Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ll..ea[.r. Re~~f.z. :the 'Parable of tke SECT. II. I.JN regard ofGod, becaufe this negleCt is one of rhe great means by which he ·dorh execute his erernat rejeCtion of men, and hence here they ever eo fait. , For r, The Lord harh chofen fome to life, the end. • z. He cpuferh certain means to lead ro this end. 3. He purpofetb ro carry atf hi9 Elect by thefe means to that end; tbemfelves cannot, hence the Lord cloth. And hence arifeth the great peace and fupport of the Saims, when they look upon theeverla!ting mountains of hindrances and impo!Iibilities in their way, the Lord bath umderraken to carry them through them, John 17.15. That when heart and llrengrh failes, he will be hem and Hrengrb, and guide by his couniel, and bring ro his Glory. And hence as all the EleCt are to be certainly carried through all meJns ro their end, and this is proper ro rl:-Jem, fo hence the bell Hypocrite being never appointed certainly to come to this end, ever failes in the ufe of means ; there he is and !hall be forfaken of God, and forfake God. Hence John 6. When many ufed rhe meam, and followed Chritt for a rime, that they might have life, ar la!1: they forfook ChriH and ·rue.anstoh.!Vehim. Why? v.65. Becaufe noneun t<tne to me, .c:xcqt it were given him ofthe Father. Hence l09k as certainly as the Decree of Reprobation !hall Hand, he having not appointed them to the end ; ·fo he never carries rhem through all means to rhar end, and therefore here rbey do ever fail. As'tisinaFamily, thofe that th(! Lordof rbeFamilyintendsrogivehis e!lare unto, he keeps a llriet eye upon them, keeps rbem under the Government of the Family; as for others, let tllem go where they will, and do whar they will; fo here, all that lhall enjoy God, are put under the Kingdom ofthe Son. Hence be is faid to give it up: To others he will fay, you love Liberty, take it then. . · . II.Becaufe the Lord and Fellow!hip wirh him, is never indeed the1r !all &utmo!l end,or their only end,but rhey have fome or her end of their own;&hence they are never carried firongly through all means to that end.For this is the nature ofa mans lafl and um1oft end, it carries a man without any flop toward ir, and that with delight. As a man that barb ho~our and preferment, and great hopes in his eye, that is - r<::Khing to rhe top of his afFiring thoughts, he will ride, and run, and flatter, and Gn, &.. A man thathatb riches in his eye, he will rife e:rr/7, and go to hed late, eat the hre~td •f carefulnejfe, and he never bath enough. Aman that is lick, and barb health in his eye, takes his Phyftck, obferves his fe.1fons, wa!1:s his eflate, for this is his end. Hence a Hypocrite never making Chrif1 his laH end, bur being ever " double-minded man, J ames 1. And having his own ends, and lulls, and felf to attend upon, hence rhe Byas draws him from following CbriH elfeetually, bur he mufl follow his own ends, and hence ever neglects the means rhat lead him rhereunro, Mm.6.24. Look as'tiswirh men that have two Trades)'ortwoShops, one is asmuch as everrheycan followorrend, theyare forced at lafl to put offone, and they mull ncglee1: the one: So here. III. In regard of rb:1t Spirit of floarh and flumber, which the lord ever leaves rhe be!1: Hypocrite unto; which is the deare!1: lull and IaH enemy rhat rhe Lord deflroyes in all his, but never de!1:roies in thefe. Which fo mightily oppreiTerh all their fe1~fes,rhatrhey cannot ufe elfechally all means to accompliih their ends. And hence aman de!ires the end, but harh it nor, Prov.I 3-4- The Lord propoferh rhe moH Glorious <!!nd to his people, but its through many difficulties that we muf1 come: to ir. Now rbere being the Spirit offloarb wirhin, and rhefe difficulties wirhour, a Hypocrite lies down and refts under the !hadow of this ~rowing, fpreading Gn ; and faith 'tis hard, al'ld becaufe he cannot do fo, he hOJ;e~ - tlS

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