Chap. I .Sect,3 LoD!dng unt1 1'tfus. Book. IV. goodnelfe ofGod in Chrifr, what prcachings are now in comparifon ofwhat have been formerly? how doth the Lord fet forth his free love, and free grace in the Churches ofChrift ? no queftion but many former ages have enjoyed their difcoveries in fome iweet meafure, and yet after ages wonder that they have known no more; and how much of the Kingdome of heaven do Saints finde in this age, as if there were a new manifefiation of God unto the work!? and yet I mufi tell you, that the ages to come {hall know more of this Kingdome, therdhall be further and further openings ofthis great myfieqi ofgrace unto the fons .. ofmen: marke the Apoille, that in the ages to corm he might jhew E h [ the exceeding riches ~f his grace, in his kjndneJTe towards us p c ' 1 ' 7 ' through 'fefus Chri.ft, Ephef. 2. 7· how is this? had not God revealed grace enough in the former ages ? or had not God revealed grace enough in that prefent age ? did he not then call in the Gentiles? were not many thoufands converted at one only Sermon? what a deale ofthat grac:e had Paul himfelfe received ? he tells us t~at the gr11ce ofour Lord Jefus waJ exceeding abund.znt 1 Ti~. 1 ~ It· to him-wards; and is there yet more grace to be reveafed ? 0 yes! · herein !yes the myfiery of grace, that he hath referved exceeding riches ofgrace for the ages to come; ,grace that never faw light before ; and I beleeve there is yet a fuller magazine of the riches of his grace for latter ages, even for the ages to .come to be difcovered, then ever wlis yet. Oh then repent! repent ? why ? for the Kingdome of heavm is at hand; The very openings of Gods love and grace unto fouls, is a way and motive to draw o.ur foub unto God. Or take the Kingdome of heaven for the preaching of the Gofpel to all nations, Jewes, and Gentiles, what feares and jealouGes may this breed in us as well as the Jewes; 0 boafi not againft the branches! it may be thou wilt /cry, the branches were brok.§n off, that I might be graffed in; well; becaufe ofunbelief they were brokEn off, and thotJ ftandeft by faith ; be not high minded, but .feare. For ifGodfpared not the natural brancheJ, tak! heed le~ he alfofpart not thee. Behold thmfore the_.goodneJ[e, andfeverity ofGod: on them whicl; fe!r feverity; bm towards thu, goodneJTe, if theu continue in his go~dneJTe: otherwi{e thou jh.t!t be cut off. But I mufi not dwell on this ; my deGg ·e is to confider of Jef, s, andofthe tranfadions of Jefus in reference to our fouls health ; now 'fohns sermons were onely a · · Bbb 2 .prepara~iv~
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