Secondly, He must rouse and stir up himself to believe, with reasons drawn from the promises, and covenant of God made in Jesus Christ, considerations taken out of the Word and experience of his dealing with other his servants in former times.1 Why art thou cast down, O my soul, why art thou disquieted within me? Trust in God, and cast thy burden upon him, for he will ease thee.2 Thou hast his promise confirmed by oath and covenant, that he will cast thy sins into the bottom of the Sea, purge away thy transgressions, forgive thine iniquities, cover all thine infirmities, and never remember them any more. Behold, he persuadeth, entreateth, beseecheth, commandeth thee to believe: why art thou afraid? It is the will of God that thou shouldst rest on his mercy: he cannot be offended for that which himself commandeth, nor deny that which he hath promised.3 If sin abound, mercy shall abound much more. His burning wrath is pacified in Jesus Christ, who hath given himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour, that grace might glorify herself in the pardoning of thy offences. Hast thou nothing to bring before him but sin and impiety that he abhorreth? He looketh upon thee in his dear Son Jesus Christ,4 whom he hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, and loveth freely. Doest thou require testimonies of his undeserved kindness? God so loved the world, 5that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life: 6He hath entered into a free and everlasting covenant with thee, and waited long for thy conversion when thou wentest astray: and will he not much more have mercy upon thee now thou prayest? Why art thou dismayed at the sight of thy great unworthiness? Misery is the object of mercy:7 the greater thy distress, the more glorious will be the grace of God in ⟨p. 242⟩thy deliverance. The ba•er thou art in thine own sight, the fitter to believe: for faith excludes all conceit of worth, and receiveth pardon as a mere gift of grace. Sinful men, whose compassions are not as the drop of a bucket to the huge Ocean, if compared with the infinite Sea of mercy which is in our God, must forgive their Brethren till seventy times seven times,8 if they sin against them, and repent:
Secondly, He must rowse and stirre vp himselfe to belieue, with reasons drawne from the promises, and couenant of God made in Iesus Christ, considerations taken out of the Word and experience of his dealing with other his seruants in former times.1 Why art thou cast downe, O my soule, why art thou disquieted within mee? Trust in God, and cast thy burthen vpon him, for hee will ease thee.2 Thou hast his promise confirmed by oath and couenant, that hee will cast thy sinnes into the bottome of the Sea, purge away thy transgressions, fo•giue thine iniquities, couer all thine infirmities, and neuer remember them any more. Behold, hee perswadeth, intreateth, beseecheth, commandeth thee to belieue: why art thou afraid? It is the will of God that thou shouldst rest on his mercy: hee cannot bee offended for that which himselfe commandeth, nor denie that which he hath promised.3 If sinne abound, mercie shall abound much more. His burning wrath is pacified in Iesus Christ, who hath giuen himselfe an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling sauour, that grace might glorifie herselfe in the pardoning of thy offences. Hast thou nothing to bring before him but sinne and impietie that hee abhorreth? Hee looketh vpon thee in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ,4 whom hee hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud, and loueth freely. Doest thou require testimonies of his vndeserued kindnesse? God so loued the world, 5that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoeuer belieueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life: 6He hath entred into a free and euerlasting couenant with thee, and waited long for thy conuersion when thou wentest astray: and will he not much more haue mercie vpon thee now thou prayest? Why art thou dismayed at the sight of thy great vnworthinesse? Miserie is the obiect of mercy:7 the greater thy distresse, the more glorious will bee the grace of God in ⟨p. 242⟩thy deliuerance. The ba•er thou art in thine owne sight, the fitter to belieue: for faith excludes all conceite of worth, and receiueth pardon as a meere gift of grace. Sinfull men, whose compassions are not as the drop of a bucket to the huge Ocean, if compared with the infinite Sea of mercie which is in our God, must forgiue their Brethren till seuentie times seuen times,
- 1Psal. 4•.
- 2Math. 11.28. Isaiah 55.1, 2. Mic. 7.19. Psal. 65.3. Psal. 85.2. Isaiah. 1.18. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. 1 John 3.23.Math. 11.28. Esay 55.1, 2. Mic. 7.19. Psal. 65.3. Psal. 85.2. Esay. 1.18. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. 1 John 3.23.
- 3Rom. 5.20. Eph. 5.2. & 1.7.
- 4Rom. 3.25. Hosea 14.3.
- 5John 3.16.Iohn 3.16.
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