God calls several of his Servants at sundry times,1 some young, some old, some in their tender, some in their riper years, there is no season excepted; he that is the God of all times, can, and will do his own work at any time: Timothy knew the Scriptures from a child, 2 Tim. 3. 15. and drew in the sincere […] of the Word, as Milk from the Breasts of his Mother, and therefore is said to be nourished up in the wholesome words of Truth, 2 Tim. 1. 5. Obadiah feared God from his youth, 1 Kings, 18. 12, Lydia and the Jailer in Acts, 16. Paul in Acts, 9. 7. and Zacheus, Luke, 19. 9. it's most probable they were in their middle age, as their places and employments together with their accustomed experience, and practice ⟨p. 265⟩therein do […]; Paul indeed is called a young man, Acts, 7. 58. yet his bringing up at the feet of Gamaliel, the largeness and depth of his Learning and Knowledge in Arts and Tongues, 1 Cor. 14. 18. together with the Commission he was betrusted by the High-Priest, for the persecuting of the Saints, evince undeniably that he must be of ripe years: Abraham was upon his seventy fifth year when God called him, Gen. 12. 5. compared with Josh. 24. 2. Manasseh was converted near upon his death, about sixty years of age, 2 Chron. 33. 19. But in the case of old Age, the matter is so difficult, and so unusual, that there are very few examples of old men converted, recorded in Scripture, as though the Lord had reserved it in his own hand as a special exception, that the Sons of men should not ordinarily expect it. That which is usually observed with some probability (besides the pregnant testimony of the Text in hand) is, Amongst the many thousands, who were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon, Acts, 2. 36. Amongst all those who came to hear with Cornelius, Acts, 10. 44. It's said, the Holy […] fell upon all that […]; it's probable some among such numbers were stricken in years: As for the Thief upon the […], it's most agreeable to good reason by all the leading circumstances in the Text, that he was in his best strength. The Lord takes these times in the dispensation of his Mercy, for a double End.
God calls several of his Servants at sundry times,1 some yong, some old, some in their tender, some in their riper years, there is no season excepted; he that is the God of all times, can, and will do his own work at any time: Timothy knew the Scriptures from a child, 2 Tim. 3. 15. and drew in the sincere 〈…〉 of the Word, as Milk from the Breasts of his Mother, and therefore is said to be nourished up in the wholsom words of Truth, 2 Tim. 1. 5. Obadiah feared God from his youth, 1 Kings, 18. 12, Lydia and the Jaylor in Acts, 16. Paul in Acts, 9. 7. and Zacheus, Luke, 19. 9. it's most propable they were in their middle age, as their places and imployments together with their accustomed experience, and practice ⟨p. 265⟩therein do 〈…〉; Paul indeed is called a yong man, Acts, 7. 58. yet his bringing up at the feet of Gamaliel, the largeness and depth of his Learning and Knowledg in Arts and Tongues, 1 Cor. 14. 18. together with the Commission he was betrusted by the High-Priest, for the persecuting of the Saints, evince undeniably that he must be of ripe years: Abraham was upon his seventy fifth year when God called him, Gen. 12. 5. compared with Josh. 24. 2. Manasseth was converted near upon his death, about sixty yeers of age, 2 Chron. 33. 19. But in the case of old Age, the matter is so difficult, and so unusual, that there are very few examples of old men converted, recorded in Scripture, as though the Lord had reserved it in his own hand as a special exception, that the Sons of men should not ordinarily expect it. That which is usually observed with some probability (besides the pregnant testimony of the Text in hand) is, Amongst the many thousands, who were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon,
- 1Part I.
