afflictions Again when Judgments are on our selves when God cometh nearer to us and beginneth to touch us with his hand we should relent presently To be sinning and suffering is the condition of the damned in Hell The Holy Ghost sets a brand upon Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. That in the time of his distress he did yet trespass more and more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz If we keep our pride luxury vanity wantonness still our avarice coldness in Religion Sabbath-prophanation if we be not brought by all our afflictions to fear God the more such a brand will he put upon us yea our Judgments will be encreased and the Furnace heated seven times hotter as when the Child is stubborn and obstinate the Father redoubleth his strokes Therefore we are to beg his Spirit with his Rod that we may be the better by all his corrections Numb 12. 14. If her Father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days So if our heavenly Father be displeased and casts contempt upon us c. Use 2. It reproveth those that triumph over the faln and declaim and inveigh against their sins but do not consider their own We should rather tremble and learn to fear from every Judgment executed though upon the worst of men and say Well God is a righteous God and whosoever provoketh him to wrath shall not escape unpunished But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this insulting over and upbraiding others with their evil and afflicted condition is a-sin which God cannot endure and will certainly punish Prov. 17. 5. And he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished If God hath stricken them and the hand of Justice found them out we should be tender to them Prov. 24. 17 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him and he turn away his wrath from him Some read it Et convertat iram suam in te he turn his wrath upon thee Thine enemy is not he that thou hatest for a Christian should hate no body but he that hateth thee if we rejoyce in their evil certainly 't is a sign we hate them however we please our selves with the thoughts of forgiving them as not when he falleth so not when he stumbleth not at lesser evils that befal them Many will say They do not wish their destruction but a little evil they could be glad of which sheweth how rare true piety is God will give him like advantage against thee As the leprosie of Naaman doth cleave to Gehazi David when he heard of the death of Saul rent his Cloaths and wept and fasted 2 Sam. 1. 11 12. Therefore to feed our eyes with the misery and torment of others is no holy affection Iob disclaimed it Iob 31. 29. If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me or lifted up my self when evil found him neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. Revenge is sweet to carnal Nature but such a disposition as that cannot or should not find room in a gracious heart to evidence his integrity Iob produceth this vindication Though they that hate us be our worst enemies and should have spirits steeped in bitterness and Wormwood against us yet ought we not to rejoyce at the misery of an enemy Yea to mourn at their fall becometh us more if we would act as Christians and to fear because of it is an act of piety Therefore this old leven of malice and revenge must be purged out this being inwardly delighted when we hear of the fall of those that hate us When thine enemy falleth consider Either I my self am like him or worse or better than he If better who made thee to differ If worse thou hast cause to wonder thou art spared and to fear before the Lord. Let us therefore observe the Judgments of God executed according to his word Lactantius telleth us Quod non metuitur contemnitur quod contemnitur utique non colitur If the wrath of God be not feared it is contemned and if God be contemned he cannot be worshipped SERMON CXXXII PSAL. CXIX VER 121. I have done Iudgment and Iustice leave me not to mine Oppressours HEre is I. David's Plea II. His Prayer I. His Plea I have done Iudgment and Iustice Defensio est non arrogantia saith Ambrose he doth not speak this boasting or trusting in his own righteousness but by way of Apology and just defence 't is no pleading of merit as if God were his Debtor but an asserting of his innocency against slanderers There is Iustitia personae the righteousness of the person and Iustitia causae the righteousness of the cause wherein any one is engaged We may propound the Justice of our cause to God as the Judge of the Earth and appeal to him how innocently we suffer when we are not able to plead the righteousness of our persons as to a strict and legal qualification Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Well then David pleadeth the equity and justice of his Cause and his right behaviour therein They cannot condemn him of any unrighteousness and injustice and yet endeavour to oppress him therefore he pleads Lord thou knowest where the right lyeth so far as concerneth their slanders I appeal to thee for my integrity and sincerity thou knowest that I have given up my self to do just and right things though they are thus forward to mischief I have â—…one them no wrong Hear me O God of my righteousness Psal. 4. 1. They that look to be protected by God must look that they have a good Cause and handle that Cause well otherwise we make him the Patron of sin when we suffer as evil Doers 't is the Devil's Cross not Christ's that we take up But let us see how David expresseth his innocency I have done Iudgment and Iustice these two words are often joined together in Scripture When God is spoken of 't is said of him Psal. 33. 5. He loveth righteousness and judgment and in the 2 Sam. 8. 15. 't is said that David executed judgment and justice over all Israel Muis distinguisheth them thus Iudicium adversus sceleratos Iustitia erga bonos Judgment in punishing the wicked Justice in rewarding the good Besides that David speaketh not here as a King but as a poor oppressed man The words will hardly admit of that Notion Some think they are only put to encrease the sense I have done Judgment justly exactly I suppose the one referreth to the Law or Rule it self according to which every one is to do right that is judgment a clear knowledg of what ought to be done the other referreth to the action that followeth thereupon So that Judgment is a doing of what we know an acting according to received light Ezek. 18. 5. Do that which
with a stranger thou art snared with the words of thy mouth Prov. 11. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it Prov. 17. 18. A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety in the presence of his friend Prov. 20. 16. Take his Garment that is surety for a stranger Prov. 22. 26 27. Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are sureties for debts if thou hast nothing to pay why should he take the bed from under thee And in other places Our pity is stirred towards a man that is like to be undone and ruined therefore there is such disswading from suretiship and hath not God a greater pity over the afflictions of his people He pities the afflictions of them that suffer most justly yea far below their desert Iudg. 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel 2 Kings 14. 26. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter for there was not any shut up nor any left nor any helper for Israel How much more will he pity them that are unjustly oppressed of men Acts 7. 34. I have seen the afflictions of my people which is in Egypt and have heard their groanings and am come down to deliver them His bowels worketh God loveth his people better than they love themselves fide-jube Domine pro servo 3. Our relation to him I am thy servant and I know thou art a good Master and he is our Sovereign Lord and therefore hath undertaken to provide for us the master was to be the servants Patronus God hath found us work and he will find us defence This is the Argument of the Text Be Surety for thy Servant We are employed in his work engaged in his Cause If a rich man set a poor man at work as to dig such a Ditch if he be afterward troubled for it the rich man is concerned to bear him out Psal. 116. 16. O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy Handmaid Whilest we are engaged about our masters business and in his work he is engaged to protect us and bear us out in it 4. Our very running to him and committing our selves into his hands is an engaging God Psal. 86. 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy O thou my God save thy servant that trusteth in thee Psal. 10. 14. The poor committeth himself unto thee thou art the helper of the fatherless Employ God and find him work he will not fail to do what he is entrusted with Psal. 57. 1. Be merciful unto me O God be merciful unto me for my soul trusteth in thee yea in the shadow of thy wing will I make my refuge until these calamities be over-past God taketh it well that we should make bold with him in this kind and tell him how we trust him and expect relief from him Nothing is so dishonourable to God nor vexatious to us as the disappointment of trust An ingenuous man will not fail his friend that doth trust and rely upon him much less will a faithful God fail those that look to him and depend upon him for help Use Is advice to us what we should do in our deep distresses and troubles when able to do nothing for our selves God will be Surety that is make our Cause his own 1. As your matters depend in an higher Court and with respect to your own guilt and sin which hath cast you into these troubles acknowledge your debt but look upon Christ as your Surety who gave himself a ransome for us The Controversie between God and us must be taken up by submission on our parts for God is an enemy that cannot be overcome but must be reconciled The way is not to persist in the Contest and stand it out but beg terms of peace for Christs sake 2 Chron. 6. 38 39. If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul then hear thou from the Heavens even from thy dwelling place their prayers and supplications and maintain their Cause and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee Job 5. 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my Cause 2. As your danger lyeth with men acknowledge your impotency but consider who is your Surety and will take your part against the instruments that have had a hand in your trouble First God who hath such a pity over his suffering servants is ready ever to do them good Psal. 35. 1. Plead my Cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight against them that fight against me He is in such full relation and so fast bound to them that they may not be weary and impatient and swallowed up of despair he will interpose God seeth our sufferings heareth our groans suffereth together with us and is afflicted in all our afflictions believe it assuredly that he will take the matter into his own hand and be the party responsible Psal. 140. 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the Cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor Wo be to them that would not have God for their party joined in the Cause of the afflicted God hath given assurance of his protection not by words only but by deeds Prov. 22. 23. The Lord will plead their Cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them He hath past his word and he will do it Prov. 23. 11. For their redeemer is mighty he shall plead their Cause with thee 'T is his title Isai. 51. 22. Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the Cause of his people not by a verbal or local but a real and active Plea Ezek. 38. 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood and I will rain upon him and upon his bands and the people that are with him an overflowing rain and great hail-stones fire and brimstone And Isai. 40. 8. He is near that justifieth me who will contend with me let us stand together who is mine adversary let him come near to me that is let him join issue with me commence his Suit in Law We should be confident upon Gods undertaking Ier. 50. 34. Their redeemer is strong the Lord of Host is his name he shall thoroughly plead their Cause that he may give rest to the land 'T is a great ease in affliction to commit our Cause unto God and put our affairs into his hand 2. God who hath such power we need not fear any opposite if God be our Surety Psal. 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal. 46. 1 2. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will not we fear though the Earth be removed and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea a resolution to adhere to God and his truth
offence Christians what Religion is it you are of Is it not the Christian Religion whose great interest and work it is to draw you off from the concernments of the present world unto things to come The whole drift and frame of the Christian Religion is to draw mens hearts off from earthly things and to comfort and support them under the troubles inconveniences and molestations of the flesh therefore for a Christian to hope an exemption from them is to make the doctrine of the Gospel as incongruous and useless as to talk of bladders and the art of swimming to a man that never goes to sea nor intends to go off from the firm land 3. A great occasion to shake the faith of many is Scandals the evil practices of those that profess the name of God O! when they run into disorder especially into all manner of unrighteousness and iniquity and cruel things and make no conscience of the duties of their relations as subjects as children and the like it is a mighty offence and we that have to do with persons and sinners of all sorts find it a very hard matter to keep them from Atheism such stumbling blocks having been laid in their way Scandal's far more dangerous than Persecution There are many that have been gained by the patience courage and constancy of the Martyrs but never any were gained by the scandalous falls of professors Persecutions do only work upon our fear which may be allayed by proposal of the Crown of life but by scandalous actions how many settle into a resolved hardness of heart In crosses and persecutions a man may have secret likings of truth and a purpose to own it but by scandal She dislikes the way of God of Religion it self it begets a base and vile esteem thereof in the hearts of men so they are loose and fall off And this mischief doth not only prevail with the lighter sort of Christians but many times those which have had some taste it makes them fly off exceedingly Matt. 18. 7. There will be offences but wo be unto them by whom they come Christ hath told us all will not walk up to the Religion they own therefore we must stand out against this temptation Secondly Be fortified within by taking heed to the causes of apostasie and falling off from the truth either in judgment or practice What is there will make men apostates 1. Ungrounded assents A choice lightly made is lightly altered When we do not resolve upon evidence and have not taken up the ways of God upon clear light we shall turn and wind to and fro as the posture of our interest is changed First we must try all things then hold fast 1 Thes. 5. 21. Men waver hither and thither for want of solid rooting in truth they take up things hand over head and then like light chaff they are driven about with every wind of doctrine Eph. 4. 14. Half conviction leaveth us open to changes Iames 1. 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways A man that seems to have a faith concerning such a thing then seems to have a doubt concerning such a thing sometimes led by his faith at other times carried away by his doubts If we have not a clear and full perswasion of the ways of God in our own minds we shall never be constant 2. Want of solid rooting in grace that is rooted in faith Col. 2. 7. or rooted and grounded in Love Eph. 3. 17. as to both it is said Heb. 13. 9. It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace that is by a sound sense of the love of God in Christ. A sweet superficial tast may be lost but a sound sense of the love of God in Christ will engage us to him O! we have felt so much sweetness and have had such real proof of the goodness of Christ that all the world cannot take us off The more experience you have and the deeper it is the more you will be confirmed The most of us content our selves but in a superficial tast When we hear of the doctrine of salvation by Christ we are somewhat pleased and tickled with it but this is not that which doth establish us but a deep sense of God's grace or feeling the blood of Christ pacifying our Consciences this is that which establisheth our heart and setleth us against apostasie 3. Unmortified lusts which must have some error to countenance them By an inordinate respect to worldly interests we are sure to miscarry A man governed by lusts will be at uncertainty according as he is swayed by the fear or favour of men or his carnal hopes 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world If a man hath love to present things if that be not subdued and purged out of his heart he will never be stable never upright with God It may be he may stand when put upon some little self-denial for Christ he may endure some petty loss or some tender assault I but at length the man will be carried away as Ioab that turned after Adonijah though he turned not after Absolom 1 King 2. 28. there will some temptation come that will carry them away though at first they seem to stand their ground as long as lust remains unmortified in the heart 4. Sometimes a faulty-easiness As there is an ingenuous facility The wisdom that is from above is gentle and easie to be entreated Jam. 3. 17. so there 's a faulty easiness when men cannot say nay when they change their Religion with their company out of a desire to please all and Camelion-like they change colour with every object Some are of such a facile easie nature soon perswaded into great inconvenience This faulty-easiness always makes bold with God and conscience to please men when we are of this temper Jer. 38. 5. The King is not he that can do any thing against you It is not a good disposition but baseness and pusillanimity It is observed of Chrysostome though a good man in the main yet he ran into many inconveniences why because he was through simplicity and plainness of his nature easily to be wrought upon Therefore though a good man in regard of the sweetness of his temper and converse should be as a Load-stone yet he should be also resolute and severe in the things of God Paul though they did even break his heart they could not break his purpose 5. Self-confidence when we think to bear it out with natural courage and resolution as Peter did Though all men forsake thee yet will not I. We are soon over-born and a light temptation will do it God gives men over that trust in themselves For the Lord takes it to be his honour to be the Saints Guardian to keep the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2. 9. He will be owned and depended upon 6. There 's an itch of Novelty when men are weary of old truths and
Psal. 11. 6. Upon the wicked he will rain Snares fire and brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup They may flourish for a time yet at length sudden terrible and irremediless Destruction shall be the portion of their Cup. God's Judgments are terrible and unavoidable both here and hereafter Eph. 5. 6. For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience Rom. 2. 4. Tribulation Wrath and Anguish upon the Soul of Man that doth evil Alas these things are slighted by wicked Men or else they would not venture as they do you cannot drive a dull Ass into the Fire that is kindled before him Prov. 1. 17. In vain is the Snare laid in the sight of any Bird and would a Reasonable Creature wilfully run into such a danger if he were sensible of it and venture upon so dreadfull threatnings if he did believe them no they think it is but a vain Scare-crow a deceitfull Terrour or a false flash of Fire and therefore embolden themselves in their Rebellion But God's People that know the certainty of these things they cannot but conceive a great horrour at it when they think of the end of these Men their Judgments in this World but especially their eternal Condemnation in the World to come Well then forsaking the Law despising the Precept and slighting the Sanction should be a matter of great Horrour to a tender and gracious Spirit 2. It argueth that they have a due sense of things though others have not 1. They have a due sense of the Evil of Sin Prov. 14. 9. Fools make a mock of sin They sport at it and jeast at it and count it nothing but gracious and tender Hearts have other Apprehensions they know that this is a Violation of the holy and righteous and good Law of God and that it will be bitter in the issue and that they which had pleasure in unrighteousness shall be damned They look upon it with sad Hearts though it be committed by others that the Wicked goe dancing to Hell and are angry with those who mourn for them and dislike that vain Course which they affect 2. They have a due sense of the Wrath of God the Prophet that threatned it saith That rottenness entred into his bones and his bowels quivered Hab. 3. 16. A Lyon trembleth to see a Dog beaten before him It is a trouble to the Godly to think of the horrible punishments of the Wicked which they dread not nor dream of But the Saints have a Reverence for their Fathers Anger Search the Scriptures and you shall find that the Godly are more troubled at God's Judgments then the Wicked themselves who are to feel them Dan. 4. 19. Daniel was astonished for an hour and his thoughts troubled him when he was to reveale God's Iudgments against Nebuchadnezzar So the Prophet Ier. 4. 19. My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart verse 22. But my people is foolish they are sottish Children they that brought the Evil upon themselves are senseless and stupid Psal. 90. 11. Who knows the power of thine Anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath Few lay to heart the terrible effects of God's heavy wrath but the Righteous doe they are truly affected with it and with the Cause of it which is Sin God's Wrath affects Men according to the Reverence and Fear wherewith they entertain it but to the Wicked it is but a vain and empty Terrour 3. The certainty of the Threatnings God's People see Wrath and Judgment in the face of Sin whereas those who are drowned in Sensuality and carnal Delights scoff at God's Menaces and jeast at his Judgments neither crediting the one nor expecting the other as if it were but a meer Mockery Isai. 5. 19. Come say they let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it In their security they will believe nothing but what they feel 4. The Bane which cometh to Communities and Societies from the increase of the Wicked especially when their Wickedness groweth to an height that is when it is committed with boldness Isai. 3. 9. They declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not when Men have lost all shame and modesty and will not be restrained by any Law Surely if we know the evil of Sin the terribleness of God's Wrath believe the Truth of his Threatnings and then consider the danger that will come to our dearest Country we cannot but be greatly moved If a Man were sailing in a Bark and see it guided so that it must necessarily run against a Rock and suffer Shipwrack he would be sorry and deeply affected 3. It cometh from a good Cause 1. In the general it argueth a good Constitution of Soul 2 Pet. 2. 8. For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous Soul from day to day with their unlawfull deeds Passively he was vexed with the impurity of the Sodomites and actively he vexed himself So far as we are Carnal we are pleased with Sin so far as we are Spiritual we are vexed with it Isai. 63. 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit The better any are the more affected with publick Sins and Judgments Christ weepeth over Ierusalem for their Impenitency and approaching Desolation Luke 19. 41 42. As he came near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes This was in the midst of the Acclamations and Hosannahs of the Multitude when he was welcomed with a Triumph Paul telleth the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12. 21. I am afraid when I come among you my God will humble me and I shall bewaile many which have not repented of the Fornication Lasciviousness and uncleanness which they have committed The more holy any one is the more he is affected and struck at heart with the Sins of others 2. A deep Resentment of God's Dishonour When his Glory is obscured it is a wound to the Hearts of his Children As a Child cannot endure to hear or see his Father disgraced Surely God's Glory is dear to the Saints Psal. 69. 9. The Reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Injuries done to God and Religion affect them no less nearly then Personal Injuries which are done to themselves So affectionately zealous are they for God's Honour which is obscured by the wickedness of the Wicked who forsake the perfect Righteous Law of God and usurping God's Authority make a new Law to themselves 3. Compassion to Men. Though they are Wicked men yet they are Men made after God's Image remotely capable to know and love God and live with him for ever whom they should otherwise embrace as Brethren to see them treasure up Wrath against the day of Wrath should be a grief and a trouble to us To think of the everlasting Destruction
on fire as the whole metal is melted that the dross may be severed Use. 3. All Judgments on the visible Church are to sever the dross from the Gold God suffereth them a while to be mingled and then come trying Judgments to separate the one from the other which is a comfort to us the Church is the purer for these Judgments Isai. 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee and I will surely purge away thy dross and take away thy tin So Mal. 3. 3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness He will send such Judgments as will destroy the incorrigible wicked ones and purifie the rest 'T is a comfort against persecutions we murmure under them know not how they shall be turned away God who is the purger of his Church will find out some way And 't is a comfort under his Judgments they are not to destroy but to purge God intendeth only our purging how hot soever the Furnace be therefore let God alone with his work Use 4. Is to teach us to wait upon God in the way of his Judgments He is putting away the wicked of the Earth like dross it is not only a work that he hath done or will hereafter do but he is always doing of it We should observe how God hath already done it and so by faith we should look upon him as still about it First He beginneth with his people he is purging away of their wickedness Isai. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged But many shall cleave to them by flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and make them white Dan. 11. 35. Now when God hath employed wicked men to fann and purge his people then their turn cometh next Ier. 25. 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my name and should ye be utterly unpunished Ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the Earth 1 Pet. 4. 17. If punishment begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appear Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner When the Lord hath performed his work upon Mount Zion and Ierusalem then he will reckon with his Enemies he beginneth with his Church and maketh an end with their Enemies his Enemies drink the dregs of the Cup and their end must needs be unspeakably terrible Use 5. Let us see we be not put away like dross when Gods Judgments are abroad in the Earth 1 Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world We shall put that out of question if we do two things First If we be faithful to God and cleave to Gods people truth and interest how great soever our tryals be Psal. 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet we have not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in the Covenant To consume in the melting is the property of dross but the pure metal is the more united and cleaveth together the more closely Secondly If you are refined by all these tryals Isai. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged A Christian loseth nothing by his afflictions but sin which is better parted with than kept We come now to the second Branch of the Text and that is the effect it had upon David's heart Therefore I love thy testimonies This use he made of all Gods Judgements Doctr. A gracious heart that observeth the Providence of God and the course of his judicial dispensations will find more cause to love the word of God than ever before 1. Because thereby he hath sensible experience of the truth of it Gods Providence is a Comment upon his Word the effect is answerable to the prediction and the word that God hath said is fulfilled to a tittle Now the more confirmation the word receiveth the more is affection encreased The Apostle telleth us That the word spoken by Angels was stedsast Heb. 2. 2. because every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward the punishment of the transgressours of the Law was a proof of Gods authorizing their Doctrine the same Law made formerly is valid We see the word doth not threaten in vain and they that slight it smart for it Now I see the word of God is to be valued for God will make it good even to a tittle 2. Because if we love not the word we may see great danger likely to ensue even those terrible punishments by which he purgeth out the dross should make us fall in love with Gods Law If we would not perish with the wicked of the earth we should not sin with the wicked of the earth if we partake of their sins we must partake of their plagues Psal. 2. 11. Kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way if his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that trust in him When we see the danger of being enemies to God or unsound with him we have need to learn this wisdome of shewing all affection and reverence and respect to Christ and his ways and submit to him heartily there is no safety in any other course If a spark of his wrath light upon us how soon will it consume us The stupid world regardeth not this to love his ways the more God giveth out proofs of his anger against those that despise them Many are cut off in the mid way sooner than they did or could expect and yet they do not grow one jot the wiser 'T is dangerous to stand out against God his cause work or people 3. It doth indear the mercy of God to us because he hath dealt otherwise with us who in strict Justice have deserved the same Gods Judgments on the wicked commend his Mercies to his Children Rom. 9. 23. The Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction serve to shew the greater love of God to the Vessels of mercy the torments of Hell inflicted on the wicked do the more set forth his love to the Saints to whom he hath appointed the joys of Heaven So the severity of God in his present Judgments doth imply the love of God to his chosen people who can take comfort in the promises when the threatnings are accomplished upon others this might have been our condition too but that Grace hath made the difference Well then as it doth indear the mercy of God to us so it calleth upon us more highly to love and prize him and his word because of this distinction 4. 'T is not only a means to set off the love of God to us but even his Judgments upon others may be a necessary act of love
distinction between them and wicked men made more clear and sensible by the activity and vigour of Grace and their diligence and care of Salvation which the wicked neglect awakened by new influences from God and therefore do they so often pray for Quickning Accordingly God in the New Covenant as the God of their Life and Salvation hath undertaken to keep them fresh and lively and therefore when ever we are under deadness we should not be satisfied with it or think it a light evil but present our condition to God looking to the Promise of the New Covenant wherein God hath promised to put his Spirit into our hearts to cause us to walk in his wayes But because all these Points have been often discussed I shall only handle this one Point Doctrine That in the Lord Iehovah there are great and tender Mercies First I shall open the Mercy of God Secondly The Adjuncts the Greatness and Tenderness of them First I shall open the Mercy of God That Mercy is one of Gods Attributes the Scripture is plain and clear Psal. 62. 12. Also unto thee O Lord belongeth Mercy he had said before once hath God spoken and twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God This is an evident and certain Truth that God is Almighty and hath all power to avenge his Enemies and Reward his Friends but because this is not a sufficient Foundation for our Trust there wanteth more to invite the Creature to depend upon God than his bare Power and Ability to help us there must be also an assurance of his Readiness to do what he is able and that we have in this other Attribute which is as proper and as much belonging to God as Power and that is Mercy Yea 't is an Attribute in the exercise of which God delights most of all Mich. 7. 18. Because he delighteth in mercy God delighteth himself in all his Attributes yea in the manifestation of them to the World but chiefly in Acts of Mercy These come readily from him and unextorted Though God willeth the Punishment of a sinner for the manifestation of his Justice yet these Acts of his Vengeance are not so pleasing to God as the Acts of his Mercy for he never doth them of his own accord but is provoked Acts of Mercy flow from him like life-honey but acts of Vengeance are his strange work Isa. 28. 21. Bees give honey naturally sting when provoked therefore God is no where called pater ultionum whereas he is called pater miserationum 2 Cor. 1. 3. The father of mercies 'T is the Original and fountain-Fountain-cause of all our Comfort get an Interest in his Mercy and all his other Attributes shall be for our good Mercy will set a-work his Wisdom to contrive his Power to Accomplish what is for our Comfort and Salvation his Justice and Wrath to avenge your quarrel all other Attributes are serviceable to Mercy among the things that are ascribed to God there is this order that one is given as a reason of the other As in the business of our Salvation why doth God discover himself with so much Wisdom and Power Because of his Mercy Of his Mercy hath he saved us Tit. 3. 4 5. Of his Mercy quickned us Eph. 2. 4 5. Of his Mercy begotten us to a lively hope 2 Pet. 1. 3. But what moved him to shew Mercy to us You can go no higher unless you assign a Cause like itself God who is rich in Mercy out of his great love wherewith he hath loved us indeed so he shewed Mercy because he would 1. The Goodness of the Divine Nature as it doth discover itself to the Creature is called Benignity or Bounty sometimes Grace and sometimes Mercy The first issue or effect of the Divine Goodness is his Benignity or Bounty by which God by giving something to the Creatures sheweth himself Liberal or Bountiful this is his goodness to the Creature as a Creature Thus he hath given being to all things bare Life to some Sense to others and to Man and Angels Reason and Grace The next Term by which the Goodness of God is expressed is Grace by which he freely giveth to the Creature all that good which they have beyond all possibility of Requital The third Term is Mercy which implyeth the ready inclination that is in God to relieve our Misery notwithstanding Sin These three Terms agree in this that they all express the Goodness of God or his Communication of himself to the Creature God knoweth himself loveth himself but he cannot be said to be Bountiful or Gracious or Merciful to himself these things respect us And again that none of these can be reciprocated or turned back from the Creature to God we may Love God who hath loved us first 1 Ioh. 4. 19. but Mercy or Grace never results from the Creature to God we know God and love him but cannot be said to be Merciful to him He giveth out Mercy and Grace but receiveth none thus they agree but they differ in that Bounty or Goodness respects the Creature as a Creature Grace respects the Creature as being able to make no recompense to God or to Merit any thing at his hands but Mercy addeth these two things to the former as supposing us in Misery the Object of it is persona miserabilis or as finding us under demerit or ill deserving and appoints a remedy for us God doth good to the Angels that never sinned out of Grace but to Man fallen out of Mercy so that his Mercy is nothing else but his proneness to help a man in Misery notwithstanding Sin 2. We must distinguish between Mercy as 't is an Attribute in God and the Acts and Effects of it as they are terminated upon the Creature As 't is an Attribute in God Psal. 103. 8. The Lord is merciful and gracious so 't is Infinite as his Nature is but in the Effects as to us there is a great difference Mercy is one in the Fountain many in the Streams because there are divers Effects divers wayes of shewing mercy Mercy in the Effect may cease as when the Angels turned Devils and when God threatneth to take away his mercies from us but God doth not cease to be merciful in himself the effects of Gods mercy are more or less but the Attribute in God is not so Mercy as an Attribute doth not oppose Justice but the effects of Gods mercy may be and are contrary to the effects of his Justice as Punishment is contrary to Blessing 3. Gods Mercy is either General or Special or Peculiar First Gods general mercy hath for the Object of it not only men even them that are strangers to the Faith but also all the Creatures for 't is said Psal. 145. 5. His tender mercies are over all his works God helpeth the poor brute Creatures in their needs and doth supply them with provision convenient for them then there is his special mercy to Man helping and succouring him in