The Drunkards Character, Section 144
§ 144.
BUt God sets forth himselfe to bee incomparably gracious,Object. mercifull, God in mercyis in finitly transcendent.longsuffering, abundant in goodnes, &c. Ezo. 34. 6. and is acknowledged to bee so by David, Psalm. 86. 5. by Ioel, Chap. 2. 13. by Ionah, Chap. 4. 22. by Micha Chap. 7 18. and in many other places.
It is very true,Answ. for it is a part of his title, Exodus 34. 6. hee is mercy in the abstract, 1 Iohn 4. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 10. rich and abundant in mercy, Ephesians 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 19. his love is without height, or depth, or length, or breath, or any dimensions, even passing knowledge, Ephes. 3. 18. yea, the Scripture advanceth God's mercy above his justice, Psa. 36. 5. to 12. not in it's essence (for God in all his Attributes is infinitely good, and one is not greater then another) but in it's expressions and manifestations. It is said of mercy, that it Pleaseth him, Micha 7. 18. whereas justice is called his strange worke, Esay 28. 21. Lamentation 3. 33. that he is slow to anger, but abundant in goodnesse, Exedus 34. 6. hee bestowes mercyes every day, inflicts judgements but now and then, sparingly, and after a long time of forbearance, when there is no remedy, 2 Chron. 36. 15. Esay. 65. 2. that he visiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation onelyonly; whereas hee shewes mercy to thousands, Exodus 20. 5. 6 so that by how much three or foure come short of a thousand, so much doth his justice come short of his mercy, in the exercise of it.
Againe, that his love to his people outstrips a Father's love to his sonne, Matth. 7. 11. and a Mothers too, Esay 49. 15. for he is the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1. 3. as being himself most mercifull; and the author of mercy and compassion in others. In fine, he is so mercifull, that the Kingly Prophet repeates it over six and twenty times together in one Psalm, that his mercy endures for ever, Psal. 136.
But what makes this for thee,But this makes nothing for such as love their si is, better …hen their soules. except thou repentest… Indeed, let the wicked forsake his wayes, and the unrighteous his owne imaginations, and returne unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he is very ready to forgive, saith Esay, Chap. 55. 7. and that we should not doubt of this, he redoubles the promise, Ezekiel 18. and confirmes the same with an oath, Chapter 33. 11. Yea, he is more ready to shew mercy upon our repentance, then we are to beg it, as appeares in that example of the Prodigal son, Luk. 15 20. Do but repent, and God will pardon thee, bee thy sinnes never so many and innumerable, for multitude; never so heynous, for quality and magnitude; for repentance is alwayes blest with forgivnes; yea, sinnes upon repentance are so remitted, as if they had never been committed, I have put way thy transgressions as a cloud, and thy sinnes as a mist, Esay 44. 22. and what by corruption hath beene done, by repentance is undone, as abundance of examples wi…esse. He pardoned David's ad…ltery; Salomon's idolatry; Peter's apostacie; Paul did not only deny Christ, but persecuted him; yet hee obtained mercy upon his rep…tance.
Yea, amongst the worst of Gods enemies, some are singled out for mercy: witnesse …, Mary Magda…en, the Thiefe, &c. many of the lewes did not only deny Christ, the Holy one, and the Just, but crucified him; yet were they pric…ed in heart at Peter's Sermon, gladly received the word, and were baptized, Ast. 2. 41. And a very Gentile, being circumcised, was to be admitted to all priviledges and prerogatives, concerning matters of faith, and Gods worship, as well as the children of Israel, Gen. 17. 13.
But on the other side, unlesse we repent and amend our lives, we shall all perish, as Christ himselfe affirmes, Luk. 13. 3. 5.