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loved, and greatly delighted in. Thus when the penitent prodigal was returning to his father, while be was yet a great way off, bis father ran and fell on bis neck and kiffed bim. Luk. xv. 20. These were indications of his exceeding great love to him. And accordingly we read in the following part of the parable, what kind and welcome entertainment the father gave him, and what rejoyeing there was at his return to his father: all which fet forth the wonderful love of God to finners, that forfake their finful courses, and return to him.

4. That God will follow them with merciful difpenfations of providence. God's having mercy on real converts, is not a meer tranfient act, but a permanent, abiding act. This mercy to them is everlasting. Goodness and mercy fball follow them all their days; and all the paths of the providence of God, are mercy and truth unto them that turn to him and walk with him. Pfal. xxv. 10. All their days they fhall be under the conduct and influence of mercy. Every thing that befals them, fhall be managed and ordered by divine mercy. The mercy of God will continually be extended to them, and employed for them. Ex. gr.

His mercy will prevent their falling into fcandalous fins, which they are many times strongly inclined and greatly tempted unto. And if they are at any time left to fuch falls, the mercy of God will excite them to repentance, and new exercises of faith; and fo recover them from their falls, and will graciously pardon their fins.-The mercy of God will alfo confirm them in their good eftate, and caufe them to perfevere therein unto the end. The mercy of God will alfo intereft itfelf in all the offliations wherewith they are exercifed. Mercy is the Spring and root of their afflictions. They will proceed from love and mercy. Divine mercy will also moderate all their afflictions, fo as that they fhall be in measure. Mercy will likewife fupport them under all their afflictions, fo as to enable them to bear them: And mercy

bring all their afflictions to a good and gainful issue.

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Thereby they fhall be made to partake of the gain of holinefs, which is the beft gain. Their afflictions fhall yield to them the peaceable fruits of righteousness, so that they themselves fhall fay, It is good for us, that we have been afflicted. Thus will the mercy of God be concerned for their welfare all the days of their lives in this world. And in the laft and great day, they fhall find mercy of the Lord. Mercy will manage their final judgment, and will then be magnified upon them, and do fuch things for them as will caufe the Lord to be glori fied and admired in them.

APPLICATION.

USE 1. We hence fee, that impenitent finners have no ground to expect God will have mercy on them. It is no uncommon thing, for finners to extend the mercy of God, beyond its juft bounds. They are apt to think, live and die in their im

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that it will reach to them who penitency. They are ready to conceive of the mercy of God, as fuch an attribute, which will not permit him to destroy his creatures, that are the works of his hands: and hence they continue in their vile and finful courfes, expecting that God will pity and fpare them, after all. But this is no other than dreadful delufion, and groundJefs prefumption. To the penitent, God will be a merciful God but to the impenitent, he will be a terrible God and a confuming fire. The faithful and true witness has once and again declared, that perdition will be the portion of impenitent finners. Luk. xiii. 3, 5. I tell you, except ye repent, ye shall all likewife perish. Finally impenitent finners, will be made the monuments of most fearful wrath. Rom. ii. 5. After thy bardnefs and impenitent beart, thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath,against the day of wraib, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. O then let no finners think, that their impenitency fhall be followed with impunity. No, no: but if you perfift in impenitency, He that made you, will have no mercy upon you;

and

and be that formed you, will spew you no favour. Ifai. xxvii. 11. God will deal with you in fury. His eye fhall not spare, neither will be bave pity; and though you cry in bis ears with a loud voice, yet will be not hear you. Ezek. viii. 18. If you hearken not unto his calls to repentance, he will not hear your cries for mercy.

Use 2. Let this be an encouragement unto finners, to repent and turn to the Lord, forafmuch as then be will bave mercy on them. The mercy of God is a great motive and inducèment to repentance. And that it may prove effectual hereunto, it will be exceeding proper for us to meditate feriously on the mercy of God. Fixed meditations hereon, may tend to the melting down our hearts, into real forrow for our fins against a God of fuch mercy. Let us therefore ponder upon thofe properties of divine mercy, which may render it adorable in our eyes, and encourage us to repent and return to fo merciful a God.

1. Confider, the mercy of God is great. We read, Numb. xiv. 18. The Lord is of great mercy. There is a greatnefs, yea, an inconceivable greatnefs, in the mercy of God. This is fet forth in the fcriptures by lofty comparifons. Pfal. lvii. 10. Thy mercy is great unto the beavens. Pfal. ciii. 11. As the beaven is bigh above the earth, jo great is thy mercy.-The height of the heaven above the earth, is a vaft, unmeafurable height. But how great foever this height be, yet so great is the mercy of God. This mercy then can forgive great fins, can fupply great wants, can do great things for us, even things that do exceed all imagination.

2. Confider, the mercy of God is abundant. Hence that expreffion, 1 Pet. i. 3. According to his abundant mercy. And hence God is faid to be plenteous in mercy, Pfal. ciii. 8. and rich in mercy. Eph. ii. 4. Now, where there is abundance, plenty,and riches, there is a great variety of good things, which anfwer all occafions. Thus, there is with God a variety of mercies, fuited to all our miferable

rable circumstances. He has fufficient to fupply all our neceffities, and to fatisfy all our defires. Yea, there is enough and to spare.

that,

3. Confider, the mercy of God is tender mercy. Hence Pfal. l. 1. According to the multitude of tby tender mercies. Luk. i. 78. Through the tender mercy of our God. The mercy of God, is fuch mercy, as is accompanied with a tender fenfe and feeling of the creature's mifery: and fo, ftrongly inclines him to pity, and relieve, those that penitently betake themselves to him. 'Tis mercy, that does not exert itself with reluctancy, but with bowels of compaffion. So that finners may expect to be most readily received and relieved, if they come to him.

4. Confider, 'tis purchased mercy. We read of the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Jud. ver. 21. Divine mercy, as revealed in the fcripture, is the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift; or the mercy of God in Chrift. It is exercifed towards us for Chrift's fake, who is our peace. The fruits and effects of divine mercy are purchased for us by Jefus Chrift. The door of mercy was fo fhut againft us, that it could not be opened to us, but by the fatisfaction of divine juftice. Now, Jefus Chrift the Redeemer, has given full fatisfaction to juftice, and fo has fet the door of divine mercy wide open to repenting finners. And this purchafe of mercy Chrift has made for us, by the gracious appointment of God. So that God has taken effectual care, to remove all barrs, in the way of mercy, on his part. Hence, although finners can merit no mercy or favour of God for themselves, yet Jefus Chrift has merited it for them, and in the way of faith and repentance, they may obtain it of God. No fenfe therefore of their own unworthinefs, can be an obftruction to their finding mercy with God, if they will but return to him.

5. Confider, 'tis promised mercy. Our text gives the moft exprefs and folemn affurance of it; and the like we have in many other places of feripture. Now, faithful is be that bath promifed, who alfo will do it. No true pe

nitent, but may plead the promife of mercy. And the promife of mercy to the repenting finner, fhould excite us all to repentance.

Thus we fee what encouragement the mercy of God affords finners unto repentance. O then improve the mercy of God as an alluring motive to repentance. Let us think, what a God we have been abufing and finning against; even, a God that is moft merciful. A God that freely offers to pardon all our fins to us, though they have been rebellions against him. A God, that fhews himself most ready to receive us into his favour, though we have wickedly and without caufe provoked him. If we have the leaft fpark of ingenuity left in us, we cannot but acknowledge, that these things fhould exceedingly bumble us, and caufe us to weep bitterly, for our fins against so good and gracious a God. And if the confideration of the mercy of God in Chrift, fills us with fhame and felf-loathing for our fins, 'is a fure fign that our repentance is evangelical and faving.

USE 3. Let all repenting and returning finners, confidently expect mercy from God. Real penitents, are Ira elites indeed; and to them, that comfortable word is poken, Pfal. cxxx. 7. Let Ifrael hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. Though your fins have been exceedingly multiplied, and greatly aggravated; yet, if God has given you an heart to repent of them, and to receive Chrift by faith, you may fully expect that God for Chrift's fake will pardon them, and extend his mercy to you. For he is a God that delights in fhewing mercy, to humble penitents. Mic. vii. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the tranfgreffion of the remnant of bis heritage? be retaineth not his anger for ever, becaufe be delighteth in mercy. And as God delights to exercife mercy on repenting finners, fo he delights to have them place their hope on his mercy. Pfal. cxlvii. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear

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