3.3 As if God had said because thou ravest and ragest like some huge unruly Fish or some fierce wild Beast I will take thee with my Hook and I will ring thee and curb thee and lead thee and draw thee whither I list The Devils are more untractable then Winds and Waves and Men They have great Power hence called The strong man Luke 11.21 And Powers Eph. 6.12 Their union doth much increase their strength Vis unita fortior They are so much one in their Confederacies and all their Conspiracies that they are called The evil One The wicked One Matth. 13.28 The Devil 1 Peter 5.8 Because though they are many thousands yet they agree and unite against God as if they were all but one They have much knowledge subtilty and policy to direct their Power Vis consilii expers c. Their excellent Natures their great Observation of Persons and Actions their long experience of some thousands of years in the World must needs speak their Wisdom or rather Craftiness to be great Add to these their innate implacable hatred of God which makes them imploy all their Power and improve all their Policy to offend and displease him to break from under his Yoke and Subjection yet in spight of all their Might their Craft their Malice he governeth them as a man doth his Prisoners whom he hath in Fetters He hath reserved them in Chains of Darkness Jude verse 6. He hath them ever in the Chains 1. Of their own terrifying affrighting Consciences which allow them no rest Day or Night Indeed all time is a dark dreadful time to them and all places are dark dismal places to them they are where-ever they go as Prisoners with Fetters upon them yea such Shackels as enter into and pierce their Spirits in Chains of Darkness 2. In Chains of Divine Providence God governeth their Persons and all their motions they go no whither but as he pleaseth though they go up and down in the Earth As subtile a Spirit as the Devil is he cannot touch Job Job 1.12 No nor the Swine without God's leave Matth. 8.31 He that would read more of the incomparableness of God in his Providence may see it incomparably set forth by God's own Mouth in the 37 38 39 40 41. Chapters of Job CHAP. XII God incomparable in the Work of Redemption He can do all things 3. HE is incomparable in the Work of Redemption And truly this Work is his Master-piece pure Workmanship and indeed all his Works of Creation and Providence are subordinate to this All his Attributes sparkle most gloriously in this Psal 102.16 All his Angels in Heaven admire and adore him for this Revel 4.10 11. This is the Work of all his Works which he is so mightily pleased with and reapeth so much Glory and Praise from Isa 42.1 Isa 43.21 No Angels no Men no not all together could with all their united Worthiness redeem one Soul None of them can redeem his Brother or give to God a Ransome for him For the Redemption of the Soul is precious it ceaseth for ever Psal 49.9 10. None beside God had pitty enough for mans misery or Wisdom enough to find out a Remedy or Power enough for his Recovery None had pity enough for mans Misery Boundless Misery call'd for boundless Mercy One deep for another But where is such Mercy to be found among the Creatures Man was a Child of Wrath had plunged himself into an Ocean of Evils and Fury and this required an Ocean of Love and Pity but Creatures at most had but drops but the Creator had infinite Grace for infinite Guilt and infinite Mercy for infinite Misery Ezek. 16.5 6 7 8. In the day of thy Nativity thou wast cast out to the loathing of thy Person thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou salted with Salt nor washed with Water Here is misery indeed but what help or compassion from Creatures truly none No Eye pitied thee to do any of these things unto thee who then had pity enough Then I passed by thee and saw thee in thy Blood Then was my time of Love and I bid thee live yea when thou wast in thy Bloud I said unto thee live God hath great Mercy for great Misery Eph. 2.4 5. Abundant Mercy for abundant Misery 1 Peter 1.3 A Plaister altogether as broad and as large as the Sore John 3.16 1 John 4.9 Eph. 3.19 Therefore the Holy Ghost observeth Luke 1.7 8. In the Work of Redemption the tender Mercy of our God from on high hath visited us None had Wisdom enough to find out a Remedy Had the Creatures had pity enough and kindness enough they had not wisdom enough to make Justice and Mercy meet together and Righteousness and Grace kiss each other If God should have offered Man his Pardon and Life upon Condition that he with Angels should consult and find out some way to satisfie his infinite Justice that was offended by Sin Alas poor man must of necessity have perished what Creature was able to undertake the satisfaction of infinite Justice It would have Bankrupt them all to satisfie for one of the smallest Sins And who could have thought of God the Creator to undertake it who durst have presumed to entertain such a motion in his Heart Could it have entered into the mind of Men or Angels that the Law might be fulfilled in its Commands and Curse the Glory of Divine Justice and Holiness salved and miserable man eternally saved No Creature would have thought of a way to reconcile the Justice and Mercy of God no Creature could have thought of any way for it nay no Creature durst have thought of such a way as God hath found out No He that made the World by his Wisdom Psal 104.24 when it had unmade it self new made it by his Wisdom Hence the Redemption of man is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold the curious the embroydered Wisdom of God such Wisdom as passed the Knowledge of Angels Ephes 3.10 And the Redeemer is called The Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.24 In this Work is infinite Wisdom because in this Work infinite Justice and infinite Mercy do meet Rom. 3.24 25. Ephes 2.5 7. 1 John 4.9 10. Again None had Power to have gone through with the Work if they had had Wisdom to have found out a way There was so much to be done in order to mans Recovery that it would have undone all the World if they had undertaken it The Powers of Hell must be over-come the Curse of the Law and Wrath of the Law-Giver must be born Sin that was so strong and fast in the Heart of Man must be subdued Grace and Holiness against which Man had an emnity must be infused and what Power less then Omnipotent could effect either of these God who discover'd great Power in creating the World of nothing discover'd much greater in redeeming the World when it was worse then nothing In the former he had no opposition
Creature in misery Hence he is said in Scripture after the manner of Men to have tender Mercies Psal 25.6 And bowels of Mercy Luke 1.58 And to be afflicted in the Afflictions of his People Isa 63.9 And to have his Soul grieved for the miseries of Israel Judges 10.15 16. As tender Parents are extremely troubled for the Afflictions of their Children Psal 103.12 13. So his Bowels are turned within him his Repentings are kindled together Hos 11.8 9. Mercy doth not onely pity but also relieve the afflicted it hath an Hand to supply as well as an Heart to pity those that are in Distress Isaiah 34.18 Gen. 19.16 The Attribute of Mercy is that which God glorieth in and boasteth of Exod. 33.19 Psal 103.8 Noble and Heroick Spirits are ever gentle and merciful The basest Minds are most cruel and farthest from Mercy God saith Fury is not in him Isaiah 27.4 Judgment is his strange Work Isaiah 28.21 He doth not afflict willingly Lament 3.33 But delighteth in the Prosperity of his Servants Psalm 35.27 It 's not his Nature to disturb and destroy Men it 's their Sin that forceth Thunderbolts into his Hands Isaiah 44.22 His delight is in Mercy Micah 7.18 The blessed God hath multitude of Mercies Psal 51.1 To answer the multitude of the Creatures Miseries Abundant mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 He is said to be rich in mercy Ephes 2.4 Exceeding abundant rich in mercy Ephes 2.7 His Mercy as Oyl swims on the top of all his Attributes is his delight Jer. 32.41 I will rejoyce over them to do them good His Mercy as Gold being most excellent over-layeth all his Works Psal 145.7 His tender mercy is over all his Works His Mercy is to all admiration O how excellent is thy loving kindness Psal 36.7 O how great is thy goodness Psal 31.19 His Mercy is beyond all Apprehension Thy Mercy reacheth to the Heavens Psal 108.4 1 Cor. 2.9 He is stiled the Father of Mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Not the Father of Justice or Fury Mercy is the Joy and Pleasure of God Hence he is said to have a Mercy-Seat and to have a Throne of Grace Heb. 9.5 Sitting is a posture of Ease and Rest but he riseth to execute Justice Psal 68.1 He doth rest in his Love Ephes 3.17 Mercy is the Glory and Honour of God When Moses desired to see the Glory of God Exod. 33.18 The Lord proclaims The Lord God gracious merciful Exod. 34.6 7. When God promiseth to do great things for his People That he will give them Health abundance of Peace cleanse them from all their Filthiness and pardon all their Iniquities Jer. 33.7 8 9. He gives us the fruit of it verse 9. And it shall be to me for a Name of Joy a Praise and Glory before all Nations His Mercy is his Riches his Treasure Hence he is said to be Rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 God is merciful in all he doth universally merciful All his wayes are Mercy and Truth Psal 25.10 The whole World is a Volume written within and without with Characters of Mercy He is merciful to all Men Psal 145.9 Sheweth mercy to thousands Exod. 20.6 Exod. 34.7 Math. 5.45 46. He is merciful at all times His mercy endureth for ever Psal 118.1 Psal 136.1 2 3. He is merciful in all respects He giveth all sorts of Mercies 1 Tim. 6.13 Eph. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Men are merciful Prov. 11.17 Psal 37.26 So are Angels in a sense but none of them comparable to God The tender Mercies of the Wicked yea of the righteous Men yea of Angels are Cruelties to the Mercies of God Have they such Pity such Bowels for miserable Creatures as God hath Have they such Power such Ability to relieve afflicted Ones as God hath Can they afford preserving protecting Mercy as God Job 10.12 Pardoning and forgiving Mercy Micah 7.18 Purifying and renewing Mercy Ephes 2.4 Saving and eternal Mercy Tit. 3.5 6. O how infinitely short do they come of him He is so incomparable in Mercy that Mercy is said to belong onely to him Vnto thee O Lord belongeth Mercy Psal 62.10 Unto thee and none but thee He is so merciful that when his Bowels conflict with justice on the behalf of Sinners and get the upper hand he rejoyceth in the Victory Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment James 2.14 He is so merciful that he dispenseth with his own Institutions for the sake of it Hos 6.6 Math. 9.13 with Math. 12.7 Once more he is so merciful that he is upbraided with it as if he were too fond of that Attribute and loved it over-much Jonah 4.2 Was not this my saying in my own Country for I knew that thou wast merciful Thou didst send me to Preach Destruction and Desolation to Nineveh but when I received the Message I knew all would be prevented by mercy and that to Preach such a Threatning was but to disgrace and dishonor my self as a false Prophet before the men of Nineveh for I thought then what is now come to pass that notwithstanding the peremptoriness of the Message Mercy would interpose and prove me false 8. God is incomparable in his Patience Patience is that Attribute in God whereby he beareth with Sinners and forbears or defers their Punishment or that whereby he expecteth and waiteth long for their Conversion He is a God slow to anger Psal 103.8 He waiteth on Men to do them good Isa 30.18 He is long-suffering 2 Pet. 3.7 9. Nay He endureth with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath Rom. 9.22 He is the God of Patience Rom. 15.5 The Patience of God is the more admirable if we consider 1. How perfectly he hateth Sin Psal 5.4 Hab. 1.13 Prov. 6.16 And how offensive it is to him it grieveth him Eph. 4.30 It presseth him as Sheaves press a Cart Amos 2.13 He is broken with their whorish Hearts Ezek. 6.9 Though he be infinitely perfect that no Sin can be hurtful to him yet he is so infinitely pure that all Sin is hateful to him 2. What an affront Sin is to him A contempt of his Authority therefore call'd a despising him 1 Sam. 2.30 An ecclipsing his Honour therefore call'd a dishonouring him Rom. 2.23 A contention with him for Mastery therefore call'd a fighting against him Acts 5.39 Job 15.25 A violation of his Commands therefore call'd a transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 It affronts his Wisdome therefore call'd folly 2 Sam. 24.10 His Justice therefore call'd unrighteousness 1 John 1.6 7. His Patience therefore call'd a despising his long-suffering Rom. 2.4 His Mercy therefore call'd a turning his Grace into wantonness Jude ver 4. His Truth therefore call'd a Lye Isa 44.20 It must be infinite Patience to bear with that which is the Object of infinite hatred 3. Who they are who thus dare and provoke him They are his Creatures Psal 100.2 whom he hath infinitely obliged Lament 3.22 23. And laden with innumerable Blessings Psal 116.12 And loved unconceiveably John 3.16 And seeks daily to over-come
because God is theirs Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee why whence comes their incomparable happiness truly from the incomparable God saved by the Lord who is the shield of thine help and the sword of thine excellency Again What Nation is so great which hath God so nigh unto them Deut. 4.7 Israel at this time to flesh and sense seemed a most unhappy people they were in a barren and howling wilderness without an house to hide their heads in without food but what a miracle sent them in without raiment but what was on their backs without any dealings or converse with other people nay in the midst of cruel and potent enemies they must fight their way to Canaan against walled Towns and sturdy Giants and yet even in this plight they are the happiest people under the cope of heaven Because the God of heaven the incomparable God was nigh to them David asserts Gods incomparable Majesty and thence Israels incomparable felicity 2 Sam. 7.22 23. Wherefore thou art great O Lord there is none like thee what followeth thence And what Nation at this day is like unto thy people even like Israel Reader if thou art once effectually called if thou art a regenerated sanctified person know to thy comfort and rejoyce therein that this incomparable God is thine 2. That all his incomparable excellencies are thine 3. That this incomparable God with all his incomparable perfections will be thine for ever 1. This incomparable God is thine That God who hath no superiour no equal no fellow is thine He that is and there is none else Isa 46.9 is thine He that is that he is Exod. 3.14 is thine Thou hast a propriety in him and a title to him This is the great priviledge of heavens favourites Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and he will be their God Revel 21.3 This is the great promise the sum the substance of all the promises I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 This is the great prayer of all that know how to pray or what to pray for Psal 80.12 Psal 4.6 Exod. 33.15 Jer. 14.8 This is the great purchase of the Son of God 1 Pet. 3.18 His name is therefore Immanuel God with us This is heaven it self the very heaven of heavens for it is not the place but his presence which makes heaven to be heaven In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16. ult Once more this is the highest the chiefest the greatest gift which the infinite God can give to thee When he giveth thee riches and honours and friends and relations he can give thee greater things when he giveth thee Sacraments and Sabbaths and seasons of grace he can give thee greater things when he giveth thee pardon of sin peace of conscience the graces of his Spirit he giveth thee great things but yet he can give thee greater but when he giveth thee himself he giveth thee the greatest gift that himself though infinite in bounty can give O how sweet is that term of propriety My God My God The Redeemer himself rowl'd in his mouth over and over as if he could never suck out the sweetness in it Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the house of my God and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is the new Jerusalem which cometh down from my God Rev. 3.12 David dwels on it as one unwilling to leave it Psal 18.1 2. Reader O what cause hast thou to triumph in thy happiness that the infinite God is thine Fear not I am thine Isa 41. Scepters and kingdoms and honours and possessions and friends and relations and liberty and peace and health and strength are not thine possibly but God is thine He that is all these and more than these is thine He is thine own God even mark our own God shall bless us Psal 67.6 Thou canst not call any thing outward thy own thy estate is not thine own I will take away my corn and my wine and my oyl Hos 2.9 Hag. 2.8 Thy relations are not thine own Ezek. 16.20 21. My children which thou hast born to me Thy credit is not thine own no thy very graces are not thine own Cantic 4.16 Nay thou thy self art not thy own 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are not your own Thy body is not thine own 1 Cor. 6.16 nor your souls Ezek. 18.3 4. All souls are mine But God is thy own God thy own glory thy own exceeding joy Psal 43.4 2. All the incomparable excellencies of this God his incomparable word and works are thine As all he is is thine so all he hath is thine all he can be is thine all he hath done is thine all he can do is thine 1 Cor. 3.22 All is thine All his incomparable attributes are thine His incomparable power is thine to protect thee Gen. 15.1 2. Exod. 15.9 10 11 12. His incomparable wisdom is thine to direct thee Psal 73.23 His incomparable mercy is thine to pity and relieve thee in thy miseries Judg. 10.16 His incomparable grace is thine to pardon all thine iniquities Micah 7.18 Exod. 34.6 7. His incomparable love is thine to refresh and delight thy soul Psal 21.5 6. His incomparable justice is thine to accept thee as righteous for the sake of his Son Rom. 3.24 His incomparable faithfulness is thine to fulfill all the gracious promises which he hath made to thee Psal 89.33 34. His incomparable Majesty and beauty and glory are thine to make thee great and render thee comely and glorious for ever Ezek. 16.14 Isa 43.4 His incomparable joys and pleasures are thine to feed on and be filled with Psal 36.8 Mat. 25.21 His incomparable works are thine His works of Creation Psal 37.11 Mat. 5.4 His works of Providence Rom. 8.28 For your sakes I have sent to Babylon Isa 43.14 and Isa 43.4 His work of Redemption is yours Joh. 10.15 Gal. 2.20 Rev. 1.5 6. His incomparable word is thine indited for thee sanctified to thee making thee wise to salvation It 's therefore called their word the word of their testimony Rev. 12.11 Whatsoever things were written were written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 3. This incomparable God and all his incomparable excellencies will be thine for ever His incomparable eternity will be thine and so long as he is God he will be thy God When the sensualists God is gone thy God will remain when the worldlings God fails him thy God will not forsake thee when all thine honours riches friends relations leave thee thy God will abide with thee This God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 Not for a day or week or month or year or Age but for ever and ever Not for a thousand years or a thousand generations or millions of millions of generations but for ever and ever Not for as many millions of ages as there are stars in heaven drops in the Sea creatures great and small in both worlds but for ever O happy Conjunction of Propriety with eternity this God is our God for ever and ever Thine immortal soul hath an immortal God an immortal good Thou shalt ever be with this incomparable Lord. Comfort thy soul in the midst of all the persecutions and afflictions that befall thee in this world with these words 1 Thess 4.16 17 18. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words FINIS