Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

We will answer this briefly, to begin with the first, you must know that though God be exceeding rich in mercy, yet there is a difference amongst his children, that is, he hath made divers degrees amongst men, men are put into different degrees of mercy, notwithstanding all do taste of the riches of his mercy. you know in the body there is the foot as well as the eye, so in the body of Christ there are members of all sorts. In a great house there is use of vessels of divers degrees, so in the church of Christ there is use of mean christians, of those of lower parts, there is need I say of them, as well as of those of more excellent gifts, therefore you must remember this, that though God be rich in mercy, yet he takes not away those differences and degrees that are amongst men, and if you ask how then he is rich in mercy? I say every man hath the mercies that belongeth to him in his kind, a man of a lower degree hath so much mercy as he is able to receive, he hath the mercies that belong unto him, and it is enough for him, for we say if a man have his appetite filled it is enough, take a man that is lower, his appetite is lower, and the mercies that he hath are sufficient to give him satisfaction, for the appetite followeth the form, and when that's satisfied every creature is in its perfection.

We will answer this briefly, to begin with the first, you must know that though God be exceeding rich in mercy, yet there is a difference amongst his children, that is, he hath made divers degrees amongst men, men are put into different degrees of mercy, notwithstanding all do taste of the riches of his mercy. you know in the body there is the foot as well as the eye, so in the body of Christ there are members of all sorts. In a great house there is use of vessels of divers degrees, so in the church of Christ there is use of mean christians, of those of lower parts, there is need I say of them, as well as of those of more excellent gifts, therefore you must remember this, that though God be rich in mercy, yet he takes not away those differences and degrees that are amongst men, and if you ask how then he is rich in mercy? I say every man hath the mercies that belongeth to him in his kinde, a man of a lower degree hath so much mercy as he is able to receive, he hath the mercies that belong unto him, and it is enough for him, for we say if a man have his appetite filled it is enough, take a man that is lower, his appetite is lower, and the mercies that he hath are sufficient to give him satisfaction, for the appetite followeth the form, and when thats satisfied every creature is in its perfection.