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The LORD, The LORD GOD, mercifull and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodnesse and truth, keeping mercy for thou∣sands, forgiving iniquity, trans∣gression and sinne, Exod. 34.6, 7.
Hee is JEHOVAH] Al∣waies the same, unchangeable, hee will not alter his love to thee, and for the more assurance he repeateth that title twice;
then followeth his power, GOD * 1.1] Though thou be weake, he is strong. Mercifull] or compassionate towards rep••n∣tant and beleeving sinners, and though they be unworthy, yet he is Gracious.] The Hebrew word signifieth to powre out abun∣dance of extraordinary bounty upon a most undeserving and ill deserving partie. (He will shew mercy, not because thou art good, but because he is Good; not be∣cause thou canst please him, but because mercy pleaseth him, Micah 7.18.) though thou offer∣dest daily, yet he is Long-suffe∣ring,] and Abundant in goodnesse and truth] 1. In Goodnesse] rea∣dy to bestow all benefits. 2. In Truth,] ready to fulfill all pro∣mises, * 1.2 keeping kindnesse for thou∣sands,] a certaine number for an uncertaine; forgiving iniquity, transgression and sinne] that is, sinnes of all sorts, kinds and de∣grees whatsoever. It is neither the foulenesse of sinne, nor the
multitude of sinnes, nor the long continuance in sinne that can prejudice his goodnesse.* 1.3
GOD upon our prayer will cure our infirmities, Esay 40.29. Psal. 103.3. hee pittieth his in their infirmities, as an Indulgent ••ather his little ones, Mal. 3.17. CHRIST himselfe is affected with the sence of our infirmi∣ties, Heb. 4.15, 16. Matth. 11.28. and Esay 42.3. he was a Pro∣••itiation for such sinnes, and com∣forts us concerning them before they be committed, 1 Iohn 2.12. Rom. 6.14. The Spirit helpes our ••nfirmities, * 1.4 Rom. 8.26. helpes ••ogether: the Greeke word is decompound, and there is a great force in it; as two that car∣ry a burden, one will carry over ••gainst another, and put to his ••and and helpe him; so when we begin to sinke, GODS Spi∣rit puts under his hand to support ••s, which is said in so many words, Psal. 37.24.
O but I offend daily, I sinne
againe and againe, may some weake Christian say.
GOD promiseth likewise that he will multiply his pardons (so the word signifieth in the Origi∣nall) as thou hast multiplied thy sinnes,* 1.5 for (saith he there) My thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my waies as your waies, but my thoughts goe beyond your thoughts, as much as the distance is betweene Heaven and earth: He is mercifull and and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, hee will not reward us after our iniqui∣ties: for as the Heaven is high above the Earth, so great is his mercy toward them that feare him, Psal. 103.8, 10, 11. As there is a continuall spring of wicked∣nesse in you, so there is a continu∣all spring of mercy * 1.6 flowing from him, both to pardon, and wash away this iniquity.
El the strong God, Deu•• fort••, a. Tr••melliu•• renders it.
As ••03, Psal. 8 the same He¦brew word is used, and should be so transla∣ted iniquity] that is, ori¦ginall cor∣ruption, transgressi∣on] that is, actuall re¦bellion, sin] that is, sin of custome.
God will passe by our meere frail∣ties. There is no god like unto him for passi••g by transgressi∣ons. Micah 7.18. Dan. 9.9. Psal. 1••0 3, 4. 1 Ioh. 2 1, 2.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the same word i•• used, Luk. 10 40.
Est metapho∣ra ab oneri∣bus sumpta, quae utrin∣que admotis manibus sub∣levantur. Beza.
Esay 55 7, 8, 9
Thou canst not commit more then God can re∣mit; Thy sins are but the sins of men, his mercies are the mer∣cies of an Infinite God.