Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 144
§ 144.
BUt God ſets forth himſelfe to bee incomparably gracious, Object. God in mercyis in finitly tranſcen…ent.mercifull, longſuffering, abundant in goodnes, &c. Ez…. 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, Exodus 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 ſins, better then 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 away 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 witneſſe. He pardoned David's adultery; Salomon's idolatry; Peter's apoſtacie; Paul did not only deny Chriſt, but perſecuted him; yet hee obtained mercy upon his repentance.
Yea, amongſt the worſt of Gods enemies, ſome are ſingled out for mercy: witneſſe Manaſſes, Mary Magdalen, the Thiefe, &c. many of the Iewes did not only deny Chriſt, the Holy one, and the Juſt, but crucified him; yet were they pricked 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.