[2.] The utility of it ; this giveth boldness and more hopeful expecta- tion ; that will appear if we consider what mercy is. It is God's propension and inclination to do good to the sinful and miserable, so far as his wisdom seeth convenient. As mercy is a perfection in the divine nature, so God is necessarily merciful as well as just; but the exercise of it is, I confess, free and arbitrary : it is not necessarily exercised but according to his will and good pleasure, to some more, to some less, as his wisdom thinketh fit. Yet this advantage we have by it, that mercy rather seeketh a fit occasion to discover itself than a well qualified object, as justice doth ; for it doth not consider what is due or deserved, but what is needed. Therefore, first, the needy and miserable have some hope, for misery as misery vis the object of mercy ; and therefore when our afflictions are pressing and sore, our miseries and straits are some kind of argument which we may plead to God : Ps. Ixxix. 8, ' Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low ; ' they plead their miserable condition. Mercy relents towards a sinful people when they are a wasted people : he
312 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXXXY..
hearetli the moans of the beasts, and therefore certainly he will not shut up his bowels against the cries of his people ; their very misery pleadeth for them. Secondly, the broken-hearted that have a sense of their misery have a greater advantage than others, and are more capable of God's mercy, because they are not only miserable, but miserable in their own feeling, especially if this feeling be deep and spiritual ; they are sensible of the true misery, and they are more troubled about sin than temporal inconvenience : Mat. ix. 13, ' Go learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.'
3. When we flee to his mercy, and seek it in the appointed way of repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ : the Lord will not utterly destro}'' a sinner fleeing to his mercy ; he hath engaged his word and oath, Heb. vi. 18 ; and this comfort we may make use of partly when the sense of guilt sits heavy upon the soul ; go humble yourselves before the merciful God, and sue out his favour and recon- ciliation with you, as David doth, Ps. li. 1, ' Have mercy upon me, according to thy loving-kindness ; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions ; ' you know not what a merciful God may do for his undeserving and ill-deserving people. And partly when God is upon his judicial process, and calleth a people to an account for their sins, he still retaineth his merciful nature : Hab. iii. 2, ' In the midst of wrath he remembereth mercy ; ' his wratli and indignation doth not so far transport him as that he should forget his merciful nature, and deal with his afflicted people without all moderation. When God is justly angry for sin it is a special time wherein to plead for mercy.
Secondly, He beggeth that it may come to him. Let us see the meaning of the request, and then what may be observed upon it. Coming to him noteth a personal and effectual application.
1. A personal application, as in the 41st verse of this psalm, ' Let thy mercies come to me also, even thy salvation, according to thy word.' David would not be forgotten, or left out or lost in the throng of mankind, when mercy was distributing the blessing to them.
2. Effectual application, that noteth — (1.) The removing of obsta- cles and hindrances; (2.) The obtaining the fruits and effects of this mercy. First, The removing of obstacles. Till there be way made, the mercy of God cannot come at us, for the way is barricaded and shut up by our sins. As the Lord maketh a way for his anger, Ps. Ixxviii. 50, by removing the hindrances, eating out the staff and the stay, taking away that which letteth, so the Lord maketh way for his mercy, or mercy maketh way for itself, when it removeth the obstruc- tion ; sin is the great hindrance of mercy. We ourselves raise the mists and the clouds which intercept the light of God's countenance ; we build up the partition wall which separates between God and us, yet mercy finds the way. Secondly, The obtaining the fruits of mercy. The effects of God's tender mercies are common or saving. We read, Ps. cxlv. 9, ' The Lord is good to all, his tender mercies are over all his works ;' not a creature which God hath made but the Lord pitieth it and supplieth its wants. But there are spiritual effects of the Lord's tender mercy, his pardoning our sins, restoring us to his grace and favour, and repairing his image in us : Eph. i. 3, ' Who
VeR. 77.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 313
hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ ; ' such spiritual blessings as are a sure effect of God's favour, never given in anger. Kiclies may be given in anger, so may also temporal deliverance, but pardon of sin is never given in anger, nor the Spirit of the Lord Jesus to dwell in us. Of spiritual blessings, some are comfortable to us, others honourable to God ; some fall in with our interest, others suit with God's end ; as pardon is of the first sort, and the subjection of the creature to God of the latter. We are willing to be pardoned and freed from the curse of the law and the flames of hell, but to be renewed to the image of God and quickened to the life of grace, and put into a capacity to serve our Creator and Redeemer, that we are not so earnest for ; and yet these are the undoubted pledges of the special mercy of God to us, and absolutely necessary to the enjoyment of other relative benefits. We must suppose David to intend both in his prayer, * Let thy mercy come unto me.' Once more, these spiritual benefits may be considered as to the effects themselves, and the sense that we have of our enjoyment of them. Our safety dependeth upon the saving effects and fruits of God's special mercy, and our peace, joy, and comfort upon the sense of them. Both are comprised in that petition, ' Let thy tender mercies come unto me.' This being stated as the full meaning of the words, let us observe : —