Sermon 72

Psalm 119:64. The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy; teach me your statutes.

In this verse I observe 1. David's petition, Teach me your statutes. 2. The argument or consideration which encourages him to ask it of God, The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy. The sum and substance of this verse will be comprised in these five propositions. 1. That saving knowledge is a benefit that must be asked of God. 2. That this benefit cannot be too often or sufficiently enough asked. It is his continual request. 3. In asking we are encouraged by the bounty or mercy of God. 4. That God is merciful; all his creatures declare. 5. That his goodness to all creatures should confirm us in hoping for saving grace or spiritual good things.

Proposition 1. That saving knowledge is a benefit that must be asked of God, for three reasons. 1. God is the proper author of it. 2. It is a singular favor where he bestows it. 3. Prayer is the appointed means to obtain it.

1. God is the proper author of it. The fountain of wisdom is not in man himself, but God gives it to whom he pleases. We were at first endowed by him with a reasonable soul, and faculty of understanding; (John 1:4) In him was life, and this life was the light of man. All life is of God, especially that life which is light. The reasonable soul and the natural faculty of understanding comes from him, and if it be disordered as it is by sin, it must be by him restored and rectified; it is all God's gift. Now man is fallen from that light of life wherein he was created; his maker must be his mender, he must go to the Father of Lights to have his light cleared (James 1:17), and his understanding freed from those mistakes and errors with which it was obscured. All knowledge is from God, much more saving grace or a sound knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel. Many scriptures speak to this, (Job 32:8) There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding. Though the sundial be right set, yet it shows not the time of the day except the sun shines; so the spirit of man will grope and fumble in the clearest cases without a divine illumination. God enlightens the mind, directs the judgment, gives understanding what to do or say. So he challenges it as his prerogative (Job 38:26): Who has put wisdom into the inward parts, or given understanding to the heart? The exercise of the outward senses is from God, who gives the seeing eye, the hearing ear; much more the right exercise of the internal faculties; an understanding heart is much more from the Lord: (Proverbs 2:6) The Lord gives wisdom, out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. (Daniel 2:21) He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. Certainly all true wisdom is from above, (James 3:17) The wisdom that is from above is first pure, etc.; he distinguishes there between the wisdom that is not from above, and that which is from above. Man has so much wisdom yet left as to cater for the body, and the concerns of the bodily life, (called your own wisdom, Proverbs 23:4) therefore he says verse 15: This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish; but for wisdom that concerns the other world, and our everlasting concerns, that is of God, that is from above. The wisdom that is exercised in pure, peaceable, fruitful, self-denying obedience — all that have any of this wisdom should acknowledge God, and all that would have it should depend upon him, and run to the fountain where enough is to be had. Man's wit is but borrowed, and he holds it of God. Vitia etiam sine magistro discuntur — he needs no teacher in what is evil and carnal, but in what is holy and spiritual he needs it.

2. It is a singular favor to them on whom God bestows this heavenly wisdom, and so puts a difference between them and others. It is a greater sign of friendship and respect to them, than if God had given them all the world, (Mark 13:11) To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others it is not given. This is no common benefit, but a favor which God reserves for his peculiar people, so (John 15:15) I have called you friends, for all things which I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you. That is the highest argument of friendship — not to give you wealth, and honor, and greatness, but to give you an enlightened mind, and a renewed heart. God may give honor, and greatness, and a worldly estate in judgment, as beasts fatted for destruction may be put into large pastures; but he does not teach his statutes in judgment, it is a favor though he uses a sharper discipline in teaching. (Psalm 44:12) Blessed is the man whom you chasten, and teach him out of your law. If God will teach his child not only by the word, but by the rod, and uses a sharp discipline to instruct in the lesson of Christianity, it is a greater favor than if God did let him alone, and suffer him to perish with the wicked in his wrath. The prosperity of wicked men is so far from being a felicity to them, that it is rather the greatest judgment; and to be punished and rebuked by God for all that we do amiss, and thereby to be reduced to the [reconstructed: sense] and practice of our duty, is indeed the greatest favor and mercy of God, and so the most valuable felicity, and evidence of God's tender care over us. So (Proverbs 3:31-32) Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways, for the perverse is an abomination to the Lord, and his secret is with the righteous. You are depressed and kept bare and low, but your adversaries flourish and grow insolent; you cannot therefore say, God hates you, or God loves them; if the Lord has given you the saving knowledge of himself, and his Christ, and only given them worldly happiness, it is a great token of his love to you, and hatred to them, that you need not envy them, for you are dignified with the higher privilege.

3. Prayer is the appointed means to obtain it. There are other means by which God conveys this heavenly wisdom, as by study and search: dig for wisdom as for silver, and for understanding as hidden treasures (Proverbs 2:4). Dig in the mines of knowledge: Attend upon the word which is able to make us wise to salvation. Mark 4:24. Take heed what or how you hear, with what measure you measure it shall be measured to you, and to you that hear shall more be given. But all are sanctified by prayer (Proverbs 2:3). Cry for knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding. Bene orasse est bene studuisse, says Luther, so to pray well is to hear aright. God gives understanding by the ministry of the Word, but he will be sought to, and acknowledged in the gift, otherwise we make an idol of our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not upon your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. Let us not make a God of our own wisdom, do not seek it in the means without prayer to the Lord, let not us study without prayer, nor you hear without prayer, nor go about any business in your general and particular callings without prayer.

2. Proposition. This benefit cannot be too often, nor too sufficiently asked of God.

1. Because of our want, we never know so much, but we may know more of God's mind, and know it better, and to better purpose. To know things as we ought to know them is the great gift (1 Corinthians 8:2). If any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know: that we may be more sanctified, more prudent, and orderly in governing our hearts and lives, that we may know things seasonably when they concern us in any special business and temptation (Proverbs 28:26). He that trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he that walks wisely, shall be delivered: that is, he that follows his own conceit soon falls into a snare, he that makes his bosom his oracle, and his own wit his counsel, thinks himself wise enough without daily seeking to God to order his own business, never succeeds well, but plunges himself into manifold inconveniences.

2. From God's manner of giving, he is not weary and tired with constant supplicants (James 1:5). If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not, and it shall be given him. The throne of grace lies always open, the more often we frequent it, the more welcome: we frown upon one that often troubles us with his suits, but it is not so with God, we may beg and beg again.

3. The value of the benefit itself. Saving knowledge, or the light of the spirit keeps alive the work of grace in our hearts. Habitual graces will soon wither and decay without a continual influence, the increase of sanctification comes into the soul by the increase of saving knowledge (2 Peter 1:2). Grace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord. The more we grow thriving in knowledge, the more we grow in grace, and the heart and life is more engaged. As we learn somewhat more of God in Christ, our awe and love to him is increased. Ephesians 4:20-21. You have not so learned Christ — if so be that you have heard him, and been taught of him as the truth is in Jesus; that is, if you are taught and instructed by Christ himself in the truth. It is not every sort of hearing Christ or knowledge which will do us good. Many learn him, and know him, who abuse that knowledge which they have of him: but if he effectually teach us by his spirit, then our knowledge is practical and operative, we will practice what we know, be careful to please God in all things.

4. From the temper of a gracious heart: a taste of this knowledge will make us desire a further supply, that we may be taught more, and the soul may be more sanctified: therefore does David deal with God for the increase of saving knowledge. We are contented with a little taste of heavenly doctrine, but holy men are not so: show me your mind, let me see your glory (Hosea 6:3). Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. They are for growth as well as truth, they experimentally know how good God is, and the more they know him, the more they see their ignorance, and that there is more behind to be known of him. Before they had but a flying report of him, now they are acquainted with him, and have a nearer inspection into his ways, and this is but little in comparison of what they desire. We are bidden (2 Peter 3:18) to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Present measures do not satisfy them, they must grow in knowledge, as grow in grace, more love to Christ, more delight in his ways.

3. Proposition. In asking any spiritual gift we are encouraged by the bounty and mercy of God. David signifies both.

1. His bounty or benignity, or that free inclination which is in God to do good to his creatures.

2. His mercy respects the creature as affected with any misery. Mercy properly is a proneness to succor and relieve a man in misery notwithstanding sin. Now the larger thoughts of mercy, the more hope, partly because we have no plea of merit, and therefore mercy is the fountain of all the good which comes to us from God. We cannot come to him as a debtor, and therefore we must come to him as a free benefactor. Wherewith can we oblige God? We have nothing to give to him, but what is his own already, and was first received from him, all things come of you, and of your own have we given you (1 Chronicles 29:14). We pay the great governor of the world out of his own exchequer. The Apostle makes the challenge (Romans 11:35), Who has given him first, and it shall be recompensed to him? The Sun owes nothing to the beam, but the beam all to the Sun; the fountain owes nothing to the stream, but the stream has all from the fountain: so we have all from God, can bring nothing to him which was not his before, and came from him. Partly because there is a contrary merit, an ill-deserving upon us, for which he might deny us any further mercies; (Psalm 25:8) Good and upright is the Lord: and therefore he will teach sinners in the way. If the sinner be weary of his wandering, and would be directed of the Lord for the time to come, God is upright, he will not mislead us; and he is good, will readily lead us in a right path. Sin shall not obstruct our mercies, and therefore must not keep the penitent supplicant back from confidence to be heard in his prayer, when he would be directed in the ready way to happiness. You would fain be reduced to a good life after all your straying, humbly lay yourselves at God's feet; (1 Kings 20:31) We have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray you, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the King of Israel; perhaps he will save your life. If God were most tenacious, we have cause to beat his ears continually with our suits and supplications, such is our want: but he is good, and ready to guide poor creatures; in fact, he is merciful: and former sins shall be no obstruction to us, if at length we are willing to return to our duty.

4. Prop. The universal experience of the world possesses all men's minds with this apprehension, that God is a merciful God. The Earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy: the world and everything therein sets forth his goodness to us. The same is said in other places, (Psalm 33:5) The Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. If Earth, what is Heaven? (Psalm 145:9) His tender mercy is over all his works.

1. Let us see that every creature is a monument and witness of God's mercy and goodness, things animate, and inanimate; the Heavens and Earth, and all things contained therein declare that there is a powerful, wise, and good God. There is no part of the world that we can set our eyes upon, but it speaks praise to God, and the thoughts of his bounty to the creatures, especially to man: for all things were either subjected to man's dominion, or created for his use and benefit. If we look to the Heavens, all serves for the use and benefit of mankind; (Psalm 8:3-4) When I consider your Heavens, the work of your fingers, the Moon and the Stars which you have ordained; What is man that you are mindful of him? and the son of man, that you visit him? The lowest Heaven affords us breath, winds, rain; the middle, or second Heaven affords us heat, light, influence; and the third Heaven an eternal habitation if we serve God. In Earth all the things daily in our view speak to God's praise, if we had the leisure to hear them: these creatures and works of his that are daily in our view represent him as a merciful God. This is the lesson which is most legible in them, whether we sit at home in our houses, or go abroad, and consider land or water. Go to the animate creatures, the beasts of the field, (Psalm 36:6) You preserve man and beast. (Job 12:7-8) But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the birds of the air shall declare to you: Or speak to the Earth, and it shall teach you; and the fishes of the sea shall declare to you. Who knows not in all these, that the hand of the Lord has wrought this? His providence reaches to an innumerable multitude of creatures, giving them life and motion, and sustaining them, and relieving their necessities, and does largely bestow his blessing upon them according to their nature and condition. And this goodness of God shines forth in all his creatures; not only what he does to them themselves, but in what he does about them for man's sake: they were defiled with man's sin, and therefore he might in justice have abolished them, or made them useless to man, or instruments of his grief; but they are continued for our comfort that we might live in a well-furnished world. Now come to man himself, good, bad, wicked, godly: His Sun shines, his Rain falls on the evil and good, just and unjust (Matthew 5:44), great mercy is still continued to the fallen creature, even to the impenitent; (Acts 14:17) Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that [reconstructed: he] did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. What was God's witness, [in non-Latin alphabet], he does good, much patience is used, men's lives continued while they sin, and means vouchsafed for their reclaiming. Food, raiment, friends, habitations, health, ease, liberty afforded to them, and all to show that we have to do with a most merciful God, who is willing to be reconciled to the sinning creature. Go to the godly, and what is all their experience but a constant course of mercy? David's admiration declares it, (Psalm 139:17) How precious are your thoughts to me, O Lord? how great is the sum of them? if I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: He was in a maze when he thought of the various dispensations of God's providence, there was no getting out. The Lord fills up his servants' lives with great and various mercies even in their warfare and pilgrimage here in this world; abundance of invaluable mercies, that if we do but consider what we do receive, we must needs be confirmed in this truth by our own senses. Everything is a mercy to a vessel of mercy.

2. Wherein God expresses his mercy to them in creation and providence.

1. In creating them: it was great mercy, that being infinitely perfect in himself from all eternity, and so not needing anything, he took the creatures out of nothing, which therefore could merit nothing, and communicated his goodness to them; for your pleasure they are, and were created (Revelation 4:11).

2. In preserving and continuing them so long as he sees good: the heavens continue according to his ordinance, the beasts, and fowls, and fishes continue according to his pleasure: all the living creatures need many things for their daily sustentation which their Creator abundantly supplies to them, and therefore the whole earth is full of his mercy. One creature the Scripture takes notice of (Luke 12:24): Consider the ravens, for God feeds them. And again (Job 37:41): He feeds the young ravens when they cry and wander for lack of meat. And (Psalm 147:9): He gives to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. Why is the raven made such an instance of providence above other fowls, or other living creatures, some say it is Animal sibi rapacissimum, others other things, [illegible], casts its young out of the nest as soon as they are able to fly, and put to hard shifts for themselves; all this shows his mercy, how ready he is to supply the miserable.

5. Prop. His goodness to all the creatures should confirm his people in hoping for saving grace, or spiritual good things. Why, all the business will be to show you the force of this argument, and that it is a prop to faith.

1. We may reason from the less to the greater, our Lord has taught us so for food and clothing (Matthew 6:28-30): And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say to you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Therefore if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? From fowls and lilies, they have no arts of tilling, spinning, are not of such account with God as mankind, as his people. So for protection (Matthew 10:29-31): Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father: But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. The reasoning is good, if he has mercy for kites, he has also for children; who are not only in a higher rank of creatures, but in a renewed estate, and reconciled to him by Christ become his friends and children, whom he tends as the apple of his eye, much more when they come for spiritual benefits pleasing to the Lord (1 Kings 3:9-10): Give therefore your servant an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this your so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Now all these amount to a strong probability, if not a certainty. It is a mistake to think that faith only goes upon certainties; no, sometimes it is mightily encouraged by probabilities. These must not be left out; for if I want any spiritual blessing is it not a great encouragement to remember God's merciful nature shining forth in all his works? If kind to his creatures, will he not be kind to me? If he causes his sun to shine upon the wicked, will he not lift up the light of his countenance upon my soul? If his rain falls upon their fields, will he not let the dew of his grace fall upon my barren heart? Though the argument be not absolutely and infallibly conclusive, yet here is such a concurrence of probabilities that we should go and try what he will do for our souls.

2. They in their rank have their supplies, and we in our rank have our supplies; therefore his kindness to all creatures should encourage new creatures to expect their help from him: for God does good to all his creatures according to their necessity and capacity; his giving them supplies convenient for them, is a pledge of God's pleasure to bestow upon his servants greater gifts than these. All things that look to God have necessaries provided for them according to the condition of their nature; and therefore if you have another nature, and besides the good things of this life do need the good things which belong to the life to come, he will give us gifts and graces as he gives them their food: for these are as necessary for this kind of life as food for that. As they in their rank find mercy, so we in ours; his general goodness confirms us in expecting these more special favors. For as there is a general benignity to all creatures, so there is a special one to his children (Psalm 36:6-7): You preserve man and beast. How excellent is your loving kindness, O Lord! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings. His common kindness and his special love are often compared together; they agree in this that both come from a good God. Therefore the argument holds strong, if good to all creatures, then good to new creatures. Why should we think that he would not show his goodness to us also? Again, they agree in this, that in doing good God does not consider the worthiness of the creature, but his own goodness and self-inclination to preserve what he has made; as he did not disdain to give life to the meanest creatures, so he does not disdain to preserve them; as they had their life from him at first, so they have their life still in him, the poorest worm not excepted. Not a worm, not a gnat, not a fly but tastes of God's bounty. God disdains not to look after the most abject things. So the plea of unworthiness lies not in bar against the new creature, for necessary supplies God gives out of his own goodness. Now they differ in the kinds of the mercy, one common, the other saving; and the special subjects of them, one is to all creatures, the other is to God's peculiar people; and in the manner of conveyance, the one flows in the channel of common providence, the other is conveyed to us by the golden pipe of the Mediator. Well then, the creatures have their mercies, and wicked men their mercies, have that they prize and value; and the people of God have also what they prize and esteem.

3. God does good to every one according to their necessity and capacity: he does not give meat to the trees, nor stones to the beasts, but provides food and nourishment convenient for them: so to his people according to their condition of nature, and special capacity. The general capacity is the condition of their natures, the special capacity is want or earnest desire: if we extremely need or earnestly desire these blessings, then we may reason from God's general goodness to all the creatures, to that special act of goodness which we expect from him. Pray mark how God's general goodness is expressed (Psalm 145:15-16): The eyes of all things wait on you, and you give them their meat in due season: you open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing. He keeps a constant eye of providence, and if the desire be great, he does not frustrate the natural expectation of hungry creatures, but gives them that sort of food which is fit for them. Now God expects the same from new creatures, if necessity and vehement desire meet; he promises supply, open your mouth wide, and I will fill it (Psalm 81:10), and (Psalm 145:19): The Lord will fulfill the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The beasts mourn and cry in their kind, we pray and cry in our kind. Needy desires will be heard; he is in a capacity to receive spiritual blessings who is sensible of their necessity, for the happiness of his immortal soul; and does prize and value them, and earnestly desire them. The man of God was under a necessity, for he apprehended himself miserable, and at a loss without it; for he desired no other mercy. A gracious heart cannot be satisfied with low things; be thus affected, and then this argument will be of use to you.

Use 1. Is for reproof: Since God is so merciful, how much are they to blame,

1. Who render themselves incapable of the benefit of mercy by impenitence persisted in against the means of grace? They slight his common mercy, and cut off themselves from his saving mercy. Abused goodness will be destructive (Romans 2:4-5): Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But after your hardness and impenitent heart, you treasure up for yourself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

2. The stupid and senseless which do not take notice of the mercy of God which shines forth in all the creatures. A man can turn his eye no where, but in every place and quarter of the world he shall see plain testimonies of God's mercy: but alas, how much of this is lost and passed over for want of observation! (Isaiah 1:3): The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not consider. All this goodness was left in the earth to invite our minds and hearts to God; therefore as the bee sucks honey out of every flower, so should we still dwell on the thoughts of God's goodness represented to us in every thing we see and feel.

3. Those that think of God's mercy with extenuating and diminishing thoughts, do not raise their hopes and confidence by a serious reflection upon that ample discovery which he has made of it in all his works: if God be good to all his creatures, why should we be left out of the number? Surely God will not be backward to those that earnestly desire his grace; therefore those that deject themselves, that say, God will not hear me or regard my prayers, are to be condemned.

Use 2. Information, the lively light of the Spirit is a special mercy. Our misery lies in the ignorance of God, and the transgression of his law; our happiness in being enlightened and sanctified by the spirit of wisdom and understanding. It is God's great gift (Jeremiah 24:7): I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return to me with all their heart.

Use 3. To exhort you to cherish in your souls good thoughts of God, and the fullness and largeness of his bounty and mercy. The devil seeks to weaken our opinion of God's goodness; he thought to possess our first parents with this conceit that God was envious, so to draw them away from God. It will be of use to you,

1. In all afflictive providences. Those who are poor and destitute, or in prison and banishment, or bereft of children, or oppressed with guilty fears, or assaulted with any other calamity (Job 13:15): Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him; still he is a good God. Here is the glory of faith, to believe him as a gracious Father, when we feel him as an enemy. Satan will be sure to put in upon these occasions, to tell you that God is an enemy, harsh, severe, implacable in his dealings, one that regards you not in your misery, that gives you no rest nor respite in your troubles. If he did not hate you, how could he deal thus with you? And so strikes a terror into the minds of men, that they are afraid of nothing so much as of God, and of coming to him by Christ. No, God is love. A Father when he frowns, as well as when he smiles (Hebrews 12:10): He truly chastises us for our profit. And we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. And in reason should it not be so? Did your parents hate you because they were careful of your breeding, and sometimes corrected you for your faults? There is more of compassion than passion in his severest strokes. He has the bowels of a mother, but yet the wisdom of a father. His love must not be exercised to the prejudice of his other attributes. He that pulls you out of a deep gulf, though he breaks your arm in pulling you out, does not he love you? God is love, and the giver of all good things.

2. It is a great motive to repentance. As the prodigal thought of his father, so should we return; (Jeremiah 3:12) Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, backsliding Israel, says the Lord, and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, says the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever. Come, lie at his feet, see what infinite love will do for you; (1 Kings 20:31) We have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. When you first begin with God, this is an argument and ground of comfort, much more when you renew your repentance. Hard thoughts of God keep us off from him, but his loving and merciful nature invites us to him.

3. It sweetens the duties of holiness; (1 John 5:3) This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. This makes our resistance of sin more serious, (Ezra 9:13) Seeing you our God has punished us less than our iniquities deserved, should we again break your commandments?

4. To quicken and enliven your prayers for grace: you have to do with a merciful God, (Psalm 145:19) He will fulfill the desires of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.