Gojpel Xemfsion. Further, Though it be through the mercy ofGod to pardon fin ; yet it does not work thus, viz. You have finned, and my law requires fuch and fuch obedience, to be performed on fuch terms, or elfe you muft perifh, but I through my mercy will remit forethingof the rigour and ftri&nefs of the Law : And molt people confefs, that by the ftrictnefs of the Law they are condemn'd, but they hope the mercy of God will grant force remiflion of the Law ; as it is with men, if all Penal fta- tutes fhould be executed it would be very hard ; but there is a Chancery to abate fomething of the rigour, and ftric`fnefs of penal ftatutes ; and thus men think to come to have pardon, and deal with God after the manner of men ; you think the -crying toGod for mercy will abate fomethingof the ftriC`Inefs, and feverity of the Law ; but you miftake in taking this way to get peace and reconciliation with God ; to look upon Gods mercy to lye in this , to remit fomething of the ftriftnefs and feverity of the Law : No but the work ofGods mercy lies in this, tofsndout afuretyforyou,and to tranfalt the debt upon him. Further, Confider the work,of Gods mercy in juflification ofa fnner,whenfaith lays hold upon it, faith muff not lay holdupon it as a meer fingle ; but lookat all the concomitants of the work,ofGodsgrace,in making wayfor the juflification of a fin- ner : The mercy of God works manyways, and faith muft ex- ercife it fèlf on Gods grace, according to the multiplicity ofthe work of it, in bringing about the Juftification of a finner ; as thus, you have finned and you cry to God for pardon, but the mercy of Goddoes not work thus to pardon you, as 'tis a finale aft, but the mercy of God works thus to mankind. Firft, he is pleafed to enter into afecond covenant with mankind after he had broken thefirft. Afecond work, ofGods mercy, is tofet his wifdom on workto find out a way howmankind, fhould be re- conciled unto,him, andhis finpardoned, andyet that God Mould beno lofer ; this was the work of his infinite wifdom. And Thirdly, yohen this isfound out,this can be done noother way,but only througgh the Son ofGod taking mans nature upon him, and fuffering for him ; then here's the mercyof God, to be willing to tend his Son to mediate for poor creatures ; and then iar
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