The f ojnt-lnheritánce o f iaBelieverr: 3 8 ì could merit or deferve this life , it is not the merit of life , but the grace oflife. Surely theyknow not God, they know not his infinitenefs,his all- fufhciency ; they now not man, his emptinefs, his impotency, his vilenefs, his curfednefs ; they now not this life, they know not the reward , the excellency of it, the difpro- portion between any thing that man can do, and this life that is thus gracioufiy beftowed, that have fuch a conceit : Let them therefore pats with their foohlh opinion: For our own parts, it affordeth to us another ground ofcomfort,and that in re= vie z: Bard ofour unworthincfs : for as wè arecreatures, weare lets than the leaft ofGods Fan Conlola- mercies ; but as we are mortal creatures , duff and afhes, much more unworthy ofany favour ; but as we are finful creatures, having provoked theJufticeof God, molt, moft unworthyofanygrace; of any life, molt worthy ofall judgments and vengeance,ofeternal death and damnation. Where is now our hope ? what ground fhall we have that have nothing hi our felves? furely this, the groundof this life, the grace ofGod. What God doth, he loth for himfeif, for his own namesfake; Grace is free. And thcfe two joyned together,giveevident demonftrationofGoa tobea God, in the thing that he dothconfer upon thee, and in his dealing of it : the greatnefs of the gift that he doth give, and the freenefs of it. For who can give life, but the God of life, that bath life in bini[lf? And then again to do this altogether upon meer grace, upon his own goodpleafure ; it is a divine property. And this is it that loth encourage us to come unto God , notwithftanding our unwor- thinefs. And in this refped inthe fecond placewe have here a Ufeof inftruEtion : to ac- Vfe. 3. quaint our felves with God, with the freencfs of hisGrace ; to plead itunto God ForInfttußi- when we come untohim, andnotwithftandiug our unworthinefs, and our wretch- °u' ednefs, yet to preis this, Lord, rihkt thendaft, thou dofffor thy ownfake, outofthy meergrace, this makes me bold to come unto thee. Specially upon the confideration ofthat greateft evidenceofGods free grace, and rich mercy in giving his on to do whatfoever is requifite for the latisfa&ion ofhisJuftice : fo that here Grace and juftice do fweetly go together for the frengthening ofour Faith ; Grace in regard of our unworthinefs; Jufrice in regard of our rebellion : God doth what he doth färhis own fake ; his own Sonbath madefull fatisfadion to hisJuftice. And finally, this fhould the moreenlarge the heart to Clodagaiu a gifcthe freet life 4: itis,the more worthy ofpraife it milt needs be, themore acceptable to him that re- For Et rtati- ceiveth it, whenhe receiveth it ftommeer grace; änd hé that .giveth it, is thereby the more worthyof praife : fo that lay thefe two together, life, and the grace of life and then tell me what fufficientthanks can be given to him, vvho out of bus Grace lothbeftovv this life ? Thus from the priviledg in the fecond part thereof; comevve to thepartakers of The third this priviledg: brooch of the And firft of the iimple confideration of it, Heirs, fo tiät we come to a rightunto. Tee Sainü that eternal lifeby inheritance, asvve are Heirs, have right to So do the Texts before-rioted exprefly fet forth, the are justifiedby hit grace, eternal life by that roe foould be heirs of eternal life, Tit.3. 7. And Saint Paul giveth thanks to inheritaetc. Godfor the Coloffians , that be hadMade thempartakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. And our Lord when hedoth give us poffeffion hereof, inducts us thereuntovvith tisis, inherit theKingdom preparedfor jolt, Mat. zj. 34. take it by inheritance ; here is your right. Novvvve may notthink that thisground of righttooureternalinberitaixce comet' by òur natural generation; for fo weareheirs, and childrenof wrath, astheApoftle noteth in Eph. i. 3. It cannot come bynature, for fo it is Chrifts prerogative, the true,proper, natural Son of God ; and thus (as the Apoftle faith) Godbarb appoint- ed Ism heir of allthings, Heb. t. z: but it is by another grace, vvhereby vve are tmadechildren : A double grace in this refile& : a grace ofAdoption; anda grace of Regeneration: A grace of Adoption, for God giveth to us the fpiritofAdop whereby vveare moved tocry and call,Abba,Father; and by thisgraceeve are Children;
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