Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 41
SERMON XLI.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 7, — For with the Lord there is mercy, —
THe Songs of the people of God, while they are within time, are made up of very mixed Notes; yet in this they are ſweet, that their over-word, or laſt word is ſtill the beſt of it, Poor and needy are they, and may they be, yet they are thought upon by God; Troubled they may be, but not diſtreſt; perplext, but not in deſpair; perſecuted, but not forſaken; caſt down, but not deſtroyed, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. Much may they have to ſay, both from within them, and about them, to brangle their threed of hope, which is their great ſtock and ſtore-houſe; but they have infinitly more above them to ſupport it; though Iſrael be in miſery and bondage, and under ſervitude through ſin; yet ſays the Text, Let Iſrael hope in God; Let nothing they find within, or about them in the world brangle their confidence, For with the Lord there is mercy.
Ye may remember, that from theſe encouragements to Iſrael to hope in God, I have been marking what is implyed on the part of hopers, that they need mercy and redemption, and particularly redemption from iniquity; and I began to ſpeak the laſt day to what is propoſed for their encouragement, notwithſtanding all theſe diſadvantages they are under, and I took ſome time to ſpeak to that ſweet Attribute of Mercy in God. In ſpeaking to which ye had ſome account in general of the nature of this mercy, and of the Object and Properties of it; and ſomewhat was ſpoken to the Uſe of the whole Doctrine; A Doctrine, which though ſome may abuſe, and break their neck on, and which will be the ſad dittay of theſe within the viſible Church, That mercy was in their offer, and they ſlighted it; yet it is a Doctrine abſolutely neceſſary, to them that are lying under the ſenſe of ſin and miſery.
Now I proceed to a 2d. main Point, to encourage Iſrael to hope in God, That with him is plenteous redemption, That is, both Authority to redeem, and power to vindicat his people out of the bondage and ſervitude, wherein they are, and that in a great meaſure, a plenteous redemption, and that is connected with the former, with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption; That ſame God with whom there is mercy, hath alſo plenteous redemption, which gives a ground to this general Remark, that I ſhall batter out a little, that mercy in God, is not a bare naked affection (if I may ſo word it) in him, as ye may find it amongſt creatures, ſome are very merciful and compaſſionat, and can condole the caſe of others in chains, when they cannot help them, they may weep over them, whom they cannot relieve: But I ſay, mercy is not ſuch a bare naked affection in God, but it is accompanied with authority and power, to make the effects of his mercy forthcoming for the miſerable, as he finds there is cauſe.
To lay this a little open to you; and in the paſſing thorow, to hint at ſome Uſes of it, I ſhall ſpeak a little to theſe three; 1. What this redemption imports. 2. Why it is called redemption. And 3. What the plenty of this redemption that is with God, may look to, or hint at.
For the firſt, What redemption imports, ye know that redemption properly is a recovery, by paying of a price, or by exchange or otherwiſe, of that which hath been brought in bondage, or under the power of another. Now redemption when it is attribute to God, imports a recovery of his people out of that bondage of ſin and miſery, unto which through their own folly, they have caſt themſelves: And for the import of it, beſide mercy relative to their miſery, who have ſold themſelves; it imports both authority to redeem, and power to redeem. 1. Authority, and authority of Soveraignity in Dominion, to recover, or bring back, what, or whom he pleaſes, out of that bondage and ſervitude, under which they had brought themſelves. To allude to that Plea of the Caldeans, anent the Redemption of Captives, Iſai. 49.24. Shall the lawful Captive be delivered, we have taken them lawful Captives, and who has authority to interpoſe and take them from us? So when guilt, and juſtice purſuing for guilt, hath the Iſrael of God, lawful Captives, in that caſe he hath authority, and ſupremacy, a ſoveraign dominion to interpoſe for the Redemption of his people, when he will, as it is ſaid, Pſal. 3.8. Salvation belongs to the Lord; it is his prerogative royal to give ſalvation, to redeem, as Princes have a power Paramount to pardon Crimes the Law ſtrikes againſt; he hath a power to pardon, to love freely, to ſee his peoples ways, and to heal them, Iſai. 57.18. That is the firſt thing then imported in this redemption, an authority and right to redeem; and before I paſſe from it. I would leave this word with the people of God, that when their diſtreſſes are great and many, and all other doors are ſhut on them, they would learn to look to Soveraignty in God, as the Latin Proverb is, They may be in that caſe wherein ſalvation cannot ſave them, and then they muſt look no laigher than God, and to a Soveraign Dominion in God to redeem, remembring whatever be the ſad premiſſes in their caſe, he hath a dominion to make the concluſion what he pleaſeth, his authority and ſoveraign dominion can make the concluſion comfortable, when the premiſſes writes bitter things againſt them; this would be the laſt anchor that we would hold by, when all others are driven and come home; and I would have you ſo far from miſtaking and ſtumbling, when ye look to Soveraignty in God, and ye are brought ſo low, that you have no claim, but to put off your Ornaments, and ſee what God will do to you; all things in your caſe, or what ye can look to for relief, are ſo hopeleſs and deſperat, only ye dare not limit God, I would in this caſe have you ſo far from ſtumbling at Soveraignty in God, that I would have you rather afraid, when ye have any thing to look to beneath it. It is ſad when God is afflicting his people with croſſe Providences, it ſhould be with them, as with that people. Jer. 2.37. They go forth from him with their hands on their head, and the Lord hath rejected their confidence, that is a ſad trade when Gods work of Providence is, to blaſt and reject their carnal confidence, and to defeat them, that they ſhall not proſper in them, becauſe they will not quite them, and lay their deplorable caſe at the footſtool of Soveraignty in God; So much for the firſt thing imported in redemption, That is, authority to redeem.
2. This Redemption in God imports further, even a power to exerciſe that authority and dominion, for the actual redemption of his people, many a time experience ſhows that authority is baffled and affronted in the world, becauſe it is not in its way backed with power; but our bleſſed Lord, who has authority to redeem, has alſo power to exerciſe that authority, and actually to redeem, he is the God of the Spirits of all fleſh, to whom nothing is too hard, Pſal. 115.3. Our God is in heaven, he hath done whatever he pleaſed. Pſal. 135.6. Whatever the Lord pleaſed, that he did in heaven and in the earth, &c. And ye have his power aſſerted in this very affair, Iſai. 29.24. Shal (ſay they) the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive be delivered? We hear tell (would they ſay) of the redemption of Iſrael from the Babyloniſh captivity; but we plead, that they are not only lawful captives, taken in war, but we are mighty to detain them; yea, but (ſays the Lord) even the captives of the mighty ſhall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible ſhall be delivered, were ye never ſo mighty and terrible, when I interpoſe, I will redeem, and recover the prey. I ſhall not need to inſiſt further in the confirmation of this.
But 1. Any of you who are afflicted and ſenſible of your ſtraits, and of the ſins that have drawn them on; will ye believe this, that there is not only mercy with God, but power to manifeſt that mercy, and it may content you to ly in the Hoſpital of his heart, till he ſee it fit to manifeſt his power for your redemption. If there be with him not only mercy, but redemption, it muſt certainly ſay ſome other thing, than ordinarly we apprehend, that he wants neither power nor good will to redeem his people, for with their God there is mercy, and with him, &c. and therefore were their hazard as peremptor, as that of the three children, Dan. 3. Who were to be caſt in the fiery furnace, this is ſupport enough, Our God whom we ſerve (ſay they) is able to deliver us, &c. and therefore when we are in ſtraits, and reckon that we want proofs of his power, we would reckon alſo, that it is not for want of good will, for with him is mercy, and it ſhould content and quiet our hearts, to take lodging in his compaſſion, till he let the world ſee, that with him alſo is plenteous redemption in the effects of it.
2. From this I would recommend to you, to ſtudy to believe this power much; it is not for nothing that it is ſaid of Abraham, Rom. 4.20, 21. That he staggered not at the promiſe through unbelief, but was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God; Why? He was fully perſwaded, that what he promiſed, he was alſo able to perform; and the three children did not ſpeak ordinary news, when they tell Nebuchadnezzar, The God whom we ſerve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace; It is true, generally people think they doubt not of the power of God, all their doubting is, about his goodwill, as that man, Mat. 8.2. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean; but they that know themſelves beſt, will ſee atheiſm at the bottom of their diffidence, and a doubting of his power as well as of his goodwill; therefore this is an evidence, that folks win eaſily to Faith in ſmaller and petty Tryals, wherein there is not much need of power, then their Faith will ſoar aloft: but in great Tryals they ſuccumb and ſink, and find their Faith a ſeeking; and whence flows this, but from unbelief, That with God there is power to redeem: and therefore I beſeech the people of God to ſtudy to believe, and be fixed in the faith of the Attributes of God, eſpecially in the faith of his power in difficulties.
But 3. From this I ſay, I would have the people of God not to ſtumble, though in their ſtraits they be left on the Power and Omnipotency of God alone, to relieve them; Let Iſrael hope, Why? Not becauſe they can extricat themſelves out of difficulties, not becauſe ordinary help will do their turn, but becauſe with God is redemption, and plenteous redemption; becauſe God is Omnipotent to vindicat them out of their bondage; it is kindly to have ſaints brought frequently to be in Gods miſter, that nothing but God can do their turn; ſo that they think they have done with it, if God interpoſe not, when they are brought to ſuch perplexing queſtions, as that Ezek. 37. Can theſe dry bones live? That only Omnipotent Power in God can anſwer; then they would not ſtumble when they are brought that low, that their Faith is left upon the Omnipotency of God alone; that power of God, if (as Abraham did) thou take it up rightly; If thou believe on him who quickens the dead, and calls on things that are not, as if they were, becauſe he makes them to be: It is enough to anſwer all thy difficult queſtions; Therefore (whatever thy difficulties be) guard againſt ſtumbling from this, That with God is redemption, and plenteous redemption. So much from what is imported in this redemption.
I proceed in the 2d place to give you ſome account, why this is called redemption; and if we reſtrict redemption here to Iſrael (and it is theſe who are bidden hope on the account of this Redemption, and it is Iſrael, that (verſe 8.) He will redeem from all their iniquities) The deliveries of the Lords people are fitly and frequently expreſt, under the name of Redemption, not only their deliverance from ſin, as verſe 8. but deliverance from trouble, as Pſal. 25. Redeem Iſrael, O God, out of all his troubles. Now, I ſay, That moſt fitly and frequently, the deliveries of Gods people are called a Redemption on a threefold account, which I ſhall firſt propone, and then ſpeak to.
1. As they have a relation to their ſpiritual Redemption by Chriſt. 2. As they have a relation to the troublers of Iſrael, his people, from whoſe power they are redeemed. 3. As they have relation to the iſſue of their troubles; That it is a redemption, and ſetting them at freedom from ſervitude and bonds.
1. I ſay, The deliverances of the people of God are called a Redemption, all of them, becauſe they are founded on, and are the reſult of their eternal and ſpiritual Redemption, through Chriſt, all their deliverances are the appendices, and (as ye call it) the bounty ſuper added to that great Redemption, which they have by the ſatisfaction of Chriſt; and upon this account it is, that deliverances to the people of God are noticed, as evidences of his love to them in Chriſt, Pſal. 18.19. He delivered me, ſaith David, becauſe he delighted in me. It was a proof of reconciled love to him in Chriſt, That God delivered him from his troubles; and hence all that the Lords people get, and their deliveries among the reſt, are gifts beſtowed on them with Chriſt, Rom. 8.32. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things; Unto the Iſrael of God, Chriſt is firſt freely given, and then with him, in him, and through him, all other things, and their deliveries among the reſt, are afforded them on that account.
This I mark on a threefold account. 1. To preſs upon folk the exerciſe of piety, and the making ſure of an intereſt in Chriſt, and his Redemption; for that's your ground and claim to all other mercies. When Chriſt is diverting his Diſciples from careful anxiety, Mat. 6.33. He bids them ſeek the Kingdom of God firſt, and all other things ſhall be added to them. And 1 Tim. 4.8. Bodily exerciſe profiteth little, but godlineſs is profitable unto all things, having promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Many never mind this, that godlineſs, and making ſure an intereſt in Chriſt, is the only thriving gate: as for ſuch as find proſperity in another method, I ſhall ſpeak to them juſt now. But for you that are godly, or pretend to godlineſs, to be taken up in ſeeking things in time, ye forget your main work; when ye are too eager and keen in your purſuit of theſe things, wherein if God love you, he will not let you thrive: I wot not what of this is among you, but if there be a nearneſs, a nippedneſs, and eagerneſs after the things of the world, in that you may read your poverty; if ye be ſeeking God, and making an Idol of the world, or any things in it, he loves you better than to let you proſper in that purſuit; and if ye would thrive indeed, put godlineſs in the firſt place, begin at it as the work of all your thrift.
But 2. Becauſe many may laugh at this Exhortation, founded on this, that other mercies come as the reſult of Redemption through Chriſt, and therefore that folk ought in the firſt place to ſicker an intereſt in him; and think that they ſpeed beſt in things of time, that neglect Piety, I might bid them laugh at leaſure. Many profane folks, that have had more proſperity than heart could wiſh, and have thought they ſhould never be in adverſity, and that they had no need of God to hold to their head; they have win through it all, and have been put to imbrace dunghills, and in their ſtraitned condition have been contemptible, when the godly have ſhined in their greateſt poverty. But that which I preſs here, is, that every lot that folk have, they would ſee how they hold it, by what Title and Right, thou that gets the mercy of proſperity, or a delivery out of trouble, if thou be not intereſted in Chriſt, and a Student of holineſs, it's but as a Bone caſt at a Dog for thy portion, as it is Pſal. 17.4. And I ſhall tell you the Teſtament of ſuch men, from that parable, Luk. 16.25. Son, (ſaith Abraham to the rich glutton) remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Thou haſt proſperity while thou neglects piety, but it may be thou art getting what thou gets in wrath; and while thou art running to Satan and perdition, thou gets outward mercies as a Poſt-horſe, to further thee in that deplorable Journey; yea, thou who art a child of God, may be getting outward mercies, when God is not pleaſed with thee. There is a ſad word 1 Cor. 10.5. after the Apoſtle has ſpoken of great mercies conferred on Gods people, he ſubjoyns, But with many of them God was not well pleaſed, for they were overthrown in the wilderneſs: And therefore thou that would put a right value on mercies, read them at that rate, Iſai. 42.16. where when he hath ſpoken of bringing the blind by the way they knew not, making darkneſs light before them, and crooked things ſtraight, he ſubjoyns, Theſe things will I do unto them, and not forſake them; look if thou has God with what thou haſt. Have a man what he will, till he have intereſt in him, and ſtand in his favour, he has little cauſe to inſult or boaſt. If thy mercies be not the reſult of redemption through Chriſt, they will turn a ſnare.
But a 3d word of Inference from this, is, that it is an invitation to the fearers of God, who have an intereſt in his love, and are ſtudying to walk tenderly, to look ſweetly on their portion and lot in time, what-ever it be; it may be thy ſhare in the things in time is little, thy troubles many, thy breathing times betwixt troubles ſhort, thy comfort mixt with what is bitter and ſad; but that which will make all reliſh, is, that the ſame love that has given Chriſt for thee, and to thee, and will give thee everlaſting happineſs, hath afforded theſe mercies as the reſult and appendices of that great redemption, and that ſame love will ſanctify all thy croſſes, and make them work for thy good: And O! How ſweet might ſorry accommodations, mean food and raiment be, to have this written over them, That love that hath given Chriſt for me, and to me, and will give me a Crown one day, hath given me theſe? This might be rich and ſweet Sauce to a ſober Diet, excellent Furniture to a poor Houſe, to learn to look on theſe as the reſult of the great Bargain. Seek to have your intereſt in Chriſt, your Union and Communion with him more near and warm, and to be more tender: That thus ye may look on your mercies and be comforted; the Lord bleſs what ye have heard.