Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 40
SERMON XL.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 7. For with the Lord there is mercy, &c.
WHen ſome time is ſpent in ſpeaking of the Mercy of God, we are very far from ſowing pillows to the Armholes, or from making Kercheffs to the heads of the ſecure; although I confeſs many do break their necks upon this bleſſed refuge of God's mercy, and it will be their double condemnation, that the mercy and goodneſs of God, that ſhould have led them to repentance, was an occaſion of their hardning in miſchief. Conſider but the Scriptures deſign, in ſpeaking of that mercy that is with God, that it is partly to leave Rebels, and Wanderers without excuſe, when mercy is in their offer, and they will have none of it. And partly and eſpecially, to be the great cordial of the miſerable man, who when he is under all preſſures that are ready to ſink him, hath this for his refuge, that with God there is mercy, as in Pſal. 13. who when he is troubled with ſoul-perplexities and deſertion, with apprehenſions of being cut off, and that his enemies ſhould inſult over him, hath this for his cordial, verſ. 5. But I have truſted in thy mercy; and the ſweet reſult of that is added, My heart ſhall rejoice in thy ſalvation: and verſ. 6. I will ſing unto the Lord, becauſe he hath dealt bountifully with me: that will be the ſweet iſſue of the miſterful mans truſting in Gods mercy.
Now ye have heard ſomewhat of the nature of this mercy in general, ſomewhat of the peculiar objects of it, and under what names and notions mercy is holden out, and enſured to the godly man: I have alſo ſpoken ſomewhat of the properties of this mercy, that it is a real mercy, that wherein God delights, and that it is free and eternal; and before I come to the uſe, I am to ſpeak a little to the fifth.
A 5th property then of mercy with God is, that it is a rich, full, and infinite mercy, a mercy to reach all the miſeries and needs of his people; as to the riches and fulneſs of his mercy, the Scripture very plenteouſly ſpeaks of it, it is ſaid of God, that he is rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4. He is ſaid to be plentiful in mercy, and full of compaſſion, Pſal. 86.5. His mercies are manifold mercies, Neh. 9.19. So they are called great mercies, Neh. 9.31. Pſal. 119.156. Iſa. 54 7. And Dan. 9.18. It's great mercy that Uſhers in a ſupplication, we do not preſent our ſupplications before thee for our own righteouſneſs, but for thy great mercies, It is ſaid further, that he hath not only tender mercies, that are very compaſſionat and condeſcending, but he hath a multitude of tender mercies, Pſal. 51.1. Pſal. 69.16. He is ſaid to have abundant mercies, in that 1 Pet. 1.3. He hath mercies in ſuch abundance, that they are infinitly above the mercies of man, when David had it in his choice, whether he would have three years famine, or three moneths fleeing before the enemy, or three days peſtilence, 2 Sam. 24.14. Let us now fall (ſaih he) into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great, and let us not fall into the hand of man. And to add no more, it is ſaid of Gods mercies, Pſal. 103.4. That he crowns us with his tender mercies, &c. That is, partly he ſurrounds his people with proofs of love on every hand, as a Crown compaſſeth the head, that they cannot turn them about, but mercy compaſſeth them about as with a ſhield, as it is Pſal. 5.12. And partly, his mercies put reſpect and honour on his people, as if they ſet a Crown on every Saints head, and made them Kings and Prieſts unto God, as David ſays, Pſal. 18.35. Thy gentleneſs hath made me great.
Thus I have let you ſee how copiouſly the Scripture ſpeaks of the fulneſs and richneſs of this mercy, and that I may let you ſee it in ſome particular evidences and inſtances, conſider,
1. That the mercy of God toward his people, is a mercy to pity them, when no eye pities them, when they are the object of contempt and abhorrency, as Ezek. 16 when they are caſt out into the open field, lying polluted in their blood, having no eye to pity them, then it is a time of love, and he ſaith to them, Live, and he ſpreads his ſkirt over them; that is rich mercy, to take the refuſe of the earth, and make them the objects of his ſpecial mercy.
2. His mercy is full and rich, in giving a vent to it ſelf, even when he is letting out ſeverity, his mercy manifeſts it ſelf, even when he lifts up his hand, and is ſtriking, in inviting them whom he ſtrikes, to turn, that they die not, as Job 10. when he is deſtroying him, as he apprehended, after he hath enumerat ſome common providences about him, he ſays, verſ. 13. Theſe things thou haſt hid in thy heart, I know that this is with thee, I know there is ſome other thing in thy heart, than what I can read in thy dealing.
3. The riches and fulneſs of this mercy appears in pitying and paſſing by the peeviſhneſs and waywardneſs of his people, eſpecially when they take with it, and be moan it, in that they have been as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke, Iſai. 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetouſneſs was I wroth, and ſmote him; I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on in the way of his heart; and what follows? I have ſeen his way, and will heal him, and will reſtore comfort unto him and to his mourners. I am God, and not man, I am a merciful God, I'le miſken my petted people, and heal them, I'le not proſecute this quarrel.
4. The riches and fulneſs of his mercy appears in his fetching an Argument from his ſtroaks, to pity his people; a ſtroak extorted out of his hand, to pity his people; a ſtroak inflicted in juſtice, mercy will make it an Argument to pity the afflicted, Jer. 31.20. Is Ephraim my dear ſon? Is he a pleaſant child? For ſince I spake against him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill; my chiding and contending with him hath wakened my bowels towards him, I will ſurely have mercy on him.
5. The fulneſs and riches of this mercy appears in this, that he conſiders tenderly the conſequences of his pleading, if he quarrel with them, mercy tells him, he may ſoon get the victory, but that will loſe him his people, therefore he will forbear, Iſai. 57.16. I will not contend for ever, nor will I be always wroth. Why? The ſpirit ſhould fail before me, and the ſouls that I have made: I could ſoon deſtroy them, but that I may not do, and therefore will not contend for ever, &c.
And 6. The riches and fulneſs of his mercy may be read in this, that when he lets out bowels of mercy, there will be no mercy which the Creature needs, will be withheld from them. When Iſhmael hath ſlain Gedaliah, whom the King of Babylon had made the Jews Governour, and they are afraid of the Chaldeans; Be not afraid of the King of Babylon, (ſaith he) for I am with you, to ſave and deliver you, and I will ſhew mercy to you, that he may have mercy on you, Jer. 42.11, 12. Fear not, if ye partake of my mercy, I will make the Chaldeans compaſſionat you: So Pſal. 106 44. He regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry, and he remembred his Covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. What follows? he made them alſo to be pitied of all that carried them captives. He needs no other inſtruments of compaſſion to his people, nor bitter enemies, when he will have compaſſion on them. So Solomon prays, Give them compaſſion before them that carry them captive, 1 King. 8.50. And Hezekiah when he is to keep the Paſſover, tells the people, If they turn again to the Lord, their brethren and children ſhall find compaſſion before them that lead them captive, 2 Chron. 30.9. Gods compaſſion can ſoon bring the compaſſion of men, in ſo far as he ſees it needful. Thus ye ſee in a few hints, how rich and full the mercy of God is. In a word, it's a mercy for all the needs and preſſures of his people, a Plaiſter broad enough to cover, and effectual enough to cure all their griefs and ſores.
For the uſe of this great truth, That with the Lord there is mercy, I ſhall briefly touch on five inferences from it, and leave it.
And 1. If this mercy of God be relative to mans miſery, if it be good news manifeſted to the Creature, on the account of its miſery, then thoſe who are partakers of this mercy, would have much ſenſe of their miſery; mercy will not reliſh to any, but to the man ſenſible of his miſery; a pardon will ſignify nothing, but to a Rebel that is ſenſible of his Rebellion: And here all that I have ſpoken of the riches, freeneſs, fulneſs, &c. of this mercy; if ye read it right, will be the firſt Leſſon ye will learn from it; all this is not proclaimed for a complement, but becauſe it's needed by the miſerable: And conſequently thou muſt infer, If I have a right to you mercy, it muſt not be ordinary thoughts of my miſery that I muſt have there muſt be deeps of miſery in me, to call for deeps of mercy in God. If we thus fence the point, we need not fear that it be a ſleeping Pillow to the ſecure; look what miſery is in thee to cloſe with every thing in mercy. If mercy be free, look what ill-deſerving is in thee; if pardoning-mercy be in God, look what ſenſe of unpardoned guilt is in thee; if multitudes of mercies be in God, what ſenſe of multitude of miſeries is in thee? They that have a right to mercy, muſt tryſt it in the duſt, in the very pit of miſery.
2. From this, that there is mercy with God, there is ground of aſſurance offered and afforded to the miſerable, that their irrecoverable caſe by the Covenant of Works is not now deſperat. O! the bleſſed intimation of that Attribute to fallen man, that with God there is mercy; How good news was it, and ſhould it be? What had been the caſe of Adam and all his poſterity, after the Covenant of Works was broken, had it not been for this bleſt Attribute that interpoſed? But now, becauſe there is mercy with God, irrecoverable diſtreſſes are not deſperate: Somewhat ye heard of this from verſ. 2, and 4. What a deplorable caſe had all been in, if there had been no more to be lookt for, but that, verſ. 3. If thou, Lord, mark iniquities, O Lord, who ſhould ſtand? But a gracious anſwer is added, verſ. 4. But there is forgivenneſs or mercy with thee; and how this is preſt upon the account of Gods mercy, ye have an account given, Jer. 55.67. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found, call on him while he is near; let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord: Why? For he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. That there is mercy in God abundantly to pardon, is an intimation to the man that is in an irrecoverable condition, to look again to God; And in that 2d of Joel, after that the Lord hath uttered a ſore and terrible Judgment, and hath told verſe …1. That he will utter his voice before his Army, for his Camp is very great, and ſtrong is he that executes his word; (and in the by, if the Lord hath a Nation to puniſh, he needs not raiſe, and bring in an uncouth Nation to puniſh them, he can cauſe Graſhoppers or Locuſts do his turn) after all that, Verſe 12, 13. He bids them turn to him with all their heart, with faſting, weeping and mourning, for he is gracious and merciful, ſlow to anger and of great kindneſs, and repenteth him of the evil: When the Lord is ſetting forth, and inflicting an apparent and remedileſs ſtroak, this yet invites to repentance, That he is gracious and merciful, and therefore as on the one hand, thou that ſlights this offered mercy, and makes it a pillow to ſecurity, who when thou hears tell there is mercy with God, makes no uſe of it, but rather abuſes it, to go on in ſin; O the Juſtice of God in the day of thy accompts, will be a ſad ſight in compariſon of mercy; or, juſtice execute on ſlighters of mercy, will be dreadful Juſtice, then it will be, Hills and mountains fall on us, and bide us from the face of the Lamb, What, There is little terror in a Lambs Face; yea, but the fight of the Lambs face in the day of compt and reckoning, that he that offered mercy was a Lamb, that mercy was with him will be moſt dreadful; think on it, ſlighters of the Goſpel, ſit-faſts, never-do-wells, abuſers of mercy, or ye that would take mercy in the accompliſhment, but never give mercy employment, who follow your abominations, if not openly, yet ſecretly; better for you that ye had ſitten all your time at the foot of Sinai, than at the foot of mercy in Zion. This is often told you, but little laid to heart, and the ofter it be told many, the leſs it is laid to heart; but the day will come, when many will get Hell affrighting memories, wherein ye will remember, that which drops at your feet, and is not noticed, or is ſtept over, and not regarded: So on the other hand, thou who on the account of hopeleſneſs in thy condition, runs away from God, take heed what thou doſt, thou looks on thy caſe as incurable, and what will thou do with it? If thou run away, where will thou go next? Thy caſe muſt either break thee, or thou will grow ſtupid under it: and beſides, if thou run away, thou reproaches the mercy of God, ſo far as thou can, while thou runs from him with any condition, how deſperat and irrecoverable ſo ever: and will thou bring up an ill report on his mercy, as if there were no cure in it for thy caſe? When thou ſhould rather ſing, as David. Pſal. 13.5. In oppoſition to every hopeleſs like caſe, But I have truſted in thy mercy, my heart ſhall rejoyce in thy ſalvation; O then take heed that thou reproach not, nor bring not up an ill report on this rich & full mercy in God, by running from it, whatever thy condition be.
3. Come here all ye that are making mercy your refuge under all your preſſures, miſeries, troubles, temptations, deſertion, or whatever ail you, that know no other door to knock at, but mercy in God, ye have no ſong but that one which David had, Pſal. 13. before cited, and that I can never often enough repeat: though God ſeem to forget him for ever, and hide his face for ever from him, though when he takes counſel in his ſoul, he hath ſorrow in his heart daily, though his enemies had exalted themſelves, and ſaid, they had prevailed over him, and re…oyced, and the ſleep of death ſeems to approach, he hath nothing to all that, But I have truſted in thy mercy; Take a look how richly thou art made up, that truſts in this mercy: Remember the ſong that follows in that Pſalm. …nd thou will not find it an heartleſs ſhift, My heart, ſays …e, ſhall rejoice in thy ſalvation, I will ſing to the Lord, becauſe …e hath dealt bountifully with me; And the Pſalmiſt ſings, Pſal. 31.7. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy; Why? For thou haſt conſidered my trouble, thou haſt known my ſoul in adverſity, I got acquaintance with thee in adverſity, which otherwiſe I had not been capable of; therefore I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy; and conſider that ſweet ſong, Pſal. 136.23. Who remembred us in our low eſtate, Why? for his mercy endureth for ever; or as Hezekiah hath it, Iſai. 38.27. He loved my ſoul from the pit of corruption; That is the word in the Original: His love and mercy have an Adamantine vertue, to draw a ſoul out of the pit of corruption, when he remembers us in our low eſtate, conſider thou that haſt made mercy thy refuge, how ſweetly it can kep a deep diſtreſs, Pſal. 69.15. Let not the water flood overflow me, hear me, O Lord, for thy loving kindneſs is good, turn unto me, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies; And Pſal. 86.14. O God, the proud are riſen up againſt me, and the aſsemblies of violent men have ſought after my ſoul; but thou, O Lord, art a God full of compaſſion, gracious, long ſuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth; O turn unto me and have mercy on me. Conſider what a good account of very hopeleſs tryals mercy will give, Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of Jobs patience, and have ſeen the end of the Lord; and what was the end of the Lord, even this, That the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy; O but they are ſad difficulties, which tender mercy and pity in God will not afford relief unto; and therefore think not your ſelf in a poor plight, who have mercy for your refuge, who have no ſong to ſing, But I have truſted, &c.
4. When ye have cloſed with, and are made up by this mercy, look how ye improve it, and do not abuſe it: I confeſs, the want of the faith of mercy in a ſtrait, is an eſtranging thing, Zech. 11.8. My ſoul loathed them, and their ſoul alſo abhorred me; but when thou grips to mercy, ſee what influence it hath on thy heart for warming it, for putting it in a ſweet and tender frame on thy part; may I ſay it, I defie folk to abuſe mercy, taken by the right handle; O the alluring, melting, conſtraining, perſwading power that is in mercy rightly cloſed with; and O that folk could win to this gate of making uſe of mercy, Rom. 11.1. The Apoſtle in preſſing holineſs, ſaith, I beſeech you, brethren, by the mercy of God, that ye preſent your bodies a living ſacrifice, &c. And I may allude to that, Phil. 2.1. If there be any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels of mercy, fulfil ye my joy; If folk knew what overcoming mercy means, they would let it be ſeen in a tender walk. Thou talks of mercy, yet thou art not overcome with it, thou art not melted, nor made more tender by it; what a cheater of thy ſelf, and abuſer of mercy art thou? Remember the abuſe of outward mercies, will make a ſad dittay; Ezra 9. If after all theſe we break his commands. But ah! what ſhall be ſaid when folk pretend to ſpecial mercy, and abuſe it?
But 5. Among other Uſes that ought to be made of believed and cloſed with mercy, this is one, That we learn to be merciful, Luke 6.36. We muſt be merciful, as is our heavenly Father, even in loving enemies, &c. Ye heard in the morning from Mat. 5.7. That it is the merciful that obtain mercy: And that Parable of the man that had much forgiven him, and would not forgive his fellow ſervant, but caſt him in priſon, Mat. 18.23. — It was a ſad evidence that he was not pardoned himſelf. In a word, thou who art much in mercies common, it will make thee of a merciful & meek temper, which is that preſſed, Tit. 3.2. That we ſhould ſpeak evil of no man, be no brawlers, &c. but gentle, ſhewing meekneſs to all men, ſeeing we our ſelves were ſometime diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts: — But after that the kindneſs and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righteouſneſs which we have done, but according to his mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt; A boiſterous, malitious, unmerciful temper in any, is but a poor Evidence, that ſuch live under the drop of the multitude of the tender mercies that are with God. But the time being ended, I leave this great Point and you to the rich bleſſing of this merciful God, To whom be glory.