The display of glorious grace, or, The covenant of peace opened in fourteen sermons…

VI. Proposition, ¹That God presenteth himself not as an unreconcilable Enemy, for tho he be Just, yet he is gracious; Mercy and Goodness are a like glorious Attributes, or Properties of his Nature, as Justice, Holiness, &c. Yet the Display of his Favour, Love, Mercy and Goodness, ought to be considered with respect had to his absolute Sovereignty. He was, my Brethren, No more obliged to magnify his Mercy in a Surety and Saviour to Mankind, than he was to the Fallen Angels; he had not been unjust if all Adam's Posterity had▪ been cast into Hell, and not one Soul saved; as he is not unjust in throwing all the fallen Angels into Hell for ever, without affording one of them any Relief, Redemption, or hope of Recovery; neither is he obliged to save the whole Lump of Mankind, either in a way of Justice or Mercy, because he is pleased to save a remnant of them. God was at the liberty of his Will whether he would make this World or not; it was, I mean, the only Act of his ⟨p. 18⟩Sovereignty; its actual existence in time, was according to his absolute Decree and Purpose from Everlasting; and according to his absolute Sovereignty he governs and disposes of all things, and may do what he will with his own:² All Nations tremble before him, whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive. The most High doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven, ³and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him,⁴ what dost thou? So he hath mercy upon whom he will have mercy, and compassion on whom he will have compassion, and whom he will he hardeneth. He called Abraham, and revealed himself to him, and let the most of Mankind in his days remain ignorant of him as to Salvation by Jesus Christ: He also entered into a Covenant with the Seed of Abraham, and gave them his Laws and Ordinances, he did not do so to any other Nation: And in Gospel Times he called a few poor and illiterate Fishermen, and such like Persons, and let the Pharisees and Learned Rabbins remain under the power of Sin and Satan; and all this as the act of his own absolute Sovereignty, and Good Pleasure of his Will, as our Lord showeth, At that time Jesus answered and said,