Ver.4. Properties ofDivine Forgivent:". 225 giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he en- ereafeth Jlrength : eve heyouths fhaO faint and be weary, and the yiung menthol' utterlly ail; but they that wait upon the Lord frail renew their firength, they (hall mount up with wings as Eagles, they fill run and not be weary,and theyPall wall. andnot befaint. The matter in region is whether Acceptance with God, which is only byforgiven( is to be obtained or no ; This finful Jacob either despairs of; or at lea(} dcfpondsabout. But faith God, lrly thoughts are not asyour thoughts in this matter. And what courft doth he take to convince them of their mitlake therein?What Argument doth he makeufe ofto free them from tl-eir unbelief, and to rebuke their fears ? Plainly, he calls t'iem to the confideration of himfeif, bothWho and What he is, with whom they had to do. That they might expel ac- ceptance and forgivenefs, such as did become him. Minding them of his power, his Immensity , his Infinite Wisdom, his Unchangablenefs, all the Excellencies and Properties of his na- ture, he demands of them, whether they have not jufl ground to expel Forgiveneß and Grace, above all their thoughts and apprchenlions, becaufe anfwering the infinite largenefs of his heart from whence it doth proceed? And MoJis manageth this plea for the forgiveneß of that peo- ple under anhigh provocation, and a moll revere threatning of their drftruó ion thereon, Numb. 14. 17, 18. He pleads for pardon in fuch a way and manner, as may answer the great and glorious Properties of the Nature of God, and which would manifeft an infinitencfs of Power and Al-fufficiency to be in him. This I fay is an encouragement in general unto Believers. We have, as I hope , upon unqueftionable grounds evinced that there is forgiveneß with God, which is the hinge on which turneth the iffue of our eternal condition. Now this is like himfelf, fuch as becomes him ; that answers the infiniteperfe- ¿ iotis of his nature ; that is exercifed and given forth byhim as GOd. We are apt to narrow and fireigbten it by our unbe- lief; and to render it unbecoming of him. He lets dithonours God (or as little) who being wholly under the power of the Law, believes that there is no forgivene!l with him, none G g ca.
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