7 °2 The Mercy ofGod. Voló la Firff, What we are to underfland by the mercy of God. Secondly, Shew you, that this Perfe&ion belongs to God. Thirdly, Confider the degree of it, that God is of great Mercy. Firfl, What we are to underfland by the Mercy of God. i told you it is his goodnefs to them that are in mifery, or liable to it; that is, that are in danger of it, or have deferved it. 'Tis mercy toprevent the mi- fery that we are liable to, and which may befall us, tho' it be not actually Upon us. 'Tis mercy to defer the mifery that we deferve, or mitigate it; and this is properly patience and forbearance. 'Tis mercy to relieve thofe that are in mife- ry, to fupport or comfort them. 'Tis mercy to remit the mifery we deferve, and by pardon and forgivenefs to remove and take away the obligation to pu- nilhment. Thus the mercy of God is ufually in Scripture fet forth tous by the affeétioa of pity and companion, which is an affection that caufeth a fenfible commotion and diflurbance in us upon theapprehenfion offome great Evil that lies upon ano- ther, or hangs over him. Hence it is that God is laid in Scripture to be grieved and afliEled for the Miferies of Men ; his bowels are faid to found, and his heart to turn within him. But tho' God is pleafed in this manner to fet forth his mercy and tendernefs towards us, yet we muff take heed how we cloath the Divine Nature with the Infirmities of Human Paffidns. We muff not meafure the Per- fedion of God by the Expreffions of his condefcention ; and becaufe he Hoops to our weaknefs, level him to our Infirmities. When God is faid to pity us, we muff. take away the imperfeélionof this Panion, the commotion and diflurbance of it, and not imagine any loch thing in God ; but we are to conceive, that the mercy and companion of God, without producing the difquiet, do produce the effeéts of the moll fenfible pity. Secondly, That this perfection belongs to God. All the Arguments that I ufed to prove the Gooelnefs ofGod, from the acknowiii ledgment of natural Light, and from Scripture and Reafon, ferve to prove that he is merciful ; becaufe the mercy of God is an eminent Branch of his goodnefs. I will only produce fome of thole many Texts of Scripture which attribute this perfe6tion to God. Exod. 34.6. The Lord, the LordGod, gracious and merciful. Deut. 4. 3r. The Lord thy God is a merciful God. z Chron. 34. 9. the Lordyour God is gracious and merciful. Neh. 9. 07. Ready to pardon, graciousand merciful. Pfal. zS. to. all thepaths of the Lordare mercy. Plat 6z. a z. Unto thee, 0Lordbe- longeth mercy. Pfal. 103. 8. Merciful andgracious. Pfal. r30. 7. With the Lord there is mercy. And fo Jer. 3. az. Joel z. 13. Jonah 4. z. Luk. 6.36. Beye there- fore merciful, as your Father alfo is merciful. The Scripture fpeaks of this as moll natural to him, 2. Cor. a. 3. he is called the Father of mercies. But when he pu- nifheth, he doth as it were relinquifla his Nature, and do a firange work TheLord will wait that he may le gracious, If'. 30. 18. God paffeth by Opportunities of punifliing, but his mercy takes opportunity to difplay it felf ; he waits to le gra- cious. To of liét or punifh is a Work that God is unwilling to, that he takes no pleafurein ; Lam. 3. 33. He dothnot.afflil`f willingly,' nor grieve the children of men. But mercy is a Work that he delights in, Micah 7. 08. I-le delighteth in mercy. When God (hews mercy, he does it with pleafure and delight ; he is laid to re- joice over his people to do them good. Thofe Attributes that declare God's good- nefs, as when he is faid to be gracious, or merciful, and long- fuffering, they fhesv what God is in himfelf, and delights to be : thofe which declare his wrath and feverity, thew what he is upon provocation, and the occafion of fin ; not what he chufeth to be, but what we do as it were compel and necelïitate him to be. Thirdly, For the degree of it ; that God is a God of great mercy. The Scripture doth delight to advance the mercy of God, and does ufe great variety of Exprellìon to magnifie it. It (peaks of the greatnefs of his mercy. Numb. 14. 19. According to the greatnefs of his mercy, z Sam. 24. 04. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great. 'Tis call'd an abundant mer- cy, r Pet. 1. 3. According to his abundant mercy. Pfal. 163. 8. he is laid to be plenteous in mercy ; and rich in mercy. Eph. 2. 4. Pfal. 5. 7. he (peaks of the mul- titude'
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