I COME now to the second thing, which is to show what is to be inferred from this REASON OF HOPE . And, 1. This, to be sure, is to be inferred, That Israel, as the child of God, is a pitiful thing of himself; one that is full of weaknesses, infirmities, and defects, should we speak nothing of his transgressions. He that is to be attended with so many mercies, absolutely necessary mercies, (for there is not in these mercies, one that can be spared,) must needs be in himself a poor indigent creature. Should you see a child attended with so many engines to make him go, as the child of God is attended with mercies to make him stand, you would say, What an infirm, decrepit, helpless thing is this? Alas! I have here counted up mercies in number, nine. If I had counted up nine hundred and ninety-nine, all had been the same, for the child of God would not have one to spare. The text saith, “The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord;” and all little enough to preserve his Israel.

Indeed those that I have presented the reader with, are the chief heads of mercies; or the head mercies from which many others flow. However, were they but single mercies, they show with great evidence our. deficiency; but being double, they show it much more.

Should it be said, there is such a lord has a son, a poor decrepit thing; he is forced to wear things to strengthen his ankles, things to strengthen his knees, things to strengthen his loins, things to keep up his bowels, things to strengthen his shoulders, his neck, his hands, his fingers; yea, he cannot speak but by the help of an engine, nor chew his food but by the help of an engine, What would you say? What would you think? Would you not say, Such a one is not worth the keeping; and, that his father cannot look for any thing from him, but that he should live upon high charge and expense, as long as he liveth, besides all the trouble such a one is like to be to others? Why, this is the case. Israel is such a one, nay a worse: he cannot live without tender mercy, without great mercy, without rich mercy, without manifold mercy, and unless mercy abounds toward him: he cannot stand, if mercy doth not compass him round about, nor go, unless mercy follows him. Yea, if mercy that rejoiceth against judgment doth not continually flutter over him, the very moth will eat him up, and the canker will consume him. Wherefore it is necessary to the making of Israel live and flourish, that everlasting mercy should be over his head, and everlasting mercy under his feet, with all the aforementioned mercies, and more in the bowels of them.

But I say, doth not this sufficiently show, had we but eyes to see it, what a sad and deplorable creature the child of · God of himself is? Oh! this is not believed, nor considered as it should be. Vain man would be wise; sinful man would be holy; and poor, lame, infirm, helpless man, would be strong, and fain persuade others that he hath a sufficiency of himself. But I say, if it be so, What need all this mercy? If thou canst go lustily, what mean thy crutches? No, no; Israel, God’s Israel, when awake, Stands astonished at his being surrounded with mercies, and cries out, “I am not worthy of the least (I am less than the least) of all thy mercies, and thy truth, which thou hast shown to thy servant.” 2. This also showeth how sorely the enemies of Israel are bent to seek his destruction. The devil is, by way of eminency, called the enemy of God’s people: “The devil, your adversary.” And this, that there are so many mercies employed about us, and all to bring us to the place which God has appointed for us, doth demonstrate it. Should you see a man that was not to go from door to door, but he must be clad in a coat of mail, must have an helmet of brass upon his head, and for his life-guard not so few as a thousand men to wait upon him; would you not say, Surely this man hath store of enemies at hand; surely this man goes continually in danger of his life? Why, this is the case. Enemies lie in wait for poor Israel in every hole; he can neither eat, drink, wake, sleep, work, Sit still, talk, be silent, worship his God in public or in private, but he is in danger of being stabbed, or being destroyed. Hence, as was said before, he is compassed about with mercy as with a shield. And again, it is said concerning these, “God’s truth (his mercy) shall be thy shield and buckler:” and again, “He is a buckler to all them that trust in him:” Yea, David being a man sensible of his own weakness, and of the rage and power of his enemies, cries out to his God to take hold of shield and buckler, and to stand up for his help. But what need these things be asserted, promised, or prayed for? If Israel had no enemies, or none but such, he could, as we say, make his party good with all. Alas! their cries, their tears, sighs, watchings, and outcries, at sundry times make this, beyond all show of doubt, a truth.

If Solomon used to have about his bed no less than three score of the valiantest of Israel, holding swords, and being expert in war, every one with his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night; (and yet these fears were only concerning men;) what guard and safe-guard doth God’s poor people need, who are continually, both night and day, roared upon by the unmerciful fallen angels of hell!

I will add, if it be but duly considered, all this guard and safe-guard by mercy notwithstanding, how hardly this people do escape being destroyed for ever; yea, how ill, heart-broken and loins-broken, many of them with much difficulty get to the gates of heaven, it will be easily concluded, that her enemies are swifter than eagles, stronger than lions, and that they often overtake her between the straits.

To say nothing of the many thousands that dare not so much as once think of true religion, because of the power of the enemy which they behold, when, alas! they see nobody but the very scarecrows which the devil hath set up. For I count the persecutor of God’s people, but the devil’s scarecrow; the old one himself lies quiet. Yet, I say, how are they freighted!

How are they amazed! What a many of the enemies of religion have these folks seen today! Yea, and they will as soon venture to run the hazard of hell-fire, as to be engaged by these enemies in this way. Why, God’s people are fain to go through them all, and yet no more able than the other to do it of themselves. They, therefore, are girded, compassed and defended by this mercy, which is the true cause indeed, of their godly perseverance. 3. A third thing that I infer from these words is, What a loving God has Israel! “Truly God is good to Israel. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”

A loving God, that should take this care of him, and bestow so many mercies upon him. Mercies of all sorts, for all cases, for all manner of relief and help against all manner of perils. What is man, that God should so unweariedly attend upon him, and visit him every moment? Is he a second God? Is he God’s fellow? Is he of the highest order of the angels? or what is he? Oh! he is a flea, a worm, a dead dog, sinful dust and ashes! He comes up like a flower, and is cut down; and what a thing is it that God should so much as open his eyes upon such a one! But then, what a thing is it that God should magnify him, and that he should set his heart upon him!

Yea, that he should take him into acquaintance with him, give his angels to be all ministering spirits for him! Yea, engage his mercy for him, his tender, great, manifold, and everlasting mercy for him, to compass him round withal, as with a shield, that nothing might work his ruin for ever and ever!

It may well be said, “God is love.” Man may well say so. “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”

If it be love for a fellow-creature to give a bit of bread, a coat, a cup of cold water; what shall we call this, when God, the great God, the Former of all things, shall not only give alms, an alms to an enemy, but shall rise up, take shield and buckler, and be a guard, a protection, a deliverer from all evil, until we come into his heavenly kingdom!

This love is such as is not found on earth, nor to be paralleled among the. creatures. None hopes that but one is thus good. Nor do any believe as they should, that God doth love as these things declare he does. Our heart staggereth at the greatness of the thing; and who is it, that has any reason left in him, and knows any thing of what a wretched thing sin hath made him, that can, without starting; so much as hear of all this mercy? But, 4. Another thing that I infer from these words, is this, What ground is here to Israel to hope in the Lord? The Lord is not that broken reed of Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce it. God’s word is stedfast for ever, even the word by which we are here exhorted to hope.

Nor shall we have cause to doubt of the cause of the exhortation to such a soul-quieting duty; for mercy is with the Lord. “Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King;” for with the Lord there is mercy, wherewith to beautify the meek with salvation.

What sayest thou, child of God? Has sin wounded, bruised thy soul, and broken thy bones? Why, with the Lord there is tender mercy. Art thou a sinner of the first rate, of the biggest size? Why, with the Lord there is great mercy for thee. Have thy sins corrupted thy wounds, and made them putrefy and stink? Why, with the Lord there is rich, that is, virtuous mercy for thee. Are thy sins of diverse sorts? Why, here is a multitude of manifold mercies for thee. Dost thou see thyself surrounded with enemies? Why, with the Lord there is mercy to compass thee withal. Is the way dangerous in which thou art about to go? Surely goodness and mercy shall follow thee, all the days of thy life. Doth iniquity prevail against thee? The mercy of the Lord aboundeth towards thee. Do judgments for thy miscarriages overtake thee? There is with thy Lord mercy that rejoiceth to deliver thee from those judgments. What shall I say? There is mercy from everlasting to everlasting upon thee. What wouldst thou have? There is mercy underneath, mercy above, and mercy for thee on every side; therefore, “Let Israel hope in the Lord.”

I will add, it is the greatest unkindness thou canst return to the Lord, to doubt this mercy notwithstanding. Why, what wilt thou make of God? Is there no truth (nor trust to be put) in him, notwithstanding all that he hath said? Oh the depravedness of man’s nature! Because he speaketh the truth, therefore we believe him not. The odiousness of unbelief is manifest by this, yea, also the unreasonableness thereof. God is true; his word is true; and to help us to hope in him, how many times has he fulfilled it to others, and that before our eyes? Hope then: it is good that a man should hope.

Hope then: it pleases God that thou shouldst hope. Hope then to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto thee will surely come, with Christ thy Savior.