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 tell them, that they cannot think so much of sin to condemn them, as they may of the multitude of Gods mercies to save them: To such we say, That when they have thought all they can, yet there is more in Gods mercy, than they can go to the bottom of. God is said to forget sins, but he cannot forget his property of mercy. Thus you see that mercy is so to be held out, as the cloud was in the wilderness, it was light to the people of Israel to guide them, but darkness to the Egyptian. The Doctrine of mercy is indeed matter of terror to every presumptuous sinner, for he hath nothing to do with it, but it is full of beauty and reviving to the wounded heart. Hence the whole drift of the Scripture is to represent this grace and mercy of God to an humbled sinner. This is the main scope of it. For who could or dare think of God any otherwise, but a consuming fire, till the Scripture hath revealed him otherwise? And indeed the Parable of a Shepherd fetching home his lost sheep, is comfortable; yet Christ exceedeth that Shepherd, for he sought for his sheep, as goods that he needed, that he wanted; but Christ doth for us, whom he doth not want, he is well enough without us. Again that also is a refreshing Parable of the Father entertaining so mercifully his prodigal Son; but yet Christ exceedeth that Father also; for there the Son came first and humbled himself, and entreated for favour; but God he doth first seek us out by his mercy; We do not choose him, but he chooseth us. Though Vorstius doth distinguish of special grace to believers, calling one ordinary, which God vouchsafeth to those who seek him in the use of means; and another extraordinary, which God (he saith) sometimes but rarely vouchsafeth, and that is, while men never think of God, yea in ways of opposition to God, as the Gentiles and Paul; yet indeed we may say of all that are converted, That God thinketh of them before they think of God. It is he that prevents them; his grace finds them out, and prepareth them for mercy. Again, Christ compareth himself to the Physician; but what Physician healeth as he doth? Other Physicians they make their Patients sick and bleed, to help them to health; but Christ, he himself is wounded, and his blood is shed for to save us. All this is to show, That we cannot embolden and encourage the sincere converts enough;

We tell them, that they cannot think so much of sinne to condemn them, as they may of the multitude of Gods mercies to save them: To such we say, That when they have thought all they can, yet there is more in Gods mercy, than they can go to the bottom of. God is said to forget sinnes, but he cannot forget his property of mercy. Thus you see that mercy is so to be held out, as the cloud was in the wilderness, it was light to the people of Israel to guide them, but darkness to the Egyptian. The Doctrine of mercy is indeed matter of terrour to every presumptuous sinner, for he hath nothing to do with it, but it is full of beauty and reviving to the wounded heart. Hence the whole drift of the Scripture is to represent this grace and mercy of God to an humbled sinner. This is the main scope of it. For who could or dare think of God any otherwise, but a consuming fire, till the Scripture hath revealed him otherwise? And indeed the Parable of a Shepherd fetching home his lost sheep, is comfortable; yet Christ exceedeth that Shepherd, for he sought for his sheep, as goods that he needed, that he wanted; but Christ doth for us, whom he doth not want, he is well enough without us. Again that also is a refreshing Parable of the Father entertaining so mercifully his prodigal Sonne; but yet Christ exceedeth that Father also; for there the Sonne came first and humbled himself, and intreated for favour; but God he doth first seek us out by his mercy; We do not choose him, but he chooseth us. Though Vorstius doth distinguish of special grace to believers, calling one ordinary, which God vouchsafeth to those who seek him in the use of means; and another extraordinary, which God (he saith) sometimes but rarely vouchsafeth, and that is, while men never think of God, yea in wayes of opposition to God, as the Gentiles and Paul; yet indeed we may say of all that are converted, That God thinketh of them before they think of God. It is he that prevents them; his grace finds them out, and prepareth them for mercy. Again, Christ compareth himself to the Physician; but what Physician healeth as he doth? Other Physicians they make their Patients sick and bleed, to help them to health; but Christ, he himself is wounded, and his bloud is shed for to save us. All this is to shew, That we cannot imbolden and incourage the sincere converts enough;