Isaiah 38:19 The living, the living, he shall praise you, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known your truth. I. THE MERCY OF LIFE. "The living, the living, he shall praise Thee," &c. II. WHEREIN THE PECULIAR MERCY OF IT CONSISTS. 1. Ask the carnal man where lies the mercy of life. And — (1) If he is in prosperity, he reckons the mercy of life lies in that the living man may enjoy the pleasures of sense, mirth, and jollity, and may lay up wealth for him and his; all which stern death robs a man of. But there is not one word of this here. (2) If he is in adversity, poverty, and sore sickness, he cannot see the mercy of life at all, but thinks they are well that are away, that are out of poverty and pain, and fie at ease in the dust. So crosses make him wish to be away, At best, he reckons it the mercy of life, that he is not where it may be he would be worse, namely, in hell. But there is not a word of all this either in the text. 2. Ask the renewed man in an ill frame of spirit, where lies the mercy of life. If he is in outward prosperity he will be ready to reckon it lies in the comforts of this life. If he is in adversity, the troubles of life are so great, that the mercy of it is small in his view; only heaven bulks in his eyes, and that as a place of rest from trouble. But there is nothing of this either in the text. 3. The decision is, the mercy of life lies in the business of life, to wit, being serviceable for God in the world. "The living, the living, he shall praise Thee," &c. Which speaks a high esteem of God and His service, as men count it a favour to serve their prince; and an ardent love to Him, as men delight to serve the interests of those they dearly love. Now, the business of life for which it is desirable, is twofold. (1) To praise or glorify God in the world. (2) To propagate His name and praise: "The father to the children shall make known Thy truth." It is the special business of life to endeavour that the name of God may bye and be glorified in the world when we are dead. Consider — (a) What he has access to do for that end; namely, to praise God to the younger sort, that are likely to five after he is gone; especially to his own children. (b) How he may do it, namely, by making Him known to them as an object worthy of their faith. "Shall make known Thy truth." (T. Boston.) Parallel Verses KJV: The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. |
    |