A32724:674
A supplement to the several discourses upon various divine subjects
A supplement to the several discourses upon various divine subjects by Stephen Charnock.
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1683
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.
whence the Apostle quotes it, is, I will forgive their iniquity.
That it is so, will appear, because
(1.) No attribute could be the first motive of pardon but this. His Justice would loudly cry for vengeance, and flame out against ungrateful sinners. His holiness would make him abhor not only the embraces but the very sight or such filthy creatures as we are. His power would attend to receive and execute the Commands of his justice and holiness, did not compassion step in to qualify.
(2.) Unconstrained mercy. Men pardon many times, because they are too weak to punish. But God wants not power to inflict Judgments, neither doth man want weakness to sink under it, Rom. 5, 6. When we were without strength, Christ dyed for us. God wanted not sufficient reason to justify a severe proceeding both in the quality of sin, every sin being a contrariety to the law, Sovereignty, work, glory, yea the very being of God, now for God to pardon that which would pull him out of his throne, hath blemished the creation, robs him of his honour, must be an act of the richest and purest mercy: And in the quantity, multitudes of sins of this cursed quality as numerous as motes in the Sun-beams. 'Tis impossible for the nimblest Angel to write down the extravagances of men committed in the space of twenty four hours, if he could know all the operations of heir Souls as well as their outward actions; all those God doth see, simul & semel, and yet is ready to pardon in the midst of numberless provocations.