A30238:739
An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…
An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians by Anthony Burgess ...An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the second epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians by Anthony Burgesse ...
London: printed by A.M. for Abel Roper, 1661
AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations UPON THE First Chapter of… › Sermon 32
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. We must distinguish between Gods general mercy, and his special; His general mercy is extended to all the creatures, The whole world is full of his mercies, Psal. 33. 5. So his mercy is said to be over all his works. Would the world subsist for a moment, when the Inhabitants thereof are so full of rebellion against God, were it not for his mercy? All that we see, we hear, we taste, we feel, is nothing but mercy. His special mercy is to rational creatures, men and Angels; and that again is two-fold, More special, and most special. More special, is the vouchsafing of the Gospel, and means of grace, both to the wicked and the good. This Kingdom of Heaven is set open for both. But then there is the most special mercy, and that is vouchsafed only to the elect, by which means they are converted, justified, and shall be glorified; and of this it is the Apostle speaks, Rom. 9. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.
Thus much may suffice for the Doctrinal information about this truth: Let us 1in the next place take notice, what is comprehended in this expression, Father of mercies. For this is a box of ointment to be opened and bestowed upon poor souls; and while this glory of God doth pass by, we can see but the back parts of it.
- 1What is implied in Gods being called the Father of mercies.
First, When he is said to be the Father of mercies, this implieth, That he only giveth mercies, and receiveth none. So that as the father giveth being to the child, but receiveth nothing of the child: Thus God he is the Father of mercies, because he is absolutely sufficient in himself; he needeth nothing from any, because then there would be a superior to God. And this consideration may greatly aggravate the glorious Nature of God in being merciful, in that he himself is like the Sun giving light, but receiving none at all. We cannot say of Angels, they are the Fathers of mercies, because though they be ministering spirits to serve us. An Angel was sent to comfort Christ, yet they need mercy as well as we. The river needs the spring, but the spring is the last, and needeth not the river; and so Angels and men they need mercy every way, but God he needeth none, only he