179 The third Sermon. Mercifaitndgraeiona, f are eaanger,endabundant ingoodnesandtenth, Referniag mercyfor thoafends,andforgannginignity,endtranfgrefon, andfinne. O Am in thisSermon to fpeakeof thethird thingbywhich God is defcribed, namely, hisMercy. A point of that largencfre,that I mayboomer findsentrance into it, then meafureinit. TheScripturefaith; that all Godspaths are mercy ',Tbeearth isfall ofit,fo isthefee greetend wide a PIA. 'tan t reacbetb to the heavens',It is oiler all his varies d : The b hash fteppednowhere in heauen, earth, or fca,but Pia1je r hee hash left Come printsof hismercy behindshim. No d 1':alsgs9. heart can,.onceiue it, the tongueofmen and Angels cannot otter it. It is fo in- finite that no affe&ion in nature, no proportion in the whole world hashbeen a P(al.ró u found fit roexprelle it. Theheight of ¡seamenabose theearth',thediiianceoftheEefI tVerCrs; fleas the weftr, the lose offathers towards their children t, ofmashers to the (fait of gVed,r ;, their womb b, ofmaces to thepickling; , of Eagles to their yokingonesk,ot hens to their h einsckingsL, all therehauebeenebut lhadowestoir, but nofutficientmeaburesby Its.asaÇ winch ro (can it. But, (that I may not wandet from myText) we muff obferue, k e<d 'qa that themercy ofGod liands in two things, Gluing, and Forgiving. The former ; Mata ;.3y all God, matures t?RofsThen Lord dee/Ifaneboth man andbeaji . The latter is m Na1.36.6. peculiar onelvto his Ele&: Flee is the Sesioneof all men,fpeeialyofthemthewbe. urlim,q.to lase". The firll is the larger, but the latter is the molt excellent; and of it the Spirit of Godefpecially fpeaketh in thisplace. In treating of ir, I will open theparticular wordes andclaufes, by which this The order of fiveet property ofGods nature is laid out veto vs: And then I will apply my file alus Sermone wholly to thew what erewemuft makeof thedo&riveof Mercy. Touching this property of Gods nature thereare hhere fixebranches. The The feuerai1 6rß is, Nlercifull. The word is the Hebrew, which in our tongue is tranflated besuches o (sercifnl) is drawue from a room, which 6gnifieth the bowels : to notevino vs P,e c;full. (that I mayCpeake of God as ofa man forour capacities fake) howtender beer- Datlrine ted theLord is,andhow he doth(aswe fay) condole our miferies,and eues inward- lyco nmiferate, andpitry oureffate. I remember the fpeech in the Prophet, Gods theLord is pleafed (tomakevs the better to conceiue of his mercy) so raketo himfelfe theaff&ions ofa man; and that hemight lignifie howTide plea- finehex tooke in the forfakingof his people, and how willing heewould be upon . repentance torecelar them,he faith, hisbowelsWere troubledfor Ephraim°,.swhO oler.3 t.ao would fan, i* went merehim, that hee flrould eues be forced by their vntoward- mile todealt fo ßrsightly with them. The like to this is intended in the lan. guageofthe new Tefamenr; accordingas it is faidofChrilLthat when faw the multitude, bis bowelsyearned within him, becavf theywere dilferfed, asfheepe loaning nofhepheardP. This is the meaning ofthe Mk branch : God ismercitull,that is, p Mat:g.t6. heabousdethincompafsion, and is(as the Pfalme faith) aFitifs& God9, Thefè. gPtal.56.:Ç; cond branch isgraciosa.This word in the trueand nariue fi {nificacion ofit,doth z,Gras "ni.:' report unto vs touching God thus much : That he loth freelyand willinglyand (as I may fpeake) witha kindeof forwatdnefib, doe good and thew kindneffe, vntomen : aswho would fay, it werea kindofreioycing to him tohaueoceafion 4 rO
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