( 25 ) Why ? when Mercy and Truth met together, they pressed to be so near one another in him, that they pressed the blood out of his veins, and so it was a bloody meeting: and when Righteousness and Peace-kissed each other, it behoved to be in Christ, and so the sword of justice behoved to pierce him thro’ and through that so these sacred lips might meet and kiss each other in his heart, and so it was a bloody kiss; they kissed each other with such good will; that Christ was as it were, bruised betwixt their lips, that the blood might cement and glue them together. One would think, such a bloody kiss would be no pleasant kiss ; nay, but it pleased the Father to bruise him, they met together on a sea of blood : Thus it was a bloody meeting. Again, 8. It is an efficacious meeting, many meet and assemble together, and yet do nothing for their meeting, it is to no effect; but here Mercy and Truth meet together efficaciously, co-operatively, all is done at the meeting, that God proposed to be done, and all is done that concerns the glory of God and salvation of man; their meeting together, is their working together, and that to perfection, For God the Lord is a rock and his work is perfect. Their meeting together, is their building together, Psal. Ixxxix. 2, 3. I have said mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. There is Mercy and truth both a building, and the foundation of the building is laid in Christ. I have made a covenant with my chosen, &c. 9. It is an unexpe&ed meeting, it is beyond the expedtation of men and angels It friends and intimates should meet, and salute one another, it would not be surprising; but to see opposites, Antipodes, and Antagonists meet together and embrace each other, this were surprising and unexpected; so to see light and darkness, love and enmity, life and death meeting, how unexpected were that ? Thus it is here, Mercy and Truth, righteousness and Peace, these Attributes of God, with respect to us, were opposites and Antipodes. The language of Truth and Righteousness is death and damnation to the sinner, the language of Mercy and Peace is life and salvation to the sinner; and when a sinner finds
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