to the EPHESIAN S. ~.., I am now to come to fpeak of the Richei of Mercy which are in God, fo far ~ forth as !hall ferve to open this Text, and !hall be proper to th~t which we have in hand. 73nt God wh• ir rich in .J/1ercy, &c. ·· Thefe are (my Brethren) very great Exprefiions, therefore if I !hall a little infifl: upon them, more than I have done upon former things, or than I fi1all do for time to come, you may pardon me: Yet what belongs to this Head of Richet of Mercy, fo far as this Text holds it forth, Ipurpofe to dilpatch in this Difcourfe. The Apofrle ufeth this high Epithite, 'Richet, when he fpeaks of Mercy, and ofGrace,fivetimcs in this Epifl:le. In the firft Chapter,v. 7· you have it, ],J whom we have 'Redemption, throngh hit Blood, the forgivmefs of Sim, according to the Richet if hit Grace. Then you have it here, in this 4th Verfe of the fecond Chapter, God who il rich in Mercy. Then, thirdly, you have it in the 7th Verle , of this Chapter again, and there you have it with an addition, Exc<edi11g Richet ~f hit Grace. And then, fourthly, you have it in the ·third Chapter, veri. 8. The nnfe~rchable Richuof Chrift. And then again, lafrly, you have it in the l6t!J verfe of the third Chapter, That he would grant J'Oit according to the Richet of hit GlorJ. I !hall not fo fpeak to it therefore now, but that I !hall referve Matter that !hall be proper unto thofe Texts, when I dome to fpeak to them. I need not then fl:and to give you any paraJlel Scriptures, to !hew, that God is called, rich in Mercy; or, that Mercy in God is called, rich Mercy: it being four or five times in this Epifrle attributed unto Mercy. I fi1all only name that in Rom. 10. D. The Jante Lordover all, i1 rich unto all that c:dl upoll him. The Apofl:le indeed doth not there fay, that he is rich in·MercJ, but he means it; for he would have faid elfe, God~ good unto all: But he thought that exprefiion. too little, and therefore he comes out with this, He iJ l"ich 11nto all ; that is, he is infinite overflowing in Goodneis, he is good to a profufenefs, he is good to the pouring forth of Riches, he is govd to an abundance. He fpeaks of Mercy; for he fpeaks of Salvation; and he had faid jufl: before, v. 1 1. but only this, (and it was but a Gender exprefiion,) Wbofoever believeth on biiJI, fba/1 1101 be flfbamed; but when he comes to prove it, then faith he, The fan~e Lord over all, 1t rich unto all that call •pon him: And wh'!foever fball rail npon the Name ofthe Lord, jba/1be faved. For the proof of it, when he comes to fpeak of that, he fpeaks of the moll:, tho when he fpeaks of the thing, be fpeaks of the leafl:. Now Riches of Mercy in God, it is a Metapbor borrowed from other Riches amongfl: Men, and he fpeaks of God here after the manner of Men. Or, if you will, rather other things are called Riches, by way of fimilitude from God ; for as God only is good, as Chrifl: faith, fo only he is rich: 1 Chron. 29. i2. Botb Riches and Hono11r come of1hee. He only is good, becaufe he is the Fountain of all Goodnefs; and he only is rich, becaufe he is the Fountain of all Riches. So as indeed other tbiugs are called Riches, becaufe ofa fimilitude to what is in him. But if we take it, as moft do, to be fpoken by a borrowed fimilitnde fi·om out– ward Riches, alas! fl:ill it cloth not reach it ; why? Becanferhat outward Riches amo,ngfl:Men, thej< are all outward things, therefotc they are Grid to have Wings, and toBy away, leave the Man fl:ill, forthey are but accidental to. him. Yoa have the Inventory of the Riches ofTj,-c, in Ezef<, 27. and they are all of things without. Now the truth is, that thus God is fa id to be rich too, in rcfpecr of outward things, that are outward to himfelf: Tf..e Eai·tb ( Critl1 the Pf.1lmifl:) i1 f~t!l of his Riches, PC.l. 104.24. Yet thefe are all outward things umo God, even as they are unto us, thothey are his Riches properly, becaufe they all comcofhinJ; And, Deut. 28. 12. The Lord j!Ja/1 open to thee hisgood Treafitre; (peaking cfGod's blefiing his People, which is but the Bleflings of the Earth, and the Dews of Heaven. But alas ! thefe are not the Riches he valueth ; but, my Brethren, the Rtches that he valueth, are the Riches that are in his own Nature. Let not the rich Man glor; in his Rich~s, Jer. 9· o, 3· God himfelfglories not in thefeR.iehesl * X 2 lho
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