DIVINE MERCY; OR, THE RICHES OF GOD'S PARDONING AND PATERNAL LOVE: BY JOHN COX, AUTHOR OF OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, "WORD OF EXHOR- TATION,' "COMING AND KINGDOM," &c., &c. "Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy LONDON: NISBET, 21, BERNER'S STREET; AND WARD, 27, PATERNOSTER ROW, MDCCCXXXIX. PREFACE. THE object and design of this little work, is to draw some of the rays of divine mercy which radiate from the inspired volume into a focus; and to bring this concentrated light and heat to bear upon the hearts of sinners and saints, that the one may be melted into flowing penitence, and the other into glowing love. This should be the design of all preaching and writing on divine things, for this is the object God is continually pursuing; may he graciously bless this attempt, to the accomplishing of his own merciful intentions. The word of God is so full and complete, that it is not possible to add any thing to it; all we want is, wisdom to perceive its riches and glories, perseverance in prosecuting our discoveries, iv and faith to appropriate these inestimable blessings to our own use and benefit. Every thing connected with the religion of the Bible, is imbued with mercy. God is a God of mercy; Jesus is the mercy promised; and saints. are vessels of mercy. Do we pray? mercy is our object; do we sing? mercy is our subject; are we sad? it is our comforter; tempted? it brings us succour; it is our friend through life, our support in death, and will be our song through eternity. But after all that we can say of its glories, or sing of its triumphs, we must acknowledge" how little a portion is heard;" not little in reality, any more than the universe is a little proof of God's power; but how little are our minds capable of grasping concerning so boundless a theme as INFINITE and ETERNAL The mercy of God rises before us on the plains of truth, like a mighty mountain for magnitude and magnificence and all we can say of it can no more exhaust the subject, than the particles of lava or stone which travellers bring home, can level Etna or lower the Andes. "We cannot, (says Mr. Howells) lay too much stress on the mercy of God; it is the enemy of sin; and it is that which effectually breaks the sinner's heart, and brings him back from all MERCY. his wanderings, into the bosom of a covenant God." The great business of a pardoned sinner while living in this world, is to be continually found, studying, receiving, praising, and imitating divine mercy. Should the Father of Mercies bless this effort to the stirring up his people thereto, unto mercy shall all the praise be rendered; and thus, he who writes and they who read shall rejoice together. The author entreats the reader kindly to overlook all defects of style; to receive the subject for its own sake; and to remember the writer at the mercy-seat. |