56 Ars Expoftlonof the85. Pfdmt. Verf . me, heal myfoul,for Ihavefinnedagain; thee. This ferves for inftru'ion , foradmonition , and for comfort. The firí} life For inftrucîion twowayes.Firfi,they that have nogood or infiru&ì- title to Gods mercy , can have no good affurance ofGods on. falvation , either temporali or eternal!. A point verycon- fiderable of wicked men, that hate inftruc hon, as Pfal. So. t 7. andencourage themfelves in a wicked courfe , as Derst. 29. 19, 20. blefling themfelves in their hearts, Paying, we {hall have pence, &c. fuch the Lordwill not fpare lee Prov. i . 25, 26. Hereupon , Pfal. 119. 15 5. falvation rs farre Pon, the wicked. It is true, wickedmen flatter them- felves in their owneyes with this, O, God is merciful!. But who fo is wife will confider, whofe word fhall ftand,Gods or theirs : as, Ter. 44. 28. The fecond Secondly, fee here, the true Church, feeking Gods falva- i re for in- Lion, pleads mercy, not merit : and fo did Paul profeffe, f}ruftion. and teach, t Cor. Phil. 3. Tit. 3. S So P faI i5. 1. Ira. 64.6. The firft For admonition two wayes. Tina , to all that look for tine for ad- Gods falvation , temporall or eternall, to make fuse they monition. Rand rightly entitled to Gods favour and mercy : for fal- vation followcs mercy. Now Gods mercy is onely had in and thorough faith in Chrift Jefus : whom God hath fet forth tobe a propitiation , through faith in his bloud, &c. Rom. 3. 25. The fecond Secondly , in the ufe of lawful! meanes for prefervation, life for ad- to renew our title to Gods mercy. The want hereof bin- monition. dersmany times the fruitionof Godsblefling : as in Alfa, 2 Chron. 16. 12. In his difeafe he fought not to the Lord, but to the Phyfitians, and fodied. But the praaifeof it by Hezekiah, procured the revertingof the fentence of death. Jfaiah 38. 2, &c. The Ufe for For comfort , to thofe that are truly entitled tomercy, Mori. andyet lye under affliaion : theymay aflure themfelves of a better deliverance : as, Heb. 11. 3 S. Gods mercy ßoall be magnified is theta, whether by life or death. Pad j ve f
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