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…

Therefore let the Use be of Exhortation to all such, who have felt this lively power of God raising them out of the grave of sin, who have been taught of God inwardly, as well as by the outward Ministry, with all joy and thankfulness be astonished at the free and unsearchable riches of Gods grace to thee. How many doth God pass by, of better parts, of greater abilities, of higher conditions in the world, that might have done him more service, and pitch his love upon thee? Oh do thou abhor all those presumptuous and proud opinions of Free-will, and power to make Gods grace effectual to thee! Do not bid such as bring such Doctrines, God speed. What doth not thy own experience, doth not the wonderful power of God upon thee, subduing and overcoming thy heart, when thou wast full of carnal prejudices, and sinful reasonings abundantly convince thee of this? Let thy own heart, and experience confirm thee more than all their subtle distinctions can unsettle thee.

Therefore let the Use be of Exhortation to all such, who have felt this lively power of God raising them out of the grave of sinne, who have been taught of God inwardly, as well as by the outward Ministry, with all joy and thankfulness be astonished at the free and unsearchable riches of Gods grace to thee. How many doth God passe by, of better parts, of greater abilities, of higher conditions in the world, that might have done him more service, and pitch his love upon thee? Oh do thou abhorre all those presumptuous and proud opinions of Free-will, and power to make Gods grace effectual to thee! Do not bid such as bring such Doctrines, God speed. What doth not thy own experience, doth not the wonderfull power of God upon thee, subduing and overcoming thy heart, when thou wast full of carnal prejudices, and sinfull reasonings abundantly convince thee of this? Let thy own heart, and experience confirm thee more than all their subtill distinctions can unfettle thee.

But I pass from this, and come to a second Observation, which Calvin on the place takes notice of. He calls it a Church (saith he) though it were so greatly polluted; though both for Doctrine and practice, there were such great disorders, yet for all that he doth not unchurch it, he owneth them still for the people of God, though they were greatly to be reformed, as to the Church administrations; neither are his exhortations to the godly to separate and leave the Church-communions, though thus defiled; he giveth no command to such a thing, but rather exhorts them all in their places to amend and reform, To purge out the old leaven that was amongst them. Therefore to forsake polluted Assemblies, and leave them hopeless, seemeth to be a great neglect of our duty; we are rather to stay, that by our abode and presence, we may rectify things that are crooked. The Doctrine is,