~he Parable of the Rev. I4. 3· John I. I4· It's writofChri!l, hewas full of Grace and Truth. Do you ever think to meet with him , that get not your hearts full of the fenfe of it? Before I come therefore to prelfe this, I lhall premife thefe two rhino>. Fir!l ; That the_Lord in all his dealings with his people , feeks la!lly fo brina ab~ut the glory ofhts Grace: he regard~ nothing men_do, ifatla!l they deny him thts ; He refpe&s not what tins and evtls men have, tf at tall he aets this for this is his ~afl: end: hence all he cloth to his people, fo.t his people , b'Y his peo'pte , 'ris forthts. And hence z. He leaves them alongtime in their Graves and Sins, that they live like other men, whichisHrangethat he that hathloved them fo long, lhould leave them fo long eo be as bad as any , yet thi.s he doth '· becaufe it makes fur the praife of his Grace, Ephef. 2, 4,7, 8. Dead m fin, that m agesto come, &c. And this cloth fo confound Gods people, that they wi{h not only Heaven , but Earth, and Acres to come may record this love. "' · 2, Hence out of men fallen, he picks out ufually rhe poore!l and viletl:, the younger Brother le!fcloved out of a Family, leaves elder, Rvm. 9· I I. and the foolifh,andwettk._things, and things that are not, that no jlefhmight glor7, hut in the Lord, x Cor. I. 26 ,j3 I. and this is fl:range that the Lord lhou!d chufe thus , but this he doth eo blur the glory of all the world. 3· Hence the Lord iaves by Faith, and jufl:ifiesby Faith, and feats by Faith, Epb.I.q. andfan6tifiesbyFaith,andglorifiesbyFtith, IPet.I.3. Sothatall a Chrifi.ians life is aBeggars life, and 'c_is !lrange the.Lord ihould chufe the bafe!l, poore!lGrace to fave: by; andrhe end1s the glory of hlS Grace, Rom. 4· I6. 'Tis of Faith thar it might be ofGrace. 4· The Lor~leaves many wants in his people_, under which they lie fighing, and that fomeumevery long, refufeth to hear thetr Prayers,that they may repair to the Throne of Grace, and fo in conclution ble!fe Grace, Heb. 4· I 6. 5. Hence theLord takes away fomerimes rhofe feelings , thofe enlargements they had, and baits them wiuh moLl vexing fins, and pricking dinempers, 2 Cor. 12, 7,9. and it is to advance Grace. 6. Hence the Lord is fometimes angry with his people , and hides his face from them, that ifever he returns in love, his Grace may be the: fweeter, and la!l the longer, Jfai. 54• 7• Nay hence fomedmes !lrips them fo of all that they have had, or can do, chat if you ask what have you now to fay for your felves? nothing but Grace, their mouths are !lopt. Hence Pf4lm6. Lord fave m1 for thy mercies [4kt , Pfalm 51• II. According to the multitude of th) mercies, &c. 7· Hence the Lord fpeaks peace to his people, diat they may fay, I was fo vile, and yet loved; Oh Grace! Oh love! E;;:,elr_: I6.63. When they fee nothing but lharne, and lhame covers ~hem , and afraid to appear before God , it is for this end. 1•1enamenomore. Do you notobferve it? Sometime you lhall find the Lord fo fl:rangely carryingmatters, as if he did not love nor care for his people, ~ gainll the hair and grain of their deGres, and when all romes to winding up , 'os to advanceGrace. All amans aood dayes, and bad dayes , all Gods frowns and fmiles, all the Lords Food and Phyfick,all God cares for,works,plots for , 'tis to do his people no more hurt than this, to advance his Grace in them,and by them. All his hewings and hammerings ofyou, nay his knockina you apieces, and new melting, and aew caLling of you, 'tis that you may be veifels of his glorious Grace, that you may be able to live in the air ofGods Grace, ro fuck in,and breath out Grace, and len all the power of Hell feek to blur it , yet Grace lhall conquer•. VVho would not be under Grace? Oh poor creature, Satan is tempting , iin vexmg, yet Grace mull reign. Secondly , This I fay, that Gods own people do b~ fl:;ange wayes and cow:fes deny the Lord, and deprive theLord of the Glory of hts nch Grace, for that be:h~
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