A. 11. God shews mercy in saving us, Titus iii. 5., " According to his mercy he saved us." This is the top-stone of mercy, and it is laid in heaven. Now mercy dis- plays itself in all its o)ient colours; now mercy is mercy indeed, when God shall perfectly refine us from all the lees and dregs of corruption. Our bodies shall be made like Christ's glorious body, and our souls like the angels. Saving mercy is crowning mercy ; it is not only to be freed from hell, but enthroned in a kingdom. In this life we do rather desire God than enjoy him, but what rich mercy will it be to be fully possessed of God, to see his smiling face, and to have Cod lay us in his bosom ? This will fill us with " joy unspeakable and full of glory ;" Ps. xvii.' 15., " I shall be sa- tisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness."
Use \st. As an argument agninst despair : see what a great encouragement here is to serve God, — he shews mercy to thousands. Who would not be willing to serve a prince who is given to mercy and clemency ? («od is represented with a rainbow round about him. Rev. iv. 3., an emblem «)f his mercy. Acts of severity arc rather forced fiom God ; judgment is his strange work, Isa. xxviii. 21. Therefore the disciples, who are not said to wonder at the otliei miiacles ol Christ, yet did wonder when the fig-tiee was cursed and withered, because it was not Christ's manner to put forth acts of se- verity. God is said to delight in mercy, Mic. vii. 18. Justice is God's left hand, mercy is Ids right hand : God useth hia right hand most ; he is more used to mercy than to justice, — tardior est Deus ad par-
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cendum qitam nrl puuirridmn. God is said to l)c '* slow to aii<i;c'r," Ps. ciii. 8., but " ready to foririvc," Ps. Ixxxvi. 5. This may eii- cotiraijc us to serve Cod. What arfjuinent ^\'ill prevail, if incrcy will not? Were God all justice, it luij^lit ("right us from him; but bis mercy may be a loadstone to draw us to him.
Use 2d. Branch 1. Hope in God's mer- cies, Ps. cxlvii. 11 , " The Lord takes plea- sure in them that fear him, and hope in his mercy." (lod counts it his glory to be scattering ])ardons amoi\g men.
Ohj. But I have Urn a r/rcaf sinner, and sure there is no viercy for me.
Ans. No, not if thou goest on in sin, and art so resolved ; but, if thou wilt break off thy sins, the golden sceptre of mercy shall be held forth to thee, Isa. Iv. T., *' Let the wicked forsake his way, and let him return unto the Lord, arul ho will have mercy upon him." And Christ's bl<»od is " a fountain set o])en for sin and undeanncss," Zech. xiii. 1. Mercy doth more overflow in God, than sin in us; God's mercy can drown great sins, as the sea covers great rocks. Some of those Jews who had their hands imbrued in Christ's blood, were saved by that blood : God loves to magnify his good- ness, to display the trophies of free grace, and to set up his mercy above you, in spite of sin, — theref«»re hope in God's mercv.
Branch 2. If God shew mercy to thou- sands, labour to know that his mercy is for you, Ps. lix. 17., " lie is the God of my mercy." A man that was ready to drown, saw a rainbow : saith he, ' What am I the better, though God will not drown the world, if I drown ?' so, what are we the better God is merciful, if we perish ? Let us labour to know God's special mercy is for us.
Quest. How shall we know it belongs to us?
Ans. 1. If we put an higli value and csti- ■nate upon God's mercy. God will not throw away his mercy on them that slight it ; we prize health, but we prize adopting mercy above it. This is the diamond in the ring, it outshines all other comforts.
A. 2. If we arc fearers of God, we have a reverend awe upon us ; we tremble at sin, and flee from it, as Moses did from his rod tinned into a serpent, Luke i. 50., " His mercy is on them that fear him."
A. 3. If we take sanctuary in God's mer- cy, we trust in it, Ps. lii. 8. As a man is saved by catching hold of a cable ; God's mercy is a great cable let down from hea- ven to us ; now taking fast hold of this ca- ble by faith, we are saved, Ps. lii. 8., " I trust in the mercy of God for ever." As a man trusteth his life and goods in a garrison, so we trust our souls in God's mercy.
Quest. JVhat shall we do to get a share in God's special mercy ?