2 Tim. iv. 17., " And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion," viz. Nero. God hath restored us from the grave. May we not write the writing of Hezekiah, Isa. xxxviii. 9., " When he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness?" When we thought the sun of our life had been setting (iod hath made it return .to its for- mer brightness.
A. !). (lod shews mercy in restraining us from sin; lusts within, are worse than lions without. The greatest sign of God's anger is to give men up to their sins, Ps. Ixxxi. 12., " So I gave them up to their own hearts' lusts;" let them sin themselves to hell, \n\t God hath laid the bridle of re- straining grace upon us. As God said to Abimelech, Gen. xx. G., " I withheld thee from sinning against me ;" so God with- held us from those exorbitancies which might have made us a prey to Satan, and a terror to ourselves.
A. 6. God shews mercy in guiding and directing us. Is it not a mercy for one that is out of the way to have a guide ? First, There is a providential guiding : God guides our affairs for us, — chalks out a way he would have us to walk in, — he re- solves our doubts, unties our knots, ap- points the bounds of our habitation, Acts xvii. 26. Secondly, A spiritual guiding, Ps. Ixxiii. 24., " Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel." As Israel had a pillar of fire to go before them, so God guides us with the oracles of his word, and the con- duct of his Spirit. He guides our head, keeps us from error ; and he guides our feet, keeps us from scandal. O what mer- cy is it to have God to be our guide and ])ilot ! Ps. xxxi. 3., " For thy name's sake lead me and guide me."
A. 7. (iod shews mercy in correcting us. God is angry in love ; he smites that he may sa\e. God's rod is not a rod of iron to break us, but a fatherly rod to humble us, Heb. xii. 10., " He, for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." Either Ciod will mortify some corru})tion, or exercise some srace. Is there not nier- cy in this? Every cross, to a child of God is like Paul's cross wind, which though it broke the ship, it brought Paul to shore upon the broken pieces, Acts xxvii. 44.
260
OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.
A. 8. God shews mercy in pardoning us, Mic. vii. 18., " Who is a God like thee, that pardonest iniquity?" 'Tis mercy to feed us, ricli mercy to pardon us ; tliis mer- cy is spun out of the bowels of free grace ; this is enough to make a sick man well : Isa. xxxiii. 24., " The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick ; the people that dwell there- in shall be forgiven their iniquity." Par- don of sin is a mercy of the fii'st magni- tude ; God seals the sinner's pardon with a kiss. This made David put on his best clothes, and anoint himself; his child new- ly dead, and God had told him the sword should not depart IVom his house, yet now he falls anointing himself; the reason was, God had sent him his pardon by the pro- phet Nathan, 2 Sam. xii. 13., " The Lord hath put away thy sin." Pardon is the only fit remedy for a troubled conscience. What can give case to a wounded spirit but j)ardoning mercy ? Offer him the ho- nours and pleasures of the world ; 'tis as if you bring flowers and music to one that is condemned.
Quest. How may I know my sins are par- doned ?
Ans, Wliere God removes the guilt, he breaks the power of sin, Mic. vii. 19., " He will have compassion upon us, he will sub- due our iniquities." With pardoning love God gives subduing grace.
A. 9. God shews his mercy in sanctifying us, Lev. XX. 8., " I am the Lord that sancti- fy you." This is the partaking of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. God's Spirit is a spirit of consecration, though it sanctify us but in ])art, yet in every part, 1 Thess. v. 23. This is such a mercy that God cannot give it in anger ; if we are sanctified, then we are elected, 2 Thess. ii. 13,, "God hath chosen you to salvation, through sanctification." This doth disponere ad catum ; it prej)ares for happiness, as the seed prepares for har- vest. When the virgins had been anointed and perfumed, then they were to stand be- fore the king, Esth, ii. 12., so, when we liave had the anointing of God, then we shall stand before the King of heaven.
A. 10. God shews mercy in hearing our prayers, Ps. iv. 1., " Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer." Is it not a favour, when a man puts up a petition to the kinj;,
and liath it granted? When wc pray for pardon, adoption, the sense of God's love, to have God give a gracious answer, — what a signal mercy is this? God may sometimes delay an answer, when he will not deny. You do not presently throw a musician money, because you love to hear his mu* sic : God loves the music of prayer, there- fore doth not presently let us hear from him, but in due season he will give an an- swer of peace, Ps. Ixvi. 20., " Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my pray- er, nor his mercy from me." If God doth not turn away our prayer, then he d«)th not turn away his mercy.