Samuels Encounter with Saul, Doctrine 7
Doct. 7. The greater and more our bleſſiings hauehave bene, the greater ſhall our accompt be.
An other thing in theſe three verſes, let vsus marke and learne, that ſeeing God calleth him to an account for the vſe of his benefites, for that he yeilded not to him, the fruite of them, that hee will require at our hands, how we hauehave vſed, the good things that he beſtoweth on vsus; For thus he ſaith, I aduanced thee, & did greatt hings for thee, in reſpect of many others. And why? for any worthines of thine? no: but that I might hauehave thee more attendant to me, and at commandement, and aboue many other, ſeruiceable vntounto mee: yet thou haſt in this great charge of deſtroying vtterly this curſed nation of the Amalakites, caſt my commandement behinde thee. And ſo he ſaid to Dauid, Ieroboam and others. So that when men come to receiue at Gods hands any benefites, they ſhould not only thinke of the ſweetnes and greatnes of them, and how they be inriched by him, which is the next way to make them proud, and high minded, as we ſee in the boaſting Phariſie,Luke 18. but we ſhould know that there goeth alwaies a charge and a burthen with them, as that God looketh, that their hearts ſhould bee knitte to him, who hath bleſſed them, vndeſeruedly aboue others. Which Dauid acknowledged, and teacheth all others the ſame, when he ſaith to Michaell his wife, mocking him for honouring of God, in dancing before the Arke, and reioycing that it was brought home vntounto his Cittie: This that I doe (ſaith he) is for no worldly affection, 2 Sam. 6. 21but for the zeale that I beare to Gods glory, who choſe me rather then thy father and all his houſe, and commanded me to be ruler ouer the people of the Lord. He confeſſed, that ſeeing God had ſo honoured him, he was bound, and could not chuſe, but he muſt honour God againe, which was the end and cauſe, why he had aduanced him.
Whereby we may ſee, that God doth looke for it at mens hands, that they ſhould be knit to him, and wholly at his pleaſure, when he beſtoweth theſe benefites vponupon rhem, which their beſt friends, and mightieſt potentates cannot: and wee muſt knowe, that God doth where he giueth much, look for much againe;Amos. 3. and vponupon whome he beſtoweth his talents, he looketh that they ſhould faithfully,Luke 19. and diligently occupie and imploy the ſame. And who is ſo ignorant that he knoweth not this, that when men of abillitie caſt their fauour vponupon any, or benefite them vndeſeruedly, rather then others, that they looke for kindenes & good will againe (though for no recompence) more then in a common manner. And if all grant that this is ſo cleere, that it needeth little proofe, that where more is receiued of God, they owe more to him againe; and ſo are bound to ſet forth his glory, who hath raiſed them from the dunghill, to great liberties, and prerogatiues, how ſhall men euer be able to anſwere this, that whereas they receiue all that they hauehave of Gods meere liberality and bounty, yet they feele not, nor finde themſelues in any ſort affected and knit to him, or to ſeeke to pleaſe him, by doing the things which hee commandeth, neither wonder at his fauours to them, rather then to many others, & ſo to prouoke themſelues with a thankfull heart to ſay as the Prophet did, what ſhall I render the Lord, Pſal. 116.for all his mercies beſtowed on me? And againe, when they ſee their backwardnes, and ſlownes in ſuch duties, then to ſtirre vp themſelues, and to ſay with him in another place, O my ſoule, Pſal. 103.praiſe thou the Lord, and all that is within me praiſe his holy name: And if when they hauehave done all, that they can ſay, they are but vnprofitable ſeruants, Luk. 17.as Chriſt tells them, what are they that doe not goe about, to doe that which they might well doe, neither once accuſe themſelues, though they be idle,Luk. …9. and burying their tallants in the ground? I ſay therefore, that men that liue in this our age, to receiue ſo much at Gods hands, as health, wealth, liberty, peace, the Goſpell, with many ſuch, ſhall neuer be able to anſwere it to God, when notwithſtanding all theſe, they hauehave no zeale for his glorie, they obey not his Goſpell, they bring not forth fruit, as they might now, if at any time. They are not like, but worſe then the Oxe and the Aſſe, who knowe their owners, and their maſters cribbe, and as the Horſe and Mule,Iohn 15. 9. who hauehave no vnderſtanding to ſee,Pſal. 32. what they owe to him.Eſay. 1.
Our fathers and brethren of happie memorie, in the late dayes of Queene Mary, could reioyce with thankes, for his mercies beſtowed on them, that God by his prouidence granted them to be fellow-priſoners, together within the ſame walls: wee hauehave libertie not to be ioyned together in the ſame priſon, but to inioy together the benefites of the Lords Sabbaths, in publique and priuate, and to keepe hollyday in his houſe,Note. and it is noyſome and weariſome to vsus: yea, we ſit ſafely vnderunder our vine, and vnderunder our figtree, liuing peaceably in our owne houſes, with all the commoditie and comfort that may be reaped thereby, yet men cannot now ſound forth his praiſes with reioycing, oh that is a dead and weariſome worke, they cannot be thankefull, and ſhew it forth by duties of louelove, and other fruites of faith, as it were meete, but are laſciuious, prophane, and deſpiſing ſuch as doe ſo, finding of fault with their liues, ſeeing that they are better then their owne. This and ſuch like is, the vſe that the moſt do make at this day, of Gods manyfold benefites now; as it is to be ſeene generally through townes and families, and in infinite perſons, in ſo much that I doe confeſſe (and I will not be aſhamed to ſay it) that I would thinke my ſelfe, as happie as the moſt, if I could weepe bitterly for the loſſe of this people,Eſay. 22. and if my eies could guſh out with water, for that I ſee ſo infinite benefites of God are ſo wickedly beſtowed and waſted, euen eſpecially and cheefely, in whoredome, drunkenneſſe, pride, idlenes, gaming, and other ſuch abhominations, and fruites of the fleſh: And if I ſhould goe about particularly, to ſhewe it in the diuerſe and ſnndry eſtates, degrees and perſons, I ſhould not knowe where, nor when to make an end. Therefore I will conclude this point, that ſeeing God asketh to hauehave another manner of fruite, of his ſo innumerable vndeſerued kindeneſſes, and that where more is receiued, there ſhould more bee yeilded him againe, I will I ſay conclude with this ſpeach, much like to that of the prophet Amos. Amis. 3. 3.This nation and people among many other hath the Lord knowne, and choſen to beſtowe his goſpell and benefites vponupon, therefore he will moſt ſurely viſit it for her iniquities, and then it ſhall ſee that there was an other manner of vſe, to hauehave beene made of them. This cauſeth many of them, whome in deſpight they call preciſians to looke ſomewhat more carefully, to their liues then others doe, knowing what cauſe they hauehave receiued to doe ſo, euen to render vntounto the Lord, the fruite thereof. And yet we cannot yeilde him one of the thankes, wee owe him of a thouſand.