V E R. 3. Ephe/an,r, Chap. 2. in our nativities, fuch who bynature were finfull, and threatned, yea « fubject to judgement even as anyother, there being by nature no ex. cellency ofthe Jew above the Gentile. Firí then we have to con{ider,how thatthecholen ofGodbefore their Doll. converfion have nothing in themdiffering from other finners : The ele- Efea bet°re TianofGod flandeth frtre,but before he call effedtually,it doth put nothing f coot °m if in the party cledted ; Know yc not that drunkards,theeves,covetoui, ¿rc ? other Inners. Such were forne ofyou, but now yeare walked, &c. Even thole whom God ' Tun. z.19. taketh to mercy, they were finfull as others, before by his grace they Cor.6.9. are changed. Paul, glary cMagdalen, thefeEphefians now converted, what they had been, look ver.ir. And why r. That the mercy of The endofie. God may be magnified and made manifeft in the free grace of Juflifica- tion. 2. That love may be engendred inus, juflified ; Mary who had ma- ny fins forgiven,loved much. So that this ferveth for our comfort againft that we have been ; God Y ¡e cuts all fcores betwixt him and his children, thoumaift nowdeep quiet- ly onboth fides, the coal is cleare ; well may fins humble thee, and bring thee onthy knees toChrift, they (hall not condemne thee. 2. For a groundofhope touching force whoas yet arewithout, and 2. feeme hopeleffe. By the grace of God we are that we are. Defpaire of none ; where God is purpofed to Phewmercy, he can refcue the prey, not onely out ofthe Devils jawes,but even outofhis maw alto, as Jonah oat ofthe belly ofhell. Markhere again,that Paul and tholeof the circumcifion when they Doe. walked in the flefh, were alike before God to the uncircumcifcd; whence Without grace obferve, that where there is no true feareof God no outward circum- ", °°dge, fiances, or priviledges alone, others will commend us before him. Gods commends us o. people apeopleofSodors and Gomorrah;Gods people whenthey obey not, tcG'd'o. their circumcilonis madeuncircumcifon. But how can it be truly Paid, Rom.., feeing that theone profeffe the true God,the other doth not? An( 1. In objehlion. deeds theydeny him. 2. In deeds they let up falfe gods, their lufts,plea- o/Anfw. lures, riches, &c. andthey are more abominable before himwhen they T ".'.'6. prophanehis outward worfhip. Thus with us, lookwhatfoever we may thinkofour felves, yet while we live in the flefh, we are no better then Turks or Pagans for the prefent. S. Paul might have pleaded more then we, he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, his life was unblamable in the Law : Our hopes are better that are under thenet, but our condi- tion beforeGod is no otherwife. Feare to continue as nature made thee, even when it is molt decked Yf. and adorned. Hencewe are further taught : That we mull not be dimmed tocon- Doti . feffe our felves finners with the firft. So Paul, chri same to ave Inners cone$ethy f f Celleas bad of whereofI am chiefe. David, l will confeffeaping myfelfe : Efay, Woeti the worst. me, 1 am aman ofpolluted lips : lob, I abhorre myfelfe; I am oily. pfa! :. s. The molt upright are molt forward in confefïion. It is the proper Efay6.5. fruit of grace truly tafted ; it will freely confe(fe and give glory to Job era 39.37; God. lo111.7.29, It 209
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