multitude of his mercies.
JOHN CALVIN
of his wrath. 549 The rest to-morrow.
PRAYER.
Grant, Almighty God, that as it is expedient for us to be daily chastised by thy hand, we may willingly submit to thee, and not doubt but that thou wilt be faithful, and not prove us with too much rigor, but that thou wilt consider our weakness, so that we may thus calmly bear all thy chastisements, until we shall at length enjoy that perfect blessedness, which is now hid to us under hope, and as it were sealed, until Christ thy Son shall reveal it at his coming. --- Amen.
Lecture Eleventh
Lamentations 3:32
32. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
32. Quia si dolore affecerit, etiam miserebitur secundum multitudinem clementiarum suarum.
We saw in the last Lecture that the best and the only true remedy for sorrows is, when the faithful are convinced that they are chastised only by the paternal hand of God, and that, the end of all their evils will be blessed. Now this they cannot of themselves assume; but God comes to their aid, and declares that he will not be angry for ever with his children. For this promise extends generally to the whole
Church,
a moment I afflicted thee, in the time of mine indignation, but with perpetual mercies will I follow thee,'' (Isaiah 54:7, 8) and again,
will visit their iniquities with a rod, yet my mercy I will not take away from them''
(Psalm 89 33, 84.)
When therefore the faithful feel assured that their punishment is only for a time, then they lay hold on hope, and thus receive invaluable comfort in all their evils.
Jeremiah now pursues the same subject, even that God will shew compassion according to the multitude of his mercies, though he causes sorrow to men. This may indeed be generally explained as to all mankind; but, as we have said, God has promised this to his own Church. All miseries, regarded in themselves, are tokens of the wrath and curse of God; but as all things turn out for good and for salvation to the children of God, when they embrace this truth, that God, as the Prophet Habakkuk says, remembers mercy in wrath, (Habakkuk 3:2,) so they restrain themselves and do not despond, nor are they overwhelmed with despair. We now then understand the Prophet's object in saying, that though God afflicts he yet remembers mercy.
But we must at the same time bear in mind what I have before shewed, that the
549This verse is connected with Lamentations 3:25: "Good is Jehovah to him who waits for him;" and the reason is given here, "For not reject perpetually (or, for ever) will the Lord." "For," as assigning a reason, is here repeated three times, in this verse and in the two following verses; and they seem all to be reasons given for the truth contained in Lamentations 3:25, 31. For not reject perpetually Will the Lord: 32. For though he afflicts, yet he will shew compassion According to the multitude of his mercies: 33. For he does not depress from his heart, Nor afflict the children of men. All these particulars explain and elucidate the truth, that God is good. "From his heart," does not mean "willingly," but at his will, that is, arbitrarily, without reason, but when constrained by man's wickedness. — Ed.