Psalm 119:41
Verse 4 1. — l,et thy mercies come also to me, O Lord, even thy salvation according to thy word.
In this verse you have the man of God in straits, and begging for deliverance. In this prayer and address to God you may observe, —
1. The cause and fountain of all, “Thy mercies.”
2. The effect or tiling asked, “Salvation.”
3. The w arrant or ground of his expectation, “According to thy word.”
4. The effectual appUcation of the benefit asked, “Come also to me.” The sum of the ^•erse may be given you m this point.
Doctrine. — That the salvation of God is the fruit of his mercy, and effectually dispensed and applied to his people according to his word. There is a twofold salvation, temporal and eternal.
1st, Temporal salvation is deliverance from temporal dangers: “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exod. xiv. 13).
2ndly, Eternal deliverance from Hell and wrath, together with that positive blessedness which is called eternal life: “And being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him” (Heb. v. 9). The text is applicable to both, though possibly the former prmcipally intended.
Fu-st, I shall apply it to salvation temporal, or deliverance out of trouble. Then obscne, —
1st, The cause of it, “Thy mercies.” God’s children often fall into such straits that nothing but mercy can help them out: all deliverance is the fruit of mercy pitying our misery, but some deliverance especially is the fruit of mercy pardoning our sin. I shall give you some special cases, both as to danger and sin.
1. In all cases as to danger it is mercy which appears, partly because God’s great arguments to move him is the misery of his people, it is his great argument: “The Lord will repent himself “for his servants when he seeth that all tlunr power is gone, and none shut up and left” (Deut. xxxii. 36), no manner of defence, but exposed as a prey to those that have a mind to wrong them. It is the only argument: “Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low” (Psalm Lwix. 8). Mercy relents towards a sinful people, when they are a wasted people. Partly because when there are no other means to help, mercy unexpectedly tindeth out means for ns. When we are at an utter loss in ourselves, God finds out means of relief for us: “He shall send from Heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and truth” (Psalm lvii. 3). When we want help on earth, faith seeketh for help from Heaven, and mercy chooseth means for us -when we cannot pitch upon anything that may do us good. In these cases doth mercy discover itself as to danger.
2. More eminently in special cases, when their sins have evidently brought them into those straits. Many afflictions arc the strokes of God’s immediate hand, or the common eifects of his pi’ovidence permitting the malice of men for our trial and exercise, but some are the pi-oper effects of our own sins. We run ourselves into incoveniences by our folly, and even then mercy findeth a way of escape for us. Two ways may our sin be said to bring our trouble upon us, meritorle et effective.
(1.) Meritorie. When some judgment treadeth upon the heels of some foregoing sin and provocation: as David, when he had offended in the matter of Uriah, see Psalm iii. title, “A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son,” and the two first verses, “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? many are they that rise up against me. Many there be that say of my soul there is no help for him in God. Selah.” David was deserted of his own subjects, chased from his palace and royal seat by his own son Absalom; he had defiled Uriah’s wife secretly, and his wives were defiled in the face of all Israel, and he driven to wander up and down for safety. God will make all that behold the scandalous sins of his people, see what it is to provoke him to wrath. See how he complains: “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? many ai’c they that rise up against me” (verse 1). You shall find in 2 Sam. xv. 12, “The people increased continually with Absalom.” A multitude against him, and the rest durst not be for him, their hearts were hovering. And in another place, all Israel gathered to him from Dan to Eeer-sheba (2 Sam. xvii. 11). In what a sorry plight was David when all was against him, and the world thought God was against hun! for so it followeth: “Many there be which say of my soul there is no helji for him in God. Selah’’ (verse 2). The world counted the case desperate, and insulted over him now God hath left him; but they mistook fatherly correction for vindicative justice: this was a sad condition, but David goeth to God to fetch him off, though he had drawn this judgment upon himself, yet he deals with him for relief; in such cases mercy is seen. That pit must be very deep when the line of grace doth not go to the bottom of it; in the face of the temptation David maintaineth his confidence in God:” But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my ijlory and the lifter up of my head’’ (verse 3). God is counter-comfort to all his troubles. He was in danger, God was his shield; his kingdom was at stake, God was his glory; he was under sorrow and shame, God would lift up his head; to the unarmed, a shield; to the disgraced, glory; to the dejected, an encourager, or the lifter up of his head: thus, when his case was thought desperate, doth mercy work for him.
(2.) Effective. When we ourselves run into the snare, and be holden with the cords of our vanity: “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins” (Prov. v. 22). When we have been playing about the cockatrice’s hole, and have brought mischief upon ourselves. Sometimes God’s children have been guilty of this, they have been the causes of their own troubles; as David, when his unbelief drove him to Gath, where he was in danger of his life, and escaped by his dissembling. Psalm xxxiv. is entitled “A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.”’ And Josiah put himself on a war against Pharaoh Necho and other such instances; then if they be saved it is certainly mercy.
Again observe, it is not mercy, but mercies; the expression is plural.
1. To note the plenty and perfection of this attribute in God. God is very merciful to poor creatures; see in how many notions God’s mercy is represented to us, a distinct consideration of them yieldeth an advantage in believing, for though they express the same thing, yet every notion begetteth a fresh thought, by which mercy is more taken abroad in the view of conscience; this is that pouring out God’s name spoken of: “Thy name is as ointment poured forth” (Cant. i. 3). Ointment in the box doth not yield such a fragrancy as when it is poured out: God hath proclaimed his name: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth” (Exod. xxxiv. 6). God hath given this description of himself, and the saints often taken notice of it: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger“’ (Psalm ciii. 8), and of great kindness,” Turn to the Lord your God for he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil “(Joel ii. 13).” I knew that thou wert a gracious God, slow to anger and of great kindness” (Jonah iv. 2), and in divers other places. What doth the Spirit of God aim at in this express enumeration and accumulation of names of mercy, but to give us a help in meditation, and to enlarge our apprehensions of God”s mercy.
(1.) The first notion is mercy, which is an attribute whereby God inclineth to favour them that are m misery, it is a name God hath taken with respect to us, the love of God first falleth upon himself: God loveth himself but he is not merciful to himself, mercy respects creatures in misery. Justice seeks a fit object, mercy a fit occasion. Justice looketh to what is deserved, mercy to what is wanted and needed.
(2.) The next notion is grace, which noteth the free bounty of God, and excludeth all means on the creatures’ part; grace doth all gratis, freely, though there be no precedent, debt or obligation, or hope of recompence whereby anj thing can accrue to God. His external motive is our misery, his internal motive his own grace. Angels that never sinned are sa ed merely out of grace. Men that were once miserable are saved, not only out of grace, but out of mercy.
(3.) The next notion is long-suffering, or slowness to anger. The Lord is not easily overcome by the wrongs or sins of the creature; he doth not only pity our misery, that is mercy; and do us good for nothing,’that is grace; but beareth long with our infirmities, that is slowness to anger. Certainly he is easily aj)peaeed, and is hardly dra n to punish: men are ready to anger, slow to mercy, quickly inflamed and hardly ajipeased, but it is quite the contrary with God. It is good to observe the difference between God and man. Man cannot make anything of a sudden, but destroyeth it in an instant. “When men are to make anything they are long about it, as building a house is long work; but plucking it down and undermining it is done in a short time; btit God is quick in making, slow in destroying, he made the world in six days, he could have done it in a moment, were it not that he would give us a pattern of labour and order in all thingK; now it hath continued for six thousand years and upwards, as some account, such is his long-suffering:; how many of us has God borne with for ten, twemy, thirty years, from childhood to grey hairs, from the cradle to the grave; the angels were not endured in their sinful state but immediately cast
into Hell. r
(4.) Kindness and bounty, he is plenteous in goodness; God is good and doeth good, his communications to the creature are free and full, as the sun giveth out light, and the fountain water. Thus you see reason why mercies are plurallv expressed.
2. The frequency of it. His mercies “are new every morning” (Lam. iii. 23); that is, renewed; those that concern the body and soul, not only merciful in saving once or twice, but every day pardoneth our new sins, and giveth to his repenting children new comforts. There is a throne of grace open every dav, not once a-year (Heb. iv. 16), as it was to the high priest under the law”. The golden sceptre is daily held out, the fountain is ever open, not stopped up nor drawn dry; God keepeth not terms, but keepeth a court of audience; and every day we may come and sue out our pardon, and take out the comforts we stand in need of.
3. The variety of our necessities, both by reason of misery and sin; so that not mercy but mercies will do us good. We have not one sin but many, not one miseiy but many, therefore mercies are needful for us.
(1.) Our miseries are many, danger waylayeth us on every side, therefore the mercy of God is said to compass us about: “He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about” (Psalm xxxii. 10). On which side soever temptation and trouble maketh the assault, mercy is ready to make the defence: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm xxxiv. 19). Their troubles are many from God’s own hand, Satan’s temptations, malice of the wicked world, therefore “Let thy mercies come to me.”
(2.) Our sins, so many provocations, transgressions from the womb (Isa. xlviii. 8). After grace received we have our failings, there remains much venom and evil of sin: “Have mercy upon me according to thy loving-kindness, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions” (Psalm li. 1); where great sins, great mercies; many sins, many mercies. In that one fact how many ways did he sin? No great sin can be committed alone, but one evil act draweth on another, as links in a chain; adultery, blood, and this by a king, whose duty it was to punish it in others; the more above the stroke of man’s justice, the more liable to God’s: this when he had many wives of his own; a crime committed out of want is not so hienous, as that committed out of wantonness; he took the poor man’s one ewe lamb, when he had many flocks and herds. This was done not suddenly and in the heat of passion, but in cold blood, plotting his opportunities, abusing Uriah’s simplicity and sincerity to his own destruction; his honesty in not returning to his house, should have been a check upon David, he maketh him drunk, drew Joab into the conspiracy and confederacy of his guilt; many perished with Uriah in the attempt upon Rabbah.
4. The many favours to be bestowed upon us, as food, clothing, protection, liberty in our service, and after all eternal life; therefore mercies, “which giveth us all things necessary to life and godliness” (2 Peter i. 3). 2udly, The effect, “thy salvation;” brought about in God’s way, and
412 SERMONS Oy PSALM CXIX.
upon God’s teniis. In temporal safety we must wait for God’s salvation, such as God giveth, God alloweth; better be miserable than be saved upon other terms; many would be safe from troubles, but they would take their own waj’, and so turn aside to crooked paths. Those martyrs spoken of in the Hebrews, w’ould not accept deliverance, “that they- might obtain a better resurrection “(Heb. xi. 35); to wince under trouble, and fling oft’ the burden ere it be taken oft” by God without any sin of ours; otherwise we break prison, get out by the window not by the door; we must take up our cross as long as God will please to have us bear it; David saith, “Thy salvation.”
3rdly, The wan-ant and ground of his expectation, “according to thy word:” God’s mercy is to be expected according to the tenour of the promise. How is that? —
1. No temporal blessing is absolutely to be expected, for God hath reserved the liberty of tiying and chastising his children in outward things; the covenant is to be understood with the exception of the cross, and we can have no temporal benefit by it but as it is useful for us: “I will visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail’ (Psalm lxxxix. 32, 33). God will use medicinal discipline, though not satisfy his justice upon them.
2. The qualification of the promise must be regarded by those that would have benefit by it: God“s covenant is made with his people, it is a mutual stipulation; many wovdd have comfort; we plead promises of safety with God, but forget promises of obedience to him; as Ephraim would tread out the corn but not break the clods (Hos. x. 11). There was food:” Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn ‘” (Deut. XXV. 4). We mind our own interest more than God”s honour.
3. A word of promise calleth for faith and trust whatever contrariety appeareth in God’s providence, God’s word must bear up our hearts, it is as a pawn till the deliAcrance come: God’s mercy is the same still, his word calleth for trust, the more we trust and hope in his mercy, the better for us: “1 have trusted in thy mercy, my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation” (Psalm xiii. 5). “Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us according as we hope in thee” (Psalm xxxiii. 22). And, “He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about” (Psalm xxxii. 10). The more clear is yom* claim when you trust yourselves with him; he is a merciful God, and his word saith he will take care for them that fear him.
4. All this trust must be set a work in prayer; so doth David, and so saith the word: “Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 1. 15). “I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you” (Jer. xxix. 11, 12). •’ Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them” (Ezek. xxxvi. 37).
4thly, The efl’ectual application, “Let thy mercies come also to mc.” 1. He beggeth application imto me also, God is every day scattering his mercies abroad in the world, and David woldd not be left out of God’s care and blessed provision, but have his share also. I’sau’s words are applicable upon this occasion: “Hast thou but one blessing, O my Father? Bless mc, even mc also” (Gen. xxvii. 38). Wlicn the earth is full of his
SERMON XLVir. VERSE XLI. 413
goodness, beg your share; God is the Father of mercies, he hath not the less for bestowing, as the sun hath not less light for us, because others enjoy it with us, God doth not waste by giving.
‘2. He beggeth an effectual application: “Let thy mercies come to me;” the way was blocked up with sins and difficulties, yet mercy could clear all, and find access to him, or make out its way: “Let it come to me,” that is, let it be performed or come to pass, as it is rendered: “Now let thy words come to pass” (Judg. xiii. 12). Hebrew, “Let it come,” here let it come home to me, for my comfort and deliverance. David elsewhere saith, “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm xxiii. 6); go after him, find him out in his wanderings. So, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” (Psalm cxvi. 12.) They found their way to him though shut up with sins and dangers. Thus we see how to plead with God for temporal salvation, we must make grace and nothing but grace the ground of our hope, and this according to the tenour of the word.
Secondly, As it is applicable to eternal salvation; and then — 1. The ground of all is mercy or pity of the creatures’ misery, the Lord is not moved to bestow grace upon sinners for any goodness that he findeth in them, or could foresee in them; for he findeth none, and could foresee nothing but what was the fruit of his own grace: “Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” (Rom. xi. 35.) It is the honour of God to begin all things, as the river oweth all to the fountain, the fountain nothing to the river; as none can give him first, so none can be profitable unto him, for heneedeth nothing: “Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needeth anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts xvii. 25). Nay, we deserve the contrary, to be cast into utter darkness: “I do not this for your sakes, I had pity for my name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the Heathen” (Ezek. xxxvi. 21, 22). “Of his abundant mercy he hath begotten us to a lively hope” (1 Peter i. 3). We have not a right notion of mercy, unless we admire the plenty of it: “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath quickened us together with Christ” (Eph. ii. 4). There need many mercies from first to last for the saving of a poor sinner; their natural misery is great: “When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live” (Ezek. xvi. 6). Their actual sins many: “Our iniquities testify against us” (Jer. xiv. 7); the way of their recovery by Christ is mysterious: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John iii. 16). The course taken for satisfying wronged justice, the application involveth many mercies, the renewing of their natures: “According to his mercies he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus iii. 5). The preserving of inherent grace against temptations, forgiving many sins after conversion: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. Iv. 7). “A just man falleth seven times a day, and riseth up again” (Prov. xxiv. 16). The great, eternal, good things to be bestowed on them;
“Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 21). So tlmt from tirsf to last there is nothing but a concatenation of mercies.
2. The effect, “salvation.” This properly deserveth to be called so: we are saved but in part before; then frum all evils, from the greatest evil. Hell; bi.for(’ we are saved, l)ut we may be troubled again; now no more sorrow, w hen all opposition is broken, and ihpd is all in all, and the church presented as a prey snatched out of the teeth of lions, all Ibrmer things are done away.
3. This dispensed according to the word. Now, what doth the word say? when a sinner repenteth, all the iniijuities which he has committed shall be forgotten; there is abuse of mercy noted, if he shall bless himself and say, ‘• I shall have peace though I walk in the imairination of my heart” (Deut. xxix. 19). I may goon in sin and cry, God! mercy! and there is an end. No, mercy issueth out itself for salvation of men, according to the word, these are conclusions contrary to grace: “There arc certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” (Jude 4). The principle is true, but the conclusion is false; certainly God is merciful; there is no end, nor measure, nor bank, nor bottom in his mercy; but throughout the whole Scriptures mercy is only ])romised to the penitent, and to those that come to God by Christ. Take mercy according to the word, according to the analogy of faith, and there is not a more powerful incentive of duty: “There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm cxxxv. 5). “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying untrodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world’ (Titus ii. 11, 12). “I beseech you, brethren, by the mwcies of God, that you present your bodies a livint,’ sacrifice, holv, acceptable to Ciod, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. xii. 1), This is true divinity. The flesh deviseth another doctrine: let us sin that grace may abound, to make a carnal pillow of God“s mercy, that they may sleep securely in sin, yea, a dung-cart, to carry away their tilth. God is merciful, but to those that count sin a burden and misery; God is slow to anger, but yet angry vlhen provoked; abused patit-nce kindleth into fury, as water when the mouth of the fountain or covuse of the river is stopped, breaketh out with more violence. God hath his arrows of disl)leasure to shoot at the wicked; you nmst not fancy a God all honey, all sweetness; he is ‘’ the Father of mercies,” but so that he is also a (iod of vengeance: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. Hut (lod shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scilp of such a one as ^roctli on still in his trespasses” (Psalm lxviii. 0 — 21). The mercy of God is larf,’e and free, if men do not make themselves incapable by their impcnilcnc y.
4. We must beg (1.) The apj)lication of these to me also. “We have heard that the kings of the house of Israel arc merciful kings” (1 Kings XX. 31). Now we woidd ft el it: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all ac<eptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of wh(im I am chief” (1 Tim. i. 15). Winding ourselves within the covert
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of a promise, enter at the back door of a promise, there comes virtue from Christ if but touched; the woman came behind him and but touched the hem of his garment, so we must seek the application of this virtue.
(2.) Effectual application, “Let it come unto me.” Mercy cometh unto us, or we shall never come unto it (1 Pet. i. 10.) The grace that cometh to us, Kapiv epojusi’iji’, the grace which is brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, God’s grace, is brought home to our doors; we seek not after it, but it seeketh after us. Salvation is gone forth, saith the prophet, to find out lost sinners: “Wisdom hath sent forth her maidens, she crieth upon the high places of the city, Whoso is simple let him turn in hither” (Prov. ix. 3, 4.) God sends the Gospel up and down the world to offer his grace to men, it worketh out its way.
Use. — Here is encouragement and direction to poor creatures, how to obtain God’s mercy for their comfort.
1. Encouragement: mercy doth all with God; it is the first cause that setteth everything a work.
(1.) Mercy is natural to God (2 Cor. i. 3). “Father of mercies;” God is not merciful by accident, but by nature; the sun doth not more naturally shine, nor fire more naturally burn, nor water more naturally flow, than God doth naturally show mercy.
(2.) It is pleasing to him: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy” (Mic. vii. 18). Judgment is called his strange work: “That he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act” (Isa. xxviii. 21). Primitive acts he is forced to, but he rejoiceth to do good, as life-honey droppeth of its own accord.
(3.) It is plentiful in God, he is rich in mercy, abundant in goodness and truth; thy sins are like a spark of fire that falleth into the ocean, it is quenched presently; so are all thy sins in the ocean of God’s mercy; there is not more water in the sea than there is mercy in God.
(4.) It is the great wonder of the divine nature. Everything in God is wonderful, especially his pardoning mercy. It is no such great wonder in God that he stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain, since he is omnipotent; that he formed the earth or the waters, since he is strong; that he distinguished times; adorned the heavens with so many stars; decked the earth with such variety of plants and herbs; since he is wise, that he hath set bounds to the sea; governeth the waters; since he is Lord of all; that he made man a living creature, since he is the fountain of Ufe; but that he can be merciful to sinners, infinitely merciful when infinitely just. There is a conflict in the attributes about us, but “Mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (James ii. 13). That he is so gracious and condescending, when his first covenant seemed to bind him to destory us, that he that hateth sin is so ready to forgive it, pardoneth it so often, and punisheth it so seldom.
(5.) He is communicative, it is “over all his woiks” (Psalm clxv. 9.) Not a creature but subsisteth by God’s mercy, he loveth “man and beast” (Psalm xxxvi. 6), and “he is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe” (1 Tim. iv. 10); the whole earth is full of his goodness; “Lord show it to me also.” He heareth the cry of ravens.
2. To direct us how to sue for it in a broken-hearted manner; there are two extremes, self-confidence and desperation. Self-confidence challengeth a debt, and despair shutteth out hopes of mercy. A proud Pharisee pleads his works (Luke xviii. 11). Cain saith, “My punishment is greater than I can bear”’ (Gen. iv. 13). The middle between both is the penitent publican: “He, standing afar off, woidd not lift up so much as his eyes vmto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful tome a sinner” (Luke xviii. 13). Go to him; that which with men is the first plea, with God is the best.