An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…

Faith, Mercy, and Unity; the two latter are thought ¹to be little and of no moment with men, but certainly the Lord Christ doth lay much upon mercy towards men, that all that are his Members should be of merciful dispositions, and of uniting dispositions one towards another; Oh! 'tis Mercy that the Scripture makes Religion to consist in, Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion, and undefiled, is, To visit the Fatherless and Widows: and in Jam. 2. 13. Mercy rejoiceth over Judgment, it is that which will help men and women in the time of straits, and in times ²of danger, that they have been merciful towards their brethren, for that I take to be the meaning of that text, Mercy rejoiceth over Judgment; not that Gods mercy is more than his Judgment, and that though a sinner hath ³deserved Judgment, yet Gods Mercy will prevail, and triumph over it; but I take the meaning of that text to be, Mercy in man, and not Mercy in God, that's thus; That when man hath had a merciful heart towards others, towards his brethren, that then if he should live to meet with affliction, live to a time of Judgment, times of common calamity, common dangers, that mercy that he hath exercised towards his brethren in the time of his prosperity will cause his soul to triumph in the midest of all dangers; In the time of affliction mercy rejoices over Judgment; let Judgment come, let afflictions come in the world, let there be never such hard times abroad in the world, yet I have a testimony to my conscience, the Lord hath given me a merciful heart towards my Brethren that are in misery, and I that am but a poor creature that have but a drop of mercy to that God that hath, an infinite Ocean of Mercy, will not that God be merciful to me much more? Keep Mercy therefore, you that turn to God, be of merciful dispositions towards ⟨p. 298⟩your brethren; Oh! this is wanting among many that are Professors of Religion, they are of cruel and harsh dispositions, ⁴