10. God's mercy, as it makes the saints happy, so it should make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodness, but the fruit of God's goodness. Mercy is an alms that God bestows ; they have no cause to be proud, that live upon the alms of God's mercy. Job x. 15., " If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head." All my righteousness is the effect of God's mercy, therefore I will be humble, and will not lift up my head.
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11. It is mercy stays tlie speedy execu- tion of God's justice. Sinners continually provoke God, and make his fury come up in liis face," F.zek. xxxviii. 18. Whence is it God doth not presently arrest and con- demn them? It is not that God cannot do it, for he is armed with omnipotence; but it is from God's mercy ; mercy gets a re- prieve for the sinner, and stops the speedy process of j ustice. God would, by his good- ness, lead sinners to repentance.
1 2. It is dreadful to have mercy witness against one. It was sad with Haman, wlien the queen herself accused him, Esth. vii. 6. So will it, when this queen of mercy shall stand up against a person and accuse him. It is only mercy that saves a sinner. Now, how sad to have mercy become an enemy ! If mercy be an accuser, who shall be our advocate? The sinner never escapes hell, when mercy draws up the indictment.
I might shew you several species or kinds of mercy : preventing mercy, sparing mercy, supplying mercy, guiding mercy, accepting mercy, healing mercy, quickening mercy, supporting mercy, forgiving mercy, correct- ing mercy, comforting mercy, delivering mercy, crowning mercy, — but I shall speak of the qualifications or properties of God's mercy.
]st. God's mercy is free. To set up me- rit is to destroy mercy ; nothing can de- serve mercy, because we are polluted in our blood ; nor force it ; we may force God to pimish us, not to love us, Hos. xiv. 4., " I will love them freely." Every link in the chain of salvation is wrought and interwo- ven with free grace. Election is free, Eph. i. 4. ;■}., " He hath chosen us in him," " ac- cording to the good pleasure of his will." Justification is free, Rom. iii. 24., " Being justified freely by his grace." Salvation is free, Titus iii. 3., " According to his mercy he saved us." Say not then, I am unwor- thy, for mercy is free ; if God should shew mercy only to such as are worthy, he would shew none at all.
2d. God's mercy is an overflowing mer- cy; it is infinite: Ps. Ixxxvi. 5., " Plente- ous in mercy;" Eph. ii. 4., " Rich in mer- cy," Ps. li. 1., " Multitude of thy mercies." The vial of wrath doth but droj), but the fountain of mercy runs. The sun is not
so iull of light as God is of mercy; God hath morning-mercies, Lam. iii. 23., " They are new every morning;" and night-mer- cies, Ps. xlii. 8 , "In tl>e night his song shall be with me." God hath mercies un- der heaven, those we taste of; and in hea- ven, those we hope for.
3d. God's mercy is eternal, Ps. ciii. 17., " The mercy of the Lord is from everlast- ing to everlasting." It is repeated twenty- six times in one psalm, " His mercy en- dureth for ever," Ps. cxxxvi. The souls of the blessed shall be ever bathing them- selves in this sweet and pleasant ocean of God's mercy. God's anger to his children lasts but a while, Ps. ciii. 17., " But his mercy lasts for ever." As long as he is God he will be shewing mercy; as his mercy is overflowing, so everflowing.
U.se 1st. Of Information. It shows us how we are to look upon God in prayer, — not in his judgment-robes, but clothed with a rainbow full of 'mercy and clemency. Add wings to prayer. When Jesus Christ ascended up to heaven, that which made him go up thither with joy was, " I go to my Father;" so that which should make our hearts ascend witli joy in prayer, is, '• We are going to the Father of mercy, who sits upon the throne of grace;" go with confidence in this mercy, as when one goes to a fire, it is not doubtingly, per- haps it will warm me, perhaps not.
Use 2d. Believe in his mercy, Ps. Iii. 8., " I will trust in the mei'cy of God for ever." God's mercy is a fountain opened, let down the bucket of faith, and you may drink of this fountain of salvation. What greater encouragement to believe than God's mercy ? (iod counts it his glory to be scattering pardims ; he is desirous that sin- ners should touch the golden sceptre of his mercy and live. And this willingness to shew mercy a])pears two ways :
1. By his entreating of sinners to come and lay hold on his mercy. Rev. xxii. 17., " Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Mercy woos sinners, — it even kneels down to them. It were strange for a prince to entreat a condemned man to accept a pardon. God saith. Poor sin- ner, suffer me to love thee, be willing to let me save thee.
THE MERCY OF GOD.
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