The Way to True Happiness, Sermon 13
The thirteenth SERMON.
MATTH. 5.7. Blessed are the mercifull: for they shall receiue mercy.
THe former point concerning the blessednesse of the mercifull wee hauehave already dispatcht. It remaines now to speake of our second point: They that shew mercy shall receiue mercy, hee shall hauehave it repayed him in kind againe. But wee'll take the point in more generall tearmes
Looke what seed men sow the same shall they reape, the same they brew, Doctr. the same shall they drinke, as they measure to others, it shall be meated to them againe. The text restraynes it here to shewing of mercy, but wee'll take it more largely, and so you shall see it proued, euen in so many words, Prou. 22.8. He that soweth iniquity (saith Salomon) shall reape vanity. Ill seed yeelds but an ill crop. And Eliphaz his experience is proofe enough of this point, Iob 4.8. Euen as I hauehave seen (saith he) they that pl…w iniquity, and sow wickednese reape the same. If men sow fitches, they may not, looke to reape barley, if they sow barley, they must not thinke to reape wheate; but the same graine that a man soweth, the selfe-same shall hee reape againe: in like sort, hee that plowes and sowes wickednesse, saith Eliphaz, shall reape iniquity and vanity. And this our Sauiour further sets forth vnderunder another comparison Math. 7.2. with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you againe. This saying is faithfull and true, and applyable both to God and man, here our Sauiour speakes of passages with man: but this speech is else-where applyed by our Sauiour to that duty, which wee owe and performe to God, Mark. 4.24. Take heed, saith he, what you heare, with what measure yee mete, it shall be measured to you: And vntounto you that heare shall more be giuen. Thus you see the rule; Men shall hauehave as they bring, reape as they sow, hauehave their owne measure returned them againe. If I borrow a bushell of wheate, I must pay a bushell againe, must I not? the same that was borrowed, the same must I pay both for quality and quantity, wheate for wheate, and bushell for bushell: And euen so, men shall themselues bee dealt with, as they hauehave dealt with others. Instances, the Scripture affords vsus store of both kinds; And first for euill, Pharaoh sowed cruelty, and he reaped cruelty. He committed the males of Israel to the mercilesse waues, and himselfe with all his hoast were swallowed vp by the red sea: He was busy in doing to death the Israelitish Children, and in like manner, had his owne sonne together with all the first-borne of Egypt slaine in a night. So likewlise Anidobezek, Iudg. 1.6.7. we hauehave there his owne confession: Threescore and ten Kings (saith hee) hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat vnderunder my table: as I hauehave done, so God hath requited me. God gaue him his owne measure in the same part, and in the same kinde: for euen his thumbs and great toes were in like manner cut off, vers. 6. So Agag 1 Sam. 15. toward the latter end, he sow'd cruelty, and he reaped cruelty: for as thy sword (saith Samuel to him) hath made many women childlesse, so shall thy mother be childlesse among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Thus God payed him home in his own coine. And as in euill, so in good the rule holdeth, for blessed, saith our Text, are the mercifull, 2 Sam. 9.3.for they shall receiue mercy. Thus Ionathan sowed mercy vponupon Dauid, and accordingly he reaped mercy, though not in person, yet in his posterity, for, Is there none left, saith he, of Ionathans children to whom I may doe good for his fathers sake…; though I confesse Dauid was a little fayling afterwards in his dealing with Mephibosheth. So Barzillai the Gileadite shewed kindnesse to Dauid in his affliction, 2 Sam 19. neither was it lost, for when as himselfe through age and weakenesse was not so capable of Dauids kind offer, he payes it him neuerthelesse in his heyre, & executour: So 2 King. 4. The good Shunamite comforts the Prophet, he againe comforts her: he receiues kindnesse from her: she interchangeably receiues kindnesse from him. The like we see done in the widdow of Sarepta 1 King. 17. And generally we shall obserue it to be vndeniably true, that whether a man sow good seede or bad seed, the same he sowes, the same he reapes.
And there wants not good ground of reason for this, whether we looke to God or man.
Reas. 1 First, from Gods owne nature we may reason. God is 1. true, yea, truth it selfe; hee is the measure and ground of truth; All his words are true and faithfull. Now his Word is gone forth in both kinds, he hath both promised to those that do good, that it shall goe well with them, they shall receiue their owne with aduantage: and also hee hath threatned euill to the workes of iniquity, and that they shall receiue their owne measure. therefore both shall take place, for he hath said it: 2. God is both iust and kinde (and both these properties in God doe call on him to reciprocate) he will not therefore be behinde hand with any man, sith, it is a righteous thing with him to returne like for like, both to the good and euill; with the mercifull (saith the Psalmist) thou wilt wilt shew thy selfe mercifull, and with the froward thou wilt wrastle, Psal. 18.1. hee will beate them with their owne weapons, hee will out-shoote them in their owne bow. 3. he is wise, & first it stands with good wisedome, especially in a gouernor (such as Godis) to iustifie himselfe, to cleare his owne iustice, to stop the mouthes of the maleuolent, by being able to say, I hauehave vsed you no otherwise then you hauehave vsed others.
Secondly, it is wisedome in God thus to doe, for hereby his seruants shall bee encouraged to well-doing, when they shall bee assured that they shall reape as they sow, and that their labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Reas. 2
Secondly, if we turne our eyes from God to man, we shall see reason for the point. There are in eueryevery man these two things naturally (as wee may see in eueryevery child, who will pay backe word for word, and blow for blow) namely imitation and retaliation.
As face answers face in the water or glasse, so doth the heart of a man to a man, saith Salomon. Like as if a man bring a frowning face to a glasse, it will returne him frownes for frownes: or if a man bring a smiling countenance therto, the glasse returnes him the same that hee brought. So heart answers heart, (saith the Wiseman) If a man shew himselfe louing, kinde, meeke, and tender-hearted to others, God will so worke the matter, that others shall shew themselues like-affected to vsus: As on the contrary, if hee shew himselfe proud, false, reuengefull vntounto others, hee shall finde others to proue so to him, and so heart shall answere heart.
Now for the vse of this point, Ʋse it may serue for Instruction to vsus all, and that to looke back vponupon former times, and obserue Gods proceedings with vsus, and the passages of his Prouidence.
Doth hee afflict thee any way, or stirre thee vp aduersaries? labour to see God in all, and doe not so much frette at the instrument of thy woe and affliction, as take notice of Gods hand, which is the principall in the matter, what euer the meanes be: Learne then to get ouer all, and to see goodnesse in God, though it be of malice in men see iustice in him, though men deale neuer so vniustly with thee. For instance, dost thou meete with a lewd and vntrusty seruant, that neglects thy businesse, or makes away thy goods, reflect vponupon thy selfe, and say. It is euen iust with God it should be so: for such a seruant hauehave I beene to others, or at leastwise to God, whom I hauehave serued but slenderly, &c.
Doth the Lord afflict thee with stubborne or vnnaturall children, say to thy selfe, hauehave not I beene such a one, euen obstinatē, undutifull, vnthankefull to my parents; if not, yet sure I hauehave beene all this and more then this to my heauenly Father, doth God exercise thee with vnkind kinsmen, vniust neighbours, &c; say with thy selfe: Euen thus and in this manner, hauehave I dealt with others, vntruely, vnmercifully, vneuenly, and now behold the Lord brings it hom to me, suffers others to returne me mine owne measure. And thus must wee compose our selues in our greatest perturbations, and by these and the like thoughts we shall so handle the matter, that we shall be able to pray amidst all indignityes.
Obiect. Yea, but (me thinks I heare some say) if I had any what ill-deserued of these that mis-use and wrong me, I could the better beare it at their hands, but I neuer did them the least harme or iniury, that they should serue me so.
Solu.Grant that it be true that you speake, and that you hauehave not deserued amisse of those particular persons, that now bee your aduersaries without cause: but hauehave you not wronged and iniuried some others in the same or the like kind? Howsoeuer though you should not hauehave iustly offended or wronged any man, yet you cannot deny but you hauehave wronged God, much more; here I am sure, you cannot wash your hands or stand vponupon your iustification, but must needs yeeld that you hauehave walked stubbornely and peruersely against God; Learne therefore, euen of Adonibezek a Heathen, to acknowledge Gods righteousnesse in all his proceedings with you: As I hauehave done, saith he, so God hath requited mee. Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off, gathered their meate vnderunder my table. I made no better of them then dogges; and now behold, as I hauehave done to them, so is it done to me by others. It was not by the hand of those seuenty kings, that hee was so requited and serued in his kind (for them hee had by his cruelty disabled for such an enterprize) but God found out others to repay him, and to bring his owne deuice vponupon himselfe. And such is his dealing oftentimes with the sons of men, his hand finds them out in their sinnes, and he knows how to returne them their owne, which though it be sometimes iniustice in the instrument; yet in him it is most iust, of which we must take notice, and acknowledge with Ezra, Nehemiah, and others, that hee afflicts vsus lesse then our sinnes deserue, and that it is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed. This will stop a mans mouth, and preserues him from fretting, raging, and reuiling the instruments of Gods displeasure in case wee be vniustly dealt with, and meete with hard measure from men. And thus for time past.
Secondly for the future, this doctrine calles vponupon all to sow good seed, that we may reape a good crop, and finde answerable dealing from God and men. It is a point of best husbandry, so to doe: for as he that sowes pure seede, reapes the like againe: so he that doeth good shall receiue accordingly. Now this instruction hath a twofold respect. 1. to God. 2. to man. As concerning God, true it is as Dauid hath it, that our kindnesse extendeth not to him, yet is there a way whereby to finde fauour with, and interest our selues into his mercy, as 1 by being faithfull and vpright in his worke, according, to that of our Sauiour, Marke 4. take heed what you heare; for with what measure yee mete, it shall be measured to you againe. And to you that heare (aright and as you ought) shall be more giuen▪ So likewise by dealing kindly with God, that is, with his Saints, with his house, wee may make it sure that he will deale kindly with vsus and ours: as hee did with Dauid; he had but a purpose to build God an house, and for that the Lord promised to build an house for him in his posterity for euer: so if any shall shew mercy to Gods people, God will not dye in his debt, for with the merciful, he wil shew himself merciful, as on the other side, with the froward he will wrastle, Psal. 18. and Leuit. 26. If yee walke contrary vntounto me (saith the Lord) and will not hearken vntounto me, Then will I also walke contrary and stubbornly against you, and will punish you yet seuen times more for your sinnes: If men be froward, waspish and peruerse toward him, he will bee as froward and peruerse toward them for the hearts of them (in such wise he is pleased to expresse himselfe for our better vnderstanding of him.) If we be to him kinde and his, we shal find kindnes, mercy and louelove from him; as on the contrary, if we be forward, God will satiate vsus with our owne wayes, and giuegive vsus our fill of our owne practices, as Salomon expresseth it, Prou. 14. The back slider in heart, saith he, shall bee filled with his owne wayes. If ye stop your eares to Gods calles and offers of grace, hee also will bee as deafe to your suites and cryes: If yee stiffen your necks against God, and make your harts hard against him, when he comes a begging to you, he also will shut his eyes, and stop his eares in your distresses, according to that, Prou. 1. Because I called, and you would not heare, I stretched out my hands vntounto you, but all to no purpose. Therefore shall ye call vponupon me, but I will not answer, ye shall seeke mee earely, but yee shall hauehave no answer: And thus shall you receiue like for like, measure for measure, &c.
Secondly, as in our dealings toward God, so also toward men, we may here learne to doe by others, as we would that men should doe by vsus: for …uen here also the rule holds good, the same that men sow, the same shall they reape. This should be to vsus both a curb to restraine vsus from euill-dealing with our neighbour, and a spurre to excite vsus to good. 1. It should bee of force to with hold vsus from all vniust and indirect courses, for God will shape our estates according to our own patternes, and cause others to write after our coppies. Therefore, if thou wouldest not bee cozened by others: doe not thou cozen or deceiue any man: if thou wouldest not thy selfe be oppressed, oppresse not another, vse not any vngaine or vnlawful courses: for if ye sow thistles, ye shall reap thistles, and according to your dealing with others, so shall it be dealt to you againe. And 2 as it should restraine vsus from euill, so it should stirre vsus vp to the doing of good, euen to shew mercy, kindnesse and fidelity toward all sorts, with whom we conuerse and deale, forasmuch as, the selfe-same measure shall bee returned vsus: if our measure bee copt-heapt, pressed downe, and shaken together, and running ouer, the very same measure shall men returne againe into our bosomes.
Thirdly, let vsus bee by this point instructed to submitte to God in all the passages of his Prouidence, and though it goe crosse with vsus, and wee fall into diuerse afflictions, yet let this reyne vsus in and restraine vsus from all murmuring against God, and distemper, sith it is in very righteousnesse that he afflicts vsus, we deserue it, wee need it; wee can neuer answer that obiection of the Lord to Cain; If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? but if thou doest ill, sinne lyes at the doore. If we walke before the Lord in courses of mercy, of holinesse and of iustice, mercy and goodnesse shall follow vsus all the dayes of our liues: but, if we go in a course of sin & rebellion against God, he will bring it home to vsus, to our own doores, he will repay vsus to the vtmost in full measure. Say, therefore, to thy selfe when thou art at any time vnderunder Gods hand; The Lord is righteous in all this, for I doe but gather what I sowed, eate what I planted, drinke what I brewed. God's iust, God's iust, neither hauehave I what to obiect against him, sith he hath onelyonly paid me home in mine owne coyne, and meted mee out mine owne measure.
And as when we suffer any affliction immediatly from God; so in point of reuenge toward man, let the remembrance of this point preuayle with vsus: Such a man hath done thee these and these wrongs, be not ouer-eager to be auenged, but content thy selfe to say as Dauid in like case said of Saul by whom he was persecuted. He would not be drawn to stretch forth his own hand against him, though he wanted neither opportunity, nor the incitations of those that were about him to hauehave done it, but committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously, and as for himselfe, hee would not once defile his fingers with him (as we say.) Let wickednesse proceed from the wicked, as saith the Prou. of the Ancients, but my hand shall not bee vponupon thee. The Lord iudge betweene me and thee, and the Lord auenge me of thee, but mine hand shall not be vponupon thee: So let vsus in case of a wrong offered vntounto vsus, referre the mater to God: for what need we repay word for word, blow for blow; Let God alone with it hee'll doe't for vsus in best time and in best manner, we shall not need to trouble our selues: yea, what we cannot do this way for our selues, he both can and will doe for vsus, for he is a publike and generall Magistrate to auenge vsus of our aduersaries, as he did Dauid, who lost nothing by his forbearing of Saul when he had him in the caue, for what followed? Shortly after God cut off Saul in the battaile by the hand of the Philistims.
And so for Nabal: Dauid not being able to brooke his churlish answer, went vp with full intent to hauehave cut-off from Nabal all that pissed against a wall. But from this his bloody purpose hee was happily hindred by the wise mediation of Abigail. Of which disappointment notwithstanding it neuer repented him, for God saued him that labour, and shortly after reuenged him of that indignity vponupon Nabal, timely and seuerely. Let vsus therefore bee aduised hereby to committe our selues and our wrongs to God by wel-doing, hee'll cleare vsus, hee'll right vsus. I speake not this against vsing the remedy of Law, which in due time and manner may bee vsed, as hath beene aforesaid, but to shew that nothing must bee done by way of priuate reuenge: herein men must not bee their owne Caruers, but referre themselues wholly to God. And thus much by way of Instruction.
In the second place, God hath here put a Vse 2 double message into our mouthes, as you may reade it, Esay 3.10.Esay 3.10. say vntounto the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eate the fruit of their doings: as againe, woe vntounto the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be giuen him. First, then, here is a message of terrour to the workers of iniquity, the reward of their hands shall be giuen to them: he that plants sowre fruit, shall eat of it, God will recompence to eueryevery one, according to his waies: See what the Lord saith, Esay 33.1. Wo to thee that spoylest, and thou wast not spoyled, and hast dealt treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee: when thou shalt cease to spoyle, thou shalt be spoyled, and when thou shalt make an end to deale treacherously, they shall deale treacherously with thee. This is the woe that shall be fall eueryevery hollow-hearted and vniust man, God shall returne him craft for craft, treachery for treachery, spoyling for spoyling. And in shewing this, the Scripture is very precise, doing vsus to know, how the Lord hath recompensed and punished wicked men, in the same kind that they hauehave sinned, in the same manner, in the same measure, in the same parts, in the same place, and at the same time.
1 For kinde, we hauehave an example in Pharaoh, hee drowned and slaughtered the males of Israel, and the Lord returned him drowning for drowning, slaughter for slaughter, as hath beene said before.
2 For manner, we may see it in Dauid, who, though he were a man after Gods owne heart, and walked before God with a perfect heart, in all things, saue onelyonly in the matter of Vriah, and for that sinne of his, though, he bitterly bewailed it, and greatly repented for it, yet must he needs drinke of his owne cup, receiue his owne measure: for his treachery to Vriah; Absolom shall come out of his owne loynes to depose him. (To say nothing of Achitophels persidious dealing with him) Dauid sheds innocent blood, and blood will the Lord require of him: For, the sword shall neuer depart from his house: he defiles another mans wife, and his owne wife shall be defiled in the sight of the Sunne. Here you see, the Lord returnes him treachery for treachery, craft for craft, adultery for adultery, blood for blood.
3 For measure, the Lord obserues a like proportion in his punishments, as we may read, Reu. 18. (to omit what the Prophets hauehave said to this purpose) Reward her, saith the Angell, euen as she rewarded you, yea, double, according to her workes: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double, as if he should say, Babylon hath handled you but hardly, reward her now her owne into her bosome, and so double, that is answer, second, and follow her doing, she hath dealt out to Gods people, single wickednesse, single cruelty, single bloodshed; but she shall hauehave her owne measure doubled, and redoubled vponupon her, which shall be iust in God, how euer it be vniust in the Ministers of his wrath.
4 For parts, God often punisheth that part which hath beene most of all abused vntounto sinne, as in Ieroboam, who, for that he stretched out his hand to strike the man of God, had therefore his hand striken and dried vp, that he could not draw it in againe. And as in the Law the Lord tooke order, that in case of wounding or maiming another, there should be eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, and as any man had caused a blemish in his neighbour, so should it be done to him againe: in like manner, God dealeth in his passages and proceedings with the sonnes of men.
5 For place, we may obserue the same, that there, where men hauehave sinned, in the same place hauehave they smarted, as Ahab: he had made a field of blood in Iezreel, where, by his meanes, innocent Naboth was brought to end, and in the selfe-same place, did the Lord afterwards doe execution vponupon Ahab. God will hang him vp in gibbets, as it were, there, where he before had done the murther.
6 Lastly, for the very time, the Lord doth often make choice of that time to punish, vvherein the the offence hath beene committed. The Iewes put Christ to death at the feast of the Passeouer, and at the same time of the yeere, when multitudes of Iewes were met together at Ierusalem, for the celebration of the feast, the Romans came vponupon them, and tooke away both them and their City. So in our owne Chronicles, we read of a certaine Noble-man (wee'll spare his name) in Richard the thirds time, who by indirect meanes, and illegall courses, had fetcht off heads of many great men: But afterwards himselfe met with the same measure: for, within a few yeeres, the same time of the yeere, the same day of the monethmonth, yea, the same time of the day (as neere as could be guessed) hee had his owne head taken off, by the same illegall course. And thus wee see in all these respects, the iustice of Gods proceedings with euill-doers; therefore say to the wicked, speake it from me, saith the Lord, It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be giuen him, and when he hath made an end, God and man will begin to repay him.
Obiect. Why, but is there then no way left for such an one to escape, no pardon to be obtained?
Answ. Yes, but then you must, 1. begin with God, make peace with him, get him to reuerse and retract what he hath purposed against you, by confessing, bewailing, and heartily repenting of your sinne, so shall you get pardon: 2. stay not here, but goe to the person whom thou hast offended, craftily coozened, or otherwise wronged, confesse it to him, (if time and place serue) make him amends, craue his mediation for thee, to God, (as Daniel confessed Nebuchadnezzar, to breake off his sinnes by righteousnesse, &c.) And thus, if we returne first to God, and then to man; there is way to escape, but, else, no meanes to auoid the like measure.
Lastly, here is a word of comfort for those that hauehave sowen good seed, there is not a prayer, not a sigh, not a teare, not an almes of theirs that shall be lost, or buried, but this good seed shall take roote downeward, and bring forth fruit vpward, and that in abundance. For God is not vnmindfull, that he should forget your labour of louelove, your patience of hope, &c. No, but say ye to the righteous, it shall be well with them, for, they shall eate the fruit of their doings, Isay 3.16. HaueHave we then pittied others in their distresses, bled in their wounds, praied for them as for our selues, we shall receiue from the Lord one for another; pitty for pitty, prayer for prayer, kindnesse for kindnesse, truth for truth, and that with aduantage too, in due time, in the same kinde, in the same manner, in the same measure, &c. with obseruation of all circumstances: For, as in distributiue iustice, so also in shewing of mercy, the Lord will not suffer vsus to bs vnpaid. Only, I cannot say, that the good mentioned shall be required to the selfe-same person that did it, not by the same party that receiued it; but, this I say, if Barzillai be not requited in his owne person, yet he shall be in his sonne Chimham: or if Ionathan liue not to receiue kindnesse from Dauid, yet Mephibosheth shall, and that's as good: Secondly, if the same that receiued mercy from vsus, be not able to requite it, others shall; or if others should not, yet God certainely will, and let this comfort vsus.
And as for each particular Christian here's comfort: so for the whole Church in generall. As yet indeed the Church malignant, triumphs and insults ouer the people of God, and doth euen reuell in their ruines, but this cannot hold, there will be a change. You know the doome denounced vponupon Gods enemies, Reu. 13. Hee that leadeth into captiuity, shall goe into captiuity: hee that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Lo, here is the patience and the faith of the Saints, &c.
Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall receiue mercy.
Mercifull men are therefore happy men: For this very reason, because they shall obtaine mercy. The point from hence is cleare.
That it is a blessed thing to find and receiue mercy in time of need. And this is true whether we vnderstand it of mans mercy, or of Gods mercy, still, it is a blessed thing to meet with mercy. This is that which Salomon tells vsus, Prou. 14.21, 22. Happy is he that hath mercy on the poore; and why happy? For mercy and truth shall be to them that deuise good, verse 22. So Psal. 41. God promiseth mercy to the mercifull, as a maine part of their happinesse; Blessed is he that considereth the poore and needy: and wherein is he so blessed? the Lord, saith Dauid, will deliuer him in time of trouble, and yet againe, the Lord will strengthen him vponupon the bed of languishing, the Lord will make all his bed in his sicknesse, verse 1. and 3. And as God promiseth mercy as a speciall happinesse; So Paul praies for it in the behalfe of Onesiphorus, 2 Tim. 1. The Lord, saith he, giuegive mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for hee oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chaine, &c. The Lord grant vntounto him, tbat hee may find mercy of the Lord in that day. Thus the Apostle prayes for Onesiphorus, (whilest hee was yet aliue, not when he was dead, as the Iesuits would hauehave it) and he praies that God would shew him mercy in that day, namely, in the day of extremity, when he should hauehave most need of it, when mercy would be mercy indeed, then to shew him mercy. Thus we hauehave God promising it, and the Apostle praying for it, and therefore it is doubtlesse a speciall happinesse, to receiue mercy in time of need. We may see the truth of it also, if wee looke but to the contrary: For it is denounced as an heauy iudgement, not to be pittied in a time of extremity, Ierem. 13. For, who shall hauehave pitty on thee, O Ierusalem! or who shall bemoane thee? or who shall goe aside to aske how thou doest? So Ierem. 22. Thus saith the Lord, concerning Iehoiakim, the sonne of Iosiah, King of Iudah, they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother, or ah sister; they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord, or ah his glory, but hee shall be buried as a beast, with the buriall of an Asse. If novv it be a misery to be vnpittied, vnlamented, it must needs be a blessed thing to receiue mercy.
And the reason hereof is, first, because mercy, Reas. 1 as the case now stands with vsus, is a needfull thing, for that we are become extremely miserable. Before man fell, he vvas as the Angells, and needed it not from man, but it is become necessary vntounto vsus, as novv considered.
Mercy, as it is needfull, so it is profitable, for Reas. 2 it preuents many miseries, or svveetens them, or helps to support vsus vnderunder them, vvho otherwise should be ready to fret or faint vnderunder them: besides, that it keepes off many a temptation, and deos vsus many more good offices, but I cannot stand to enlarge it.
For vse hereof, is it so, that to receiue mercy when there is need, is such an happinesse? Let vsus all be instructed, first, to make our selues capable of mercy. You hauehave heard the way, shew mercy, and you shall obtaine mercy, pitty others, and you shall be pittyed your selues, sowe and you shall assuredly reape mercy with men, and mercy also with God, which is the thing here chiefely intended. That therefore you may become capable of his mercy: first, you must fall out with your sinnes, for there's no talke of mercy, till you first be cruell to your sinnes, Prou. 28.13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes, shall finde mercy. Hee that doth so fall out with his sinnes, and with himselfe for them, that hee can bee content to confesse them with griefe, and vtterly to forsake and abandon them all, grosse sinnes in his practice, and smaller sinnes in allowance, this is the man that shall receiue mercy from the Lord: But if a man goe on in a course of sinne against God, adding drunkennesse to thirst, and being carryed with a strong affection toward iniquity, is resolued to satisfie his owne corrupt desires, whateuer come of it, for such a one there is no mercy, but a fearefull expectation of vengeance from the Lord, as is to be seene, Deut. 29. where the Lord threatneth eueryevery such obstinate one, who, when hee heareth the words of the curse, shall blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall hauehave peace, though I walke in the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart, so adding drunkennesse to thirst, the Lord will not spare such a one, but then the anger of the Lord, and his iealousie shall smoake against that man, &c. Here's then the first thing to be done, by him that will hauehave mercy, hee must fall out with his sinnes, and be content to part with them all, those that are grosse, and foule sinnes in action, and euen the lesser, and vnauoydable infirmities in affection.
Secondly, hee that would hauehave mercy, must make himselfe miserable: For, God doth shew mercy to none but such as are poore, naked, helplesse, hopelesse, fatherlesse: For, with thee, the fatherlesse findeth mercy, Hos. 1…saith the Prophet. Here then, in seeking mercy from the Lord, we must doe as beggers vse to doe, when they would get something: they will not stand to tell you how much money they hauehave in their purse, or how strong and lusty they are, or the like, but you shall heare a long relation of their wants, and of their sores, the better to moue you to mercy and compassion: So likewise, if you would obtaine mercy at Gods hands, you must make knowne your misery, and let him vnderstand from your owne confession, how wretched, yea, miserable, yea, how vtterly vndone you are, vnlesse he shew mercy.
Thirdly, goe to Gods Mercy-Seat, that you may receiue mercy in time of need, and goe boldly to his throne of grace, as the Apostle exhorteh…, Hebrewes 4. vlt. There's Christ our Mercy-Seat, in his name we may boldly pray for mercy, and safely expect to finde grace to help in time of need. Encourage thy selfe therefore in him, and say, Shall eueryevery childe flie to the mercy of his father, eueryevery beast to the mercy of his Master eueryevery malefactor to the mercy of the Iudge, and shall not I flie with confidence to the merciemercy of my God, that is so endlesse, boundlesse, matchlesse, and eueryevery way infinit?
Fourthly, cast your selues on the mercy of God in Christ, stay your selues thereupon, and say, though men cannot help me, though Angells cannot helpe, no, nor any other creature, yet God surely can. Therefore to him I'll goe, at his feete I'll lie, yea, there I'll die. Nothing can saue me, but his merciemercy alone, therefore here I'll sticke, here I'll stand, I hauehave set downe not to depart without it. Thus put your selues wholly vponupon the merciemercy of God, and this will interest you into his mercy, and make you become capable thereof. And this is our first instruction. The second followes.
Is it so great an happinesse to receiue mercy in time of need? Let vsus hereby then learne to shew our selues sensible of such merciemercy as God hath vouchsafed vntounto vsus in our greatest misery, and thankefull for the same in time of distresse, we can be sensible enough of what we suffer, and therefore we are still for the most part puling and whining, and full of complaints in such a case: wherereas on the other side, wee take little or no notice at all, of mercies and benefits bestowed vponupon vsus, by the Lord, to be moued thereby to thankfulnesse. But let vsus be instructed to take notice of comforts, as well as crosses, and to see as well what blessings we hauehave, as what we want. When thou art sicke, and ill at ease in one part, acknowledge it a merciemercy, that thou art not so in all: So when thou art afflicted in thy children, 'tis a merciemercy thou art not at the same crush'd in thine estate: If God depriue thee of health, yet 'tis a merciemercy that thou hast a fire to warme thee, a bed to refresh thee, friends to visit thee, and the like. Learne now to see mercies, as well as crosses, and so find matter of praise in thy deepest distresse.
Lastly, here's comfort in this point to all Gods Vse 2 children, who are therefore happy, because they shall receiue merciemercy from God, merciemercy from men, mercy in life, mercy in death, mercy after death; in that day God will shew them mercy; as Paul praied for Onesiphorus, then when mercy will be merciemercy indeed, then, when one would giuegive all the world (if he had it) for merciemercy, or endure a thousand yeeres torment, for the least drop of mercy, euen in that day shall they finde merciemercy with the Lord.
Comfort your selues therefore herein, and say, True it is, I find little mercy from men, little help or pittie from the world, yet here's my comfort, in heauen there's merciemercy to be found, and God is full of compassion: he hath said, I shall hauehave merciemercy, I belieue it, and expect it, sith he hath said it. Let my case be now neuer so miserable, my sinnes neuer so many and great, his merciemercy shall swallow vp my sinnes, drie vp my teares, &c. and this is that shall sustaine me.