Ver. 24, 2 5.. xx oil' Chapter òf St. MA r T It E W. 115 cufes: And as the naughty Servant condemneth his Mailer, when he fhould be pardon ; fo fuch is the perverfe difpofition of Man, when we fhould confefs our fault, we will abufe God himfelf ; as Adam, Gen. 3, 12. The Woman thougaveJ? me; gave me, arid I did eat: This monflrous`conceiç of God we further by obferving his injuries, ( as we count them) rather than his benefits: We take notice ofAf- fli &ions; but not of daily Mercies. David had much adoe to hold his Principle ;. Pfal. 73. t, 2. Truly Gad is good to IJrael, even to Each as are of a clean Heart: Big as for me, my feet were almoji gone, my Jleps had well nigh jlipt. Thefe thoughts are very incident too us. VS E. Oh then ! when we fet our Hearts; to Religion, let us take heed of favifh fear: And if fo, take heed with. what thoughts of God you are leavened ; and that you do not draw a monftrous and horrid Pifture of him in your minds : Oh look upon him as full of Grace and Mercy ; ten thoufand times more inclined fo do good; than any Friend you have in the World. The Devil goveroieth the dark parts of the World by flavifh Fear ; but God governeth by Love. To this end con- fider,. (t.) That in his. Word God reprefenteth himfelf by Mercy and Goodnefr; rather. than any other Attribute : Mercy is natural to hint he is the Father of Mercies,' a Cox. 1. 3. God is not merciful by accident, but by Nature : the Sun doth not more naturally Thine, nor the Fire more naturally burn, nor Water more naturally flow, . than God doth naturally fhew mercy : 'los plea ling to 'him, Micah. 7. 18. . yam. z. 13. Mercy rejoyceth over yudgment. Punitive aé s are forced from him, but gra- cious aas drop from him of their own accord, like Life honey. Nay God is Mer- cy it felf :_ 1 7oh. 4. 8. God is Love. It cannot be faid of a than, that he is Learn- ing and Wifdom, though learned and wife. But God is not only loving, but. Love ; an infinite Sea of Love without Banks and Bounds. It was well obferved of Cecilanipadius, That men were taught amifs to know the Nature of God by vul- gar Piftures and Reprefèntations : (For their fafhion was then to piaure God in lime fair and beautiful form, and the Devil in fome'foul ugly fhape ). Puerorum major pars nefcit quid fit Deus, gicid lit Sathan. But he advifeth Parents, if they would teach their Children to know what God is, they would firft teach them to know what Goodnefr is, and Juftice is, what Mercy is, what Bounty and Lo- ving-kindnefs is ; per illas enim proprtè quid Deus fit difcimus. Again, If they would know what- kind of Creature the Devil is, they fhould firft know what Malice is, and Filthinefs, and what Villany and Treachery is; for Sathan is a Compound Of all thefe. The belt Pifture that could be taken of the Devil, would be by the Charalers of Malice, Falfhood and Envy : But God is Juftice it felf, Goodnefr it fell, Mercy it felf, as it is expreffed in Scripture. (z.) In Chrifl, who is the exprefs Image of his Perfon, Heb. I. 3. Now Chriff difdained not the Company of Sinners, went about healing Sickneffes and Difea- fes, and doing good. His Miracles were alts of Relief, nut done for Pomp and Oflentation. (3) In his Providence. Aft. i4. 17. He left not himfelf without witnefs, in that he did good, and gave us Rain from Heaven, and fruitful leafons, filling our hearts with'. food and gladnefs. Qz SERMON 7
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