The Breastplate of Faith and Love

If you will not believe this assertion, this affirmation, this description of himself, he tells you he hath promised, and he will be as good as his word, he is abundant in truth, that is as if he should say, I am not only of such a nature and disposition as I have described my self to be, but besides this I am engaged to you, you have many promises I have made you, I have sworn I will do thus and thus: Therefore I will add this to this disposition, I am abundant in truth, that is, you shall find me as good as my word; and not so only, but I will be better than my word: I am abundant in truth: that is, his performances exceed, they run over, whatsoever he hath said, he will surely do it. Consider this, consider how many precious promises you have, consider what the Lord hath said he will do for you, how full is the Scripture of promises every where; remember this, the Lord is abundant in truth, he will do them and overdo them, he will fulfil every word that he hath said. And that he may give you a proof of it, he adds, that he reserves mercy for thousands, that shows he is abundant in kindness and in truth: as if he should say, when any of you do me service, when you are faithful as Abraham my servant was, I am bound no more but to reward your selves, but I am abundant in mercy and forgiveness, ⟨p. 43⟩reserving mercy for thousands: The Lord cannot content himself to do good to a mans own person, but to his children, to his generation. As David when he loved Barzillay and Jonathan, it extended to their posterity, when his love was abundant: so the Lord reserves mercy for thousands.

If you will not beleeve this assertion, this affirmation, this description of himselfe, hee tells you he hath promised, and he will be as good as his word, he is abundant in truth, that is as if hee should say, I am not onely of such a nature and disposition as I have described my selfe to be, but besides this I am engaged to you, you have many promises I have made you, I have sworne I will doe thus and thus: Therefore I will adde this to this disposition, I am abundant in truth, that is, you shall finde me as good as my word; and not so onely, but I will be better than my word: I am abundant in truth: that is, his performances exceede, they runne over, whatsoever hee hath said, he will surely doe it. Consider this, consider how many precious promises you have, consider what the Lord hath said hee will doe for you, how full is the Scripture of promises every where; remember this, the Lord is abundant in truth, he will doe them and overdoe them, hee will fulfill every word that hee hath said. And that he may give you a proofe of it, he addes, that he reserves mercy for thousands, that shewes hee is abundant in kindnesse and in truth: as if hee should say, when any of you doe mee service, when you are faithfull as Abraham my servant was, I am bound no more but to reward your selves, but I am abundant in mercy and forgivenesse,