A Trial of Faith, Sermons · Sermon 6
Matth. 15. 22.
Thou ſon of David, have mercy on me.
SERMON VI.
WE obſerved the laſt day, that great and ſtrong afflictions will raile ſtrong cries, make Gods people crie loud. It was a ſore affliction that was upon this woman, Ms daughter is grievouſly vexed with a devil; and wh… ſhe comes to Chriſt, ſhe doth not only pray, … cry to him.
But to paſſe on, and conſider ſomething th… ſtill remains, and that is to look upon the Argument that this woman uſeth in her crie to Chriſt her Argument is mercy, ſhe cries mercy, … free grace; ſhe doth not look to any worthineſs … her ſelf, neither doth her unworthineſs diſcourage but looks beyond both, and ſhe cloſeth … mercy and free grace, Thou ſon of David … mercy on me: She comes to the ſon of David, … knew David was a merciful Prince and King, … ſhews merciemercy to his very enemies; David ſpared the life of Saul, when he had him at a great advantage, and ſpared the life of Shimei, though he had provoked David by his curſes. Now thus ſhe reaſons with her ſelf, the ſon of David, the Meſſias, of whom David was but a type, he hath more merciemercy and compaſſion then David, ſurely his bowels are infinite, and therefore though ſhe be a vile ſinner, an unworthy wretch, yet ſhe comes and takes hold of his merciemercy, and there is nothing elſe that ſhe pleads with Chriſt, nothing elſe ſhe reſts upon, only upon mercy, no other Argument ſhe uſeth, only preſents her great miſerie; her daughter is grievouſly vexed with a devil: She takes hold of merciemercy.
So then the Obſervation is this. That where there is true faith,Doctrine. it will teach a ſoul to deny it ſelf, to look beyond it ſelf, its own worthineſs and righteouſneſs, and to take hold of merciemercy, and of the free grace of God through Jeſus Chriſt.
I ſhall open the point to you.
And firſt I ſhall give you Inſtances, that the Saints in all Ages in their coming to God, hath looked at nothing in themſelves, but hath only pleaded mercy and free grace in all their ſtraits.
You know that Inſtance of Jacob, when he was in a great ſtrait he applied himſelf to the Lord, he pleaded only mercy, he doth not look to any worthineſs in himſelf, he doth not preſent that before the Lord as any motive, Gen. 32. 10. he pleads no worthineſs, but looks to his own unworthineſs, O Lord, I am leſſe then the leaſt of all thy mercies; he doth not tell God, that he had lived without blame, that he had walked juſtly, and had not defrauded, but he had been a faithful Steward, that he had walked religiouſly, and eyed God in his wayes, that he had ſet up a pillar, and vowed a vow, he pleads none of this, but O Lord, I am leſſe then the leaſt of all thy mercies.
And ſo Moſes, though he had done as much as moſt men that ever lived, Deut. 3. 25. I pray thee let me go and ſee the good Land. Here is not a tittle of any of the ſervices that he had done for God that he doth mention; he does not ſay, Lord, I have taken a great deal of paines with this people, I have followed thy Commandements, and ſuffered a great deal of hardſhip with them for thy ſake; no, he only pleads merciemercy, Thou haſt begun to ſhew thy ſervant thy greatneſs and thy mighty hand, I pray thee let me go over and ſee the good Land.
And ſo David often in the Pſalmes, you ſhall find he is pleading with God, and he makes merciemercy his refuge, he pleads only merciemercy and free grace, Pſal. 4. 1. he pleads that God would bear him in his merciemercy: And you ſhall find, that when the Servants of God hath pleaded for others, they have urged nothing but merciemercy and free grace in all their ſupplications. So the Prophet Jeremiah, when he was pleading for the Church, Jer. 14. 7. O Lord, though our iniquities teſtifie againſt us, do thou it for thy names ſake, for our back-ſliding are many, we have ſinned againſt thee: No mention of any righteouſneſs, no, be mentions their iniquities, Our back-ſlidings are many, but do thou it for thy names ſake. And ſo the Prophet, Daniel, when he was pleading for the Lords people, he looks beyond all righteouſneſs of their own, and pleads merciemercy, Dan. 9. 17. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy ſervant, and his ſupplication, and cauſe thy face to ſhine upon thy Sanctuary that is deſolate, for the Lords ſake: He had before in verſe 8. confeſſed all their iniquities, and now, O Lord, (ſayes he) do it for the Lords ſake.
And if you look into the new Teſtament, from the beginning to the end of the Hiſtory of Chriſt, you ſhall never find any that were accepted of Chriſt that pleaded any thing, but mercy and free grace, Matth. 9. 27. And when Jeſus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and ſaying, Thou ſon of David hauehave mercy on us. And ſo in Matth. 17. 14, 15. another comes to Chriſt, and he uſeth only that Argument, merciemercy, Lord have mercy on my ſon, for he is lunatick. And in Matth. 20. 30. there is mention of two blind men ſitting by the way ſide, and they cried out, Have mercy on us. And in verſe 13. the multitude rebuked them, but they cried the more, ſaying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou ſon of David. And ſo the ſame Argument the Lepers uſed, verſ 17. Jeſus, Maſter have mercy on us. Indeed we read of ſome of the Elders of the Jews, that came to Chriſt in the behalf of the Centurion, and they plead his worthineſs, Luke 7. 4. And when they came to Jeſus, they beſought him inſtantly, ſaying, that he was worthy for whom he ſhould do this: But now the good man himſelf he had no ſuch thought of himſelf, but he utterly denies it, look into verſe 6, 7. Then Jeſus went with them, and when he was now not far from the houſe, the Centurion ſent friends to him, ſaying unto him, Lord trouble not thy ſelf, for I am not worthy thou ſhouldeſt enter under my roof; verſe 7. Wherefore neither thought I my ſelf worthy to come unto thee, but ſay in a word, and my ſervant ſhall be healed. Neither thought I my ſelf worthy to come unto thee, ſuch a mean and low account had this man of himſelf.
Firſt, But I ſhall clear the Doctrine to you, and make it out, that a gracious heart, where there is faith, looks beyond all his own worthineſs and righteouſneſs, and comes to Chriſt.
Secondly, Shew you, that the ſame gracious ſoul cloſes only with mercy and free grace.
Firſt, I ſay, a gracious ſoul in its coming to Chriſt, looks beyond all that is in himſelf, and that both in its firſt coming and afterward in any diſſtreſſe, cloſeth with the Lord, and looks beyond his own worthineſs, and pleads only merciemercy.
In the ſouls firſt coming to Chriſt, a gracious heart doth not not cannot look to any worthineſs in it ſelf, for where the Spirit of the Lord is, it doth diſcover to man what his vileneſs and miſerie is; now where there is a ſaving diſcovery to a ſoul of his own vileneſs, it is not poſſible that that ſoul ſhould plead any thing of his own before God. For
Firſt of all, The Spirit teacheth a man that he is empty, deſtitute of all that which is good, the ſoul is naked of all that which is good, and is as a poor beggar, that hath neither bread to eat, nor clothes to put on, but in a ſad condition, utterly bereaved of the Image of God: In my fleſh dwels no good thing, ſayes the Apoſtle, though through grace he had received much from God, yet in me, in my fleſh dwels no good things. Now where there is a diſcoverie made to a ſoul, that he is full of wants, poor and naked, ſurely ſuch a ſoul can plead nothing but free grace.
Secondly, The Spirit of the Lord diſcovers to a ſoul, that it is not only full of wants, but full of ſin, full of all manner of unrighteouſneſs, not only loſt the Image of God, but is filled with the image of the Devil, and diſcovers that all the imaginations of mans heart are evil, and only evil, and that from his youth upward: Now when the Spirit of the Lord comes to make this diſcoverie to a man, that he is thus filled with ſin, and lets a man ſee what a filthie thing ſin is, how diſpleaſing to God, how contrary to his Holineſs, that ſoul that hath this diſcovery can plead nothing of his own when he comes to God, but merciemercy and free grace.
Thirdly, The Spirit of the Lord doth diſcover to man, that he is a poor weak creature, that he is one that can do nothing to help himſelf out of this miſerable ſtate, that he can do nothing to procure a better condition for himſelf, that he can make no ſatisfaction to God for the leaſt of his tranſgreſſions; full of ſin, ah, but he cannot make ſatisfaction for the leaſt tranſgreſſion, he cannot lay down a price to redeem his own ſoul, he cannot change his own heart, and he cannot work up his own ſpirit to believe in Chriſt, he cannot ſubdue any luſt in his own heart; a poor weak creature that can do nothing, cannot think a good thought, nor move toward God: Now when the Spirit of the Lord diſcovers this to a man, O then he ſees there is nothing to plead but merciemercy.
Fourthly, The Spirit of the Lord doth diſcover to a ſoul, that his natural eſtate is a ſtate of enmitie; the Lord rips open a mans heart at his converſion, and ſhews him what enmities is in his boſome, how full he is of contrary workings in his heart and ſpirit to the Lord, he ſees that ſecret enmitie that he never ſaw before: Now when this comes to be diſcovered to a man or woman, that they are in a ſtare of enmitie to God, and the workings of that enmitie cannot ceaſe, if the Lord doth not put forth the mightie power of the death of Chriſt; I ſay, that ſoul that hath all theſe diſcoveries made to it, firſt ſees that it hath no worthineſs, pleads nothing of his own, eſpecially ſuch a creature, ſo full of wants, ſo full of ſin, and ſo full of weakneſs, and ſo full of enmitie, ſuch a creature can plead nothing of his own when he comes to the great God.
Nay, as it ſees that it hath no deſerts to plead, ſo it ſees that there are contrary deſerts, I ſay, theſe diſcoveries will make a ſoul ſenſible of contrary deſerts, that it deſerves nothing but hell and wrath, and confuſion, rejection from the Lords preſence for ever and ever: The Prophet Daniel was ſenſible of theſe contrary deſerts of the people, Dan. 9. 8. To us belongs nothing but ſhame and confuſion: So that you ſee when the Lord by his Spirit comes to diſcover to man, what a vile creature he is, ſuch a ſoul ſees that it hath nothing to plead as matter of merit, but merciemercy.
And as in its firſt coming, ſo whenever a gracious heart goes to God, after it is brought home, reconciled, made one with God through Chriſt, after it hath walked with God, yet even then no gracious heart that can plead any worthineſs, any righteouſneſs of his own; when he goes before God, he cannot plead any of his graces, nor any of his own ſervices, non any of his own ſufferings; and if ſo, then there is nothing to plead.
I ſay, a gracious heart cannot plead his own graces, it cannot plead his faith, not holineſs, it cannot preſent that to the Lord, that the Lord for ſuch and ſuch graces ſhould beſtow merciemercy; for the very faith of the Saints is imperfect; now that which is imperfect cannot merit any thing, abundance of unbelief mixed with the ſtrongeſt faith, Lord help my unbelief: It is true indeed, that David, in ſome of his Pſalmes, deſires God to look upon his faith, Pſal. 25. 20. Deliver me, for I put my truſt in thee: But he doth not look upon his faith as merriting any thing at Gods hand, but only deſires that God would look upon his Covenant, the Lord had promiſed grace to his people in truſting upon him; ſo that he doth not deſire the Lord to look upon it as any act of his, for faith is little worth as an act of ours, but he puts the Lord in mind of his Covenant, of the Promiſe that he made with his people.
And the Saints, as they cannot plead faith, ſo they cannot plead holineſs, for as their faith, ſo their holineſs is imperfect; they have many failings, manyfold corruptions are found in the moſt gracious heart, therefore they cannot plead holineſs before the Lord.
It is true, Hezekiah in Iſai. 38. 3. and ſo Nehemiah ſpread before the Lord what they had done, and how they had walked; but that can be no Argument that we ſhould make uſe of that as an Argument, no Argument that that was the beſt Argument; but I ſay, they only did deſire the Lord to look upon his own work in them, they were far from pleading any merit, any deſert. And therefore you ſhall find the beſt of the Saints, when in the beſt temper, have been found diſowning their own righteouſneſs, and their own worthineſs. Paul he had as much to plead, and to truſt too, as any man living, and yet he looks upon all as droſſe and dung in compariſon of Chriſt; in reſpect of pleading righteouſneſs all is droſſe and dung, though it is good in its place, yet to lay it as a foundation, it is droſſe and dung. And ſee what is ſaid Job 9. 20. If I juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth ſhall condemn me, if I ſay I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe. O that they would mind this that boaſt of perfection! Job was as perfect as any, yet if I juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth ſhall condemn me, if I ſay I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe. The very ſaying I am perfect, would condemn me, it would declare that I am lying againſt the truth, and I ſhould declare my imperfection, while I am pleading perfection: Thus a gracious ſoul dare not plead faith nor holineſſe.
Secondly, It dare not plead any ſervices; when it hath done its utmoſt for God, it dare not plead what it hath done, no work, no ſervices, no tears, no faſtings, it dare not plead theſe before the Lord. Indeed you ſhall find many unſound hearts, that have pleaded theſe things, and truſted to them, many unſound hearts and hypocrites, that have looked much to their righteouſneſs, to their prayers and faſtings, and their good works and ſervices that they have done for God, they have pleaded theſe before God, Iſai. 58. Wherefore have we faſted, and thou haſt not ſeen, and afflicted our ſoul, and thou regardeſt not. And ſo you know the ſtorie of the Phariſee and the Publican that went up to the Temple to pray, the Phariſee he ſtood upon it to juſtifie himſelf, Luke 18. 11, 12. he ſtood much upon his own juſtification, what he was not, and what he was, I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even as this Publican: I faſt twice a week, I give tithes of all I poſſeſs: But the Publican he ſmote upon his breſt, ſaying, God be merciful to me a ſinner; and the Publican he went away juſtified rather then the Phariſee. Though hypocrites look at their ſervices, yet a gracious heart dare not look at any thing it hath done: Matth. 25. When Chriſt takes notice what the Saints hath done, and ſayes, Come ye bleſſed of my Father; I was hungry, and you gave me meat, thirſty, and you gave me drink, naked, and you cloathed me. Why Lord, ſay they, when ſaw we thee a hungry, thirſty, and naked, when did we theſe things to thee?
What did the Saints do good works ignorantly? did good and did not know? No, that which is done out of ignorance is ſinful, no, they knew what they did, and that they did but according to the mind of Chriſt; ah, but when done, they take no notice of it, their right hand ſhall not know what their left hand doth, for they dare not plead their ſervices and their duties upon this account.
For they know whatever is good is not theirs, but Chriſts, whatever in them that is good, and whatever good they have done, is by the Lords Spirit, and therefore they know there is nothing for them to plead by way of merit; no, the more they are inabled and aſſiſted to do for Chriſt, the more they are ingaged unto Chriſt, Chriſt is not ingaged to them, but they ingaged to Chriſt.
And beſides, whatever they have done in the ſervice of the Lord as theirs, it is accompanied with many weakneſſes and frailties, that if it were not for Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, and Chriſts preſenting them, God the Father could not accept the beſt ſervice that ever was done by the beſt men.
And beſides, the Saints know that when they have done all they can, they are unprofitable ſervants, if they could do a thouſand times more for God, yet they have nothing to plead: Chriſt teacheth us ſo, Luke 17. 10. So likewiſe ye, when you ſhall have done all thoſe things which are commanded you, ſay, we are unprofitable ſervants; we have done that which was our duty to do. Mark, if it were poſſible for any of Gods people to do all that the Lord requires, yet there is nothing to plead, you have done but that which was your duty, that which was your debt; Now the payment of a debt is no ingagement, he to whom the debt is paid is not ingaged, you have done but your duty. And ſo the beſt of all the Saints, if they could do all that is required, they do but pay their debt; there is a debt of thankfulneſs, not debt of juſtice, we have done that which is duty, which we owe to merciemercy and free grace.
Again, the Saints cannot plead their ſufferings. Though a man ſuffer never ſo much, and ſuffer never ſo well, and ſuffer upon a good ground, and ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, yet there is nothing that he can plead by way of merit, for there is no man ſuffers without ſin: there was merit in Chriſts. ſufferings, becauſe he ſuffered and had no ſin of his own, he was the Lamb of God without ſpot; but now the beſt of Saints upon earth, who do ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, cannot ſuffer without ſin, though it is not puniſhed for ſin, yet ſtill there is ſin in the perſon, and ſo can be no deſert.
And then beſide, it is that which the Saints owe to Chriſ as they owe all duties, ſo they owe all ſuffering for the name of Chriſt, and if they ſhould ſuffer a thouſand times more then ever any man ſuffered, it is but what they owe; and therefore ſuffering cannot be pleaded no more then ſervices. And ſo you have the firſt part of the point.
But of the ſecond part, to ſpeak more briefly to that, as a ſoul is taken off of it ſelf, ſo it pleads only merciemercy, flees to free grace, comes to naked merciemercy.
Firſt, For a gracious heart it ſees and knows, that there is a fulneſs in merciemercy to ſatisfie all its wants, all its deſires, there is enough in merciemercy to make abundant ſupply to it as it; ſees there is that in it ſelf, which may make it run from it ſelf, ſo there is that in merciemercy and free grace, which may make it run to it as to a City of refuge. There is a fulneſs in merciemercy which may anſwer the ſoules deſires and wants; for as you heard before, when the Lord doth diſcover to a man, that he is a poor creature, deſtitute and naked, why the ſame ſpirit doth diſcover, that there is enough in merciemercy to ſupply all wants; merciemercy hath made great proviſion for the poor, naked, deſtitute creature; and as it diſcovers to a ſoul, that it is a ſinful creature, ſo the ſame ſpirit doth diſcover, that there is enough in merciemercy to take away all ſin, and pardon all tranſgreſſions; and merciemercy and free grace hath ſet open a fountain, an infinite fountain, a bottomleſs fountain of merit in the blood of Chriſt, for the waſhing away of ſin; and as the ſoul ſees, that it is a poor weak creature, ſo the ſame ſpirit doth diſcover to it, that merciemercy is ſtrong, and merciemercy is able to reach him in every condition, and able to lift him up in the loweſt condition, and as it ſees that it is an enemie to God, ſo the ſame ſpirit doth diſcover, that merciemercy can reconcile it, ſhew what is done for the reconciliation of poor creatures; merciemercy hath given Jeſus Chriſt for to ſlay the enmitie and to reconcile poor loſt creatures. Thus, I ſay, a gracious ſoul it will flee to merciemercy, it ſees that there is a fulneſs in merciemercy to anſwer all its wants.
Secondly, And as it ſees a fulneſs, ſo there is a freeneſs in the Lords merciemercy, and therefore runs to merciemercy, as this woman did, and pleads merciemercy, and to caſt her ſelf into the armes of merciemercy, becauſe free; ſee that the Lord is a tender hearted God, and that merciemercy flew freely from him, merciemercy makes free invitations, the ſoul ſeeing and hearing that, it is perſwaded to apply it ſelf to merciemercy.
Thirdly, Such a ſoul will flee to merciemercy, becauſe it knows, that all that God doth for his people in the buſineſs of ſalvation, it is for the exaltation of merciemercy and free grace, the great work of the redemption of ſouls, it is only for the exaltation of merciemercy and free grace; it vvas free grace that found out the vvay of redeeming ſouls, and free grace that gave ſinners to Chriſt, and free grace that gave Chriſt for ſinners, and free grace gives Chriſt unto ſinners, and all that God doth in ſanctifying and ſaving his people, is upon the account of merciemercy and free grace, and therefore the Lord he invites ſouls to himſelf, and he makes choice of ſuch as may moſt of all declare the riches of his merciemercy, vvhen he ſends to invite men to come in to him, he ſends to the high vvayes and hedges, goes and compels them to come in, Go and call the blind and the lame: When Chriſt makes a feaſt, he ſends to the poor; he knovvs, that the poor hungry ſouls, vvhen they ſhall taſte of the riches of his grace, they vvill be thankfull, and they vvill advance merciemercy and free grace, and therefore he ſends to the high-vvayes and hedges to compell them to come in. Thus you have ſeen both the parts of the Doctrine opened.
A vvord or tvvo for improvement, and I ſhut up all.
Firſt, Let us take heed, brethren and friends, that vve be not found looking to any vvorthineſſe of our ovvn, vvhen vve come to Chriſt; take heed that vve be not found looking to any righteouſneſſe of our ovvn; take heed vve bring no price in our hand vvhen vve come for merciemercy, that vvill ſpoil all: O there is many a poor ſoul by this is kept from coming to Chriſt, from cloſing vvith Chriſt, from reſting upon Chriſt, and ſo from ſalvation, becauſe it is a hard matter to bring them off from looking to ſomething of their own; men will hardly be perſwaded that they do ſo; but yet it is a very ordinary thing, and thouſands more do it, then will be perſwaded they doe it, who doe look upon ſomething of their own, and ſo are kept from Chriſt: Whence is it elſe, that men ſtand ſo much upon their own juſtification? men ſtand to plead for themſelves, and juſtifie themſelves and quarrel with God in time of affliction, and entertain hard thoughts of God, it is becauſe, men have too good thoughts of themſelves? Whence comes it elſe, that men are up and down in their ſpirits, and comforted according to their actings? But from hence, becauſe men are proue to look to ſomething of their own, as a foundation of their acceptance with God: Whence is it elſe, that men are kept from cloſing with Chriſt, becauſe of the ſight of their unworthineſſe? But from hence, becauſe men would have a price in their own hand, to buy grace of him, and mercy of him.
But it may be many a poor ſoul will ſay, that he doth not look to his worthineſſe, God forbid that I ſhould do it, ſayes the ſoul: Ah, but thy unworthineſſe does keep thee from Chriſt; and if ſo, then thou ſuppoſeſt that ſome worthineſſe in thee ſhould make thee cloſe with Chriſt.
Now I beſeech you Brethren, that we do not look to any thing in our ſelves, think not to bring any price with you when you come to Chriſt, but know, that we are poor, and naked, and miſerable, ſinfull, and weak, and full of enmity againſt God and Chriſt, that there is nothing that we can plead; what is there that we would carry? If you had more grace, you could not plead that; if you had done more ſervice, you could not plead that; and if you had ſuffered for Chriſt, you could not plead that: O then why do our ſouls flag and hang back, and do not make haſt to Jeſus Chriſt?
And let me tell you, that ſouls that have nothing have beſt acceptance: I ſaid before, that if you carry a price you looſe all your labour, Chriſt deals with the poor, and with none elſe, and trades with them that have no mony; and I ſay, that ſouls that come to Chriſt moſt empty, moſt naked, moſt deſtitute, moſt deſolate, in the apprehenſion of their own vileneſs, ſinfulneſs, enmity; that ſoul that comes thus to Chriſt, ſhall have beſt acceptance: If a man comes and pleads any thing elſe, pleads, Lord, I have done ſo and ſo, I have been ſo and ſo, this moves not the Lord, to tell God of your righteouſneſs, and what you have done, it moves not God at all; but to tell God what a poor creature you are, full of ſin, and full of weakneſs, full of enmity, and full of wants, this will move the Lord: Is it not ſo with your ſelves? I pray conſider how it is with our ſelves, and what it is that moves us; when a poor man comes, what is it that moves us? O when he ſhall ſpread his wants, and expreſſe the ſence of his wants and miſery; a poor man comes to you and ſayes, O Sir pitty me, help me, I want every thing, I have not a rag to put on my back, no bread to put into my belly, I am blind, I am lame, I have no legs to walk with; no hands to work with, O this will make impreſſion upon the hearts of men, though hard; And ſhall not this move tbe Father of mercies? O it will prevail much: If a ſoul ſhall goe and ſay, Lord, I am miſerable, naked no eye to ſee, no legs to walk, no hands to work, O this ſpeaks loud; when the ſoul ſhall cry, Lord help, Lord hear me; I tell you, this will plead very loud in the eares of God, for Chriſt (as I ſaid before) he will deal with none but the poor, he will heal them that have nothing; you have many Phyſitians that goe up and down and give it out, that they will heal the poor for nothing. So Chriſt gives it our in the Goſpel, that he will heal the poor, and none but the poor; let a poor deſolate, naked, empty ſoul goe to Chriſt, and ſay, Lord, thou haſt invited poor ſinners to come that have no money, and I am ſuch an one,) Lord, heal me: Chriſt will heal ſuch a ſoul; Chriſt will not heal the rich, if they be rich and full they have no need of him; The rich he will ſend away empty, but the poor ſhall not goe away empty. O then, that this might perſwade us, that when we go to God we might go poor, in the ſenſe of our own unworthineſs, for it is the beſt thing to move the Lord to mercy.
Laſtly, Let us make mercy our refuge, for it is not enough for a man to run from himſelf, if he does not run to mercy, if he does not run to free grace, if he goes any where elſe there is no healing. Now therefore it calls upon us all, every one in the Congregation this day, to make mercy and free grace our refuge: O that we might goe to God upon that account, at this woman of Canaan did, Have mercy on me. O Lord, thou ſon of David: She comes to mercy, and pleads mercy, and reſts upon mercy and free grace.
Oh that we might make more uſe of mercy and free grace for all things! Let us come hither for pardon of ſin: Doe you want pardon of ſin? Plead with mercy and free grace, flee to the Promiſes of mercy, I will be mercifull to their ſin, and remember their ſin no more. And ſo would you have peace? Goe more to free grace, plead more with mercy, there peace is to be had, it is mercy that creates the fruit of the lips peace peace. And ſo doe you want healing? healing of your corruptions, of your diſtempers of ſpirit? What is it that you want? O goe to free grace, it is to be had in mercy, there is healing for you, I will heal their back-ſlidings, and love them freely. Oh that the Lord would help us all to flee to this refuge. Doe you deſire any thing? Goe upon the account of mercy, doe not ſtand upon any worthineſſe, any juſtification of your ſelves, and if you be kept from Chriſt by your unworthineſſe, then you have an eye to your worthineſſe: O that we might not look upon any worthineſſe! If a man come to you and plead, that you would take pitty upon him, it would move your hearts more, then if a man ſhould come and require of you that you ſhould doe ſo and ſo for him, becauſe you have done ſo and ſo for others? No, but if he falls down at your feet, it prevails more with you; and ſo, when God ſees that a man ſtands upon it, upon his own juſtification, O this does not prevail; but when a ſoul cometh to the foot-ſtool of free grace, and pleads nothing but mercy, I am worthy to be caſt out, but thou haſt given an invitation to ſinners, and here I will wait at the foot-ſtool of free grace; this will move the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt.
Queſt. Ah, but may not a man cry for mercy, and yet goe without it?
Anſw. True indeed, it is poſſible a man may cry for mercy, and call for mercy in a dead, cold, formal way, many a poor creature will ſay, Lord have mercy on me, and he truſts to his Lord have mercy on me, and ſo thinks that ſhould ſave him; but that is not to truſt in mercy; they truſt in their ſaying ſo, but they truſt not in mercy: It is poſſible that a poor wretch in time of extremity may cry out, Lord have mercy, and yet not apply himſelf to mercy; for the ſoul that applies himſelf to mercy, he applies himſelf in Gods way: Now Gods way in ſhewing mercy, it is in Jeſus Chriſt; if a man cries never ſo loud for mercy, yet if he does not apply himſelf in Gods way, look thorough the Mediator, he may cry and go without it; but he that doth apply himſelf rightly to mercy, he ſeeks it in Chiſt, for mercy will doe no good out of Chriſt; therefore a gracious heart applies himſelf only to Chriſt; and he that applies himſelf to mercy, he waits the Lords time for mercy: So that a man may ſay, Lord have mercy, and cry out for mercy, and yet be far from obtaining mercy.
But now this let me ſay, that if any poor ſoul that is ſenſible of his own miſery, that ſees it is full of wants, and full of ſin and unrighteouſneſs, and full of weakneſs, unable to help himſelf, and full of enmity, ſo that it can do nothing but ſin againſt God, I ſay, a ſoul that ſhall ſee this, and ſhall apply it ſelf to mercy in mercies way, look to God through Chriſt the Meſſias, come as this woman, to the Meſſias, O thou ſon of David have mercy on me; no ſoul that ſhall thus apply himſelf to the mercy of God thorough Chriſt, being ſenſible of his own loſt condition, and ſhall there wait, but certainly the Lord will make a good end with that ſoul, and that ſoul, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Shall find grace and mercy to help in time of need.