An Expojition of the EpijUe ~ (rho ~he whole Earth is his,) but that he exercijith Loving-k,jndmfi, ]11dgment and ""'"·XII · lVg/oteonjncfi in the Earth, (ver. 24-) that he iJ I}JercifHl and graciow. In thefe re- ~ fpeCis he is Cti<;l to be rich, and, rich iJJ Mercy. . . . . Inward worth, or inward excellency of any kmd,It IScalled Riches.; as in Jam. 2. 5· Men are liud to bench m Fmth; and m I Cor. I. 5· mnched m all 1Jiterance, and in all k.!wwleclge. It ISthere a Meta~hor.borrowed from what ISoutward, yet applicJ to what ISmward; and fo here m the Text, Riches are applied t? Mercy in God. Now .~hen tQ open both the th.ing aqd~he phrafe to y.ou. I fhall c)1alk put to you how I mean to handle this thimg, in fuch a way as is moft proper to the [cope of the Apoltle here, and I will not' go oqt of it. There· isa double way of handling the Riches of this Mercy that is in God. The firfi is, To !hew forth the eminent Properti.es and Excellencies that are in the Mercies ofQod, which may be called the R#/Jes ofthis ./11erq, and the Rich.._ n.els of that Gqce that is in him. Or, fecopdly, By !hewing that there are abundance ofthefe Riches in God. Thefe are two cjiltinfr things ; and the one will ferve and fit the 7th verfe, for which I will referve it ; but the other fitteth this verfe: therefore I !ball fpeak pro– perly ancl p!lnCl:ually to what the Apofile here exprelf>th. Richmfi is attributed both tQ Things and to Perfons, and in a differi~$ refpeCi. , 1; R.ich11cfi 1 or Riches, is attripqted to Things, and then it irn!'orteth the excellency ofthem. As, rich Apparel, E'!'ek,27. 24. or whatfo~ver elfe you will appfy it un– to. . Yea it is applied to the e~ellency in Creatures, that do not make Men: rieh; as Wine is called Ric~ Wine; that is, that which is full of fir>ngth and.pleafantl)tfs. It. notes out, I fay, ·the e10~ellency ofthe thing. ' ·'t• .. But then there is.Riches a[crihed to the Per!Ons that pqfiffs them, in h!fpetl:-of having an abundance pfwhat is moO: excellent. :, · 1 f\low (rnar]t it) Riches attributed to the thing, that is, untp Mercy itlklf;- t·hat :you have in the 7th verfe ( tbo the other will come in there too, yet rnor<l- pro– r erly that) Tllat he might jberr> forth the exceeding RichCJ ofhis Grace. There i& the Riche~ of the thing, th~ 1.\khes ofthe Grace it felf: And fo alfo oll thof6 e"ceJ,. lent prpperties that are in Grace, in Mercy; the freepels, the worth, the value: the price, the tenc[ernels, the 1\veetn~ls, or what you will (for the inward worth or excellency of any thiqg is callec[_in ufe of fpeech, the richne.fs ofit, as. a- "R:ich Wine, a Rich (:ordial, whatfp~yer is pleafant or excellent ) Riches are a~rributed ~o all the properties of it. N9w { (h~Jl not heve handle the rich propcmies that 'lre iq Mercy, which God fhews fprth in faving us, I !hall cut off all thofe,"apd re– ferve them for, thl' 7th verfe. {!ball now only fpeak t~ the fecond,. namely, Riches attoibmed to the Perfon or Subject th~t hath this Mercy : for you- fee th~ phrafe here is, that God is rick in Mmy, and fo I lballfpeak ofthat Trea15!rythat ii; ~n him, and i!i an abqndan~e, to flowing o].!er. A Man may'have Wine that is rich, and yet not be rich hirnfelf; but God n ricb ill Mercy, and hath Rkhes of Mc~cy in him. Now in handling the Riches of Mercy that is in God, j t may be done two w~ ' ~· Firlt, To handle them as they are the Caufe and Original in God of our Sal– v~tion, as they do move him thereunto, and, as they are the Spring or Mine of all the Mercies we receive. Or, · . · Secondly, Tc;> handle them by w.ay ofoutw.anj demonfhat~on, in tho l;itfe_Cts; which may argue and evidence the greatnefs. ofthe(e Riches. ·.1f. . -, \ Now this 4th Verfe and the 7.tP lhare thiD"e t.wo between thctn. The·;'t!i wrf~ r.uns moft upoo tp<; dempnftmio!J, OJ: hoMing fo>th a rnanifdbuion ofall the.Mel'– c)e~ rha~ God b~d vou>hfafed; Fot fo he ~nd~clLm the.clof~ ofthai VQrfe,LThat·,i~ tf:e Ages to come(fa~th he) he 1/Jight·fh.ew. the e/C~(edi{f~ Ricfw. ofhm fJracl(, ill/JiN jn"dnef
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=