I V E R. 4. Ephefians,Chàp.2. 217 fore take occafion by it,to humble our lclvcs even in the .compaffrng Pofterity, and b lay holdofthat moft precious Promife,whichalfurceh us that God well be our God, and the Godofour, feede, though we may leave place for his ferret will, which tendeth to his glory.. Thirdly, that he faich,Wee all, it doethgive us to fee the falfhoodof that dreamofour Ladies birth without originali fin :TheApoftle dotti fay, thatall the Jews were bynatureChildren of wrath,everymouth Popped, none that doth good, no not one; Yet the Papift will have a Canvalfe touchingour Lady, whether by Tome extraordinary difpen- fation thee mrght not be excepted. Thuswhile ( moft foolifhly)they will advance her above all Chriftian people, they doe thruft her out from havingfcllowfhip in the Common falvation, Chrifl comming to fave his people fromfnne. VE R. 4, But God who isrich inmercy, through hisgreat love where- with he loved us. Thusfarre the Apoftle hath laid downe this fentence, concerning our quality, and condition : Now be cometh to fill up the fentence, for the fence beinghitherto fufpended, Yeu,andwee all ofus, deadin fn,hath he'quickened: Now this latter part hath three branches to be con- fidered, r. The Caufes working this 2. Theorder of working it. 3. The End. The firft in the q.. verfe:The fecondby a gradation, verfe 5, 6. The third, verfe 7. Whence to the ro, verf. is inferred our free falvation, which in the 6. verfe was by the way interferted. Now the firft Caufe is God the Father, here defcribed from his rich c tlercy : and left we fhould marvailc how God fhould come to be merciful! to us, he telleth the fountaine of this mercy, hisgreat Leve: So that this verfedoethgive us to confider oftwo properties of God, Hiss L'Wercy. Z Love. Favour, Grace, Kiadneffe; the one the foun- tain ofthe other. Firft here wee fee, that God is a Godofrich mercies: and the Confi- derationhereof is not lightlyto be paflèd, becaufe no man is fo blind that hath not this in his mouth. This then is our rejoycing,to know God, not fo much what he is, or his effence,asof what propertyhe is unto us. Both the workes, and Word of Goddoe witneffe it : Allhis wages have theSaints approved,as mercifall &faithfull;and Paul calleth God, a Godofall Cempaßions,Father ofmercies : and though there is not greater, or leffer in God (whatfoever is in him, being himfelfe,hebe- ing infinite) yet in regardofworkes there is acommon inferior mercy, and a fingularrich mercy : that is over all his workes, this fuch as be taketh tobe over his,even theft veffels ofmercy. Looke by how much theneerer theCreature is inaffinity toGod, the neerer is the bleffed- neffeof it toGod. I needenot to profecute the Dofirine which fo many have amply laiddowne. But let us confider the life. V 3 That lichumble,and lay hold on the covenant. Gen.ry.y. 3, Rom.342. ry. Mat.r. c.. VER. 4 Method. The caufe of Saintshappincs Doe. God is a God ofrichmercies. Prai.xsrsr. Rom.g.x3.
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