 37. Jer. xiii. 11. But the will of God's counsel and purpose cannot be resisted nor withstood by all the powers of the world ; the counsel of the Lord must stand ; and those very agents that work purposely to disappoint and subvert it, do by those very workings of theirs bring it to pass : and when by their own intentions they are enemies to it, by God's wonderful ordering and directing, they are executioners of it, Rom. ix. 19. Psa. xxxiii. 11. cxv. 3. Prov. xix. 21. Isa. xlvi. 10. Josh. xxiv. 9, 10. V. According unto this distinction of God's will, we are to distinguish of his call. Some are called by the will of his precept, when they have the will of God made known unto them, and are thereby
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