The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 15
VERSE 15.
For he ſaid unto Moſes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy: And I will ſhew compaſſion to whom I will ſhew compaſſion.
THe bleſſed Apoſtle having in the Verſes precedent given us a general denyal of that groſſe concluſion which ſome might infer upon his ſpeech, (that becauſe God loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, freely, without any reſpect had to any good in Jacob, or evil in Eſau, therefore God is partial, and unequal in his dealing,) he having I ſay denyed this moſt emphatically with an Abſit, God forbid. Now our Apoſtle ſubjoyneth a more ſpecial denyal and confutation, and refutation of that abſurd and groſſe concluſion, in the 15, 16, 17, and 18. verſes of this Chapter. In the 15. and 16. verſes, the Apoſtle ſheweth, that God is not unjuſt, in his free choyce of ſome particular perſons amongſt men, to life and ſalvation; and in the 17. and 18. verſes, he ſheweth God is not unjuſt in his free and abſolute rejection of others. In the 15. verſe he cleareth God from injuſtice by a teſtimony of Scripture; and in the 16. verſe he doth conclude and determine that point. Now touching the teſtimony of Scripture in the 15. verſe, firſt, the Apoſtle makes known by whom, and to whom, it was uttered and ſpoken. Then ſecondly, he putteth down the words of the teſtimony, I will ſhew mercy to whom I will ſhew mercy, and I will have compaſſion on whom I will have compaſſion. This teſtimony of Scripture is here brought by the Apoſtle, as a proof of this, that though God did freely, from everlaſting, (out of his own mere good pleaſure, nothing elſe moving him thereunto,) chooſe ſome men to life and ſalvation, and reject others, yet was he moſt juſt and righteous: and herein lyeth the weight and force of his Argument, That God hath free and abſolute power to ſhew mercy unto whom he will, and to deny his mercy unto whom he will; therefore he is not unjuſt and unrighteous in chooſing ſome to ſalvation, and rejecting others to damnation: And thus you ſee the ſcope of the words, and general matter of this Verſe.
Now the words of this 15. verſe are ſomewhat to be examined, For he ſaith to Moſes, (that is, God ſaid unto Moſes) I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and ſhew compaſſion to whom I will ſhew compaſſion. Theſe words, they are the words of God to Moſes, in Exodus 33.19. there we find theſe very words. And the occaſion of the uttering of theſe words to Moſes, was, upon Moſes requeſt unto God, that he might ſee Gods glory, in the 18. verſe of that Chapter. And God promiſed unto him, that he would ſhew him his back-parts; and ſo in part yeelded unto his requeſt: and then he ſubjoyneth theſe very words, as a reaſon why he would ſhew that favour to Moſes, and to no other man; Not for any merit, or any worthineſſe in Moſes himſelf; but out of his own mercy, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, I will ſhew this kindneſſe unto thee, (to ſee the back parts of my glory,) becauſe I will have mercy on whom I will. Now by mercy, in this text of the Apoſtle, and the other of Moſes, we are to underſtand the act, the exerciſe, and work of mercy; and by compaſſion, the act, the exerciſe, and work of compaſſion, and pity, or rather tender love; for the word compaſſion, cometh from a radix, Dilexit. foreignthat ſignifieth to love with ſuch a tender affection, as mothers do love their children naturally, ſuch love as the woman expreſt to her child before Solomon. And this mercy and pity being attributed, aſcribed, and given to God, it ſignifieth either a propenſion, a readineſſe of his Divine will, to help thoſe that be in miſery, (which is the eſſential, and natural property of mercy in God,) Or elſe it ſignifieth the act, and exerciſe, and the work of Gods mercy extended, and reached out unto his people; and ſo we are to underſtand it here, not the property of mercy which is natural and eſſential in God, but the extent of it to the creature. And when the Lord ſaith, I will have mercy and compaſſion on whom I will, his meaning is, the act, and exerciſe, and work of my mercy, and compaſſion, and tender love, it is ever by me extended, reached out, and exerciſed, to thoſe amongſt men, to whom I will exerciſe, extend, and reach it out, and that merely and onelyonly of my own free will, nothing in man, or coming by man, moving me to do it: ſo then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apoſtle in this verſe, God ſaith unto Moſes, in Exod. 33.19. upon Moſes requeſt unto him, (God promiſing out of his favour to him to ſhew him his back parts,) that the act, and exerciſe, and work of my mercy, is ever by me extended and reached out to thoſe amongſt men to whom I will extend and reach it out, and that merely and onelyonly of my own good pleaſure, nothing in man, coming from man, moving me to reach it out, I wil have mercy on whom I will.
Come we now to matter of Doctrine. And beloved I cannot paſſe it by, without noting, that the Apoſtle here alledging a text of Scripture, uttered by Moſes, ſaith God ſpake it, ſo ſaith God to Moſes: whence it is clear,
That the Scripture, the Word of God, the written Word of God, Doctrine: it is a ſpeaking word of efficacy, not a dumb Word; and it is Gods Oracle, as the Apoſtle calleth it, in Rom. 3.2. yea God ſpeaketh to his people and Church in and by his written Word, and in every part and parcel of it, ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, God ſaith unto Moſes. Indeed I grant, that God ſpake all the words of the ten Commandements, after a more ſpecial, and peculiar manner, Exod. 20. God ſpake all theſe words, and ſaid: but yet the whole Scripture is Gods ſpeaking Word, and Gods Oracle, yea his lively Oracle, not a dead or dumb Oracle, as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, Heb. 4.12. the Word of God is lively, and mighty in operation, ſharper then any two edged ſword; a quickening word, and a word of power: and hence it is the Prophet Eſay ſendeth the people of his time to enquire of God, Eſay 8.19, 20. ſaith he, ſhould not a people enquire of their God? then preſently he adjoyneth, To the Law, and to the Teſtimony, there you ſhall hear God ſpeak, and know his mind.
Now if any do object that of the Apoſtle, in the 1 Cor. 7.12. Object. where the Apoſtle ſaith, (Reliquis autem ego dicò, non Dominus) and to the remnant I ſay, and not the Lord, It ſeemeth therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaketh here, and not the Lord?
I anſwer, the meaning of the place is, Anſw. that the Lord hath not given any ſuch expreſſe Commandement, in any place of his Word, as the Apoſtle doth there deliver it; but the Apoſtle did gather ſo much by interpretation of the Scripture; and he ſo ſpake, as he was guided by the Spirit of God, as he ſaith in the 40 verse, (Et ipſe Spiritum dei habeam,) and I have the Spirit of God; I ſpeak it in the name of the Lord: So then this is a truth, that the Scripture is the ſpeaking Word of God, it is Gods ſpeaking word, he uttereth his voyce his Church in the Word.
Application; Wickedly therefore deal the Papiſts in this reſpect, Ʋſe. In that they fill their mouthes full of bitter and blaſphemous ſpeeches againſt the truth of God, in that they term the holy written Word of God to be dead Ink, and a dumb Judge; ſay they, put a ſcarlet gown upon an Image, and ſee what it will ſpeak, ſo (ſay they) is the Scripture. And they ſet up other Judges in the place of Gods Word, as the authority of the Church, or a general Convention, or the Pope ſpeaking Judicially out of his chair, ſetting him up as a Judge in all matters of controverſie, refuſing the Scripture as inſufficient, and calling it dead Ink, and a dumb Judge. Thus they ſhew themſelves to be utter enemies of the holy written Word of God, and ſeek to cruſh the authority of it, and to ſet up the voyce of a ſinfull man, the ſon of perdition, the limb of the devil, over the Church, and to diſclaim the voyce of the living God ſpeaking to us in his holy Scripture. But we muſt learn to acknowledge and to reverence the Scripture, as Gods ſpeaking Word, and the written Word of God to be that which God uttereth to his people; and not ſay as ſome ignorant people do, Oh if God would ſpeak unto us from heaven, in his own immediate voyce, and if Chriſt would come upon the earth and preach unto us, how attentive would we be, we would not fall aſleep then at Sermons. But if thou wouldeſt know what God ſaith to his people, then come to the written Word of God. It is folly and madneſſe in the fooliſh Familiſts, (and others of that ſect,) that they depend upon Revelations beſides the written Word of God: but (not to contend with them) to apply it to our ſelves.
Ʋſe 2 What is it better then madneſſe and folly in us to reſt upon the fancies, and conceits, and Judgments of men, touching the events and coming to paſſe of ſuch and ſuch things,Againſt ſuperſtitious obſervation of dayes. becauſe men tell us ſuch a day ſhall be ſuch and ſuch diſaſters, and ſuch a day ſuch fearful ſigns and wonders, thunderings and lightenings, and ſuch and ſuch direful wonders ſhall come to paſſe: yea, there is a day of ſpecial note amongſt ignorant people now at hand, namely St. Swithin's day, if it rain on that day, it will rain more or leſſe fourty dayes after: theſe are dotages of idle braines, and are ſuggeſted by a lying ſpirit, even by the ſpirit of the devil; whereas the Lord ſaith, Eſay 8.20. To the law, and to the teſtimony, if men ſpeak not according to that, there is no truth in them, they are lying ſpirits; and I may juſtly ſay to ſuch, as Abraham ſaid to the rich man in hell, Luk. 16.29. thy friends have Moſes and the Prophets, let them hear them: ſo we have the writings and the words of the Apoſtles and holy Prophets of Jeſus Chriſt, and God ſpeaketh unto us therein; there is the Oracle of God, and we muſt give leave and liking to them, and not upon the fancies of men, that ſay, ſuch and such a day ſhall be great diſaſters. Oh but (ſay ſome) theſe things ſometimes come to paſſe. It may be ſo in Judgment they come to paſſe, becauſe men give ear unto them: what ſaith the Lord by Moſes, Deut. 13.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. If a lying prophet, or a dreamer of dreames, do tell you of ſtrange things, and they come to paſſe, believe him not; for the Lord doth it to try you, and it is the juſt hand of God to bring it upon you, becauſe we give ear, and liking to them.
Again, obſerve we the Apoſtle bringeth theſe words of Moſes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, to prove, that God was not unjuſt in loving Jacob, and hating Eſau; he having denyed this with a God forbid, he ſubjoyneth preſently, (as a reaſon to prove it) For he ſaith to Moſes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. A man would think this were a ſtrange kind of clearing God from injuſtice, is not God therefore unjuſt, when he loveth Jacob, and hateth Eſau without cauſe? becauſe he ſaith, I will have mercy becauſe I will; hath God no other reaſon to give? But we muſt learn to acknowledge, that this is the ſoveraign power of the great God of heaven and earth, that his will muſt be reaſon enough to reſt upon; and this is the true obedience that is acceptable and pleaſing to his holy Majeſtie.
Doctr. That Gods will and pleaſure, and his appointment, touching all things that are in the Word, and touching the ordering and diſpoſing of all things, and coming of all things to paſſe in this world, it is holy, juſt and good; and it cannot be taxed as unholy and unjuſt, though we cannot dive into the depth of it, the will of God that is holy, juſt, and good, though we cannot comprehend the depth of it. And the reaſon and ground is,
Becauſe it is the very nature of the Will of God; he doth all things Reaſon 1 moſt freely, and juſtly, as in Epheſ. 1.5. He hath predeſtinated us to be adopted through Chriſt Jeſus in himſelf, (nothing out of himſelf) according to the good pleaſure of his will.
Again ſecondly, the will of God is the ſquare and rule of all goodneſſe Reaſon 2 and righteouſneſſe; whatſoever God willeth it is good, becauſe he willeth it, but whatſoever is in Scripture, is agreeable to the will of God, is good, and whatſoever diſſenteth from the will of God it is evil; ſo that upon this ground, Gods will and pleaſure, it is holy, juſt, and good, and cannot be taxed with evil, becauſe he willeth it.
How is the good will and pleaſure of God juſt and holy in reſpect of ſin; for he doth appoint it, elſe it could not be in the world? Object.
It is true, ſin could not be in the world, unleſſe God did appoint it, Anſw. and yet Gods appointment is good; God willeth the being of ſin in the world, not ſimply as it is (peccatum) ſin, but as it is a pupiſhment for ſome evill foregoing; and ſo he maketh it to ſerve for the manifeſtation of the glory of his Juſtice: in this reſpect the being of ſin is good, and ſo God, who is able to bring light out of darkneſſe, good out of evil, he doth righteouſly and willingly permit evil.
Upon this ground we muſt learn to lay aſide all reaſonings of the fleſh, Ʋſe. againſt the will and appointment of God, touching all things that come to paſſe in the world; we muſt learn not onelyonly in our words, but thoughts alſo, to juſtifie the will of God as holy and juſt, in reſpect of the being and coming to paſſe of every thing in the world. But to apply this a little nearer, and to another purpoſe, to teach us, that as we muſt juſtifie the working will of God; ſo we muſt juſtifie his ſignifying will in his Word, whereby he doth ſignifie his mind, to acknowledge that to be holy, juſt, and good, yea we muſt learn to eſteem and to hold every Commandement of God; every denunciation, threatening, and every promiſe of God, that we find in the holy book of God, to be holy, juſt, and good, Rom. 7.12. And it is a ſure ſign of grace, when we can acknowledge the wiſdom of God in his Word, and every Commandement of God to be holy and righteous, as when a man can juſtifie the Commandement of the Sabbath, the Commandement againſt uncleanneſſe, uſury, or any Commandment that doth croſſe and thwart, and contradict our ſins whatſoever, that we can ſay, Lord, thou art juſt and upright in thy Commandements, howſoever I am ſinfull; this is a ſign of a ſanctified ſoul: whereas every worldling will be diſputing againſt every Commandement of God, and will pick a quarrel with them, at the Commandement of the Sabbath, that requireth we ſhould not think our own thoughts, ſpeak our own words, nor do our own works on that day, Eſay 58.13. Oh ſaith the carnal man, may I not walk to Taverns and Ale-houſes, and talk of matters of the world, this is too ſtrickt, and rigorous. And ſo in the matter of apparel; whereas the Lord requireth our apparel ſhould be modeſt, befitting ſuch as fear the Lord: Oh ſay they, this is too ſtrict, if I ſhould not follow the faſhions of the world, I ſhould be accounted as an Owl, and as no body in the world; thus they wrangle and cavil againſt the Commandements of God: but they that do juſtifie the Word of God, (as holy and true) though it meeteth with our deareſt luſt, yet we ſubſcribe unto Gods Commandements; this is a ſigne of true grace in our hearts. Oh therefore labour to ſubſcribe unto the Commands of God, if we will be aſſured of grace.
For he ſaid to Moſes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will have compaſſion on whom I will have compaſſion.
Object. VPonUpon occaſion of theſe words, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, A blaſphemous Heretick did hold, That mercy was not a natural property in God, but an act of the will of God; Becauſe that Moſes bringeth in the Lord, ſaying, I will have mercy upon whom I will. And thus he reaſoneth, God doth alwaie suſe his natural properties, ſuch as be eſſential in God, they are in exerciſe, and he uſeth them continually; but (ſaith he) mercy whereby God doth offer grace unto ſinners, and pardon of ſin unto man, is not alwaies exerciſed and ſhewed forth, as namely, to all ſinners impenitent. And the Apoſtle affirmeth, that God hath mercy upon whom he will: And ſo the Apoſtle doth limit, and reſtrain the mercy of God, to them to whom the Lord vouchſafeth mercy, and therefore mercy is not a natural property in God.
Anſw. To this I anſwer: Firſt of all, this Cavil is grounded upon a miſtaking and miſconſtruction of the words of the Apoſtle: For the Apoſtle doth not here intend and mean the natural property and eſſential attribute of mercy in God; but he meaneth the act, exerciſe, and work of that property, which is extended and reached out unto man, and that is ever guided by the holy will of God.
Again, it is falſe, and utterly untrue, that this heretick affirmeth, that all the natural properties of God are ever in uſe to us for juſtice, mercy, goodneſſe and power, and the like, be eſſential and natural in God, and yet God doth extend and reach them out to whom he pleaſeth, according to his own purpoſe, when he will, and where he will, and how it pleaſeth him; ſo that it is falſe and blaſphemous to ſay, that mercy is not natural, and eſſential in God, for the teſtimony of Scripture contradicteth it; in Exod. 34.6. the Lord there proclaimeth himſelf in this manner, The Lord, the Lord, ſtrong, merciful, gratious, and abundant in goodneſſe, and in truth: yea, this might be illuſtrated by many teſtimonies of Scripture, but I forbear it in ſo pregnant and plain a truth.
And come we then to that which may be truly concluded from theſe words, I will have mercy upon whom I will, And compaſſion upon whom I will: Theſe words being underſtood, (as heretofore I have explained them,) That the act, the exerciſe, and the work of Gods mercy, and pity and compaſſion, it is ever by God extended to them to whom he pleaſeth: Hence then we are given to underſtand thus much,
Doct. That Gods mercy reached out unto his choſen, it is moſt free, and voluntary, it dependeth upon nothing out of God, but cometh onelyonly and merely out of his own good will and pleaſure. That the Lord is merciful unto any, or that he ſheweth any fruit of his love or mercy to any one, it is merely from his own good will and pleaſure, and not depending upon any thing out of his holy and bleſſed Majeſtie, the Lord being the author of mercy, pity, and compaſſion: he extendeth his mercy, pity, and compaſſion, to thoſe to whom he will. Or more briefly thus, The reaſon why the Lord doth extend and reach out mercy unto any, is his mere will, and nothing elſe. And to clear this a little further, mark what the Apoſtle ſaith, in 2 Cor. 1.3. the Apoſtle there calleth God, Pater miſericordiarum, the Father of mercies, ſhewing, that God is the Father, and begetter of mercy, and that mercy and love are as it were his children, coming from him: and in Joh. 1.15. ſaith the Evangeliſt, of him we receive grace for grace, one grace to another. And Chriſt Jeſus ſaith, Luke 10.12. Father, I confeſſe, Lord of heaven and earth, thou haſt hid theſe things, (even the things of thy Goſpel,) from the wiſe and prudent, and revealed them unto babes, even ſo becauſe it pleaſed thee. It was ſo of thy good will and pleaſure, nothing moving thee thereunto, ſo that the reaſon, why the Lord doth vouchſafe mercy unto any, it is the free will and favour of God, nothing elſe moving him.
But haply then ſome may ſay to me, It ſeemeth not to be true, Object. that God vouchſafeth mercy unto his choſen, and pardon for their ſins for the ſake of Chriſt, if he ſhew mercy of his own free will, then not for the ſufferings of Chriſt, which were a groſſe errour to conclude.
To this I anſwer; that theſe two things are ſubordinate, Anſw. (as we ſpeak in ſchooles,) they do and may well agree and ſtand together; God vouchſafeth mercy to his choſen for the ſake of Chriſt, and merely out of his own will: how can theſe two ſtand together? yes very well, for why? God vouchſafeth mercy to his choſen, for the ſake of Chriſt; the will of God is, that his choſen ſhould have the pardon of their ſins, through Jeſus Chriſt, and that pardon of ſin ſhould not come without Chriſt, as Chriſt affirmeth, John 6.40. for this is the will of him that ſent me, that every one that ſeeth the ſon, and believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.
Now if any do object that of the Prophet, Eſay 43.25. Object. I am he that hath put away all thine iniquities for mine own ſake: therefore it ſeemeth it is not for Chriſts ſake, but for his own ſake, as the Lord profeſſeth.
I anſwer, Anſw. God doth therefore pardon the ſins of his choſen for his own ſake, becauſe he doth it for Chriſts ſake; for all the works of every perſon, is the work of the whole Trinity; that which the Son worketh, the Father and Holy Ghoſt worketh in Unity of Godhead; ſo that mercy cometh only from God the Father. And the reaſon why God vouchſafeth mercy to any, is nothing elſe but Gods free will.
This firſt meeteth with a falſe concluſion of Arminius, and of the Arminians, Ʋſe 1 that ſay, God may decree to ſhew mercy unto ſuch as believe and repent, and ſuch as perſevere in grace and ſanctification. Now this is to reſtrain Gods ſhewing of mercy to mens qualification. And to make ſomething in man to be the cauſe and reaſon of Gods ſhewing mercy: Where as theſe two ſtand together, never they can poſſibly agree, being contraria, & contraria, ſine medio; That Gods will is the cauſe of his mercy to man, and that God ſheweth mercy becauſe of their faith, vertue, and qualification in good things, they are two oppoſites; but to leave them.
Farther, this being ſo, That Gods mere Will is the cauſe of his mercy Ʋſe 2 unto us, and nothing elſe: hereby then we muſt learn to magnifie the mercy of God vouchſafed unto us in any kind whatſoever; hath God vouchſafed mercy unto us in regard of our bodies, but eſpecially in reſpect of our ſoules? hath he converted our ſinful ſoules from wickedneſſe to himſelf? hath he reached out his mercy ſo far, as that he hath extended his ſaving grace unto our ſoules? Oh then learn we to acknowledge, that it is moſt free, and that it hath been vouchſafed merely from God himſelf, nothing in us, as a reaſon or cauſe to move him, why he ſhould ſhew us the leaſt mercy. And thus meditate and think with thy ſelf, whoſoever thou art, that haſt found Gods mercy, and his ſaving grace reached out unto thy ſinful ſoul: Oh conſider, ſurely I was in the common eſtate and condition of all men, I was guilty of damnation, by reaſon of the ſin committed by Adam, I was begotten and brought forth in ſin, and lived therein in a miſerable eſtate and condition, and I had no feeling of my miſery, no deſire to be ſaved; and when God ſought me, I deſired him not, I cloſed mine eyes againſt him, and would not ſee the light; I ſtopped mine eares, and would not hear his voyce; But the Lord at the laſt opened mine ears and eyes, and enlightened my mind, gave me underſtanding, and made me ſee, what I would not ſee; he touched my heart with his grace, and the power of his Spirit, and changed my Affections: whereas before I had no mind of heaven, no deſire of ſalvation, untill he made me ſee what I have not; he hath not dealt thus with all: many thouſands there be that go on without this touch of heart and remorſe of conſcience, without this powerful work of grace, they go on in their ſins, though they hear the Word from Sabbath to Sabbath; what was I better then they? ſurely nothing at all by Nature: Oh then how am I bound unto God, nothing moving the Lord to ſhew mercy unto me, but onelyonly his mere good will and pleaſure; how am I bound to magnifie the goodneſſe of God? And indeed, this is that glory of the free mercy of God, which the Lord would have us to yeeld unto him; he would have us to yeeld unto him this glory of his free mercy: and how pleaſing this is to God, and how the Lord eſteemeth of this magnifying of his mercy, may appear by that deſcription, Exod. 34 6, 7. The Lord, the Lord, ſtrong, merciful, gracious, ſlow to anger, and abundant in goodneſſe and truth, Reſerving mercy for thouſands forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin, &c. Thus the Lord doth proclaim himſelf, for this is that wherein the Lord doth take delight, to have the glory of his free mercy given unto him. And this is the name by which the Lord Jeſus will be known to his Elect, and choſen in all ages. I am a merciful God, this is the name by which I will be magnified, and in which he delighteth that we ſhould give him the glory of his mercy, that we can ſay, when the Lord vouchſafeth mercy unto us, that it proceedeth onelyonly from the Lords free will. And know, that it is not more vile pride in a Begger, to attribute the almes that is given unto him, unto his own deſerts, then it is for us to aſcribe any the leaſt mercy that God vouchſafeth unto us to our own worthineſſe: it is monſtrous pride in a beggar, to aſcribe the almes that are given him, to his own deſervings; But it is far more for thee to aſcribe and attribute that to thy ſelf, which is freely given of God: Let us therefore conſider, that every rag we have, it is of the free mercy of God: Oh did proud perſons conſider this, they would not ſo gorgiouſly adorn themſelves, and diſgrace the holy profeſſion of God: if they did conſider they have nothing but from the free Fountain of Gods mercy, nothing moving him, they would not be ſuch careleſſe fellowes in their careleſs bands, which ſheweth their careleſneſſe, as they be.
Ʋſe 3 Again, Is Gods mercy reached out unto his choſen, moſt free, and depending upon nothing out of God himſelf, ſurely then a child of God, one to whom God hath reached out ſaving mercy, may conclude and gather, to his comfort, that Gods ſaving mercy it ſhall never be removed from him, but abide with him for ever; for why? it dependeth upon the free will of God, and that is unchangeable, even as God himſelf. And I may ſay, as Pilate ſaith in Joh. 19.32. when he had written a ſuperſcription over Chriſt, and they demanded why he writ ſo; he anſwered, quod ſcripſi, ſcripſi, what I have written, I have written; ſo may the Lord ſay, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy: Mal. 3.16. I am Jehovah, I change not: Mercy is mine, and who ſhall take it from me? ſhall the devil? no, nor all the powers in hell, can hinder or fruſtrate the will of God: Oh then conſider to thy comfort, God hath reached out his mercy to thee, and he will never take it from thee, for he hath ſaid, I will have mercy on whom I will.