Mercy Magnified, Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII.
THe Directions may be: 1. To the awakened ſinner to come humbly to, and wait humbly upon God for his grace. 2. To the believer to carry humbly all his dayes.
1. Art thou one, who finding thine own miſery, and hearing of God's plenty, art thinking to make proof of it: Wouldeſt thou ſpeed … then, in a deep ſenſe of thy own unworthineſs Throw thy ſelf down at his feet: would you find God merciful, be you ſure to be humble: And for help,
1. Remember how much you have done to provoke God to reject you, and hide his face from you. Think what manner of lives you have led; and in ſpecial how you have ſlighted the Goſpel, deſpiſed the Calls, counſels, reproofs, encouragements that have been given you; how often you have refuſed to accept of tendered Grace and Salvation; and therefore well may God refuſe to hear you when you cry unto him, and bid you go to the Gods that you have ſerved, Jer. 2. 28.
2. Think how uſeleſs and unprofitable creacures you are in your ſelves; no wayes fit to be active in glorifying of him: The whole world is become unprofitable, Rom. 3. 12. Have neither will nor power of their own to glorifie God till he reſtore it, Philip. 2. 13. What can you do for him, till your enmity be taken away, your rebellion ſubdued? Nothing but his grace can fit you to do him any the leaſt ſervice.
3. See that you have nothing by which you can challenge the leaſt favour from him. It is true, the Goſpel ſaith, If you believe, you ſhall be ſaved; but it alſo tells you, this believing is not of your ſelves, Eph. 2. 9. Till you believe you are under condemnation; the firſt grace muſt come from him; and it is at his pleaſure whether he will give you to believe or no. He hath indeed freely engaged himſelf in promiſe to believers; but he hath not promiſed to you that he will make you ſuch, and if he do not, you cannot: ſince then the caſe is ſuch, that without Faith no Salvation, and you no way deſerve that God ſhould give it you, but have many wayes provoked him to deny it; what remains but that you caſt your ſelves down at his feet, and ask it, not only as beggars that deſerve no alms, but as traitors that have forfieted your lives, and ſtand to the courteſie of their Prince of his own free favour to pardon and reſtore them.
2. You that are believers, here is that which may teach you to carry it humbly all your days, and in all reſpects: There is none hath more reaſon to be humble than a child of God, whoſe all is of grace, hath nothing but what he hath freely received: in particular, walk humbly towards God, and towards man.
1. Carry it humbly towards God; and that both in reſpect of his ſpecial and ſpiritual grace, and in reſpect of his outward Providences.
1. In reſpect of his ſpecial and ſpiritual grace; and the both in regard of the firſt gift of ſaving grace, and progreſs of it.
1. In reſpect of the firſt gift of ſaving grace; let the conſtant remembrance of it ſerve to make and keep you humble. And therefore remember: 1. Who thou waſt to whom God brought this grace? Ezek. 16. begin. One in thy blood. 2. That thou didſt nothing to the working of this great work, Eph. 2. 9. Not of your ſelves. 3. How much thou didſt to obſtruct it; how often thou didſt reſiſt God's calls and counſels, wert obſtinate, rebellious, not hearkening to his Spirit, ſhutting thine eyes, ſtopping thy ears, riſing up againſt reproofs, &c. God often came to thee, and entreated thee, but thou hadſt no mind to hear him, but didſt all thou couldſt to have undone thy ſoul. 4. The patience which the great God uſed with thee; how long he waited upon thee, pittying chine obſtinacy, bewailing the hardneſs of thy heart, and would not let thee alone, though many a time thou baddeſt him departfrom thee. 5. Much meditate upon the diſtinguiſhing grace which was revealed in thy converſion. 1. How few are ſaved, and that thou ſhouldeſt be one of them. 2. That thou art no better than they, haſt nothing more to commend thee to God than Cain or Judas had; nothing out of God could move him. 3. Thou didſt many wayes more diſhonour God before thy converſion than any of them did; that young man, Mat. 19. might ſhame thee. 4. That the ſame means which hardened others converted thee. And when thou haſt laid all theſe things together, put thy mouth in the duſt, and let God's converting grace make thee nothing in thine own eyes: and let this grace never be forgotten, but alwayes magnified by thee: only by humility is converting grace glorified.
2. In reſpect of the progreſs of grace in your ſouls: the people of God meet with many changes, exerciſes, temptations; and in theſe, diverſities of out-lettings and withdrawings of grace, and without humility cannot carry it right in theſe interludes: in particular.
1. Limit not God to ſuch a meaſure or or manner of the diſpenſation of his grace: as we ſhould deſire all grace, ſo we ſhould be thankful for every portion of it: Beggars muſt not be chuſers. Paul would have grace to vanquiſh temptation; God would have him content with grace ſufficient to keep him from being vanquiſhed by it: If you have any Grace, it is a gift, and if you would have more, you muſt be humbled, 1 Pet. 5. 5.
2. Be humble when God denies thee the ſpecial communication of grace: Whether it be of enlarged aſſiſtance; though ragged and poor, and canſt ſcarce do any thing, but art ready to ſlip and fall: thou haſt earned nothing, and God knows what is beſt for thee: Or in reſpect of conſolation, thou haſt not thoſe raviſhing apprehenſions which thou wouldeſt, but he ſeems to hide the light of his countenance, complain not, he is ſoveraign and juſt, reſolve to wait, Iſa. 5. 17. Be not diſcontented: Thou takeſt much pains, waiteſt diligently on all means, and their ſeems to be but little coming in; let not this make thee weary: thou art ſowing, it is not yet harveſt: grieve but fret not; pray, but pine not, and know the harveſt will come in God's time, Gal. 6. 9.
3. Be willing to follow hard after God, though through many difficulties: We are forward, while our way is fair, but if grace comes to a tryal, now we ſhrink, and are diſcouraged: But this is a time that calls for us to be humble: we muſt now follow God; as good ſouldiers we muſt endure hardſhip: God is worthy to be followed; it is his mercy thou haſt any grace which may be exerciſed, and the end ſhall be happy, 1 Pet. 1. 7.
4. Humbly depend upon, and go to God for all ſupplies of grace in every work you have to do: Proud man would have his ſtock in his own hand, to make uſe of when and as he pleaſeth; but God will have us to come and ask for every Grace, & wait on him for it, and the humble ſoul will do ſo: If you conſider that you deſerve nothing, you will be glad that you may have it for asking: Remember you are but Children, and have not wiſdom enough to manage your own ſtock, but would ſoon prove bankrupts: this ſhould animate you, that whatever you want, God is ready to give, if you ask, Mat. 7. 7.
5. Carry it humbly towards God though he doth not beſtow ſo much grace upon you as on others: We are ſometimes ready to ſay, though I deſerve nothing at God's hands, yet I am as deſerving as another; God can afford ſuch an one ſo much wiſdom, faith, patience, comfort &c. and why may not I have it as well? This ſpirit of envy and emulation is contrary to Humility: and this very argument, rightly improved might make thee ſilent: Is God a free diſpoſer? is it his own that he gives? and may he not deal it out at his liberty? is thy eye evil, becauſe his is good? doth not poor man challenge as great a liberty as this is, and will you deny it God? nay, becauſe thou art unworthy, thou haſt cauſe to be thankful that thou haſt any at all, when there are ſo many millions that have none, and who hath made thee to differ from them? yea, call thy ſelf to an account, how haſt thou husbanded thy little? if ill, that ſhould humble and ſilence thee; if well, then comfort thy ſelf, that he who improved his two talents well, had his maſter's Euge, and entred into the Lord's joy. yea, how knoweſt thou, but that their work and temptation is greater than thine, and therefore ſtand in need of more?
2. Carry it humbly in reſpect of Gods outward providences: We live in a world of change, and there are varieties of conditions in which we are thrown up and down, and ſhall never carry it right in them without Humility. And here,
1. Carry it humbly in reſpect of affliction: there are many changes paſſing over our heads, God brings many cloudy and mournful dayes upon his people; he ſees meet ever and anon to chaſten them, and it is fit that a vale of ſin, be a vale of tears, All calls us to be humble: The Child ſhould ſtoop, when his father is correcting him: Humble ſenſe of our vileneſs is a fit poſture to meet afflicting times in: For help,
1. Juſtifie God in all the tryals that he brings upon us: Hence labour feelingly to acknowledge our deſert, Dan. 9. 8. Accept of the puniſhment of your iniquity; ſay the Lord is righteous: You are Believers; what then? Chriſt hath ſatisfied God as a condemning Judge, yet he will lay his fatherly chaſtiſements upon his faulty Children, and they have no reaſon to complain of being beaten.
2. Bear affliction with meekneſs, patience, and ſelf-abhorrence, Mic. 7. 9. With patience, be in ſubjection to your father, when he doth nothing but right, we ſhould be ſilent, Job 40 4, 5. He that is vile, hath nothing to ſay: and with ſelf-loathing, the more we loath our ſelves, the more we ſhall love an afflicting God: It is the Lord, &c. Look on thy ſelf as a poor inconſiderable thing, and that will teach thee meekneſs: What wonder if a worm be trod on?
Quest. But why doth God deal worſe with me than with other ſinful men?
Anſw. 1. Poſſibly ſome are in a worſe condition than thou. 2. Doſt thou know any one by nature worſe than thou art. 3. Canſt thou ſay thou art afflicted more than thy deſerving, or indeed up to it? 4. Is not he the Potter and thou the clay? let him alone, if he be Soveraign thou muſt be ſilent.
3. Let every affliction help to embitter ſin to thee: that is one great end of it, to wean us from ſin, and make us know it evil and bitter; and we ſhall bear our afflictions the better, when we know and confeſs that our iniquities have procured them: trouble for ſin will ſwallow up other ſorrows.
4. Think not worſe of God or his wayes becauſe of the afflictions you meet withal, but be willing to wait on him through all: Break not with God, nor leave him, nor abate of your love to him: believe that he can take away the affliction: and believe that he will ſanctifie it to you: and reſolve with Job, that though he ſlay you, you will truſt in him.
2. Carry it humbly towards God in regard of his mercies. There are many mercies which God beſtowes upon us, and if we would carry worthily under them, we muſt carry humbly: Therefore,
1. Acknowledge your unworthineſs of the leaſt outward mercy; joyn with Jacob in his Confeſſion, Gen. 32. 10. A ſinner is not worthy of a piece of bread, or a drop of water; all our daily refreſhments are meer mercy; yea, our very life, Lam. 3. 22. You never earned your meat or drink, all the work you do is not worth a farthing.
2. Wonder that God ſhould do any thing for you: David makes a great wonderment at it, Pſal. 8. 4. Art thou a Believer? that is Grace; in thy ſelf a wretched man: There is not the beſt man upon earth, but hath cauſe to ſtand admiring that God ſhould condeſcend to look ſo low as to take any notice of him, or to do him the leaſt kindneſs.
3. Be exceedingly thankful for all God's mercies: Humility only is thankful: That God ſhould give to us, ſuch as we are, ſuch mercies, this makes it exceeding great mercies: to ſee a ſinner, one that deſerves nothing, eating, and drinking, and compaſſed with mercies, this changeth gratitude.
4. Let theſe mercies break thy heart, and quicken thee to obedience: If we did but know our ſelves, the leaſt mercy would do this: That is a proud heart, that is not ſoftened by mercies, and quickened to duty too: The humble ſouls language is, What ſhall I render to the Lord? Pſal. 116. 12. How ſhould I live? What manner of one ſhould I be who enjoy ſuch favours, who might have been a back-log in hell, or ground between the milſtones of Divine revenge? See therefore that you are unſpeakably in debt to God for every favour, be it never ſo little, yet if the ſoul be humble as it ought to be, it will point us to God, and put us upon obedience.
5. Be content with the portion of mercy that you enjoy: It it pride that acknowledgeth not God in what we have, becauſe we want our wills in ſomething that God denies us: An humble ſoul is content with any thing: though he be poor, deſpiſed, afflicted, yet that he lives, hath any health, ſtrength, &c. ſets him down quiet: Learn to be humble, and that will teach you to cloſe with all God's diſpenſations.
2. Carry humbly towards men: A true apprehenſion of our own vileneſs will make us little in our own eyes. Hence,
1. Beware of deſpiſing any, we miſtake, if we think it an effect of true grace to carry it contemptuouſly to any: Are they unworthy? ſo are you, Are they Prodigals? ſo you have been.
2. Think better of others than your ſelves, Phil. 2. 3. He that ſees himſelf vile, will think theſe cannot be worſe than I, it may be they are better, it may be they have better moral excellencies; or have never finned ſo fearfully, ſo ſcandelouſly and againſt ſuch means as I.
3. Think it not hard to be in low eſteem with others: We are ready to be dejected when men look with low and little reſpect upon us; But he that reckons himſelf a worm, will not think it ſtrange, if every one treads on him, but wonder he is no more contemned.
4. What ever eſteem God gives thee among men, aſſume it not to thy ſelf; let God have the whole honour of it: Boaſt not of thy excellencies, or graces, but chuſe rather to be ſpeaking of thy infirmities: and if thou haſt the praiſe or acclamations of others, take it not to thy ſelf, but ſay, It is by the Grace of God that I am what I am; who of my ſelf am nothing Thus are we in all reſpects to carry over ſelves humbly, and this is the way to obtain grace and favour with God; the way to grow in Grace: yea, by this we ſhall give God his glory, and ſhall enjoy his preſence here; and when he hath dwelt … while with us, to comfort and eſtabliſh us, he will tranſlate us to dwel with him in his Kingdom of Glory for ever.