Stephen Charnock, (Works, vol. 5, p. 440):
[The LORD] delights in pardoning mercy, as a father delights in his children. He is therefore called the Father of mercy: Micah 7:18, ‘He pardons iniquity, and retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy.’ Never did we take so much pleasure in sinning as God doth in forgiving; never did any penitent take so much pleasure in receiving, as God doth in giving, a pardon. He so much delights in it that he counts it his wealth: riches of grace, riches of mercy, glorious riches of mercy. No attribute else is called his riches. He sighs when he must draw his sword: Hosea 11:8, ‘How shall I give thee up, O Ephraim!’ but when he blots out iniquity, then it is, ‘I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my name’s sake.’ His delight in this is equal to the delight he hath in his name. This is pure mercy, to change the tribunal of justice into a throne of grace, to bestow pardons where he might inflict punishments, and to put on the deportment of a father instead of that of a judge.
