METHOD.

• 1. I shall give you an account what mercy is, and what it imports in the phrase of the Scripture.
• 2. Wherein the mercifulness of our heavenly Fathers ap­pears, that we may see wherein we are to imitate him.
• 3. What reasons and grounds we have to be merciful as he is merciful.

1. Concerning Mercey: Sometimes Mercy is the same with Pity, Compassion, and Tenderness: Phil. 2. 1. the Apo­stle [Page 4] exhorts to Unity by the consolation of Christ, by the comforts of Love, by the fellowship of the Spirit, by bowels and mercies, (i. e.) If there be any tenderness, pity and com­passion in you towards your common Father, fulfil you my joy; where bowels and mercies are equipolent terms, that serve to illustrate and explain the sense one of another: To this we may refer that of the Prophet, Jer 31. 20. where God is brought in troubled and discomposed in himself for the pu­nishment and affliction of Ephraim; Is Ephraim my dear Son? Is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnest­ly remember him, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

2. Mercy is the same with pardon, remission and forgive­ness, 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who, was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained Mercy, because I did it ignorantly, (i. e.) being so much unfit and unworthy whil'st I was a Jew, blas­pheming Christ, and persecuting his people; yet I obtained mercy, (i. e.) pardon and forgiveness of God, God looked upon it as an act of blind zeal in me, and not of propense malice against them.

3. Mercy is used for the donation or vouchsafement of some Priviledge spiritual or temporal, unto a person or peo­ple, 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in times past were not a people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

This is supposed to have been written from Rome to the converted Jews, and then the meaning ls this; You that for a long time (for this Epistle is believed to have been written Anno Christi 44.) whilst Christ was upon the earth had not the happiness to receive Christ and the Gospel, now are made partakers of this great Mercy and Priviledge, viz. to come into the Church and House of God.

So Rom. 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that run­neth, but of God that sheweth mercy. The Apostle here argueth in the behalf of God, that he was at full liberty in the col­lation and distribution of his Mercies, and that he did the Jews no wrong in calling the Gentiles to Christianity, Ver. 15. As he saith unto Moses, I will have mercy upon whom I will [Page 5] have mercy, &c. As if he had said unto him, In the distribu­ting of my blessings I will do what I think good, without giving thee or any man a reason, though I have alwayes rea­son for what I do; yet as it is ver. 13. Jacob have I loved, and E­sau have I hated, which is either true in the Letter, in chusing the Israelites, and rejecting the Idumeans; or else in the Type, in preferring the Covenant of Grace before the Covenant of Works; So then it is not of him, &c. (i e.) in point of merit, sa­tisfaction, or condignity, but of God that sheweth mercy; (i. e.) vouchsafeth to call the Gentiles to Christianity, when the obstinate and incredulous Jewes have rejected it.

4. Mercy is taken for Charity, or that relief which we give unto the poor, Dan. 4. 27. Breake off thy sins by righteous­nesse, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy unto the poor; (i. e.) by being liberal & charitable towards the poor; in which sence many understand that of Peter 1. 4. 8 Charity covereth a multi­tude of sins. So likewise it is used Psal. 37. 26. He is ever merciful, and lendeth, and his seed is blessed.

For the further opening the nature of Mercy, observe the difference betwixt Goodness and Mercy: Goodness in God is supposed to be absolute, but Mercy is a relative thing: God might have been good to all Eternity, though man had stood, yet Merciful he could not have been without a suppo­sition and introduction of sin.

As all Pardon includes an offence, so all Mercy involves want and misery: Goodness supposeth a man, Mercy a sin­ner. Goodness supposeth a man in being; Mercy, a man in misery: God might have been eternally good, and transcen­dently glorious in the free communication of himselfe, though sin and misery had never introduced mercy.

Goodness and Mercy are thus distinguishable in men; Goodness is the Root, and Mercy the Branch growing out from it; We must first be good in ourselves, before we can be merciful towards others: We must as our Saviour sheweth, first make the Tree good, before we can bring forth good fruit. Charity begins at home; if we be not good, have not an inward principle of Goodness in our selves, how can we laudably exercise any pity or compassion, any bounty or [Page 6] clemency, any love or charity towards others.

So much for the first point.

2. Br. Come we now to speak of the mercifulness of God, and produce a great Copy and Exemplar for your imitati­on: And now methinks we are fallen upon the noblest sub­ject in the World, being we are to treat of Divine Mercy, which the Scriptures declare, which men experience, which the Devils envy, the good Angels admire, and which all the World ought to adore.

A man that looks down from an high Precipice, albeit he is in no danger of falling, yet would his fear seize him, and a secret trembling take hold of him: The Scriptures and our own experience have set us upon a great Mount, and be­ing to look down upon the great abysse of Divine Mercies, we are ready to cry out with the Apostle, Rom. 11. 33. [...], O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and the mercies of God

I shall speak to this, 1. Negatively. 2ly. Positively.

1. In that he beareth with the daily violation of his truth, and suffereth with incredible lenity, the breaches that are made upon it, & though men do not believe what God saith, nay, (which is more) do believe things different and contra­ry thereunto, yet still God containeth himself, and doth not with-hold his Mercy from them. The Church of God is said to be the ground and pillar of truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Church it is that sacred Depositary wherein the truth is laid up. The Frogs of Aegypt were not more numerous, that came craw­ling into the Kings Palace, then the Errors and mis-shapen Opinions, which in all Ages (especially in this) have infested the Church, the house of God; and herein the mercifulness of God appears, that he does not presently rid himself of them, nor destroy the men for their opinion sake.

In the Jewish Church he suffered the Essens, (a pensive and melancholy Sect) who sleighted the Hierarchy of Mo­ses, dissented from the common way of Worship, and held Community, as Josephus reports of them.

He suffered the Herodians, Mark 3. 6. a politick and am­bitious Sect, who thought Herod the Aschalonite to bee the Messiahs, the sent of God: and thence called Herodians: It [Page 7] is likely they were abused into that opinion, from the mis­construing the prophecie of Jacob, Gen. 49. 10. That the sce­pter should not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between his knees, till the Shilo came. Hence they might conclude that Herod was the Shilo, because the ensigns of Royalty and Go­vernment ceased from the Asmonean race, and Herod a stranger, the son of Antipater, an Idumean, succeeded by un­just usurpation in the Government of Judea.

He suffered the Samaritans, who though they acknowledg­ed the five Books of Moses, yet denied the Authority of the Prophets, because they judged them not [...], inspired by God; and likewise sleighted the Temple consecrated at Jerusalem, and worshipped the God of Israel upon mount Gerizim. Where first they had a magnificent Temple built by Sanballat a Samaritane-Prince, in opposition to Jaddus the High-priest of the Jews; and when it was afterward de­stroied and razed to the ground by Hircanus the Maccabae­an, the earth remained sacred to them on which it stood, and continued a place of Worship to the daies of our Sa­viour, Joh. 4. 20. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, &c.

He suffered the Sadduces, mentioned Mat. 22. who de­nied the souls immortality, and all future estate and being after this life; many of them serving God zealously and strictly, according to the prescript of Moses his Law, up­on no other expectations then a temporal reward upon earth.

In the Gentile world the mercifulness of God appears, that he does not rain down fire from heaven to avenge him­self of those Idolaters, who worship the Host of Heaven, the Sun, Moon, and Stars which he hath created: And still he beareth with almost incredible clemency and mercy in the Christian world, those strange, monstrous, and absurd con­ceptions that are framed of him, he suffereth himself to be represented as unjust, unwise, unmerciful, and whatever is unworthy of his eternal Truth and God-head.

And there are two things that render his Mercy more emi­nent and conspicuous.

[Page 8] 1. In that he is infallible in his judgement, liable to no mistake, or mis-apprehension, and consequently may be ab­solute and definitive in his sentence and determination; al­beit he knoweth most certainly the difference 'twixt good and evil, light and darkness, truth and error, yet he build­eth nothing thereupon (unless in some extraordinary cases) to man's outward prejudice and damage; but endeavoureth by the light shining in us, by the inspirations and notices of his spirit, by the convictions and authority of his word, to reduce humane conceptions to a likeness with, and confor­mity unto the fair and beautiful Idea's set up in his own mind, and declared unto us in his holy Word of Truth.

2. In that he is of Power sufficient to vindicate the sacred honour and credit of his Truth, and to avenge himself up­on the Erronists, the Transgressors thereof; He hath the po­wer of life and death, health and sickness, poverty and plenty; and were he so minded, he needs not be beholden to any arm or power to assist him.

If it were objected, God punisheth not Murder, Theft, &c. it doth not follow that therefore we should not. To this I answer, The case is not the same; all men have a perfect and distinct knowledge what Murder is, what Theft is; but in matters of Opinion concerning Religion and the things of God, there is the greatest variety and discrepancy imaginable; and The Church of Rome excepted. no man does so much as pretend, or lay claim to an unerrancy or infallibility of Judgement: Besides it is agreed, that the civil Magistrate does ex Offlcio, punish the breach and viola­tion of the Laws of Nature, and the Laws of God, where he is authorized and appointed so to do, let it be shown pri­mitively, that under the Gospel he ought either ex officio, pre­cepto, vel exemplo, to judge, determine, and censure opini­ons abstracted, and wholly remote from secular considerati­on; or let it be shewn wherein, or when the People did chuse them either for their Representatives in Religion; or make them Judges in matters of Opinion and Conscience, and the Controversie will presently cease, and the Dispute end.

[Page] 2. The mercifulness of God appears, in that he suffereth the breach and transgression of his Laws, and does not spee­dily avenge himself of the transgressors.

He looketh into our houses, and there he findeth profane­ness, sensuality, riot, excess.

He looketh into Chambers, and more secret retirements, and behold, wantonness, intemperance, luxury, uncleanness.

He looketh into our places of commerce, and there he findeth deceit, fraud, cozenage.

He looketh into our places of Judicature, and behold, fa­vours, partiality, injustice, oppression; Or, as it is Amos 6. 12. in cicutam mutatur jus & fractus Justitiaein absynthium; Judgment turned into Gall, and the fruit of Righteousness into Worm wood.

He looketh into our Churches and places of Worship, and for Knowledge, he findeth Zeal; for Piety, Interest; and for Devotion, little else but Curiosity; spectatum veniunt. Our Churches are turned into Theatres, whereinto we come to see, and to be seen; not remembring that great Theatre wherein we must all appear before the Judgement-Seat of Christ.

In our hearts he beholdeth envy, jealousie, emulation, cruelty; in our lives disorders and confusions, and yet God holdeth his hand, he endeavoureth the reformation, not the destructionof of his creatures.

So great was the mercy of God, that David seems to a­waken him, and stirred him up to Judgement, Psal. 119. 126. It is time for thee, O Lord, to work, for they have made void thy Law. And the Apostle Peter is forced to make an Apology for God, to the profane scoffers, why he seemed to defer his coming, and neglect Judgement in taking vengeance upon the World, 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his pro­mise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish; (i. e.) God does not forget his promise, neither is he unmindful of Judgement, but he is loath to come in upon the World at unawares, as a Thief in the night, to overtake them in the height of their presump­tion and security, and therefore he extends and lengthens [Page 10] out the day of Grace, that none might perish, (if't were pos­sible) but that all might come to repentance.

2. We come to speak positively.

1. Mercy it is the same with Pity, and in this sence God is merciful; he is [...], full of bowels, pitiful and compas­sionate towards the children of men; he is called, [...], Pater miserationum, the Father of Compassions: Numerus pluralis est emphati­cus. There dwells no hatred, no malice with God; no rancour, exasperation or cruelty is lodged in his eternal breast; he lo­ved man in the state of his innocency, uprightness and obe­dience, and when man degenerated, he turned his love into pity, and his delight into commiseration; and even then when his Justice makes him severe, it is exercised (to speak after the manner of men) with reluctancy and re­gret.

The pity and compassion which we so much admire in men, are but weak umbrages and representations of Gods; and yet the first wants not its due praise and commenda­tion.

The Court of Areopagite, mentioned Asts 17. so much famed in the World, put to death a young child for that he took an unnatural pleasure in depriving the very Birds of their sight, and letting them flye for his recreation; fearing least he who exercised so timely an apprentiship of Cruelty upon Birds, might in his more ripe years exercise it upon men.

The like is reported of the Senate at Carthage, who cen­sured one of their own Citizens for no other cause in the world, but that he had civilized and made tractable a Lyon, supposing so frequent a conversation with wild Beasts, had made him put off all humanity and pity, and degenerate into the nature of that Beast with whom he had so much conversation.

Marcellus the Roman Consul, being commanded by his Masters at Rome to raze Syracuse, even then when he saw their Commands put into execution, and beheld the great City on fire, he began to relent, and (out of his good nature) to shed tears in abundance, wherewith if it had been [Page 11] possible, he would have quenched those flames which him­self had kindled.

And Caesar Titus (whom for his clemency they called the delight of mankind) beholding the streets of Jerusalem co­vered with the dead bodies of the Jews, found his heart much touched; but when he saw the glorious Temple all on fire, and the Jews themselves that were entered thereinto, would not suffer it to be quenched, he could then contain himself no longer, but with hands to Heaven protested that it was the act of the gods, and not effect of his disposition.

But as the heavens are high above the earth, even so are the compassions of men exceeded by the compassions of God; behold a greater then Marcellus, a greater then Caesar Titus is here. Sin hath set the world on fire, and we like the Jews, will not suffer it to be quenched.

God came down from heaven in his own person, commu­nicated his thoughts to the Patriarchs before and after the Flood, beseeched his people by his Prophets, and lastly by his own Son, the man Christ Jesus, and still endeavoureth by his Word and Spirit to quench this great flame and confla­gration kindled by sin; so that if it be not quenched, but proceed to devour the souls of men, God Almighty may with Caesar Titus, enter his just protestation, that the destru­ction of the World is an effect of our Wickedness, and not of his own inclination and disposition.

The love of our gracious God is more to be judged of by what he would do for us, then by what he does for us, though (to speak the truth) he hath done all that did become a great Wisdom (checked with Justice) to do.

Even as the love of a tender-hearted Father is more seen by what he would do for his obstinate and ungracious Son, (were he a capable subject) then by what he ever actually does for him.

He frowns upon him, gives him correction, dis-inherits him, and goes down into the grave with a resolution of not doing him the least good thing for him, (in the sence the World calls good) and yet whilst he lived his heart was set up­on him, his bowels yern towards him, his desires are great [Page 12] that he might enrich him, and his complaints many, that he was not a subiect capable of his favour.

In like manner the love of our heavenly Father is rather to be estimated by what he would do for us, then what he does for us, were we capable subiects of his Grace and Fa­vour, according to that, Deut. 5. 29. O that there were an heart in them, that they would fear me, that it might be well with them and their children for ever.

The Soveraign Creator he hates not any thing in the World, because the whole World is the rare and singular Workmanship of his hands; for as his Wisdom is free from Error, so are his Works devoid of repentance; all things are eminently in him, and under the covert of his pure and sim­ple Omnia u­num sunt in Deo, & cum Deo, &c. Ber. Scrm. Essence, are hid all creature-perfections whatsoever; Nec aliunde Justus, aut Bonus, quam unde Magnus; that I may borrow the expression of that contemplative and devout person, which is English't thus▪ That form of Divinity which makes him Great, makes him by the same means, Wise, Just and Good; which is the true reason that he can no more hate or neglect any thing that he hath made, then the Architect or Master-builder can sleight his own piece which he findes a­greeable to the fair Idea's of Art set up in his own mind.

God having thus united all in himself, therefore he loves all, and regardeth all, as raies of his own light, issues of his own bounty, productions of his own Wisdom and Good­ness; the venom and malignity of the Toad and Aspick, the poyson of the Scorpion, which are so destructive to ours, are very good and suitable to their natures; that which is to us poyson, is to them blood and spirits; the giving it to us, and the taking it away from them, we find equally preiudicial to both their natures and ours: May I shut up this point in the words of a learned man? God hates nothing, nor curseth any thing but what he is not, and he is all, sin excepted: It is that alone which he abhorreth, which he accounts worthy of all dete­station, which he chastiseth here, and which he pursueth with an armed hand to the Gates of hell, and beyond the Gates of hell, and which he will never forgive in its pro­per subject, either in this world, or in the world to come.

[Page 13] 2. Take Mercy for Pardon, and in this sence God is merciful, he is known by this great Title which he assumed in that Solemn Publication, Exod. 34. 7. Keeping Mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin. It is the glory of a man, much more of God to pass by an offence; God can­not desire sin, (as no man can wish to be displeased) but man having sinned, it is infinitely pleasing to the Divine Nature to shew mercy, pardon and forgiveness: He that hath set us that Rule, Matth. 18. 22. That we should not onely forgive till seven times, but until seventy times seven, wil not transgress it himself.

God excepts against no mans person, but as it is Prov. 28. 13. Whosoever confesseth his sins, and forsaketh them, shall have mercy. Because God respecteth no mans person, therefore he excepteth against no mans person: As he hath no mans per­son in admiration because of advantage, so he hath no mans per­son in disdain because of preiudice.

As there is no person excepted from the general pardon of the Gospel, upon the terms proposed therein; so is there no sin excepted, save onely that sin unto death, the nature of which may consist either in the contempt or despair of the pardon it self: The mercy of heaven shineth forth in this, that God is pleased to take our submissions, accept of our acknowledgements, and admit us to repentance; Esau found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears, Heb. 12. 17. (i. e.) He found no place for repentance with his Father Isaac; for as it is in the same verse, how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected; poin­ting unto the story Gen. 27. But with God is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. True indeed, God pardons no mans sins before they be repented of; there are no indulgencies grant­ed in heaven, and obtained on earth by unrepentant sinners.

To say that some mens sins are pardoned before they be committed; or that they are pardoned past, present and to com; or which is all one, that they are pardoned from eterni­ty, is questionless a Doctrine (to borrow the expression of a learned man) that transcends the licentiousness of Pope­ry, and is of worse consequence then the Roman Indulgen­ces, [Page 14] and were there another Luther now alive, he would enter his dissent from this Doctrine, and make it another ground of separation.

3. If you take Mercy for the vouchsafement of grace and favour unto a person or people, and in this sence God is mer­ciful, having called all the World unto peace and felicities by the Gospel; the Scriptures declare it, Experience so far as it extendeth, confirmeth it, all Reason and Authority e­stablisheth it, 1 Col. 23. If you continue in the Faith, &c. not mo­ved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard, & which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; (i. e.) not on­ly to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles; it is [...], in every creature; which intimates not onely the vocal and external, but also the internal and spiritual preaching of it. In this Gospel we are told of the blood of sprinkling that spea­keth better things then that of Abel: Abel died in former time, and his blood cryed Justice; Christ dyed in the fulnesse of time, and his blood cryed Mercy: We are told of a potent Advocate that continually intercedeth for us in Heavens Court; We hear of the full and most gracious promises that Almighty God can make to all burdened and heavy laden souls, and that whosoever comes unto him in the Name of Christ, he will in no wise cast out.

And all this is laid down in a most plain and intelligible way, sine fraude & fuce, without any secret Will, any double mind, or mental reservation; God hath washed his hands in innocency, and is free from the death of all men; the dsteru­ction of men is of themselves, and the blood of souls upon their own heads.

A question might here be moved, How the mercifulness of God is consistent with his Severity; we all understand how Mercy is consistent with Justice; but how Mercy and Severity stand together, is the subject of our present Inqui­ry and disquisition. We find the Apostle puts Goodness and Severity together, Rom. 11 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God, [...], on them which fell, severi­ty, but towards thee, goodness; [...]. Severity comes from [...] a Metaphor taken ab arte Agricola, from the cut­ting [Page 15] off unprofitable branches, and so made applicable up­on occasion, unto God, who cuts off unprofitable members both in Church and State. In the solution of this question,

• 1. I shall give you several instances of Divine Severity.
• 2. I shall by a common distinction make peace betwixt the one and the other, setting God's Severity and Mercy at a good consistency together.

Instances are many.

1. Of the fallen Angels, when all was peace in Heaven, and a blessed security inviron'd them, a thought of Pride did but spring up in them, (Aquinus thinks it was no more) and God changed countenance presently, tumbled them out of Heaven, and as the Apostle Jude speaks Cap. & v. 6. [...] he hath reserved them in everlasting Chains, unto the Judgement of the great Day.

2. After that God had made unto himself another friend of flesh and blood, placed him in Paradice, conversed with him most familiarly, made him his Substitute, Vice-gerent and Deputy here on earth, imparted unto him not only be­ing with the rest of the creatures, but his image, likeness and similitude, provided him an Associate and Companion that might bear him company in this his abode on earth; and yet behold the Severity of God, he committed but one sin, and that of no great importanee neither, as might seem to an eye of flesh and blood, the eating of an Apple, the ta­sting of the forbidden fruit, and that not of his own con­trivement and malice, but at the solicitation and importu­nity of another, and yet we see what ensued upon this tre­spass, the amity and friendship 'twixt Heaven and Earth was broken, mans communion with God was interrupted, and he thrust out of Paradise, and condemned to perpetual mi­sery and exile, with his posterity.

3. Lots Wife did but look back from behind her, in statuam mutatur, she was turned into a pillar of Salt, and so she stood for many years, as a monument both of severity and dis­obedience, till Time (that consumes all things) removed her, Gen. 19. 26.

[Page 16] 4. Uzziah with a good intent laid hold of the Ark, 2 Sam. 6. 6 to keep it from falling when the Oxen shook it, and because his hands were common, and unconsecrated, God there smote him, and he dyed by the Ark of God.

5. A poor man was but gathering a few sticks on the Sab­bath day; and God commanded him to be stoned, Numbers 15. 36.

In the New-Testament, Ananias and Sapphyra did but con­spire together to tell a lye, and it cost them both their lives, Acts 5.

The Corinthians, men subject to the like passions and infir­mities that we are, behaved themselves irreverently at the Lords Table, and the Text tells us, 1 Cor. 11. 30. [...] for this very cause [...] &c. many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Notwithstanding all this, the Mercy of God is very well consistent with his Severity, if we consider a threefold ac­ceptation of Severity.

Severity is either in temper and disposition, in purpose and decree, or in act and execution.

In the first acceptation, Mercy and Severity are absolute­ly inconsistent; he that is severe in his temper and dispositi­on, cannot be likewise tender, compassionate and merciful in his disposition; these two are as contrary and imcompati­ble, as light and darkness, cold and heat, that do mutually expel one another: In this sence God is not severe, (i. e.) in his temper and disposition.

2. If we take severity in the decree or purpose, so it ad­mits of an easie compliance, and very good consistency with the clemency, long-suffering, and mercifulness of God.

A Judge that is merciful in his own nature and constitu­tion, may yet be very strict and rigid in his decree and pur­pose, to punish offenders, whom no mercy or clemency can obljge, no goodness or bounty win upon, or gain.

In like manner it is which God, of whom we may say as Pli­ny saies of Trajan, Est piger ad paenas princepi, ad praemia velox, Slow to punish, swift to reward; and yet notwithstanding, he hath formed in himself an immutable resolution & pur­pose [Page 17] (at the regular importunity of his Wisdom and Ju­stice) of punishing with rigour and severity all those im­partially, whom his clemency and mercy could not sweeten and mollifie: If man will not return, He hath whet his sword, and bent his bow, and prepared for him the instruments of death, Psal. 7. 12.

3. Severity in the Act or Execution, which is the third acceptation, as in the many instances before alledged; which though at the first it might seem most opposite and repug­nant to his clemency and mercifulness, yet even those ve­ry acts of severity may admit of a gracious construction, if we consider these two things:

1. That many of those persons of whom the Scriptures speak, had drunk deep of the cup of divine goodness; had been made to rest under the sweetest influences of his love and favour; and from whom God might have expected bet­ter things. The Angells sinned whilst they were before the throne, and in the immediate and actual injoyment of God himself. Our first parents in Paradice, whilst they injoied all the felicities heaven and earth could afford them. Lots wife against the miracle of her deliverance; there was something or other found in them to vindicate that passage, Clementia laesa vertitur in furorem.

2. God is severe towards one, that he might be mer­ciful to many; he strikes some, that others may take warning? if now and then an act of justice and seve­rity was not interposed in the world, sin would grow bold, even to controul the Laws of heaven: God, that he might put a stop to the course of sin, gives ample te­stimony of his displeasure against it. Like the skilful Chi­rurgion, that cuts off the gangren'd member, ne pars sincera trahatur, lest the sound part should be corrupted.

3. Br. Why we ought to be merciful, as our heavenly father is merciful.

• 1. Propter similitudinem, that wee may bee like unto God.
• 2. Propter gratitudinem, that we may be thankful unto God.
• [Page 18]3. Propter necessitatem (i. e.) dispositionis & preparationis; that we may be fit to receive mercy from God.

1. Propter similitudinem, that we may be like unto God; which is the Argument in the text, the motive our Saviour useth to press the duty in hand: There is something in this perswasive argument and motive; because it is God's way, it is Christ's way, it is the Apostles way to press unto duty. When God urgeth men unto holiness, Lev. 19. 2. it is by somthing of this nature and tenour; Ye shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. When Christ presseth men to perfection, Mat. 5. 48. still the argunent is drawn from similitude; Be ye perfect, [...], quemadmodum, even as your heavenly father is perfect. When St. John urgeth Christians unto love, it is drawn from the same topick of likeness and quality; 1 Joh. 4. 16. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God.

A forcible motive, a cogent argument to prevail with ra­tional creatures, whether Angels, or men; because of those sparks of desires kindled in them, of becoming like unto God; which is not simply unlawful, but rather commen­dable in them.

We read Isa. 14. 12, 15. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning, &c. for thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, &c. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High: : which though it be the Prophets triumphant insultation over Babylon, yet was it true originally of Lucifer, The argument was urged by the Serpent, Gen. 3. 4. to perswade our first parents to eat of the forbidden fruit: [And ye shall be as Gods] a plausible ar­gument indeed, to prevail with mortal minds, naturally prone of themselves to aspire after likeness and simili­tude.

The presidents I now alledge and set before you, to shew the force of this argument, and what grounds there are of its success and prevalency upon us. Can there be a better reason why we should be tender-hearted, merciful, compas­sionate, herein we shall be like unto God, we shall transcend in a manner the line of our Creation, be lifted up above the region of common mortality, and placed in a vicinity and [Page 19] similitude of God himself. I pass this, with re-minding you, that as there are somethings wherein we are to imitate God, and aspire after likeness unto him, so there are other things wherein we are forbid under the penalty of his dis­pleasure, so much as to aspire and assimulate.

The subject without offence here on earth, may attempt to be like unto his Prince in wisdom, goodness, clemency, patience; but he cannot without rebellion and disobedi­ence indeavour to be like him in power, greatness, and ma­jesty; we may imitate our Saviours virtues, but not his mi­racles: In like manner we may with safety and honour at­tempt by an holy ambition, to be wise, just, merciful, ad exemplar, according to the original copy, God himself, not aspiring after his greatness, power, and majesty, lest with Lucifer, we incur his hatred and great displeasure.

2. We are to be merciful, propter gratitudinem, that we may be thankful unto God; we should shew mercy unto others, because our heavenly Father hath shown mercy unto us; the very Laws of Gratitude and Retaliation require it: The Reason is lodged here, That if God hath forgiven us ten thousand Talents, ought we not to forgive one another an hundred pence, Matth. 18. 25. The King that did remit ten thousand Talents, tooke it ill at the hands of his Debtor, that went forth presently, took his Brother by the Throat that ought him an hundred pence, would not be intreated, but cast him into prison till he made him satisfaction; Ver. 31. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done; Ver. 32. Then his Lord said, O thou wieked servant, I forgave thee all that Debt because thou desiredst me, shouldst thou not also have had com­passion on thy fellow-servant? Shouldst thou not? (i. e.) thou shouldst have had compassion in point of gratitude and thankfulness unto me.

The King in the Parable is God Almighty; the servants with whom he reckoneth, are the sons of men; for we are all the Debtors of Heaven; God for Christs sake doth forgive us many talents: The wicked servant is he that takes his Brother by the throat without all mercy and pity, & wil not [Page 20] forgive those few pence that his brother oweth him; the ser­vants being sorrowful, shews how much it troubles good men to see their fellow-creatures so hardly dealt with; the Kings anger expresseth the wrath of God kindled against those who are found guilty of this great cruelty and ingratitude; cru­elty against their Brethren, ingratitude against their Father; that when God hath forgiven unto them ten thousand Ta­lents, they will not for Christs sake forgive unto their Bre­thren an hundred pence.

God draws us with the Cords of a man, (i. e.) with such reasons and arguments as are proper to work upon the ra­tional nature; to be drawn unto our duty by that soft, yet strong cord of Love and Gratitude, is most acceptable to God, most delightful and pleasing to our selves and o­thers.

3. We are to be merciful propter necessitatem, because of the necessity of the thing; if we shew not mercy unto o­thers, neither will our heavenly Father shew mercy unto us. In the close of that Parable which we quoted before, Matt. 18. we read at the 35. ver. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his bro­ther their trespasses; which refers unto the 34. verse, wherein is expressed the rigour and severity of God against offen­dors in this kind, And his Lord was wrath, and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him.

Our Saviour likewise in that Prayer which bears his Name, teacheth us to pray, Matth. 6. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debters.

As it was said by Jesus Christ, That he could do no migh­ty Works because of their unbelief, Mat. 13. 58. meaning, that though he had never so great a mind to confirm his Do­ctrine by Miracles, and to give proof of his being the Messi­ah, yet such was the incredulity and distrust of the Jews, his own Countrey-men, that they bound his hands, and hin­dered him from doing of it.

Even so God Almighty, our gracious and loving Father, though he had never so great a mind (to speak after the man­ner of men) to make us Vessels of his mercy; yet finding us [Page 21] fraught with all malice and envy, straitened in our bowels, filled with all cruelty, hatred, revenge, we do shut up his bounty against us, and indispose him to Mercy.

Matthew 57. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mer­cy; [...], the merciful shall be mercifully dealt with.

Though our mercifulness be not causa propter quam, the cause for which we receive mercy, by way of merit or con­dignity; yet may we say it is causa, sine qua non; the cause, without which we cannot obtain mercy; though not by way of merit or condignity; yet by way of preparation, and Gods gracious disposition.

Many more grounds and reasons might be added, but these may suffice to confirm and establish the point in hand.