John Trapp on Micah 7:18

Verſe 18. Who is a God like unto thee?] No God ſurely (whether ſo reputed or deputed: whether heathen deities, heavenly Angels. or earthly Rulers) can compare with our God, or come neare him, for pardoning of ſin. Indeed none can do it at all but He; as the blind Phariſees ſaw and could ſay. Men may pardon the treſpaſſe, but God alone the tranſgreſſion. But ſay, they could do ſomething that way: yet nothing like our God: who maketh his power appear to be great Num. 14.17 in pardoning ſuch offences as no God or man beſides would pardon. See Jer. 3.1. Neh. 9.31. he forgiveth iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin Exod. 34.6, 7. that is, all ſorts of ſins, to all ſorts of ſinners without excertion, Mat. 12.31. This is the expreſſe letter of Gods covenant, which we ought not either to obliterate, or to interline; but to beleeve it in the full latitude and extent. We are apt to caſt Gods pardoning-grace into a mould of our own; and to meaſure it by our modell. But againſt this we are cautioned Iſai. 55.8. God muſt be magnified in our thoughts, his quarters there enlarged, high and honourable conceptions are to be had of him: or elſe we wrong him no leſſe then we ſhould do a King, by reſpecting and receiving him no otherwiſe then we would do another ordinary man. He is ſet forth here, as a God imparallell, and that not without an interrogation of admiration, O! who is a God like unto thee? Thy mercy is matchleſſe, thy grace aboundeth even to an overflow. 1 Tim. 1.14. it is more then exceeding, it hath a ſuperpleonaſme, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. ſaith the Apoſtle there. Surely as the Sea ſwallowes up hugeſt rocks, and as the Sun ſcattereth greateſt miſts: ſo doth He pardon enormities as well as infirmities, and blotteth out the thick cloud as well as the cloud Iſa. 44.22.Jam. 2, His mercy rejoyceth againſt, or glorieth over judgment: and is ready to ſay of a great ſinner indeed —Jam dignus vindice nodus: The more deſperate the diſeaſe is, the greater glory redoundeth to him that cureth it. Our Saviour gat him a glorious name by curing incurable diſeaſes: and gained greateſt love by franckly forgiving Mary Magdalens and others ſins,Luk. 7.42, 47. which were many and mighty, or bony as the Prophets word ſignifies Amos 5.12. Adams Apoſtacie, Noahs drunkenneſſe, Lots inceſt, Davids blood-guiltineſſe, Manaſſeh his idolatry and witch-craſt, Peters thrice denying and abjuring his maſter, Pauls blaſphemy and perſecution: All theſe ſins and blaſphemies have been forgiven to the ſons of men: neither can they commit more then he both can and will remit to the penitent. Note this againſt Novatus that proud heretick: and ſtrive againſt that naturall Novatianiſme, that is in the timerous conſcience of convinced ſinners, to doubt and queſtion pardon for ſins of Apoſtaſie, and falling after repentance, and to ſay as thoſe Unbeleevers of old, Can the Lord prepare a table for us in the wilderneſſe? So, Can he forgive ſuch and ſuch iniquities ſo oft reiterated? This is a queſtion, no queſtion: what cannot our God do in this kind, who pardoneth ſin naturally Exod. 34.6. (and therefore freely as the Sun ſhineth, or as the Fountaine caſteth out waters) who doth it alſo abundantly Iſai 55.7. multiplying pardons as faſt as we multiply ſins: and laſtly, Conſtantly, Pſal. 130.4. Ioh. 1.27. Zach. 13.1. It is his perpetuall act: and it ſhould be as a perpetual picture in our hearts. We ſhould go on our way toward heaven, as Sampſon did toward his parents, feeding on this hony-comb.

that pardoneth iniquity] Heb: that taketh away, ſheere away, non ne ſit, ſed ne obſit, not ſin it ſelf, but the guilt of it; the damning and domineering power of it: this David calleth the iniquity of his ſin: and ſaith that this God forgave him Pſal. 32.5. pronouncing himſelf and all ſuch happy as are ſo dealt with verſe 1.2.

and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion] Heb: Paſſeth over it, taketh no notice of it, as a man in a deep muſe, or as one that hath haſt of buſineſſe, ſeeth not things afore him: his mind being upon another matter, he neglects all elſe beſides that. As David when he ſaw in Mephiboſheth the feature of his friend Jonathan, took no notice of his lameneſſe, or any other defect or deformity: ſo God beholding in his people the image of his ſon, winks at all faults, that he might ſoon find in them. That which Cicero ſaid flatteringly of Caeſar, is truly affirmed of God, Nihil obliviſci ſolet praeter injurias, He forgetteth nothing but the wrongs that are daily done him by his; and as it is ſaid of our Henry 6. that he was of that happy memory, that he never forgat any thing but injury &c. ſo here.Daniel 198.

of the remnant of his heritage] Not of all, but of thoſe poor few that confeſſe and forſake their ſins Pro. 28.13. and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile Pſa. 32.2. that are mortified perſons Rom. 11.26. with Eſay 59.20. It is a priviledge proper to the Communion of Saints.

he retaineth not his anger for ever] Angry he may be, and ſmite in his anger Eſay 57.17. yea he may take vengeance of the inventions of thoſe whom he hath pardoned, Pſal. 99.8. temporall vengeance I mean: but it ſoon repenteth him concerning his ſervants; and a little puniſhment ſerveth turn for a great offence, Jer. 31.19, 20, 21. David, no ſooner ſaid, I have ſinned, but he heard, The Lord hath taken away thy ſin, 2 Sam. 12.

becauſe he delighteth in mercy] And hence he pardoneth iniquity of free-grace, ex mero motu, out of his pure and unexcited love, out of his Philanthropy, and undeſerved favour, the ſole impulſive cauſe of pardon. What a man delighteth to do, he will do howſoever. If the Sun delight to run his race, who ſhall ſtop him? If God ſo delight in mercy, that he will ſave for his Names ſake, and come in with his Non obſtante, as he doth, Pſal. 106.8. who, or what ſhall hinder him?