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(ver. 18): —

I. WHAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND BY THE MERCY OF GOD. It is His goodness to them that are in misery, or liable to it. Thus the mercy of God is usually, in Scripture, set forth to us by the affection of pity and compassion; which is an affection that causeth a sensible commotion in us, upon the apprehension of some great evil that lies upon another, or hangs over him. Hence it is that God is said, in Scripture, to be grieved and afflicted for the miseries of men. But though God is pleased in this manner to set forth His mercy and tenderness towards us, yet we must take heed how we clothe the Divine nature with the infirmities of human passions. When God is said to pity us, we must take away the imperfection of His passion, the commotion and disturbance of it, and not imagine any such thing in God; but we are to conceive that the mercy and compassion of God, without producing the disquiet, do produce the effects of the most sensible pity.

II. THAT THIS PERFECTION BELONGS TO GOD. I will only produce some of those many texts of Scripture which attribute this perfection to God. "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious" (Exodus 34:6). "The Lord thy God is a merciful God" (Deuteronomy 4:31). "The Lord your God is gracious and merciful" (2 Chronicles 34:9). "Ready to pardon, gracious and merciful" (Nehemiah 9:17). "All the paths of the Lord are mercy" (Psalm 25:10). "Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy" (Psalm 62:12). "Merciful and gracious" (Psalm 103:8). "With the Lord there is mercy" (Psalm 130:7). And so (Jeremiah 3:12; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Luke-6:36), "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." The Scripture speaks of this as most natural to Him. In 2 Corinthians 1:3, He is called "the Father of mercies."

III. THE DEGREE OF IT. A God of great mercy. Scripture speaks of it as if God was wholly taken up with it, as if it was His constant employment, so that, in comparison of it, He doth hardly display any other excellency; "All the paths of the Lord are mercy" (Psalm 25:10); as if, in this world, God had a design to advance His mercy above His other attributes. The mercy of God is now in the throne; this is the day of mercy; and God doth display it, many times, with a seeming dishonour to His other attributes, His justice, and holiness, and truth.

1. Preventing mercy. Does not that man owe more to his physician who prevents his sickness, than he who, after the languishing, the pains of several months, is at length cured by him?

2. Forbearing mercy. And this is the patience of God, which consists in the deferring or moderating of our deserved punishment. Hence it is that "slow to anger," and "of great mercy," do so often go together.

3. Comforting mercy (2 Corinthians 1:3).

4. His relieving mercy, in supplying those that are in want, and delivering those that are in trouble.

5. Pardoning mercy. And here the greatness and fulness of God's mercy appears, because our sins are great (Psalm 78:38). And the multitude of God's mercies because our sins are many (Psalm 51:1).Uses —

1. We ought with thankfulness to acknowledge and admire the great mercy of God to us.

2. The great mercy of God to us should stir up in us shame and sorrow for sin. The judgments of God may break us; but the consideration of God's mercy should rather melt us into tears (Luke 7:47).

3. Let us imitate the merciful nature of God.

4. If the mercy of God be so great, this may comfort us against despair.

5. By way of caution against the presumptuous sinner. If there be any that encourage themselves in sin, upon the hopes of His mercy; let such know that God is just, as well as merciful.

(Abp. Tillotson.)

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KJV: And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)

WEB: Moses said to Yahweh, "Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them;