The government of the thoughts a prefatory discourse to The government of the tongue / by the author of The whole duty of man.

CHAP. XXVIII. Divine Considerations of the Afflicted. (Book 28)

AS God is Just, so he is Merciful; he is no enexorable Radamanth, but he is easie to be entreated: Concerning whom we have a Word more sure, than any Testimony of Man; for the Almighty, in Exod. 34.6. being his own Herald, thus proclaims himself, The Lord merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thou∣sands, forgiving Iniquity, and Transgression, and Sin. Now if that which others report of the Kings of Israel, 1 Kings 20.31. That they were merciful Kings, Could perswade them to seek Mercy, and to enjoy their Lives and Liberties; how much more should that, which God, who cannot lye, hath declared himself, Tit. 1.2. move the afflicted Soul humbly to Petition him for Mercy; who is more ready to grant it, than we are, or can be to entreat it; for ask it we never could, except his preventing Grace and holy Spirit invisibly moved us.

2. GOD delights not in the Death of Sin∣ners, but in their Conversion, Ezek. 18. And as it is a true Prognostick of a Guests being welcome by the good Aspects and Deport∣ment of the Family; So it is an evident sig∣nal that a Penitent Sinner is welcome to Hea∣ven, by the Angels loud Exultations. If God in his good Pleasure would have destroyed thee; how often and justly might he have taken thee away in thy Sins? But now that

his Eye hath spared thee, his Goodness is to lead thee to Repentance, which never comes too late, if seriously performed. He terrifieth with present Sense of his Anger against Sin, that Men may be excited to Repentance, and by forsaking their Sin, be more assured of the Mercy of God, and their own Salvati∣on. As stormy Winds by shaking the Trees, do fix and root them deeper, and seasonable Weather purifies the Air and Water by their Agitation; so doth the Almighty mundifie the Minds and Hearts of his Servants, by Me∣naces, Judgments, and Afflictions, 1 Cor. 7.11. Psal. 119.

3. IT is God's Mercy to afflict thee now, that thou mayst Repent and be Saved. It is the most unhappy Condition of a Sinner, when God concealeth his Anger to the last, and then denounceth the Impenitent as incorrigible, Isai. 1.5. So that if no Remorsness of Consci∣ence appears, thy Case is desperate. But this Soul's Conflict, concludes another Co-ercive Power in thee, resisting Sin, whereby thou mayst be capable of a state of Regeneration; for tho the Spirit of God at the present in its Motions are but weak in thee, yet it is invin∣cible.

4. St. Paul tells you, Rom. 3.23, 24. All have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God; being justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Which plainly demonstrates, that 'tis not a Man's own Righteousness that can contribute to his Sal∣vation;

and David, in Psal. 32.1, 2. says, Blessed is the Man whose Sins are covered, and to whom the Lord imputeth no Sin. Not who hath no Sin; for on those Terms none could be blessed. It is not in the quantity of the Debt, as in St. Luke 7.42, 43. where fifty and five hundred are equa1ly forgiven: And where an Infinite Majesty is offended in the least, ne∣ver any of God's Servants were Saved, for being less guilty than thou art. Thou fearest God's Wrath, because thy Sins are great, and appear so to thy Conscience. They which are Saints had some, and he that breaketh one Commandment is guilty of the breach of all, and liable to the Curse of the Law, James 2.10, 11. A diminutive wound to the Heart will as surely Kill, as the deepest and widest Orifice. A small Shelf of Sands will as surely bulge the Ship, as the greatest Rocks. A lit∣tle Postern-gate, or breach in a City Wall un∣guarded, will let in the Enemy: So the small∣est Sins, if not covered by Faith, and cured by Repentance, will destroy the Soul.

5. WHEN we consider Noah's Drunken∣ness, David's Murder and Adultery, Solomon's Idolatry, Manasses's Murder, Witchcraft, and Idolatry; St. Paul's Persecution, and St. Pe∣ter's denial of Christ; it is apparent, that these committed sinful Acts of a deeper die than thou canst charge thy Conscience with∣all; and that if God's Justice should be execu∣ted according to the rigor of his Law, No flesh living could be justified, Psal. 143.2. Rom.

3.20. Therefore is Christ the End of the Law, to every one that believeth, Rom. 10.4. An Instance of which we have in the Patriarch Abraham, the Prophet David, the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, and all those that are Sa∣ved; when we rely on him and his Merits, by God's own Covenant of Grace, and the Rigor and Curse of the Law is suspended. God therefore gave us his Son, with this Pro∣viso, That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life, John 3.16. And the Apostle intimates, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God. And Rom. 8.1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. And if God Justifies, who shall Condemn?

6. NO Sin is of that extent, or Equivalent to the Mercy of God, and the Merits of Christ. All Actions of the Creature are finite; but the Mercy of the Creator, and the Merits of a Sa∣viour are infinite. A drop of Water holds some Proportion with the Sea, being both fi∣nite; but finites with infinites holds none: Fear not then, nor let Pusilanimity over-rule the•• if thou canst Repent and Believe, for there is Balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there; Therefore let not Despair seize upon thee.