XCV. THE MERCY OF GOD. Mic. vii. 18-20. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. EVERY work of God should lead our thoughts up to its great author The prophet had prayed that the Jews might be restored to their own landa God had promised that he would grant them such a deliverance from Babylon as he had before given to their ancestors from Egypt0— The prophet immediately elevates his thoughts from the deliverance to the author of it, and breaks forth in admiration of his mercy His devout acknowledgments lead us to consider God's mercy I. In its rise God has had at all times a "chosen remnant" in the world [They were very few in the days of Noah, or of Abraham In our Lord's day they were but a "little flock"- [He "passes by their transgressions" with much longsufferinge Though he feels anger against them, "he retains it not for ever' He "pardons their iniquities,” giving them repentance unt● life-] a Ver. 14. d Ps. xxxiii. 12, b Ver. 15-17. Ps. ciii. 10. c Rom. xi. 5. f Ps. vii. 11. In so doing he is actuated only by his own love and mercy [There is not any thing in his elect that can merit his favour But he "delighteth in mercy," and would gladly exercise it towards alls The iniquities of the wicked are a burthen to him" He waits to be gracious unto them— He deliberates long before he casts them off*——— When he rejects them finally, he does it with reluctance He is often so troubled for the obstinate, that he resolves for his own sake to reclaim them by a sovereign exercise of almighty power_ When he has prevailed on a sinner, he exults for joy"— And thus it is that he saves the remnant of his heritageWhat reason then have they to exclaim, "Who is like unto thee?"-] The mercy thus freely manifested is worthy of admiration also II. In its progress God continues to act with astonishing forbearance towards them [They are, alas! too prone to backslide from himThey often provoke him to withdraw himself from themP But he leaves them not eternally to take the fruit of their misconduct He has compassion on them," remembering they are but dust¶ He "turns to them again" after hiding himself for a little season He restores to them the light of his countenance How interesting and endearing is this description of his character! How must every saint adopt the church's confession!-] He pledges himself not only to pardon, but to "sub. due their iniquities" [He will not suffer sin to have dominion over them 8 Judgment is called "his xxviii. 21. Ezek. xxxiii. 11. i Isai. xxx. 18. m Jer. iii. 19. strange work, his strange act," Is. I Luke xix. 41. n Zeph. iii. 17. See also the parables of the shepherd, the woman, the father, Luke xv. Isai. xliii. 25. P Deut. xxxii. 20 a Ps. ciii. 14. r Isai. liv. 7, 8. See a striking declaration to this effect, Is. ivíi. 16-18. S Lam. iii. 22. t Rom. vi. 14. He hides his face in order to embitter sin to them- And gradually perfects in them the work he has begun— Who can survey this progress of mercy, and not exclaim "Who?"&c.-] But the full extent of God's mercy can only be seen III. In its consummation Sin cleaves to the Lord's people as long as they are in the body Hence they have daily occasion for renewed forgive ness But soon their pardon shall be final and complete [God overthrew the Egyptian host in the Red Sea"There was not so much as one of them left" So will God" cast his people's sins into the sea”He will cast them "all" without one single exceptionAnd that" into the depths" from whence they shall never rise If the Israelites so rejoiced in seeing their enemies dead on the shore, how will Christians in their final victory over sin!-] God will fulfil to them his promises in their utmost extent [The promises as made to Abraham and his seed were "mercy"— The confirmation of them to Jacob and to the church was "truth" They have been established with the sanction of an "oath". And these "promises" will be fulfilled" to all the seed"Soon will "the head-stone be brought forth with shoutings,' &c. How will every glorified soul then admire the divine mercy! What energy will a sight of sins forgiven, of backslidings healed, of glory bestowed, give to the exclamation in the text! May this view of the subject be realized in our experience!-] APPLICATION [Let the careless consider against whom their sins are committed u Isai. xl. 29-31. - Zech, iv. 7. Will they never pause, and exclaim, like Joseph ? Let the penitent reflect on the descriptions given of God inScripture Nor let them judge of him by the dictates of sensea——— Let the sincere believer apply to himself that congratulation And let him adopt that triumphant boast—] y Gen. xxxix, 9. Isai. lv. 8, 9. z Neh. ix. 17. Isai, lv. 7. e Isai. xxv. 9.. XCVI. THE CHARACTER, DUTY, AND PRIVILEGE OF CHRISTIANS. Col. ii. 6, 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. The greatest joy of a faithful minister is to see his people flourish The apostles were eminent examples to all in this respect St. Paul was as solicitous for the welfare of those whom he had only heard of by report, as for those who had been converted by his ministry Hence he took occasion from what they had attained to urge them on to increasing watchfulness and assiduity I. The Christian's character Christ is the great gift of God to mankind' When we believe on him we are said to receive. him" The distinguishing character of Christians is, that they have received him Freely [The pride of our hearts makes us backward to accept God's offers a St. Paul was no less comforted with the piety of some, 2 Cor. vii. 4. than he was grieved with the want of it in others, Rom. ix. 2. Gal. iv. 19. See also 3 John 4. John iv. 10. VOL. I. b Col. ii. 1, 5. 3 Y We would gladly earn, if possible, an interest in his favoure But we must receive him "without money, and without price" The Christian, from a sense of indigence, is willing to do this He accepts this gift as the most unworthy of mankinds-] Fully [Some would embrace his sacrifice, and reject his lawsOthers would obey his commands, and set aside his atone ment But the true Christian receives him alike in all his officesHe relies on him as "Christ, Jesus, the Lord," i. e. as his prophet to teach, his priest to atone, and his king to govern-] Deliberately [Many close with the offers of the gospel precipitately— Hence "in time of temptation they fall away". But the true Christian has" counted the cost” He knows what he is to expect in a tempting, persecuting world He is determined to follow his Lord on the terms prescribed] In consequence of his character he stands engaged to serve God in a peculiar manner II. His duty The Christian is often represented as a pilgrim' And Christ is his "way" to the country to which he is travelling Agreeably to this idea his duty is to "walk in Christ” In conformity to him [Believers are not at liberty to tread their former paths The Lord Jesus is to be their pattern and example His zeal for God should be the object of their constant imitation" His love to them should be the measure of their love to others° In every disposition they should strive to resemble himTheir obligation to this arises from their character and professionP e Mic. vi. 6, 7. • John iv. 34. f Isai. lv. 1. 1 Pet. iv. 2. Eph. iii. 8. i Heb. xi. 13. 1 Pet. ii. 21. P1 John ii. 6. |