Divine Mercy Magnified

Ephesians 3:16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inward man, etc.

These words are a part of the heavenly prayer which the Apostle makes for the Saints at Ephesus; we may gather three observations out of them.

First, that God is exceeding rich in mercy.

Secondly, that his showing mercy is his glory.

Thirdly, that when we are to beg anything at God's hands, we may use the motive that Saint Paul does here to God: do it for the riches of your glory, or for the riches of your mercy. The first point, that God is rich in mercy, I have handled formerly, and in what respect he is rich in mercy; therefore I shall now draw some consequences from it.

One is to move men to come in to God, because he is so infinitely rich in mercy. When the hue and cry is made after the thief, you know it makes him run away the faster, but the proclamation of pardon brings him in. The law and the judgments of God do not bring men in of themselves, but the promises of mercy win them to come in: and this use we should make of the mercies of God, to be moved and invited by them to come in and partake of them.

Secondly, it offers a ground of humble confidence to all distressed and heavy-laden sinners! God is ready to forgive and help them, because he is rich in mercy; and not only so, but his mercy is exceeding precious; for unless these two go together, a man cannot be said to be rich — the thing must be precious and he must have much of it; for to have much of that which is base and mean is not to be rich. Now for as much as God's mercy is precious, and he is rich in it, despise not therefore the precious mercies of God.

If God be rich in mercy, if there be abundance of mercy in Jehovah, then let us lay hold of this abundance, and look after our portion in it. This is another excellent use we are to make of it: for to what end is it made known that God is rich in mercy, or to what purpose is it manifested? Not that we should barely know it, but that we should use it; not that we should contemplate it in God, but that we should enjoy it for ourselves. For this riches and mercy of God is not only plenty but bounty; not only a treasure laid up in him, but it is like a common gift bestowed upon all the poor in the country — all that will may come and take what they need. This is the use you should make of the abundance of God's mercy; otherwise, if you make no profitable nor saving use of it, what is it to you? The Apostle says all Scripture is written for this end, that we might have comfort; now if it be true of all places of Scripture, then it is true of these especially, that declare the mercies of God — it is that we may have comfort; now what comfort is there to dwell by full barns, when a man may not partake of that fullness? I say it is no comfort unless you have your part in them. So when you hear of the riches, of the patience and long-suffering of God, what comfort is this to you unless you take your part of them? Therefore now I am to exhort you, come and make yourselves rich out of these riches, let not the mercies of God be in vain to you, but when you hear that God is rich in mercy, let that move you to get an interest in it. When we hear of riches and treasures it inflames every man's desire to have a part of them: the riches of the land of Canaan drew the Israelites out of Egypt, and the riches of the granaries of Egypt made them go down there in Jacob's time, when there was a famine in Canaan. What makes merchants take such dangerous voyages to the East and West Indies, and to the furthest parts of the world, but rich commodities? Now when you hear that God is rich in mercy, what use should we make of it, but to take of these mercies. There is enough to be had, for the mercies that concern the outward man — as riches, honor, long life, gold and silver — he has abundance, you may take freely of them; for the riches of the inward man he is rich in mercy, full of grace and truth, and you may take your fill of them; he is rich in comfort, he has fatlings and wine prepared. In a word, seeing there is so much mercy in God, let it not be in vain to you, let them not lie before you as if they did not concern you; affectionately embrace them that you may have your part in them, this is the use the Scripture makes of the mercies of God. Saint Paul prays for the Ephesians that they might know what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints is, etc. His meaning is not only that they should see them and look upon them — for what were that to them? — but that they might take part of them, and not only have a mental but an experiential knowledge of them. Why did Saint Paul preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, but that men should have their desires stirred up to take part of them? And this is the use we should also make of this doctrine: in so doing, we do an acceptable thing to God; it is the great design he has in the manifesting of his mercies. You cannot do him a better turn than to take the riches of his mercy; in not doing it you cannot displease him more, for to what end has he declared this to you? Is it not that you may come in and partake of them? Must it not displease him therefore if you refuse them?

Suppose a great man that has provided a feast, a costly and sumptuous feast — he has made all ready, when all is done his guests that were invited come not; will it not trouble him exceedingly? Certainly the Lord is angry when you are all invited to a rich feast, and yet you will not come. You know the parable in the Gospel, how he was angry with those that were invited and came not, because his mercy was in vain: now when you shall hear that there are riches of mercy in God, if you make no use of it, it is in vain to you, and to take the riches of God's mercy in vain is to take his name in vain, and you know what he says, that he will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain (Exodus 20). To this purpose consider that place in Exodus 34:5-6, where God descended in a cloud and proclaimed his name to Moses, and what was that? A strong God, merciful and gracious, abundant in mercy and truth. This was his name; now to take these mercies in vain — that is, not to make use of them — is to take the name of God in vain. When you swear by the name of God idly in your common speech that is a verbal taking of his name in vain, and it is a great sin; but when you make no use of God's mercies but take them in vain, that is a real taking his name in vain.

Question: Now what is it to take his mercies in vain?

Answer: It is not to make use of them; therefore when you hear of this abundance of mercy that is in God, if you do not make use of it and earnestly lay hold upon it, so as to improve it for your own advantage, you take the grace of God in vain. Consider therefore what you have, and what you do, when you make no use of these mercies, how you have his riches laid before you without any particular advantage by them. Consider what there is in God, that he is abundant in mercy — not to know it is to take his name in vain, in frustrating the end of their manifestation. It is a treasure, it may be, that you think not of; you know not, it may be, what it is to have a merciful God; therefore consider what God is, consider the largeness of his power, and the greatness of his wisdom, and the riches of his mercy. Consider that he is your portion, that he is your husband, and this is required of you: to make use of him to the utmost. What a comfortable life might Christians live, if they would do this? What do you, vexing and perplexing yourselves about trifles? Is it for you to take care for matters belonging to your credit and advancement, and for other things of this life with that perplexity and anxiety? The better way is to know God in the greatness of his mercy, and to make use of him. Shall one have a rich father and make no use of him? Shall one be a favorite of a prince and not make some use of it for his own advantage? In these things not to do it, you reckon it a point of carnal folly; I am sure it is a great want of spiritual wisdom not to make use of God, especially when not only you may do it, but when it is a sin if you do it not; for indeed it is for your Master's credit as well as for your own comfort, and therefore the Lord will be angry when you do it not. When he looks into the world and sees such a servant standing ragged, poor and hungry, he speaks angrily to him: "Why do you stand here ragged and poor? Am I not rich in mercy? May you not go in and take changes of raiment and clothe yourselves from top to toe?" Therefore, my brothers, be exhorted to make this use of the riches of God's mercies; take an exceeding great portion of them, let them not be in vain to you, fill your souls and your bodies too, take enough for the present, and lay it up for the future.

Question: But now I have spent so much time in exhortation, the question will be, how shall you do it? Perhaps you will say, it is true we would do it — who would not have mercy? — but show us the way to attain to this mercy.

Answer: I will add therefore to this exhortation the means whereby you shall partake of these riches of his mercy, and I will name but these four; the first way is this.

First, to be hungering after the mercies of God, to prize them and esteem them much, to desire them much; as you thirst more, so you shall have more of them. And this you will never do without the sense of misery — that very much endears the mercy of God and the love of Christ; therefore labor to be sensible of your misery, that you may hunger after the mercies of God, and then according to your desires you shall partake of those mercies. This I observe out of the place of Luke 1:53: "He fills the hungry with good things, etc." If you ask the way to have a full portion of the mercies of God, that place shows you — he fills the hungry with good things. Look what kind of mercies men are hungry after — I speak of spiritual mercies; other mercies we are forward enough to hunger after. If we hunger after spiritual mercies, it is the way to be filled with them, and indeed God will not bestow them without this, for they will not be sweet to you, you would not acknowledge God's hand to you in them, you would do nothing for them when you have got them. Therefore he will have them much prized; this you cannot do without the sense of your misery without them. If you did but see the depth of your misery it would make you see the height of his mercy — he that knows the mercies of God out of a feeling of his misery, he knows them experimentally and sensibly. An intellectual contemplation of the mercies of God is one thing, and an experiential knowledge of them is another thing; this latter you cannot have without the sense of misery.

Now the mercies you should hunger after are of two sorts.

First, those that belong to the outward man, and here you need no motives; but yet even in these things God will have men to feel pain many times, that they may know what health is, and what the comforts of our present conditions are, and what abundance of peace and wealth is — for even these things we most esteem; but this is not the thing, for here we need no exhortation.

Secondly, spiritual mercies — those are they we do not hunger after; we are backward enough to desire them, and therefore we have so few of them. Therefore that which I must press upon you is to desire earnestly these spiritual mercies; if you desire them much you shall have much of them, for you must know before you have them God will teach you to know how precious they are, for if he has commanded us not to cast pearls before swine, he himself will not cast the riches of his mercy before those that prize and regard them not.

As for instance, forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God — this is a spiritual mercy; this, if you would hunger much after, you should have it, yes, and according to the measure of your desires. But when you prize it not, that is what keeps it back; you may say the like of all other mercies. Therefore prize them much — that is, be sensible of your misery without them; call your sins to remembrance, go over them, add them up, and let your hearts stay and dwell upon the meditation of them; give not over till you be touched with them, and do this often. We might be more humbled if we would take pains with our hearts, but we slight it and do it carelessly as being an exercise needless and tedious; but do it not so. Labor to get a sense of your sins — that will make you prize the mercies of justification and reconciliation. For this cause many thousands miss the forgiveness of their sins; it is not a thing they esteem much, they do not strive and contend with God for it as a matter of such great moment — whereas it is the most precious mercy of all others; it is the immediate door that opens into the favor of God, which is the cause of all other mercies. And then no good thing can be withheld from you, for it is your sins that keep good things from you. Now if your sins were taken away, what need you fear either diseases, or death, or revilings and disgraces for your profession, or imprisonment, or poverty? If you had the forgiveness of your sins you might enjoy the prosperity you have freely, and as for crosses, either you shall be freed from them, or else they shall be as serpents without a sting, or as great burdens without weight. This you should have, if you had the forgiveness of your sins. Consider all this, labor to set a price upon it, and so for all other mercies, work your hearts to this, to esteem the mercies of God.

Again, labor to see an excellence in them. The same as I said of forgiveness, the same may you say of love, or of patience — see the preciousness and excellence of them; the more you prize them, the more you shall have of them. If you could beg for forgiveness as for life, if you could reckon other things but as dross and dung in comparison of that, as Saint Paul did — which was nothing but the forgiveness of his sins — you would be sure to have these mercies. But men do it not; men live in prosperity, in health and wealth and abundance of all things, and such mercies as these they regard not: forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, the gospel of Christ — these they despise. But we should prize these, even then when they are simply set before us. The reason we do it not is because we have not the sense of our misery. What cares the innocent man for a pardon? What cares a well man for medicine? Mercy is the medicine of misery; labor therefore to be sensible of your misery, that you may partake of this mercy. All the promises run upon this condition; all that are weary and heavy laden shall find rest (Matthew 11). The more weary any man is the more rest he shall have, and so again the poor (says Christ) receive the gospel — the more poor he is the more he shall receive; and so he that hungers and thirsts after righteousness shall be filled — the more you hunger and thirst, the more you shall be filled. In a word, the more you desire the more you shall have. The reason you have not these mercies is because you desire them not, or else your desires are not strong; for strong desires would bring forth strong endeavors, and these would take spiritual mercies by force, as it is said of the kingdom of heaven that it suffers violence — even so these violent desires would obtain it from God by a holy earnestness.

A second way to be made partakers of the riches of God's mercy is to believe them. Add to your desires a belief, for believing is that which opens the hand of God to give, and opens your hearts and your hands to receive; put but these two together — to desire the mercies of God, and to believe that God will give them — and then open your mouths wide, and God will fill them. This I shall plainly show from these following places of Scripture: 'Go your way, your faith has made you whole.' When Christ bestowed any mercy upon men, that is added in the Gospel: 'Your faith has done it, your faith has made you whole.' If they were forgiven, they might thank their faith for it, as it is the instrumental means to obtain the mercies of God; the more faith, the more mercies, for we shall always find that by faith men obtained mercies, and the want of faith missed them. It is certain God is a merciful God; you should find him so if you could believe him to be so, for the believing that he is merciful makes you partakers of the riches of his mercy, because it is his pleasure to put it upon that condition. He might have put it upon other conditions, but this is his pleasure: to say, if you believe, you shall have these and these mercies. For faith knits us to him; faith makes us to know him, and makes us give him the glory of the mercies we have; faith ascribes it wholly to him, it makes it every way to be his work. Faith makes us righteous; now the righteous obtain mercy. This faith is imputed for righteousness — God reckons every man the more righteous as he abounds in faith; therefore the way to fill yourselves with the riches of God's mercy is to believe much, and as you grow in faith, so you shall grow from mercy to mercy. My meaning is this, that believing is nothing else but this:

To be perswaded that God will be kinde and favourable to you, that his promises belong to you, that he will pardon your sins, and receive you into grace and favour with him, that he loves you and is your friend, that he is ready to bestow upon you the riches of his mercy; now the more you can promise yourselves this from God, the more you can expect it at his hands, certainly the more you shall have of his mercy; the less you do it, the less you shall have, if you do it not t all, you, shall have no mercy at all from God, the more you can perswade your selves that God is mrciful, that he is loving and gracious, and will be ready to do for you as you shall need, the more of his mercy you sall have, according to the largeness of your faith so shall the largeness of the mercy e.

For evidence of this, look into Heb. 11. the whole chapter shows what mercies faith bad, what mercies Noah, Abraham, Moses, and the Israelites had when they went through the red sea, what mercies Samuel and David had, the means they had to obtain al these mercies was their faith, they beleived, and therefore they had them, you may there see how it is attributed to their faith: The reason why they exceeded others in mercy, was because they exceeded others in faith: the reason why David was filled with mercy and goodness above others, was because he attained to an higher pitch of faith then others.

Again the want of faith still hindred men from mercy, and it is a good argument that is drawn from contraries, now unbelief hindred Christs country-men from having any part in his miracles, he could do nothing there because they beleived not, it hindred the Israelites from that good land of promise, they all died in the wilderness because they believed not; so Mary she had like to have lost the raising of her brother Lazarus because she began to doubt, for when Christ was upon the very point of doing the miracle, and Mary she told him he had been dead four dayes, Christ staied his hand, and said to her, Said I not to you, if you believest &c. as if he should say, if you believest not I will not do it. The Apostles in the ship being ready to be overwhelmed with waves, what was the cause? because they doubted, Why did you doubt O you of little faith? Still mercies are kept from us for want of faith, therefore it is true on the other side, have faith, and have mercy, have faith in abundance, and have mercy in abundance, If you would have outward mercies, do you believe that God is ready to give riches, honour, and life, that is all a man can desire, these God gives to those that fear him, believe this, trust to it, rest upon it, Let Go I know you relie upon him for it, the more yo believe this the more you shall have, even of these mercies.

And so for spiritual mercies, has he not promised to give his spirit to those that aske it? and that great promise which he made when he ascended up on high, that he would send down the holy Ghost, the more you believe this the more of the spirit you shall have.

So for the forgiveness of sins, the more you believe this the more assurance you shall have, he has promised to hear your prayers, The more you can believe this, the more you shall prevail in prayer; In a word you know every one best what mercies you would have, the more you believe that God is your father, expecting it from his hands, the more you shall have of any kinde of mercy. As it was said of the faith of miracles, if you have but faith, you may say to this mountain be removed into the bottom of the sea & it shal obey you, the same may be said of justifying faith, do but believe, and this you shall enjoy; for faith is not a bare opinion, a bare perswasion, for that is not operative to bring such mercies to you, but faith sees things that are not present, as if present, the things were before we believed them, now God has promised mercies in abundance, they lie open to us, the very believing of them is the taking and receiving of them, God has put them upon that Condition, and not only so, but if you would have abundance of mercies, add still to your faith, therefore you have those words, be it to you according to your faith, that is, if your faith be great the mercies you shalt have shall be great, therefore you see now what use may be made of all that has been said touching the riches of mercies, that you might be convinced of this, that according to your faith such shall your tastings be of the precious mercies of God: the more you are perswaded of the greatness of his precious mercies, accordingly shall you partake of them, and accordingly will you look upon your selves as bound to obey, and love him under the apprehension of his mercies.

The third meanes to obtain these riches of his mercy is humbly to rely upon the author of them, as to desire much, and to believe much, so to depend upon him, to wait upon him, the more you do that, the more readiness will you finde in him to shew you mercie. I follow but the scriptures in this, and set forth such mercies as is there set forth, and this I take out of those places of scripture, In you the Fatherless and widow finde mercy. God is still apt to help such as are in Prison and in a low degree.

Quest. what is the reason of that?

Ans. Bcause such depend upon God, such as have no other fathers to depend upon, such are apt to depend upon God, and he shows mercy to such, not because they are fatherless, but because they depend upon him.

So you have it exprest by the Apostle, Widowes (says, he) that are left alone trust in God, those (says he) are widowes indeed, they might have trusted in God while they had husbands, but that is our weakness while we have other props we are apt to trust upon them, but when they are taken from us we are apt to trust in God. So the woman when she had spent all in Physicke, then she came to Christ, so if we depend upon him, we shall be as the fatherl esse and widow that know not where else to have help. This winneth God to you, for dependance presupposeth trust, for upon whom you depend, upon him, you trust, now God will not fail those that trust in him, for he has put so much nobleness and ingenuity into the hearts of men that they will not fail those that put their trust in them; now dependance is a trust in God, therefore the more you depend upon God the more mercy you shall have, he has put that instinct into every Creature, the hen you see covereth her chickens under her winges because they depend upon her. He is worse then an Infidel (says the holy Apostle) that does not provide for his houshold, because they depend upon him, this is an instinct put into the very Infidels. If God have put this instinct into the Creature will he not do it himself? He that gave them this disposition certainly he himselfe will be abundant in mercy to those that depend upon him, for dependance winneth love from God, therefore he so nurtereth his Children, that commonly before he bestow mercy upon them, he will teach thm what it is, and therefore he helpeth them not till he bring them to extremities, that so they may depend upon him, and then he shows mercy, therefore if you would have abundance of mercy, learn to depend upon God, that is to do these two things.

1. To see a vanity in your selves, and an inability in every creature to help you and withall to see an sufficiency in God to help, the more you fail in this the less you depend upon God, the safer any man thinketh himself to be for his own strength, for his friends, or for his will &c. the lesse he dependeth upon God.

And again the more you see the vanitie of these outward helps, and withal look upon God, and see an allsufficiency in him, the more you will depend upon God, and the more you do this the more mercy you shall have, and when you do not this, that undoes you. Adam and Eve when they depended upon God, all was well with them, but when they wouldstand of themselves, that overthrew them, because indeed the creature has no bottom to stand upon, for a creature has not his subsistence in it self but it depends upon God, And therefore as it is with glasses that have no bottoms, if you set them down they wil presently break, so the creature has not a bottom of his own to stand upon, but he has his dependant being upon God, therefore when he will have a bottom of his own to stand upon, that overthroweth him, as we say of some plants, take them from the earth where once they were planted, and they are destroyed, so we say of accidents that have their being in another, set them upon their own bottoms and they vanish, and come to nothing, so it is with the creature, every creature has his dependance upon God, when it comes to stand upon a bottom of it's own it perisheth, therefore the more you depend upon God the more mercy you shall have, the less you depend upon him the less mercy. If we run through particulars we shall finde it so, if any man stand upon his wisdom and trust to it, God will make him foolish, let him but make a bottom of his strength in 2. Sam. 12. in his own strength shall no man be established, that is, when he resteth upon his strength, but let a man depend upon God then he is like the water and fire in their own places, they are where they should be, like a stone in his own center, so are those that wait upon God, like a tree in his proper soil: while he dependeth upon the creature it is not so, you shall find it so in all examples. When the Israelites depended upon God he carried them upon Eagles wings (says the text) when they left him and sought to the creature that overthrew them: So Iehosaphat when he depended upon God, (Lord (says he) we know not what to do, but our eyes are towards you) then it went well with him. Asa when he depended upon God you know how he prospered, so when men do not depend upon God, see how it fared with them, Asa when he did not depend upon God but sent for the king of Ara[•…] to help him, that overthrew him, the Prophet comes and telleth him, did not (says he) a great army of Ethiopians, and Lubims come against you, and you dependest upon God; and he delivered you? but now it is not so. So for the diseases in his feet when he depended upon the Physicians that cost him his life. So Saint Peter in matter of Grace and sanctification when he would depend upon himself, see how fearfully he sell: Look to all men, go through all stories, and you shall finde that while men depended upon God it went well with them. Rehoboam while he depended upon God see how he prospered: the more dependance therefore the more mercy, the less dependance the less mercy.

Quest. what was the reason why Christ would not have his disciples to premeditate before hand what they should say?

Ans. Because they might still depend upon him. And so the reason why God fed the Israelites with Manna, he might have fed them with Bread in an ordinary fashion, but the reason is set down in Deuteronomy 8:2. for this end that you might know that man lives not by bread but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, that is for this end, that you might learn to depend upon him. The truth is, we are all of the disposition of the prodigal son, we would have our portion in our own hands: we have the same fault that Adam had, every creature would have a bottom of his own to stand upon, and that sinks under it and the ruine is very great.

Finally, the last means of obtaining these riches of Gods mercies is to walk worthy of them, let all these now be put together. To desire the mercies of God, To believe that he will be mercifull, to depend and wait uponhim for his mercy, and last of all to walk worthy of them and you shall not fail of having your part in these riches of his mercy.

This last means I take out of Math, 10:11. When the disciples were sent forth by Christ to preach the Gospel, even the glad tidings of peace, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, they were commanded to make enquirie who is worthy in the Citie or in the town into which they entred, and if any man (says Christ) be worthy, your peace shall come upon him, that is, he shall have his part in these riches of mercy that you preach. Therefore we put this as the last way of obtaining the mercies of God, to be worthy, now to be worthy is nothing but this, To be in a fit disposition to receive mercy; by worthiness is not meant any fitness of holiness or of sanctification, any Godly sorrow, or any measure of repentance, that is not the meaning, that such as have these they only shall obtain these mercies, for these things follow; but by worthines is meant a fit disposition to receive the mercies of God, and so you have the words used in other places of Scripture; that which St. Matthew here calls worthiness St. Luke calls receiving, so that to be worthy is nothing else but to be fit to receive, so in another place when Paul and Barnabas had preached the Gospel at Antioch, and when the Jewes spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming, then, says the text, Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said we turn from you, because you judge your selves unworthy, that is, because you reject the Gospel preached to you, and despise these glad tidings of salvation, you are not of a disposition fit to receive these mercies of God that we declare to you. So those that were invited to the mariage of the kings son in the gospel, the text says, they were not worthy: what was that? They had no hunger after the feast, they prized it not, and therefore they were unwilling to come. If you would therefore have the mercies of God, be worthy of them, labor to be in a disposition fit to receive them. Now (as we said before) by worthiness we do not me an any measure of grace whatever, or any preparations, as if they came under any merit or desert, it seems good to the God of all grace by deeply affecting and humbling of us under our sins to beget in us vehement desires after Christ our Saviour.

Again you must take a resolution to serve him with a perfect heart for the time to come, though you have no worthiness for the present, if you be in such a disposition, as you have this the more, so you shal have the more mercies.

But this is not all, it is true this is required in the beginnings of mercy, viz. an exceeding great desire after forgiveness; But a resolution to serve God for the time to come, this is to receive or to be worthy, viz. to be willing to part with father and mother and all for Christ, such a disposition must be wrought in you before you can lay hold upon any part in these riches, yet I say this is not all, but if you would have these mercies continued, you must walk worthy of them; those gracious qualifications are ordered in tendency to your introduction and admittance into the Covenant of grace and the mercies here spoken of, but after you are brought into covenant with God, you cannot secure the comfortable contents of it unlesse you labor to walk worthy of them, pleasing the Lord in all things, as St Paul says, and as it is in Psalms 18:25. with the upright man you will shew your selfe upright, and with the froward you will shew your selfe froward, that is, you shall finde as much mercy in me as I finde Enemies of behaviour in you, but if you walk stubbornly and frowardlie with me, I will walke stubbornly with you. Therefore it is, that when the Saints stepp out of the way and walk unevenlie with God that he chafteneth and afflicteth them, herecompenseth says Solomon the righteous in this life, that is, he afflicteth the righteous when they go astray from his waies. Put this together with that place in 1 Peter 1:17. we call himfather that judgeth every man according to his works, that is he does this to his own children, chasteneth, and afflicteth them when their carriage to him is not upright. Therefore, says the Apostle, making this as a motive to that exhortation which followeth; passe the time in fear, take heed now of offending: for we call him father that judgeth every man according to his works, for though it be true that God is rich in mercy, yet there must be a worthy walking, for he holds not the wicked innocent, though he deal wisely and lovingly wih his children, yet he will be sanctified in them, he will have such a carriage from them as befitteth those that are his children, therefore as you would have him deal mercifully with you so you must walk worthy of his mercies.

The next Consectarie is this. If God be rich in mercy, then be willing to serve him, you know a mercifull man, a liberal man never lacks workmen, every man is willing to betake himselfe to a rich and merciful master, That is the use I finde made of it in Deuteronomy 28:47. Because you servest not the Lord with chearfulness of heart for the abandanceof all things, as if he should have said, seeing he has given you abundance of all things he lookes that you shouldest serve him with chearfulness, therefore when you hear of the riches of Gods mercy you must make this use of it, to be willing to serve him with chearfulness of heart. So it is in Rom. 12. I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy, &c. that is if God have been so merciful to you, then give up your selves to serve him altogether, consecrate your selves wholly to him, let your bodies and mindes serve for no other use but for his service; for so it is, when a thing is consecrated to the Lord, nothing else has to do with it, but only the Lord, if he be therefore an exceeding merciful God, give up your selves wholly to his service.

Object. This is that we had need to exhort you to, it may be every man will be apt to say, we serve the Lord and who is there that serveth him not?

Answ. But my brethren the truth is we do not serve the Lord, and whatever we say yet we serve other masters and not him, we serve men, we serve the world, we serve our riches, we serve our credits, we serve our lusts, and very few there are that serve the Lord, that is look what men have an eye to in their actions, that they serve. Consider therefore what you do in your actions; look what you do with respect to your wealth and profit, in it you serve but your profit and not God, look what you do with respect to honour among men, in it you serve men and not the Lord, the like I may say or other things, so that if you examine your actions you shall finde that God has but a little part in all your performances, but still some by-respect comes in between. But you must know that all the talents that you have are given you for this end that you may serve your master with them, all the riches, the honour, the strength, the wit, the learning &c. that you have you should serve the Lord with them, but we do not serve him altogether, we serve respects of our own, by respects we serve men with them, when there is a man upon whom our rising dependeth, it is wonder to see with what solicitude and vigilancy we serve him, the like we may say of other respects that we have in things that concern our selves, in these, or the like we use the talents that God has given for his service to our own advantage, and not for our masters benefit.

When we do things in sin[•…]rity to God as in the sight of God, this is to serve the Lord, this we should do in all our callings, and therefore though [•…]u must follow your callings, yet as it is said of servants, Eph 5 that though they serve men yet they are the servants of the Lord, and therefore they were to do their service as to the Lord, even so should every man in his calling, men should have their eyes upon the Lord, do it because he commandeth them to do it, because it tendeth to his glory, because some honour will redound to him thereby.

Now consider what is the reason that every man (for the most part) serves other things and not the Lord, it is because they think they give better wages, then God does, you think you shall fare the better if you serve such a man, you think your riches will do you a better turn, then if you should fix your eyes only upon God, you think your credit will do you more good then if you served the Lord, you think your lusts will give you more content then if you applied your self wholly to Gods service: Therefore if you would amend this fault, draw your hearts from the creature to the creator, and consider that he is exceeding merciful, that he is rich in mercy, you shall not lose your labor, for he is a good master, he has a good eye, that is, he considereth what his servants are, and looks upon them with a pittiful eye, and is ready to help them at every need, and therefore as it is said of the kings service, no service to his, so it may be said of the Lords, no service to his, all his servants have found it so, otherwise, (as it is said of the believers in Heb. 11.) they had opportunity to return again, but they found the Lords service to be the best, the present wages he gives are better then the wages that the world gives, or that our lust gives u, besides what is laid up for us for eternity. In a word if we could perswade you to this that God is rich in mercy to his servants, you would do all you did with respect to him. To the end therefore that we might perswade you, we will draw you to particulars, you shall see that there are in God all the properties of a good master, which may perswade you to give up your selves to his service.

First, He is ready to take any thing at a servants hand that he can do, he looks not altogether for exactness, if they do but little, so long as it proceeds from a pure heart, he accepteth of it, and therefore as it was said of Daniel, though he was sick yet he was about the kings business, even so the saints and servants of God have sick souls oftentimes, yet notwithstanding if they go about the Lords business, if they put their hands but to the work, and do but shew their desire to it, the Lord considereth it, and takes it in good part, for God is a loving and a wise master, one that is loving, he sees what his servants can perform, as it is in Psalm. 103. he knows therefore we aremade, and therefore will exact no more at our hands then we are able to do.

Again he is a wise master; he knows with whom he has to deal, and therefore though we are not so exact in holiness, yet if we serve him in sincerity, though with much weakness, he accepteth it, see how he did in this case with Iob: Iob you know in his afflictions, mingled with his patience much impatience, as the cursing the day of his birth, and wishing for death &c. yet notwithstanding see how God makes mentiō of him in the Epistle of St. James, James. 5:11 Have you not heard of the patience of Iob? So David a man subject to many and great failings, yet God passeth by all, and accepts of him, and gives him this report, that he was a man after his own heart, and did fulfill his pleasure. This is one property that is in God.

Secondly he is a kinde master, ready to grant what his servants shall ask at his hands, he has made them such a promise, Ask what you will and it shall be given to you.

Thirdly. If they do offend in any thing (as what servants are there properly but they do offend?) if they be lesser and ordinary infirmities, he passeth them by as if he saw them not, if they be greater sins that they commit, he is ready to pardon them, if they confesse and forsake them.

Fourthly if they fall into any misery, if into sickness of body, he tendreth them in their sickness, he makes their bed soft in their sickness, that is, he sweeteneth their afflictions, if they fall into any trouble of any kinde, he knows their soul in adversity. Men are ready to forget us in adversity, but the Lord knows us: so in poverty, I know your poverty (says God) to the angel of the church of Smyrna, In a word in all outward afflictions, he looks upon them, tendereth them and regards them: many others masters care not for their servants much when they are weak and sick, but God tendereth his servants in all their afflictions.

Fifthly, He casteth not off an old servant though he do ran into divers transgressions, and often provoke him to anger, with men one fault or infirmity in a servant causeth a breach, indeed ten years service is often lost with one failing, with one contrary action; but God does not so, he casteth not off an old servant, but makes a sure covenant with him, even the sure mercies of David, that is, even as he shewed mercy to David, though he was unconstant, and failed grievously, yet he had sure mercies, the like has every one of his servants.

Sixthly, he observeth all that they do, there is not an action or worke that they do in which they lose their labor, I know your work (says God) to the angel of the Church in Thyatira, and your charitie, and your faith, and your patience &c. not any thing that we do for God but he observeth and rewardeth it, not the least thing we suffer for him, but he considereth it, and gives an hundred fold even in this life, not a good action that we perform but shall do us good one time or other, not a prayer we make, or any thing we do in sinceritie of heart but the Lord remembreth it though we forget it, and that is a great comfort to a servant, all that ever he has done evill in, shall be forgotten, but not a good action but shall be remembred, and recompensed, nd not only to him shall be a recompense but to is psteriti also, many a servant is well rewarded by his master or his time, but it may be his children are never the better for it, but I have been young and now am old (saih David) yet never saw I the righteous for saken or their seed begging bread.

Seventhly, if he do chstise his servants, it is with much gentleness and lenity, he lays no more on then needs must, no more then is for their profit, no more then they can well ear. You shall finde this excellently exprest in Psalm. 78. Many a time turned he his anger away, and didnoir up all his wrath, for he remembred that they were but flesh &c. They offended many times, and provked him to wrath, even so that he was ready to strike, yet he turned a way his anger many a time, that is often-times they deserved affliction, ut he would not afflict them.

Again when he did afflict them yt he layd it not on heavy, he stirred not up all his wrath, for he remembred they were but flesh.

Lastly, his servants are defended by him, he avengeth their quarrel, he Keeps them in safety. Luk 18. Will he not avenge his elect that pray day and night to him? I tell you (says Christ) that he will avenge them quickely, he reproveth kings for their sakes, as it is in the Psalm, Touch not mine annointed &c. It may be said of the Saints, that they are all annointed, he hedgeth them about, he keeps them as the apple of his own eye. A man you know will not suffer the apple of his eye to be touched in any wise, such a master is God, and such a master shall you finde him to be. If then he be a master thus rich in mercy, then serve no other master, serve not your lsts and those by-respects that you doe in your actions, but give up your selves to God, Consecrate your bodies and souls to him, remember what wages he gives, and make that use of it, to serve him with a Chearful heart.

Last of all to conclude this point, If God be so rich in mercy then this will follow from it, certainly he will deal well with his church, he will deale well, with every particular Saint in his a fflictions, for he is rich in mercy, that is, he is of a mercifull nature, and can do nothing contrarie to his nature, but all his wayes are mercy and truth; we had need to draw this use from this doctrine, because the wayes of God seem somewhat strange to flesh and blood, he seemeth to deal hardly with his church and children. But (my brethren) it is not so, for he is of a merciful nature, therefore all his wayes, not a way he goes, not an action he does about his own but it is full of mercy and truth.

First, for the Church, because hee seemeth to deal hardly with the church, yet let us learn to be assured that he is still of a merciful nature, though he may afflict them for a time, yet he will in the end deal well with them, he cannot otherwise chuse, that is, the church in the end shall rise again, though it seem for the present to be fallen. Excellent is that place to this purpose in Zach. 12:3, 4, 5, 6. verses, where the Lord puts together three similitudes to shew the success of the churches affliction. The Church (says he) seemeth to be swallowed up for a time as if the enemies had devoured it, as if there were an end of it, but it is compared to the devouring of a cup of poison, now you know a cup of poison though it do not as soon as it is received bring the body to dissoltion, yet notwithstanding in the end when it has had its full time of working, it destroyeth the whole body, Even so will the church be to those that devour it, though for a time it seemeth not to work, yet in the end it shall bring destruction to all the people.

Again men seem to overthrow the church, as one that setteth his shoulder against a great stone to overthrow it, but in the end the stone falleth back again, and crusheth him to pieces. So does God deal with the church, men seem sometimes almost to overthrow it, it seemeth sometime to be at the point of utter undoing, but yet neverthelesse it falleth back again upon them like a mighty stone too heavy and weighty for them that meddle with it, Even so shall the enemies of the church be ruinated, and crushed with it.

Last of all the church seemeth to be covered with the enemies, and to be prest down with them as a few coals are pressed down with an heap of wood; such a pressure seemes the Church to be under sometimes, yet you know though the coals be few, yet a little fire will devour all that wood, this you shal find to be the issue of the church in thus it was with Jerusalem, and thus you shall find it to be with the Churches that seem now to be overprest, and overthrown, and swallowed up with the enemies, it shal be as a cup of poison to destroy the enemy, as a mighty stone to crush them in pieces, as a fire in the midst of a bundle of wood to devour them.

This you may the rather take notice of, because our adversaries use it as an argument. And Bellarmine among the rest useth it as a special argument against our churches, and a confirmation of the truth of theirs. viz. the many victories they have had against us, but this is but a weak argument. The people of the Iews were more afflicted then all their Neighbors, and there is good reason for Gods dealings so with his own Church. Men you know plow the field that belongeth to themselves & let others alone, men take their own Children and correct them oftentimes, the children of strangers they meddle not with, and if this be true of particular Christians, that if they be sons they must be chastned; must it not be true also of the whole Church, which is nothing but a company of those that are his children; let not this therefore trouble you, God will be merciful to them in the end, for he is of a merciful nature, he cannot (as we said before) otherwayes chuse.

This a man in particular may apply to himself, men when they are in trouble, or under some affliction are apt presently to say, O I shall be alwayes thus, I shal never see better dayes; my brethren this is a great fault in us; But to keep to the matter in hand, the way to comfort-you is to remember that God is of a merciful nature, he will not take his children at advantage, but he considereth what they are able to bear, and so dealeth tenderly with them, for he knows what they are, that they are but flesh, therefore will deal with them according to their strength, for he is a merciful God, So likewise for things you want, and complain of, still remember this that God is merciful.

But it will be objected, we see God is not so rich in mercy to all the saints as you speak of, many of his own children are poor, they are beneath, and not above, mean in gifts, and mean every way, where is then the riches of his mercie? Again many of his children are sorely afflicted, who have worse entertainment in the world then they? upon whom are afflictions more heaped then upon those that serve God with an upright heart?

We will answer this briefly, to begin with the first, you must know that though God be exceeding rich in mercy, yet there is a difference among his children, that is, he has made divers degrees among men, men are put into different degrees of mercy, notwithstanding all do taste of the riches of his mercy. you know in the body there is the foot as well as the eye, so in the body of Christ there are members of all sorts. In a great house there is use of vessels of divers degrees, so in the church of Christ there is use of mean Christians, of those of lower parts, there is need I say of them, as well as of those of more excellent gifts, therefore you must remember this, that though God be rich in mercy, yet he takes not away those differences and degrees that are among men, and if you ask how then he is rich in mercy? I say every man has the mercies that belongeth to him in his kinde, a man of a lower degree has so much mercy as he is able to receive, he has the mercies that belong to him, and it is enough for him, for we say if a man have his appetite filled it is enough, take a man that is lower, his appetite is lower, and the mercies that he has are sufficient to give him satisfaction, for the appetite followeth the form, and when thats satisfied every creature is in its perfection.

Secondly, For the other part of the objection concerning those afflictions wherewith God seemeth to afflict those that are his children, we answer, That his love is to them constant as to sons, but his carriage to them is different. The reasons are many, he knows their constitutions best, he knows their conditions best, as a stander by a sick patient is not able to tell what the physician does, although the physician knows, so God layeth sharp afflictions upon his children, he himself knows the reason, although men are not able to discern it.

Again there are different causes, it may be upon some men he meaneth to bestow more grace then upon others, therefore he afflicteth them more, he will have them purer then others, therefore they are oftner in the fire, some he intendeth for more special use, therefore he thresheth them cleaner then others, the seed corn you know is commonly more clean threshed and winnowed then that which is for ordinary use, so God dealeth with his children.

In general this you may be sure of, that God will deal mercifully with you, he is not ready to afflict you, you shall not tast of any sharp dealing from him, except it be in these cases.

1. If there be any sin that lyeth unrepented of, then look to be scourged by affliction. When Joseph's brethren had forgot their sin, God calls them back again by affliction.

Or Secondly, in case they go about any evil thing, or any indifferent thing in an evil manner, then oftentimes God meeteth them with affliction; so he dealt with Iehosophat, because he went about an evil enterprize to joyn himself with Ahazia king of Israel (a man who did very wickedly) to make ships to fetch gold from Tarshish, the ships were broken that they were not able to go.

Or Thirdly, in case they need deeper humiliation, then they must look for affliction, David was humbled when Nathan came to him, but yet you may see Psalm. 51. (which was made a great while afterwards) that he had need to be more humbled, for there he complaineth that his bones were broken.

Or Fourthly, in case of scandal they may be afflicted lest the enemies of God should blaspheme, for this cause (says Nathan to David) because you have given occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme, the sword shall not depart from your house, so when the Saints fall into scandalous sins, in this case they must look for afflictions.

Or Lastly, to prevent an inward disease, and thus Saint Paul was afflicted, for when he was taken up into the third heaven, he had pride growing upon him, and began to be exalted above measure, therefore the Lord sent a messenger of Satan to buffet him, and though he took it at the first somewhat amiss, yet when God had informed him that it was to heal a greater disease, he was well contented; in this case therefore God often afflicteth to prevent sin beginning, when his children begin to be stubborn, he teaches them by affliction to be obedient. Christ himself learned obedience by affliction, so if his children begin to over-value earthly things, to delight over much in them, to wean them now from the world, and to teach them to know the vanity of the creature, he afflicteth them, still I say, either to bring them back to repentance, or to meet with them when they go about an evil enterprize, or to bring them to deeper humiliation, or when they fall into scandalous sins, or lastly to prevent a further sinning, except in these cases you are sure alwayes to have mercy, for God is exceeding rich in mercy; And so much for this point.

According to his glorious riches, or the riches of his glory.

The next point to be observed is this, that God reckoneth it his Glory to be merciful, his mercy is his glory, therefore it is called the riches of his glory, that is, those riches of mercy are glorious, which will appear by these reasons.

First, When God promised to shew Moses his glory, for that was Moses his request, that God would shew him his glory, you see there what God did, he made known his mercy, for that was all he did, when he proclamed his name to Moses, he made known his mercy to him, therefore his glory consisted in that, for when he would make known his glory, he manifested his mercy.

Secondly, That which is the object of praise must needs be glorious, ow the mercies of God you shal finde are still the object of the praises of the saints. Look into the book of Psalms, and you shall see how abundant David is in praising God for his mercies, look into all the songs made by Moses, or Deborah, or Esaiah, or by any other in the scripture, all the object of their praise was his mercy; now whatever the object of praise is, that is glorious.

Thirdly, God made the world you know for his glories sake, to make manifest that now that which he did in making the world was to communicate his mercy and his goodness to the creature, for this was the primary and first intent of God, and that indeed was all that he did, he explicated his goodness to the creature, and then made angels and men to behold it, now I say if he made the world for his glory, & in the world he communicated his mercy and goodness to the creature, his mercy then must needs be his glory.

Lastly, He has put into men a natural self-love, every creature desires the preservation of it self, now the mercies of God tend to the preservation and advantage of the creature, therefore the creature is apt to give him praise for it. It is his mercy that the creature is ready to magnifie with al propenseness of heart, with all readiness of disposition, now when God had man in his hands as the potter the clay, seeing he has so fashioned him that he is apt to praise him for his mercy, it is a sign that he would have his mercy to be his glory and excellency; but I will stay no longer upon the proving of this point, let us now make some use of it.

First, If the mercies of God be his glory doubt not then, but that when you come to ask at his hand any request that is meet for you, he will be ready to grant it, for it is his glory, to shew mercy, and God loves his glory, now if so be to shew mercy be his glory, doubt not then I say of obtaining what you desire at his hands, for glory is nothing else but the manifestation of some excellency to the view and knowledge of man. When a thing is excellent and beautiful, and is shut up, we say it is beautiful, but not glorious, except it be explicated and spread abroad to the view of others, as a peacock is then said to be glorious, when he spreadeth abroad his feathers, and the Sun is said then to be in his glory when he shineth in his brightness, when Ahasuerus made that great feast, he did it for the glory of his kingdom, because in the feast, his riches and potency was manifest, therefore it made him glorious. So does the Lord, if all his perfections were shut up in himself they were excellent, but not properly glorious, for glory is when any excellency is made manifest to the view of others, therefore God i said to be glorious when he manifesteth his mercy. If therefore this be his glory, then doubt not but that he will be ready to shew mercy to men, that is, not only to be merciful in himself, but to shew mercy to you, learn hence now to strengthen your faith, and to come with more boldness to the throne of grace, and beseech God to grant you what you ask, that he might glorifie himself, when you have therefore occasion to ask any grace, any help, or any succour in temptation, this will help to prevail with him. Lord if you shuttest your hand, and keepest your mercy within your self, what glory will you bring to your self? but if you openest your hand, and manifestest your mercy, from there will glory redound to you.

Secondly if Gods mercy be his glory or his excellency, then let us praise him for his mercy, let us give him the glory of it, for that he looks for at our hands; on Gods part there is but this to make him glorious, viz. an explication or shewing of his mercy, on our part it is required that we see it, and take notice of it, be inwardly perswaded that he is merciful. Seeing now God has done his part in making manifest his mercy, let us also do our dutie, and give him what is required on our part, even to praise him for his mercy, that is it which he looks for from his Children, whatever others do. Wisdom is justified of her children, whatever others do, let the Saints and children of God justifie him for his mercy, let them say that he is merciful. Others will not say it, or at least they do not think it, but as those wicked men that were devoured with fire that came from God, brake cut into this speech, who shall dwell with everlasting burnings? even so every evil man thinketh God a cruel master, thinkes him a severe judge, this secret thought has every evil man in him, but yet let his children justifie him for his mercy, let him say as David did, yet God is good to Israel &c. that is, though he afflict them often, yet he is good to Israel, and to them that are of a pure heart. Let us be readie to say as the Seraphims in Isay 6. holy and holy is the Lord of hostes, it is spoken upon this occasion, The prophet Isaiah was sent forth upon this errand, to make the hearts of the people heavy, this seemed a strange judgement, God seemed to be very cruel, to make their hearts heavy, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand, yet they justified God notwithstanding, that hee was holy: so let us do, though we see not the reason of all his wayes, yet let us justifie him, and say he is glorious, and give him the praise of his mercy, that is, let us be perswaded of it our selves, that he is merciful, that he is not hard to the wicked, that he is an indulgent father to his children, and when we have don, let us be ready to speak of it to others, and indeed when we our selves have the sence of his mercies, then we will be ready to speak of them to others, then speeches will come from us easily, naturally and plentifully, but contrariwise when we are not inwardly perswaded of the mercies of God our selves, our speeches, of them come forcibly, and sparingly, and truly (my brethren) this is the reason we are so little in praising the Lord, because our selves are not touched with a sence of his mercies, we are not perswaded he is so exceeding merciful as he is, we think better of men then we do of him, therefore if any thing greive us, we are readier to complain to men, then to God: and for matter of mercy, we are exceeding in praising of those men that are merciful to us, but we are not perswaded of the exceeding mercifulness of God, for if we were, we would be speaking of his praise, we would be exhorting others to serve the same master; but we are short in this, and the reason is because we are not perswaded of the riches of his mercy our selves.

I will now add but one word more, fully to convince you of the glorious riches of mercy that is in God, because you may object, Is God so merciful? what is the reason then that he does so sharply afflict, even his dearest children? why does he afflict evil men with such a great affliction as hell i selfe? why are so many damned, and why do so many perish while it is in his power to save them? Lastly is he not an hard master to condemn many that could not be saved, as the Gentiles, that came not to the knowledg of the Gospel before Christs time? and since also does not God exact that at their hands which they could not perform, and does he not look to reap there where he did not sow? how can we therefore be perswaded of his exceeding mercifulness.

I will answer all these breiflly. For the first I answer that though God indeed be exceeding rich in mercy, yet that does not contradict his other Attributes, though he be rich in mercy yet it contradicteth not his wisdom, therefore he afflicteth his children, otherwise he were not wise, as you have heard heretofore at large.

Secondly, though he be rich in mercy yet that contradicts not his ju[•…]ice, therefore he must deal with the wicked according to their sins, for he holds not the wicked innocent, their punishments therefore are great because their sins are great.

Thirdly, for the multitude of those that perish, though he be rich in mercy, yet his mercy contradicteth not his libertie, he has a libertie to do what he pleaseth, having a soveraigntie over all creatures, he is free to chuse more or fewer to his kingdom, as he pleaseth, and to exercise his severitie as he will.

Lastly, in that it is said hee reapeth where he does not sow, I answer, he does not reape where he does not sow, and therefore in that he shows not himselfe a hard master, for there are none condemned for more then is revealed to them; the Gentiles that had no more then the law of nature revealed to them, they are condemned for no more but for the breach of the law of nature. If the Gospel never came among them it shall never be required at their hands, And so the Jews, those among them that had no more but the old testament made known to them shall never be condemned for rejecting the Gospel, but for the breach of that law which they had. So Christians as their means have been more, as their light is more, as more truth has been revealed to them so God will require more at their hands, as he soweth more seed, so he will look for a greater Crop at the harvest amongest Christians those that are ignorant (if there be no fault in themselves) he will not punish for that they know not his will.

A Second answer to this is, that there is a great difference if we consider the manner of Gods shewing mercy, for,

First, the primarie intent of God, was to shew mercy to all the creatures, to men and angels both, now the execution of his wrath came in by the way (as it were) and by occasion, that when his mercy took no place then there was a place found for his justice. First he began with mercy, he set the angels in a hapy condition. Justice now came in when his mercy took no place, so to mankinde he first began with mercy, and set him in a happy estate, if mercy might have taken place, there had been no room or his wrath, for as we say of bees that naturally they give honey, they sting not but when they are provoked, so God naturally propensely and readily shows mercy to the Creatures, he never exerciseth his wrath but when we offend him by our words or works.

Thirdly, You must consider that God is exceeding rich in mercy, in that he offereth mercy to mankinde, it lieth manifested to all; if they will not take it, it detracts not from his mercy, now all mankinde has had mercy manifested to them, it lyeth open to them, if they take it not, it is not because he is not rich in mercy, but because they will not accept it.

Fourthly, He is merciful, even to evil men, to them he declareth the riches of his patience and long suffering, to bear with them from day to day, to feed them, to cloath them, to preserve them, and yet they make conscience of nothing, their lives are a continual rebellion against him, is not here therefore a great deal of mercy manifested? Does he not as the Apostle says, bear with much patience the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.

Last of all, put together the manner of the execution of his wrath, and of his mercy, and you shall see this difference, look what wrath there is executed in the world, and you may thank your selves for it. The congregation of Corah, the text says, Numb. 16. destroyed themselves. Mercy is not so, that comes from God, the day spring from on high has visited us, Luke 1. Your Destruction is of your selfe oh Israel says the Prophet, but we may thank him for his mercy, the wages of sin is death, that comes as our due debt, but the guift of God is eternal life, that comes freely.

Again, the justice of God is but even measure, the just wages of an hireling, just no more then our sins deserve, but the mercy of God runneth over the brink as a mighty sea over his bounds, so does not the other, therefore his mercy is exceeding great, conclude it therefore, and set it down in your own hearts, be perswaded of it your selves, and be ready to glorify him before the sons of men.

Last of all, the use of this point shall be this, that if it be the glory of God to be merciful, then labor to imitate his mercy, for every excellent thing that is glorious is worthy to be imitated, therefore imitate God in this, so the scripture would have us, be you merciful as your heavenly father is merciful; and so again Col. 3. as the elect of God put on tender mercy, that is, if God be merciful, be you merciful likewise, and so Ephes, 1. forgive one another, And why? as dear children, be you followers of God, &c. he is so, therefore be you so, make this use therefore of Gods being merciful, be you merciful as he is merciful, that is consider the miseries of others, and wherein you may be helpful to them, and be ready to shew them mercy upon any occasion. As it is the glory of God to shew mercy, so, (as Solomon says) it is the glory of a man to passe by an infirmity, that, is to passe by the faults of others, to shew mercy to them, to forgive them, and not to take things in the worst sence, this is acceptable to God, for mercy pleaseth him far better then Sacrifice, all the duties that you perform to God, though you serve him in all the parts of his worship, yet put these and shewing of mercy to men together, and he esteemeth mercy to man before all, for Isay 58:6. when the people had fasted and performed those duties to the full, yet notwithstanding God makes this exception, Is this the fast that I have chosen? is it not to break every yoake, to relieve the oppressed, to shew mercy, &c. therefore (my brethren) be readie to shew mercy, for in so doing you shall imitate God, that is it which indeed makes you good men, every man would be a good man, now goodness stands in this, to be merciful, for goodness is but a relative terme, and it stands in conformity with the chiefest good. So carry your selves therefore that you may be counted good men, that you may have a good eye, which is nothing but this, to be ready to do good to those whom you see in miserie, in this your goodness consisteth, all that you do without it is not accepted, whatever goodness you do to men if it be without mercy, if it proceed not from that, as it is said of love, if you give your body to be burned, and yet have not love, it is nothing. So it may be said of mercy, God acaccepteth of no action that you performe unlesse it come from mercy, labor therefore to have a mercifull heart, that so all your works may come from a good principle, for actions are not good except they come from some grace within, (I speake of those actions which are actions of mercy) be you mercifull therefore as your heavenly father is, for that is a sign that you have the same spirit that he has, when God comes into the heart of any man he receives the spirit of the father. And therefore as you would have a witnesse, and testimony to your selves that you are the sons of God, be you merciful. There is a natural mercy, I confess, found in those that have not mercy indeed, but this God accepteth, not, because such mercies are but counterfeit to the true mercy. Labor to be merciful as God is, to abound in mercy that every one may fare the better for you wherever you dwell and whatever you doe, let all your actions be works of mercy, so will God accept them, and be ready to render mercy to you again.