Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .K4 1698

CCije Coiienattt ofpeace Opener'. is Preached, it is but here and there clearly Q.pened ; Nay, and many who come under the powerful Miniftration of the Gofpel, have it only come unto them inWord, that which is the favour of life unto life to fome, is the favour of i6 Death unto Death to others. Now from whence is all this ? but meerly from the Sovereignty of God, or good pleafure of his Will, for It is not of him that wilieth, nor ofhim that runneth, För2 9 . i6. but of God thatfheweth mercy. God's fpecial Love andEleCti.on is not from any Man's willing, or running ; it rifeth not from Natural Powers emproved, not fromhis Delires, Good Deeds, or Good Inclinations, clap,9, i i or from the fore-fight of his Faith and Obe- dience ; but from and of God's meer Mercy, 0 II. 5,6 Sovereign Grace and Favour : The Truth is, to deny God to have the power of his own MO 3.5` Free AC1 in difpenfing his own Sovereign Bounty, is to Eclipfe his Glory, and to ren- der him to have lefs Sovereign Power than that which he hath given, and alloweth to Mankind: May not a Man thew his Favour and, Goodnefs in redeeming a few Captives, out of a Multitude, who wilfully brought therfelves into Bondage, but he muff redeem them all, or be unjuff. ? Or cannot a Mangive a bountiful Gift toOne or Two poor Men in a Parilh, but he mull= bellow like Bounty to all the Poor in the laid Parifh ? Or, can't a King contrive and enter into a Covenant of Peace for a few Rebels that have ( with a Multitude of others) taken up Arms againíf him, but he muff be charged with Irjullice, C ì be-

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