Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

2. As full of Grace. He knows that sin had shut up the whole way of Grace towards him; and whereas God aims at nothing §. 41 so much as the manifestation of his Grace, he was utterly cut short of it. Now to have a complete Righteousness provided, and yet abundance of Grace manifested, exceedingly delights the soul: to have Gods dealing with his person, all Grace, and dealing with his Righteousness, all Justice, takes up his thoughts. God every where assures us, that this Righteousness is of Grace. It is by Grace, and no more of Works, Rom 11. 6. as the Apostle at large sets it out, Ephes. 2. 7, 8, 9. It is from riches of Grace and kindness, that the provision of this Righteousness is made: it is of mere Grace that it is bestowed on us, it is not at all of works: Though it be in its self, a Righteousness of works, yet to us, it is of mere Grace. So Tit. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7. But oftener that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour: That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The rise of all this dispensation is kindness and Love, that is Grace, v. 4. The way of Communication, negatively is not by works of Righteousness that we have done; positively, by the communication of the Holy Ghost, v. 5. The means of whose procurement, is Jesus Christ, v. 6. And the work it self is by grace, v. 7. Here is use made of every word almost, whereby the exceeding rich Grace, kindness, mercy, and goodness of God may be expressed, all concurring in this work. As, 1. [Greek or Hebrew], his goodness, benignity, readiness to communicate of himself, and his good things that may be ⟨p. 218⟩profitable to us▪ 2. [Greek or Hebrew], mercy, love, and propensity of mind to help, assist, relieve them of whom he speaks, towards whom he is so affected: [Greek or Hebrew], mercy, forgivenesse•, compassion, tenderness, to them that suffer: and [Greek or Hebrew], free pardoning, bounty, undeserved love: and all this is said to be [Greek or Hebrew]; He exercises all these Properties and Attributes of his nature towards us, that he may save us: