‘Mercy and Truth are met together: Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven: Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good, and our land shall yield her increase.’
The redemption of sinners is, strictly speaking, the work of mercy; and though no excellency of God is subordinate to another in itself, yet in this transaction they seem all to act as employed by love. Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.
No sooner had Mercy intimated that she intended to save, than WISDOM stepped forward and said, ‘I will form the plan’; and now that the scheme is made known, it is scarce possible for the saved to forbear exclaiming, ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!’
POWER proposed to lend her arm to execute Mercy’s projects; and all who have seen the work acknowledge that she hath done great things, and marvellous deeds without number.
GOODNESS, natural Goodness, said, that for her part she would give to Mercy her earth and heaven, to be theatres where she might show to the ages to come the exceeding riches of her grace; and she did as she said.
JUSTICE engaged that, for Mercy’s sake, she would cause her sword to work against the man [who is] God’s fellow, that she would smite the Shepherd till she received full satisfaction, and in the fullness of time she acted according to promise.
HOLINESS was equally cheerful, and vowed that, agreeably to her nature, she would sanctify Mercy's objects, that Mercy might have honour by her deeds. So she promised, and so she performs; for when any man is united to Christ, he becomes a new creature: ‘Old things pass away, and behold all things are made new.’
INDEPENDENCY hinted to Mercy, that however great her gifts, yet the divine glory could not suffer; Jehovah being God over all blessed for ever.
INFINITY intimated, that however numerous her wretched objects, she need fear no expense, for God was all-sufficient.
UNCHANGEABLENESS assures us, that having once begun the saving work, neither the provocations of men, nor the alterations in their lot, should cause a change in this; God is the Lord, he changeth not, and therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Yes; and ETERNITY declared that if Time would not serve Mercy to perform her kind deeds, and to confer her special favours, a long forever should be had: ‘Israel should be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, and not ashamed nor confounded, world without end.’
What shall I say? With Redemption, the work of Mercy, in my eye, I think I see all the attributes engaged at once, all acting in the greatest harmony, and all, so far as men can conceive, exerting themselves to the uttermost!
(From among the Papers of the late Rev. J. BROWN, Author of Self-interpreting Bible.)
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