If God have given his own Son for the world, then it follows, that those for whom God gave his own Son, 1may warrantably expect any other Temporal mercies from him. This is the ⟨p. 45⟩Apostles Inference, Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up to death for us all; how shall he not with him freely, give us all things? And so 1 Cor. 3.21▪22. All is yours, for ye are Christs, (i. e.) They hold all other things in Christ; who is the Capital, and most comprehensive mercy. To make out the grounds of this comfortable deduction, let these four things be pondered, and duly weighed in your thoughts. (1.) No other mercy you need, or desire, is, or can be so dear to God, as Jesus Christ is. He never laid any other thing in his bosom, as he did his Son. As for the world and the comforts of it, it is the dust of his feet, he values it not. As you see by his providential disposals of it; having given it to the worst of men. All the Turkish Empire (said Luther) as great and glorious as it is,2 is but a crumb which the Master of the family throws to the Dogs. Think upon any other outward enjoyment that's valuable in your eyes, and there is not so much compare betwixt it, and Christ, in the esteem of God, as is betwixt your dear Children, and the Lumber of your houses, in your esteem. If then God have parted so freely from that which was infinitely dearer to him than these, how shall he deny these, when they may promote his glory and your good? (2.) As Jesus Christ was nearer the heart of God than all these, so Christ is in himself much greater, and more excellent than them all; Ten thousand worlds, and the glory of them all, is but the dust of the balance, if weighed with Christ. These things are but poor creatures, but he is over all; God blessed for ever. Rom. 9.5. They are the common gifts, but he is the gift of God. Joh. 4.10. They are ordinary mercies, but he is the mercy, Luk. 1.72. As one Pearl or precious stone is greater in value than ten thousand common pebbles. Now, if God have so freely given the greater, how can you suppose he should deny the lesser mercies? Will a man give to another a large inheritance, and stand with him for a trifle. How can it be. (3.) There is no other mercy you stand in want of, but you are entitled to it by the gift of Christ. It is (as to right) conveyed to you with Christ. So in the forecited, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22, 23.
If God have given his own Son for the world, then it follows, that those for whom God gave his own Son, 1may warrantably expect any other Temporal mercies from him. This is the ⟨p. 45⟩Apostles Inference, Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up to death for us all; how shall he not with him freely, give us all things? And so 1 Cor. 3.21▪22. All is yours, for ye are Christs, (i. e.) They hold all other things in Christ; who is the Capital, and most comprehensive mercy. To make out the grounds of this comfortable deduction, let these four things be pondered, and duly weighed in your thoughts. (1.) No other mercy you need, or desire, is, or can be so dear to God, as Jesus Christ is. He never layed any other thing in his bosom, as he did his Son. As for the world and the comforts of it, it is the dust of his feet, he values it not. As you see by his providential disposals of it; having given it to the worst of men. All the Turkish Empire (said Luther) as great and glorious as it is,2 is but a crum which the Master of the family throws to the Dogs. Think upon any other outward enjoyment that's valuable in your eyes, and there is not so much compare betwixt it, and Christ, in the esteem of God, as is betwixt your dear Children, and the Lumber of your houses, in your esteem. If then God have parted so freely from that which was infinitly dearer to him than these, how shall he deny these, when they may promote his glory and your good? (2.) As Jesus Christ was nearer the heart of God than all these, so Christ is in himself much greater, and more excellent than them all; Ten thousand worlds, and the glory of them all, is but the dust of the ballance, if weighed with Christ. These things are but poor creatures, but he is over all; God blessed for ever. Rom. 9.5. They are the common gifts, but he is the gift of God. Joh. 4.10. They are ordinary mercys, but he is the mercy, Luk. 1.72. As one Pearl or precious stone is greater in value than ten thousand common pebbles. Now, if God have so freely given the greater, how can you suppose he should deny the lesser mercys? Will a man give to another a large inheritance, and stand with him for a trifle. How can it be. (3.) There is no other mercy you stand in want of, but you are entitled to it by the gift of Christ. It is (as to right) conveyed to you with Christ. So in the forecited,
- 1Corol. 2.
- 2Totum Jurcicum imperiam quantum, quantum est; mica tantum est▪ quam Pater familias projicit cambus. Luther.Totum Iurcicum imperiam quantum, quantum est; mica tantum est▪ quam Pater familias projicit cambus. Luther.
