God, and God hates them; and provoke God to anger; they are they shall never live with God, damnable; you may as well perwhom God hates; he will never ish by false devotion, as by real lay such vipers in his bosom; scandal; by image-worship, as by heaven is kept as paradise, with drunkenness and whoredom. Á a flaming sword, that they shall man may as well die by poison, not enter in, and Deut. vii. 10., as pistol; we may as well go to "He repayeth them that hate hell by drinking poison in the him, to their face." God will Romish cup of fornication, as by shoot all his destroying pieces being pistoled with gross and among idolaters; all the plagues scandalous sins. To conclude, and curses in the book of God" God is a jealous God," who shall befall the idolater; the will admit of no co-rival; "he Lord repays him that hates him, to his face. will visit the iniquities of the fathers upon their children;" he Use 2d. Let it exhort us all to will entail a plague upon the posflee from Romish idolatry; let us terity of idolaters. He interprets not be among God-haters, 1 John idolaters to be such as hate him; v. 21., "Little children, keep he that is an image-lover is a yourselves from idols." As you God-hater. Therefore keep yourwould keep your bodies from selves pure from Romish idolaadultery, so keep your souls from try; if you love your souls, keep idolatry. Take heed of images; yourselves from idols. they are images of jealousy to Exod. xx. 6., Shewing mercy unto thousands, &c. THIS is another argument full of glory. When Moses said against image-worship, because to God, "I beseech thee shew such as do not provoke God with me thy glory;" "I will," saith their images, he is merciful to God, shew mercy," Exod. them, and will entail mercy upon xxxiii. 18. His mercy is his their posterity; "shewing mercy glory. Mercy is the name by unto thousands." which God will be known, Exod. The 1. Here is the golden sceptre xxxiv. 6., "The Lord passed by, of God's mercy displayed.-2. and proclaimed, The Lord, the persons interested in God's Lord God, merciful and gramercy; such as love him, and cious!" Mercy proceeds primarily keep his commandments.-1. The and originally from God; he is golden sceptre of God's mercy called the "Father of mercies," displayed, "showing mercy to 2 Cor. i. 3., because he begets all thousands." The heathens thought those mercies and bowels which they praised Jupiter enough, are in the creature. Our mercies when they called him good and compared with God's, are scarce great both these excellencies so much as a drop to the ocean. meet in God, majesty and mer- QUEST. What are the qualifica cy. Mercy is that innate pro- tions? penseness in God to do good to Ans. 1. The spring of mercy distressed sinners. God shewing which God shews, is free and mercy, makes his Godhead appear spontaneous. To set up merit, God hath mercy, First, Of all dimensions; he hath depth of mercy,-it reacheth as low as sinners; and height of mercy,it reacheth above the clouds. is to destroy mercy; nothing can | The sun is not so full of light, as deserve mercy or force it; we God is of love. cannot deserve mercy, because of our enmity, nor force it; we may force God to punish us, not to love us. Hos. xiv. 4., "I will love them freely." Every link in the golden chain of salvation is wrought and interwoven with free grace. Election is free, Eph. i. 5., "He hath chosen us in him according to the good pleasure of his will." Justification is free, Rom. iii. 24., "Being justified freely by his grace." Say not then, I am unworthy; for mercy is free. If God should shew mercy only to such as deserve it, he must shew mercy to none at all. A. 2. The mercy God shews is powerful. How powerful is that mercy which softens an heart of stone? Mercy changed Mary Magdalen's heart, out of whom seven devils were cast: she who was an inflexible adamant, mercy made her a weeping penitent! God's mercy works sweetly, yet irresistibly; it allures, yet conquers. The law may terrify, mercy doth mollify. Of what Sovereign power and efficacy is that mercy which subdues the pride and enmity of the heart, and beats off those chains of sin in which the soul is held ! Secondly, God hath mercies for all seasons: mercies for the night, he gives sleep; nay, sometimes he gives a song in the night, Ps. xlii. 8. And he hath mercies for the morning, Lam. iii. 23., "His compassions are new every morning. Thirdly, God hath mercies for all sorts. Mercies for the poor, 1 Sam. ii. 8., "He raiseth the poor out of the dust;" mercies for the prisoner, Ps. lxix. 33., "He despiseth not his prisoners;" mercies for the dejected, Isa. liv. 8., " In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee." God hath old mercies, Ps. xxv. 6., “ Thy mercies have been ever of old ;" and new mercies, Ps. xl. 3., "He hath put a new song in my mouth." Every time we draw our breath, we suck in mercy. God hath mercies under heaven, and those we taste of; and mercies in heaven, and those we hope for. Thus God's mercies are superabundant. A. 4. The mercy God shews A. 3. The mercy which God is abiding, Ps. ciii. 17., “The shews is superabundant, Exod. mercy of the Lord is from everxxxiv. 6, 7., "Abundant in lasting to everlasting." God's goodness, keeping mercy keeping mercy for anger to his children lasts but a thousands." God visits iniquity while, Ps. cii. 9., but his mercy only" to the third and fourth lasts for ever. God's mercy generation," Exod. xx. 5., but he not like the widow's oil, which shews mercy to a thousand gene- ran a while, and then ceased, 2 rations. The Lord hath treasures Kings iv. 6. Overflowing, everof mercy lying by, therefore he flowing. God's mercy, as it is is said to be " plenteous in mer- without bounds, so without botcy," Ps. lxxxvi. 5., and "rich in tom, Ps. cxxxvi., "His mercy mercy," Eph. ii. 4. The vial of endureth for ever." God never God's wrath doth but drop, but cuts off the entail of mercy from the fountain of his mercy runs. the elect. QUEST. 2. In how many ways is God said to shew mercy? vered of his sickness?" When we thought the sun of our life Ans. 1. We are all living mon- had been setting, God hath made uments of God's mercy. God it return to its former brightshews mercy to us in daily sup-ness. plying us.-1. He supplies us : A. 5. God shews mercy in rewith health health is the sauce straining us from sin; lusts withwhich makes our life relish in, are worse than lions without. sweeter. How would they prize this mercy, who are chained to a sick-bed-2. God supplies us with provisions, Gen. xlviii. 15., "The God which fed me all my days." Mercy spreads our tables, it carves us every bit of bread we eat; we never drink but in the golden cup of mercy. A. 2. God shews mercy in lengthening out our gospel liberties, 1 Cor. xvi. 9. "There are many adversaries ;" many would stop the waters of the sanctuary that they would not run; we enjoy the sweet seasons of grace,we hear joyful sounds,- -we see the doings of God in his sanctuary, we enjoy sabbath after sabbath, the manna of the word yet falls about our tents, when in divers parts of the land they have Here is God's shewing mercy to us, he spins out our forfeited liberties. no manna. A. 3. God shews mercy to us in preventing many evils from invading us, Ps. iii. 3., " Thou O Lord art a shield for me." God hath restrained the wrath of men, and been a screen between us and danger; when the destroying angel hath been abroad, and shot his deadly arrow of pestilence, God hath kept off the arrow that it hath not come near us. The greatest sign of God's anger is to give men up to their sins, Ps. lxxxi. 12., "So I gave them up to their own hearts' lusts;" let them sin themselves to hell, but God hath laid the bridle of restraining grace upon us. As God said to Abimelech, Gen. xx. 6., "I withheld thee from sinning against me;" so God withheld us from those exorbitancies, which might have made us a prey to Satan, and a terror to ourselves. A. 6. God shews mercy in guiding and directing us. Is it not a mercy for one that is out of the way to have a guide? First, There is a providential guiding: God guides our affairs for us,chalks out a way he would have us to walk in, he resolves our doubts, unties our knots, appoints the bounds of our habitation, Acts xvii. 26. Secondly, A spiritual guiding, Ps. lxxiii. 24., "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel." As Israel had a pillar of fire to go before them, so God guides us with the oracles of his word, and the conduct of his Spirit. He guides our head, keeps us from error; and he guides our feet, keeps us from scandal. O what mercy is it to have God to be our guide and pilot! Ps. xxxi. 3.,For thy name's sake lead me and guide me." 4. 4. God shews mercy in delivering us, 2 Tim. iv. 17., " And A. 7. God shews mercy in corI was delivered out of the mouth recting us. God is angry in love; of the lion," viz. Nero. God he smites that he may save. God's hath retored us from the grave. rod is not a rod of iron to break May we not write the writing of us, but a fatherly rod to humble Hezekiah, Isa. xxxviii. 9., "When us, Heb. xii. 10., " He, for our he had been sick, and was reco-profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." Either God will mortify some corruption, or exercise some grace. Is there not mercy in this? Every cross, to a child of God, is like Paul's cross wind, which though it broke the ship, it brought Paul to shore upon the broken pieces, Acts xxvii. 44. am the Lord that sanctify you." This is the partaking of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. God's Spirit is a spirit of consecration, though it sanctify us but in part, yet in every part, 1 Thess. v. 23. This is such a mercy that God cannot give it in anger; if we are sanctified, then we are elected, 2 Thess. ii. 13., "God hath chosen you to salvation, through sanctification." This doth disponere ad catum; it prepares for happiness, as the seed prepares for harvest. When the virgins had been anointed and perfumed, then they were to stand before the king, Esth. ii. 12., so, when we have had the anointing of God, then we shall stand before the King of Heaven. وو A. 8. God shews mercy in pardoning us, Mic. vii. 18., "Who is a God like thee, that pardonest iniquity?" "Tis mercy to feed us, rich mercy to pardon us; this mercy is spun out of the bowels of free grace; this is enough to make a sick man well, Isa. xxxiii. 24., "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity." Pardon of sin is a mercy of the first magnitude; A. 10. God shews mercy in God seals the sinner's pardon hearing our prayers, Ps. iv. 1., with a kiss. This made David" Have mercy upon me, and hear put on his best clothes, and anoint my prayer." Is it not a favour, himself; his child newly dead, when a man puts up a petition to and God had told him the sword the king, and hath it granted? should not depart from his house, When we pray for pardon, adopyet now he falls anointing him- tion, the sense of God's love, to self; the reason was, God had have God give a gracious answer, sent him his pardon by the pro--what a signal mercy is this? phet Nathan, 2 Sam. xii. 13., "The Lord hath put away thy sin." Pardon is the only fit remedy for a troubled conscience. What can give ease to a wounded spirit but pardoning mercy? Of fer him the honours and pleasures of the world; 'tis as if you bring flowers and music to one that is condemned. QUEST. How may I know my sins are pardoned? Ans. Where God removes the guilt, he breaks the power of sin, Mic. vii. 19:, "He will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities." With pardoning love, God gives subduing grace. A. 9. God shews his mercy in sanctifying us, Lev. xx. 8., "I God may sometimes delay an answer, when he will not deny. You do not presently throw a musician money, because you love to hear his music: God loves the music of prayer, therefore doth not presently let us hear from him, but in due season he will give an answer of peace, Ps. lxvi. 20., "Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.' If God doth not turn away our prayer, then he doth not turn away mercy. his " 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 displays itself in all its orient 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 God lay us in his bosom ? This will fill us with "joy unspeakable and full of glory" Ps. xvii. 15., "I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." : justice, it might fright us from him; but his mercy may be a loadstone to draw us to him. Use 2d. Branch 1. Hope in God's mercies, Ps. cxlvii. 11., "The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, and hope in his mercy." God counts it his glory to be scattering pardons among men. OBJ. But I have been a great sinner, and sure there is no mercy for me. can 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. lv. 7., "Let the wicked forsake his way, and let him return unto the Lord, Use 1st. As an argument against and he will have mercy upon despair see what a great encour- him." And Christ's blood is "a agement here is to serve God,-fountain set open for sin and unhe shews mercy to thousands. cleanness," Zech. xiii. 1. Mercy Who would not be willing to doth more overflow in God, than serve a prince who is given to sin in us; God's mercy mercy and clemency? God is drown great sins, as the sea covers represented with a rainbow round great rocks. Some of those Jews about him, Rev. iv. 3., an emblem who had their hands imbrued in of his mercy: Acts of severity Christ's blood, were saved by that are rather forced from God: blood: God loves to magnify his judgment is his strange work, goodness, to display the trophies Isa. xxviii. 21. Therefore the of free grace, and to set up his disciples, who are not said to mercy above you, in spite of sin; wonder at the other miracles of-therefore hope in God's mercy. Christ, yet did wonder when the fig-tree was cursed and withered, because it was not Christ's manner put forth acts of severity. God is said to delight in mercy, Mic. vii. 18. Justice is God's left hand, mercy is his right hand; God useth his right hand most; he is more used to mercy than to justice, tardior est Deus ad puniendum quam ad parcendum. God is said to be "slow to anger," Ps. ciii. 8., but “ready to forgive," Ps. lxxxvi. 5. This may encourage us to serve God. What argument will prevail, if mercy will not? Were God all Branch 2. If God shew mercy to thousands, labour to know that his mercy is for you, Ps. lix. 17., "He 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 high value and estimate upon God's mercy. God will not throw away |