William Jenkyn
Ver. 21.
Keep your selves in the Love of God; looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to Eternall life.
THe fourth direction whereby the Apostle guides them to observe his exhortion to contend for the Faith against seducers and seduction, is contain’d in these words. Keep your selves in the Love of God. A very apt and sutable mean and course for the foresaid end and purpose; for he that will be a friend to God, can never be in love with errour, which drawes the soul away from God and his truth.
Two particulars are here in this direction contained.
1. That thing about which the Christians were to be employed, or the object, The love of God.
2. How they were to be imploy’d about it, viz. By keeping themselves therein. Ther’s the act.
So that by way of Explication two things may be enquired after.
1. What the Apostle intends by the love of God.
2. What by keeping themselves therein.
1. For the first, by the love of God, I here understand not that love whereby God loveth man, but that whereby man loveth God, resteth in him, and cleaveth to him as the most absolute good; of this both in respect of its severall kindes and properties, as also in severall Observations I have very largely spoken in my first part. Page. 124.136 148. &c. To avoid tediousnesse and repetition, I shall refer to that place.
2. For the second, by keeping themselves in this Love, I understand perseverance in the loving of God, or a preserving of the love of God in their hearts, from all those things whereby they might be enticed to let it goe and part with it: and this preservation or keeping thereof stands in using those meanes which God hath ordained to preserve in us our Love toward him; which is done by sundry 1. Considerations. 2. Pactises. 1. Considerations. 1. Of Gods Lovelinesse and soule-ravishing perfections, and his blessed sutablenesse to our soules exigencies: Part 1. pag. 152. when we know him to be a full good, as having all the scattered Excellencies of all the world and all the persons and things therein, in himselfe, and infinitely more; a filling good, and able to satisfie our desires to the brim. 2. By considering that he loves us, loved us first, and perseveres and rests in his love. The more we walke in this sun, the hotter we shall be; nay were our hearts as cold as stones, Zeph. 3▪ 17. the sunshine of his love upon us should heat us with love toward him againe. Of this at large before part 1. pag. 152.153. 3. That every one of us keeps up a love to something; the poorest of us hath a love, and if not for God, for that which is infinitely below him, yea which is unworthy of us. 4. That we have nothing besides love to give him. 5. That he accepts of it, in stead of all other things, seeks it, bespeaks it, Deut. 10.40. 6. That we alway professe we love him, and have chosen him. Josh. 24.12. 7. That its a greater dishonour to him, to cease to love him, then never to have begun to love him at all. 8. That the keeping of our selves in his love, is the true keeping of love to our selves. Deut. 5.19. We are the gainers by loving him; we forsaking his love and our own mercy at once.
2. By practises. As 1. By keeping our selves in a constant hatred of all sin. As love to sin growes, love to God will decay. These are as two buckets, as the one comes up, the other goes down. 2. By keeping our selves in the delight of Gods friends, and favourers, who will ever be speaking well of him, and by taking heed of those misrepresentations that sinners make of him and his wayes. 3. By keeping our selves in the delight of the ordinances, wherein his glory and beauty are display’d, and Communion with himselfe is enjoyed, and our love is increas’d by these in exercising it. 4. By endeavouring for an holy remissenesse in loving other things: when we love the world as alwayes about to leave and loath it. A soul weaned from these brests, will onely feed upon Communion with, and the enjoyments of God. 1 Joh. 2.15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. No outward object should be further beloved then as it is either a pledge of Gods love to us, or an incitement of ours to him: in short, nothing should be loved much, but onely he whom we cannot love too much 5. Lastly, by keeping up and increasing of Brotherly love among our selves; for though the love of God be the cause which makes us love our brethren, yet the love of our brethren is not onely a signe, but an excellent preservative of our loving of God. In every saint we may see Gods image, he is Gods best picture, now though the love of a man makes us love his picture: yet the often delightfull looking upon his picture, continues and inflames our love toward him; the fire of love to God will be extinguisht, in an heart cold and frozen to the saints; our love to God and the godly grow and decay together; the Sun on the dyal moves though not so swiftly, yet according to the proportion of its motion in the heavens: and so though our love to God be more swift and intense, then that to the saints; yet this is proportion’d to that; without love to a brother we can have no assurance of Gods love to us, nor any continuance of our love to God. He who hath not the love of a brother toward saints, cannot have the love of a son toward God.
1. 1. Obs. We are very ready to decay and grow remisse in our love to God. Keep your selves (saith Jude.) The word τηρήσατε, keep, notes such a keeping as wherewith we keep a prisoner, our gadding hearts should be kept with all diligence. Its hard to get, and not easie to keep up our spirituall fervour. The love of most growes cold; water growes cold of it selfe, but it gets heat from the fire, we grow remisse of our selves; fervent from the Spirit. When we goe from prayer, Sacraments, hearing, though our hearts have been warmed, yet upon our going into our worldly employments, we are ready soon to fall into a spirituall chilnesse, as those whose heat having come outward, going into the sharp aire, are very ready to catch cold. A tender person had need to take heed of leaving off any cloathes, and our hearts upon leaving off of duty, are subject to abate in the heat of their affections. God complaines of those who had lost their first love. Our hearts are like green wood, wherein fire cannot be kept without continuall blowing; Grace of it selfe is desectible, Rev. 2.4. and without constant supplies of the Spirit, it would soon come to nothing. It is onely kept by the power of God. Parents will not trust their little children to have their money in their own keeping. How had we need beg of God, to keep this Jewell of love for us, and to preserve it from being stolne from us!
2. The lest things should be most carefully kept. Obs. 2. Spiritualls are onely worth the keeping; and indeed onely can be kept. Men cannot alwayes either keep the world, or their love to it. Judas threw away his 30. pieces, and his love to them at the same time. There wil come a time when as we shal say, Eccles. 12.1. we have no pleasure in these things. ‘Tis good sometimes in a way of duty to part with these things; for to be sure, wee shall part with them in a way of necessity. How poore is that man, who hath no better a treasure then that which is at the courtesie of the theif and moth! Oh how great is their folly who will keep every thing but that which deserves their care: to lay up trash and pibbles under lock and key, and to lay their gold and Jewels abroad in the streets! If thou canst keep thy God, thy love, be not troubled though thou partest with thy gold.
3. Further, How great, how full a good is God! Obs. 3. Even when we have him, and have had him never so long, he hath enough within him to draw forth fresh and fresh loves toward him. The more we love him, the more we should love him. The glorious saints in heaven sing a new song, because it is a song of love. It is new to them, and sweet, though they have been singing it so many thousands of years. We soon grow weary of our worldly toys after we have had them a while. As they are withering objects, so our delight in them is a withering delight; they are fulsome, rather then delightfull and filling. ‘Tis true prophane Esau said, I have enough; and a saint saith. I have enough; but with as much difference are both these enoughs, as when one man saith, I have enough by taking a little fulsome Physick, and a thirsty man saith, I have enough, by drinking a sufficient draught of thirst-satisfying water. Before worldly enjoyments are had, they seeme beautifull, but when they are once obtain’d, they soone clog the soule. Here is the excellency of spiritualls, they sweetly fill and satisfie, and yet at the same time we ever desire and hunger for more.
4. Obs. Ult. The preserving of our love to God is an excellent preservative against Sectaries and false teachers. He who loves God, will feare to break the unity and peace of the Church, Eph. 4.15. also he will ἀληθεύειν ἐν ἀγάπῃ, follow the truth in love. Errour comes from mens affection; a cold corrupt suming, vapouring stomack makes an aking head. A corrupt cold heart which wants the heat of love to God, makes an erroneous head. And besides, God hath bound himselfe to keep them from errour and folly who love him. If a man love and keep the commands and will of God, he shall know his will. God never leaves them that will not leave him first. A man will not forsake a friend, a lover. Sweet and sutable is that expression, Psal. 91.14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: and Psal. 145.20. Psal. 119.132. The Lord preserveth all them that love him. Be mercifull unto me (saith David) as thou usest to doe to them that love thee. Though heresies and false teachers come, yet these (as Paul speaks 1 Cor. 11.19.) shall but make those which are approved to be manifest. They shall discover true love to God, not destroy it. And fidelity will be the more apparent (like that of loyall subjects in times of sedition) in the treachery of others. To conclude, this love is a brest-plate (as the Apostle calls it, 1 Thes. 5.8.) to repell all the darts of errour. Oh then what need have we to goe abroad with this brest-plate, in these times wherein these deadly arrows flye so thick! And consider here the true cause that so many are wounded with them. Christians want their brest-plate, their hearts are not kept, nor their love preserved for God.
The last direction which our Apostle prescribes, is conteined in these words. Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. An excellent and sutable direction! The expectation of a reward in heaven, countervails and sweetens all their labour and faithfulnesse in opposing the enemies of truth upon earth; and withall keeps up their love to God, who commands their resisting of errour and seduction.
Two things are here principally contained. 1. A duty. The looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ: where he sets down, 1. What was to be regarded; the mercy of Christ. 2. How it was to be regarded; by looking for it. 2 An enducement encouraging to the performance of that duty; Eternal life.
In the first branch, two things are to bee explained, 1. What the Apostle means, 1. By mercy. 2. The mercy of Christ. 2. What by Looking for it.
For the first, mercy. Gr. τὸ ἔλεος. I have very largely discoursed thereof Part. 1. pag. 92. on those words, Mercy to you. To avoid needlesse repetition, I only say, that mercy as attributed to man is such a sympathy or compassion of heart as enclines us to relieve the miserable.
But as attributed to God, and Christ (in glory, as here) it notes either, 1. A gracious disposition or inclination to help and succour us in our distresses. De Na. Dei. l. 4. c. 4. q 1, As for sympathy and compassion, they are not (as learned Zanchy observes) essentiall to mercy in selfe, but accidentall to it, in regard of our present state.) 2. The effects and expressions of mercy, or the actual helping of us out of our distresses; and so God is said to have mercy on us, and shew mercy to us.
Now these effects of mercy, are either common or special. Common, such as are afforded to all men and creatures. Psal. 147.9. Luke 6.36. &c. Special, bestowed upon the elect; who are the vessels of mercy, and who onely have the inward effects of mercy, in preventing and following grace; the outward, in justifying and glorifying mercy bestowed upon them. And thus mercy is principally to be taken in this place, and that peculiarly for those gracious expressions and discoveries of mercy, wch shall be shewn toward the faithful in acquitting and delivering them at Christs second coming, or coming to judgment. And this is called mercy in scripture, 2 Tim. 1.18. where the Apostle speaking of Onesiphorus, prayes that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. And deservedly its so called. For,
1. It comes from the purpose and intention of free favour and good will. Joh. 6.39. This is the Fathers will that hath sent me, that I should lose nothing, &c. Luk. 12.32. Fear not little flock, it is your fathers good will to give you the kingdome. The means and the end, the bestowing of grace and glory, are both referred to the Fathers pleasure Election to this state was from free grace. And in that regard the Elect are called vessels of mercy.
2. In it there are the greatest effects and discoveries of mercy. A removal of all bad, sin, sorrow, tears, temptations; outward, inward, eternal evils. Woes from our selves, other men, devils, God himselfe. A confluence of all good, of perfect grace in the soul, glory on the body and soule. By it we enter into the vision and fruition of the cheifest good, a supply of all exigencies. A fulnesse of joy, Rivers, nay a fountain of pleasures. In one word, in this respect, ‘tis not so much a mercy, one mercy, as a bundle of mercies, and the perfection and consummation of them all. Its call’d by the Apostle τὸ ἔλεος, the mercy, that mercy, by way of excellency. God here had much mercy in his heart, but his hands will be full of mercy at the coming of Christ.
3. Its mercy in respect its bestow’d upon the miserable. Indeed the saints are vessels of mercy, and in comparison of the reprobate, happy in this life; but yet in comparison of the glorified they are miserable, and that in respect of the remainders of sin in the soule, the frequent eclipses of Gods lightsome and loving countenance, tentations from devils, opposition and persecution from a cruel and unkinde world; they are here in a valley of teares, surrounded with shame, sicknesses, paines, losses, deaths. Their eyes run down with rivers of teares, they are men of sorrow, yea sorrow is not only their condition but their duty: but sorrow and sighing shall flee away, Luc. 17.7. ὁ δοῦλος ὅλος δεσπότου. Arist. pol. 1. 4. Rom. 8.17. Gal. 4.7. Rom. 11.35. 1 Cor. 4.7. Phil. 2.13. Bonum opus in quantum est naturae, est impuratum; in quantum gratiae, non est nostrum. χάριν τοῦ μεγαλοδώρου Θεοῦ. Basil in Psal. 14. and all teares shall be wiped from their eyes, when this mercy comes.
4. Its mercy because bestowd upon those who could not merit and deserve it. Rom. 6.23. Eternall life is the gift of God. It could never be deserved by doing nor suffering. The best men are unprofitable servants. Al our good is either ipse, aut ab ipso, either God or from God; all we doe is due debt, all we receive is from free grace. Our very sufferings are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8.18. We are not purchasers, but heirs of this happinesse; our works as they are good, are not ours but Gods meer gifts, as they are ours they are impure & imperfect. Besides, none can give any thing to God equivalent to what he hath already received, therefore he cannot deserve that which he hath not received. I am less (saith Jacob) then the least of thy mercies. What shall I render for them, saith David. Gen. 32.10. Psal. 116.12. Theres no proportion between a finite worke and an infinite reward, a reward no lesse then the infinite rewarder himselfe. Its the alone free grace of this God whereby we come to partake of his glory.
2. But why is it the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ?
1. Its his, ratione meriti, he hath purchased it by his merit. The obedience of Christ was not onely satisfactory, but meritorious, by reason of the infinitenesse of the person, there being an infinitely greater excesse and proportion of vertue in his obedience, then of malignity in our disobedience; by vertue of which merit a purchase is made of this mercy, as well as there is a removall made of our misery. Christs merit at his first, procures mercy at his second coming.
2 Its his, respectu praeparationis, he hath prepar’d us for it, Parat quodammodo mansiones, mansionibus parando mansores. Aug. Trac. 68. in Job. by sending his Spirit into us to make us meet to partake of this mercy. He hath bestowed upon us the earnest of our inheritance, and the first fruits of the Spirit, given us a part in the first resurrection. The heaven without us is from his merit, the heaven within us from his Spirit.
3. ‘Tis his, respectu donationis, of giving and exhibiting it at his coming. ‘Tis he who shall be the Judg to acquit the saints, that shall pronounce the blessed sentence, Come ye blessed &c. that shall give his faithfull souldiers a Crowne of righteousnesse at that day. 2. Tim. 4.7. That shall present us faultlesse before the presence of glory Jude 24.
Secondly, in this first branch, we are to consider what is this looking for this mercy? Gr. προσδεχόμενοι, noting properly an earnest receiving of it, or taking it to us as some welcome guest or stranger whom we take in. A disposition commended in and commanded to the saints. Tit. 2.13. προσδεχόμενοι, looking for that blessed hope: and Christ commands his to be like men προσδεχομένοις, Luke 12.36. Rom. 16.2. that looke for their Lord. And this comprehends severall particulars under it, as
1. Meditation of this mercy. I may thinke of that which I doe not look for, but I cannot look for that of which I do not think.
The wife that lookes for the returne of her welcome husband, spends her thoughts upon him; by this time (thinks she) he is come to such a place, to night he lodgeth in such an house. The thoughts of saints run upon this mercy of Christ. Heb. 11. Psal. 39. 1 Pet. 1. The reason why they are call’d strangers here, is, because they dwell so much in their thoughts of another condition. Every saint is made to looke upwards. Beneficiall and great things are much thought on. The covetous man thinks of his treasure, the labourer of his hire, the prisoner of his enlargement, the heir of his possession. And great things are greatly observed, and serious matters seriously regarded. Trivial toyes and enjoyments cannot hinder a saint from the thoughts of this great mercy; yea all other things are but so many steps to raise his meditation to it. Wicked men are bow’d downward in their contemplation, as in their condition. Saints are low in the latter, high in the former. They are as unlike, as a piece of dirt, and a ball. Cast dirt upon the earth, it lies still, cast a ball on it, and it rebounds upward.
2. Belief of this mercy. The looking for this mercy imports a groundednesse of expectation. A saint looks for nothing without the foundation of a promise. Faith certainly layes hold on that certaine word; Heb. 6.11.19. and hence hope hath such a certainty as never makes us ashamed. There’s a full assurance of hope, call’d therefore the sure and stedfast anchor of the soule. This expectation is not overcome by humane sense and reason, Heb. 11.1. but climbs above them. Faith gives a reality to things not seen. This looking is for that which is clean contrary to sense. Its an hope above hope: they who have it, see the mercy of Christs coming even through a cloud of sin and misery, and look at things within the vaile. Heb. 6.19.
3. Ardent desires after this mercy. This looking for it, implies the welcomness and acceptableness of it; and its a looking for mercy. Saints are both said to be lookers for, and lovers of it. 2 Tim. 4.8. they are sick of love to it. The Bride saith, Come, Rev. 22.21. Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly, shuts up the scripture, and summes up the churches wishes. Rev. ult. There’s a griefe for his absence, and a groaning desire after his presence. Rom. 8.23. We sigh in our selves, waiting, &c. as no worldly difficulty can disappoint so no worldly enjoyment can bribe the souls desires A Saint with Abraham, stands at his tent doore, or with Sisera’s mother, 2 Pe•. 3, 12, looks out of the window, and saith, why is his chariot so long a coming? It hasteth. Wee cannot thus look for Christ, unlesse we love him. 2 Thes. 3.5. the devils and the wicked have a fearfull, the faithful a longing looking for Christ.
4. It imports patience of expectation. The faithfull will stay Gods leisure for his dole of mercy, as beggars at a doore that continue there till there be leisure to serve them. They make not hast, Isa. 28.16. Though they dwell in an unkind world, and among them that hate peace. Though they are wounded with crosses, yet they say with Augustine, Lord, here burn, wound, cut, the mercie of Christ makes amends for all. Though they are environed with a body of death, and had infinitely rather (if God pleased) change a necessity of sinning for a necessity of obeying, yet they contentedly think Gods time is the best for removing, though the worst of evils. Their patience concocts their miseries, and their empty stomaks keep them from being sick, though in a wide and stormy sea. Rom. 8.21. Through faith and patience they inherit the promises, Heb. 6.12. This looking for the Spirit of Christ, is, 2 Thes. 3.5. called ὑπομονὴ, patience it selfe. Mercy must not be bestowed, nay ‘twill bee no mercy, if patience be not tryed. Certainty countervails all delayes.
5. This looking conteins in it a joyful expectation of that great good for which we look. Though the deferring makes the heart sad and sick; yet the expecting thereof makes the heart glad and cheerful. Wee rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.2 In whom believing, we rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. 1 Pet, 1.8. If Abraham looking for the day of Christs humility, two thousand yeares before, rejoyced; must not believers needs rejoyce in looking for the day of his and their own glory approaching so neer, it being now (as it were) the last minute of the last houre before the day of our marriage, redemption, coronation?
6. It notes prudent vigilancy; what wee look for, wee watch for; when we look either for friend or foe, we keep our selves waking. Hence Luke, Luk. 12.36, 37. makes this looking and watching all one. They who look for an Enemy will watch to prevent his coming (as Christ speaks of the theif.) They who look for a friend, will watch to welcome and entertain him. All who look for mercy, labour to be found in peace, they look up as watchmen upon their Tower, they keep their loyns girt and they are in the posture of servants expecting their Lord, they are afraid of surfets and sleeping by worldly pleasures They who reach after this mercy must let worldly trifles fall out of their hand. 2 Pet. 3.11. The better the mercy to be enjoyed is, the fitter we should be to receive. A prepared mercy sutes not with an unprepared heart. Every day to a saint should be as his last. And of every one he should say, art thou the last, or look I for another? Am I now in a meet posture to receive the mercy of Christ?
To shut up this, it is not strange that Jude enjoins these Saints to look for this mercy of Christ, considering the sutablenes of this exhortation to the persons exhorted, who 1. are Saints, such as have the spirit, which saith Come, whose motions are upward, who are begotten again to this lively hope, who (as they are men) look upward with their faces, so (as they are Saints and new men,) look upward with their spirits, and wait for Christ from heaven, 1 Thes. 1.10. and love his appearance, 2. Tim. 4.8. Such as are like the young ones of the fouls of heaven, who though they may be hatch’t under a hens wing, yet being growne, they presently flye abroad. The Saints are born, and for a time live in the world, yet they soon shew that they are not of this world, who 2. also were so opposed and tempted by seducers, that looking for the Crowne of life was little enough to make them constant to the death. 2. Considering for whom they were to look, their Master, their Husband, Head, their Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. Considering for what they looked, mercy, to bee bestowed at a time when they should want it most, even at Christs coming, when nothing else will help. Lastly, considering the great beneficialnesse of this mercy, it was such a mercy whereby they should be possessed of eternal life. Which is the second branch to be opened.
2. The inducement encouraging to the duty of looking for the mercy of Christ. It was a mercy whereby they should bee brought to eternal life. Of this, though wee shall enjoy it so much, yet can we speak but little. Under two words, eternal life, the Scripture frequently sets forth the state of the Saints of heaven; which for its blessednesse is called life, and for its durablenesse eternall.
1. Life. There is a threefold Life. 1. Naturall, consisting in the conjunction of the body and soule. 2. Spirituall, (which is eternall life begun) in respect of grace, here. 3. Eternall life, in respect of glory hereafter, whereby is understood all the happinesse to be injoyed in heaven. As under the word death, (the greatest of evills) are comprehended all the miseries inflicted for sin, in this and the next state: so in that of life (of all things the most precious, and the most set by) are contained all the blessings to be enjoyed here and hereafter; but because our happinesse cannot be perfect and consummat, til we come to heaven, that condition is principally and frequently called life. Which life stands in our immediate communion with God in an unitive vision, or in seeing and enjoying him. Mat. 5.8. 1 Jo. 3.2. Psal. 16. ult. &c. Heaven is a low thing without God (saith Angustin.) Whatever is lesse then himselfe, is lesse then our desires. In him is contain’d infinitely more then either we want, or all other things in the world, have: his presence shall be our life, and (as it were) enliven all things else, which without him (as here they are, so) there would be dead things. In the immediate, full and perfect, (not in respect of the object but subject) uninterrupted, reflexive, unmixed, enjoyment of this God, stands life.
2. Which in respect of its duration is call’d eternall; as never to be interrupted, and intermitted, so without any end or amission: and indeed, this it is which makes all the enjoyments of heaven to be truly such, and as the faggot-band whereby all the particular parcells of happinesse are bound and tyed together, and without which they would be all scattered and lost. Frequently is the life of glory said to be eternall. Joh 3.15.8.51.11.25. &c. pleasures for ever more, a treasure in the heaven that faileth not. Luk. 12.33. Extra jactum fortunae. Extra periculum jacturae. an eternall weight of glory. 2 Cor. 4.17. a treasure beyond the reach of theefe and moth, &c. God the fountaine and treasury of life can never be exhaust. The saints can never be willing to part with this God. Enemies shall never be able to separate them. A compleat happinesse, to be truly and necessarily happy also!
1. Obs. 1. The hope of salvation is an helmet to keep off tentations to sin. Eph. 6.8. The looking for the mercy of Christ quickens us in our course of Christianity. The Apostle directs them to contend for the faith by looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus &c. 1. It purgeth the heart from fin, Whosoever hath this hope, purifieth himselfe, 1 Joh. 3.3. He who looketh for Christ, looks to be like him, and therefore he conformes himselfe to Christ in purity. He who lookes for great revenues within a few yeares, will not cut off his hopes, We may say of sinners, as of some men who are adventurous in the world; they have no thing to lose. but rather remove impediments. The looking for mercy, and the living in sin cannot stand together. The love of sin is the confutation of our hopes. 2. The looking for this mercy damps our affections to the things of the world. He who beholds the glorious sunshine of Christs appearance hath his eyes so dazled, that he can behold no beauty in any thing besides. He is like Jacob, who when he was to goe to a rich Egypt and a deare Joseph, was not to regard his stuffe. Earthly objects, which to earthly mindes seeme glorious, 2 Cor. 4.16. to be a beleever have no glory, by reason of that glory which excelleth. Though Jezabel paints her face, he throwes her down, and treads her under foot.
3. It makes us conscientious in holy duties. Paul chargeth Timothy to keep the command without spot, by an argument drawn from Christs appearance; and upon this ground, of looking for a reward from the chief Shepherd, Peter warneth the Elders to feed the flock. As we cannot conceive what manner of mercy (for its glory) it is which we look for, so neither can we express what manner of persons we should be, 1 Cor. 15.58. or what manner of performances ours should be for holinesse. What manner of persons (saith the Apostle) ought we to be? 2 Pet. 3.11.
4. It engageth to patience under every difficulty and distresse. Behold I come quickly, hold fast that thou hast. Rev. 3.11. Thus. 1 Joh. 2.28. Little children, abide in him, that when he shall appeare, we may have confidence &c. Non sunt condigna passiones ad cul. pam quae remittitur, ad gratiā qua immittitur, ad gloriam qua promittitur. He who beholds a Kingdome appointed for him, will abide with Christ in his tentations. The drawing nigh of the Lords coming, is the Apostles ground of patience. Jam. 5.8. and 2 Thes. 1.6, 7. John Hus and Jerom of Prague appealed from the unjust sentences of men, to the righteous judgment of Christ. This dayes misery, is not worthy of that dayes mercy. Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 4.17. No more comparable with it, then is the uncovering of the head, a trouble comparable to the honour of receiving a crown. 1 Sam. 10. ult. Saul held his peace, though he were despised, because hee was King. How easily should our sea of honey swallow up our drop of vinegar! Though godlinesse brings sufferings, yet it affords encouragements; like Egypt which though it were full of poysonous creatures, yet full of Antidotes. The reason why wee are cast away in tempests, is for want of this anchor of hope of the mercy of Christ. Let then (O Christians) the looking for this mercy, engage you to duty. Remember such mercy to be received, deserves better services to bee performed. Psal. 36.5. As Gods mercy and faithfulnesse are put together, so let not his mercy and our faithfulnesse bee severed. Brethren, if any shame could befall the Saints at the day of judgement, it would be for this, that they who have done so little on earth for God, should receive so much in heaven from God.
Mercy.] Its mercy, not merit, Obs. 2. that must stand us in stead at the last day. Of this largely, pag. 100. Part. 1. as also to this part may be reduced, Pag. 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. Obs. 3. the six Observations there handled concerning Gods mercy.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ.] How much are they mistaken who expect mercy, and yet have no interest in Christ! ‘Tis the mercy of Christ. Christlesse persons, are mercilesse persons, mercilesse in respect they shew no mercy, and mercilesse because they receive no mercy; true saving mercy is derived from God through Christ. Hee hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ. God in himself is a full fountaine, verse 3. but in his Sonne he onely is an overflowing fountaine of mercy. He who is in Christ a God of mercy, is in himselfe a God of wrath. It was a saying of Luther, Let me have nothing to doe with a God in himself. Nolo Deum absolutum. Luther. We are onely accepted in the Sonne of his love. Its his blood which onely quencheth the fire of his Fathers wrath. As soon mayest thou extract water out of a consuming fire, as a drop of mercy out of an unreconciled majesty. Say not then (poore ignorant sinner) he that made me, will save me, God is a mercifull God. What mercy for him who despiseth mercy, by refusing Christ? Think not with a fawning presumption to say God is my God. I tell thee, he is onely so thy God, as that he is also thy Judge.
They who have Christ for theirs, 4. Obs. Turbabor, non perturbabor quia vulneram Christi recordabor. cannot be under wrath. Their portion is mercy, In all conditions, they meet with mercy. ‘Tis mercy when ‘tis misery; let their straits, poverty, disgraces, death, judgment come, ‘tis all mercy. The day of judgement shall be to them a day of mercy; Aug. nay therefore a day of mercy, because a day of judgement, for God shall bee most just in shewing them that mercy which by Christ is so dearly purchased. So that even as they may appeal from the justice of God to his mercy, so may they (in a sort) expect mercy from his justice. How willingly then may Saints submit to every divine though smart dispensation! God may be severe, never unmercifull toward them. There’s not a drop of wrath in a sea of their sufferings. If God scourge them, ‘tis in mercy. Oh how great is the difference between an Executioners axe, and a Fathers rod!
5. Obs. 5. Its our wisdome to be made fit to look for the mercy of Christ, Of this, see Part 1. pag 543, 544. &c.
6. Obs. Ult. Its our duty to be quickned in looking for this mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Its certainty, greatness, speedinesse, are all motives, of which at large before Part. 1. pag. 536, 537. &c. 545, 546.
