The oil of gladnessThe oyle of gladnesse

And so you have the first meditation. The second must be of the infinite mercies of God in Christ, who is graciously ready in him, the Son of his loves, to accept of every sinner that renouncing himself, and all his own righteousness, doth fly wholly to ⟨p. 85⟩him for refuge. For the Lord is a God,¹ gracious & merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. His mercy is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. ²He will abundantly forgive, ³and his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts, for as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are his ways higher then our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts. Yea he hath multitude of tender ⟨p. 86⟩compassions, and is rich in mercy to all that call upon him, ⁴and his mercy endureth for ever. You see by these words of Scripture what store of mercy there is in God, and what quantity of compassion poor sinners that are humbled, must look to find with him. Now consider further, what is this mercy and compassion of God? Doubtless it is a willingness, promptness, readiness, forwardness, full resolution to accept of miserable sinners that ⟨p. 87⟩have made themselves most wretched by their sins, and to relieve their miseries when they humbly stoop unto him. Mercy is not an ability to pardon and help if one will, but a willingness to help and pardon when one is able. We do not call him a merciful man, that could help a poor distressed person if he would, but it is not his pleasure so to do, for so it may be with a most cruel and hard hearted fellow. The most rigorous and exacting rich Usurer, could forgive ⟨p. 88⟩his debtor (that is a bankrupt and can pay him nothing) if he would, but he will not though he can, and therefore doth not deserve to be called merciful. The most fierce and furious tyrant might forgive his subject, if he would, that hath offended, but because he is not willing, therefore no man styles him pitiful and gracious. So neither were the God of heaven full of grace, mercy and compassion, if only he were able to forgive humbled sinners, and would not;