Abrahams Humble Intercession for Sodom, Commentary on Genesis 18 · Verse 31
Verſe 31. —Peradventure there ſhall twenty be found there.
Doct. XXIV. THat Believers in making ſuit to the Lord, improve Gods bounty and mercy all that ever they can in behalf of others that they ſue for.
Abraham found God merciful to Sodom, that if there had been fifty Righteous within the City, he would have ſpared the whole place for their ſakes; then afterwards if there had been five and forty; then if there had been forty; then if there had been thirty, and had a grant ſo far: and now having obtained ſo much mercy, he improves it yet further to twenty; Peradventure there ſhall twenty be found there: he will try yet further what the Lord will do.
Reaſons. 1. From the Lord. 2. From the Believers themſelves. 3. From their Prayers.
Firſt, From the Lord. 1. He is Rich in mercy, Eph. 2.4. Rom. 10.12. and that Riches of his mercy is inexhauſtible, we cannot empty the treaſure of it, nor draw the fountain of it dry, it is a Spring that is alwayes full, and therefore we may improve it all that ever we can. A rich Myne may be digged into, and a rich Treaſure may be made uſe of, and a full Fountain drawn: So here.
2. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think, Eph. 3.20. and therefore we may improve it to the utmoſt, and ask high of him. Our deſires are ſcant, our thoughts are narrow, to that large bounty and mercy that he can impart to us.
3. He is ſuch a full one, that the whole earth is full of his mercy, Pſal. 119.64. and that that fills the whole earth, we may well improve for thoſe that we pray for. We may have enough of that that the whole earth is full of.
4. His thoughts and wayes of mercy are not like our thoughts and wayes, but as the heavens are higher then the earth, ſo are his wayes higher then our wayes, and his thoughts then our thoughts, Iſa. 55.8, 9. Pſal. 103.11. and therefore we may well improve it to the utmoſt.
5. He is infinite in mercy, as well as in his other Attributes, Pſal. 145.3. & 147.5. and therefore we may improve it what we can, and as far as our finite natures can go this way.
6. He delights in mercy, Mic. 7.18. and that that he delights in, that ſhould we delight to improve to the utmoſt, and he will alſo delight in our improvement of it, as he did all along in Abrahams here.
Secondly, From the Believers themſelves: 1. They have experience of his mercy to themſelves, and therefore improve it all they can in behalf of others. Abraham found the Lord merciful to himſelf, and therefore improves mercy for others.
2. They are of a merciful diſpoſition to others. Righteous and Merciful men are coupled together, Iſa. 57.1. Now being of a merciful diſpoſition, hence it is that they do improve the the Lords mercy what they can for them.
3. Believers have a promiſe, that being merciful they ſhall obtain mercy, Mat. 5.7. and that themſelves ſhall be no loſers by it, and therefore may well improve the Lords mercy for others.
4. They know that it's Gods will that they ſhould love mercy, Mic. 6.8. and this way they ſhew their love of mercy, in improving Gods mercy to others.
5. They are good ſtewards of the manifold grace of God, and this way ſhew it, by improving the mercy of God in behalf of others, as well as for themſelves.
6. They are like God, and he is communicative, and ſo are they, in improving his mercy as far as may be for the good of others. God is good, does good, Pſal. 119.68. and the further a ſweet Fountain runs, the better it is.
Thirdly, From their Prayers. 1. They often prevail for others, as well as for Believers themſelves. Abraham miſſed not of one of his deſires for wicked Sodom.
2. Their Prayers, if they ſhould miſs for others, yet will return into their own boſomes, Pſal. 35.13.
3. Their Prayers pierce heaven, 2 Chro. 30.27.
4. They have a kinde of ſoveraignty with them, Iſa. 45.11.
5. They bring the Lord to our beck, Iſa. 58.9.
6. They are never in vain, Iſa. 45.19. and is not ſuch mercy worth the improving?
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee how full of love Believers are to others, that are ſo willing to improve the Lords mercy ſo farre for their good. Abraham deſires mercy for Sodom, if there were but twenty righteous found amongſt them. Faith and Love ever go together, lodge in the ſame breaſt, and take up together in the ſame heart.
2. We ſee that Believers are not all for themſelves, but very deſirous that others ſhould partake of the Lords mercy with them. Faith is a communicative grace, and does not centre within it ſelf, Gal. 5.6.
3. We ſee how precious Believers ſhould be in our eyes, for they are ſuch as do all they can to make others partakers of Gods mercy, Mal. 3.17. Jewels communicate their beauty to others, as well as retain it within themſelves.
4. We ſee how Believers reſemble God himſelf, he is good, and does good, Pſal. 119.68. and ſo do they.
5. We ſee that they that ſhare in the Lords mercy themſelves, are not ſo content, but would have others partake in it alſo; and therefore ſo deſire it for them.
6. We ſee what love will be in heaven, if Believers have ſo much here on earth: there's all love there, 1 Cor. 13.8.
7. We ſee that the Lords mercy is a rich Myne and Treaſure, ſeeing it may be ſo improved, and Believers do ſo deſire to improve it for others.
8. We ſee what improvement we ſhould make of Gods mercy to our ſelves.
9. We ſee that Believers do well in fulfilling the Royal Law, Jam. 2.8.
10. We ſee what longings we ſhould have after heaven, for then the Lords mercy will be fully manifeſted, Jude ver. 21.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour, to thoſe that ſhare not in this mercy.
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation, that we fall ſhort in our duty this way.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To evidence our Faith this way. 2. To improve his mercy for our ſelves. 3. To look for the mercy of Chriſt unto eternal life, Jude ver. 21. 4. To honour Believers. 5. To Pray, Luke 17.5. 6. To give the Lord the glory of all his mercy.