"As God's mercy makes the saints happy, so it should make them humble. Mercy is not the fruit of our goodness, but the fruit of God's goodness. Mercy is an alms that God bestows. They have no cause to be proud that live upon the alms of God's mercy. 'If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head,' (Job 10:15). All my righteousness is the effect of God's mercy, therefore I will be humble and will not lift up my head.
"Mercy stays the speedy execution of God's justice. Sinners continually provoke God, and make 'the fury come up in His face,' (Ezek 38:18). Whence is it God does not presently arrest and condemn them? It is not that God cannot do it, for He is armed with omnipotence, but it is from His mercy. Mercy gets a reprieve for the sinner, and stops the speedy process of justice. God would, by His goodness, lead sinners to repentance."
