V ER. S. Epheflans,C hap.I. 99 pleafure: IfmÿSonnedoe that at my command, upon which I can de- mand ten fhillings,I who have the right ofmySonne andhis worke,may take the whole, and yet give himof gracewhat I pleafe. It doth confute the former dreame; that which the riches ofgrace Vie T. doth, is full and perfect, no imperfeét forgiving. Should the King itn- prifona man, whenhe might hang him, it were notan a61 ofmercy par- doning, but an aéi of juftice tempered with mercy. obj. But (fay they ) punifhment abideth to thofe whom God forgiveth out of his mercy ; as David, and thole for whom cAiofs prayed that God would for- give them, according to his rich mercy. vinfa,. Ir doth fo; but it fo abideth, that all guilt offinne to God wad is taken out of it ; as it is in the hanging due to a murtherer, whoheard before time ofexecution, is conversed and Baptized ; in which cafe, if the abiding of the pu- nifhment doe not let but forgiveneffe may be full and free, why fhould the remainingofpunifhrnentargue in the other apartiall remiffion onely Secondly, this doth let us fee what thankfulneffe we owe to God. Yfe z. Shouldone forgiveus fome great debt,orfhould one paffeby fome pro- vocations at our hands, full ofindignity, as Daviddid at Shemeic tome- times, how wouldwetell oftheir love, and let it forth e But what indig- nities have we offered our God e what debt (land we in to him ? the greateft debt ofa thoufand .talents : O then we would lovemuch, be much thankfull; Thewant of this maketh God fometimehide the fenfe offorgiveneffe from us ; even as when plentymaketh his bleffings no dainties, he doth take them from us, that we may feeke after them, and learne to enjoy them with greater thankfulneffe. Thirdly, let us like children imitate him, forgiving each the other, ashe for Chrift his fake bath forgivenus. But of this hereafter. Now hecoinmeth to the fecondbenefit; which feemeth here an- nexed, not fo much to begin a fecond branch ofhis enumeration, as to make us conceive aright ofeheorder in whichwe come to receiveremif- fion from grace, viz. to prevent as that we may not thinke that in the firft place forgivenefs is bcflowed, becaufe that was firlt named, but that wereceive pardonfrom grace,when now that richgraceofGod abounded toward us ingiving us tviredome andunderftanding; Thus I conceive the coherence. Now the points which are to be marked in this matter, are thefe: Firft, the abundant Grace of God, the principali caufe ofir. Secondly the Perlons, to (ur) who have found in him remiffion offinne.Thirdlv,thebenefits in which this rich gracehad for- merly abounded, in Wi/edome and underJtanding ; and thefe are in the S. vole. Fourthly, the manner ofworking theft benefits, vi7L the re- velation ofthe myflery of his will; which is amplified partly from the efficient caufe thereof,Godsfreepleafure, and this is verfe 9.partly from theends,verfe ro. To retorne unto the eight verfe.Before wecanconfiderthe doétrines, v & n s E.B. it is fit to open the true meaningof it : Our bookes read, bywhichgrace he abounded towards cm, in wifedsme, As if this were the fenfe ; by K a which
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