Chapter VI (continued, part 2)
Christ, the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. And
therein also you have interpreted what is spoken of Christ, Rev. i. 8, He
that was, that is, and is to come (the paraphrase of Jehovah), to be meant
of unchangeableness ; semper idem, always one and the same. And as God
is thus in his being unchangeable, so in his mercies ; the mercies of this
David are sure mercies, Isa. Iv. 3 ; Acts. xiii. 34. These his special mercies to his chosen have the similitude of his being. It is Jehovah that
is merciful ; and as Jehovah signifies firmitude of being, and is therefore
compared to a rock, &c., so these his mercies are likened to things of longest
duration, to those things which to us men are such in our account. Thus
he compares them to the mountains, which cannot be removed ; yea, moun
tains of brass, Zech. vi. 1 : Isa. liv. 10, For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed ; but my kindness shall not depart from thee,
neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that
42 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BOOK I.
hath mercy on thee. Also, in Ps. Ixxxix., the perpetuity of mercy is one eminent piece of this psalm ; for with that he begins, ver. 2, For I have
said, Mercy shall be built up for ever : thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heaven. And they are the sure mercies of oar spiritual David
(Christ), he means. Now, to set forth the perpetuity hereof, he first useth words that express firmitude, as established, built up for ever, ver. 2, 4. Then he uses such similitudes as are taken from things which are held most firm and inviolable amongst men, as ver. 4, fcedus incidi, I have cut or engraven my covenant (so in the Hebrew), alluding to what was then in use, when covenants were mutually to be made, such as they intended to be inviolate, and never to be broken ; to signify so much, they did engrave and cut them into the most durable lasting matter, as marble, or brass, or the like. You may see this to have been the way of writing in use, as what was to last for ever : as Job xix. 24, Oh that my words were graven with an iron pen and lead, in the rock for ever ! And what is that rock or marble here ? No other than the heart itself of our gracious and most merciful Jehovah, and his most unalterable and immoveable purposes, truth and faithfulness.* This is that foundation in the heavens, whereon mercy is built up for ever ; as ver. 2, which (as the apostle says) remains for ever; and so they become the sure mercies of David, Isa. Iv. 3. Again, solemn oaths amongst men serve to ratify and make things sworn to perpetual. This also is there specified as having been taken by God, ^Once have I sworn by my holiness, &c., and sworn by him that cannot
lie, and sworn to that end, to shew the immutability of his counsel, Heb. vi. 17. And not only is the immutability of his mercy illustrated by these things taken from what is firm on earth, but he ascends up to the heavens, and first into the very highest heavens : ver. 2, For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever : thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heaven : comparing them to an house built not on earth, or upon a foun dation of earth, which thieves break through, and violence destroys, but in heaven, whither they cannot reach. And there is good reason for it, for these mercies have a sure foundation laid in God s heart, The Lord knows who are his. And then they are founded also on that corner stone, elect and precious, Christ ; and which having been begun to be laid in the heart once of every one that is regenerate (though but the other day converted), yet will never cease to be built up even to eternity. We are apt to think, How little of mercy have I yet shewn forth upon me ! Con
sider, God hath but begun with thee ; he laid in thy heart at conversion a small spark and seed of grace ; and therewith, as the foundation, the par don of all thy sins, which, as to all that is to follow, is but as a foundation buried under ground. But mercy hath not done with thee ; for it is in infinite glorious works that follow, to be built up for ever, continually to be added unto, both in grace and glory. For God s dispensations in heaven are but a continuation of mercy to eternity, and a laying forth riches of grace and kindness on this structure, Eph. ii. 7. The prophet adds in that
verse, Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. Some
say, cum ccelis, with the heavens ; that is, it is a mercy as stable as heaven
itself, meaning the visible ones. But I take it to be a supernatural supercreation phrase, to express a grace and mercy above all that is or was
earthly in our first creation-condition, and above all comparisons to be made therewith, consisting altogether of blessings heavenly ; yea, supercelestial, as the word is in Eph. i. 4. And thus much the expression
< in * Marmot hie nih.il aliud est quam immotissima Dei fides, veritas, &c. Musculus.
CHAP. VI.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 43
: as in Luke x. 20, Eejoice that your names are
the heavens doth import
written in heaven. And Heb. xii. 23, The first-born whose names are
written in heaven. And in saying here that these mercies are established
in the heavens, I understand them to be such super-celestial mercies
spoken of. The heavens is the place they came from, and where they are
established and fixed, and unto which they tend, rising up to their original, and where they are finished and completed. They are established in the
heavens, in the highest heavens, where the angels and saints are,* ver. 2,
5, 6, 7, compared. And therefore they are as sure and safe as treasure there
laid up is, as Christ says. This house of mercy is as eternal and unde-
molishable as that our house in those highest heavens is, 2 Cor. v. 1. And because we see not those highest heavens (but only by faith) he
* My mercy will I
farther points us to the heavens we see : ver. 28, 29,
keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven ; which in ver. 36, 37, is more punctually amplified
* His seed
shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me : it shall be
established for ever, as the moon ; and as a faithful witness in heaven.
Selab. And he introduceth these not as examples only, to which his
mercies for their unchangeableness may be likened, but he proposeth them
as God s faithful witnesses thereof.f As the rainbow is set forth as a wit
ness that God will destroy the world with waters no more, thus the conti nuation of the heavens, and of the sun and moon, are proposed as wit
nesses of the perpetuity and unchangeableness of these mercies ; and this
not for duration only, but immoveableness and fixedness. For though the sun sets, and leaves darkness behind him for half the time of his course,
yet this Father of lights is without so much as shadow of turning in his mercies towards us, as the apostle s comparison is, James i. 17, and else where. He hath pawned the covenant of day and night
: Jer. xxxi. 35, 36, Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordi nances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth
the sea when the waves thereof roar ; The Lord of hosts is his name : If
those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of
Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. The like is
in Jer. xxxiii. 20, Thus saith the Lord, If you can break my covenant of the
day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also my covenant be broken, &c. Yea, and that covenant of the waters of Noah (we spake of) to which the rainbow is appointed as a faithful witness, is also appealed unto, and called in by God as a wit
ness of this his mercy s covenant : Isa. liv. 9, 10, For this is as the waters
of Noah unto me : for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth ; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with
thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be
removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
Now this unchangeableness of mercy is put upon the account of his
being Jehovah, as was observed out of Mai. iii. 6, I Jehovah change not ; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Unto which bring that of Lam. iii. 22, and then you have what it is in Jehovah which is the cause
that we are not consumed : It is the Lord s mercy we are not consumed,
* Cceli non visibiles, sed qui mundi architectural!! superant. Calvin.
t Non solum proponit ea ut exempla, sed ut testes : Quarurn rerum ? Earura scili
cet quas Davidi promisit.
44 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BOOK I.
which is all one as to say, It is of the Lord s mercy, as the cause why we are not consumed. So then the evident inference or conclusion from both is, you are not consumed, because my mercies, who am Jehovah, change not, which the words that follow do more expressly shew to be the cause or reason of this, because his compassions fail not ; which still carries this before them, that we are not consumed, because his mercies consume not, because God, that is, Jehovah, consumes not, fails not, changeth not. Job xiv. 11, The waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up, but these his special mercies fail not, nor are ever drawn dry, because Jehovah, or inexhaustible being, is the inexhaustible fountain of those mercies.
I have given the reason why the name Jehovah merciful is used ; but farther, the duplication of it here is to be considered : Exod. xxxiv. 6, Jehovah, Jehovah. The reason hereof, which interpreters ordinarily give, riseth but to this, that it was to stir up Moses his and our attention the more unto the matter that follows. I should rather and further say, 1. It is to shew an infinite vehemency and heartiness of affection to have been in the heart of God when he uttered this, and it manifests how much his soul was in what his voice proclaimed. Such duplications have (as it were) a double strength in them, to heighten and enforce those things they are prefixed unto, according to the nature of the matter unto which they are prefixed. Thus if the matter be an affirmation, the reiteration affixed intends and makes it an asseveration far the stronger. Thus when the two tribes and a half made an appeal to God in the case of their altar, to the intent to express the truth and sincerity of their souls therein, in the highest manner, say they,
< The God of gods, Jehovah, the God of gods, Jehovah, he knoweth, &c., Josh. xxii. 22. In this appeal to God as a witness (for such it is), they rehearse no less than three names of God (say some), El, Klohim, Jehovah ; or, as others interpret it, God of gods, Jehovah. But whatever meaning we take, it is certain that they are repeated twice over, which must needs have the greatest emphasis that could be given, and all was to give the greatest confirmation to the matter affirmed by them. Again, if it be set unto matter of prayer or praise, the repetition of
< Lord, Lord, Ps. Ixxii. 18, or of Jehovah (as of the person mvocated or praised) or the doubling the matter petitioned for, as be merciful, be merciful, Ps. Ivii. 1, likewise when the seal to either is put at the close of either, as of Amen and amen, Ps. Ixxii. 19, such doubled rehearsements do manifest a redoubled vehemency and intention in the invocators. Now according to this general rule, 2. In this duplication of the name of Jehovah here must be allowed the like intended emphaticalness, according to the kind of the matter it is prefixed unto. Now that which it is prefixed unto is a description of God, or a lively character of him, even as when we would notify the character given of a man to be most proper, genuine, and expressive of what the man
is, we use before or after it to make a double indigitation of his name, which carries this import or signification : This is the man, this is he. To the same purpose is it that God s name is doubled here. And it is as if in words he had more plainly said, This is your God, this am I ; or if you would know what a God I am, look upon this description of me, upon this my portraiture drawn to life : Such a God am I, Jehovah, Jehovah merciful.
When the watchmen in the Canticles saw the spouse keep such ado, Cant. v. 9, 10, and to make so anxious an inquisition after her beloved :
CHAP. VII.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 45
< What is thy beloved, said they, more than another beloved ? What ?
says she. She then describes him in all his beauties from head to foot ; and at the close, having said, he is altogether lovely, she adds, This is my beloved, and this is my friend. She doubles it there, and with the
same efficacy doth God in his setting forth himself double this his name
here : Jehovah, Jehovah, &c., as if he should say, This, this am I.
Nay, yet further here in this proclamation in my text there is not a
duplication only, but a triplication of the subject; that is, the name of God is not only twice repeated, but thrice, j-ppP HliT b$> translated The
Lord, Lord, God. And what is or can be the mind or intent hereof other
than this, that God, the whole that is in God, is merciful and gracious? &c.
CHAPTEE VII.
The other name of God, *}$, El, used in this proclamation of mercy, Exod.
xxxiv. 6, 7. This name imports that all the three persons are merciful,
which is particularly proved concerning the Holy Ghost. This name El
also imports an attribute in God, his strength and power, and that it is in
conjunction with mercy. How much this hath an influence to make mercy
effectually prevailing, and to conquer all difficulties which lie in the way of
its acting.
r I have considered the first name of God, Jehovah, implied in this pro
clamation of mercy, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7, and have evinced that mercy is an
essential property of his nature ; what remains next to be considered is
what the other name of God, ^, El, here made use of, imports.
^ There are two significations of this name of God. It is sometimes put
for an essential name proper to God, as our translators have rendered it in
this text, and it is sometimes put for a special attribute of God, strong,
powerful, noting greatness and dominion, and both here intended, for it
signifies both ; and truly Junius always translates the word El wherever he
finds it Deusfortis, the strong God, and so puts both together. Now if we translate it as our translators have done it, God, Jehovah,
Jehovah, El, God (he repeats the name of God three times), the import
of that is, that the three persons are herein proclaimed to be merciful and
gracious. There must be some great mystery in the thrice repeating it.
If the thrice repeating an attribute, Holy, holy, holy, if the thrice repeat
< The Lord, the Lord, the Lord, Num. vi. 23-26, hath the mystery
ing,
of all three persons, then the repetition of the name of God, fixed to mercy and gracious, hath the like. So Ainsworth and others have improved it.
So that from this it is evident that all three persons incline to be merciful
and gracious, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost ; and what is this other than what we have, 2 Cor. xiii. 14,
< The grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The Holy Ghost is therefore both
gracious and loving, as well as the Father and Son, for it is he communicates
the love and grace of both those persons. I find not (I confess) a scripture where the Holy Ghost is called merciful, but I find scripture where he is
called good, which is the root of mercy: Ps. cxliii. 10, Thy Spirit is good. Neh. ix. 20, Thou gavest them thy good Spirit. I find also that love is
ascribed to him, Kom. xv. 13. Now what is mercy ? It is but love and
goodness extended to creatures in misery. I find also that grace and
46 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BoOZ I.
mercy are the fountain of all blessings both spiritual and temporal, Eph.
i. 2, 3. And I find grace, and mercy, and peace is wished as from God the Father, and God the Son, so from God the Holy Ghost, Rev. i. 3, 4. So then he is the fountain of grace. I will not open that controversy between papists and us about seven spirits ; it is but one Spirit, 1 Cor.
xii. 4. But what I will insist on is, an answer to that question, Why the Holy Ghost should bear the name of ^, El, strong, the strong God, for it signifies both an attribute as well as a person ; Jehovah the Father
is called, and Jehovah the Son is called, and the Holy Ghost is called so too ; but why is this name El here,
* the strong God, given unto him rather than Jehovah ?
The answer is, he hath the execution of all the mercy that God doth dis-" pense to us ; it is committed to him. The Father had the decreeing part of all -mercy, the Son the purchasing part, and the Holy Ghost the opera tive part, which requires power and strength ; and therefore you find so often the Holy Ghost to be expressed as the power of God, as Christ s
person in the Proverbs is called the Wisdom of God. The Holy Ghost
is called the power of God: Luke i. 35, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. And in Luke xxiv. 49, he is called the promise of the Father. Who is that promise ? Compare it with Acts i. 4, and you will find it is the Holy Ghost. What is the Holy Ghost called in that place of the Acts ? Christ being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. Where was that promise ? The 5th verse tells us, You shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. How is the meaning of that expressed ? You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, ver. 8. And in Scripture these things are often joined : The gospel came not in word only, but in the Holy Ghost, and power, 1 Thes. i. 5. The Holy Ghost then is he that shews mercy, he is 6 !>.gi/. There are
five offices which the Holy Ghost exerciseth in the churches, mentioned in Rom. xii. 8, and the last is called 6 sXsuv, a shewer or executor of mercy, to supply all needs and necessities to the sick, &c. : Let him that is the shewer of mercy do it with cheerfulness ; i.e., whose office is to be merciful. There are many particular mercies which the Holy Ghost hath the office to
distribute, as he is the dispenser of mercy. For example, 1. Begin with regeneration; that is mercy: According to his abundant mercy he hath begotten us, 1 Peter i. 3. Who begets ? The Holy Ghost. 2. Who brings home all the sure mercies of David, all that the Father hath decreed, or the Son purchased ? John xvi. 14, 15. He will not leave us as orphans unprovided for. Therefore, 3. Is it not mercy to take care of orphans, children that are fatherless and motherless, that else would be destitute ? John xiv. 17, 18. The Holy Ghost says,
* I will not leave you orphans ; the word is so in the original. Is it not mercy to tend the sick ? Alas ! how doth the Holy Ghost attend
thy soul all the time of thy infirmities and sicknesses ; and to ease thee he bears them, Rom. viii. 26.
4. Who is the advocate to plead for thee, and undertakes all thy suits for thee, and to obtain all good ? It is the Holy Ghost ? Who makes all
Ters, Rom. viii. 26, draws all the petitions thou puttest up ? He indites them. Who does bear with the noisomeness that is in thee ? It
thy pra}
is the Holy Ghost. And is it not that mercy, as it is in a nurse or mother, to bear the noisomeness of a poor child ? And though he be grieved, yet
CHAP. VII.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 47
he continues his love and care, so as no mother nor nnrse doth the like.
Is not this mercy ? Who mourns with thee in misery like a dove (as he is
called), who keeps thee company, and brings thee cordials ? It is he who
is the author of all comfort, Acts ix. 31. Who fills thee with all joy and
peace in believing ? It is the Holy Ghost, Kom. xv. 13. To conclude, who strengthens thee in all temptations, and upholds thy feeble knees and weak hands ? It is the Holy Ghost. And is not that mercy ? Eph. iii.
16, That you might be strengthened with might, by his Spirit in the
inner man. I have done with this word ^K, El, as it signifies a person, and imports the mercy of the Holy Ghost. I come now to 7N, El, as it
is an attribute (and the most of translators so render it ; Junius calls it
Deusfortis, the strong God ), and so the word signifies strength, strength
ening, strong in might. We call it vis in Latin, that power that subdues
all things to itself, Philip, iii. 21. And so God is mighty in strength, Job ix. 4. Now I am to handle it as an attribute, I join greatness with
it, for so they are joined, and both with mercy; as in Jer. xxxii. 17-19, where he joins great, and mighty, and merciful all together: magnus
tile, poteiis ille, as Piscator renders it. I confess I wonder at it, to find it
up and down when they make prayers in Scripture, as Jeremiah does
here, that they should put merciful and mighty, terrible and great,
all together; you shall find it so, Neh. i. 5, Lord God of heaven, the
great and terrible God, that keepest covenant and mercy, &c. Here
they are joined together. And so when he made his solemn prayer, Neh.
ix. 32, Our God, says he, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, &c. ; which is plainly the same that Moses expresseth it in Exodus. You have it also in Dan. ix. 4, in his solemn prayer, Lord, says he, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy, &c. Thus mercy, and great, and terrible are
joined all together, and all refer to this passage in Moses, as the margin of
your Bible shews. Now, when he says the terrible God, truly it imports two things
1st, His being glorious and illustrious, and that he is to be reverenced.
2dly, It imports a dreadfulness : he is terrible in praises, Exod.
xv. 11. What doth that imply ? That he is magnified, illustrious, great, and glorious in praises, not only doing things that are dreadful, though so he is said to be terrible in doing to the sons of men, and yet he speaks not
of judgment, Ps. Ixvi. 5, but wonderful works of mercy. That which I am to give account of is, that power and mercy should be
joined together, God the strong and God the merciful. Take in greatness
(if you will) and take in terribleness. In Ps. Ixii. 11, 12, says he, God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God. Also to thee, Lord, belongeth mercy, for thou renderest to every man according to his works. I confess it is alleged, I heard it once, and
twice, that is, God set it on upon me as a special ground of comfort. You have the phrase so used in Job xxxiii. 14, For God speaketh once,
yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not. I confess I was suspicious it might refer to this passage of Moses. I found, first, the English annotators say, that it was a plausible interpretation to refer it to what God had said upon mount Sinai, where there are two things (say they) said: first, that God was a jealous God; secondly, shewing mercy, Exod. xx. 5, 6. I consulted Hammond, and he in his paraphrase refers us to what God had spoken in mount Sinai, but he speaks it indefinitely ; but the others refer it to the second commandment. I stick at this, that jealousy is mentioned in the
48 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BOOK I.
commandment, but power is not; but here he says, Power belongs to
thee, Lord God, and mercy. I thought therefore I might go further, and take a step further upon mount Sinai, where the law and this declara tion was given, as it is expressed, Exod. xxxiv. The psalmist says, he heard it twice; he heard it from God s mouth, that power belongs to God, and he heard it that mercy belongs to God ; and he heard the same from Moses, Num. xiv. 15, 16,
* Let the power of my Lord be great, accord
ing as thou hast spoken, saying, &c. In Psalm ciii. he expressly quotes God s saying to Moses, The Lord, gracious and merciful; and in Psalm
Ixii. he says he heard it once and twice, again and again, both from God and Moses, that power belongs to him, and mercy belongs to him.
I come now to that which is the main thing which I shall endeavour to make use of, which is this, why these two are joined together, power and
mercy, by Moses, Num. xiv., by Daniel, Nehemiah, and Jeremiah. I will not give you the heathen account ; you know Tully says, Jupiter is called
optimus maximus ; he reduceth it to this very thing ; he is called optitnus, the most good god, the most good, or thrice good god (says he), he is for
his benefits ; propter vim vero et potentiam maximus ; for his force and power he is called the great God ; he knew God to be good, but knew not God to be merciful. But let us follow Scripture. The inquisition is this, why he joins strength, and greatness, and dread-
fulness with mercy. 1. Say I, to set mercy out the more, to exalt mercy the more. Certainly it is prefaced to that purpose, Neh. ix. 32, Our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and
mercy, &c. It was well he could say first our God, before he says the
great and terrible God, that so they might be sure that should import no hurt to them. But the preface is to set forth and aggrandise mercy the
more, that a God so great, so dreadful, should yet be merciful. The lion
in Christ commends the lamb that is in him, as Rev. v. 5, 6, that he that
is so great, and strong, and terrible, should be a lamb. It is because the name of God is in him that he is strong, and he is merciful too. Look, as the unworthiness and sinfulness of us, whom God loves and shews
mercy to, commends his love, as you have it in Rom. v. 8, so the greatness and terribleness of the person that loves doth advance and magnify his
goodness and mercy, that he that is so great and terrible, and hath such
power, should yet be so merciful, Psalm Ixxxix. It is a Psalm which professeth to sing and set forth the mercies of God, and the sure mercies of
David; I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever, and mercy shall be built up for ever, ver. 5. The heavens shall praise thy wonder, thy miracle. He calls mercy the greatest miracle that ever was. Wherein
lieth it? He tells us in these words, Who in the heavens can be com
pared to the Lord ? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the
saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him : Who
is a strong Lord like unto thee? &c. So that mercy in the first verse meets in this God, that in the seventh and eighth verses is so great a God, so fearful to all that are round about him ; and they that are nearest him know him best; they say so of him, that this God should be a God of
mercy. This begets a stupor, an amazement, that he that is able to rebuke
all, and destroy all with a nod, should yet have so much love and mercy. This exalts and sets out his mercy, and makes it a wonder. 2. This great ness and power in God conduce to make him we must not use that word make but after the manner of men to be merciful and gracious. The multi
plying grace issues from Jehovah as he is almighty. This is the difference
CHAP. VII.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 49
between God and man. In man, weakness is the foundation of mercy very much; those that are weakest for age, as children, will cry bitterly if they see any one in misery ; those that are weakest in sex, aswomen, are most
pitiful ; those that are of softest tempers amongst men, are more merciful, which ariseth from weakness ; but in God mercy flows from strength, and
: The Lord God, strong, merciful. You find in
power, and greatness
scripture God is merciful, not after the manner of men : 2 Sam. vii. 19, Is this the manner of man, Lord God ? Thus he spake when he con sidered the greatness of the mercy bestowed, as when it is said, My thoughts are not your thoughts; but as the heavens ^exceed the earth, so, &c., Isa. Iv. 8, 9. It is also true, God is merciful not after the manner of men for kind of mercies : I am God, and not man, therefore you are not consumed, Hos. xi, 9 ; i. e., because I am merciful as God. His mercy then proceeds from his greatness and his strength. From his greatness, as
is plain from 2 Sam. vii. 19, when he had said, Is this the manner of men, Lord God? says he; according to thine own heart hast thou done
: wherefore thou art great, Lord God : for there is none like unto thee, neither is there any God besides thee. God did it out of his own heart, as having a great heart. The mercies he declares to David there, proceed from strength, as he is the Lord God, strong and
all these great things
merciful. So it is also Num. xiv. 17, Let the power of my Lord be
great, as thou hast spoken.
I would make it plain that God s mercy proceeds from strength ; or that, because he is a strong God, able to do all things, because he is almighty, therefore he is merciful. 1st, It fits him to be merciful; his strength doth so qualify him, as we may speak after the manner of men. He hath all that qualifies a person for the reality of mercy. He is free from all misery, hath no subjection to any kind of misery whatsoever; hath no subjection to potentiality, as the schoolmen speak in this point. Why? Because he
is a strong God, he is a powerful God, and an almighty God, and that
keeps him off from all misery, and exempts him from all the dints and im
pressions of misery.
There is, I say, a blasphemous question that hath been traversed up and down by corrupt divines, Whether God hath mercy truly in him, and be of a merciful disposition ? And what reason do they give for it but this ?
Say they, Mercy arises from sense of misery, that one lays to heart others
misery, as that which may be one s own, which we cannot suppose to be
in God.*"
Say I, to answer it, Here lies the question, What it is that is truly mercy, whether it be that one out of weakness is condoling you or pitying you, that is unable to help, whether that be truly mercy or no? Or whether a readiness of will and a propenseness of affection, joined with
ability to succour effectually and irresistibly, whether this be not mercy rather? since the first proceeds from weakness, but this from strength. I
say here lies the question, whether yea or no, one that out of weakness and
passion condoles with you, and hath from that ground pity in him, that
affection of pity, of suffering with you, and is sorry you are in misery, and troubled you are so, but yet is unable to help, whether this be mercy truly or no ? Or whether one that hath readiness of will, his soul is inclined to
help, and he joins ability to help, which of these two is mercy? Say I, the last, and that is in God, and it is demonstrable thus :
1. If he that is merciful be himself liable to misery, he is not in that sense merciful. Why ? Because he is so far weak and unable to help. VOL. VIU. D
50 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BOOK I.
That same king in the famine could not shew mercy, because he could not
help: 2 Kings vi. 26, 27, lord my king, help, says the poor woman. If anybody help, a king could ; but, says he, if the Lord helps thee not, I cannot. I am a poor weak creature, in plain words. Should I help thee out of the barn, to give thee bread; or winepress, to give thee drink ? I can do neither, saith he. What was the reason he was thus unable to
grant an aid ? He was weak and ready to die, as well as other men. That is mercy which in the issue and event will prove itself so ; that is mercy indeed and truly.
2. If he be not able to help you efficaciously, he does but increase your misery, as you see in the case of this poor woman and the king. Poor woman, what ailed she ? He told her he could not help her. The woman was extremely disturbed that she came to the king, and the king could not
help her. What aileth you? says he, 2 Kings vi. 28. Says she, I come not to you for mercy, but for justice ; here is a woman ate my child
yesterday, and I should have ate her son, but she hath hid him. So she came to the king for justice. Directly he could not help her in that neither ; he could not order the child to be killed, it had been murder, but he increased her misery by all this. So that now, say I, that which
fits for mercy is, that one is free from all misery, impotency, and weak
ness, and hath a fulness of ability to succour, and this is from strength. Now,
2dly, To pardon sin (which is our case) is in itself an act of the greatest strength in God, and therefore strength fits him for being merciful. The Pharisees said, No man is able to forgive sins but God, Mark ii. 7.
Says Christ, I will shew you I am able to forgive sins. Why ? To the man sick of the palsy, says he, Take up thy bed, and walk. He did
this to shew that he who had power and strength to heal such a disease, had power alike to be merciful ; and had he not been the almighty God, he could not have said, Thy sins are forgiven thee.
3dly, For a man to contain his anger, it is from strength: Prov. xvi.
82, He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty
: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Thus it is the strength of a man to overcome his passion: Let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast said, The Lord is long-suffering, Num. xiv. 17-19, There is a good saying in one of the Collects in the Common Prayer Book :
Lord, that shewest thy omnipotency chiefly in shewing mercy, in for
giving sins ; wherein it is accounted an high act of omnipotency to forgive sins.
But you will say, Though here is an ability to succour, and out of
strength to shew mercy, yet where is the affection of mercy, and whence ariseth that ?
Ans. The seat of mercy is the will, as appears by that speech, I will be merciful to whom I will be merciful, Exod. xxxiii. 19. Now the will of God hath affections in it; for there is hatred of sin, which is an affec tion that is natural ; and love, an affection of the will, that is natural. Though these affections in God are but various postures of his will to various objects, what then is mercy in his will ? Not a mere act, but a
propensity, an inward inclination, from out of his goodness of will, to shew mercy to them that are in misery: Ps. Ixxxvi. 5, he is ready to forgive: 4 The Lord is good and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy. These are not metaphors (as bowels and the like, used of mercy); Ps. xxxiv. 18, but the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; not in respect
CHAP. VII.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 51
of omnipotency merely, so he is to all, but in readiness of disposition and
inclination, he is ready and quick to be merciful so soon as he sees their hearts. If any say that God willeth mercy, and it is his will to shew
mercy, let them but add and acknowledge that there is a propenseness in his will thereunto unto such merciful acts ; and then they must say too, that mercy (as to the affection of it) is a property in God. But doth his power and strength move and stir that affection in him, and render his will propense unto mercy ?
Ans. Yes. And to prove that it moves, I take that of Moses for my ground, Num. xiv. 17-19 ; when pleading for forgiveness, he says, Let the power of my Lord be great. Pardon, I beseech thee, this people, as thou hast forgiven them hitherto. He woos God with that very consideration, and presents it to him. Now it is a sure maxim, that what Moses was
taught by God to move God with, that God himself is certainly moved withal.
If you say unto me, But in what manner is he moved with it thereunto ? Ans. Because he hath power lying by him to help in time of need, and he can put it forth as easily and readily as we think a thought, or speak a word.
There is a saying in 1 John iii. 17, If a man hath this world s goods, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? Truly God hath love
dwelling in him, yea, God is love, 1 John iv. 16, and he hath power to
help them whom he loves, and he sets himself to love his children. Why then, thinks he with himself, have I power to help them I love, and do I see them in misery, and shall my power lie by, and not shew itself? I may say that if he thus sees them whom he loves to abide in misery, and
yet shut up his affection of mercy towards them, how doth love dwell in God ? how is he love to such ? So that this is my conclusion. Mercy implies in itself a non-subjection to misery, and also an ability and fulness of strength to help ; and a will which, though it hath not passions in it, yet hath love and propenseness to goodness. There is a readiness to forgive, there is an affection which is the foundation of shewing mercy ; so that he
only is truly merciful. It is a bastard-mercy that is in creatures, for that
is true mercy that is able to help, with a propenseness to do so, which alone is in God, who is the Lord God strong, and the Lord God merciful. It is then but a bastardly, spurious mercy that is in creatures, and only God is merciful upon this respect, that God only is God.
Use 1. Is God s power and strength joined with mercy ? Is it that which fits him for mercy ? Oh bless him that you find so dreadful an attri bute as power joined with mercy. Why, you find them divided elsewhere, when they are to be exercised on others^than the elect: Eom. ix. 22, What
if God, willing to shew his wrath, and make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction ? There is power joined with wrath ; let us therefore adore this God, that hath in this
proclamation of mercy, Exod. xxxiv., put the God strong and merciful
together.
Use 2. Do we find mercy and power joined together and paired elsewhere, as in Ps. Ixii. 11,12? Then, as it is n that psalm, go, trust him in all times ; for upon these two grounds he b ds us, ver. 8, to trust in him at all times. But there are some times in your lives that you are in such a case and condition that you have no kind of hope, or possibility of thought, that such a thing should come to pass ; but
* trust in him at all times. Why?
52 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BOOK I.
Because power belongeth to him, and mercy ; these two put together will
effect anything. What is too difficult for God the strong, and God merci
ful ? Now I draw this use out of Jer. xxxii. 17, 18 (which I cited before), I prayed unto the Lord, saying, Ah, Lord God, behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and stretchedout arm ; and there
is nothing too hard for thee : thou shewest loving-kindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their chil dren after them : the great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts is his name. The case stood thus : The prophet Jeremiah was bid to buy a purchase of
land, as you read in the fore-part of the chapter ; it was at a time when the
city was destroyed by the sword, famine, and pestilence, as at ver. 24, and the city given into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they were by prophecy to be seventy years. The thing that was signified by this was, as God told him : Thus saith the Lord of hosts, houses and fields shall be possessed again in this land. The poor man s spirit was extremely exercised about
it, not for the loss of his money, but strangeness of the thing (as you will
see it a strange thing, but he saw more), and it was the strangest thing could fall out, and the greatest mercy to the people of God that could fall
out. Because the manner of conquerors was to remove all the people ; as when they conquered Judea they took all the people and removed them, and
planted them in other countries, and brought people out of those countries and planted them in Judea. They did so with the ten tribes ; they took the ten tribes out of their own land, and carried them into Media, and
planted in the room of them the natives of those countries where them
selves were planted. The land of Judea was a fruitful place ; and that there should be brought into that land strangers to possess it, and that there should be seventy years time before they should return, this was the
greatest wonder in the world they should return ; yet, notwithstanding, the Lord intended that the land should not be inhabited but by a company of
poor Jews that were left. But the land was made desolate ; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21, it is said, the land enjoyed its Sabbaths. There was a law, that the land, every seventh year, should not be digged, and accordingly God
says, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21, Your land shall enjoy its Sabbaths, it shall be desolate. But all this tended to make good that which was so strange a thing to be done. There was the Babylonian monarchy to be destroyed. Of them it is said, The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together, and all that took them captives held them
fast, they refused to let them go
: but their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name, Jer. 1. 83. When they were destroyed, that
they should possess every one their own land again, what a wonderful
thing is this ! The Turk does not thus, yet they were as barbarous as the Turks, Neh. v. 12. Nay, the priests were free from taxations upon their land ; Jeremiah s land stood free, Ezra vii. 24, 25. Was not that a strange word, that there should be buying and selling of land again ? It was not done for any nation else ; that in Ps. cxxvi. 2, the heathens among them
selves said, The Lord hath done great things for them. Now Jeremiah received the revelation of this in ver. 15, that there should be houses, and
fields, and vineyards possessed again in the land. He goes to God to
strengthen his faith therein : ver. 17, Thou art the great and potent God, thou shewest loving-kindness unto thousands. He urges these two attri butes upon God you may see what it is to urge two such attributes upon God, and have faith to do it. When he had urged these (I shall shew you the issue of it), directly God makes this gracious promise upon this prayer
CHAP. VII. ] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 53
of his, to restore them to their own land, and restore him not only his
money, but land too. Read what God did in answer, from the 36th verse, to the end of the chapter. This good prayer of his, urging in this difficult
: the power and mercy of God ; you see what
case these two great things
it drew out from God, and what great things God did for his mercy s sake, and by his power, for these poor people. Therefore let us, in all straits and difficulties, make use of it, and remember to do likewise. God is the
* Is anything too hard for me ? says God, in the same chapter. No ; mercy sets God on work, and causes him to exert his
strong and merciful.
power, which effects everything.
Use 3. Let us glorify him according to the greatness of this mercy and
greatness joined together. Men, the more great they are, do degenerate into rigour, and severity, and cruelty. Your great kings have but the name
of gracious, says Christ, by a reflection on them : Luke xxii. 25, The
kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise
authority upon them are called benefactors. I take his meaning to be this : You call them benefactors ; you are fain to call them so gracious, and so
clement, and just and gracious, and you call them benefactors for all their
greatness and exercise of lordship over you, though they rule you according to their lusts. But our God, that is, the strong God, is the merciful God ; and he that is the great King, whose name is terrible, Mai. i. 14, is also a
good God, a merciful God, a gracious God. He is so merciful a God as
all the angels adore him, and worship him, while they consider the miracles and wonders of his mercy. Let us therefore adore him, since the angels do
it. Consider Ps. Ixxxix., where the sure mercies of David are set out, and
the angels celebrate the miracles of his mercy, those angels to whom he is
so dreadful and fearful in their assemblies, ver. 6-8. Oh, how much more,
if they magnify the conjunction of power and mercy in God, should we, whom God shews mercy to, who are the objects of mercy, and subjects of
mercy, which the angels are not !
Use 4. Is mercy thus joined with power and greatness ? See, poor
wretch, what need thou hast of his power and mercy everyfday, need of
his strength, need of all mercies to thy soul. As for sanctification, and
holiness, and faith, and helping us to believe, they are from strength, and
depend upon the strength of God : Ps. Ixxxvi. 15, 16, But thou, Lord
God, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and
plenteous in mercy and truth. Thou, Lord, Adonai, art a God ; El> the strong God, full of compassion ; the same words as Moses useth.
Instead of Jehovah, Adonai is used, Lord ; but then El, strong God, is
the same word. The meaning is, let all the strength and power thou the
strong God hast in thee be for my advantage. Now, is it not a bold
request to say, Lord, wilt thou give me all thy strength to help me ? A
very bold request indeed ; but his mercy moves him to grant it. Thus
then petition him : Thou art a God.merciful and gracious, give thy strength to me ! Thou, God, givest all thy attributes up to thy children, to serve
their advantage, as well as to serve thy own glory ; give me thy strength
! Dost not thou need strength, poor wretch ? How oft is thy heart apt to
sink, and thou canst not believe but so long* as God helps thee to do it. How apt to swoon in thy despondencies and doubts. Dost thou find
strength come in to help thee to believe ? It is the strong God helps thee: Ps. cxxxviii. 3, He strengthened me with strength in my soul, says
he, when my soul is sinking. Thou hast a heart weak to duty, feeble
hands, weak knees ; who strengthens thee in the inner man ? He does it
54 OF THE OBJECT AND ACTS [BOOK I.
according to the riches of his glory, that is, of his mercy, which is emi
nently called his glory ; he strengthens us in the inward man, Eph. iii. 16.
Lastly, Is God strong and merciful ? Ps. xxxi. 24, Be of good courage, all you that hope in the Lord, and he shall strengthen your heart; for he
is your strong God, and he is your merciful God. Indeed, if we had faith and hearts to improve and put together these two things, what might we not obtain from the hands of God ? Where there is power to enable, and mercy to make willing, what cannot be done ? Jeremiah putting together these two things, Jer. xxxii. 17, 18, says God, in answer to Jeremiah s
prayer, There is nothing too hard for me ; I have power to do it, and heart to do it. Improve all to the good of your own souls. Go and say unto God, thou God, plenteous in mercy, and full of compassion, give me thy strength, I am a poor weak creature ! A little cordial, you see what strength it gives ; so a little of the strength of God, how doth it
strengthen the soul ! Make use of his strength, he is the God of your strength, Ps. Ixxxix. 16. Use 5. If power be thus joined to mercy, then make use of it for pardon of sin. Though sins be great, yet in such cases, let the soul go to God with these words, Let the power of the Lord be great to pardon and to
forgive, as you see Moses pleads it. That strength that concurs to do all
things else, it doth conduce to pardon sin. Is it easier to say, Take up thy bed and walk, or to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee? saith our Saviour Christ. It is twice said in Jer. xxxii., Nothing is too hard for
me;" God speaks it once at ver. 27, and Jeremiah says it at ver. 17. He
speaks it of matters of providence ; apply it to sin : there is no sin too hard
for him, for merciful power, or powerful mercy to pardon. God is as strong in forgiving sin, and in the power that forgives, as he is in his providential working power; and as God s power is good at making worlds, nay, at making his heavens wherein he dwells, the high and holy place, so his power is as good at pardoning sins ; and the one is as great a work as the
other. In such cases, let thy faith bring it to this, God is able to pardon thee; and do but think with thyself/ He that was able to make a world is able to pardon me ; he can find that in his heart as is sufficient to pardon me. It is a great step of faith when men see and are convinced of their
sinfulness, to go to God and say, Thou art able to make me clean, thou
art able to pardon my sin.
Use 6. Doth power thus yoke with mercy ; nay, is it the RATIO of mercy ?
(I mean of that phrase) then take God s counsel to lay hold on his strength. Isa. xxvii. 4,
* Fury is not in me. He speaks as to his vineyard, his church ; fury is not in me against my church, I can do that no hurt ; but my fury is against briars and thorns : as ver. 4, Who would set the briars and thorns against God in battle? He would go through them, and would burn them together. Well, is there no remedy if they be briars and thorns ? Yes; even for them there is a remedy. What is that? Ver. 5, Let them take hold on my strength. Of my strength; what is that? It is an allu sion to Jacob s story, that had power with God, Gen. xxxii. 28. The meaning is, humble yourselves. Suppose a child or servant should see one coming to strike him, they fall down in the humblest manner, and lay hold upon their hands. Lay hold, says God, upon my mercy, and strength joined with mercy, and I am charmed, you may rule me; mercy says it twice before power s face, you may make peace with me, and you shall make peace with me.
CHAP. VIII.] OF JUSTIFYING FAITH. 55