An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Again, The grace of God is manifested to be free comparatively. For who can give a reason, why God calleth these Corinthians, and not Athenians? Were the Corinthians the only deserving men in the world? Yea, there were more civil and moral people than they; yet to these, and not to many others is the grace of God communicated. Is not that admirable which our Saviour speaks of Chorazin and Bethsaida. That if such things had been done in Tyre and Zidon (Mat. 11. 21.) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes? You see then that the grace of God is not so much as offered to some, who yet externally at least would have demonstrated more humiliation and reformation, when yet it is plentifully bestowed on those, who are contemners and despisers of it. The freeness then of Gods grace to some, and not to others is admirable, and showeth that there is no such thing as Universal Grace. Common Grace is no Grace, as Austin said well; neither is God an accepter of persons in this thing, for that is committed only in things of justice; but in matters of liberality, there ⟨p. 70⟩the free, liberal man may give as he please, to one, and not to another.

Again, The grace of God is manifested to be free comparatively. For who can give a reason, why God calleth these Corinthians, and not Athenians? Were the Corinthians the only deserving men in the world? Yea, there were more civil and moral people than they; yet to these, and not to many others is the grace of God communicated. Is not that admirable which our Saviour speaks of Chorazin and Bethsaida. That if such things had been done in Tyre and Zidon (Mat. 11. 21.) they would have repented long ago in sackeloth and ashes? You see then that the grace of God is not so much as offered to some, who yet externally at least would have demonstrated more humiliation and reformation, when yet it is plentifully bestowed on those, who are contemners and despisers of it. The freeness then of Gods grace to some, and not to others is admirable, and sheweth that there is no such thing as Universal Grace. Common Grace is no Grace, as Austin said well; neither is God an accepter of persons in this thing, for that is committed only in things of justice; but in matters of liberality, there ⟨p. 70⟩