The Remaining Discourses on the Attributes of God, Sermon 5

The Remaining Discourses on the Attributes of God · Sermon 5

p. 105SERMON V.Vol. VII. The Mercy of God.

NUMB. XIV.18.

The Lord is long ſuffering, and of great Mercy.

I Have conſidered God's Goodneſs in general. There are two eminent Branches of it, his Patience and Mercy. The Patience of God is his goodneſs to them that are guilty, in deferring or moderating their deſerved puniſhment; the Mercy of God is his goodneſs to them that are or may be miſerable. 'Tis the laſt of theſe two I deſign to diſcourſe of at this time; in doing which, I ſhall inquire,

Firſt, What we are to underſtand by the Mercy of God.

p. 106Secondly, Shew you, that this Perfection belongs to God.

Thirdly, Conſider the degree of it, that God is of great Mercy.

Firſt, What we are to underſtand by the Mercy of God.

I told you it is his goodneſs to them that are in miſery, or liable to it; that is, that are in danger of it, or have deſerved it. 'Tis mercy to prevent the miſery that we are liable to, and which may befal us, tho' it be not actually upon us. 'Tis mercy to defer the miſery that we deſerve, or mitigate it; and this is properly patience and forbearance. 'Tis mercy to relieve thoſe that are in miſery, to ſupport or comfort them. 'Tis mercy to remit the miſery we deſerve, and by pardon and forgiveneſs to remove and take away the obligation to puniſhment.

Thus the mercy of God is uſually in Scripture ſet forth to us by the affection of pity and compaſſion, which is an affection that cauſeth a ſenſible commotion and diſturbance in us, upon the apprehenſion of ſome great Evil that lies upon another, or hangs over him. Hence it is that God is p. 107ſaid in Scripture to be grieved and afflicted for the miſeries of Men; his bowels are ſaid to ſound, and his heart to turn within him. But tho' God is pleaſed in this manner to ſet forth his mercy and tenderneſs towards us, yet we muſt take heed how we cloath the Divine Nature with the Infirmities of human Paſſions. We muſt not meaſure the Perfection of God by the Expreſſions of his condeſcention; and becauſe he ſtoops to our weakneſs, level him to our Infirmities. When God is ſaid to pity us, we muſt take away the imperfection of this Paſſion, the commotion and diſturbance of it, and not imagine any ſuch thing in God; but we are to conceive, that the mercy and compaſſion of God, without producing the diſquiet, do produce the Effects of the moſt ſenſible pity.

Secondly, That this Perfection belongs to God.

All the Arguments that I uſed to prove the goodneſs of God, from the acknowledgment of natural Light, and from Scripture and Reaſon, ſerve to prove that he is merciful; becauſe the mercy of God is an eminent Branch of p. 108his goodneſs. I will only produce ſome of thoſe many Texts of Scripture which attribute this Perfection to God. Exod. 34.6. The Lord, the Lord God, gracious and merciful. Deut. 4.31 The Lord thy God is a merciful God. 2 Chron. 30.9. The Lord your God is gracious and merciful. Neh. 9.17. Ready to pardon, gracious and merciful. Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy. Pſal. 62.12. Ʋnto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy. Pſal. 103.8. Merciful and gracious. Pſal. 130.7. With the Lord there is mercy. And ſo Jer. 3.12. Joel 2.13. Jonah 4.2. Luke 6.36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father alſo is merciful. The Scripture ſpeaks of this as moſt natural to him, 2 Cor. 1.3. he is called the Father of mercies. But when he puniſheth, he doth as it were relinquiſh his Nature, and do a ſtrange work. The Lord will wait that he may be gracious, Iſa. 30.18. God paſſeth by opportunities of puniſhing, but his mercy takes opportunity to diſplay it ſelf; he waits to be gracious. To afflict or puniſh is a Work that God is unwilling to, that he takes no pleaſure in; Lam. 3.33. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. But mercy is a Work that he p. 109delights in, Mic. 7.18. He delighteth in mercy. When God ſhews mercy, he does it with pleaſure and delight; he is ſaid to rejoyce over his people to do them good. Thoſe Attributes that declare God's goodneſs, as when he is ſaid to be gracious, or merciful, and long-ſuffering, they ſhew what God is in himſelf, and delights to be: thoſe which declare his wrath and ſeverity, ſhew what he is upon provocation, and the occaſion of ſin; not what he chuſeth to be, but what we do as it were compel and neceſſitate him to be.

Thirdly, For the degree of it; that God is a God of great mercy.

The Scripture doth delight to advance the mercy of God, and does uſe great variety of Expreſſion to magnifie it. It ſpeaks of the greatneſs of his mercy, Numb. 14.19. According to the greatneſs of his mercy. 2 Sam. 24.14. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are great. 'Tis call'd an abundant mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. According to his abundant mercy. Pſal. 103.8. he is ſaid to be plenteous in mercy; and rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4. Pſal. 5.7. he ſpeaks of the multitude of God's p. 110mercies; and of the variety of them, Neh. 9.18. In thy manifold mercies thou forſookeſt them not. So many are they, that we are ſaid to be ſurrounded and campaſſed about on every ſide with them; Pſal. 103.4. Who crowneth us with loving kindneſs and tender mercies.

And yet further to ſet forth the greatneſs of them, the Scripture uſeth all dimenſions. Heighth, Pſal. 57.10. Thy mercy is great unto the Heavens. Nay, higher yet; Pſal. 108.4. Thy mercy is great above the heavens. For the latitude and extent of it, 'tis as large as the Earth, and extends to all the Creatures in it; Pſal. 109.64. The earth is full of thy mercy. Pſal. 145.8. His tender mercies are over all his works. For the length, or duration and continuance of it; Exod. 34.7. Laying up mercy in ſtore for thouſands of generations, one after another. Nay, it is of a longer continuance; Pſal. 118. 'tis ſeveral times repeated, That his mercy endureth for ever.

And to ſhew the intenſe degree of this affection of mercy or pity, the Scripture uſeth ſeveral emphatical Expreſſions to ſet it forth to us. The p. 111Scripture ſpeaks of the tender mercies of God, Pſal. 25.6. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies. Yea, of the multitude of theſe, Pſal. 51.1. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my tranſgreſſions. Jam. 5.11. The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy. They are called God's Bowels, which are the tendereſt parts, and apt to yern and ſtir in us when any affections of love and pity are excited, Iſ. 63.15. Where is the ſounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies, are they reſtrained? Luke 1.78. Through the tender mercy of our God. So it is in our Tranſlation; but if we render it from the Original, 'tis through the bowels of the mercies of our God. How doth God condeſcend in thoſe pathetical Expreſſions, which he uſeth concerning his People? Hoſ. 11.8. How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? mine heart is turned within me, and my repentings are kindled together. Nay, to expreſs his tender ſenſe of our miſeries and ſufferings, he is repreſented as being afflicted with us, and bearing a part in our ſufferings; Iſa, 63.9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted.

p. 112The compaſſions of God are compared to the tendereſt affections among Men; to that of a Father towards his Children; Pſal. 103.13. As a father pitieth his Children, ſo the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Nay, to the compaſſions of a Mother towards her Infant; Iſa. 49.15. Can a woman forget her ſucking child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? Yea ſhe may, 'tis poſſible, tho' moſt unlikely: but tho' a Mother may turn unnatural; yet God cannot be unmerciful.

In ſhort, the Scripture doth every where magnifie the mercy of God, and ſpeak of it with all poſſible advantage; as if the Divine Nature, which doth in all Perfections excel all others, did in this excel it ſelf. The Scripture ſpeaks of it as if God was wholly taken up with it, as if it was his conſtant Exerciſe and Employment, ſo that in compariſon of it, he doth hardly diſplay any other excellency; Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy; as if in this World God had a deſign to advance his mercy above his other Attributes. The mercy of God is now in the Throne, this is the day p. 113of mercy, and God doth diſplay it many times with a ſeeming diſhonour to his other Attributes, his Juſtice, and Holineſs, and Truth. His Juſtice; This makes Job complain of the long life and proſperity of the wicked; Job 41.7. Wherefore do the wicked live, yea become old? &c. His Holineſs; This makes the Prophet expoſtulate with God, Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity. Wherefore lookeſt thou upon them that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt thy tongue? &c. And the Truth of God; This makes Jonah complain, as if God's mercies were ſuch, as did make ſome reflection upon his truth, Jon. 4.2.

But that we may have more diſtinct apprehenſions of the greatneſs and number of God's mercies, I will diſtribute them into kinds, and rank them under ſeveral Heads. 'Tis mercy to prevent thoſe evils and miſeries that we are liable to. 'Tis mercy to defer thoſe evils that we have deſerved, or to mitigate them. 'Tis mercy to ſupport and comfort us when miſery is upon us. 'Tis mercy to deliver us from them. But the greateſt mercy p. 114of all is, to remit the evil and miſery we have deſerved, by pardon and forgiveneſs, to remove and take away the obligation to puniſhment; ſo that the mercy of God may be reduced to theſe five Heads.

I. Preventing Mercy. Many evils and miſeries which we are liable to, God prevents them at a great diſtance; and when they are coming towards us, he ſtops them or turns them another way. The merciful Providence of God, and thoſe inviſible guards which protect us, do divert many evils from us, which fall upon others. We ſeldom take notice of God's preventing mercy; we are not apt to be ſenſible how great a mercy it is to be freed from thoſe ſtraits and neceſſities, thoſe pains and diſeaſes of Body, thoſe inward racks and horrours, which others are preſſed withal and labour under. When any evil or miſery is upon us, would we not reckon it a mercy to be reſcued and delivered from it? And is it not a greater mercy that we never felt it? Does not that Man owe more to his Phyſician who prevents his ſickneſs and diſtemper, than he who after the weakneſs and languiſhing, the p. 115pains and tortures of ſeveral Months, is at length cured by him?

II. Forbearing mercy. And this is the patience of God, which conſiſts in the deferring or moderating of our deſerved puniſhment. Hence it is that ſlow to anger, and of great mercy, do ſo often go together. But this I ſhall ſpeak to hereafter in ſome particular Diſcourſes.

III. Comforting mercy. 2 Cor. 1.3. The father of mercies, and the God of all Comfort. The Scripture repreſents God as very merciful, in comforting and ſupporting thoſe that are afflicted and caſt down; hence are thoſe expreſſions of putting his arms under us, bearing us up, ſpeaking comfortably, viſiting us with his loving kindneſs, which ſignifie God's merciful regard to thoſe who are in miſery and diſtreſs.

IV. His relieving mercy, in ſupplying thoſe that are in want, and delivering thoſe that are in trouble. God doth many times exerciſe Men with troubles and afflictions, with a very gracious and merciful deſign, to prevent greater Evils, which Men would otherwiſe bring upon themſelves. Afflictions are a merciful invention of p. 116Heaven to do us that good, which nothing elſe can; they awaken us to a ſenſe of God, and of our ſelves, to a conſideration of the evil of our ways; they make us to take notice of God, to ſeek him, and enquire after him. God doth as it were by Afflictions throw Men upon their backs to make them look up to Heaven; Hoſ. 5.15. In their affliction they will ſeek me early. Pſal. 78.34. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned, and enquired early after God. But God does not delight in this, he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. When afflictions have accompliſhed their work, and obtained their end upon us, God is very ready to remove them, and command deliverance for us; Iſa. 54.7, 8. For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee; but with everlaſting kindneſs will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer.

V. Pardoning mercy. And here the greatneſs and fullneſs of God's mercy appears, becauſe our ſins are great; Pſal. 78.38. Being full of compaſſion, p. 117he forgave their iniquity. And the multitude of God's mercies, becauſe our ſins are many, Pſal. 51.1. Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my tranſgreſſions. Exod. 34.7. He is ſaid to pardon iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin. How many fold are his mercies, to forgive all our ſins, of what kind ſo ever! The mercy of God to us in pardoning our ſins, is matter of aſtoniſhment and admiration; Mic. 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity! But eſpecially if we conſider by what means our pardon is procured; by transferring our guilt upon the moſt innocent perſon, the Son of God, and making him to bear our iniquities, and to ſuffer the wrath of God which was due to us. The admirable contrivance of God's mercy appears in this diſpenſation; this ſhews the riches of his grace, that he ſhould be at ſo much coſt to purchaſe our pardon, Not with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold; but with the precious blood of his own Son; Eph. 1.6, 7. To the praiſe of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved; in whom we have redemption through his p. 118blood, the forgiveneſs of ſins, according to the riches of his grace.

Having diſpatch'd the three particulars I propos'd to be ſpoken to, I ſhall ſhew what Uſe we ought to make of this Divine Attribute.

Ʋſe 1. We ought with thankfulneſs to acknowledge and admire the great mercy of God to us. Let us view it in all its dimenſions; the heighth, and length, and breadth of it: in all the variety and kinds of it; the preventing mercy of God to many of us. Thoſe miſeries that lye upon others, 'tis mercy to us that we eſcaped them. 'Tis mercy that ſpares us. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not conſumed, and becauſe his compaſſions fail not. 'Tis mercy that mitigates our puniſhment, and makes it fall below the deſert of our ſins. 'Tis mercy that comforts and ſupports us under any of thoſe Evils that lye upon us, and that reſcues and delivers us from them. Which way ſo ever we look, we are encompaſſed with the mercies of God; they compaſs us about on every ſide, we are crowned with loving kindneſs and tender mercies. 'Tis mercy that feeds us, and cloaths us, and that p. 119preſerves us. But above all we ſhould thankfully acknowledge and admire the pardoning mercy of God; Pſ. 103.1, 2, 3. where David does as it were muſter up the mercies of God, and make a Catalogue of them, he ſets the pardoning mercy in the front; Bleſs ye the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me praiſe his holy Name. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thy iniquities.

If we look into our ſelves, and conſider our own temper and diſpoſition, how void of pity and bowels we are, how cruel, and hard hearted, and inſolent, and revengeful; if we look abroad into the World, and ſee how full the earth is of the habitations of cruelty; we ſhall admire the mercy of God more, and think our ſelves more beholden to it. How many things muſt concur to make our hearts tender, and melt our ſpirits, and ſtir our bowels, to make us pitiful and compaſſionate? We ſeldom pity any unleſs they be actually in miſery; nor all ſuch neither, unleſs the miſery they lye under be very great; nor then neither, unleſs the perſon that p. 120ſuffers be nearly related, and we be ſomeways concerned in his ſufferings; yea, many times not then neither, upon a generous account, but as we are ſomeways obliged by intereſt and ſelf-love, and a dear regard to our ſelves, when we have ſuffered the like our ſelves, and have learnt to pity others by our own Sufferings, or when in danger and probability to be in the like condition our ſelves; ſo many motives and obligations are neceſſary to awaken and ſtir up this affection in us. But God is merciful and pitiful to us, out of the mere goodneſs of his Nature; for few of theſe motives and conſiderations can have any place in him. This affection of pity and tenderneſs is ſtirred up in God by the mere preſence of the Object, without any other inducement. The mercy of God many times doth not ſtay till we be actually miſerable; but looks forward a great way, and pities us at a great diſtance, and prevents our miſery. God doth not only pity us in great Calamities; but conſiders thoſe leſſer Evils that are upon us. God is merciful to us, when we have deſerved all the Evils that p. 121are upon us, and far greater, when we are leſs than the leaſt of all his mercies, when we deſerved all the miſery that is upon us, and have with violent hands pulled it upon our own heads, and have been the authors and procurers of it to our ſelves. Tho' God, in reſpect of his Nature, be at an infinite diſtance from us, yet his mercy is near to us, and he cannot poſſibly have any ſelf-intereſt in it. The Divine Nature is not liable to want, or injury, or ſuffering; he is ſecure of his own happineſs and fullneſs, and can neither wiſh the inlargement nor fear the impairment of his Eſtate; he can never ſtand in need of pity or relief from us or any other; and yet he pities us.

Now if we conſider the vaſt difference of this affection in God and us, how tender his mercies are, and how ſenſible his bowels; and yet we who have ſo many arguments to move us to pity, how hard our hearts are, and how unapt to relent, as if we were born of the rock, and were the off-ſpring of the nether milſtone; ſure when we duly conſider this, we cannot but admire the mercy of God.

p. 122How cruel are we to Creatures below us! with how little remorſe can we kill a Flea, or tread upon a Worm? partly becauſe we are ſecure that they cannot hurt us, nor revenge themſelves upon us; and partly becauſe they are ſo deſpicable in our Eyes, and ſo far below us, that they do not fall under the conſideration of our Pity. Look upward, proud Man! and take notice of him who is above thee, thou didſt not make the Creatures below thee as God did, there's but a finite diſtance between thee and the meaneſt Creatures; but there's an infinite diſtance between thee and God. Man is a Name of Dignity, when we compare our ſelves with other Creatures; but compared to God, we are Worms, and not Men; yea, we are nothing, yea, leſs than nothing and vanity. How great then is the Mercy of God, which regards us, who are ſo far below him, which takes into Conſideration ſuch inconſiderable nothings as we are! we may ſay with David, Pſ. 8.4. Lord! What is man, that thou art ſo mindful of him, or the Son of Man that thou viſiteſt him! And with Job 7.17. What p. 123is Man that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him, and that thou ſhouldſt ſet thine Heart upon him!

And then how hard do we find it to forgive thoſe who have injured us? if any one have offended, or provoked us; how hard are we to be reconciled? How mindful of an Injury? How do anger and revenge boyl within us? How do we upbraid Men with their faults? What vile and low Submiſſion do we require of them, before we will receive them into Favour, and grant them Peace? And if we forgive once, we think that is much; but if an offence and provocation be renewed often, we are inexorable. Even the Diſciples of our Saviour, after he had ſo emphatically taught them Forgiveneſs, in the Petition in the Lord's Prayer, yet they had very narrow Spirits as to this; Matth. 18.21. Peter comes to him, and asks him, How often ſhall my brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive him? till ſeven times? He thought that was much: And yet we have great obligations to Pardoning and Forgiving others, becauſe we are obnoxious to God p. 124and one another, we ſhall many times ſtand in need of Pardon from God and Men; and it may be our own caſe, and when it is, we are too apt to be very indulgent to our ſelves, and conceive good hopes of the Mercy of others; we would have our ignorance, and inadvertencies, and miſtakes, and all occaſions and temptations and provocations conſidered; and when we have done amiſs, upon Submiſſion and Acknowledgment of our Fault, we would be received into Favour: but God who is not at all liable to us, how ready is he to Forgive! If we confeſs our Sins to him, he is merciful to Forgive; he Pardons freely; and ſuch are the condeſcentions of his Mercy, tho' he be the party offended, yet he offers Pardon to us, and beſeeches us to be reconcil'd; if we do but come towards him, he runs to meet us, as in the Parable of the Prodigal, Luke 15.20. What reaſon have we then thankfully to acknowledge and admire the Mercy of God to us?

Ʋſe 2. The great mercy of God to us, ſhould ſtir up in us ſhame and p. 125ſorrow for Sin. The Judgments of God may break us; but the conſideration of God's Mercy ſhould rather melt and diſſolve us into Tears, Luke 7.47. The Woman that waſhed Chriſt's Feet with her Tears, and wiped them with her Hair, the account that our Saviour gives of the great Affection that ſhe expreſſed to him, was, ſhe Loved much, becauſe much was forgiven her; and ſhe grieved much, becauſe much was forgiven her.

Eſpecially we ſhould ſorrow for thoſe Sins, which have been committed by us after God's Mercies received. Mercies after Sins ſhould touch our Hearts, and make us relent. It ſhould grieve us that we ſhould offend and provoke a God ſo Gracious and Merciful, ſo ſlow to anger, and ſo ready to forgive: But Sin againſt Mercies, and after we have received them, is attended with one of the greateſt Aggravations of Sin. And as Mercy raiſes the guilt of our Sins, ſo it ſhould raiſe our ſorrow for them. No Conſideration is more apt to work upon human Nature, than that of p. 126kindneſs, and the greater Mercy has been ſhewed to us, the greater our ſins, and the greater cauſe of ſorrow for them; contraries do illuſtrate, and ſet off one another; in the great Goodneſs and Mercy of God to us, we ſee the great Evil of our Sins againſt him.

Every Sin has the Nature of Rebellion and Diſobedience; but ſins againſt Mercy have Ingratitude in them. When ever we break the Laws of God, we rebel againſt our Soveraign; but as we ſin againſt the Mercies of God, we injure our Benefactor. This makes our ſin to be horrid, and aſtoniſhing, Iſa. 1.2. Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I have nouriſhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me. All the Mercies of God are aggravations of our ſins, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, 9. And Nathan ſaid to David, thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I anointed thee king over Iſrael, and delivered thee out of the hands of Saul, and I gave thee thy maſters houſe, and thy maſters wives into thy boſom, and gave thee the houſe of Iſreal, and of Judah, and if that had been too p. 127little, I would moreover have given thee ſuch and ſuch things. Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his ſight? God reckons up all his Mercies, and from them aggravates David's ſin; 1 Kings 11.9. He takes notice of all the unkind returns that we make to his Mercy; and 'tis the worſt temper in the World not to be wrought upon by kindneſs, not to be melted by Mercy; no greater evidence of a wicked Heart, than that the Mercies of God have no effect upon it; Eſay 26.10. Let favour be ſhewn to the wicked; yet will he not learn righteouſneſs.

Ʋſe 3. Let us imitate the merciful Nature of God. This branch of God's goodneſs is very proper for our imitation. The general Exhortation of our Saviour, Matt. 5.48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, is more particularly expreſſed by St. Luke, Luke 6.30. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful. Men affect to make Images, and impoſſible Repreſentations of God; but as Seneca ſaith, Crede p. 128Deòs, cùm propitii eſſent, fictiles fuiſſe. We may draw this Image and likeneſs of God; we may be gracious and merciful as he is. Chriſt, who was the expreſs image of his Father, his whole life and undertaking was a continued work of mercy; he went about doing good to the Souls of Men, by Preaching the Goſpel to them; and to the Bodies of Men, in healing all manner of Diſeaſes. There is nothing that he recommends more to us in his Goſpel than this Spirit and Temper; Mat. 5.7. Bleſſed are the merciful: for they ſhall obtain mercy. How many Parables doth he uſe to ſet forth the mercy of God to us, with a deſign to draw us to the imitation of it? The Parable of the Prodigal; of the good Samaritan; of the Servant to whom he forgave 10000 Talents. We ſhould imitate God in this; in being tender and compaſſionate to thoſe that are in miſery.

This is a piece of natural, indiſpenſable Religion, to which poſitive and inſtituted Religion muſt give way; Amos 6.6. I deſired mercy, and not ſacrifice; which is twice cited and uſed by our Saviour. Micah. 6.8. He hath p. 129ſhewed thee, O Man, what it is that the Lord thy God requires of thee, to do juſtice, and love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

This is always one part of the deſcription of a good Man, that he is apt to pity the miſeries and neceſſities of others. Pſal. 37.26. He is ever merciful and lendeth. He is far from cruelty, not only to Men, but even to the brute Creatures; Prov. 12.10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beaſt. There is nothing more contrary to the nature of God, than a cruel and ſavage diſpoſition, not to be affected with the miſeries and ſufferings of others; how unlike is this to the father of mercies, and the God of conſolation! When we can ſee Cruelty exerciſed, and our Bowels not be ſtirred within us, nor our hearts be pricked; how unlike is this to God, who is very pitiful, and of tender mercies! But to rejoyce at the miſeries of others, this is inhumane and barbarous. Hear how God threatens Edom for rejoycing at the miſeries of his Brother Jacob; Obadiah 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. But to delight to make others miſerable, and to aggravate their ſufferings, this is p. 130deviliſh; this is the temper of Hell, and the very ſpirit of the Deſtroyer.

It becomes Man above all other Creatures to be merciful, who hath had ſuch ample and happy experience of God's mercy to him, and doth ſtill continually ſtand in need of mercy from God. God hath been very merciful to us. Had it not been for the tender Mercies of God to us, we had all of us long ſince been miſerable. Now as we have receiv'd mercy from God, we ſhould ſhew it to others. The Apoſtle uſeth this as an Argument why we ſhould relieve thoſe that are in miſery and want, becauſe we have had ſuch experience of the mercy and love of God to us; 1 John 3.16, 17. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid down his life for us. But whoſo hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his brother have need, &c. how dwelleth the love of God in him? That Man hath no ſenſe of the mercy of God abiding upon his Heart, that is not merciful to his Brother. And 'tis an Argument why we ſhould forgive one another; Eph. 4.32. Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God p. 131for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you. Chap. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children. Col. 3.12, 13. Put on therefore (as the elect of God holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindneſs, humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, long-ſuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel againſt any: even as Chriſt forgave you, ſo alſo do ye.

And we continually ſtand in need of mercy both from God and Man. We are lyable one to another, and in the change of human Affairs, we may be all ſubject to one another by turns, and ſtand in need of one anothers pity and compaſſion; and we muſt expect, that with what meaſure we mete to others, with the ſame it ſhall be meaſured to us again. To reſtrain the Cruelties, and check the Inſolencies of Men, God has ſo order'd in his Providence, that very often in this World Mens Cruelties return upon their own heads, and their violent dealings upon their own pates. Bajazet meets with a Tamerlane.

But if Men were not thus liable to one another, we all ſtand in need of mercy from God. If we be merciful p. 132to others in ſuffering, and forgiving them that have injured us, God will be ſo to us, he will pardon our ſins to us. Prov. 16.5. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. 2. Sam. 22.26. With the merciful thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf merciful. Prov. 14.21. He that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Prov. 21.21. He that followeth after mercy findeth life. Matth. 6.14. If ye forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly father will alſo forgive you. But on the other hand, if we be malicious and revengeful, and implacable to thoſe that have offended us, and inexorable to thoſe who deſire to be received to favour, and cruel to thoſe who lye at our mercy, hard hearted to them that are in neceſſity; what can we expect, but that the mercy of God will leave us, that he will forget to be gracious, and ſhut up in anger his tender mercy. Mat. 6.15. If ye forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your treſpaſſes. That is a dreadful paſſage, S. James 2.13. He ſhall have judgment without mercy, that hath ſhewed no mercy. How angry is the Lord with the Servant who was ſo inexorable to his fellow p. 133Servant, after he had forgiven him ſo great a debt, as you find in the Parable, Mat. 18.24. He owed him ten thouſand Talents, and upon his ſubmiſſion and intreaty to have patience with him, he was moved with compaſſion and looſed him, and forgave him all: but no ſooner had this favour been done to him by his Lord, but going forth he meets his fellow Servant, who owed him a ſmall inconſiderable debt, an hundred Pence, he lays Hands on him, and takes him by the Throat, and roundly demands payment of him; he falls down at his Feet, and uſeth the ſame form of ſupplication that he had uſed to his Lord, but he rejects his requeſt, and puts him in Priſon. Now what ſaith the Lord to him? v. 32, 33, 34. O thou wicked Servant, I forgave thee all the debt, becauſe thou deſiredſt me. Shouldeſt not thou alſo have had compaſſion on thy fellow ſervant, even as I had pity on thee? And the Lord was wroth, and deliver'd him to the tormentors, till he ſhould pay all that was due unto him. Now what application doth our Saviour make of this? v. 35. So likewiſe ſhall my heavenly Father do alſo unto you, if ye from your p. 134hearts forgive not every one his brother their treſpaſſes.

God's readineſs to forgive us ſhould be a powerful motive and argument to us to forgive others. The greateſt Injuries that we can ſuffer from Men, if we compare them to the ſins that we commit againſt God, they bear no proportion to them, neither in weight nor number; they are but as an hundred pence to ten thouſand talents. If we would be like God, we ſhould forgive the greateſt Injuries; he pardoneth our ſins tho' they be exceeding great: many Injuries, tho' offences be renewed, and provocations multiplied; for ſo God doth to us, He pardoneth iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin, Ex. 34.7. Iſ. 55.7. He will have mercy, he will abundantly pardon. We would not have God only to forgive us ſeven times, but ſeventy ſeven times, as often as we offend him: ſo ſhould we forgive our Brother.

And we ſhould not be backward to this Work; God is ready to forgive us; Neh. 9.17. And we ſhould do it heartily, not only in word, when we retain malice in our hearts, and while we ſay we forgive, carry on a ſecret p. 135deſign in our hearts of revenging our ſelves when we have opportunity; but we ſhould from our hearts forgive every one; for ſo God doth to us, who when he forgives us, caſts our iniquities behind his back, and throws them into the bottom of the ſea, and blots out our tranſgreſſion, ſo as to remember our iniquity no more.

If we do not do thus, every time we put up the Petition to God, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us, we do not pray for mercy, but for judgment; we invoke his wrath, and do not put up a Prayer, but a dreadful Imprecation againſt our ſelves; we pronounce the Sentence of our own Condemnation, and importune God not to forgive us.

Ʋſe 4. If the mercy of God be ſo great, this may comfort us againſt Deſpair. Sinners are apt to be dejected, when they conſider their unworthineſs, the nature and number of their Sins, and the many heavy aggravations of them; they are apt to ſay with Cain, That their ſin is greater than can be forgiven. But do not look only upon thy ſins; but upon the mercies of p. 136God. Thou canſt not be too ſenſible of the evil of ſin, and of the deſert of it; but whilſt we aggravate our ſins, we muſt not leſſen the mercies of God. When we conſider the multitude of our ſins, we muſt conſider alſo the multitude of God's tender mercies; we have been great ſinners, and God is of great mercy; we have multiplied our provocations, and he multiplies to pardon.

Do but thou put thy ſelf in a capacity of mercy, by repenting of thy ſins, and forſaking of them, and thou haſt no reaſon to doubt but the mercy of God will receive thee; If we confeſs our ſins, he is merciful and faithful to forgive them. If we had offended Man as we have done God, we might deſpair of pardon; but it is God and not Man that we have to deal with; and his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts; but as the heavens are high above the earth, ſo are his ways above our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts.

We cannot be more injurious to God, than by hard thoughts of him, as if fury were in him, and when we have provoked him, he were not to p. 137be appeaſed and reconciled to us. We diſparage the Goodneſs and Truth of God, when we diſtruſt thoſe gracious declarations which he has made of his mercy and goodneſs, if we do not think that he doth heartily pity and compaſſionate ſinners, and really dedeſire their happineſs. Doth not he condeſcend ſo low as to repreſent himſelf afflicted for the miſeries of Men, and to rejoyce in the converſion of a Sinner? and ſhall not we believe that he is in good earneſt? Doth Chriſt weep over impenitent Sinners, becauſe they will not know the things of their peace? and canſt thou think he will not pardon thee upon thy repentance? Is he grieved that Men will undo themſelves, and will not be ſaved? and canſt thou think that he is unwilling to forgive? We cannot honour and glorifie God more, than by entertaining great thoughts of his Mercy. As we are ſaid to glorifie God by our repentance, becauſe thereby we acknowledge God's holineſs and juſtice; ſo we glorifie him by believing his mercy, becauſe we conceive a right opinion of his goodneſs and truth; we ſet to our Seal that God is merciful p. 138and true; Pſal. 147.11. 'tis ſaid, That God taketh pleaſure in them that hope in his mercy. As he delights in mercy, ſo in our acknowledgments of it; that Sinners ſhould conceive great hopes of it, and believe him to be what he is. Provided thou doſt ſubmit to the terms of God's mercy, thou haſt no reaſon to deſpair of it; and he that thinks that his ſins are more or greater than the mercy of God can pardon, muſt think that there may be more evil in the Creature than there is goodneſs in God.

Ʋſe 5. By way of Caution againſt the preſumptuous Sinner. If there be any that treſpaſs upon the goodneſs of God, and preſume to encourage themſelves in ſin upon the hopes of his mercy, let ſuch know, that God is juſt as well as merciful. A God all of mercy is an Idol, ſuch a God as Men ſet up in their own imaginations; but not the true God, whom the Scriptures deſcribe. To ſuch perſons the Scripture deſcribes him after another manner; Nah. 1.2. God is jealous, the Lord revengeth and is furious, the Lord will take vengeance on his adverſaries, and reſerveth wrath for his enemies. If any Man abuſe p. 139the mercy of God to the ſtrengthning of himſelf in his own wickedneſs, and bleſs himſelf in his heart, ſaying, I ſhall have peace, tho' I walk in the imagination of my own heart, and add drunkeneſs to thirſt: The Lord will not ſpare him, but the anger of the Lord and his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, and all the curſes that are written in this book ſhall lye upon him, and he will blot out his name from under heaven, Deut. 29.19, 20.

Though it be the nature of God to be merciful, yet the exerciſe of his mercy is regulated by his Wiſdom; he will not be merciful to thoſe that deſpiſe his mercy, to thoſe that abuſe it, to thoſe that are reſolved to go on in their ſins to tempt his mercy, and make bold to ſay, Let us ſin that grace may abound. God deſigns his mercy for thoſe that are prepared to receive it; Iſ. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The mercy of God is an enemy to ſin, as well as his juſtice; and 'tis no where offer'd to countenance ſin, but to convert the ſinner; p. 140and is not intended to encourage our impenitency, but our repentance. God hath no where ſaid that he will be merciful to thoſe, who upon the ſcore of his mercy are bold with him, and preſume to offend him; but the mercy of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and keep his covenant, and remember his commandments to do them. There is forgiveneſs with him, that he may be feared; but not that he may be deſpiſed and affronted. This is to contradict the very end of God's mercy, which is to lead us to repentance, to engage us to leave our ſins, not to encourage us to continue in them.

Take heed then of abuſing the mercy of God; we cannot provoke the juſtice of God more than by preſuming upon his mercy. This is the time of God's mercy, uſe this opportunity; if thou neglecteſt it, a day of juſtice and vengeance is coming; Rom. 2.4, 5. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leads to repentance? And treaſureſt up to thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God? Now is the manifeſtation of God's mercy; but there is a time a p. 141coming, when the righteous Judgment of God will be revealed againſt thoſe who abuſe his mercy, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth to repentance. To think that the goodneſs of God was intended for any other end than to take us off from ſin, is a groſs and affected ignorance that will ruin us; and they who draw any concluſion from the mercy of God, which may harden them in their ſins, they are ſuch as the Prophet ſpeaks of, Iſ. 27.11. A people of no underſtanding; therefore he that made them will not ſave them, and he that formed them will have no mercy on them. Mercy it ſelf will rejoyce in the ruin of thoſe that abuſe it, and it will aggravate their Condemnation. There is no perſon towards whom God will be more ſeverely juſt, than toward ſuch. The juſtice of God exaſperated, and ſet on by his injured and abuſed mercy, like a Razor ſet in Oyl, will have the keener edge, and be the ſharper for its ſmoothneſs. Thoſe that have made the mercy of God their Enemy, muſt expect the worſt his juſtice can do unto them.