And we may reduce them principally to these three Heads,
1. The heart fixes sometime on the consideration of Gods mercy: saith is drawn forth by the consideration ⟨p. 240⟩of the merciful nature of God, Psal. 44.18. When I said my foot slippeth, thy mercy O Lord held me up: the soul says God is of infinite mercy, he can find in his heart to blot out greatest transgressions; his mercy is greater than our sinfulness: he can overcome all our guilt, Mic. 7.18. who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c. sometimes upon the consideration of the freeness of Gods mercy, he has no dependence on our worth: he can give life without any thing in us to draw his heart towards us Rom. 5.21. grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, &c. sometimes on the merciful purposes of God: who has designed to show mercy upon many of the sinful children of men; he has determined to bring many sinners unto the enjoyment of himself, 2 Tim. 1.9. sometimes on the exercise of his mercy in sending his Son to dye for sinners, Joh. 3.16. sometimes the thoughts pitch on the merciful invitations that the Lord makes to sinners, 2 cor. 5.20. sometimes on the exercise of his mercy on great sinners, Mary Magdalen, Paul and others, 1 Tim. 1.16 sometimes on the tender love of Christ abundantly manifested when here on earth, sometime the spirit sets home one of these considerations, and sometime another; which draws the heart to believe, when under the greatest sense of vileness, Psal. 36.7. how excellent is thy loving kindness, O God: therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
2. The heart fixes sometimes on the consideration, of Gods faithfulness: that is a mighty stay to the heart when he has a spiritual sight of the faithfulness of God: when that is fastened on the heart, that makes him receive the promise, whatever improbability there be in it, Heb. 11.11. when we have to ⟨p. 241⟩do with a faithful man, we lay weight upon his word, so does the believer on Gods; when this consideration of his faithfulness is fastened on his heart: the soul says it must needs be so as God promises, for God is a God of Truth, it is impossible that God should lye: God cannot mistake nor deceive: his word is infallible, his promise cannot fail: hereby he stops the mouth of carnal reason: God has promised so and so to us, and promised so and so to Christ;
And we may reduce them principally to these three Heads,
1. The heart fixes sometime on the consideration of Gods mercy: saith is drawn forth by the consideration ⟨p. 240⟩of the merciful nature of God, Psal. 44.18. When I said my foot slippeth, thy mercy O Lord held me up: the soul says God is of infinite mercy, he can find in his heart to blot out greatest transgressions; his mercy is greater than our sinfulness: he can overcome all our guilt, Mic. 7.18. who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c. sometimes upon the consideration of the freeness of Gods mercy, he has no dependance on our worth: he can give life without any thing in us to draw his heart towards us Rom. 5.21. grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, &c. sometimes on the merciful purposes of God: who has designed to shew mercy upon many of the sinful children of men; he has determined to bring many sinners unto the enjoyment of himself, 2 Tim. 1.9. sometimes on the exercise of his mercy in sending his Son to dye for sinners, Joh. 3.16. somtimes the thoughts pitch on the merciful invitations that the Lord makes to sinners, 2 cor. 5.20. somtimes on the exercise of his mercy on great sinners, Mary Magdalen, Paul and others, 1 Tim. 1.16 sometimes on the tender love of Christ abundantly manifested when here on earth, sometime the spirit sets home one of these considerations, and sometime another; which draws the heart to believe, when under the greatest sence of vileness, Psal. 36.7. how excellent is thy loving kindness, O God: therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
2. The heart fixes sometimes on the consideration, of Gods saithfulness: that is a mighty stay to the heart when he has a spiritual sight of the faithfulness of God: when that is fastned on the heart, that makes him receive the promise, whatever improbability there be in it, Heb. 11.11. when we have to ⟨p. 241⟩do with a faithful man, we lay weight upon his word, so does the believer on Gods; when this consideration of his faithfulness is fastned on his heart: the soul says it must needs be so as God promises, for God is a God of Truth, it is impossible that God should lye: God cannot mistake nor deceive: his word is infallible, his promise cannot fail: hereby he stops the mouth of carnal reason: God has promised so and so to us, and promised so and so to Christ;
