110 / 808
éphtans,Chap.I,
V
E
R,7,
hating thefe lying vanities,
which
would
make
the
grace
of
God not
to
forgive, but to change agreater punifhment into
a
feller.
In
outward
matters,
we will
Rand
for the utmoft
of
our liberty
,
not
fuffering
a
word
of
our
Charters to be
reftrained, and
(hall
we beare it,
that
when
God giveth
us
in
Chrift
a
pardon
of
all
our finnes, me
n
fhould
limit
it
to
finnes
before Baptifine,
of
finnes
in
regard
of
their
eternal! punifh-
ment
a
In humane matters, we hold that
claufes
which
are
in
favour to
us, are
to be
cenfured
in
the amplcft
manner
which they may
beare
with
probabiliry.
Doll.
Obferve laftly,
in
this feventh verfe, from whence it
is
that God
giveth
us
pardon
of
finne, even from
his
rich grace:
This
made
the
Saints
in
the old Teftament
flye
to Gods
manifold
and
tender mercies,
and
feele
in
them remillìon
of
finne. See Exod ,64.lehovah,
gracious, merci-
fill,
rich
in
krndeneffe,
forgiving
finne
andiniquities
:
As
if
the
riches
of
his
grace were
in
this
ad
above
all
others
manifeft.
Ifa.
43. For
my ewne
fake
doe
I put
away thy
finne
;
not
for
your
fake,
but
for
my
owrenames fake,
will I purge you,
and
wall)
you
from your
finnes,
0
you houf
e
ofIfiael Ezec
i.
36.
We
lee
that
giving benefits,
though
it
commethfrom
kindenefi'e,
yet
it
doth not
any
thing
fo much teftifie the clemency and
kindeneffe
of
our natures,
as
the
bearing
and palling
injuries which doe highly pro
-
vokr
us
;
this then
is
the
fruit
of
Gods molt
rich grace
:
Indeed nothing
but grace can forgive, forgiveneffe being
a free
pardoning
of
frame
offence, without
taking any revenge
or
fatisfacction.
I cannot for-
give
that
fault
,
for which
I
take
my
revenge,
or fomething
which
doth
countervaile the injury offered;
Juftice
may
caufe
revenge, but
abject,
cannot forgive.But
how
can
God out
of
his
rich graceforgive
ourfinnes,
when
he
doth not
forgive
them, but
upon
the blond
of
his
Sonne
fhed
for us,
as
a
ranfome
or redemption
e
That
which weget
upon
a
ranfome
tendered, that
is
from
juftice due to us,
not from
free
grace
given us.
Reff,
Many limit this fentence thus
;
That
we receive on
a
ranfome which
our
felves
tender, that
is
due,not
on
a
ranfome which
is
given
us
out
of
grace;but
this feemeth
not
to anfwer the difficultie:for
what
I purchafe
with money never
fo
mercifully beftowed
on
me,
is
mine
in
juftice,
though the
money were not mine till mercy did furnifh me with
it
:
A price
of
redemption,
Ergo,
mull be confidered
two
waies.
r.
As
athing demanded
of
juftice,that
She
may
in lieu
doe fomething
upon it;
thus
Chrifts
blood
was no
ranfome;
For
juftice did
not
call him
to
this
mediatour
-like, and prieftly office,
nor
bid him lay
down
e
his
life.
a.It
muff
be confidered
as
a
thing provided
and
injoyned by mercy,
that
by
ir,
as
by
a
meane, mercy may doe
fomething juflly, which
otherwife
She
might
not;
and fuch a ranfome
is
Chrift
his
blond,
and
Ergo,
doth excellently accord with
free
grace,
and
the worke
of
grace
in
every thing. obj. But
when Chrift
his
obedience
is
fuch
as
ceafeth
It
s
gods
mo.
juftice, how
can
God out
of
grace
releafe
to
this obedience
that
punifh-
gy,
o,n
t
m°nr
of
finne, from
which now
juftice
in
regard
of
it hath ceafed
e
i,
f,.om
I
Arfre.
Becaufe
the obedience
of
the Sonne
is
due
to
the
Father,
and
iuíhce.
may be requited from
the
Sonne
of
duty,
to
be
rewarded at
his
pleafure: