times, and under all circumstances, proper for our consideration.
Two things we shall notice from it.
I. The mercy of God —
The mercy of God will be found to be altogether of a boundless extent, whether we consider it,
1. As existing in his own bosom —
[He is indeed angry both at sin itself and at those who commit it : and his anger he will surely manifest against every impenitent transgressor. " His wrath is revealed against all ungodhness and unrighteousness of men'^;" and it will surely " break forth against all the children of disobedience"^." Never- theless, the inflicting of his judgments is " a strange act," to which he is utterly averse^. " Mercy" is the attribute in which " he most delights*";" and, when he proclaimed his name, it was that by which he most desired to be known : " The Lord, the Lord Grod, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin^." The whole Scriptures repre- sent him in this view, and declare, with one voice, that he is " rich in mercy ^," and that " his mercy is from everlasting to everlasting unto those who fear him\"]
2. As experienced by his people —
[Against the impenitent his anger must, of necessity, con- tinue: but, towards the penitent and beheving, it is of the shortest possible duration: " His anger endureth but for a moment." When Nathan pressed home upon the conscience of David the guilt he had contracted in the matter of Uriah, and had brought him to this acknowledgment, " I have sinned against the Lord," the prophet was instantly directed by God to declare, that his iniquity, notwithstanding the enormity of it, was pardoned : " The Lord hath put away thy sin ; thou shalt not die^." Had there been any bounds to his mercy, Manasseh could never have found acceptance with him. The wickedness of that monarch exceeded all that one would have supposed a human being was capable of committing : yet was even he pardoned, as soon as he humbled himself before his God^. And how rapidly the mercy of God flies to the healing of a contrite soul, may be seen, as in numberless other instances, so in the psalm before us : " Hear, O Lord," said David, " and have mercy upon me : Lord, be thou my helper :" and then he immediately adds, " Thou hast turned for me my mourning
c Rom. i. 18. ^ Eph. v. 6. <= Isai. xxviii. 21.
f Mic. vii. 18, g Exod.xxxiv.6, 7. ^ Eph. ii. 4.
i Ps. ciii. 17. ^ 2 Sam. xii. 13. i 2 Chron.xxxiii. 12, 13.