As they are called a multitude, they are called mercies manifold. There is no single flower in God's gospel garden; they are all double and treble; there is a wheel within a wheel, a blessing within a blessing, and all the mercies of God. Manifold; a man cannot receive one, but he receives many, many folded up, one within another. For instance,
1. If a man receiveth Christ, who is called God's tender mercy, why, he shall find in him all the promises, pardons, justifications, righteousnesses, and redemptions, that are requisite to make him stand clear before the justice of the law, in the sight of God, from sin (Luke 1:76-79; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 4:32; 2 Cor 1:20).
2. If a man receives the Spirit, he shall have as folded up in that, for this is the first unfolding itself, many, very many mercies (Ezra 1:4). He shall have the graces, the teachings, the sanctifications, the comforts, and the supports of the Spirit: When he saith in one place, 'He will give the Spirit,' he calleth that in another place, 'the good things' of God (Luke 11:13; Matt 7:11).
3. If a man receives the mercy of the resurrection of the body, and God's people shall assuredly receive that in its time, what a bundle of mercies will be received, as wrapt up in that? He will receive perfection, immortality, heaven, and glory, and what is folded up in these things, who can tell?
I name but these three, for many more might be added, to show you the plenteousness, as well as the virtuousness of the tender, great, and rich mercy of God. A multitude! There is converting mercy, preserving mercy, and glorifying mercy. How many mercies are folded up in every one of these mercies? None but God can tell. A multitude! There are mercies for the faithful followers of Christ, for those of his that backslide from him, and also for those that suffer for him; and what mercies will by these be found folded up in their mercies, they will better know when they come to heaven. A multitude of preventing mercies in afflictions, in disappointments, in cross providence, there are with God: and what mercies are folded up in these afflicting mercies, in these disappointing mercies, and in these merciful cross providence, must rest in the bosom of him to be revealed, who only is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. A multitude of common mercies; of every day's mercies, of every night's mercies, of mercies in relations, of mercies in food and raiment, and of mercies in what of these things there is; and who can number them? David said that daily life was loaded with God's benefits. And I believe, if, as we are bound, we should at all times return God thanks for all particular mercies, mainly, it would be a burden intolerable and would kill us out of hand! (Psa 68:19). And all this is written, that Israel might hope in the Lord: 'Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy.'
Fifth. As the mercies that are with the Lord are tender, great, rich, a multitude, and manifold; so they are mercies that DIMINISH NOT in the using, but that instead increase in the exercising of them. Hence it is said, grace aboundeth, and hath abounded unto many; and that God is able to make all grace abound towards us (Rom 5:15; 2 Cor 9:8; Eph 1:7,8). The grace of forgiveness, I mean, is wherein he hath abounded towards us. Now, to abound is to flow, multiply, increase, greaten, be more and more; of this nature is the mercy with the Lord; mercy that will abound and increase in the using. Hence, he is said to pardon abundantly, to pardon and multiply to pardon: and, again, to exercise loving-kindness; to exercise it, that is, to draw it out to the length; to make the best advantage and improvement of every grain and quality of it (Isa 55:7; Jer 9;24). 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth' (Exo 34:6).
Mercy to a man under guilt and fear of hell-fire seems like a little, shrunk-up, or shriveled thing; there appears no quantity in it. There is mercy, said Cain, but there is not enough, and he died under that conceit (Gen 4:13). Nor is it as to judgment and thought many times much better with the Israel of God. But behold, when God sets mercy to work, it is like the cloud that at first was but like a man's hand; it increaseth until it hath covered the face of heaven. Many have found it thus, yea they have found it thus in their distress (1 Kings 18:41-44). Paul has this expression, 'The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant,' that is, increased towards me exceedingly (1 Tim 1:13-15). And this is the cause of that change of thoughts that is wrought at last in the hearts of the tempted; at first, they doubt; at last, they hope; at first, they despair. At last, they rejoice; at first they quake while they imagine how great their sins are and how little the grace of God is; but at last, they see such greatness, such a largeness, such an abundance of increase, in this multiplying mercy of God, that with gladness of heart, for their first thoughts, they call themselves fools, and venture their souls, the next world, and their interest in it, upon this mercy of God.
