to the EPHESIANS. SE R M 0 N x.· E p H E s. 1; 4, ~' 6; :.;: fJ3ut God who u rich i11 .!/Uercy, for hu great LO"Vt wherewith be lowd w, 5• Even wl>en we were dead in Sins, bath quickned w together with Chrifl"' ( by Grace ye are fawd) ' 6. .And bath raifed w up together, and made w fit together ill beawnly places in C/Jrifl Jefm. · V¥EE have already failed o':'er one Sea, that of Man's Corrnptiou, a de~d Sea, as I may focal!tt: and we are nowentringinto another, . a far vafier and deeper, of God's Love and free Grace; B11t God who 1$ rich in Mercy, for hn great Love whermith he bath lovedtl!,&c. In openingof thefe words, I !hall purfue that Method which I have ufcd from the beginning. I. To give you the general Scope, Parts, and Coher~nce ofthe words. 2. To give you an Expolition. And, • 3· Obfervations upon them. I. For the main general Scope; It is to fet out the greatnefs ofthat Love, Mer· cy, and Grace that is ip God, as it is the Fountain of Salvation to all his Elect, and this in the chiefefi outward fruits and benefits of it ad extra 1 towards us, in three feveral degrees thereof. He doth take all Advantages in fetting of it forth, to take their hearts whom he wrote to. He had firfi prefented to them a Map and a Profpea oftheir Sin and Mifery, in the former verfes; how they were dead in Sinsand Trejpajfes, Children ofWrath, &c. and this to prepare their hearts : Even as fuppofe you would prepare the Spirits ofMen condemned to die, to entertain with the highefi welcom the Grace and Mercy of a Prince that was refolved to pardon them, you would firfi fet out to them all their Wretchednefs and Demerits to the full, and then exaggerate the Goodnefs and Gracioufnefs ofthe Prince in his Refolutions of Grace and Favour towards them: fo cloth he here. A Gracioufnefs !hewn not only limply in for– giving, pardon!ng, and pulling them out of that depth of Mifery, but in railing and advancing them, and fetting them up upon the highefi pinacle and top of Honour; railing them up from Death, and a death in Sin, to lit together in hea– ven!y places inChrifi J efus,or withChrifi J efus. Such a fiory as this,were it told but to fianders-by,but as that which concerned other men and not themfelves,it would wonderfully affea them, and caufe them to fall down in admiJation ofthat fuper– excelling Grace in him that lhould deal fo with miferable and unworthy Crea· tures fubjelted to his Wrath : But when the Men the fiory is uttered of, are the perfons themfelves that hear it, and the obje& of all this Grace, how mufi this needs tra~fport them ! Now after he had forelaid and inlaid the defcription oftheir Mifery, he fets out the Mercy of God in the mofi taking way. He firfi brings it in with a [ B•t J of fome hidden and fecret Defign to remedy all this, That that God whom he had faid had elected and predefiinated, contrived our Salvation according to the Counfel ofhis Will, having Mercy in him. AB11t ~Jf
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