704 The Mercy of God. V61.1: mifery ,we have déferved; by pardon and fòrgivenefs, to remove and take away the Obligation to punifhment ; fo that the mercy of Godmay be reduced to thefe five Heads. I. Preventing Mercy. Many evils and miferies which we art liable td, God prevents them at a great diftadce ; arid when they are coining towards us, he ftops them or turns them another way. The merciful Providence of God, and thofé inóifible guards which proteo us, do divert many evils from us, which fall upon others. We feldom take notice of God's preventing mercy ; we are not apt to be fenfible how great a mercy it is to be freed from thofe (traits and neceffities; thofe pains and difeafes of Body, thofe inward racks and horrors, which others are preffed withal and labour under. When any evil ór mifery is uponus, would we not reckon it a mercy to be refcued and delivered from it ? And is it not a greater mercy that we never felt it r Does not that Man owe more to his Phy- fician who prevents his ficknefs and diftemper, than he who after the weaknefs and languithing, the pains and tortures of feveral Months, is at length cured by him II. Forbearing Mercy. And this is the patience of God, which confifts in the deferring ormoderating of our deferved punifhment. Hence it is thatflow to anger, and ofgreat mercy, do fo often go together. But thisI (hall (peak to hereafter itt Tome particular Difcourfes. III. Comforting Mercy. z Cor. t.3. TheFather of Mercies, and the Godof all Comfort. The Scripture reprefents God as very merciful, in comforting and fup- porting thofe that are afited and caft down ; hence are thofe expreffions of put- ring bis arms under us, bearing us up, fpeaking comfortably, viftting us with his loving- kindneß, which lignifie God's merciful regard to thole who are in mifery and di- firefs. IV. His Relieving Mercy, in fupplying thofe that are in want, and delivering thofe that are in trouble. God doth many timesexercife Men with trouble and afioions, - with a very gracious - and merciful defign, to prevent greater evils; which Men would otherwife bring upon themfelves. AfIlitions are a merciful invention of Heaven to do us that good, which nothing elfe can; they awaked us to a fenfe of God, and ofour felves, to a confiderationof the evil of our ways; they make us to take notice of God, to Peek him, and to enquire after him. God doth as it were by Afitidions throwMen upon their backs to make them look up to Heaven ; Hof, ç. t g. In their affliIlion they spillleek me early. Pfal. 78.34. When beflew them, then they fought him, and they returned, and enquired early after God. But God does not delight in this, he cloth not affili! willingly, nor grieve thechildren of men. When aßiitions have accomplifhed their work, and obtained their end upon, us, God is very ready to remove them, and command deliverance for us; If. 54. 7, 8. For a little wrath I bidmy face from thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a (mall moment bave I forfaken thee ; but with everlafiing kindneß will I havemercy on thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer. V. Pardoning Mercy. And here the greatnefsand fulnefs of God's mercy ap: pears, becaufe our fins are great; PAL 78. 38. Beingfull ofcompajion, he forgave their iniquity. And the multitude of God's mercies, becaufe our fins are many, Ffal.çi. t. Have merry on me, -0 Lord, according to the multitude of thy tender mer- cies blot out my tranfgreons. Exod.34.7. He is laid to pardon iniquity, tranfgrefjion, and fin. Howmanifold are his mercies, to forgive' all our fins, of what kind fa ever ! The mercyof God to us in pardoning ourfins, is matter of aftonifhment and admiration ; Mic. 7. t 8. Who is a God likeunto thee, that pardoneth iniquity ! But efpecially if we confider by what means our pardon is procured; by tranf. ferring our guilt upon the molt innocent perfon, the Son of God, and making him to bear our iniquities, and to fuflër the wrath of God which was due to us. The admirable contrivance of God's mercy appears in this difpenfation ; this thews the richesofhisgrace, that he fhould be at fo much colt to purchafe our pardon, Not with corruptible things, as filver andgold; lut with the precious Hood of his own Son; Eph. r. 6, 7. To the praife of theglory of his grace, wherein he bath made us acceptedin the beloved; in robot ruehave redemption through his blood, thefor- giveneft offins according to theriches of his grace. Ha-
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