Sermons Experimental, Sermon 1 · Verse 12
VERSE XII, XIII.
What ſhall I render unto the Lord, for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of ſalvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.
THe ſecond effect, or fruit ſprung in David from meditation of Gods mercy, and grace in his deliverance, the ſumme of it is publique thankeſgiving.
The Conveyance is in a Rhetoricall conſultation, or deliberation with himſelf, as a man at a ſtand, or in a muſe, ſeeing his many obligations to God by ſuch favours vouchſafed, yet not able to recompenſe; ſomething he knew muſt be done; What he ſhould doe as beſt pleaſing to God, he ſtudies and deliberates with himſelf, and at laſt reſolves.
The parts are Two. Firſt, The Addubitation, ver. 12. Secondly, The Anſwer, or Reſolution, ver. 13, 14.
He ſuppoſeth then, there is ſomething which God expects from man in regard of his favours vouchſafed him; Wherefore it is blamefull in Hezekiah, that he*2 Chro. 32.25. rendred not according to the Lords kindneſſe. That queſtion of Moſes, Deut. 10.12. Now Iſrael, what doth the Lord require of thee? ſuppoſeth that there is ſomething expected, exacted; Whence is that tart reprehenſion, Deu. 32.6. Do ye thus requite the Lord? Yet take heed you erre not; not as an foreign, as a recompence ſufficient for the leaſt favours done unto us, our righteouſneſſe *Pſal. 16.2. and Iob 22.2. and 35.7.extendeth not to him, ſaith David; Thouſands of Rams, ten thouſand rivers of Oil, Mic. 6.7. all are too little; Our Selves, our Lives, our Souls, our Bodies, Rom. 12.1. They are not Beneficij Compenſatio; they are onelyonly Teſtimonies, and ſignes of Thankfulneſſe, ſo exacted, and ſo onelyonly accepted.
You have heard I think of Meritum Congrui amongſt Papiſts, and (though not under that tearm) yet ſome ſuch thing is preſſed by others, that there is a congruence, a meetneſſe, a kinde of duty God owes to his creature, in reſpect of his own Nature, whereby he is obliged to do good unto it, becauſe it is his creature; Mentior, If I think not the generallity of our people in this point Popiſh, though ignorantly; ſo willingly they take notice of what God owes them out of his Nature, ſo hardly are they brought to underſtand the duty they owe to God: How many gracious benefits have we, do we daily receive from God? His mercies, ſaith the Prophet, are *Lam. 3.23.renewed every morning; And meet they ſhould, for he that made us, muſt ſave us: But what muſt he do, that is made? Nothing? For life, motion, *Act. 17.28.being? Owe we nothing to our God, for the marvellous deliverance of our brethren, preſervation of our ſouls from peſtilence, Is there nothing due to our God? Not ſo much as obedience? Not ſo much as mending what is amiſſe? Not ſo much as parting with the momentany pleaſures of ſinne? Yet, well fare the old heathen! And I am perſwaded they ſhall riſe up in judgement againſt us, and ſhall condemn us; there was not a victory, or a deliverance, but wrung from them a ſacrifice to thoſe idols, which they adored as God, Chriſtians onelyonly forſooth, God is of congruity at leaſt, obliged unto, &c. Looke you, Firſt, Congruity of doing good to the creature, in reſpect of God, ariſeth not from any thing he owes to the creature, but of that he owes to himſelf in reſpect of his own Nature.
Secondly, To ſay truth, there is no obligation of him to the creature, but what ariſeth from his voluntary and free promiſe; Promittendo ſe fecit debitorem; and whatſoever men, or Angels can claim from God, they muſt claim it Sub titulo promiſsionis.
Thirdly, Let us weigh that the things which God commands us, or exacts from us, he exacts not for his own benefit; before ever man or Angel was, he was God all-ſufficient, and he made not the world to acquire any thing to himſelf, which he was or had not, for he is El-Schaddai, foreign: but to manifeſt, and to communicate his goodneſſe to the creature; and the end for which he commands, or exacts duty from us, is for our good, Deut. 10.13. in keeping the Commandments there is great reward; to wit, to the keeper, not to the Preſcriber.
Fourthly, That this our want of rendring to God occaſions. Firſt, The diminiſhing of his bleſſings. Secondly, Yea, the utter removall, ſo we read how the Gentiles were not thankfull for the light of nature, therefore God takes from them very naturall conſcience, Rom. 1.26. Thirdly, Nay, uſually turns bleſſings into curſes, in ſtead of favours, powers down wrath, as on Iſrael.
What ſhall I render? You may not think David ignorant of that he enquires of; Moſes had long ago reſolved it, Deut. 10.12. and himſelfe here, verſ. 13. and Pſal. 50. ſee alſo Mic. 6.6, 7. What then means the queſtion?
Anſw. Two things David commends unto us therein. Firſt, That in our rendrings to God, we ſhould not follow our ſelf-wiſdome, or will, but be well informed that what we perform, be accepted unto him: Saul profeſſeth to mean well, 1 Sam. 15.21, 22. when he reſerved of the beſt of the cattell for ſacrifice; yet for that he fulfilled his own wiſdome more then Gods precept; the kingdome is rent from him, ſee alſo 1 Sam. 13.12. ſo alſo Paul, Col. 2.
Reaſons. Firſt, That may be plauſible, and pleaſing in the eye of fleſh, which is abominable in the ſight of God; as when the Gentiles ſacrificed ſonnes and daughters to God, who doubts but by parting with things ſo dear, they thought to promerit God? Yet mark Gods Spirits cenſure of them, 1 Cor. 10.20. The things which Gentiles ſacrifice, they ſacrifice not to God, but to devills. Intentionally think you? By no means, but in as much as they followed therein their own, and the devills will, rather then Gods Preſcript, therefore they are ſaid to ſacrifice them to Devills. Secondly, You muſt remember what Paul hath, Rom. 8.7. wiſdome of the fleſh ſo farre as it is not ſubject to the Law of God, is enmity to him; and if there were nothing elſe but this, that it comes from his enemy, God accepts it not. Thirdly, Nay ſee how the Lord rejects ſacrifices which himſelf preſcribed; when in the manner of offering, they ſwerved from his preſcript, Iſa. 66.3. He that killeth an ox is as if he ſlew a man, &c. Why? The things were preſcribed for the matter of ſacrifice? Yea, but they have followed their own wayes; ſee alſo, Iſa. 1.12, 13, 14, 15. Who hath required theſe things at your hands? God preſcribed the things; yet in as much as they were not indeed in the maner that he preſcribed, they are as if they had been meer will-worſhip: of ſo much avail it is to be well informed of what God will accept.
That I may not runne out upon this occaſion, to tax all that will-worſhip in the Church of Rome, let us be exhorted this to do: We have all in preſent been partakers of the bleſſing, by compaſſion, of deliverance in our brethren, if yet the bowels of compaſſion be in us; perſonally, of preſervation, for God might as well have ſtricken us as them, as much merit in us as in them, perhaps more then in many.
What ſhall we render? Is a queſtion meet for us? We may fall on that that will more provoke him; in that himſelf hath preſcribed, we may erre in the Modus: Two things therefore I preſcribe to every man willing to be informed of his duty in this kinde. Firſt, That for the matter of his ſervice to be ſure that he hath Gods word for his warrant; it is not difference of meats, or ſtrict keeping of Lent, it is not numbring of prayers, &c. Who hath required theſe things at our hands? Theſe have their place according to their kinde, and ends; but the main of all is this; Firſt, For the generall, break off thy ſinnes by righteouſneſſe, Dan. 4.27. elſe fear, a worſe thing will come unto thee, Ioh. 5.14. Secondly, Order thy converſation aright, Pſal. 50.23. that is, in the actuall practiſe ſee thou conforme thy life to the Law of God. Thirdly, Serve him more diligently, Hoſ. 5.15. It is one end of Gods afflictions, to quicken grace in us; think not the wonted meaſure of ſervice will ſerve the turn, but now ſith God gives thee reſt from thy troubles and fears, think he lookes for thy ſervice doubled from thee, if not in number of ſervices, yet in fervency of performance.
But if in this bleſſing we would know what God lookes for from us; there is ſomething for the quality of the judgement, wherein we may inform our ſelves, both for the ſinnes, God would have us flie from, and duties he requires of us; God uſually proportions his judgements to the quality of mens ſinnes: Peſtilence a contagious diſeaſe; the breath, the houſes, the air infects them that come in it.
What if this be one of the ſinnes that God plagues? Our neutrouſneſſe upon lewd ſociety with Drunkards, with Whoremongers, with Idolaters; leproſie it ſelf, nor peſtilence is more contagious, yet will we into ſuch company? we willingly ſport our ſelves with their ſinnes, unwillingly we ſhall be plagued with their plagues; It was wont to be a ſigne of righteouſneſſe not to ſit in the aſſembly of*Ier. 15.17. and Pſal. 26.5. mockers; precepts I am ſure we have frequent, Pro. 4. not to walk in the way with them, and Ioh. 3. not to bid ſuch, God ſpeed.
Reaſons we have many. Firſt, They ſhall be *2 Theſ. 3.14.aſhamed. Secondly, Others ſhall fear. Yet herein faulty, do we wonder if God ſend peſtilence?
Secondly, what if we ſay the ſpiritual contagion our ſelves carry about us, and have caſt upon our brethren occaſion it? If not in counſell, and excitement, yet at leaſt by example; 1 Cor. 5. Know you not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? I beſeech you, brethren, think of this, you eſpecially that profeſſe the fear of God; abſtain you not onelyonly from evill, but from*1 Theſ. 5.22. appearance of evill; hate you, not the fleſh onelyonly, but the*Iud. ver. 23. garment ſpotted of the fleſh.
Thirdly, Ye are called to bleſſing, 1 Pet. 3.9. Why then are curſes of plague, and peſtilence, wiſhed upon your cattell, your neighbours, your children, in your fury? Is it peſtilence, or plague, we would have? You ſhall have it, till God hath conſumed you from off the earth: theſe ſins break off, and think the leaving of theſe ſinnes God ſpecially now requires of us.
Would you know the poſitive duties God requires? even from the quality of the judgement ye may be informed. Firſt, the publike ſervice of God in the Congregation, how generally is it ſleighted by the people? any occaſion will withdraw from it. There was a Law for the Leper, He muſt not, till his Leproſie was cleanſed, come into the Congregation of Gods people; the ſame by proportion is juſtly holden for the Peſtilence: I am perſwaded God aimed at this, That they that would not when they had health, might not in their greateſt Neceſſity approach to the Comforts that are tendred unto us: Think then the Lord ſpeaks to thee by this judgement, as Saint Paul to the Hebrews, Heb. 10.25. forſake not the gathering together of Saints, for there is God ſpecially, many times extraordinarily preſent with his Ordinance. Secondly, Chriſtian ſociety of godly neighbours is that the Lord hath ordained for an under means to nouriſh, and increaſe Grace in his Children; Lord! how generally is it ſleighted? What through Pride, what through Malice, what through Covetouſneſſe; ſcorne we the company of Gods people? we may need the help and ſociety of the meaneſt: And think God by this judgement calls thee to the duty.
Next for the Modus, What ſhall I render? Iſa. 1.12. Who hath required theſe things? Iſa. 58.5. Is it ſuch a faſt that I have choſen? The things were required, but they failed in the manner. The things I commend unto you in this behalf. Firſt, See to the ſtate and condition of your perſons, that you be truely penitent, and as David, *Pſal. 66.18.regard no wickednes in your hearts, for beſt duties from ſuch are an abomination to the Lord. Secondly, See to this, That there be a concord betwixt thy action, and affection, thy pretence and intention: there is nothing which God more abhorrs then hypocriſie in his ſervice, for it is both contrary to the ſimplicity of his Nature, and withall argues the baſeſt opinion of God that may be, as if he were a God that ſaw not the hearts. Thirdly, Let it come cheerfully from thee, whatſoever thou performeſt to God, 1 Chron. 28.9. non quantum, but ex quanto; not what thou bringeſt, but with what good affection, and cheare, thou bringeſt, is accepted; God loves a cheerefull giver. 2 Cor. 9.7.
What ſhall I render? The ſecond thing David here commends to us in this his Rhetoricall queſtion, is, The nature of a heart truely thankfull: the beſt it can render, he thinks too baſe for the Benefactors to whom he renders it, ſee 1 Chron. 29.14, 15. Firſt, If we compare what we render with what God conferrs; Heaven for Earth, Deeds for Words, Himſelf for Nothing, his Sonne for leſſe then Nothing. Secondly, If we way how in nothing we obliged him; for who hath given him firſt? ſee Rom. 11.35. but onelyonly his meere grace and mercy, becauſe he had a favour to us. Thirdly, How ill we deſerved at his hands, having ſold our Birth-right, as Eſau for Pottage, ſo we for an Apple, Geneſ. 3. Tit. 3. Fourthly, How weak, and imperfect the pureſt ſervices are that come from us to him, ſtained as menſtruous Clothes, Iſa. 64.6.
Prove it as one maine difference twixt Gods true Children, and Hypocrites in the Church. Cain for forme brings an offering as doth Abel, Gen. 4. but God had reſpect to Abel's, not to Cain's; Cain brings at adventure, any thing he thought would ſerve his turne: Abel brings of the firſt fruits, and the fat of the flock, Mal. 1. The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded, Halt or Blinde, ſo it were a ſacrifice, all was well, &c.
Who can in this kinde excuſe himſelf? The prime, and vigour of our life how have we ſpent upon the ſervice of Satan? our beſt wits how have we tyred and waſted in vanity? The Refuſe that age hath left us how hardly affoord we to our God? The Attention we yeeld unto Gods Word, is it comparable to that we yeeld to a Judge, or a Juſtices charge? The Threats of our God, do we ſo tremble at as at the Threats of Men? The kindneſſe of God do we ſo value as the favour of Men? we do not, ſuch is our ſenſuality, ſuch our more love of men, of our ſelves, then of our God, who yet hath done ſo great things for us!
The better to enlarge our hearts to this duty; let us conſider, Firſt, That God hath beſtowed on us the choice, and prime of his favors in all kinds; As we are men, Reaſon; As his Church, his Word; his Word not onelyonly purely, but plentifully preached; Yea, his Spirit, his Sonne, Himſelf: Thus hath he magnified his kindneſſe to us; Wretched men that we are! can we think our beſt Devotions too good for ſuch a God?
Secondly, Compare our ſelves with other Churches; He hath given us Peace, while they are turmoyled in the tumults of Warre; Victory, when they have been ſubjected to many Foyles; Security and Safety, while they dayly carry their lives in their hands; Liberty to ſerve him, while they many in corners are forced to ſteal their Devotions: Thus hath God magnified his Mercy to us, and yet. &c.
Thirdly, Compare our ſelves with our Brethren in our own Church, and Kingdome, we ſhall ſee God hath vouchſafed us our preheminence. It is well towards Thirty yeeres that you have had here the word of God purely, and ſincerely taught you▪ there be neighbouring Congregations, that ſince the dayes of Superſtition never yet enjoyed the bleſſing to have a preaching miniſtry ſetled amongſt them; If we ſpeak to the Bleſſing in hand, Them God hath delivered over, us he hath preſerved.
Fourthly, Compare our ſelves with our Brethren and Neighbours living all under the ſame means of Salvation; How many ſee you ſtill living and dying in groſſe ignorance of God, in wilfull Rebellion and Diſobedience? And yet there be thoſe again that may ſay, God hath bleſſed the means of grace to them, their eyes are enlightned to ſee, their hearts affected to love, and obey his Truth. Surely if ſuch men can ſatisfie themſelves with an ordinary meaſure of duty, I ſhall wonder.