Sermon 84

Psalm 119:76. Let, I pray you, your merciful kindness be for my comfort; according to your word to your servant.

In the foregoing verse he had acknowledged that God had afflicted him, and now he prays that God would comfort him. The same hand that wounds must heal; and from whom we have our affliction, we must have our comfort; (Hosea 6:1) Come let us return to the Lord; for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up. Affliction is God's judicial act, a kind of putting the creature in prison; which being done by the supreme judge, who has an absolute power to save and to destroy, to ruin or pardon, there is no breaking prison, or getting out, without his leave.

He does there not only speak of affliction, but of the justice and faithfulness which God showed in it.

1. Justice. Those that humbly confess the justice of his strokes, may with the more confidence implore his mercy. Judgment has done its work when the creature is humble and penitent. There lies an appeal then from the tribunal of his justice to the throne of his grace. Though our sins deserve affliction, yet there is comfort in the merciful nature of God, and the promises of the gospel. David first acknowledges that he was justly afflicted, and then he flies to mercy and begs comfort.

2. He observes also a faithfulness in all God's dispensations; he does not afflict his children to destroy them, but to prepare them for the greater comfort. As one of his children and servants David sues out his privilege. God that is just and true, will also be kind and merciful. To have judgment without mercy, and desolation without consolation is the portion of the wicked: but Lord, says he, I am your servant, therefore I pray you let your merciful kindness be for my comfort.

So that, you see, this request is fitly grafted upon the former acknowledgment. In it observe, 1. The original cause of all the good which we expect, your merciful loving kindness. 2. The effect now sued for, be for my comfort, or to comfort me. 3. The instrument or means of obtaining it, which is double, 1. On God's part, the word. According to your word. 2. On our part, prayer. Let I pray you. 1. In the word there is the relief discovered and offered, and thereby we are encouraged and assured. 2. On our part, there is prayer. In which we act faith and spiritual desire. 3. We have hope given in the word; and we sue it out by prayer. 4. The subject capacitated to receive this effect, from that cause, in this order, your servant.

Doctrine. That the people of God have liberty and much encouragement from God's merciful nature and promises to ask comfort in their afflictions.

This point will be best discussed by going over the parts and branches of the text as they have been laid forth to you.

1. The primary and principal cause of all comfort is the merciful kindness of God. We read in (2 Corinthians 1:3) that he is the Father of mercies; and then it presently follows, that he is the God of all comfort. The remedy of all our evils lies in the mercy of God. And his kindness and goodness is the fountain of all our blessedness. I shall inquire 1. What his merciful kindness is. 2. What special encouragement this is to the people of God.

First, what his merciful kindness is: you see here is a compound word which imports both his pity and his bounty. Here is mercifulness and kindness mentioned. First, his mercifulness. Mercy has its name from misery. Misericordia, is nothing else but the laying of the misery of others to heart, with intention of affording them relief and help. In God it notes his readiness to do good to the miserable, notwithstanding sin. The motion comes from within, from his own breast and bowels. For our God is pitiful and of tender mercy (James 5:11), and the act of it is extended and reached out to the creature in seasonable relief. For the throne of grace was erected for this purpose (Hebrews 4:11). Two things there are in mercy. First, a propension and inclination to commiserate the afflicted. Secondly, a ready relief and help of them according to our power, affectus and effectus. First, there is a compassion or a being affected with the misery of others. This properly cannot be in God, in whom as there is no passion, so strictly speaking there is no compassion; yet something analogous there is, a taking notice of our misery. Something like a pity arising in his heart upon the sight of it; which the Scripture frequently ascribes to God, and we can best understand, as we consider the divine perfections shining forth in the human nature of Christ. (Exodus 2:24) He heard their groaning; and (Isaiah 63:4) in all their afflictions he was afflicted. (Judges 10:16) His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Forms of speech taken from the manner of men, who use to be thus affected when they see a miserable object. God in his simple and perfect nature cannot be said either to joy or grieve: but he carries himself as one thus affected. Or these expressions were laid in beforehand to suit with the divine perfections as manifested in Christ, who is touched with a feeling of our infirmities. Secondly, mercy notes the actual exhibition of help and relief to the miserable. When his people cry to him, he runs to the cry. (Psalm 78:38) He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. Mark, there God's forgiving the iniquity, was not inflicting the temporal punishment, or destroying the sinner presently: the cause of all was not any good in the sinner, but pity in God; that moved him to spare them for the time. So he does sometimes for those that cry to him but in a natural manner, as a beast makes its moan when it is in pain. But much more will his compassion show itself to his people when they bemoan themselves in a spiritual manner. (Jeremiah 31:18, 20) I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, what then? My bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, says the Lord. When Ephraim was bewailing his sins, God takes notice of it, and returns an answer full of fatherly affection, that he would surely show him mercy. God's compassion proceeds from love as the cause, and produces relief as the effect. Secondly, the next word is kindness, that notes the bounty of God or his free inclination to do good without our merit, and against our merit. The cause is not in us but himself. We draw an ill picture of God in our mind, as always angry and ready to destroy. No — the Lord is kind, and that many times to the ungrateful, and to the evil (Luke 6:35). We should all enlarge our thoughts more about God's merciful nature that we may love him more; that we may not keep off from him. As long as we think he delights in the creature's misery, or seeks occasions of man's ruin and destruction, God is made hateful. No — you must conceive of him as one that is kind, that does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men (Lamentations 3:33), but is ready to do good upon all occasions. We need not fear any hurt from God, but what we willingly bring upon ourselves. He destroys not humble souls, that lie at his feet and would have mercy upon his own terms.

Secondly, what encouragement this is to the people of God.

1. It is an encouragement, because the object of mercy is misery. Mercy is favor showed to a miserable person: now, the more sense of our misery, especially of our true misery which is sin, the greater hopes. So that the broken-hearted are more capable of his mercy than others are: God will revive the spirit of the contrite ones (Isaiah 57:15-17). He takes care to comfort them and to look after them whatever be neglected (Isaiah 60:2). None are so apt to presume of mercy as the careless, nor none less capable of mercy or more deserving judgment. While we make nothing of sin it is easy to believe mercy. In a time of peace sin is nothing, vanity and carnality nothing; a negligent course of profession nothing, vain talk, idle misspending of time, pleasing the flesh with all it craves is nothing, and there needs no such niceness and strictness, God is merciful; but when the conscience is awakened, and we see our actions with their due aggravations, especially at the hour of death, and when earthly comforts fail, then it is hard to believe God's mercy. Sin is a blacker thing than they did imagine, and they find it another manner of thing than ever they thought of; and the same unbelief that now weakens their faith about their duty, and what belongs to their duty, does now weaken their faith about their comfort, and what belongs to their comfort. Those that now question precepts, will then question promises. Well then the careless and negligent are not capable objects of the tenders of mercy: but the sensible, and the contrite, and the serious, these are the fittest objects, though they think themselves farthest off from mercy. Those that have a deep sense of their own unworthiness, most see a need of mercy, and most admire mercy. (Genesis 32:10) They see that mercy does all; that there is something of the pity and kindness of God in all things granted. They apprehend they are always in some necessity, or in some dependence, and they are unworthy, and that it is at God's mercy to continue, or take away any comfort they have. Health, liberty, strength, all is dipped in mercy, continued in mercy, restored at mercy.

Secondly, it is an encouragement to us because the Scripture says so much of this mercy in God, Id agit tota Scriptura ut credamus in Deum (says Luther) it is natural to him (1 Corinthians 1:3). The father of mercies, not Pater ultionum but misericordiarum: he is as just as he is merciful; but he delights in the exercise of one attribute more than the other (Micah 7:18). The other his strange work. There is a fullness and plenty, abundant mercy (1 Peter 1:3) and (Psalm 51:1) According to the multitude of your tender mercies. Our wants are many, and so are our sins; only plentiful mercy can supply and overcome them. They are tender mercies, compared with those of a Father and Mother. Of a Father (Psalm 103:13): As a Father pities his children, so does the Lord pity those that fear him. We need not much entreat a Father to pity his child in misery. An earthly Father may be ignorant of our misery, as Jacob in Joseph's case: an earthly Father pities foolishly, but God wisely when it is most for our benefit. An earthly Father's pity may go no farther than affection, and cannot always help his children, and relieve their misery. But God as he is metaphorically said to have the affection: so he has an all-sufficient power to remove any evil present, or avert that which is imminent. With that of a Mother (Isaiah 49:15): Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea they may forget, yet I will not forget you says the Lord. In the general, passions in females are more vehement, especially in human creatures, the mother expresses the greatest tenderness and largeness of love. God has the wisdom of a Father, and bowels of a Mother. Mark, it is not to an adopted child, but to her own son; her sucking child that hangs on her breast, cannot subsist without the mother's care. Mothers are wont to be most chary and tenderly affected towards them; poor helpless infants and children that cannot shift for themselves. Nature has impressed this disposition on them. Suppose some of them should be so unnatural as to forget their sucking babes, which is a case rare to be found, yet I will not forget you says the Lord. They are durable compassions, his compassions fail not (Lamentations 3:22). They are continual mercies, supplying daily wants, pardoning daily failings, bestowing daily mercies. Oh that the miserable, and the wretched, those that find themselves so, could believe this and plead this, and cast themselves in the arms of this merciful Father. Surely the penitent are not more ready to ask, than he to give. Therefore let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16). Let not our sins keep us from him; our misery rather than our worthiness is an object of his mercy.

Thirdly, his mercy is more to his people than to others. There is a general mercy and a special mercy. 1. There is a general mercy by which God sustains and helps any creature that is in misery, especially man: so Christ calls him merciful as he shows himself kind to the unthankful and evil (Luke 6:36). Had it not been for this mercy the world had been long since reduced into its ancient chaos, and the frame of nature dissolved. 2. There is a special mercy which he shows to his people. Pardoning their sins, sanctifying their hearts, accepting their persons: so of his mercy has he saved us (Titus 3:4-5). Quickened us (Ephesians 2:4-5): God who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ. This shows God has more mercy [reconstructed: for his] people than for others. Now this is a great encouragement, he that took pity upon us in our lost estate, and did then pardon our sins freely, will he not take pity upon us now we are in the state of grace, and have our sins pardoned? Surely he will show mercy to us still in forbearing the punishment due to us, or in mitigating his corrections, or sweetening them with his love. What matter is it who hates us, when the Almighty pities us and is so tender over us?

2. The satisfying effect, which is comfort. Here I shall show, 1. What is comfort. 2. That consolation is the gift and proper work of God to be asked of him.

1. What is comfort. It is sometimes put for the object or thing comfortable. Sometimes for the disposition of the subject, or that sense and apprehension that we have of it.

1. The object or thing comfortable, and so comfort may note, 1. Deliverance and temporal blessings: these things are comfortable, to the senses, and in a moderate proportion, and with submission they may be asked of God. That comfort is put for deliverance, many Scriptures witness. Take these for a taste. After deep and sore troubles you shall increase my greatness and comfort me on every side (Psalm 71:21). So, show me a token for good, that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed, because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me (Psalm 81:17). So, in that day you shall say, O Lord I will praise you, though you were angry with me, your anger was turned away and you comforted me (Isaiah 12:1). In all these places comfort is put for temporal deliverance; which is an effect of God's mercy, and may be an object of the saints' prayers. It is lawful to deprecate afflictions. There are but few of the best of God's children, that can hold out under long troubles without murmuring or fainting. 2. Another object of comfort is the pardon of sins or a sense of God's special love in Christ, wrought on our hearts. This is matter of comfort indeed. This is the principal effect of God's merciful kindness in this life, and the great consolation of the saints, as offering a remedy against our greatest evil; which is trouble that arises from guilt and sin. This obtained fills them with joy and peace (Psalm 4:6-7), puts gladness into our hearts. To feel God's love in the soul (Romans 5:5) is the heaven upon earth which a believer enjoys, which allays the bitterness of all his troubles. Heaven above is nothing but comfort, and the comforts of the Spirit are heaven below: God keeps not all for the life to come. 3. Another object of comfort is our happy estate in heaven which puts an end to all our miseries. God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes (Revelation 7:19). There shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying nor any pain (Revelation 21:4). In your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented (Luke 16:19). We have not our full comfort till we come to heaven. In the world there still is day and night, summer and winter: here is a mixture of mourning and joy, but there all comfort (Matthew 5:4).

Fourthly, the highest and chiefest object of our comfort is the Lord himself: David comforted himself in the Lord his God (1 Samuel 30:6). Though all things else fail, this should satisfy us: though we have little health, no friends, no outward supports to rejoice in, yet you have God whose favor is life, and who is the fountain of happiness, and the center of the soul's rest. The prophet when reduced not only to some straits but great exigencies, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Habakkuk 3:18). The joy of sense is in the creature, the joy of faith is in God. Thus we may consider comfort objectively. All that I shall say further is this, that we should take heed what we make to be the object of our solid comfort (Luke 10:24). They are carnal men that wholly place their comfort in earthly things, in the pleasures, and honors, and profits of the world. Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation (Luke 6:24). They have all here and can look for no more, and if disappointed here, they are utterly miserable. There are consolations arising from good things exhibited, but more in good things promised. Everlasting consolations (2 Thessalonians 2:16).

2. Let us consider it subjectively. Comfort — it is the strengthening of the mind when it is apt to be weakened by doubts, fears, and sorrows: as by patience we are kept from murmuring, so by comfort we are kept from fainting. It is the strength, stay and support of the heart against any grievance, whereby it is likely to be overcome. There are three words by which that delightful sense of God's favor as a stay and strengthening to the heart is expressed: Comfort, Peace, and Joy. Comfort is that sense of his love by which the sorrows that arise from the sense of sin, and the fears of God's justice, are not altogether removed and taken away, yet so mitigated and allayed that the soul is not overwhelmed by them, but hope does more prevail. This is the nature of comfort, that it does not altogether remove the evil, but so alleviate and assuage it, that we are able to bear it with some alacrity and cheerfulness: and this is the common state of believers, answerable to the ordinary measure of faith which God gives his children. Though they are assaulted with sorrows, doubts, and fears, yet they have that true and solid ground of comfort in the promises which begets some hope and expectation toward God; and when the conflict grows grievous, God of his mercy allays the storm by the working of his comforting Spirit. 2. There is peace, which is another notion which implies comfort, but also a more full degree of it: for peace does so settle and calm the conscience, that they are assaulted either with none or very light fears. It may be explained by external peace. External peace is that state of things which is not troubled with wars from abroad, or intestine tumults and confusions at home for some long space of time. A truce is a shorter respite, but a peace is a long calm and quiet. So when we are not assaulted with doubts and troubles, but have much peace and quietness of spirit in believing; now the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13). 3. As peace exceeds consolation, so does joy exceed peace, and begets a more notable sense of itself in the soul. In peace all things are quiet, so as we feel no anxious tossings of mind, no gripes and fears of an accusing conscience; but in joy, true joy more; some lively motions of heart accompanied with a more lively pleasure and delight. In peace the soul is in such a condition as the body is when nothing pains us; but in joy, as when the corporeal senses are mightily moved with such things as delight and please them; as at a feast the soul is filled with perpetual suavities, so great many times as cannot be told; joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).

Well then, this is comfort, if you consider it with respect to the sense of God's love, or the hopes of glory; such a lightening and easing of the heart as shows itself in alacrity in God's service, and courage in tribulations.

1. These comforts though not absolutely necessary to salvation, yet conduce much to the well-being of a Christian, and therefore not to be despised. It is as oil to the wheels (Job 15:11). If neglected and not sought after with earnest diligence, they are despised, which cannot be without great sin.

2. It follows after holiness as heat does fire. The oil of grace will breed the oil of gladness. There are certain spiritual pleasures which do attend a course of obedience: holiness is our work, comfort our reward: holiness is God's due, comfort our profit and interest (Acts 9:31). Walked in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost. Grace carries us out to honor God, love to him breeds comfort. It is strange if it be not so, there is some unusual impediment.

3. Though our main comfort be in heaven, yet while we are here in the world we have some foregoing consolation, as an earnest and pledge of more to ensue, and as the solace of our pilgrimage (Psalm 117:54). Here is not only the offer, but the sealing of pardon and peace to the soul.

4. Comfort is more needful at some time than at others, and God dispenses it suitably to our trials, necessities, and wants. In great afflictions and temptations there is a larger allowance, because they need greater comforts (2 Corinthians 1:5). A drop of honey is not enough to sweeten a hogshead of vinegar. The Lord reserves the comforts of his Spirit for such a time. The more humble and frequent in prayer, grace is more exercised, drawn forth into the view of conscience.

2. Comfort is to be asked of God, for it is his proper gift. It is his name, the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 7:6). The God that comforts those that are cast down. It is well that our comforts are in the hand of God, we should have little of it if it were in the disposal of the creature.

Consider,

1. That natural comforts are the gifts of God (1 Timothy 1:17). He gives us richly all things to enjoy; and sets forth the bounds of our habitation where and how much we shall have; and gives and takes these things at his pleasure; raising up some from the dunghill, pulling down others from the throne of glory (1 Samuel 2:7-8). That prosperity may never be without a curb, nor adversity without a comfort, God will acquaint the world with such spectacles now and then. All things are at his dispose.

2. That moderate delight and contentment that we have in our earthly blessings is his allowance. The creature without God is like a deaf nut, when we crack it we find nothing (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25; Ecclesiastes 3:13). It is the gift of God, and it is one of the chiefest earthly mercies, that in this valley of tears, where we meet with so many causes of grief and sorrow, we take comfort in any thing. Without this, a crown of gold will sit no easier than a crown of thorns upon the head of him that wears it; indeed, a palace becomes a prison, and every place a hell to us. It is not abundance of honor that makes a man happy, but comfort (Luke 12:15). If God send leanness into the soul, or a spark of his wrath into the conscience, all is as the white of an egg, unsavory. A secret curse eats out all the contentment of it. He that lives in a cottage is happier than he that lives in a palace, if he have comfort there.

3. For spiritual comfort which arises either from the sense of his love, or the hope of glory; we cannot have one drop of it but from God. His Spirit is called the Comforter. All the world cannot give it if he does not give it us: he has an immediate and sovereign power over the hearts of men; if he frown, nothing can support us. When the sun is gone, all the candles in the world cannot make it day. We can procure our own sorrow quickly, [reconstructed: but] he only can comfort us. None but divine comforts are authentic.

3. The means of conveying and procuring this comfort. 1. The means of conveying it on God's part, is his word. David pleaded that, where the remedy of his misery was discovered and offered. We read often in this Psalm, how David revived his comfort by the word, and (Romans 15:4) comfort of the Scriptures. There is the matter of true spiritual comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:31. That all may learn and all be comforted. This follows from the former; God is the God of comfort. And we should not have the heart to come to him unless he had opened the way to him by his promise. The world cannot give it to us, philosophy cannot. The word of God can. And this comfort is both strong and full for measure and matter.

1. Matter, there the death of Christ is laid down as the foundation of comfort. If we consider God as holiness itself, and we nothing but a mass of sin and corruption, you will see there can be no reconciliation without satisfaction given. Mercy must see justice contented; one attribute must not destroy another. Justice has no loss, it is fully satisfied in Christ, and that is the ground of our comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). There are the promises of deliverance, protection, support, the liberties and privileges of Christians laid forth. These are the breasts of comfort. Isaiah 66. Suck of these and be satisfied. In short our great comforts are, God's presence with us while we are in these houses of clay. Our presence with God in his palace of glory.

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18. We shall ever be with the Lord. And comfort one another with these words.

Secondly, the means on our part, receiving the sweet effects of God's mercy and word, and that is prayer. We cannot have it without dealing with God in a humble manner. Whatever God gives he will have it sought out this way (Ezekiel 36:37). I will yet be inquired after to do it for them. So (Isaiah 29:10-11). Now the reasons are these.

1. Because in prayer we act faith and spiritual desire, both which are as the opening of the soul (Psalm 81:10). To raise our confidence or draw forth the principles of trust.

2. We ask God's leave to apply in particular what is offered in the word in general: as in the next verse, let your tender mercies come to me, Verse 77. In every thing we must ask God leave though we have right, though in possession we ask leave, because we may be mistaken in our claim.

Thirdly, it is a fit way of easing the heart and disburdening ourselves (Philippians 4:6-7). When we pray most, and most ardently, we are most happy and find greatest ease.

Fourthly, God will be owned as the Author of comfort, whoever be the instrument (Isaiah 57:19). In prayer we apply ourselves to him; the Word is a sovereign plaster, but God's hand makes it stick; many read the Scriptures, but are as dead-hearted when done as when they began. The Spirit is the comforter; we are very apt to look to the next hand, to the comfort, but not to the comforter or the root of all, which is lovingkindness in God.

Fourthly, the subject capable: your servant. Here we may ask the eunuch's question, of whom speaks the Prophet this, of himself or of some other man? Of himself doubtless, under the denomination of God's servant. But then the question returns, Is it a word of promise made to himself in particular, or God's servants in general? Some say the former (2 Samuel 12:13), the promises brought to him by Nathan; I incline to the latter, and it teaches us these three truths. 1. That God's servants are only capable of the sweet effects of his mercy, and the comfort of his promises. Who are God's servants? 1. Such as own his right, and are sensible of his interest in them (Acts 23:23): The God whose I am and whom I serve. 2. Such as give up themselves to him, renouncing all other masters. Renounce we must, for we were once under another master (Romans 6:17), and (Matthew 6:24), and (Romans 6:13), (1 Chronicles 30:8). 3. Accordingly frame themselves to do his work sincerely (Romans 1:9): Serve with my Spirit, and (Romans 7:6): In newness of Spirit, so as will become those who are renewed by the Spirit; diligently (Acts 26:7); and universally (Luke 1:74); and wait upon him for grace to do so (Hebrews 11:28). These are capable of comfort. The book of God speaks no comfort to persons that live in sin, but to God's servants, such as do not live as if they were at their own dispose, but at God's beck: if he say go they go. They give up themselves to be and do what God will have them to be and do. 2. If we would have the benefit of the promise, we must thrust in ourselves under one title or other among those to whom the promise is made, if not as God's children, yet as God's servants. Then it is as sure as if our name were in the promise. 3. All God's servants have common grounds of comfort: every one of God's servants may plead with God as David does. The comforts of the word are the common portion of God's people. They that bring a larger measure of faith, carry away a larger measure of comfort.

Oh then let us lift up our eyes and hearts to God this day, and in as brokenhearted a manner seek this comfort as possibly we can.