Thirdly, Observe this Rule for the comforting of thy soul under trouble of mind, consider that God's mercy and Christ's merits in the pardoning the guilt of thy sin thou hast committed, is far greater then the greatness of thine own guilt; Rom. 5. 15. But not as the offence, so is the free gift; for if through the offence of one many be dead; much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded to many. The meaning is, That that gift Jesus Christ, the value and worth of man, did far exceed the guilt and evil of sin; it is expressed in Psal. 32. he that trusteth on the Lord, mercy shall compass him round about. My own fault is very great, but God's grace and mercy is far greater; God when he is said to pardon sin, in Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of his people? he retaineth not anger, because be delighteth in mercy. He is said to throw them into the ⟨p. 210⟩bottom of the Sea; the red Sea could as easily drown Pharaoh and his host, as well as one single man: Beloved, the red Sea of Christ's blood can as well cover an Army, an Host of sins, as well as one single sin; the Sea can as well cover the Whale, as lesser fishes; the Sea of Christ's blood can cover great sins as well as small; David makes it an argument, Psal. 25. 11. For thy name sake, O Lord, pardon mine 1iniquity, for it is great: Pardon my sin, for it is great: That is, although it is great, and so you have often the particle used in Scripture, the Lord would not punish man, for the imaginations of his heart is evil; that is, though his heart be evil. It is observed that the Ark wherein the moral Law was kept, the mercy seat covered the whole Ark wherein the Law was kept; to note Beloved, that Jesus Christ, the mercy of God and merits of Christ, it provides a propitiation, a covering of all the breach of the Law, the mercy seat is broad, and large enough to cover all; therefore let this be of great comfort.
Thirdly, Observe this Rule for the comforting of thy soul under trouble of mind, consider that God's mercy and Christ's merits in the pardoning the guilt of thy sin thou hast committed, is far greater then the greatnesse of thine own guilt; Rom. 5. 15. But not as the offence, so is the free gift; for if through the offence of one many be dead; much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded to many. The meaning is, That that gift Jesus Christ, the value and worth of man, did far exceed the guilt and evil of sin; it is expressed in Psal. 32. he that trusteth on the Lord, mercy shall compasse him round about. My own fault is very great, but God's grace and mercy is far greater; God when he is said to pardon sin, in Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of his people? he retaineth not anger, because be delighteth in mercy. He is said to throw them into the ⟨p. 210⟩bottom of the Sea; the red Sea could as easily drown Pharaoh and his host, as well as one single man: Beloved, the red Sea of Christ's blood can as well cover an Army, an Host of sins, as well as one single sin; the Sea can as well cover the Whale, as lesser fishes; the Sea of Christ's blood can cover great sins as well as small; David makes it an argument, Psal. 25. 11. For thy name sake, O Lord, pardon mine 1iniquity, for it is great: Pardon my sin, for it is great: That is, although it is great, and so you have often the particle used in Scripture, the Lord would not punish man, for the imaginations of his heart is evil; that is, though his heart be evil. It is observed that the Ark wherein the moral Law was kept, the mercy seat covered the whole Ark wherein the Law was kept; to note Beloved, that Jesus Christ, the mercy of God and merits of Christ, it provides a propitiation, a covering of all the breach of the Law, the mercy seat is broad, and large enough to cover all; therefore let this be of great comfort.
- 1Psal. 25. 11.
