Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 2 (1 of 3)
VERSE 2.
Grace be unto you, &c.
GRace doth enter into the whole conversation of a Christian, and doth sweeten his very Salutations. Which I observe: because Grace sweetens all a Christians conversation.many men confine their Religion to places, to actions, and to times: there is a relish of holinesse in every thing that comes from a Christian, in his Salutations and Courtesies: St. Paul salutes them, Grace, and peace from God, &c.
And the use of holy Salutations are;use of salutations.
| To | Shew | Love. |
| Win |
To shew love and respect, therefore he salutes them; and by shewing love, to gain love: for there is a Loadstone in love. And thirdly, the use of salutations, is by them to convey some good: for these salutations are not meer wishes, but prayers, nay blessings: Gods people are a blessed people, and they are full of blessing, they carry a blessing in their very speeches.
What is a blessing?
A blessing is a prayer with the application of the thing prayed for, it is Quest. Blessing what; Answ.somewhat more then a prayer, Grace be with you, and peace. It is not onelyonly a meer wish, I desire it: nay my desire of it is with an applying of it, grace shall be with you, and peace, and the more, because I heartily wish it to you. It is no light matter to have the benediction, and salutation of a holy man, especially those that are Superiours: for the Superiours blesse the Inferiours; there is a grace goes even with the very salutations, with the common prayers of a holy man. It is a comfortable sign when God doth enlarge the heart of a holy man to wish well to a man.
And surely the very consideration of that should move us to let them have such incouragement from our carriage and demeanour, that they may have hearts to think of us to the throne of Grace, to give us a good wish, to give us a good desire: for every gracious desire, every prayer hath its effect when it comes from a favourite of God, especially from such a man as St. Paul was; from a Minister, a holy man in a calling, a man of God: they have their efficacy with them, they are not empty words, Grace and peace.
The Popes think it a great favour when they bestow their Apostolical benediction and blessing: their blessing is not much worth; their curse is better then their blessing: but surely the blessing of a man rightly called, those that are true Ministers of Christ, they are cloathed with Power and efficacy from God: Grace be with you, and peace, it is no idle complement.
And here you see likewise what should be the manner of the salutation of Christians, as they ought to salute, to shew love, and to gain love, so all Salutations should be holy.their salutations should be holy. There is a takingthe name of God in vain, in salutations oft times, God save you, &c. and it must be done with a kind Gods name taken in vain in Salutations.of scorn, and if there be any demonstration of Religion it becomes them not, that which should become them most. What should become a Saint, but to carrie himself Saint-like? and yet men must do it with a kind of scorn, with a kind of gracelesse grace: that which in the religious use of it is a comfortable and sweet thing, and is alway with a comfortable and gracious effect in Gods Children. Either it hath effect and is made grace to them to whom it is spoken, or returns to them that speak it: As Christ saith to his Disciples, when you come into a house, pronounce peace to them; and if the house be not worthy, your peace shall return to you So the salutations of a good man, if they be not effectual to the parties, if they be unworthy, rebellious creatures, they return again to himself, they have effect one way or other. Let it not be done therefore with a taking the Name of God in vain in a scornful manner, but with gravity and reverence, as becometh a holy action. There is some limitation, and exception of this. Salutations Salutations to be omitted.in some cases may be omitted.
As in serious businesse, salute no man by the way, as Christ saith to his Apostles: 1. In serious businesse.A neglect sometimes is good manners, when respect is swallowed up in a greater duty. As it was good manners for David to Dance, and to carry himself (as it were) unseemly before the Ark: because he was to neglect respect to meaner persons, to forget the respect he was to shew to men, being altogether taken up with higher matters, it was a kind of decencie, and comlinesse. And overmuch scrupulousnesse and nicenesse in lesser things, when men are called to greater, is but unmannerly manners: in these cases, these lesser must give way and place to the greater; Salute no man by the way, dispatch the businesse you are about, that is, if it may be a hindrance in the way, salute not: this is in respect of time.
And as for time, so for persons: a notorious, incorrigible Heretick salute not: to salute such a one would be (as it were) a connivence, or an indulgence 2. To an Heretickto him, salute him not. The denying of a Salutation many times hath the force of a censure: the party neglected may think there is somewhat in him for which he is neglected in that manner. In these cases salutations may be omitted sometimes: But I go unto the particulars.
Grace be unto you and peace.
These are the good things wished. We see the Apostle, a blessed man, that had been in the third heaven wrapt up, that had been taught of Christ, what things were most excellent, and had himself seen excellent things which he could not utter, when he comes to wishes, we see out of heavenly wisedom and experience he drawes them to two heads, all good things to Grace and peace. If there had been better things to be wished, he would have wished them, but Grace and peace are the principal things.
What is meant by Grace here?
Grace in this place, is the free favour and love of God from his own Quest. Grace what Answ.bowels, not for any desert, or worth, or strength of love of ours: it is his own free grace, and love, which is shed by the holy Ghost, and springs only from his own goodnesse and loving nature, and not from us at all; this is Grace: It must be distinguished from the fruits of it: as the Apostle doth distinguish them, Rom. 5. 15. Grace, and the gifts of grace. There is favour, and the gifts of favour, which is grace inherent in us. Here especially is meant the fountaine and spring of all the favour of God with the manifestation of it, with the increase of it, with the continuance of it. He wisheth these things; the favour of God, with the manifestation of it, to their souls; that as God would be gracious to them; so that he would shew his Grace, that he would discover it, and shine upon them: and to that end that he would give them his holy Spirit, to shed his love into their hearts. This shining of God into the heart, this shedding of the love of God into the heart, is the Grace here meant: Gods favour with the manifestation of it to the soul, and with the continuance of it, and the increase of it still. Grace unto you. As if he should have said, I wish you the favour of God, and the report of it to your souls: that as he loves you, through his Christ; so he would witnesse as much by his holy Spirit to your souls. And I wish you likewise the continuance of it, and the increase of it, and the fruits of it likewise: for that must not be excluded, all particular graces, which are likewise called Graces. They have the name of favours, because they come from favour, and favour is the chief thing in them. What is the chief thing in joy, in faith, in love? they are graces: they cannot be considered as qualifications, as earthly things in us: they proceed from the grace and love of God, and have their especial value from thence. So I wish you the manifestation, the continuance and increase of favour, with all the fruits of Gods favour, especially such as concern a better life. The word is easily understood, after the common sence, Grace is the loving and free respect of a superiour to an inferiour: the respect of a Magistrate to such as are under him: such a one is in grace with the Prince we say: we mean not any inherent thing: but free grace. So in Religion, it is not any inherent, habitual thing; Grace, but it is free favour, and whatsoever issues from free favour. This must be the rather observed, this phrase, against the Papists: we say, we are Justified by Grace, and so do they: what do they mean by being justified by Grace? that is, by inherent Grace; we say, No, we are justified by Grace, that is, by the free favour of God in Jesus Christ, so is the acception of the word.
But to come to the point, that which I will now note, is this, thatDoctr. A Christian needs Grace, when he is in state of Grace.
A Christian, though he be in the state of Grace and favour with God, yet still he needs the continuance of it. He stands in need of the continuance of God. St. Paul here prayes for Grace, and peace to those that were in the state of Grace already. Why? The reason of it is, that we run into new Reas. We run daily into new breaches.breaches every day of our selves: as long as there is a spring of corruption in us, a cursed issue of corruption, so long there will be some actions, and speeches and thoughts, that will issue, that would of themselves break our peace with God; or at least hinder the sweet sence of it: therefore we have continual occasion to renew our desires of the sence and feeling of the favour of God, and to renew our pardon every day, to take out a pardon of course, (as we have now the liberty to do, so oft as we confesse our sins, he is mercifull to forgive us) and to win his favour, we have need every day still, still of Grace. I list not to joyn in conflict here with the Papists concerning their opinion, I will but touch it by the way, to shew the danger of it. They will not have all of meer Grace: but Christians are under Grace while they are in this World, as St. Paul saith, all is Grace, Grace still: nay, at the day of judgement, The Lord shew mercy to the house of One siphorus at that day: at the day of judgement, Grace, and mercy, must be our plea, till we come to heaven. They stand upon Grace to enable us to the work, and then by the work we may merit our own salvation, and so they will not have it of Grace, of gift; but as a stipend a thing of merite. Directly contrary to St. Paul Rom. 6. ult. Eternal life is foreign, (the word comes of foreign, of gift) The gift of God a free gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. So from the first Grace, to Eternall life, which is the complement of all, all is Grace.
As for the New Testament, it is the Covenant of Grace: the whole carriage of our salvation is called the Covenant of Grace: because, God, of Grace doth enter into Covenant with us. He sent Christ of Grace, who is the foundation of the Covenant. The fulfilling of it on our part, is of Grace; he gives us faith, Faith is the gift of God, he puts his fear in our hearts that we should not depart from him. And when he enters into Covenant with us, it is of Grace and love. It was of Grace that he sent Christ to be the foundation of the Covenant; that in the satisfying of his justice, he might be gracious to us, without disparagement to his justice. Of Grace he fulfils the condition on our part: we are no more able to believe, then we are to fulfil the law; but he inables us by his word and spirit, (attending upon the meanes of Salvation) to fulfil the Covenant. And when we have done all, he gives us of Grace, Eternal life, all is of Grace.
There is nothing in the Gospel but Grace; therefore in the Ephes. 1. it is stood upon by the Apostle, To the praise of the Glorie of his rich Grace. From Ephes. 1.Election to Glorification, all is to the Glorie of his Grace.
We ought to conceive of God as a Gracious Father, withholding his anger (which we deserve to be poured upon us) by the intercession of How to conceive of God.Christ, withholding that anger, and the fruits of it. And notwithstanding we are in Grace, if we neglect to seek to God the Father; if we neglect to seek to Christ, who makes intercession for us, then (though we be in the first Grace still, we are not east away yet) we are filii sub ira sons under wrath, we are under Anger, though not under hatred.
Therefore every day we should labour to maintain the Grace of God with the assurance of it. It is a great matter to carrie our selvs so, as we To maintain Gods Grace daily.may be under the sence and feeling of the Grace of God. It is not sufficient to be in the Grace of God, but to have the report of it to our own hearts, to have it shine upon us.
How should we carry our selves so, that we may be in state of Grace, that is, in such a state, as we may find the sweet evidence and comfortable Quest. how to have continual assurance of Grace.feeling continually, that we are Gods Children?
First of all, there must be a perpetual, daily practise of abasing our selves, of making our selves poore; that is, every day to see the vanity of all Ans.things in the world out of us; to see the weaknesse of Grace in us; to see 1. abase our selves.the return of our corruptions that foile us every day; that so we may see in what need we stand of the favour of God: Considering that all comforts without are vanity, and that all the Graces in us are stained with corruption: considering, besides the staines of our Graces, that there is a continuall issue of corruption: these things will make our spirits poor, and make us hunger and thirst after the sence and feeling of free pardon every day. This will enforce us to renew our patent, to renew our portion in the Covenant of Grace, to have daily pardon. This should be our daily practise to enter deeper, and deeper into our selves.
This is to live by faith. As God is continually ready to shew us favour in Christ, not onelyonly at the first in acquitting us from our sins; but continually doth shew us favour upon all occasions, and is justifyng and pardoning, and speaking peace continually to us: so there must be an action answerable in us, that is depending upon God by faith; living by faith. This we do by seeing in what need we stand of Grace, God resists the proud, but gives Grace to the humble.
Then again, that we may walk in the grace of God, and in the sence of it: let us every day labour to have our souls more and more enriched Labour to be rich in grace.with the endowments and graces of Gods Spirit, that we may be objects of Gods delight. Let us labour to be affected to things as he is affected, two cannot walk together except they be agreed. Let us hate that which God hates, and delight in that which God delights in, that we may have a kind of complacency, and be in love with the blessed work of the Spirit of God more and more: Let us labour to delight in them that grow in grace; as the nearer any one comes to our likenesse, the more we grow in familiarity with them. Labour also to preserve a clear soul, that God may shine upon us. God delights not in strangenesse to us, his desire is that we may walk in the sence and assurance of his grace and favour.
How shall we know that we are in state of Grace with God?
I Answer; (that we do not deceive our selves) we must look to the Quest.work of Gods grace: Gods grace is a fruitful grace; his favour is fruitful; Answ. How to know we are in Gods favour.it is not a barren favour, it is not a Winter Sun. The Sun in the Winter, it carries a goodly countenance, but it heats not to any purpose, it doth not quicken: but Gods grace, it carries life and heat where it comes: therefore 1. By joy of the Spirit.if we be in state of grace and favour with God, we may discern it.
But in times of desertion, though a person be in grace and favour with God, yet many times he thinks he is not so.
It is true then we must not alway go to our feeling at such times, and the enlargement of our hearts by the Spirit of comfort, but go to the work of 2. By the graces of the Spirit.grace: for where grace and favour is, there are the graces of the Spirit. As it is nor a bare favour in regard of comfort, so it is not a barren favour in regard of graces: for every heart that is in favour with God, hath some graces of the Spirit. God enriches the soul where he shewes favour; his love-tokens are some graces; therefore if the witnesse, and comfort of the Spirit cease in case of desertion, let us go to the work of the Spirit, and by that we may know if we be in grace with God. For Gods people are a peculiar people: and Gods children have alwayes some peculiar grace, some Ornaments, some Jewels the spouse of Christ hath, which others have not.
Therefore examine thy heart, what work of God there is, and what desire thou hast after better things, what inward hatred against that which is ill, what strength thou hast against it: go to some mark of Regeneration, of the new Creature, and these will evidence that we are in a state of grace with God, because these are peculiar favours. And though we feel not the comfort, yet there is a work, and that work will comfort us more then the comfort it self will do.
And this is one thing whereby we may know we are in favour with God; when we can comfort our selves, and can go to the throne of grace through 3. By going to God in extremity.Christ, when we can go boldly to God, it is a sign of favour: when we can call upon him, when we can go in any desertion to prayer; when in any affliction we can have inlarged hearts, it is a sign of favour with God. A meer hypocrite, or a man that hath not this peculiar grace, he trusts to outward things, and when they are gone, when he is in trouble, he hath not the heart to go to God; his heart is shut up, he sinks down, because he, relyed upon common matters: he did not relie upon the favour of God and the best fruit of it, which are graces, but upon common favours; therefore he sinks in despair.
But a sound Christian, take him at the worst, he can sigh to God, he can go to him, and open his soul to him: by Christ we have an entrance to the Father, Ephes 3. 12. We have boldnesse through faith. Every Christian hath this in the worst extremity, he hath a Spirit of prayer: though he cannot enlarge himself, yet he can sigh and groan to God, and God will hear the sighes of his own Spirit, they are loud in his ears. David, at the worst, he prayes to God, Saul at the worst, he goes to the Witch, and from thence to his swords point. But usually, the usual temper and disposition of a man in the state of grace is joy: for as one saith, Grace is the begetter of joy, for they both have one root in the Greek Language, there is the same root for favour, and for joy: so favour is usually and ordinarily with a sweet enlargement of heart, we may thank our selves else, that, do not walk so warily, and so jealously as we should.
The reward that God gives his Children that are careful, is a Spirit of joy, Rom. 5. 1. Being Justified by faith we have peace of God, and joy in tribulation. For even as it is in humane matters, the favour and countenance of the King, it is as a shower of rain after a drought, it comforts his subjects: there is a wonderous joy in the favour, and grace of great persons alway. And as the favourable aspect of the heavens upon inferiour bodies▪ promiseth good things: and men promise themselves from that, favour and good: so the favour, and grace of God enlarge the soul with joy and comfort: And there is that measure of joy in those that are in the free favour of God, that they will honour God freely, to cast themselves upon his mercy.
And it is with a disesteem of all things in the World besides; it is such a joy as works in the soul a base esteem of all things else: St. Paul esteemed all drosse, in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, and the favour of God in Christ. So in Psal. 4. David saith of some, There be many that will say, who will shew us any good? any good, it is no matter: but saith the Holy Spirit in David, Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me: He goes to prayer, he saith not, who will shew us any good? it is no matter what, or how we come by it, any earthly good worldly men desire: No, saith he, Lord shew us the light of thy countenance, he desires that above all things. So he saith Psal. 3. The loving kindnesse of the Lord is better then life it self. Life is a sweet thing, the sweetest thing in the World, but the grace and favour of God is better then that: For in this when all comforts fail, the Children of God have assurance, that neither life, nor death, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any thing can separate us from the love of God in Christ, which shews it self better then life it self. When life fails, this favour shall never fail, Nothing shall be able to separate us from the favour of God in Christ; it is an everlasting favour, and therefore everlasting because it is free: if it were Originally in us, it would fail when we fail: but it is an everlasting favour, because it is free, God hath founded the cause of love to us in himself: so much for that; Grace be unto you.
And peace.
All that I will say of peace in this place is this, to shew, That True peace issues from Grace.
It is to be had thence. Peace, we take here for that sweet peace with God and peace of conscience, and likewise peace with all things; when all Observ.things are peaceable to us: when there is a sweet successe in all businesse, with a security in a good estate. It is a blessed thing when we know that all will be well with us. This quiet and peaceable estate issues from grace, peace of conscience especially; I observe it the rather: It hath been the errour of the world to seek peace where it is not, to seek peace in Sanctification: to seek it in the work of Grace within a man. Not to speak of worldly men, that seek peace in outward contentments, in recreations, in friends, and the like; alas it is a poore peace; But I speak of Religious persons that are of a higher straine, they have sought peace, but not high enough. True peace must be selected from Grace: the free favour in Christ. This will quiet and still the clamours of an accusing conscience. God reconciled in Christ will pacifie the conscience, nothing else will do it. For if our chief peace were fetched from sanctification; (as many fetch it thence in error of judgment) alas the conscience would be dismaid, and alwaies doubt whether it had sanctification enough or no. Indeed sanctication and grace within is required as a qualification, to shew that we are not Hypocrites, but are in the state and covenant of Grace; it is not required as a foundation of comfort, but as a qualification of the persons to whom comfort belongs. Therefore David, and St. Paul, and the rest that knew the true power and efficacy of the Gospel, they sought for peace in the grace and free favour of God.
Let us lay it up, to put it in practise in the time of dissolution, in the time of spiritual conflict, in the time when our consciences shall be awakened (and perhaps upon the rack,) and Satan will be busie to trouble our peace; that we may shut our eyes to all things below, and see God shining on in Christ; that we may see the favour of God in Christ, by whose death and passion he is reconciled to us, and in the Grace and free favour of God in Ghrist we shall see peace enough.
It is true likewise (besides peace of conscience) of all other peace, peace of successe, and peace of state; that all creatures, and all conditions are peacable to us, whence is it? It is from Grace: for God being reconciled, he reconciles all; when God himself is ours, all is ours, when he is turned, all is turned with him; when he becomes our father in Christ, and is at peace with us, all are at peace besides: so that all conditions, all estates, all creatures, they work for our good. It is from hence, when God is turned, all are turned with him. He being the God of the creature, that sustaines and upholds the creature, in whom the creature hath his being and working: he must needs therefore turn it for the good of them that are in covenant with him. All that are joyned in covenant with him he fills them with peace: because they are in Grace with him.
This should stir up our hearts, above all things in the world to pray for Grace, to get Grace, to empty our selves of self-confidence, that we may be vessels for Grace: to make Grace our plea, to magnifie the Grace of God.
We must never look in this world for a peace altogether absolute, that is reserved for heaven, our peace here is a troubled peace; God will have a distinction between heaven and earth. But when our peace is interrupted, when the waters are come into our souls, what must be our course? when we would have peace, go to Grace, go to the free promise of Grace in Christ. Grace and Peace.
From God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The spring of Grace and peace are here mentioned.
After the Preface he comes to the Argument which he intends, and begins with blessing.
One part of the scope of this blessed Apostle is, to avoid the scandall of his sufferings; for, he was a man of sorrows, if ever man was (next Christ, who was a true man of sorrow) the blessed Apostle was a man of miseries and sorrow. Now, weake shallow Christians thought him to be a man diserted of God, they thought it was impossible for God to regard a man so forlorn, so despicable as this man was: What doth he? before he comes to other matters, he wipes away this imputation, and cleers this scandal; You lay my crosses and sufferings, and disgraces in the world to my shame, it is your weakness, that which you account my shame, is a matter of praise. I am so farre from being disheartned or discouraged from what I suffer, that,
Blessed be God the Father of Christ, the Father of mercies, &c.
That which to the flesh is matter of scandall and offence, that to the spirit, and to a spirituall man is matter of glory, so contrary is the flesh and the Spirit, and so opposite is the disposition, and the current of the fleshly man to the spirituall man. Job was so farre from cursing God for taking away, that he saith, Blessed be the name of God, not onelyonly for giving, but for taking away too.
What ground there is in troubles and persecutions to blesse God, we shall see in the current and passages of the Chapter.
To come then to the very verse it selfe, where there is a blessing and praysing of God first: And in this praysing consider
The
Act
Object.
Reasons.
The Act, Blessed be God, which is a praysing.
The Object is God the Father,
The Reasons are inwrapped in the Object, Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: because he is the God and Father of Iesus Christ, therefore blessed be he.
Secondly, another reason is, because he is the Father of mercies.
Another reason is, from the Act of this disposition of merciemercy in God, he is the God of all comfort, and as he is comfortable, so he doth comfort, Thou art good and doest good, saith the Psalmist: thou art a God of comfort, and thou doest comfort; For, as he is, so he doth, he shews his Nature in his working. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of comfort, of which I shall speake when I come to them.
Blessed be God the Father, &c.
We see here the heart of the blessed Apostle being warmed with the sense and taste of the sweet mercy of God, stirrs up his tongue to bless God; a full heart and a full tongue. We have here the exuberancie, the abundance of his thankfulness, breaking forth in his speech, his heart had first tasted of the sweet mercies, and comforts of God before he prayseth God: The first thing that we will observe hence is, that,
It is the disposition of Gods Children (after they have tasted the sweet mercy and Obser. The disposition of Gods Children to be thankfull.comfort and love of God) to break forth into the praysing of God and to thanksgiving.
It is as naturall for the new creature to doe so, as for the birds to sing in the Spring; when the Sun hath warmed the poore creature, it shews its thankfulnesse in singing; and that little blood and spirits that it hath, being warmed after winter, it is natural for those creatures so to do, and we delight in them.
It is as natural for the new creature (when it feels the Sun of righteousness warming the soul, when it tastes of the mercy of God in Christ) to shew forth it self in thankfulnesse and praise: and it can no more be kept from it, then fire can keep from burning, or water from cooling: it is the nature of the new creature so to do.
The reason is, every creature must do the the work for which God hath enabled it, to the which God hath framed it: the happinesse of the creature is in well doing, in working according to its nature; the heathen could see that. Now all the creatures; the new creature especially is for the glory of God in Christ Jesus. All the new creature, and what priviledges it hath, and what graces it hath, all is that God may have the glory of grace: why then, it must needs work answerable to that which God hath created it for; therefore it must shew forth the praise and glorie of God. Blessed be God, saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. And the blessed Ephes. …Apostle St. Peter begins his Epistle, Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who hath begotten us to an Inheritance Immortal and undefiled, which fadeth not away, reserved for us in Heaven.
I shall not need to set down with the exposition of the word (Blessed). How God blesseth us, and how we blesse God. His blessing is a conferring To blesse God, what.of blessing; our blessing is a declaring of his goodnesse: it is a thing well enough known. Our blessing of God, is a praising of God, a setting out what is in him.
OnelyOnly, one thing is to be cleared. What good can we do to God in blessing of him? he is blessed, though we blesse him not; and he is praised whether we praise him or no: he had Glorie enough before he made the world, he contented himself in the Trinity, the blessed Trinity in it self, before there were either Angels, or men or other creatures to blesse him; and now he can be blessed enough, though we do not blesse him.
It is true, he can be so; and he can have heaven, though thou hast it not but be a damned creature, and he will be blessed whether thou blesse him or no.We add nothing to God when we blesse him.
Our blessing of him is required as a dutie to make us more capable of his graces, to him that hath shall be given. To him that hath, (and useth 1. It is a duty to God.that he hath to the Glorie of God) shall be given more: we give nothing.
The stream gives nothing to the fountain; the beam gives nothing to the Sun, for it issues from the Sun; our very blessing of God is a blessing of his.
It is from his Grace that we can praise his Grace; and we run still into a new debt, when we have hearts enlarged to blesse him.
We ought to have our hearts more enlarged, that we can be enlarged to prayse God.
And to others it is good; for others are stirred up by it: Gods goodnesse 2. It stirs up othersand mercy is enlarged in regard of the manifestation of it to others, by our blessing of God.
Yea, this good comes to our souls, besides the increase of Grace, we 3. It is good for our selves.shall find an increase of joy and comfort; that is one end why God requires it of us, though he himself in his essence be alway alike blessed, yet he requires that we should be thankful to him alway, that we should blesse and praise him even in misery and affliction: & why then? because if we can work upon our hearts a disposition to see Gods love, and to praise and blesse him, we can never be uncomfortable; we have some comfort against all estates and conditions, by studying to praise God, by working of our hearts to a disposition to praise and bless God; for then crosses are light, crosses are no crosses then: That is the reason that the Apostles and Holy men so stirred up their hearts to praise and thansgiving, that they might feele their crosses the less, that they might be lesse sensible of their discomforts; for undoubtedly when we search for matter of praysing God in any afliction, and when we see there is some mercy yet reserved, that we are not consumed; the consideration that there is alway some mercy, that we are yet unthankfull for, will inlarge our hearts, and God when he hath thanks and praise from us, he gives us still more matter of thankfulnesse, and the more we thank him and praise him, the more we have matter of praise.
This being a truth, that Gods Children, when they have tasted of his merciemercy, break forth into his praise, it being the end of his favours, and nature being inclined thereto; this should stirre us up to this duty, and that we may the better perform this holy duty, let us take notice of all Gods favours and blessings: Knowledge stirs up the affections, blessing of God springs immediately from an inlarged heart, but enlargement of heart is stirred up from apprehension: for as things are reported to the knowledge, so the understanding reports them to the heart and affections Therefore it is a duty that we ought to take notice of Gods favours, and with taking notice of them.
To mind them, to remember them, forget not all his benefits, Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soule, and forget not all his benefits; insinuating 2. To mind them.that the cause why we praise not God is the forgetting of his benefits.
Let us take notice of them, let us register them, let us mind them, let us keep diaries of his mercies and favours every day; he renews his mercies and favours every day, and we ought to renew our blessing of him every day, we should labour to do here, as we shall do when we are in heaven, where we shall do nothing else but praise and bless him; we ought to be in Heaven, while we are on the earth, as much as we may; let us register his favours and mercies.
But what favours?
Especially spirituall, nay, first spirituall favours, without which Spirituall favours especially to give thanks for.we cannot heartily give thanks for any outward thing; for the soule will cast with it self, till it feele it selfe in Covenant with God in Christ, that a man is the Child of God.
Indeed I have many mercies and favours, God is good to me; but perhaps all these are but favours of the Traytor in the prison that hath the libertie of the Tower, and all things that his heart can desire; but then he looks for an execution, he looks for a writt to draw him forth to make him a spectacle to all; and so this trembling for fear of a future ill which the soul lookes for, it keepes the soul from thankfulnesse. It cannot be heartily thankful for any mercy, till it can be thankful for spiritual fauors.
Therefore first let us see that our state be good, that we are in Christ, that we are in the covenant of Grace, that though we are weak Christians, yet we are true, there is truth in Grace wrought in us. And then when we have tasted the best mercies, spirituall mercies, when we see we are taken out of the state of nature (for then all is in love to us) when we have the first mercy, pardoning mercy, that our sins are forgiven in Christ, then the other are mercies indeed to us, not as favours to a condemned man.
And that is the reason that a carnall man, he hath his heart shut, he cannot Why a carnal man is unthankful.praise God, he cannot trust in God: because he staggers in his estate, because he is not assured: he thinks, it may be God fattens me against the day of slaughter. Therefore I know not whether I should praise him for this or no. But he is deceived in that: for if he had his heart enlarged to blesse God for that, God would shew further favour still; but the heart will not yield hearty praise to God, till it be perswaded of Gods love. For all our love is by reflection. We love him, because he loved us first, and we praise and blesse him, because he hath blest us first in heavenly blessings in Christ.
Let us take notice of his favours, let us mind them: let us register them, especially favours and mercies in Christ. Let us after think how we were pulled out of the cursed estate of nature, by what ministery, by what acquaintance, by what speech, and how God hath followed that merciemercy with new acquaintance, with new comfort to our souls, with new refreshings: that by his spirit he hath repressed our corruptions, that he hath sanctified us, made us more humble, more careful, that he hath made us more jealous, more watchful: these mercies, and favours, will make others sweet unto us.
And then learn to prize and value the mercies of God, which will not be unlesse we compare them with our own unworthinesse: lay his mercies together with our own unworthinesse, and it will make us break forth into blessing of God. When we consider what we are our selves, as Jacob said, lesse than the least of Gods mercies.
We forget Gods mercies every day, he strives with our unthankfulnesse: the comparing of his mercies with our unworthiness and our desert on the contrary, will make us to blesse God for his goodnesse and patience, that he will not onelyonly be good to us, in not inflicting that which our sins have deserved; Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And (to name no more bút this one) above all, beg of God his holy spirit: Beg the spirit.for this Blessing of God is nothing else, but a vent from the spirit. For as Organs and wind Instruments do never sound except they be blown, they are dead and make no musick till there be breath put into them: so we are dead and dull instruments; therefore it is said, we are filled with the Holy Ghost. All Gods children they are filled with the spirit before they can praise God: the spirit stirres them up to praise him, and as it gives them matter to praise him; for, so it gives the Sacrifice of praise it self. God gives to his children, both the benefits to blesse him for, and he gives the blessing of a heart to blesse him. And we must beg both of God: beg a heart able to discern spiritual favours, to tast and relish them, and to see our own unworthinesse of them, and beg of God his holy spirit to awaken, and quicken, and enlarge our dead and dull hearts to praise his name.To stir up our selves to praise God.
Let us stir up our hearts to it, stirr up the spirit of God in us every one that hath the spirit of God, should labour to stir up the spirit, as St. Paul writes to Timothy, and as David stirs up himself, Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name; so we should raise up our selves, and stir up our selves to this duty.
And shame our selves; what, hath God freed me from so great misery? To shame our selves for unthankfulnesse.and hath he advanced me to so happie an estate in this world? doth he put me in so certain a hope of glorie in the world to come? have I a certain promise to be carried to salvation? that neither things present nor things to come shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus? doth he renew his mercies every day upon me? and can I be thus dead, can I be thus dull-hearted? Let us shame our selves. And certainly if a man were to teach a Child of God a ground of humiliation: if a Child of God that is in the state of grace should ask how he might grow humble and be abased more and more, a man could give no one direction better then this, to consider how God hath been good continually; how he hath been patient and good, and upon what ground we hope that he will be so: and to consider the disposition of our own drooping, drousie souls: if this will not abase a soul that hath tasted the love and merciemercy of God, nothing in the world will do it. There never was a Child of God of a dull temper and disposition, but he was ashamed, that being under such a covenant of favour, that he should yet not have a heart more enlarged to blesse God.
To stir us up to this duty, for arguments to perswade us, what need we Motions to thankfulnesse.use many? It should be our duty in this world to be as much in heaven and heavenly imployment. Our conversation is in heaven (saith the Apostle) 1. it is the imployment of heaven.How can we be in heaven more then by practising of that which the Saints and Angels, and the Cherubins, and Seraphins spend all their strength in there? How do they spend all that blessed strength with chearfulnesse and joy, that are in that place of joy? How do they spend it, but in setting forth the praise of God, the wonderful goodnesse of God that hath brought them to that happinesse? Certainly that which we shall do for ever in heaven, we ought to do as much as we may do on earth. And it is (as I said before) 2. It mitigates crosses.in all aflictions and troubles, the only special way to mitigate them, to work our hearts to thankfulnesse for mercies and favours that we enjoy. We have cause indeed at the first to be abased and humbled; but we have more cause to rejoyce, in working our hearts to comfort in blessing of God, it will ease the crosse, any crosse whatsoever. I will not dwell further upon the point, I shall have occasion oft to digresse upon this duty.
The Object of prayse here, is God, cloathed with a comfortable description; God how considered the object of praise.not God simply, for alas we have no hearts to praise God, take God onelyonly armed with justice, cloathed with Majesty. Consider God thus, indeed he deserves glory and praise, but the guilty soule will not praise him thus considered, and abstracted from merciemercy and goodness, and love, therefore saith he, Blessed be God God how considered, Blessed be God.
The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
First, he is father of Christ, and then Father of mercies, and God of comfort. God, so considered, be blessed.
God (as he is to be prayed unto, so) he is to be praised.
And only God, this sacrifice, this perfume, this incense it must not be mispent upon any creature, we have all of his grace, and we should returne all to his glory, that is a duty. But consider him as he is described here, first the father of Christ, and then the father of mercies, and God of all comfort. And it is not to be omitted, thar first he begins with this.
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ only as he is God, but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as he is man: for God being the Father of whole Christ, being father of the person, he is father of the manhood, taken into unitie with that person; so he is Father both of God and Man, they cannot be dividedin Christ, he being the Father of whol Christ, he is the Father God and Man. And he is first the Father of Christ, and then the Father of us, and the Father of mercies; for alas, unlesse he had been the Father of Christ, God and Man, Mediatour, he could never have been the Father of such cursed creatures as we are: but because he is the Father of Christ, of that blessed manhood, which Christ hath taken into Unitie of person with the God-head, therefore he is the Father of us, who by Union are one with Christ.
The point then is, that,
God (thus considered) as the Father of Jesus Christ is to be praysed.Doct. God as the Fa… of Christ to be praysed.
Here is the reason of blessing and praysing him, in this, that he is the Father of Jesus Christ, for thence he comes to be our Father; it is a point that we think not oft enough on, but it is the ground of all comfort, for we have all at the second hand, Christ hath all first, and we have all from him: He is the first Son, and we are sons, he is the first beloved of God, and we are beloved in him; he is filled first with all grace, and we are filled from him, of his fulnesse we receive Grace for Grace: he was first acquitted of our sinnes, as our surety, and then we are justified, because he was iustified from our sins, being our surety, he is ascended into Heaven, we shall ascend; he sits at the right hand of God, and we sit with him in heavenly places; he judgeth, we shall iudge him; whatsoever we doe, Christ doth it first, we have it in Christ, and through Christ, and from Christ, he is the Father of Christ, and our Father.
Therefore we ought to blesse God for Christ, that he would predestinate Use 1. To bless God for Christ.Christ to be our head, to be our Saviour; that he would take the humane nature of Christ, and make it one person with his Divine nature, and so predestinate us, and elect, and chuse us to salvation in him, blessed be God that he would be the Father of Jesus Christ.
And as this should stirre us up to bless God for Jesus Christ; so likewise it should direct us to comfortable meditations, to see our Nature in Christ first, and then in our selves: See thy Nature abased in Christ, see thy Nature glorified in Christ, see thy Nature filled with all grace in Christ, and see this, that thou art knit to that Nature, thou art flesh of Christs flesh, and bone of his bone, and thou shalt be so as he is. In that Christs nature was first abased, and then glorified; this nature shall first be abased to death and dust, and then be glorified. Christ died, and rose again, thou art predestinated to be conformable to Christ; for as his flesh was first humbled and then glorious, so thine must be first humble, and then glorious. His flesh was holy, humble, and glorious, and so must ours be: whatsoever we look for (in our selves) that is good, we must see it in Christ first.
Aud when we heare in the Gospel, in the Articles of the Creed, of Christ crucified, of Christ dying, of Christ rising, ascending, and sitting at the right hand of God: let us see our selves in him, see our selves dying in him, and rising in him, and sitting at the right hand of God. For the same God that raised Christ natural, will raise Christ mystical, he will raise whole Christ: for he is not glorified by pieces; as whole Christ natural, in his body and members was raised, so shall whole Christ mystical be. Therefore in every Article of the Creed blesse God, blesse God forabasing of Christ: blesse God for raising him up, blesse God for raising us up: Blessed be God who hath raised us up to an immortal hope, by the Reserrection of Christ, saith St. Peter: blesse God for the ascension of Christ, that our Head is in heaven. Let us blesse God, not for personal favours only, but go to the spring: blesse God for shewing it to Christ, and to us in him.
This point the Apostle had learned well: therefore he begins with praise, Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the Virgin Mary thought her self blessed, and all Generations should call her Blessed, for bearing our Saviour in her Womb, and so being his Mother; then all Generations must needs do this duty to call God blessed, because he is the Father of Christ. So God the Father is to be blessed as the spring of favours: for he gave Christ. All Generations call the Virgin Mary blessed, because she was the Mother of Christ: but that was in a lower degree, then God was his Father. This point ought to take up our meditations; to think we have all in Christ first; to think of our selves in Christ, it is comfortable; and Christ shall have more glory by it; God the Father and the Son shall have glory by it, and we shall have comfort.
The second consideration of God is, not only as he is the Father of Christ; but as he is,
The Father of Mercies.
God is the Father of Christ, and our Father, and the Father of mercies, God the Father of mercies because the Father of Christ.but as I said before in this method, he is first the Father of Christ, and then our Father, and then the Father of mercies. For he could never be the Father of mercies to us, except he were the Father of Christ: For mercy must see justice contented, one attribute in God must not devour another; all must have satisfaction, his Justice must have no wrong: nor it hath not now, it is fully satisfied by Christ.
Therefore God is the Father of Christ, that Christ in our nature might die for us, and so he might be our Father notwithstanding our sins, having punished our sins in our surety Christ. So being the Father of Christ, and our Father, he is the Father of mercies, his justice hath no losse by it.
If God had not found out a way out of the bowels of his mercy, how he might shew good to us, by reconciling mercy and justice in the Mediator Christ, in punishing him for our sins, to let us free, he had never been a Father of mercy, if he had not been the Father of Christ first; for we being in such contrary terms as God and we were, he being holinesse, and we nothing but a masse of sin and corruption: without sufficient satisfaction of an infinite person there could be no reconciliation: therefore he is the Father of Christ who died for us, he took our nature upon him to satisfie Gods justice; and then Father of us, and so Father of mercy to us.
He may well be the Father of mercies now, being the Father of Christ; of our nature in Christ: for (as I said) he is the Father of Christ as man, as well as he is God: being the Father of our nature, being taken into the unity with his own Sons Nature (for both make one Christ,) he becomes the Father of mercies; he is a Father to him by nature; to us by Grace and Adoption; The Father of Christ, and Father of mercies. It is a necessary method; for God out of Christ is a fountain indeed, but he is a … sealed up, he is a God Merciful and Gracious in his own nature, but there is sin that stops the fountain, that stops the current of the mercy: there must be therefore satifaction to his justice, and wrath, before there can be reconciliation, before there can any mercy flow from him. He is first the Father of Christ, and then the Father of mercies: we have all from Christ. If he were not the Father of Christ, he should be the Father of no body; for immediatly no man is able to appear before God without a mediator.
Father of Mercies.
By Father (which is a kind of Hebraisme,) is meant, he is the Original, the spring of mercies: he is the Father of mercies. He doth not say the Father of one mercy, but the Father of mercies. His mercy is one, it is his Nature, it is Himself, as he is one, so mercy in him is one: it is one in the fountain, but many in the streames: it is one in him, one nature, and one mercy: but because we have not one sin, but many sins, we have not one misery, but many, that lies upon this fraile nature of ours: therefore according to the exigences of us wretched Creatures, according to our sins and miseries, his mercies stream out, they are derived and run out to all kind of sin and misery whatsoever.
The Father of mercies: If all mercies were lost, they must be found in him, he is the Father of mercies; they are his bowels (as it were) and mercy pleaseth him as a man is pleased with his own natural Child The Father of mercies, he doth not say the Author of mercies, but the Father of them: he gives them the sweetest name that can be: he doth not say the Father of revenge, or of judgement (though he be the father of them too): but to his Children the father of mercies: A sweet name under which none should despair.
But to shew some reasons, why he is so stiled. There is good reason, God is stiled Father of mercies.being the Father of Christ, his justice being fully contented, sin being taken away that stopped the current of his mercies, he being naturally merciful, 1. Because Christ his justice is satisfied.his mercies run freely: Father of Christ, and Father of mercies; it followes well, he is the father of mercies, because he is the Father of Christ, and because his justice is satisfied in him, and he being naturally merciful, what hinders but that mercy may run amain, freely, and abundantly upon those that are in covenant with him in Christ, that are members of Christ: that is one reason, because his justice is satisfied.
And because he is naturally merciful, therefore he is the Father of mercies. 2. Because he is naturally mercifull.The Sea doth not more naturally flow, and is moist, and the Sun doth not more naturally shine, the fire doth not more naturally burn, heavy bodies do not more naturally sink to the center, then God doth naturally shew pitty and mercy where his justice is satisfied: for it is his nature, it is himself.
The Apostle doth not name other attributes; for alas, other attributes All Gods attributes without mercy terrible.would scare us: As for example, if the guilty conscience consider him as a God of justice, it will reason thus: what is this to me? I am a sinner, and he will be just in punishing: if he consider he is a God of Wisedome, the conscience considers, he is the more wise to find out my windings, and turnings from him, and my covering of my sins; he is the more wise to find me out in my courses, and to shame me: he doth not say, he is a God of power, the Father of Power; the guilty conscience then would reason, he is the more able to crush me, and to send me to hell.
Indeed there is no attribute of God, but it is matter of terrour, being secluded from mercy; but considering, God the Father of mercies, then we may consider sweetly and comfortably of all other attributes: He is mercifull and good to me; therefore his wisdom that shall serve to do me good, to devise good things for me, his power shall serve to free me from mine enemies, his Justice to revenge my quarrell, and so all other attributes, shall be serviceable to my comfort: they may be thought upon sweetly, where mercy is laid claime unto before: Therefore here he is called the Father of merciemercy, and not the Father of other attributes.
Of Mercies.
To unfold the word a little (merciemercy) is here, the same with grace MercieMercy, what.to a person in miserie: MercieMercy is but free favour shewed to a miserable person: Grace shews the freenesse of it, and merciemercy shews the state of the person to whom it is shown: alway where mercy is, either there is present or else possible miserie.
There was merciemercy shewed to Angels that stood, to free them, to give them grace to stand; they might have fallen as the Devils did when they were Angels; none are the Subjects of merciemercy, but such as either are in misery, or are possible to fall into miserie: now when God keeps and upholds the creature from falling into that which he is subject to fall into, he being a creature taken out of nothing, and therefore subject to fall to nothing without assistance, to hold him from that whereto he would fall without being upheld; this makes him the Object of mercy, whatsoever the misery be spirituall or outward.
Thus God is the Father of merciemercy, he upholds his Children from that which else they would fall into continually, He is the Father of merciemercy, before Kinds of Gods merciemercy.conversion, offering and injoyning merciemercy to them, that as they will be good to their soules, they would receive merciemercy. He joyns his glory and his mercy together, that he will be glorified in shewing merciemercy, and he presseth it upon us. What a merciemercy is this, that he should press merciemercy upon us for our own good? Why will ye dye, O House of Israel. And Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, there is merciemercy before conversion; and there is merciemercy in prolonging his wrath, in not punishing, and there is merciemercy in pardoning sinne freely, in pardoning all sinne, the punishment and the guilt, and all: and when we are in the state of Grace, and have our sins pardoned, still it is his mercy to forbeare the punishments due to us: in mitigating his corrections, and in seasonable corrections: for it is a mercy for God to correct his Children seasonably: Therefore we are corrected of God, that we should not be damned with the world.
It is a mercy to have seasonable correction; it is a mercy to have correction mitigated, and sweetned with some comforts: It is a mercy after we are in the state of Grace (besides this) to have the continuance of outword blessings.
God renews his mercies every day, His mercies faile not, Lament. 3. 22. his mercies are renewed continually upon us.
So he is father of all kind of mercies; privative mercies, in freeing us from ill, and positive mercies, in bestowing good, pardoning mercies, healing mercies, preserving mercies, all mercies come from this Father of merciemercy.
I will not stand to unfold them in particular; for indeed every thing that comes from God to his children, it is a mercy, it is as it were dipt in mercy before it comes to us: it is a mercy, that is, there is a freedome in it, and a pity to his creature: For the creature is alway in some necessity, and in some dependance: we are in a state of necessities in this life, in some misery or other, and that (as I said) is the object of mercy.
Besides, we are dependant for the good we have; it is at Gods mercy to continue or to take away any comfort that he gives us, every thing is a merciemercy. And in every thing we take from God, we ought to conceive a mercy in it, and to think this is a mercy from God, if we have health, it is a mercy, if we have strength, it is a mercy, if we have deliverance, it is a mercy: it comes in the respect and relation of a merciemercy all that comes from God. He is not said to be the father of the thing: but the Father of mercies, there is a mercy contained in the thing, they come from the pity and love of God, and that is the sweetest: therefore he is said to be the Father of mercies.
What use may we make of this, that God is the Father of Mercies?
It is a point full of sweet and comfortable uses, to those that are not in the state of grace, and to those that are in the state of grace.
To those that are not in the state of grace, they should see here a haven to flie to, a City of refuge, to flie unto: do but consider thou wretched soul, how God is stiled a Father of mercies to thee, a God of bounty: all is to allure thee to repentance, to allure thee to come in. He is not mercifull by accident, but he is naturally merciful in himself, he hath bowels of merciemercy in himself, Mercy pleaseth him, Micah 7.
Therefore despair not thou drooping soul, whosoever thou art that art under the guilt of sin, come to the Father of mercies, cast thy self into this Sea of his merciemercy, hide thy self in these bowels, be not an enemy to thine own merciemercy, as Jonah saith, refufe not thy own merciemercy that is offered. There is merciemercy pressed upon thee, merciemercy with threatning if thou believe not mercy, now thou art called to receive it. The wrath of God hangs over thee as a weight, or as a sword ready to fall upon thee. As Christ sath Joh. 3. The wrath of God hangs over us, if we do not receive merciemercy offered us.
Alledge not thy sins against merciemercy: thy sins are the sins of a creature, God is the Father of mercies, he is infinite: Christ thy Saviour hath made an infinite satisfaction, and thy sins are finite, and in that respect there is merciemercy for thee if thou wilt come in, if thou apprehend, and receive merciemercy.
One deep calls upon another deep, the depth of thy sins and misery, drawes unto it, and calls upon the depth of mercy. The mercy of God is above all his works, Psal. 147. It is not only above all his works to cover them all, and under them to uphold them; but it is beyond them all, his mercy exceeds all other attributes to the creature. It is above his works, and upon his works, and under his works, and it is above thy works too. He is more glorious in his mercy then in any other attribute: he doth all for the glory of his mercy, both in the Creation, and in the Gospel: his mercy therefore is above his own workes, and above thy workes if thou come in.
Oyl is of a Kingly nature, it swims above all other liquors: so the mercy of God, like oyl it swims above all other attributes in him, and Simile.above all sin in thee, if thou wilt receive it.
Father of Mercies.
In a corrupt estate the special mercy is forgiving mercy; if it were not Forgiving mercies, the principal.for forgiving mercies, all other gifts and mercies were to little purpose: for it were but a reserving of us to eternal Judgement, but a feeding the Traitor to the day of Execution, a giving him the liberty of the priison, which is nothing unlesse his Treason be pardoned; so the forgiving mercy leads to all the rest. Now these forgiving mercies, they are unlimitted mercies, there is no bounds of them: for he being the Father of Christ, who is an infinite person, and having received an infinite satisfaction from an infinite Person, he may well be infinitely merciful: and himself is an infinite God, his mercies are like himself, the satisfaction whereby he may be merciful is infinite: hereupon it is that he may pardon, and will pardon all sin without limitation, if they be never so great, never so many.
This I observe the rather, to appease the conscience of a sinner when it is suppressed with terrour, and fear of the greatnesse of his sins. Consider how God hath set down himself, and will be known and apprehended of us, not onelyonly as merciful, but a Father of mercies, and not of one mercy, but of all mercies, not only giving, but forgiving especially, Which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thy infirmities, Psal. 103. This I observe against a pronenesse in us to despair: we are not now proner in the time of peace to presume, then when conscience is awakened to despair, we are prone to Men prone to presume of Gods mercies.both alike: For here is the poyson of mans corruption. Is God so merciful? surely, I may go on in sin, and cry God mercy, and there is an end: God is merciful, nay, the Father of mercies.
Now in the time of peace, sin is nothing with us, swearing is nothing, rotten discourse is nothing, going beyond others in our dealing and commerce is nothing, getting an estate by fraud and deceit is nothing: The bread of deceit is sweet; loose, licentious, libertine life is nothing: and those that do not follow the same excesse, and are dissolute, it is a strange matter with us, they are strange people; we think it strange that others do not so, and if they be better then we, it is but hypocrisie: men measure all by themselves, so all is nothing. Great, grosse swearing is nothing, men glory in it, and to make scruple of it; it is thus and thus: they have terms for it. And what is the bawde for all this? Oh! God is merciful, and Christ he is wonderous merciful, he took our nature that he might die for us, &c.
It is true indeed; but when the conscience is awakened, then the conscience will tell thee another lesson, the conscience will set God as just, and Satan will help conscience, with accusations and aggravations: it is true, it is too true, the conscience will take part with God, and with his word: it is true thou hast done thus, and thus, these are thy sins, and God is just.
And especially at the hour of death, when earthly comforts fail, and there is nothing but sin set before a mans eyes (the comforts that are set before him, can do him no good) then the conscience will hardly receive any comfort: especially the conscienconsciences of such as have gone on in a course of sin, in spight of good meanes: a conscience of such a man as either refuseth or rejects the meanes, because it would favour it self in sin; or a conscience that being under means, having had it sins discovered to it, that conscience will hardly admit of any comfort. And there is none, but they find it another manner of matter then they think it. Sin is a blacker thing then they imagine, their oathes that they trifle with, and their dissolute, and their rotten discourse (when they should be better affected) upon the sabbath, and such like: therefore we ought to look to it.
Well; to presse this point of presumption a little further now I am in it. We are wonderous prone to abuse this merciemercy to presumption, and after to despaire.
I consider this before hand, that however Gods mercy be unlimited, as to whom Gods mercy is unlimitted.indeed it is in it self; it is so unlimited to those that repent, and to those that receive and embrace mercy, and mercy in one kind as well as another; it is so to those that repent of their sins; for God is so the Father of MercieMercy, as that He is the God of Vengeance too, he is a just God too.
The conscience will tell you this well enough, when the outward comforts (that now you dally with, and set as Gods in the room of God, and drown your selves in sensuality, and Idolatry, with the creature, and put them in the place of God, when they are taken away, conscience will tell you, that God is merciful indeed; but he is just to such that refuse mercies.
Therefore though his mercy be unlimited to such as are broken hearted, to such as repent of their sins: (for he will glorifie his Mercy, as he may glorifie his other attributs) he is wisely merciful: if he should be merciful to such as go on in sin, he should not be wisely merciful.
Who, among men, if he be wise would be mercifull to a Child, or Servant without acknowledgement of the fault?
Was not David over merciful to Absalom? Yes, it was his fault: yet out of wisdome, he would not admit him into his presence, till he was humbled for his fault, and made intercession, though he doted upon him. God is infinitely wise, as he is Merciful: therefore He will not be Merciful to him that goes on in wickednesse and sin. This cannot be too often pressed: for the most of the auditors wheresoever we speak, the Divel hath them in this snare, that God is merciful &c. and doth he not know how to use it? He is so indeed, but it is to repentant souls, that mean to break off their course of sin.
Otherwise, if the MercieMercy of God work the other way, hearken to Gods Wrath to presumtuous sinners.thy doom, He that blesseth himself (saith God,) by Moses Denteronomy 29. 16 & saith, these curses shall not come to me: he that blesseth himself and saith: Oh, all shall be well, God is Mercifull &c. My wrath shall smoak against him, and I will not be merciful to him, that goes on in his sins. God will wound the hairie scalp of him that goes on in Sin. As the Apostle saith Romans 2. he that abuseth the bountie and patience of God, that should lead him to repentance, he treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath. The Scripture is never in any case more terrible then this way. In Esay 28. you have made a covenant with hell and death, with Gods judgments: but hell, and death hath not made a covenant with you. You make a covenant, & think you shall do well, but God is terrible to such, his wrath shall smoak against such as make a covenant with his judgments, and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath.
Take heed, if the proclamation of mercy, call thee not in: if thou stand out as a Rebell, and come not in, but go on still: then justice layes hold on thee: Gods wrath shall smoak against thee. As we see in Prov. 1. I will laugh at your destruction, speaking of those that would not come in, Chidas, it is in Esay. 27. 11. He that formed them and made them will have no mercy on them, nor shew them favour. He will have no delight in them. They are Ignorant sotts, and will not labour to know God, and his will, to do, and obey it: he that made them will have no delight in them, and he that formed them will reject them. It is a pittiful thing, when God that made them, and formed them in their mothers womb; whose creatures they are, shall have no delight in them, when he that made them, his heart shall not pittie them Ezek. 18. 18. he that goes on in a course of sin presumptuously, and doth not repent, Gods eye shall not pittie him, he that made him will have no delight in him.
Therefore the Apostle, because we are disposed, and prone, to abuse the goodnesse and long suffering of God, and the mercies of Christ, he saith, Be not deceived, be not deceived, (he oft presseth this) for neither the covetous, nor licentious persons shall enter into heaven.
Though God be mercifull; if thou live in these sins, be not deceived, thou shalt never enter into heaven. God will not be mercifull to the most of those that even now live in the bosome of the Church; because they make mercy a band to their sinful courses, God will harden himself; he will not blesse such: he hath no mercy for such, to such he is a God of vengeance.
His mercy is to such as are weary of their sinful courses: (as I said) he is mercifull; but so, as he is wise.
What Prince will prostitute a pardon to one that is a Rebell, and yet thinks himself a good Subject all the while? he is no Rebell, cares he for a pardon? And shall he have a pardon, when he cares not for it? Those that are not humbled in the sight and sence of their sins, that think themselves in a good estate, they are Rebells, that have not sued out their pardon, there is no merciemercy to them yet, He that made them will not pittie them, because they are Ignorant hardned wretches that live in blasphemy, in swearing, that in corrupt courses, in hardnesse of heart, that live in sins, that their own conscience, and the conscience of others about them, know that they are sins, devouring sins, that devour all their comfort, and yet notwithstanding they dream of mercy, mercy. Hell is their portion and not mercy that make an Idol of God.
Thus it is with us, we are prone to presume upon Gods mercy. I speak this, that we should not surfet of this sweet doctrine, that God is the father of Mercies. He is so to repentant sinners, to those that believe, to those mercy is sweet. We know oyl is above all other liquors: Gods mercy Simile.is above all his own works, and above our sins. But what is the vessel for this oyl? this oyl of mercy it is put in broken vessels, it is kept best there, a broken heart, a humble heart, receives and keepes merciemercy.
As for proud dispositions, (as all Sinners that go on in a course of sin, the Psalmist terms them proud men: he is a proud man, that sets his own will agaist Gods command) God resists the Proud: it is the humble yeelding heart, that will be led and lured by God, that is a vessel to receive mercy. It must be a deep vessel, it must be a broken vessel: deep with humiliation, broken by contrition, that must receive mercy. And it must be a large vessel laid open, capable to receive mercy, and all mercy; not only pardoning mercy, but healing mercy, as I said out of that Psalme, That forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thy transgressions.
Therefore those that have not grace and mercy, to heal their corruptions, to dry up that issue in some comfortable measure, thay have no pardoning mercy: and those that desire not their corruptions to be healed, they never desired heartily their corruptions to be pardoned: those mercies go together.
He is not the Father of mercy, but of all mercies that belong to salvation, and he gives them every one, and he that desires the one, desires the other.
Let us consider, how the sweet descriptions of God, and how his promises work upon us. If they work on us to make us presume, it is a fearful case, it is as bad a sign as may be, to be ill, because God is good, to turn the Grace of God into wantonnesse.
But as we are thus prone to presume; so when conscience is awaked, we are as prone to despair: therefore if they work with us this way, there is mercy with God, therefore I will come in; therefore I will cast down my weapons at his feet, I will cease to resist him, I will come in, and take terms of peace with him; I will yeeld him obedience for the time to come, therefore I will fear, and love, so good a God.
If it work thus, it is a sign of an elect soul, of a gracious disposition. And then if thou come in, never consider what thy sins have been, if thou come in, God will imbrace thee in his mercy. Thy sins are all as a spark of fire that falls into the Ocean, that is drowned presently; so are thy sins Simile.in the Ocean of Gods mercy.
There is not more light in the Sun, there is not more water in the Sea, then there is mercy in the Father of mercy, whose bowels are opened to thee if thou be weary of thy sinful courses, and come in, and imbrace mercy.
In the Tabernacle (we know) there was a mercy Seat: we call it a propitiatory: In the Ark, which this mercy Seat covered, was the Law: now in the Law, there were curses against all sinners.
The Mercy-Seat was a Type of Christ, covering the Law, covering the curse: though thou be guilty of the curse a thousand times, God in Christ is merciful. Christ is the Mercy Seat, come to God in Christ, there is mercy in Israel notwithstanding thy great sins. If we cast away a purpose of living in sin, and cast away our weapons, and submit our selves to him, he is the Father of mercies, that is, he is merciful from himself, he is the spring of them, and hath them from his own bowels: they are free mercies, because he is the Father of them.
For he is just by our fault, he is severe from us, he takes occasion from our sins, but he is merciful from his own bowels: he is good from himself, we provoke him to be severe, and just: therefore be we never so miserable in regard of sin, and the fruits of sin, yet he is the Father of mercy, of free mercy, mercy from himself, mercy pleaseth him, Micah 7. he is delighted in it.
Now that which is natural comes easily, as water from the fountain comes without violence, and heat from the fire comes without any violence, because it is natural. A Mother pitties her child, because it is natural; there is a sweet instinct of nature, that moves and pricks forward nature to that affection of love that she bears to her child. So it is with God, it is nature in him to be merciful to his, because they are his; Mercy is his nature: we are his, we being his, his nature being merciful, he will be merciful to all that are his, to such as repent of their sins, and lay hold of his mercy by a true faith.
His word shewes likewise his mercy, there is not one attribute set down more in Scripture then mercy, it is the name whereby he will be known, Exod. 34. where he describes it, and tells us his name: what is the name of God? his long suffering, and mercy, &c. there is a long description of of God in that place, David in Psal. 3. (besides that which is in every Prophet almost) hath the fame description of God, to comfort Gods people in his time, in Psal. 86. 103. 145. there is the same description of God as there is in Moses, he is merciful and long suffering &c. he describes himself to be so, and his promises are promises of mercy; At what time soever a sinner repents, and without limitation of sins; all sins shall be forgiven, the blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin.
If there be no limitation of persons whomsoever, of sins whatsoever, or of time whensoever; here is a ground that we should never despair; God is the Father of mercies.
It is excellent that the Prophet hath in Isai. 55. 7. to prevent the thoughts of a dejected soul: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God; for he will abundantly pardon.
I, but I have abused mercy a long time, I have lived in sin, and committed Object.great sins, well notwithstanding that, (see how he answers it) My thoughts are not your thoughts; you are vindictive: if a man offend you, you are ready to aggravate the fault, and to take revenge &c. But my thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my wayes as your wayes saith the Lord: for as far as the heaven is above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts, and my wayes above your wayes. We have narrow poor thoughts of mercy, because we our selves are given to revenge, and we are ready when we think of our sins to say, can God forgive them? can God be merciful to such? &c. My thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my wayes as your wayes.
It is good to consider this, and it is a sweet meditation: for the time undoubtedly will come, that unlesse Gods mercy and Gods thoughts should be as him self is, infinite, unlesse his wayes should be infinitly above our wayes, and his thoughts infinitly above ours in mercy: certainly the soul would receive no comfort.
The soul of a Christian, acquainted with the word of God, knows, that Gods mercy is, as himself is, infinite, and his thoughts this way, are, as himself is, infinite: Therefore the Scripture sets down the mercies of God, by all dimensions: There is the depth of Wisedom, but when he comes to speak of love and mercy, as it is in Ephes. 3. Oh the depth, and bredth, and height of this!