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2dly. That since the entrance of sin, there is no appre- hension, I mean for sinners, of a goodness, love, and kind- ness in God, as flowing from his natural properties, but upon an account of the interposition of his sovereign will and pleasure. It is most false, which by some is said, that special grace flows from that which they call general grace, and special mercy from general mercy. There is a whole nest of mistakes in that conception. God's sovereign, dis- tinguishing will is the fountain of all special grace and mercy. * I will,' saith he, ' cause all my glory to pass be- fore thee ;' and * I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy;' Exod. xxxiii, 19. Rom. ix. 15. Here is the fountain of mercy, even the will of God. He is of a merciful and gracious nature, but dispenses mercy and grace by his so- vereign will. It is electing love that is at the bottom of all special grace, all special kindness; whence 'the election obtains, when the rest are hardened;' Rom. xi. 7. He * blesseth us with spiritual blessings, according as he hath chosen us ;' Eph. i. 3, 4. God having made all things good, and imparted of the fruits of his goodness to them, might without the least injury to, or restraint of, his own goodness, have given over all them who sinned, and came short of his glory, to an everlasting separation from him. That he deals otherwise with any of them, is not from any propensity in his nature and goodness towards their relief, but from his sovereign, wise, gracious will, wherein he most freely pur- posed in himself to do them good by Christ ; Eph. i. 9.
This I say then, all considerations of the goodness and mercifulness of the nature of God, and of general grace on that account, are so balanced in the soul of a sinner by those of his justice and severity, so weakened by the ex- perience all men have of the not exerting those properties effectually for the good of all that are pretended to have a right thereunto, that they are no ground, as so considered, of consolation to sinners. And if anyone should venture to draw nigh unto God, on the account of such general grace, he would meet the sword of justice before he would lay hold upon him. So that,
3dly. Where there is mention in the Scripture made of the goodness of God, by which he reveals himself to be love, to be gracious, and tender, it is not upon the general ac-
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count of his perfections considered in himself, but on the new and special account of the free engagement of his at- tributes in Christ, with regard to his elect. Such expres- sions as far as they have a spiritual tendency, and are not restrained to the law of providence, belong to the covenant of grace, and God manifested in Christ. And this is that which is intended by our divines, who say, that it is not naturally from the goodness of God, that he doth good to sinners, but from his gracious will. For were it not for that, all communications of the other unto sinners would be ever- lastingly shut up.
This then is that which we are to close withal ; the gracious nature of God, even the Father, as manifested in Christ, on the ground of the atonement made for sin. This is he whom the poor weak believer hath to do withal. This is he who invites us to the acceptation of Christ in the pro- mises : he with whom we have principally to do in all this affair. He is love, ready, willing to receive and embrace those who come to him by Christ. Be convinced of his good will and kindness, his patience to us-ward, and we cannot but be established in closing with his faithfulness in his promises.
4thly. Observe who it is of whom I am speaking. It is believers, those who are interested in God by Christ. Let others then, such as are not so, take heed lest they abuse and wrest the doctrine of the grace of God to their own de- struction. I know nothing is more common with men of vain and light spirits, formalists, yea, and open presumptu- ous sinners, than to say and think God is merciful ; there is yet good hopes on that account, he made not men to damn them, and whatever preachers say, it will, at least it may, be well with us at last. But, poor creatures ! even this God, of whom we have been speaking, ' is a consuming fire : a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity:' a God that will not let the least sin go unpunished. And the greater is his love, his goodness, his condescension to those who come in unto him upon his own terms by Christ ; the greater will be his wrath and indignation against those who refuse his ten- der of love in his own way, and yet ' add drunkenness to thirst, and say they shall have peace, though they walk in the imaginations of their own hearts.'
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Use 2. Let a second motive be taken from the excel- lencies of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom by believing we do close with and receive. Now the excellencies of his person are such, as not only may engage us to come to him to attain them ; but they are all suited to encourage us in our coming, to support us, and make us steadfast in our believing.*