A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 63
Of the Commandments.
Exod. 20.6.
Shewing Mercy unto Thousands, &c.
THis is another Argument against Image-worship, because such as do not provoke God with their Images, he is merciful to them, and will entail Mercy upon their Posterity, Shewing Mercy to Thousands.
1. Here is the golden Scepter of Gods Mercy display'd. 2. The Persons interested in Gods Mercy, such as love him and keep his Commandments. 1. The Golden Scepter of Gods Mercy display'd, shewing Mercy to Thousands. The Heathens thought they praised Iupiter enough, when they called him foreign, Good and Great. Both these Excellencies meet in God, Majesty and Mercy. Mercy is that innate propensness in God to do good to Distressed Sinners. God shewing Mercy, makes his Godhead appear full of Glory. When Moses said to God, I beseech thee shew me thy Glory, I will (saith God) shew Mercy, Exod. 33.19. His Mercy is his Glory. Mercy is the Name by which God will be known, Exod. 34.6. The Lord passed by, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, Merciful and Gracious. Mercy proceeds primarily and originally from God; he is called the Father of Mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. because he begets all those Mercies and Bowels which are in the Creature. Our Mercies compared with Gods, are scarce so much as the Drop to the Ocean.
Quest. What are the Qualifications?
Resp. 1. The Spring of Mercy which God shews, is free and spontaneous: To set up Merit, is to destroy Mercy; nothing can deserve Mercy, or force it, we cannot deserve Mercy, because of our Enmity, nor force it; we may force God to punish us, not to love us, Hos. 14.4. I will love them freely. Every link in the golden Chain of Salvation is wrought and interwoven with Free-grace. Election is free, Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him, foreign, according to the good pleasure of his Will. Justification is free, Rom. 3.24. Being justified freely by his Grace. Say, not then, I am unworthy, for Mercy is free. If God should shew Mercy only to such as deserve it, he must shew Mercy to none at all.
2. The Mercy God shews is Powerful. How Powerful is that Mercy which softens an Heart of Stone? Mercy changed Mary Magdalens Heart, out of whom Seven Devils were cast. She who was an Inflexible Adamant, Mercy made her a weeping Penitent. Gods Mercy works sweetly, yet irresistibly; it allures, yet conquers. The Law may terrifie, Mercy doth mollifie. Of what Sovereign Power and Efficacy is that Mercy which subdues the Pride and Enmity of the Heart, and beats off those Chains of Sin in which the Soul is held!
3. The Mercy which God shews is superabundant, Exod. 34.6. Abundant in Goodness, shewing Mercy to Thousands. God visits Iniquity only to the Third and Fourth Generation, Exod. 20.5. But he shews Mercy to a Thousand Generations. The Lord hath Treasures of Mercy lying by, therefore he is said to be Plenteous in Mercy, Psal. 86.5. And Rich in Mercy, Ephes. 2.4. The Viol of God's Wrath doth but drop, but the Fountain of his Mercy runs. The Sun is not so full of Light, as God is of Love.
God hath Mercy, First, Of all Dimensions; he hath Depth of Mercy, it reacheth as low as Sinners; and Heighth of Mercy, it reacheth above the Clouds.
Secondly, God hath Mercies of all Seasons; Mercies for the Night, he gives Sleep, nay sometimes he gives a Song in the Night, Psal. 42.8. And he hath Mercies for the Morning, Lam. 3.23. His Compassions are fresh every Morning.
Thirdly, God hath Mercies for all sorts. Mercies for the Poor, 1 Sam. 2.8. He raiseth the Poor out of the Dust. Mercies for the Prisoner, Psal. 69.33. He despiseth not his Prisoners. Mercies for the Dejected, Isa. 54.8. In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee, but with great Mercies will I gather thee. God hath old Mercies, Psal. 25.6. Thy Mercies have been ever of old. And new Mercies, Psal. 40.3. He hath put a new Song in my Mouth. Every time we draw our Breath, we suck in Mercy; God hath Mercies under Heaven, and those we taste of, and Mercies in Heaven, and those we hope for: Thus Gods Mercy is superabundant.
4. The Mercy God shews is abiding, Psal. 103.16. The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting. Gods anger to his Children lasts but a while, Psal. 103.9. but his Mercy lasts for ever. Gods Mercy is not like the Widows Oyl, which ran a while and then ceased, 2 Kings 4.6. Over-flowing, Ever-flowing. Gods Mercy as it is without Bounds, so without Bottom, Psal. 136. His Mercy endures for ever. God never cuts off the Intail of Mercy from the Elect.
Quest. 2. How many ways is God said to shew Mercy?
Resp. 1. We are all Living Monuments of Gods Mercy. God shews Mercy to us in dayly supplying us. First, He supplies us with Health. Health is the Sawce which makes our Life relish Sweeter. How would they prize this Mercy, who are Chain'd to a Sick-bed? Secondly, God supplies us with Provision, Gen. 48.15. The God who hath fed me all my Days. Mercy spreads our Table, it carves us every bit of Bread we eat; we never drink but in the Golden Cup of Mercy.
2. God shews Mercy in lengthening out our Gospel-Liberties, 1 Cor. 16.9. foreign; there are many Adversaries; many would stop the Waters of the Sanctuary that they should not run: We enjoy the sweet Seasons of Grace, we hear joyful Sounds, we see the goings of God in his Sanctuary, we enjoy Sabbath after Sabbath; the Manna of the Word yet falls about our Tents, when in divers parts of the Land they have no Manna. Here is God shewing Mercy to us; he spins out our forfeited Liberties.
3. God shews Mercy to us in preventing many Evils from invading us, Psal. 3.3. Thou O Lord art a Shield for me. God hath restrained the Wrath of Men, and been a Screen between us and Danger. When the Destroying Angel hath been abroad, and shot his deadly Arrow of Pestilence, God hath kept off the Arrow that it hath not come near us.
4. God shews Mercy in delivering us, 2 Tim. 4.17. And I was delivered out of the Mouth of the Lion, viz. Nero. God hath restored us from the Grave. May we not write the Writing of Hezekiah, Isa. 38 9. when he had been sick, and was recovered of his Sickness? When we thought the Sun of our Life had been setting, God hath made it return to its former Brightness.
5. God shews Mercy in restraining of us from Sin: Lusts within, are worse than Lions without. The greatest sign of Gods Anger, is to give Men up to their Sins, Psal. 81.12. So I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts; let them Sin themselves to Hell. But God hath laid the Bridle of restraining Grace upon us: As God said to Abimelech, Gen. 20.6. I withheld thee from sinning against me. So God withheld us from those Exorbitancies which might have made us a Prey to Satan, and a Terrour to our Selves.
6. God shews Mercy in guiding and directing us. Is it not a Mercy for one that is out of the way, to have a Guide? First, There is a Providential guiding, God guides our Affairs for us, Chaulks out a way he would have us to walk in; he resolves our Doubts, unties our Knots, appoints the bounds of our Habitation, Acts 17.26. Secondly, A Spiritual guiding, Psal. 73.24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel. As Israel had a Pillar of Fire to go before them, so God guides us with the Oracles of his Word, and the Conduct of his Spirit. He guides our Head, keeps us from error, and he guides our Feet, keeps us from Scandal. O what Mercy is it to have God to be our Guide and Pilot, Psal. 31.3. For thy Name's sake lead me and guide me.
7. God shews Mercy in Correcting us. God is Angry in Love, he smites that he may save Gods Rod is not a Rod of Iron to break us, but a Fatherly Rod to Humble us, Heb. 12.10. He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his Holiness. Either God will mortifie some corruption, or exercise some grace. Is there not Mercy in this? Every Cross to a Child of God, is like Paul's Cross Wind, which though it broak the Ship, it brought Paul to Shoar upon the broken Pieces, Acts 27.44.
8. God shews Mercy in Pardoning us, Mic. 7.18. Who is a God like thee, that pardonest Iniquity? 'Tis Mercy to Feed us, Rich Mercy to Pardon us. This Mercy is spun out of the Bowels of Free Grace; this is enough to make a Sick Man well, Isa. 33.24. The Inhabitant shall not say I am Sick, the People that dwell therein, shall be forgiven their Iniquity. Pardon of Sin is a Mercy of the first Magnitude, God seals the Sinners Pardon with a Kiss. This made David put on his best Cloaths, and anoint himself; his Child newly Dead, and God had told him the Sword should not depart from his House, yet now he falls Anointing himself; the reason was, God had sent him his Pardon by the Prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. 12.13. The Lord hath put away thy Sin. Pardon is the only fit Remedy for a troubled Conscience. What can give ease to a Wounded Spirit, but pardoning Mercy? Offer him the Honours and Pleasures of the World, 'tis as if you bring Flowers and Musick to one that is condemned.
Quest. How may I know my Sins are pardoned?
Resp. Where God removes the guilt, he breaks the power of Sin, Mic. 7.19. He will have Compassion, he will subdue our Iniquities. With Pardoning Love God gives Subduing Grace.
9. God shews his Mercy in Sanctifying us, Lev. 20.8. I am the Lord that sanctifie you. This is the partaking of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Gods Spirit is a Spirit of Consecration; though it Sanctifies us but in part, yet in every part, 1 Thes. 5.23. This is such a Mercy, that God cannot give in Anger, if we are Sanctified, then we are Elected, 2 Thes. 2.13. God hath chosen you, to Salvation through Sanctification. This doth disponere ad Coelum, it prepares for Happiness, as the Seed prepares for Harvest. When the Virgins had been Anointed and Perfumed, then they were to stand before the King, Esther 2.12. So when we have had the Anointing of God, then we shall stand before the King of Heaven.
10. God shews Mercy in hearing our Prayers, Psal. 4 1. Have Mercy upon me, and hear my Prayer. Is it not a Favour when a Man puts up a Petition to the King, and hath it granted? When we pray for Pardon, Adoption, the Sense of Gods Love, to have God give a gracious Answer, what a signal Mercy is this? God may sometimes delay an Answer, when he will not deny. You do not presently throw a Musician Mony, because you love to hear his Musick. God loves the Musick of Prayer, therefore doth not presently let us hear from him; but in due Season he will give an Answer of Peace. Psal. 66.20. Blessed be God who hath not turned away my Prayer nor his Mercy from me. If God doth not turn away our Prayer, then he doth not turn away his Mercy.
11. God shews Mercy in Saving us, Tit. 3.5. According to his Mercy he saved us. This is the foreign, the Top Stone of Mercy, and it is laid in Heaven. Now Mercy displays it self in all its Orient Colours; now Mercy is Mercy is indeed, when God shall perfectly refine us from all the …ees and Dregs of Corruption. Our Bodies shall be made like Christs Glorious Body, and our Souls like the Angels-Saving Mercy is Crowning Mercy. 'Tis not only to be freed from Hell, but inthroned in a Kingdom. In this Life we do rather desire God than enjoy him: But what rich Mercy will it be, to be fully possessed of God, to see his smiling Face, and to have God lay us in his Bosom? This will fill us with Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, Psal. 17.15. I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy Likeness.
Use 1. As an Argument against Despair, see what a great Encouragement here is to serve God; he shews Mercy to Thousands. Who would not be willing to serve a Prince that is given to Mercy and Clemency? God is represented with a Rain-bow round about him, Rev. 4.3. An Emblem of his Mercy. Acts of Severity are rather forced from God; Justice is his strange Work, Isa. 28.21. Therefore the Disciples who are not said to wonder at other Miracles of Christ, yet did wonder when the Fig-tree was Cursed and Withered, because it was not Christ's manner to put forth acts of Severity. God is said to delight in Mercy, Mic. 7.18. Justice is Gods Left Hand, Mercy is his Right Hand: God useth his Right Hand most, he is more used to Mercy than Justice, pronior est Deus ad parcendum quam ad puniendum. God is said to be slow to Anger, Psal. 103.8. But ready to Forgive, Psalm 86.5. This may encourage us to serve God. What Argument will prevail, if Mercy will not? Were God all Justice, it might Fright us from him, but his Mercy may be a Loadstone to draw us to him.
Use 2. Bran. 1. Hope in Gods Mercies, Psal. 147.11. The Lord takes Pleasure in them that fear him, and hope in his Mercy. God counts it his Glory to be scattering Pardons among Men.
Obj. But I have been a great Sinner, and sure there is no Mercy for me?
Resp. No, not if thou goest on in Sin, and art so resolved; but if thou wilt break off thy Sins, the Golden Scepter of Mercy shall be held forth to thee, Isa. 55.7. Let the Wicked forsake his way, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have Mercy upon him. And Christs Blood is a Fountain set open for Sin and Uncleanness, Zach. 13.1. Mercy doth more overflow in God, than Sin in us; Gods Mercy can drown great Sins, as the Sea covers great Rocks. Some of those Iews who had their Hands embrued in Christs Blood, were saved by that Blood: God loves to magnifie his Goodness, to display the Trophies of Free Grace, and to set up his Mercy above you, in spight of Sin: Therefore hope in Gods Mercy.
Bran. 2. If God shew Mercy to Thousands, labour to know that this Mercy is for you, Psal. 59.17. He is the God of my Mercy. A Man that was ready to Drown, saw a Rain-bow, saith he, What am I the better, though God will not Drown the World, if I Drown? so what are we the better God is Merciful, if we perish? Let us labour to know Gods special Mercy is for us.
Quest. How shall we know it belongs to us?
Resp. 1. If we put an high value and estimate upon God's Mercy: God will not throw away his Mercy on them that slight it; we prize Health, but we prize Adopting Mercy above it. This is the Diamond in the Ring, it out-shines all other Comforts.
2. If we are Fearers of God, we have a reverend awe upon us; we tremble at Sin, and fly from it as Moses did from his Rod turned into a Serpent, Luke 1.50. His Mercy is on them that Fear him.
3. If we take Sanctuary in Gods Mercy, we trust in it, Psal. 52.8. As a Man is saved by catching hold of a Cable. Gods Mercy is a great Cable, let down from Heaven to us; now taking fast hold on this Cable by Faith, we are saved, Psal. 52.8. I trust in the Mercy of God for ever. As a Man trusteth his Life and Goods in a Garrison, so we trust our Souls in Gods Mercy.
Quest. What shall we do to get a share in Gods special Mercy?
Resp. 1. If we would have Mercy, it must be through Christ; out of Christ no Mercy is to be had. We read in the old Law, First, None might come into the Holy of Holies where the Mercy-Seat stood, but the High Priest; signifying, we have nothing to do with Mercy, but through Christ our High Priest. Secondly, The High Priest might not come near the Mercy-Seat without Blood, Lev. 16.14. to shew that we have no right to Mercy, but through the expiatory Sacrifice of Christ's Blood. Thirdly, The High Priest might not upon pain of Death come near the Mercy-Seat without Incense, Lev. 16.13. No Mercy from God without the Incense of Christs Intercession. So that if we would have Mercy, we must get a part in Christ. Mercy swims to us through Christs Blood.
2. If we would have Mercy, we must Pray for it, Psal. 85.7. Shew us thy Mercy O Lord, and grant us thy Salvation. Psal. 25.16. Turn thee unto me, and have Mercy upon me. Lord put me not off with common Mercy; give me not only Mercy to Feed and Cloath me, but Mercy to Pardon me; not only sparing Mercy, but saving Mercy. Lord give me the Cream of thy Mercies; let me have Mercy and Loving Kindness, Psal. 103.4. Who crowneth thee with Loving Kindness and Tender Mercy. Be earnest Suitors for Mercy; let your Wants quicken your Importunity: Then we pray most fervently, when we pray wost feelingly.