I.

Ex Q D. xxxix. 7.

Keeping Mercy for Thousands.

Or Thoufands of Perfons, Apoc. vii. 4.

Foz. To Thousands of Generations.

2:

as after is mention of נוצר חסד לאלפים

Three or Four Generations: Whence R. Sal. obferves, God's Mercy is reprefented as Five Hundred times greater than his Severity; for this is but Four, that for Two thoufand Generations at leaft.

Forgiving Iniquity, Tranfgreffion and Sin, mumi ywany NO, 1. Perverfenefs, 2. Rebellion, as Ifa. i. 2. MNUM, Miftake, or Ertor.

Queft. 1. What is Sin? 'Avouía, Job, ii. 4In it is,

1. A Contrariety to God's Law, whereby it. leaves a Blot on the Soul.

2. An Offensiveness to his Majefty, Pfal. cvi,

3.

29.

Hence it deferves Death, Rom. vi. 23.

4. Whereby every Sinner is obliged to fuffer Death, Rom. iii, 19.

Queft. 2. What is Forgiveness of Sin?

A Discharging us from our Guilt or Obliga tion to Punishment, 2 Sam. ii. 13.

1. God only can pardon Sin: Because it is done against him, Pfal. liii. 4.

2 He will not do it without Satisfaction. 3. We cannot fatisfie for our Sins, because committed against an Infinite God.

4. It is only therefore upon the Account of Chrift and his Sufferings that our Sins are pardoned, Ifa. liii. 5, 6. Rom. v. 8, 9. Col. i. 14. 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6, 7.

Hence it is here added, And will by no means clear the Guilty without Satisfaction.

Quest. 3. How may we partake of this Mercy?

1. Repent: For,

1. Without Repentance there is no Pardon, Ezek. xviii. 30. Luk. xiii. 3.

2. They that Repent fhall certainly be pardoned, Ifa. lv. 7. Ezek. xviii. 21, 22, 27, 28. A&t. viii. 22.

3. That Repentance, upon which our Sins are pardoned, must be fincere :

Confifting,

r. In an hearty Sorrow and Contrition for our Sins past, Pfal. li. 2, 3, 4. Pfal. xxxviii. 18.

2. In a real Abhorrence and Deteftation of Sin at prefent, Pfal. cxix. 113.

3. In fteadfast Purposes and Refolutions against Sin for the future, Pfal. xxxix. 1. Pfal. xvii. 3.

4. In fincere Endeavours to perform those Refolutions by forfaking Sin,Ezek. xxxiii.

5. In turning unto God, Joel ii. 12, 13 Fer. iv. 1. Zech. i. 3.

2. Believe in our Lord Jefus Chrift, A&t. xvi. 31. For,

t. There is no Pardon without him, A&t. iv. 12. Matt. i. 21.

2. Nor by him without believing in him, Joh. iii. 18. Rom. iii. 20, 26.

Hence,

1. Confider your Sins.

2. Repent of them.

3. Truft on the Promifes of God, and Believe on the Merits of his Son for Pardon, and you fhall have it.

PSA L. cxlvii. 5.

His Understanding is infinite.

WHAT

Queft. 1. HAT are we to conceive by the Understanding of God?

It is that Property of God whereby we apprehend him to understand himself, and of and by himfelf all Things elfe, together with the Reafons of them, Job xii. 13. Prov. viii. 14. So that by it we apprehend God,

1. To be Omnifcient, all Knowing; that is, throughly acquainted with all and every Thing that ever was, or is, or will be, or can be.

This is plain,

1. From Scripture. Heb. iv. 13. Matt. X. 29. Pfal. cxxxix. 2,3,4. Job. xxi. 17.

2. From Reason: For God made and preferves, and therefore muft needs know all Things, Gen. i. 31. Pfal. cxxxix. 15, 16. 2. He gives Knowledge to other Things, Gen. ii. 20. 1 Reg. iv. 33. Pfal. xciv. 10. 3. That he is infinitely Wife, Rom. xvi. 27. 1 Tim. i. 17. Job xii. 12, 13.

This appears,

1. From his wife Contrivance of the World, and the Conftitution of all fecondary Caufes under him.

2. From his Government of the World, and
the Management of all Things, fo as to
make them concur to his own Glory, Pfal.
lxxvi. 10.

3. From his Redemption of Mankind, by
the Death of his Son, Rom. xi. 33.
4

Queft. 2

Queft. 2. What Ufe are we to make of this? 1. We fhould hence learn to admire the Wif dom and Knowledge of God; who knows all Things, not by Species or Notions abftracted from the Things themselves, but by his own Effence, which is the perfect Idea of all Things; and therefore he knew all Things that are before they were,even from Eternity.

And that too, not by Succeffion, one Thing after another, but altogether with one fimple Act.

2. This should make us drive all Hypocrifie from us, and have ás great á Care of our Hearts as we have of our outward Actions; forafmuch as he knoweth one as well as another,Gen. vi. 5. Pfal. xciv. 11. Pfal.cxxxix. 2. Jer. xvii. 9, 10. 1 Chron. Xxviii. 9.

3. Hence we fhould learn to put our whole Truft and Confidence on him, as knowing that tho' we do not, yet he knows how to preferve us,and what is beft for us,2 Pet. ii. 9. 4. Hence we fhould always live as under the Eye of God, Pfal. cxxxix. 7.

PSÁL.