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A60135
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God's thoughts and ways above ours, especially in the forgiveness of sins in several sermons upon Isaiah LV. 7,8,9 / by John Shower.
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Shower, John, 1657-1715.
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1699
(1699)
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Wing S3671; ESTC R38912
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83,543
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185
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things as the World accounts 'em confounds the Wise There are Instances of it in the History of Moses as to the Plagues of Egypt But it was more manifest in the whole Frame of Christianity and in the Success and Prevalency of it He defeated the Devil's Design and overturn'd his Empire by such Means as could never be supposed by Reason to do it By the Seed of the Woman whom he had seduc'd by the Son of God in our Flesh suffering and dying for us He wrested the Victory out of Satan's Hands by humbling himself to the Death of the Cross and so by dying destroyed him that had the Power Death THERE are other Instances might be given as where God strengthens the spoyled against the strong He brings down those that dwell on high the lofty City he layeth it low He layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust The Foot shall tread it down even the Feet of the Poor and the Steps of the Needy Isa 26.6 7. The Stone cut out out of the Mountain without hands shall dash in pieces great Mountaius all the four great Monarchies of the World and fill the whole Earth HIS Ways are not as ours in that he often prefers the Younger before the Elder and gives them the Precedency and Principal Blessing Abel was preferr'd before Cain and his Offering accepted Abraham the Younger chosen to be God's Favourite before his Elder Brethren Jacob before Esau and He preferr'd Ephraim before Manasseh the Elder Son of Joseph So it is observed by the Spirit of God of Noah's Children Shem is preferr'd and called the Brother of Japhet the Elder Gen. 10.21 And David the Youngest Son of Jesse is chosen to be King and the Man after God's own Heart To manifest the Freedom of his Counsels and the Soveraignty of his Grace and Providence Was not Esau Jacob's Brother yet Jacob have I loved 3. HIS Ways and Ours differ also in this that he is never frustrated or disappointed in his Work as to what he designs He brings the Counsels of Men to nought and the Devices of the People to none Effect but the Counsel of the Lord shall stand Psalm XXXIII 10 11. He speaks the word and it shall stand He confirms the Word of his Servants and performs the Counsel of his Messengers saying to Jerusalem be thou inhabited and to the Cities of Judah ye shall be built that saith to the Deep be dry and I will dry up thy Rivers He saith of Cyrus he is my Shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure even saying to Jerusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy Foundation shall be laid Isa XLIV latter end Our Ways are not like his he will always overcome when he judgeth He will fulfill all his Pleasure and accomplish all that is in his Heart which we cannot pretend to do II. Secondly GOD's Ways not only differ from ours but do Transcendently exceed 'em are infinitely above them as high as the Heavens are above the Earth There is an unsearchable Depth in the Ways of God which we are call'd to adore but cannot comprehend We may cry out with the Aopstle O the Depth both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out Rom. XI His Judgments are a great Depth Psal XXXVI 7. He is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working His Wisdom is unscarchable and his Ways past finding out Job V. 9. Chap. IX 10. There are many things in Divine Revelation and Providence that transcend our Reach If we will not allow this but must have a particular Reason for all that God speaks and doth before we will believe it What 's this but to make his Wisdom finite like ours or ours Infinite like His On this Account the great Masters of Philosophy in former Ages were the worst Enemies to the Gospel of Christ because the Apostles nakedly represented their Doctrines without that Wisdom or Demonstration from Natural Principles which they used and therefore the Gospel was Foolishness to them 'T IS the not owning God's Ways to be above ours but making our Reason the Supream Judge concerning Doctrines supernaturally revealed which is the Spring of the many Errors and Blasphemies that abound among us at this Day Whereas we may as well measure the Justice or Injustice of the Providential Works of God by our Will and Choice Whether what he doth be Just and Good or not because 't is what we like or do not like as by our finite Minds comprehend whether that can be true which in a Divine Revelation is delivered as a true Doctrine We can no more conceive the Wisdom and Goodness of God in some Events of Providence than his Veracity in some Truths revealed More particularly First As to Scripture Revelation what we are to believe Let 's consider that God's Ways and Thoughts are Above ours And what is therein asserted we must receive and credit upon the Authority of a Divine Testimony tho' the Doctrine there laid down may be such as hath no Foundation in Nature that is it could not be known but by Divine Revelation 'T is a sufficient Reason for us to believe the Doctrine because we find it in the Holy Scripture and we have Reason to acquiesce therein because the Revelation that is contain'd in this Book we have Ground to believe is from GOD and so infallibly true If we will own our Baptism and take CHRIST for our Teacher we must receive the Truth of what HE hath revealed upon a Divine Testimony tho' we cann't comprehend how such a Christian Doctrine may be reconcil'd to our common Notions of things in other Cases I grant the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity for Instance carries a very great Difficulty in it and is more opposed as Incredible and Vnintelligible than other Principles of Christian Religion But this being Reveal'd from Heaven as we affirm and make an Article of our Faith if we find it contain'd in the Holy Scriptures God's Ways being so far above ours will do much to answer the Objection of its being Incomprehensible IF GOD be INCOMPREHENSIBLE why should any thing he 's pleas'd to say seem Incredible to us Where he has interpos'd by his Definitive Sentence our Reason must submit and has no Right to debate the Matter but ought to approve what God speaks and subscribe to whatever he writes The Testimony of God whatever Exceptions our Reason can make should convince our Judgment and doth oblige our Faith Is not His Veracity a firm and sure Foundation for us to relye upon without the concurrent Testimony of Reason Shall we not believe Infinite Wisdom and Truth upon his own Word unless what he saith be in it self Credible and so may be believed without his Testimony The more we consider what God is the more easily shall we be perswaded that he is equally to be believed when he affirms what we cannot understand to be true
Conscience and you can't presently approach to God with Comfort What then should you do Give up all for lost Run into Excess of Riot and say There is no Hope therfore let us walk after the Imagination of our own Hearts No by no Means But by renewed Acts of Repentance towards God and of Faith in the Blood of Jesus return to God and seek Forgiveness I grant in such Cases it is hard to do this with any Encouragement and Hope Our Hearts misgive us and well they may we shall have a thousand Jealousies and Fears And it can't be otherwise However God's Thoughts are not as ours He will abundantly pardon Returning Sinners tho' you have abus'd his Grace tho' you have dishonour'd his Name revolted after Forgiveness slighted the Redeemer Christ griev'd his Spirit given Advantage to the Devil deserv'd to be cast out of his sight tho' you have broken your solemn Vows and broken your Peace thereby yet let such remember that God will show Mercy to Returning Sinners and he will abundantly pardon ' em He will heal their Backslidings and make them loath themselves and be confounded for all their Abominations even After he is pacify'd towards them Ezek. XVI the last You know the kind Language God us'd to Ephraim Jer. XXXI 18 20. Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself he is my dear Son he is a pleasant Child or rather is he not so though I spake aginst him I remember him still my Bowels are moved for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. Read with Thankfulness Mic. VII 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgressions of his Remnant and retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again and have compassion on us and will subdue our Iniquities and cast our Sins into the Depths of the Sea And how sweet is the Repentance of such a Returning Backslider that is kindly melted humbled and broken and brought to the Foot of God with Hope of Mercy through Christ The Contrition of such a Soul is made up like that of Mary Magdalen of Tears and of Kisses of Sorrow and of Love of Humility and Hope of Confusion and Confidence of Shame and Joy And how will such a Soul love much to whom much is thus forgiven In short God doth abundantly pardon and multiply Pardons as to the Forgiveness of many Sins in that never any one Sin was forgiven to any Man to whom this was not made good Numberless Sins are forgiven wherever one is They are more than the Hairs of our Head or the Sands on the Sea-shore Well might the Psalmist say Have mercy on me O Lord according to thy loving Kindnesses and according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies Psal LI. 1. I will abundantly pardon saith God here and in another place I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities whereby they have sinn'd against me whereby they have trespass'd against me saith the Lord Jer. XXXII 8. Who can understand his Errors before Conversion and since by Omission and Commission in Thought in Word and Act How long did God wait on some of us What various Methods did he use to bring us home How graciously did he receive us at first and after many Provocations receive us again Surely if we find Mercy with God any of us he must abundantly pardon us and multiply Forgivenesses And because 't is not so easie a thing to believe this I proceed to the Second Particular to Consider what Reason we have to be perswaded of this Secondly Upon what Grounds may we be firmly perswaded of this Truth That God will thus multiply Pardons 'T is certain to an humbl'd awaken'd convinced penitent Sinner it must be glad Tydings of great Joy that his Case will admit of Hope That he ought not to despair that there is a possibility he may find Mercy with God if no more But to have the Riches of God's Grace display'd to have a free and general Invitation made to all the Hungry and Thirsty the Weary and Heavy laden to have a Promise of Mercy and of Forgiveness whatever thy Sins have been What matter of Rejoycing is this This will answer a thousand Objections which otherwise you could not tell what to say to This is proper to revive the most drooping Spirits to make them adore God and admire his glorious Grace This may cause them to think honourably of him seek earnestly to him and thankfully accept his offered Mercy as poor wretched perishing condemn'd undone Creatures toward whom the God of all Grace will magnifie his Rich and Undeserved Mercy Therfore be perswaded to believe it considering such things as these First That there are large and express Promises and most astonishing Instances in the Holy Scriptures to Encourage your Faith He that best understands his own kind Thoughts to the Children of Men to the chiefest of Sinners hath assured you he will not only have Mercy but abundantly pardon and that where Sin hath abounded Grace shall much more abound toward all of them who will accept of Mercy by Jesus Christ so as God may not lose the Glory of it You think it very hard to be perswaded of this but hath not God told you that as far as the Heavens are above the Earth so are his Thoughts and Ways above yours And tho' your Sins be as Crimson and Scarlet that they shall be as Snow and Wool and that To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness tho' we have rebell'd against him Have we not Instances of this as to others of the worst of Men and Women that have been washed and justify'd through the Blood of Christ and Spirit of Christ of Sinks of Sin that have been made Vessels of Mercy Many Examples in the Old Testament and in the New of Jews and Gentiles What Folly and what aggravated Sin was David guilty of after the Knowledge of God and what great Sins before Conversion was the Apostle Paul charg'd with You have been sometimes told that 't is an Instance of God's Wisdom and Kindness to record the the Example of David's Fall Some it may be think it were better left out lest it should encourage Sinners but doubtless many a Man would have perished in Despair and made away himself if it had not been for the Example of David's Repentance and God's Forgiveness of him after such hainous Transgressions Secondly God hath declared this to be his Nature and Delight He proclaims it as part of his Name Exod. XXXIV 5 6. to be The Lord God Gracious and Merciful Slow to Anger and Abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin He is pleas'd in the Exercise of his Mercy he delights to be Gracious and takes pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy And therfore what pleaseth him and he delights to do he will do abundantly There is an Inexhausted Treasure of Grace in God Exceeding