--26~2---------A~n~E~x-p-~~tt~ro-n-o~if-th~e-E=p~~--k-------, ~""'·-~ ~ The firfl: Sence makes the Defign to refpect immediatly tl,e Glory of God 10 have a reipelt to him in all that he bath done about our Salvation, to !hew forth the Riches of his Grace. The fecond makes the Words to be intended for the Comfort of future Ages in the Mercy !hewn to thefe. · ' The third, to be intended for the further perfonal Comfort of thefe Believers, by what God had done already, from thence to collect what infinite Riches of Mercy they were to expect in the World to come. T~e srfl: Sence makes the Words to be a doctrinal Conclufion, holding forth Ood s whole and utmofl: Defign and Contnvement about Man's Salvation worthy tO be celebrated in all Ages. ' The fecond makes the Words to be as it were a Note of Enoot1ragemenr brought in by the way, as an Inference, for the Comfort of us that were t~ corpe and live after, that we may gather from his dealing with thefe Epheja~ts. And, The third, doth make them an Ufe of Application, (if I may fo fpeak) and to be a further Enlargement upon what he had faid of our Salvation already in the words before, of what great things afterwards were to be expected. ' I have gone over all the Words, and !hewn you, how that the Coherence of t~e Words before, and all the Words in the 'Text, will. naturally and. genuinely g•ve themfelves up to every one ofthefe Sences: So., mdeed thefc Words being the Conclufion of the whole, I fhall be exceeding loth to exclude any of them, if the one may confifl: with the other, as knowing by much experience, how that the Scriptures have a various and comprehenfive meaning. But if you ask me now, Which of all thefe Sences I do in the firll: place refer to? .I anfwer, clearly the firfl: Sence of all the reil:, namely, That in th~fe Words is mtended God's Defign, as it immediat!y refpe& the !hewing forth, or making known ( which is all one, as RoUock. well obferveth ) the Glory of his Grace. And my Reafons are thefe: Firfl; Becaufe it is the moll: unlimited Sence, and the moll general. Secondly; Becaufe it is evident, his Scope is to fet forth the final Caufe ofMan's Salvation, and that in the Heart of God. It is therefore to be preferred before the other two ; for the fecood Sence doth not make immediatly God's Glory to be the thing here fo much fhewn forth, as to be a Note of Encouragement to after Ages, that God would fhew them the like Grace. And the third Sence doth not make it fo much the final Caufe in the Heart of God, as the Event, the Hfue, the Up!hot, the Conclufion ofall that God pitched upon, the fhewing furth of the Riches of his Grace. And then again, the two latter are more nar· row and limited: the one is limited to the Comfort of Pofrerity ; the other. ·I) the Comfort of thefe Epheftans, in the Accomplifhment of their Salvation in Heaven. But the firll:, which refpe&s immediatly the Glory of God's free Gr~ce, is general, it is univerfal, it is the whole adequate End of all Mens Salvation, and of all the parts of it whatfoever. If you ask me, Which of the two latter I prefer? hnfwer the third. I fhewed you, in the firfr Sermon I made upon thefe Words, my Reafons that this Interpretation was natural and genuine, viz,. To interpret it of the Manifcll:ation of the Riches of God's Grace in the World to come. Now I fhall give you my Reafons, why I prefer that rather than the fe– cond which would make the Words to refer on!y to an Encouragement to Po• fteriiy, that God in Ages to come would fhew the like Grace that he had done to theCc Ephejans. And my Reafons are thefe : Firfl; .
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