For my thoughts are not your thoughts
In some things there may be a likeness between the thoughts of
God and the thoughts of men, as to the nature of them: thoughts
are natural and essential to them both; they are within them, are
internal acts, and unknown to others, till made known; but then
the thoughts of men are finite and limited, whereas the thoughts
of the Lord are infinite and boundless; men's thoughts have a
beginning, but the Lord's have none; though not so much the
nature as the quality of them is here intended: the thoughts of
men are evil, even the imagination of their thoughts, yea, every
imagination is, and that always and only so; but the thoughts of
God are holy, as appears from his purposes and covenant, and all
his acts of grace, in redemption, calling, and preparing his
people for glory: the thoughts of men, as to the object of them,
are vain, and nothing worth; their thoughts and sentiments of
things are very different from the Lord's, as about sin,
concerning Christ, the truths of the Gospel, the people of God,
religion, holiness, and a future state, and in reference to the
business of salvation; they think they can save themselves; that
their own works of righteousness are sufficient to justify them;
their privileges and profession such, that they shall be saved;
their wisdom, riches, and honour, a security to them from
damnation: however, that their sincere obedience, with repentance
for what is amiss, will entitle them to happiness: but the
thoughts of God are the reverse of all this; particularly with
respect to pardoning mercy their thoughts are different; carnal
men think of mercy, but not of justice, and of having pardoning
mercy in an absolute way, and not through Christ, and without
conversion and repentance; and so this is a reason why men's
thoughts are to be forsaken, because so very unlike to the
Lord's. Or else these words are to be considered as an argument,
proving that God does abundantly pardon all returning sinners;
since he is not like men, backward to forgive, especially great
and aggravated crimes, but is ready, free, and willing to
forgive, even those of the most aggravated circumstances.
Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord;
the ways which God prescribes and directs men to walk in are
different from theirs; his are holy, theirs unholy; his are
plain, theirs crooked; his are ways of light, theirs ways of
darkness; his are pleasant, theirs not so, at least in the issue;
his lead to life, theirs to death; and therefore there is good
reason why they should leave their evil ways, and walk in his.
Moreover, the ways which he takes in the salvation of men are
different from those which they, naturally pursue, and especially
in the pardon of sin; he pardons freely, fully, without any
reserve, or private grudge, forgetting as well as forgiving.