io the E P H E SI A N S. SERMON VIIL EP HES. I. j. Jnwhom ~ve have Redemption _through hi.r Blood, the forgiven eft of Sinr, according to .the richer of hif Grace. I Stand here at the 7th. verte, betweeh two of the greatefl: ( whot fhall I cali them? ) Heights or Depths of God's Wifdom and Grace towards us; and as that Angel in the Revelationhad o11e foot upon tbe E{lrth, and a11otber ttpon the Sta . fo [!land with one foot upon the Blef1ings ordained us from eternity, and inre'nded us when we come in Heaven, and the other upon the blef1igs inten– ded us here in this World. They are both of them two vafl: Arguments,and there– fore you fl1all give me leave to be fomewhat larger then ordinary about them, For of all the My!leries of the Gofpel (fince I knew it,) this hath mofl: fwallowcd up my thoughts, . . . Two things I {hall obferve about thefe two forts of Decrees and Blellirigs.. . Fir!\, I fl1all fl1ew you how thefe Blef1ings d1ifer, (as before I iliewed you what wos common unto them among themfelves.) And Secondly, I !hall give you a glimpfe of that infinitely glorious harmony between rhefc two contrivements, and of the w1fdom of God that fhines in them both. The greatnefs of the Point deferves this. For the Fir!\, How thefe blellings d1ffer. · Fir!\, T he fitfl: fort of blef1ings perfetl: Holinefs,Adoption, e§c; \Vere ordained us without the confidcration of the fall, (though not before the confideration of the Fall ; for all the things which God decrees, are at once in his mind,) they were all both one and other ordained to our perforis. But God in the Decrees about thefe firfl: fort ofbleilings viewed us as Crea6i!es, as Creatures which h1! could, and would make fo and fo glorious: For God can eafily ordain the Subjet!:, and the utmo!\ well-being of it both at once; and this might well be the firlt Idea taken of us in God's purofes, becaufe fuch is the pcrfetl:ion of God's under– !\andiog, that he at firll: looks to the perfetl:ion and end of his work. But the fecond fort of bleffings were ordained us meerly upon confideration of the Fall, and to our perfons confidered as Sinners and Unbelievers, And the firfl: fort were to the praife of God's grace, taking Grace for the freenejs of love; whereas the latter fort, are to the praife of the_glory of his grace, are with an ,:,;,.;,, an en" dcarment of a greater degree df h1s grace, unto a further glory of his grace and on illu!lration of ir, taking Grace for free Mercy. . Secondly,Thofe firfl: fort ofblef1irigs are ordained to have their full and plena!}~ accomp!Jihmenr, and to take place m that other World, and are fuited to that fl:ate into which we !hall then be en!\alled. And as in Gods primary intentioil they,are before the other, and therefore are faid to have beenbefore tbtfoundati0110f the World, ver. 4· fo they are to take place after this world ended; they betng the Center of all God's thoughts towards us. Then we /hall be fo holy as Satan himfelf /hall find no ground to carp at us: Then we {hall receive the Adop~ tzo11 of Chzldrm ; and though we are now the Sons of God, yet tbfli it Jhafl appear to us and and afl the World, by that infinite glory that God will then be!low upon us. But thofe fecond fort of blellings were ordained for our <'n'ter• tamf!lent m thzs Wa>·!d, and are fuited unto that condition wh1ch we lhall run thorough unto the day of Judgment, 99 ~ Str. VJlf. ~ Oz Thirdly, •
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