The truly blessed man

A. There are two words most frequently used ⟨p. 555⟩in the Scriptures, to set out the kindness of God which he expresseth to sinful man, viz his Mercy and his Grace. Now the conceptions which we entertain of these two Attributes are divers. Mercy is conceived to be an inclination to afford succour to those that are miserable; and hence it hath a respect to the misery of the Subject. Grace is a disposition to bestow a favour freely, whether the Subject on whom it is bestowed be miserable or no. So that man in his state of integrity was capable of partaking in Grace from God: & doubtless there was Grace in the First Covenant wherein God transacted with man. Whereas man was not a subject for the application of mercy, strictly •aken, till by his fall he had made himself miserable, and so an object needing pity and compassion to be shown him. But the Spirit of God useth these two words often promiscuously, one for the other, or each comprehending both under it; and the reason is, because fallen man being become miserable, there must be mercy mixing in all the Grace that is extended to him, which reacheth to all the benefits he partaketh in: for, being a relief to him in his misery, they are mercy; and being without his deserving, who hath by sin forfeited all, they must needs therefore be of Grace; and in this large comprehensive sense we are to understand Mercy in our Text. We observed that the word signifieth a sacred affection of piety & pity, without any regard to the merit of the Subject that partakes in it. Now there is a twofold mercy that is ascribed to God in his Word; a Common ⟨p. 556⟩Mercy which he extends to good and bad, expressed in all the favour• which mankind in general are made to share in, whom sin had made miserable, by exposing them to all the Curses written; who had forfeited their lives, and all the supports of them: and hitherto belongs all that goodness which men partake in, in their preservation, and the provision made for them, and the delight they find in these things; all which are fruits of Gods mere benignity and compassion: and of this wicked men, and his greatest enemies have as large a share as any; and there is a special mercy of God which he extends only to his Elect, whom he hath chosen in Christ unto Salvation, and accordingly bestows on them such benefits as he vouchsafes to no other in the world but them;