Welsh Journals

Search over 450 titles and 1.2 million pages

THE WELSH CALVINISTIC METHODIST RECORD, NOVEMBER, 1852. THE MERCY OF GOD. Goodness and greatness meet in God. The heathens load their deities with magnificent titles, which make them appear great; but God, being essentially and infinitely great in himself, fills all his names and titles with glory. He is "great, and greatly to be feared." The mercy of God is one of the glorious and lovely manifestations he makes of himself to us. It is the graciousness of his nature, the result and effect of his goodness, and discovers his readiness to have pity and compassion on the wretched and miserable. The Holy Scriptures afford us the clearest views of the Lord as a God merciful and gracious. When he descended in the dark cloud to meet Moses on Sinai, he exclaimed, " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin." Again, how lofty and captivating the language of the prophet Micah in describing the mercy of God! " 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." Pardon of sin is the great blessing here represented, and the mercy of God is the fountain whence it flows. God pardons not because we are meritorious, but because he is gracious: not because it is our right, but because it is his good pleasure. He delighteth in mercy, therefore he is " ready to pardon." Micah proceeds in the same style, saying, "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." The infinite graciousness of God in pardoning iniquity is here set forth, in view of which we may boldly ask— who can give resurrection to the sins which he has buried? Pardoning mercy is *one of the gifts of God which are without repentance. Daniel says, " To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses." Here 2g