36o nail glory and happinefle of the ele &, (this is the neareft end.) T i M. Taus what ír meant by [He] as alfo by [Declare ?] S I L. By [He] is meant God, as verf. 2 2. and by [Declare] is fignified to make known to all reafonable crea- tures,to wit,Angels and men. T t M. What ú jgnifiedby [His glory] as alfo by [the riches ofhis glory. ?] S i L. By [His glory] is meant the grace of God,w herein he fhewes himfelf glorious : fee Eph. 3. 16. And by [the riches of his glory] is meant his unmeafu- table andmarvellous great mercy: fee the like, Rom.2.4 Ephef. 1.3,8. T i M.Wha are meant hereby the [veffels of his mercy ?] S I L.Ele& men and women ordained to obtain folvation in heaven,' through the mercits pf, God in Chrift. T i M. What Dollrines arife out of tbefe words thus expounded ? S I L.Firft, that the ele& (as well as the reprobate) are veffels or inftruments framed of God to fpecial ufes ; for God makes nothing in vain: if reprobates be for ufe, much rather the ele&. T t M. What ufe ofthis point ? S s L. It warns us, that whatfoever we are to have, we hold it of God, and are to rcferre it to him, even as veffels are what they are by the will of the Potter,and ferve to his pleafure. T i M. What is the next Dolriríe ? 2 Dali. S i L. That not mansmerit but Gods mercy, puts a difference between vef- fell and veffell, perfon and perfon. The godly in that they are veffels, this is by nature common to them with the wicked ; but in that they are veffels to honour,this mull be afcribed to mercy: whereas yet the reprobates are veffels pf wrath by merit, for theirwrath and punifhment is not infli &ed,till it be de- ferved. To so What ufe is to be made ofthis point? S i L :It admonifheth Gods children that they have nothing whereof to glo- ry in themfelves, feeing all they are or have flowes from free and undue mercy. There ore let them that will rejoyce, rejo in this, that they know God to Interpre- tation. Daitriue. Keafon. An Exp ofation upon Chap. g,' be merciful, Jer. 9. Whereas God cal - leth,juftifieth,&c.he fheweth not there- by what we deferve,but how good and merciful himfelf is. T i M. What other Doeirine from hence ? S i L. That the praife of Gods glori- ous mercy is the furtheft and chiefeft end why he ele ð and chufeth fomé. This Do&rine may be proved by plain text of Scripture, as Prov. 16. 4. Rotn. i I.36. Epbef.. r. 12. To the praife of his glory. The reafon of this Do&rine is,1 becaufe there can be no higher or fur-' ther end of his own decree, then his own praife. It is jolt and equal that he do leek glory unto himfelf by his creatures. T i M.Whatufe is to be made of this Do. Orine ? vie. 3 71,1 S t L. It flops the mouthes of fuch as Ylfe, are ready to accule the decrees of God to be unjuft, whereas they tend unto molt righteous ends, as they be the de- crees of a molt righteous God. Second- ly, it warn eth us to make the glory of God the utmoft end of our couufels and a &ions, even as God hath pro- poundeditto himfelf for the fcope of his own counfel, 1 Tim.4. 5. T i M.May not yet f me other Dollrine be drawn from the former part of this verfe? S i L. Yes, this : That the mercy which God lhewes the ele &,is not com- mon and ordinary,but exceeding abun- dant and plentiful : for to forgive them fo many fins, to deliver them from fo great wrath, to fulfill them with fuch exceeding graces, to call them to fuch exceeding and endleffe joyes, to give them his own Son, to purchafe all this, and to do all this .molt freely (palling . by others no worfe then themfelves) fhewes his mercy and goodneffe to be exceeding rich and glorious towards the chofen. T i ia. What ufe of this point ? S i L. It affords an exhortation Vfe. to the godly, to enlarge their hearts unto all poffible- -love and thankful- neffe towards this merciful God, with continual and great care to glorifie him by our obedience unto his word. Thus 4 Dd1. Reafai.
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