God's mercy is free
God's mercy is free Doct. 3. Thirdly, Hence we may gather, that God's mercy is free, and from himself. Though in us is sin and iniquity, yet in thee is mercy; and therefore God saith, I do not this for your sakes, but for mine own sake, Ezek. 36:22. Yet must not this be understood so as if it were freely and only from God the Father, excluding Christ. But therefore it is, in that we shall stand in need of no satisfactory merits of our own. Away therefore with popish doctrines of satisfactions by our own works. The holy man saith not, with thee is justice to take my works as satisfaction for my sin. No; though this holy man were a gracious man, yet mercy is all his plea. And if the question be, how the sinner stands free from punishment and entitled to all good, it is from forgiveness, which is from God's mercy, grounded on Christ's satisfaction. All is laid upon him, Isa. 53:5. He was wounded for our transgressions; he bore our sorrows; he was made sin for us, that knew no sin, 2 Cor. 5:21. The nature of man will hardly stoop to this divine truth. But the Spirit teacheth us to rely on the free forgiveness of God in Christ; and therefore Christ and his apostles bid such
'believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' We may think this an easy lesson. But hereafter, when God shall open our sins and lay them upon our consciences, they will then tell us fearful things. There is no hope! thou must be damned! Against such times lay up grounds of comfort; and let this text be a haven to resort to. It is true, 'if thou markest what is done amiss, who can stand? but there is mercy with thee that thou be feared.'
The best Christian needs forgiveness Doct. 4. Fourthly, We may from hence observe, that the best
Christian and most gracious man alive needs forgiveness of his sins;