An E'xpofttion of the Epifile ('.>J~ . S.rm.XX. No~v then to begin with that f'econd S~nce, namely,_ Tha~ GQd had till'd ~ thefe Eph£(i,zns, and thole Pnmtttve Chn(hans, out of that Condition of J;ifer · Ob[erv. r. Ob!crv. 2. Ob[crv. 3· wherein they_ lay by Nature, and had qutckned them, and fer ~hem in heavenly places m Chnfl Jefus, that they mtgbt he Examples, holding forth what Rich! of Grace God under the Gofpel had begun tO·break up, and wouid !hew to afie~ 1\gcs. The Obfervations that do arife from this Sence, as I have opened it td }'ou, arc there : Firfl; That God doth give Examples of his Grace and Mercy in others to help our Fairh. Gud doth blefs theConfideration of what Mercy he bath lh~wn to others,_ for the helpmg forward, tf not the begemng of Faith in us. There arc Promtfes of Grace, and there are Examples and Patterns of Grace · and the Examples, they confirm thole Promifes. That God bath Riches of Me;cy in his own Nature, there is one Foundation of our Faith; that he bath made large Promifes of Mercy and Grace to Sinners indefinitely, and to put forth thofe Riches out of himfclf, there isanother Confirmation and Ground of our Fai~. And thirdly, th;tt he bath lliewn Rrches of Grace to others, that have been as bJd as we. Look now, as Examples ule to confirm Rules, fo do Examples of Mercy confirm our Fatth 111 Promtles : That he may fbew forth, faith he !hew forth as in an Example, as I (hewed you in opening 1 Tim. 1. 15, This is; faitl>– fitl Saying, and worthy of ,lfj acceptation, th•t Chrijl came into the World to fave SimJCrs; there is his R.ule : Of whom I am chief; there is his Example: And for t!.i< c.mfc I obtained Mercy, that in me he might fbew forth (as in a Patt~rn ) all L ongji1firi11g IIIJIO others, which jbo~tld hereafter believe on him to ever/ailing Life. Sctondly ; J t affords this Obfervation alfo : That the Primitive Chrifrians, were intended as Patterns of Grace to us. He had !hewn this Mercy to tbcfc Ep/;ejiam, that he might !hew forth in them the Riches of his Grace to 1 all Pofl:erity afterwards. God did fet them up as the great Lights which after Ages l11ould not exceed ; they were the Firfl:·fruits, and after Ages lhould not exceed them, but be like to them. And thorefore, you fee, the Apofiles rnled_up{,n Chrinians then, to be Followers of them; and fo thofe that were firft conver– ted, mhers were the Followers of them: In 1 Thejf.I. 7· You were Enfamples to all that bclic.·c, i11 Mlcedonia and Achaia. Thofe firfl: ChrHtians, God pdured forth abundantly the Riches of his Grace upon them, and fer them up as Lights to all after Ages. And therefore, my Brethren, let me exhort you to this : Re.td the Story of the Life of Religion and Chrifiianity in thole Primitive Saints, read the Epiftles of the Apofiles written to them ; and there is ,nothing niore clt"ecrual, or more.powerful to quicken your Hearts in.Holinefs than. t~at. Sit Jown, and view then Graces, and thole Sparkles of Ltght and Holmefs, \i>hich break forth of their Writings, and of their Examples, for God intended them as Patterns unto us. 'But then, · Tf.irdly ; God did nor intend them only bare!~ as Examples or Patterns, but as Pawns and Pledges, that he would go on as he had bogurl, in afterAges, to pour forth the Riches ofhis Grace. 'Pa~tl's Converfion was not only an Exampl~, but ir was a Pawn, and a Pledg, as he bath it in that I Tim. I . 16. And fo IS their Convcrfion made here. Now fi·om hence, that it is not only a Pattern, but a Pawn and a Pledg, you niay rail<: thcfc Meditations to your Selves : Jliz• . Firff; T hat the Scripmres of the New Tefiament, they are to co~ti.nuein all Ages, to the end of the World, and to be read and minded by <?hrtftians: for how fb ll God's making thefe Ephejiam, and thofe Primitive Chrifttans, Examples of his Grace, and Pawns and Pledges of it, he apprehended to the Com~o':' J>f Poflcrity, unlefs that the Epi(llesthemlelves, and the Story ~f t~efe Chrtfitans,· fhould continue, and be read, to the end of the World. It ts evtdent, (I fPea.k * u
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