[2.] The Quantity. Hath God ever put a restraint upon his grace, and promise, that we shall find mercy if we sin but to such a number, and no more? 'Tis not agreeable to the greatness and majesty of Gods mercy, to remit one part of the debt, and to exact the other. It consists not with the motive of pardon, which is his own love, to be both a friend and an enemy at the same time, in pardoning some, and charging others; and thus his grace would rather be a mockery, and derision of men. Neither doth it consist with the end of pardon, which is Salvation; for to give an half pardon is to give no Salvation; since if the least guilt remains unremitted, it gives justice an unanswerable plea against us. What profit would it be to have some forgiven, and be damned for the remainder? Had any one sin for which Christ was to have made a compensation, remained unsatisfied, the Redeemer could not have risen; so if the smallest sin remains unblotted, it will hinder our rising from the power of eternal death, and make the pardon of all the rest as a nullity in Law. But it is the glory of God to pass by all, Prov. 19.31. It is his glory to pass over a transgression. 'Tis the glory of a man to pass by an offence. 'Tis a discovery of an inward principle or property, which is an honour for a man to be known the master of. If it be his glory to pass by a single and small injury, then to pass by the more heinous, and numerous offences is a more transcendent honour, because it evidenceth this property to be in him, in a more triumphant strength, and power. So that it is a clearer evidence of the illustrious vigour of mercy in God, to pass by mountainous, and heaped up transgressions than to forgive only some few iniquities of a lesser guilt, Jer. 33.8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have transgressed against me. Therefore when God tells the Jews, that he would give them a general discharge in the fullest terms imaginable, to remove all jealousy from men, either because of the number, or the aggravations of their sins, he knew not how to leave expressing the delight he had in it, and the honour which accrued to him by it, It shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and honour before all the nations of the earth.
[2.] The Quantity. Hath God ever put a restraint upon his grace, and promise, that we shall find mercy if we sin but to such a number, and no more? 'Tis not agreeable to the greatness and majesty of Gods mercy, to remit one part of the debt, and to exact the other. It consists not with the motive of pardon, which is his own love, to be both a friend and an enemy at the same time, in pardoning some, and charging others; and thus his grace would rather be a mockery, and derision of men. Neither doth it consist with the end of pardon, which is Salvation; for to give an half pardon is to give no Salvation; since if the least guilt remains unremitted, it gives justice an unanswerable plea against us. What profit would it be to have some forgiven, and be damned for the remainder? Had any one sin for which Christ was to have made a compensation, remain'd unsatisfied, the Redeemer could not have risen; so if the smallest sin remains unblotted, it will hinder our rising from the power of eternal death, and make the pardon of all the rest as a nullity in Law. But it is the glory of God to pass by all, Prov. 19.31. It is his glory to pass over a transgression. 'Tis the glory of a man to pass by an offence. 'Tis a discovery of an inward principle or property, which is an honour for a man to be known the master of. If it be his glory to pass by a single and small injury, then to pass by the more heinous, and numerous offences is a more transcendent honour, because it evidenceth this property to be in him, in a more triumphant strength, and power. So that it is a clearer evidence of the illustrious vigor of mercy in God, to pass by mountainous, and heaped up transgressions than to forgive only some few iniquities of a lesser guilt, Jer. 33.8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me, and whereby they have transgrest against me. Therefore when God tells the Jews, that he would give them a general discharge in the fullest terms imaginable, to remove all jealousie from men, either because of the number, or the aggravations of their sins, he knew not how to leave expressing the delight he had in it, and the honour which accrued to him by it, It shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and honour before all the nations of the earth.
