Cum). 34. v9Commentarie vpolt the 638 3. Hencewe haue alto a groundofthankefulnes wheyweheare of fuch a fret,: choife, and that the Lord enquired not what we were, or what we were worthy of; but loued vs before,we were , or the world was ; when nothingcould be conceiued either preuenting or meeting this goodnes ofGod. And indeede neuer can we come to fee the boc- tomeleffe Pea of this grace, vnleffe we behold it in this glaflè which our Apofile fetteth before our eyes ofour freeele&ioii and faluation meer- ly by grace;che which once if we come to behold, how can webut mag- rifie his grace, confeffe his name, feare tooffend him ,render all obedi- encevetohim, yea inw,ay ofloue and thankfulnes glue vp our felues to line anddie in his feruice,who bath fofreely,fo highly aduanced vs ? vn- deferued loues are great binders. It is in the mouth of eueryman to- ,wards themof whom they haue receiued vndeferued good turnes, I can neuer make fuch a man amends for fuchor fuch fauours; and yet this boundles loue ofGod is feldome waighedofirs. 4. Here is a ground ofcercentie of laluation, aswhich is founded in the eledìion of God by grace : and is therefore morefirme then the frame ofheauen and earth: whereas were it founded in our felues, or put in our ownebands to keepe,wecould haueno affuranceofir; no though we were renewed to our fir 1i innocencie,as appeareth in Adam: but fee- cot,3.3. ing our life and faluation it bidwith God, none (hall take it or vs euer out ofhis hands. Obiett. But ifit be laid fo farce out of our reach , that we neither haue it inour hand,nor any hand in ir,bur it is all in the mer- cieofGod; how can we haue any evidence or affurance of it in our. fecit re r. felues, vnleffe weshould climbe vp into heauen ? e/ínfw. We mull, not nuacee` `nn e fl'ce '' conceiue of this as Inch a mercy,which after it is freely fee vpon vs bath Augutl, no worke in vs; nor fuch a mercy as fauech vs without our felues ; but fuch a mercy , as t.calleth vs by the Gofpel , z.Tim. 1.9, who fared vs andcalledvs with an holy calling. 2. mooueth vs to an!wet that call , fee- [ing the fheepe of Chrifi hearehis voice ,and followehint. 3. giueth and encreafeth the grace offanòtification,and prouokech to newues of life: fo as thou fhalc not need togoe about the clouds to get affurance ofthis Ro:n.ras. 1 mercy : but the word it neere thee: Tooke how thou carriell thy felfe vn- to it,how thou hearefi the voice ofChrifl, how thou followeff it, how thonproceedefi on to the fruits of anew life, fuch as are the hatred of finne,and an endeauour topleat.- God in all things:here are the feales of thine affnrance. iS. Here is alto another ground of moderation and meekeneffe co- ward fuch as are not yet called : becaufe the change is ofmeere mercy, thedifferencebetweene vs is not naturall nor deferued:we were in time ' pail nobetter then they; they may in time to come participate of free grace
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