-.94 :Ephe(,L,I!, ) Book ti. LookingtJnto 1efru. Chap.~Seel:.z that God muft be glorified in his wifdome , power, juftice, holineffe, and his other attributes; ay, but efperially in this, it is the gr111ce ofGod in which he molt delighteth , even as vertuous Kings affe<'l: ,' above all their other vertues, to be had in honour for t.heir clemency, and boun,ty: So it is with our qod the King .ofKmgs, and Lord ofLords; all he doth 1s to th1s end, that his .grace may be manifefted to his greater glory. And to this end is the glory ofChrift, and the glory ofChriU:ians referred. Why Lord, that this fhould be thy plot , te [ave myJoule , that my . Joule jbostLd praife theglory ofthy grace? that thy grace fhould before all worlds think on me for good? Oh how fhould I but think on thee, and thy free-grace ? How fhould I but admire it, a- ,, doreit, praiieit, exalcicaboveSun and Moon, and Starres ? how fhould I but cry out wnh the Apofile , Oh the depth r.f the riches ofthy grace! for of him, and rhnugh him, and to him are all things, to whom be gLory for ever and evrr , Amm. 2.Confider the counfels of God about thy falvation :he work.fth all things after the counfell ofhisorm will: and with him is counfeL and with him is underftanding. This counfel (as we have difcovered) was primarily about that reconciliation of the riches of his grace, and the glory of his juftice. Confider this,O my foule , thy fin pNt all the attributes of God to a kind ofconfliCt: ; hereupon was that great and mighty counfel, how God iliould make way for ~is love and goodneffe, aud ye~ fatisfie his truth ; and juftice ? at I all: the wifdome of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient , the Lord Jrfus Chrift: is not this the meaningoftheApoitlc? whomGodbathfet forth to be a propitiathn through faith in his blood, to declare his righteoufnrf{e for the remi!Jion of Jinnes. Ponder , and weigh tllefe words ! God fets not forth ( brill: to be a propitiation to declare onely his mercy in ·the forgiveneffe offinnes : how? is there any thing but mercy in the for~ivenefs offinnes?yes;there is fomething elfe,there is righteoufnrff e alfo, and therefore he hath fet forthChrift to be a propitiation that he might declar'e his nghteoufneffe; nay , fee it repeated, to declare I fay his righteolljmf{e, that he might be j~tjf, and thejuftifier of him which beLieveth in 'fefm : not that he might be mercifull;but that he might be jufi in juftifying hiru that be!ieveth.in J efus.This text Luther had a great deal ado to underiiand, .t~.nd he _pra'yed..much before he could get the right meaning of!r. · This
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