Chap-~-sea.5. JLoolitng unto 'jjefu.s. Bool~ Ill. 1 03 1 • Conlider of rhe fweet and gracious nature of God : that which undoes brok_en hearts, and trembling fouls, it is mifconceiving5 of God : we have many t1mes lo1~, dimiuifl 1 ing,extenuating thougbts ofGods goodnefs, but we h~ve la~ge thoughts of h_ts powerand wrath, noww rec:'hfie thefe m1fapprehenfions, conhder hrsname, and ther5m his nature, the L•rd, the Lord, merciful, and gractotl<, /ongfujfenng, and abundant. tn goodnefs, .end trt•th, kteping mercyfor thoufands,forgiving iniqt~ity, tranfkreJ!ions,andfins; and that will by nomc~ns clear thegmlty, vijitmg thezmqusty ofthefathers upon the cht!drm,, and upon the childrens children, untothe third and fourthgeneration, 0 terrrble text, fayes Exod 34.6,7, ' the foul, alaslamguiltyofthoufandsoflins; and !f this be his t:'lame I .am un.done, woe to me and mine,unro the third and fourth generauon. Bur conhder agam,and rn rhrs defcriprion ofGod we Jhall find an ocean of mercy, to a drop of wrath; a fea of oyle to an halfdrop offcalding le~d. For,- I. God doth not begin, the Lord, the Lord, that will by no means clear the guilry; but the Lord, the Lord, merciful, andgraciom, /ong-fulfering ; this ·is the firfi and gre~teft part ofhis Name; .God is loath to f~eak in juftice, and wrath; .he keeps it to the Jafi; mercy lies uppermofi mGods heart ; tf the femence mull: come, 1t lhall be the Jail: day of rhe afiiz~ 2 . Many words are ufed to fpeak his goodnefs : merciful, graciou;, long-foffering, and abtmd.tnt ingoodne(s, k§eping mercyforthoufands,Jorgiving iniq~<ity, tranfkreffion, and Jn. here be lix feveral phrafes, rofliewrhe riches ofhis goodnefs, but when he fpeaks bis~rarh, what hall makes he over it? there's only two expreffionsofrhar ;it was a theam ~ . he took no delight in; Judgement is his work.., his Jlrangr work.; for he doth not afjlia t•;.• 8 • 1 " willingly, nor grieve the children of men. ' • 3 • Jl. 3. There's a.difference in the exprefiion ; when God fpeaks of mercy, he expreiTeth it thus, abundant in mercy; kteping mercy for thoufands. But in vifiting fins, it is not to thoufands, but onely to the third or fourth genention. Surely mercy rejoyceth againft ... · jtldgment. Gnd wouldfliew mercy ro thoufands, rather than he weuld dellroy three Jam. 2 • 1 3• or foru. 4· What if by no mean God will clear the guilty? ftubbornly guilty ? yet never will he dellroy humbl~ fouls that lye at his feet, and are willing to have mercy on his ealie . tearms. How jha/1 I give thee 11p Ephnim, how ]hall I deliver thee 0 !foul? how jha/1 Hof•.ti.8,9• I m~k§ thee a< Admah ?. ho1v]hall I [et it ,u Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled tozerher, I will mt exewte the ftercenefs of his anger, I will not dejlroy Ephraim , for I am God and 110t man , the Holy One in the midtkft of thee; 0 my foul! why frandefi thou aL a di!l:ancewith God? why dofi thou fancy a Lion in rhe way? 0 believe in God, believe in Jefus! and believe thy portion in this Covenant of <race ! have fweer and delightful thoughts of Gods nature, and thou wilt not, thou canft nor fly from him: fome are of opinion that afoul mayfetch more encouragements to believe,from the conftderation of Godsgraciom and merciful nawre , then from the promife it folf. 2. Conliderofthe fweet and gracious nature of Jefus Chrill: our rhougbrsofGod are necefi'arily more frrange than of Jefus Chriil, becaufe of our infinite difiance from the Godhead; but in Chrifi, God is come down into our nature, and fo infinite goodnefs, and mercy is incarnate; art thou afraid, 0 my foul, at his name [ab, and Je– hovah? 0 remember his name is Emm;muel; the Lion is here difrobed ofhis garment of terrour ; his rough hair is turned into a foft wool ; fee thy God difrobed of his rernblc Majefiy, fee thy God isaman, and thy judge is a brother. mince [ehovahwith {efiu, andtheSrrpentwill be a rod; 0 that Balfamy name, {e]m; that name that founds healing for every wound, fetrlemenr for every difirac:'Hon, comfort for every farrow : bur here's the mifery , fouls in difirefs had rather be poring on hell, than ll~aven; rather frighting themfdves with rhe terrours of jufiice, than !laying themfelves With the flaggons of mercy. 0 my foul, how canft thou more contradict rhe nature of Clmft, a?d the Gofpel-defcription of Chrifi, than to think him a defiroyer of men? but whewn appears rhe gracious nature of Chri!l:? I anfwer, in his being incarnate. Oh how could Jefus have manifefitd more willingnefs r~ f~ve , than that th~ Godhead, lhould condefcend ro affume our nature? furely thrs rs ten thoufand t(mes more condefcentlon, than:for the greatell King to become a fly, or a' toad, to fave fuch crea– tmes as roades and fltes. 2. In his tender dealing with all forts of linners, he ptofeiTed that he came mto the world, not' to condemn th• w?rld, bllt thllt the wo~ld through: ..,. h,m_ mrght be~~~((/. He wept over Jert<falem, fayrng, 0 Jetufalem, Jertifalem,' how, Mar: ~3~'J'il' •Jt -
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