Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 1476] The Mercies of God to be recorded to all posterity.

SAint Augustine relateth of a certain Platonist,* 1.1 that should say (as Simplicianus his good friend told him) that those words of Saint Iohns Gospell, In the be∣ginning was the Word,* 1.2 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, the same was in the begining with God; were fit to be written in letters of Gold, and to be set up to be read in the highest places of all Churches; his reason was, because 'tis such a strong Text to confirm the Divinity of Christ; For as Saint Ambrose saith,* 1.3 Erat, erat, &c. Saint Iohn saith four times, Erat in principio, And where doth Arrius find, that it was not in the begining? And thus verily that Scrip∣ture where God proclaims his Nature by Adjectives, ought to be recorded to all Posterity l The Lord,* 1.4 the Lord God, mercifull and gratious, long suffering and abun∣dant in goodnesse, and Truth; keeping Mercy for thousands, ••orgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin, &c. Now, What is meant by all these Synonomaes, and Equivocall expressions, but that as an Act of Oblivion and pardon of Grace the abundant Mercies of God might be set out to the comfort of all Repentant Sinners.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De Ci••it. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 29.
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 1. 1.
• * 1.3

  In lib. de fide contra Arria∣nu••.
• * 1.4

  Exod. 34. 6.