Sermons Experimental, Sermon 1 · Verse 13
VERSE. XIII.
I will take the Cup of Salvation: and call upon the Lord.
AN anſwer to the demand: Poculum Salutis, The Cup of Salvation; You may not think this to be our Drunkards Health; God never warrants either drunkenneſſe, or drinkings with exceſſe of riot to any, 1 Pet. 4.3. and yet I am perſwaded that profane Cuſtome hath originally grounded it ſelf from hence: St Ambroſe, in his time, ſpeaks of ſome Cuſtome they had to drink Pro Salute Imperatorum; but well converts it to Oramus pro Salute Imperatorum: The God we ſerve is not the Idoll Bacchus, to be propitiated with drinking, or drunkenneſſe; It is devotion and obedience that pleaſeth him.
I could fill you with Expoſitions, but Quorſum? This underſtand; The Jewiſh Church had three kinde of ſacrifices. Firſt, Holocauſts; wherein the whole was offered by fire unto the Lord, neither Prieſts, nor people partaking in them. Secondly, Sinne-offerings, and Treſpaſſe offerings, wherein part was burnt unto God, the reſidue was the Prieſts portion; Marry the Sinner or treſpaſſer partook in it. Thirdly, They had Peace-offerings, Levit. 7.11. which were offered in liew of deliverance, and ſafety from God; Whoſe Rite was this, That thereof part ſhould be offered to God, part accrued to the Prieſts; the reſidue to the Offerer, and thoſe whom he invited to partake in the Feaſt: Examples hereof, ſee 1 Sam. 16.3. Prov. 7.14. and, which is moſt to purpoſe, becauſe I think we have thereof what was done according to the promiſe here; It is ſaid of David, He offered Burnt-offerings, and Peace-offerings unto the Lord, 1 Chron. 16.1.
What is this to Poculum Salutis, The Cup of Salvation in my Text?
Anſw. The Cup of Salvation, is, by a Synechdoche, as much as Sacrificium ſalutis, that is as much as to ſay, A Sacrifice, or Banquet, made for the people in reſpect of ſafety, and deliverance vouchſafed unto David: read diligently the ſtory, 1 Chron. 16.
Now if ye ask me the Reaſon of the Inſtitution, Why the people of the Jews muſt thus upon their deliverances offer ſuch Peace-offerings, and with a Banquet liberally eating and drinking before the Lord?
Anſw. Firſt, One reaſon ſeems this; namely, To ſtirre up the Offerers themſelves with more chearfulneſſe, and alacrity to praiſe God for his mercies. Secondly, If ye reſpect others, it was to teach what ſhould be the affection of all Gods people; that is, as Saint Paul, *2 Cor. 1.6.To draw others to joyn with us in our praiſing God. Thirdly, If ye reſpect the laviſh multitude, I am perſwaded it was one end, that if by nought elſe, yet by the belly they might be drawn to know, and glorifie the Name of God. From which ceremonious Ordinance, grounded upon theſe foundations, ſomething might be obſerved, which toucheth us: ye have been taught, that though ordinances of Jews binds us not in their ſuperficies, or according to the Letter, yet they binde according to their Morall Intelligence; as for example, though we be not bound to abſtain from Swines-fleſh, yet we are taught by the Ceremony to abſtain from Luxury, which that Ceremoniall Obſervation led unto; So though we be not bound to our Sacrifices of Goats, and Bulls, no not in Thank-offerings; yet to the Morall Intelligence we are bound: As this; Firſt, To ſtirre up our ſelves by all holy outward means to praiſe God with alacrity, and chearfulneſſe of heart for the favours he hath vouchſafed us; and that I am ſure is a duty, I mean not onelyonly to praiſe God, but to uſe all good means to excite our ſelves with chearfulneſſe to praiſe his Name, ſee Pſal. 103. Iſa. 38.
This is that which the Rule interpreting the Commandments leads us unto; that is, Where a duty is preſcribed, there all holy means leading to the duty are preſcribed: as thus, To ſpeak Ad cor noſtrum, where it is commanded to provide for families, all holy means conducing thereto are preſcribed; becauſe the duty without it cannot be acquired, frugality therefore is required; ſo where drunkenneſſe is forbidden, company with drunkards is forbidden; where chaſtity is commanded, abſtinence from laſcivious company is commanded; where giving to them that need, there labour is enjoyned, Eph. 4.28, &c.
We ſeem to love good duties, Ʋse yet to be out of the love of the means; fain we would go to heaven, but we are loath to be ſent thither by preaching; yet*1 Cor. 1.21. by it we muſt thither: Fain we would have preaching, but we are loath to afford the Miniſter his maintenance, it muſt be ere ye have it as ye ſhould have it: Fain we would have aſſurance of ſalvation, but we are loath to mortifie the fleſh; ſeemingly we fain to mortifie the fleſh, yet we are loath to pinch the belly or the back, &c.
What God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder; God never meant to beſtow heaven on us, or any thing leading thereto, but by means; I mean for that which is ordinary.
I beſeech you, let theſe Reaſons ſway you. Firſt, God never accounts that man willing to be ſaved, or to do any thing available to ſalvation, that refuſeth the means he affords to ſalvation; Matth. 23.37. I would have gathered you, you would not; Would not? who would not be gathered to God? But in as much as they refuſed the means, therefore, ſaith our Saviour, they would not.
Secondly, The means we chuſe may prove no means, but impediments; when God appoints the end, himſelf will make the choice of the means; but for gathering, and ſtrengthening his Church, he hath ordained Word and Sacraments, will we be ſaved without theſe means, we ſhall never be ſaved.
Thirdly, Why do we not conſider the means may be taken from us? I know no Kingdome or Church in the world to which they are entailed: The Church of the Jews, thoſe of Aſia were Churches, as we are; ſo was that of the Palatinate, yet now we ſee what is their Fate: Though God will ever have a Church upon the earth, yet hath he no where promiſed to have a Church in England, ſee Am. 8.11.
Fourthly, Suppoſe the means ſtay with us; yet, Firſt, Upon our contempt they may be*Iſa. 6.10. curſed to us, (that though we hear, we ſhall not underſtand) and become occaſions of our farther blindneſſe, and hardening. Secondly, We may be taken from them, by ſickneſſe, priſonment, baniſhment, death; and then what becomes of our poor ſouls? I mean ſtill, where we have carried our ſelves contemptuouſly toward the means: This then I would adviſe, uſe the means which God hath preſcribed.
Now whereas David according to Gods ordinance, draws others to joyn with him in praiſing God, we obſerve our duty, and that is not to content our ſelves onelyonly to do religious duties, but to draw others to fellowſhip in them; ſo did Andrew and Philip, Ioh. 1.46. ſo it was propheſied of the laſt times, Zech. 8. Iſa. 2. but our times live to confute propheſies.
We have theſe Reaſons. Firſt, Our reward is greater, Dan. 12. ſuch ſhine as Starres.
Secondly, They may ſupply our defects; all having not like faith, nor like fervency, nor like diſpoſition to receive; joyn all together we may perhaps make a complete ſacrifice.
Thirdly, Compaſſion, me thinks, ſhould move us, Iud. 23. It is likely they that praiſe God for us, would more praiſe him for themſelves.
Taxed here are. Firſt, Negligents in this duty, who though for their own perſons they be carefull; yet for others are regardleſſe;*Gen. 18.19. Abrahams commendation was, he would charge ſervants and children after him; His ſonnes we are, if we walk in his ſteps.
Secondly, Hinderers of the duty. Firſt, Poſitively, Doing what deterres from religion, for whom, I may ſay, is reſerved the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever, whether it be by counſell, or threatening, or puniſhment. Oh that ſuch would conſider what Saint Paul ſpeaks,*Rom. 14. Deſtroy not thou thy brother for meat, for whom Chriſt died; What doeſt thou but as much as in thee lies, hinder the intention of our Mediatour?
What ſhould I ſay for example? though this I know, the exemplury ſinner is the moſt grievous of all ſinners; To him not onelyonly his perſonall ſinnes, but thoſe which have been by his example, ſhall be imputed. And what ſay you to toleration of evill? 1 Cor. 5. if it be but connivence at omiſſions, certainly it ſuits not with that ſhould be in Chriſtians.
I beſeech you hither let us bend our ſelves. Firſt, We ſee Adverſaries, Atheiſts, Papiſts, all drawing to their practiſe; Shall not we be as zealous for our God, as they are for the Devill?
Secondly, We ſee the Devill himſelf beſtirring himſelf, becauſe his time is*Apoc. 12.12. ſhort; and how ſhort our time is, who knows? once this we know, he that*Pro. 11.30. winneth ſouls is wiſe; and he that converts another to righteouſneſſe, ſhall*Iam. 5.20. ſave a ſoul, and cover a multitude of ſinnes.
Thirdly, If we ſhame to learn of carnall men, or of the Devill, let us learn of God, and conſider the end why he gives us gifts, not for our own benefit onelyonly, 1 Cor. 12.7. but for the benefit and profit of others, ſee Luke 20.32. When thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren.
Next conſiderable, are the means David chuſeth to draw the people to fellowſhip in his thankſgiving; It is by a Banquet: Me thinks he would teach us to draw any other with our ſelves, whatſoever he be, though it be by the belly, to glorifie the Name of God; and I aſſure you, I am of his minde, and dare avouch it pleaſing to God: if Saint Paul could ſay, when Chriſt was*Phil. 1.18. preached, whether by pretenſe, or in ſincerity, I know not; but that we may ſay, ſo God be pleaſed, whether for a little countrey, or a great one: and if I be not deceived, this is the reaſon Saint Paul urgeth on us to do good to all, Gal. 6.10. and our*Matth. 5.16. Saviour, Let men ſee our good works, that if nothing elſe, yet the taſte of our table-chear may draw them to God; ſurely, me thinks, whether by the belly, or by the back, we draw them to God, ſo they be drawn, it is not materiall; God drew the Magicians of Perſia by a*Matth. 2.2. ſtarre, fitting the means to their humour: Chriſt his Diſciples fiſhers, by promiſing a fiſhing of better value; and if we keep our ſelves to the humour of the people, while the means are good, and the intention honeſt, what harm is it? our Saviour fits parables to this end.
I ſhall ſeem a fool in ſpeaking my minde, yet I aſſure you I ſpeak Gods truth, and no man can on ſound ground contradict me: Theſe outward curteſies that are common, and publique, I ſhould adviſe Gods people to ſhew as much, if not more, to Aliens, then to thoſe who profeſſe themſelves Gods people.
My Reaſons are. Firſt, The ſlighting of them occaſions blaſphemy of the holy Name of God, as if we preached no Doctrine of humanity; underſtand relieving of naturall neceſſities, is a work of humanity, not onelyonly of Chriſtian duty.
Secondly, Reſpect to them occaſions their liking of our Religion, the Faith that we profeſſe, ſo that without the Word, they are wonne by our*1 Pet. 3.1. converſation: Underſtand, This is a naturall notice, Deus eſt beneficus, & bonus creaturis; out of which Principle, Heathens can judge whether our Religion be of God, for true Religion faſhions to the Nature of the God we ſerve.
We love (I know not how) encloſures of our favours to them, who are actually the ſonnes of God; Saint Paul allows them to be prefer'd, but (if I miſtake not) he means in private, not in publique, or common, Gal. 6.10. I am ſure our God we ſerve, loads with his*Matth. 5.45. temporall bleſſings the worſt men, and I know not how we can erre in imitating him.