is a preservation from greater evils by less No poyson but providence knoweth how to make an antidote so Jonah was swallowed by a whale and by that danger kept alive Joseph thrown into a pit and afterwards sold into Egypt and by these hazards brought to be a nursing father to the Church Chrysostome excellently Fides in periculis secura est in securitate Homil. 26. operis imperf in Matt. periclitatur Faith is endangered by security but secure in the midst of danger as Esthers was when she said If I perish I perish God preserveth us not as we do fruits that are to last but for a year in sugar but as flesh for a long voyage in salt we must expect in this life much brine and pickle because our heavenly father preserveth us as those whom he resolveth to keep for ever in and by dangers themselves Pauls thorn in the flesh which had much of danger and trouble in it was given him on purpose to prevent pride which was a greater evil Lest I said he should be exalted above measure through abundance of the revelations there was given 2 Cor. 12. 7. me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Elsewhere having commemorated Alexander the copper-smith 2 Tim. 4. 14 15 17 18. his withstanding and doing him much evil yea Nero's opening his mouth as a lion against him and the Lords delivering of him thence he concludeth as more then a conquerour And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdome to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen EXERCITATION 3. Hard-heartedness made up of unteachableness in the understanding untractableness in the will unfaithfulness in the memory unsensibleness in the conscience and unmoveableness in the affections metaphors to express it from the parts of mans body stones and mettals A soft heart Mischief searedness and virulency attendants of hardness God concurring thereunto by way of privation Negation permission presentation Tradition to Satan Delivering up to lusts and infliction § 1. OUr fourth proposition is still behinde viz. Divine providence is an actour even in sin it self I shall single out hardness of heart a sin common to all sorts of men though in different degrees intending to declare I. What hard-heartedness is II. That it is a sin III. That God is an actour in it For the first This word Heart is of various acceptions in the Scripture Sometime it signifieth the understanding as when it is said God gave Solomon 1 Kings 4. 29. largeness of heart as the sand that is He had an understanding full of notions Exerc. 3. as the sea-shore is full of grains of sand Sometimes put for the will as when Barnabas exhorteth the Christians of Antioch to cleave to the Lord with purpose Acts 11. 23. of heart that is with the full bent and inclination of their wills For as to know is an act of the understanding so to cleave is an act of the will Sometimes for the memory as when the blessed Virgin is said to have laid up all Luke 2. 51. our Saviours sayings in her heart that is kept them under lock and key like a choice treasure in her remembrance Sometimes for conscience So the Apostle speaketh of a condemning and not 1 John 3. 20 21. condemning heart Now Gods deputy in point of judicature is conscience which Nazianzen therefore calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a domestical tribunal or a judge within doors Lastly Sometimes for the affections So the Prophet Ezekiel saith of people that when they sate hearing the word their heart went after their covetousmess Ezek. 33. 31. that is their fears and hopes their desires love and other affections were upon shops ships land and other commodities even while they were busied in the worship of God Each of these faculties called Heart in the book of God is liable to its peculiar indisposition and distemper All put together make up the hard-heartedness of which we are treating the particular ingredients whereof are these that follow I. Unteachableness in the understanding Scripture joyneth blinding of eyes and hardning of hearts as near a kin He hath John 12. 40. blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted It is proverbially said Lapidi loqueris One had as good speak to a stone as to an unteachable man and we are all so by nature Whence that of Paul The natural man receiveth not the 1 Cor. 2. 14. things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Such are often present at Sermon so are the pillars of stone in the Church and they understand both alike § 2. II. Untractableness in the will There was reason enough spoken to Sihon by Moses his messengers but all would not incline him to yield a passage to the army of Israel in an amicable way because he was hardened Sihon king of Heshbon saith Moses would not let us pass by him for the Lord thy God Deut. 2. v. 27 28 30. hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate c. So was there enough said and done to Pharaoh but still the burden of his story is this He hardened his heart and would not let Israel go Steep a stone in oyl it continueth hard still Pharaoh had sundry mercies showen him being delivered from one plague after another upon Moses his prayers but the oyl of mercy could not soften him Beat upon a stone with an hammer it is a difficult thing and in some cases impossible to make an impression The hammer of Gods word in the mouth of Moses and Aaron held as it were by the handle of ten notable miracles gave ten mighty blows at Pharaohs will yet could make so little impression that after the ten plagues his heart was ten times harder then before III. Unfaithfulness in the memory Pertinent hereunto is that upbraiding passage of our Saviour to his Disciples Have ye your heart yet hardened do ye not Mark 8. 17 18. remember they seemed to have at present forgotten two of Christs miracles and are therefore charged with hard-heartedness Let water fall upon flesh it moisteneth it upon earth it soaketh in and rendereth it fruitfull let it fall upon a rock it runneth presently off and leaveth no footsteps behinde it Where hardness of heart prevaileth as Vers 19 20. here it did not and therefore the disciples a little awakened by Christs interrogations were able to give an account of his miracles there is commonly no more of a chapter sermon or pious discourse remaining in the hearers memory then there is moisture upon a rock after a good showre of rain IV. Unsensibleness in the conscience St Paul speaketh of some past feeling Ephes 4. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 2. and
are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him § 5. Secondly as Religion a term which both Austine and Lactantius derive à religando because by the true Religion improved mens souls are tied and fastened to the supreme Being it unites us to God and to Christ The graces of union are especially Faith and Love Christian Religion is made up of these two Kiss the Son saith David Psal 2. 12. which implyeth the affection of love Blessed are all they that put their trust in him which holds forth an expression of faith Hold fast the form of sound 2 Tim. 1. 13. words saith Paul which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Love is the fulfilling of the Law faith the fulfilling of the Gospel both the fulfilling of Christian Religion These two pipes being rightly laid from a Christians soul to the fountain of living waters fetch in from thence a dayly supply of such grace as will certainly end in a fulness of glory whereas worldlings all the pipes of whose spirits are laid to cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water must needs continue empty still and for want of Christ who is not seen but by those two eyes nor embraced but by those two arms fall short of happiness how eminent soever they may be in the pursuit of by-ways Thus to discover and to unite are acts of prerogative not communicable to other professions For to maintain as some do that a man may be saved in an ordinary course I meddle not with extraordinary dispensations but leave the secrets of God to himself by any Religion whatsoever provided he live according to the principles of it is to turn the whole world into an Eden and to finde a Tree of life in every garden as well as in the paradise of God EXERCITATION 2. The insufficiency of other Religions for bringing men to the enjoyment of God inferred from their inability to discover his true worship John 4. 24. opened God to be worshiped in and through Christ a lesson not taught in Natures school Faults in Aristotles Ethicks § 1. IT hath appeared already in part by what hath been hitherto discoursed that as the other Patriarchs sheaves made obeisance to Josephs so other Religions must bow down to Christianity by name those three grand competitours Paganisme Judaisme and Mahometisme as also those other leading books by name the Talmud the Alcoran and the much applauded writings of heathen Philosophers must all do homage to the Bible Yet will it not I suppose be unworthy of my pains and the Readers patience further to clear the insufficiency of all exotick doctrines by an argument taken from divine worship to which I proceed by certain steps Exerc. 2. I. Religion is a thing which distinguisheth men from beasts more then reason it self doth For some brute beasts have appearances of reason none of Religion Man is a creature addicted to Religion may perhaps be found as true a definition as that which is commonly received Man is a living creature indued with reason II. Some kinde of Deity is acknowledged every where throughout the world and wherever a Deity is acknowledged some kinde of worship is observed Should a Synode of mere Philosophers be convented to consult about the matters of God I make no question but in the issue of their debates they would pronounce one Anathema against Atheisme and another against Irreligion Among the Romanes Parcus Deorum cultor infrequens Horat. lib. 1. Ode 34. to worship sparingly was accounted the next door to being an Atheist III. None but the true God can discover what the true worship of God is As that glorious eye of heaven is not to be seen but by its own proper Desine cur nemo videat sine Numine Numen Mirari Solem quis sine sole videt light A million of torches cannot shew us the Sun so it is not all the natural reason in the world that can either discover what God is or what worship he expects without divine and supernatural revelation from himself § 2. IV. Before the settling of Christianity and spreading the Gospel throughout the world many every where were unsatisfied concerning the worship they performed and inquisitive after some teacher who might help them therein by his advice This may be gathered not onely from that which was said by the woman of Samaria in that dispute of hers with our John 4. 25. Donec in terris apparuerit sacratior aliquis qui fontem veritatis aperiat c. Marsil Ficinus in vita Platonis Vid. Livium Galan praetar pag. 8. Saviour about worship I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things But also by what Ficinus reporteth concerning Plato to wit that being asked by one of his scholars how far forth and how long his precepts were to be obeyed he returned this answer Untill there come a more holy one by whom the fountain of truth shall be opened and whom all may safely follow V. The precepts and practise of such as teach and profess other Religions are inconsistent with those Gospel-rules which Christ and his Apostles have given for the regulating of divine worship Two whereof I shall instance in The first is that which fell from our Saviours own mouth God is a Spirit John 4. 24. and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth Where Spirit in the latter clause seems to stand in opposition partly to the formality of the Jews who did so wholly addict themselves to outward observances in a spiritless way as to give our Saviour occasion of saying well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me In vain do they worship Mark 7. 6 7. me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Partly to the Idolatry of the Gentiles who in stead of tendring service sutable to a spiritual Being worshipped God in and by representations and images of this or that visible creature The word Truth in like manner may probably seem to be opposed partly to the typical worship of the Jews in which there were many resemblances and shadows of things to come as sacrifices incense and other rites the truth whereof was exhibited in Christ and in Gospel-service partly to the perfunctory worship of the Gentiles who for want of Scripture-light framed to themselves sorry forms of devotion which the wisest among them were altogether unsatisfied with yet as knowing no better and being loth to give offence observed them onely for fashions sake so worshipping in shew rather then in truth § 3. Doubtless what Seneca profest in his time was a principle which the most judicious Heathen walked by both in that and the ages foregoing He speaking of their religious observances plainly said A wise man
the title El which as a learned Jew affirmeth doth not less clearly express his influence then Jehovah doth his Essence El and Elohim Abarbanel apud Joann Buxtorf fil in Dissertat de Nominibus Dei Hebraicè thes 39 41. in their most proper notion as he telleth us signifying the authour and producer of things by an infinite power Of this Relative goodness there are sundry distinct branches mentioned in this superexcellent Text which are spoken to in their order § 3. The First is Mercy The nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intra viscera recepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 1. 78. whereof may receive much light from the Hebrew word which is here made use of It cometh from a root that signifieth shutting up in ones bowels as child-bearing women retain and cherish their dearest offspring within their wombs Accordingly we reade in Luke of the bowels of Gods mercy a phrase which implieth both inwardness and tenderness First inwardness our bowels are the most inner parts The mercy of God springs from within and hath no original cause without himself Humane affection is commonly both begotten and fed by somewhat without in the thing or person beloved as culinary fire must be kindled and kept in by external materials But God loveth because he loveth Deut. 7. 7 8. Exod. 33. 19. and sheweth mercy on whom he will shew mercy as celestial fire is fuel to it self He freely extendeth mercy to us in making us good then doth us good for being so is not this a mercifull God Secondly tenderness The forecited passage in Luke runneth thus in our translation Through the tender mercies of our God Of all parts the bowels relent and earn most In them we are wont to finde a stirring when strong affections of love or pity are excited as Joseph did upon sight of Benjamin Gen. 43. 30. God speaking after the manner of men useth this pathetical expression concerning his people How shall I give thee Hos 11. 8. up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together His people accordingly crie to him Where is thy zeal and thy strength the Isai 63. 15. sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies are they restrained Of all humane bowels those of mothers are the tenderest Can a woman saith the Lord forget her sucking Isai 49. 15. childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb Yet sooner shall all the mothers in the world prove unnatural then he unmercifull for so it followeth yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee § 4. Well may this notion of mercy put us in minde of returning bowels of love to God according to what David said in the beginning of Psalm the eighteenth I will love thee O Lord my strength where the word cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex intimis visceribus diligam te Psal 18. 1. the same forementioned root and intimateth exercising love out of his most inward bowels as also of extending bowels of compassion to those especially that stand in nearest relation to him according to that of John Whoso hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up 1 Job 3. 17. his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him But that is not all the improvement we are to make of this Attribute As it is a most tender affection so is it to be most tenderly used Take we therefore diligent heed as of refusing it by unbelief so of abusing it by presumption First of refusing mercy by unbelief Many Jonah 2. 8. as the phrase is in Jonah forsake their own mercie by giving way to objections arising from the flesh like smoke out of that bottomless pit in Revelation Say not therefore God is so angry with me the arrows of the Almighty stick so fast and the poyson thereof doth so drink up my spirit that I cannot expect any mercy from him Know that the Lord is wont even in wrath to remember mercie and that the Habak 〈◊〉 3. correction which thou at present lookest at as an argument of wrath may perhaps be an evidence of love and an act of mercy God is not about to hew thee down as thy unbeleeving heart imagineth but to prune thee for prevention of luxuriancy Be sure the right hand of his clemency knoweth whatever the left hand of his severitie doth Thou hadst better be a chastened son then an undisciplined bastard There is no anger to that in Isaiah Why Isai 1. 5. should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more That in Ezekiel I will Ezek. 16. 42. make my fury towards thee to rest and my jealousie shall depart from thee and I will be quiet and will be no more angry That in Hos 4. 17. Tunc magis irascitur quando non irascitur Super oâ—nen iram miseratio ista Bernard Hosea He is joyned to idols let him alone Then is God most angry of all when he refuseth to be angry yea there is no anger of his to be compared to this kinde of mercy Men that are fatted to destruction often go prosperously on in the world have few afflictions in their life no bands in their death but as Erasmus once said From this prosperitie Absit à nobis chrissimi alis selicitas Erasm in concione de misericordia good Lord deliver us Say not I am unworthy and must therefore despair for mercy is free and if God should shew mercy to none but such as are worthy of it he should shew mercy to none at all seeing All have sinned and come short as of the glory so of the mercy of God Say not my sins are many and great too many and too great to be pardoned but oppose to the multitude of thy transgressions that multitude of tender mercies mentioned Psal 51. 1. by the Psalmist not forgetting the gracious invitation by another Prophet Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughtss and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon or multiple pardon as the original phrase imports To the greatness of thy sins oppose the riches of Gods mercy and greatness of his love spoken of by the great Apostle God saith he who is rich in mercy for his Ephes 〈◊〉 4. great love wherewith he loved us Lo here a vast heap whereunto men may come with confidence be it never so much they have need of because these riches are not impaired by being imported The mercies of an infinite God are infinite mercies and so able to swallow up all the sins of finite creatures What though thou hast heretofore delighted in sin despair not for he delighteth in
God either hath as manna is supposed to have had the relish of all meats or containeth all Sovereignty comprehendeth inferiour honours The best of their perfections are mixed with some defects but God is light 1 Joh. 1. 5. and in him is no darkness at all They may be perfect and good in their kinde He is perfection and goodness it self In them we may finde matter of wonderment but of astonishment in him witness that eminent place Nehem. 9. 5. Blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and praise Nature though not altogether silent upon this argument to wit the divine Attributes yet enjoyeth but a dim light to discover them by whereas the Scripture representeth them most magnificently in sundry respects § 2. First so as to curb our curiositie For which end it expresseth divers of them negatively as when God is said to be infinite immortal invisible unsearchable whereby we are taught that it is easier for us to know what he is not then what he is which is known onely to himself The best terms as Scaliger hath it for men to manifest Scalig. de Subâ—iliâ— Exercit. 365. § 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazi anz hymn ad Deum Meliùs seitur nesciâ—ndo Aug. lib. 2. de ordine their understanding of God by are those which manifest that they understand him not Thou O Lord saith Nazianzen hast produced all those things of which we speak but art unspeakable thy self All that can be known by us is from thee but thou thy self canst not be known Yea Austin was not afraid to affirm that Nescience is the better way of knowing God Secondly so as to help our infirmitie For whereas we are not able by any one act of our finite understandings to comprehend that infinite Essence which is it self one simple Act but comprehensive of all perfections Holy Scripture condescending to our weakness alloweth us to take up as it were in several parcels what we cannot compass at once and in contemplating the Attributes to conceive some under the notion of divine properties incommunicable to creatures such as are Immensity Independency Eternity Simplicity Self-sufficiency All-sufficiency Omnipotence Omniscience Omnipresence Others under that of divine faculties such are Understanding Will and Memory ascribed to God It gives us leave to look at some as divine affections such are his Love Hatred Anger Grief and Delight At others as divine virtues such are his Mercy Justice Patience Faithfulness Holiness Wisdome c. and at other some as divine excellencies resulting out of all the former such are Majesty Blessedness and Glory § 3. Thirdly so as to prevent our misapprehensions The Attributes of God however diversified in our conceptions as hath been said are identified with his Essence which is but One though to us they appear to be different each from other and all from it as the vast ocean though but one receiveth divers names from the severall shores it washeth upon so however Justice Mercy Power and the rest be severall names suited to different operations yet God is but one simple Act under those various denominations Lest we should therefore apprehend them to be such qualities as our virtues are really distinguishable yea and separable from our being as appeared when the first man fell from his holiness yet continued a man still Scripture doth sometimes predicate them of God in the abstract as when Christ is styled Wisdome when it is said God Proverb 8. 1 Joh. 1. 8. 1 Joh. 5. 6. is love and the Spirit is truth Men may be called loving wise and true God is love wisdome and truth it self The Apostle telleth us that if God swear he doth it by himself and no other yet we Heb. 6. 13. finde him in the Psalm swearing by his Psal 89. 35. holiness whence it followeth that his holiness is himself Christ is usually said to sit at the right hand of God but in one place it is exprest by sitting on the right-hand of power Therefore God Mark 14. 62. is Power as well as Love There is the same reason of all his attributes § 4. Fourthly So as to raise our esteem of God Some there be which are frequently called Communicable Attributes because in them the creatures share as being immortality goodness and wisdome Lest we should in this respect have lower thoughts of God then becomes us Scripture is wont to ascribe them to him in such a way of supereminence as however they be participated by Angels and men yet he onely is said to have them Witness these texts There is none Isa 49. 6. besides me Who onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6 16. and Chap. 1. 17. Matth. 19. 17. God onely wife And There is none good but God Because in him they are all infinite all eternal all unmixed and without the least allay of imperfection An apostrophe borrowed from a devout though popish writer shall shut up this O abyss of divine perfections How admirable art thou O Lord who possessest in one onely perfection the excellecy of Fr. Sales Love of God lib. 2. cap. 1. § 3. pag. 74. all perfections in so excellent sort that none is able to comprehend it but thy self § 5. There is yet behinde a third kinde of knowledge far exceeding both the former A knowledge of God not proceeding from the light of Nature alone as the first doth nor of Scripture alone as the second but from effectual irradiations of the Spirit of Ephes 1. 17. wisdome and revelation accompanied with purging and cheering influences from the same spirit Look as the Literal maketh an addition of further discoveries to the Natural which hath been sufficiently proved So this Spiritual knowledge of God superadds even to the Literal sundry particulars not unworthy of our serious consideration viz. First Clearness of light Since the Canon of Scripture was perfected the things which the Holy Ghost discovereth are no other for substance but those very things which are contained in the written word onely he affords regenerate persons clearer light to discern them by then any they had before their conversion Take a man that is now become a learned Critick turn him to the same Authour which he perused when he was a young student he will finde the self-same matter but see a great deal further into it because he hath now got further light So is it here Secondly Sweetness of taste I sate Cantic 2. 3. down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste So the Spouse O taste and see that the Lord is Esal 39. 8. good So the Psalmist Upon which place the School-men have founded their distinction of knowledge of sight and a knowledge of taste Spiritual science Scientia visûs gustâ—â— is steeped in affection taking delight in the things known and not barely apprehending but relishing and savouring what it apprehendeth with abundance of love and complacency Whence those
Molanus Theol. practicae compend p. 211. of old in Austins time were wont to beat upon their breasts in a deep sense of their sins at the Nobis in the beginning of the forementioned Petition Forgive Us well may the most of men now adays beat their breasts for grief and hang down their heads for shame at the Nos in the latter clause As we forgive For how few are there that do it aright Seeing that § 8. Secondly we should forgive others as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us to wit First Heartily without dissembling Christ denounceth a terrible threatning against such as do not from their Matth. 18. 35. hearts forgive every one his brother It is not a making a fair shew in outward carriages not binding up as it were the broken bones of peace with good looks and sweet words that God accepteth if the heart be full of wormwood and gall Joab kissed and stabbed Judas kissed and betrayed Hail Master said the one to Christ Art thou well my brother said the other to Amasa How hatefull is such dissimulation to God and man Forgiveness is a fruit of love My little children saith St John let us not love so say I let us not forgive 1 Joh. 3. 18. in word and tongue but in deed and in truth Secondly Speedily without delay Be Nehem. 9. 17. Bis dat qui cito like God ready to pardon As in bestowing he doubleth his benefit that giveth betimes so in pardoning he forgiveth twice that forgiveth with speed his forgiveness receiveth a double welcome and shall have a double reward It is not for Christians to harbour animosities in the course of their lives and think to salve it by saying we forgive all the world when they lie upon their death beds For that may be applied to pardoning which Divines usually say of repenting True forgiveness is never too late but late forgiveness is seldome true Wherefore let not the sun go down upon Ephes 4. 26. your wrath as Paul adviseth his Ephesians If that which was but a mote at Ira festuca est odium trab◠August first be watered and cherished with the fresh suspicions of some few days it will turn to a beam and go near to put out the eye of love Thirdly Frequently without stint or limitation God multiplieth pardon so Isai 55. 7. should we When ye stand praying forgive Mark 11. 25. saith Christ and Paul bids us Pray 1 Thess 5. 17. continually We should therefore be inclined to forgive continually and to make actual performance whensoever there is an opportunity Peter thought he had offered fair when he asked How oft shall my brother sin against me and Matth. 18. 21 22. I forgive him adding till seven times as making account that surely that was often enough But our Saviour maketh nothing of that number would by no means have him stay there Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee till seven times but untill seventy times seven putting a certain definite number for an indefinite and thereby intending to teach that his followers should forgive Toties quoties so oft as they shall be trespassed against § 9. Fourthly Throughly as without excepting so without remembring any offence God excepteth not any of our sins when he affordeth us pardoning grace 1 Jo◠1. 9. But if we confess he is faithfull just to forgive us our sins to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Should he reserve but one unforgiven that one would sink our souls to hell It is our duty to imitate him herein Forgive saith Christ if ye have ought against any Whoever the person Mark 11. 25. and whatever the thing be you must forgive One of the Evangelists setteth down the petition thus in our Saviours form of prayer Forgive us our Luke 11. 4. sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us It must then be performed without excepting any either person or essence As also without remembring any God doth so forgive our sins as not to keep a register of them I even I am he saith the Lord that blotteth Isai 43. 25. out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Yet with us what more frequent then saying I forgive such a man such a wrong but shall never forget it or him A distinction that came not out of Christs school but Satans mint Paul was of a different spirit witness that remarkable passage of his to the Galatians Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am Galat. 4. 12. Vide Bezam Grotium in loc as ye are ye have not injured me at all Where he seemeth to desire that every member of the Church in Galatia would be to him as an Alter ego another self seeing he was affected as another self to each of them But had they not injured him yes very much in preferring the false Apostles before him questioning his doctrine yea becoming his enemies and that for telling them the truth yet behold him professing here Ye have not injured me at all because these wrongs were as no wrongs in his estimation it was not his purpose to impute them he speaks as one that had really forgotten them by reason of his resolution to forgive them There is I confess a kinde of remembrance not inconsistent with true forgiveness when prudent men remember offences and offenders in cautelam so as to beware for the future of exposing themselves to the like injuries But Christians ought not to remember in vindictam so as to revenge themselves upon the delinquents for wrongs done in time past I say to revenge for otherwise a Christian may Exerc. 5. seek to right himself in a legal way yea and to bring offenders to condign punishment still retaining a charitable minde towards them even as God though he have forgiven justified persons may notwithstanding and often doth chastise them with his fatherly corrections EXERCITATION 5. The latter clauses of Exod. 34. 7. so translated and expounded as to contain an eighth branch of divine goodness viz. Clemency in correcting Equity in visiting iniquities of the fathers upon the children Clemency in stopping at the third and fourth generation A lesson for Magistrates A speech of our Q. Elisabeth Gods proclamation in Exod. 34. Improved by Moses in Numb 14. § 1. THe following clauses have somewhat more of difficulty in them then any of the former as being variously rendered and expounded by Interpreters The most reade as we do That will by no means clear the guilty visiting c. But amongst these that do agree in the translation there is some difference about the meaning of the words The major part of that combination apply them wholly to the Justice of God in taking vengeance upon obstinate sinners Some few whereof Mr Ainsworth is one respecting the scope of the whole context which is to set forth the Goodness of God consider this