8. The Lord is merciful and gracious. Those with whom he deals are sinners. However much he favors them they
are guilty and need mercy at his hands; nor is he slow to show compassion on
their lost estate, or reluctant by his grace to lift them out of it. Mercy
pardons sin, grace bestows favor; in both the Lord abounds. This is that way of
his which he made known to Moses (Exodus 34:6), and in that way he will abide as long as the age of grace lasts. Slow to anger. He can be angry, and can deal out righteous indignation upon the
guilty, but it is his strange work; he lingers long, with loving pauses,
tarrying by the way to give space for repentance and opportunity for accepting
his mercy. Thus deals he with the greatest sinners, and with his own children
much more so: towards them his anger is short-lived and never reaches into
eternity, and when it is shown in fatherly chastisements he does not afflict
willingly, and soon pities their sorrows. From this we should learn to be
ourselves slow to anger; if the Lord is long-suffering under our great
provocations how much more ought we to endure the errors of our brethren! And plenteous in mercy. Rich in it, quick in it, overflowing with it; and so
had he need to be or we should soon be consumed. Above the mountains of our
sins the floods of his mercy rise. All the world tastes of his sparing mercy;
those who hear the Gospel partake of his inviting mercy; the saints live by his
saving mercy, are preserved by his upholding mercy, are cheered by his
consoling mercy, and will enter heaven through his infinite and everlasting
mercy. Let grace abounding be our hourly song in the house of our pilgrimage.
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