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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
hold
of
that moft
precious
Promife,which
alfurceh
us
that
God well
be
our God,
and
the
God
of
our,
feede,
though we may
leave place for
his
ferret
will, which tendeth to
his glory..
Thirdly, that
he
faich,Wee all,
it
doeth
give
us
to
fee
the
falfhood
of
that
dream
of
our Ladies
birth without
originali
fin
:The
Apoftle dotti
fay,
that
all
the
Jews were
by
nature
Children
of wrath,every
mouth
Popped,
none
that
doth
good,
no
not
one;
Yet the Papift
will have a
Canvalfe
touching
our Lady, whether
by
Tome
extraordinary difpen-
fation
thee
mrght not
be
excepted.
Thus
while
(
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
from
fnne.
V
E
R.
4,
But
God who
isrich
in
mercy,
through his
great
love where-
with
he
loved us.
Thus
farre
the Apoftle hath
laid
downe
this fentence, concerning
our quality, and condition
:
Now
be
cometh
to
fill
up
the fentence, for
the
fence
being
hitherto
fufpended,
Yeu,and
wee
all
ofus, dead
in
f
n,hath
he'quickened:
Now
this latter part
hath
three branches
to
be con
-
fidered,
r. The
Caufes working this
2.
The
order of
working
it.
3.
The End.
The
firft in
the
q..
verfe:
The
fecond
by
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,
his
great
Leve:
So
that
this verfe
doeth
give
us
to confider
of
two
properties
of
God,
Hiss
L'Wercy.
Z
Love.
Favour, Grace,
Kiadneffe; the one the
foun-
tain of
the other.
Firft
here wee fee, that
God
is a God
of
rich mercies: and
the Confi-
deration
hereof
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,as
of
what property
he
is
unto
us.
Both
the
workes,
and
Word
of
God
doe witneffe it
:
All
his
wages
have
the
Saints approved,as
mercifall &
faithfull;and
Paul calleth
God,
a God
of
all
Cempaßions,Father
ofmercies
:
and
though
there
is
not
greater, or
leffer in
God (whatfoever
is in
him, being himfelfe,hebe-
ing
infinite)
yet
in
regard
of
workes there
is a
common
inferior mercy,
and
a
fingular
rich mercy
:
that
is
over
all
his
workes,
this
fuch
as
be
taketh to
be
over
his,even
theft
veffels
of
mercy.
Looke by how much
the
neerer the
Creature
is
in
affinity
to
God,
the
neerer
is
the
bleffed-
neffe
of
it
to
God.
I
neede
not
to
profecute
the Dofirine which
fo
many have amply laid
downe.
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
Saints
happincs
Doe.
God
is
a
God
of
rich
mercies.
Prai.xsrsr.
Rom.g.
x3.