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…

WE shall now put both these descriptions of God jointly together, having already considered them severally. For seeing in the mercy of God is all our hope, Christ hath this Rainbow about his Throne. And although it may affect us to hear, that God is Wise, Omnipotent, of glorious Majesty, yet nothing is so suitable and proper for poor sinners, as to hear of Gods mercy. Therefore I shall at this time enlarge further about it, and so conclude. And that which I shall deliver, shall be laid down in so many Propositions, which will be to obviate either Practical or Doctrinal Objections. And

VVE shall now put both these descriptions of God joyntly together, having already considered them severally. For seeing in the mercy of God is all our hope, Christ hath this Rainbow about his Throne. And although it may affect us to hear, that God is Wise, Omnipotent, of glorious Majesty, yet nothing is so sutable and proper for poor sinners, as to hear of Gods mercy. Therefore I shall at this time enlarge further about it, and so conclude. And that which I shall deliver, shall be laid down in so many Propositions, which will be to obviate either Practical or Doctrinal Objections. And

First, The mercy and comforts of God, this glorious Nature of his, whereby ¹he is ready to pity those that are miserable, is so to be managed in the public preaching thereof, that it be a sovereign Antidote against all despair, and yet a curb against all presumption. For so it falleth out, that we can hardly open the treasures of Gods mercy, and discover the glory of his grace and goodness to the humbled sinner, but presently the carnal profane heart is ready to encourage himself thereby. It is therefore the part of a wise Dispenser of this glad tidings, to consider the subjects with whom he hath to do, and accordingly to publish terror to whom terror is due, wrath to whom wrath is due. And then on the other side, peace to whom peace belongs, mercy to whom mercy belongs. Though therefore God style himself, The God of the fatherless, and the widow, that he is pitiful to such as are miserable: Though very wicked (it may be) and profane, yet this is with a general mercy only; his peculiar and special mercies are only to those that fear him. If then a man go on wilfully in his ungodly ways, if he will still retain his transgressions, he must not think to find God merciful to him, he will find David's prayer fulfilled,