Sermons Preached on Several Occasions Volume 2, Sermon 6
The Sixth Sermon.
GEN. XXII. 15, 16, 17, 18.
And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By my self have I sworn, saith the Lord; because thou hast done this thing, and hast not with-held thy son, thine only son, That in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
IN the last place now comes to be considered the high Acceptance which Abraham's Obedience found with God, in the 15th▪ 16th. 17th. 18th. Verses: And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By my…self have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not with-held thy son, thine only son, That in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore: And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
In which Words God was pleased to testify the high Acceptance that Abraham's Obedience found with him, by a Promise of sundry great and extraordinary Blessings, as a Reward thereof. In this Promise there are these Three things considerable; the Manner or Form of it; the Matter of it; and the Ground of it.
1. The Manner or Form of it; 'tis not a bare Promise, but a Promise ratified and confirmed by an Oath, and that from Heaven: The angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven, and said, By my self have I sworn, saith the Lord.
2. The Matter of the Promise, or the things promised; In blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
3. The Ground of the Promise, or the Occasion of it; Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not with-held thy son, thine only son.
As for the first of these, The Form or Manner of the Promise; it was not a bare Promise, but a Promise ratified and confirmed by the solemnity of an Oath from Heaven. In which Oath two things seem to have been intended; the Manifestation of the high Acceptance which Abraham's Obedience had with God; and the Confirmation of the Promise.
1. The Oath of God shews the great Acceptance which Abraham's Obedience had with God. For not only to promise great things as a Reward of his Obedience, but most solemnly to swear by himself that such things he would do for him, and confer upon him, because he had obeyed his voice, plainly demonstrates his Obedience to have been highly acceptable. For what clearer demonstration thereof could there have been? 'Tis as if a Prince highly pleased with the Service which one of his Subjects had done him, should not only promise, but by a solemn Oath bind himself to confer some honourable Reward upon him.
2. The other thing intended in this Oath, was the Confirmation of the Promise. So the Apostle speaking of this very Promise made to Abraham, saith, That God confirmed it by an oath, Heb. 6.17.
Now though God's Word and Promise be of Infallible Truth; though his bare Promise be as sure and stedfast, and as impossible to be broken as his Oath; yet he is pleased thus to condescend to our infirmity, and for the strengthening of our weak Faith, to add an Oath to his Promise, as men are wont to do, when they would give full assurance to them unto whom they promise any thing, that their Promise shall be made good.
But you will say, Seeing the Promise was made unto Abraham, what necessity was there of adding an Oath to the Promise? Abraham's Faith was very strong before this, and seems not to have needed the Oath of God to strengthen it. The Apostle speaking of the Faith he had before Isaac was born, saith, He staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, Rom. 4.20.
Answ. 1. Though Abraham's Faith was strong, yet it was not so strong, but that in the hour of Temptation it might be shaken, and stand in need of whatever helps God affords for the strengthening of our Faith. Abraham, though a rare and eminent person for Grace, and the Father of the Faithful, was not wholly exempt from being subject to the infirmities which other Believers labour under.
2. If it might be supposed that Abraham needed not the confirmation of God's promise by an Oath, yet it must be considered, that others were concerned in this promise as well as Abraham. Isaac, who was present, was concerned, and Isaac's Posterity, unto whom the promise was to be made good: And they were to undergo many hardships in Egypt before this promise was to be fully accomplished: They were to meet with many things that would seem to hinder the fulfilling of it, and render it very improbable to human reason, that it should ever take effect, at least as to some of the branches of it. But however, having the Oath of God for the fulfilling of it, they had enough to bear up their Faith against whatsoever might damp, discourage, or weaken it: And that it was not only for Abraham's sake, but for the strengthening of the Faith of Posterity, that God was pleased to confirm his promise by an oath, the Apostle, in the place before-mentioned, clearly affirms, God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us, Heb. 6.17, 18. And though it be true that the two former branches of the promise did principally, if not only concern the Israelites, or that part of the Posterity of the seed of Abraham after the flesh; yet the third branch, that in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed, doth as much concern us Gentiles as it did them. So then the Oath is added to the promise for our sakes, and for the sake of all those of what Family or Nation soever, that shall tread in the steps of the Faith of Abraham to the end of the world: Wherefore if Abraham needed not the Oath of God for the strengthening of his Faith, certainly we do.
And a singular help for strengthening our weak Faith, and a sure and firm ground of strong consolation it is, that we have not only the Word, but the Oath of him that cannot lie, for the fulfilling of whatsoever God hath promised; this is such a security as it is utterly impossible that God himself should give us a better; wherefore having such a steadfast and immoveable foundation of our Faith and Hope, let us not cast away our confidence, let us not suffer any thing so far to prevail with us, as to make us stagger at the promise through unbelief, or in the least to question the performance of what God hath undertaken, and by a solemn Oath engaged his Almighty Power, and infallible Truth for the effecting thereof. But however, let us here be very careful that we deceive not our selves; let us be sure that our Faith be a true and a lively Faith, and not a dead Faith, and that we are so qualified as the promises suppose and require them to be who may warrantably expect to be made partakers of the good things promised. Unless we be those unto whom the promises belong, What will all the security that God hath given for making good his promises avail us who have nothing to do with them? But supposing we have true Faith and sound Repentance, to question whether God will make good his promises to us, is to question the sincerity both of his Word and Oath, and to doubt whether he may not prove guilty of the breach both of the one and the other: A thing of so horrid a nature with relation to God, as that the like could not be feared or suspected of any honest man, without the highest injury to him.
Now whereas God is here said to Swear by himself, as also often elsewhere in Scripture, the Apostle hath given us the reason thereof. Heb. 6.13. When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself.
But you will say, we find in Scripture that he doth not always Swear by himself, but often useth other forms of Swearing; for sometimes he swears by his holiness, as Psal. 89.35. and Amos 4.2. By his right hand, Isa. 62.8. By his great name, Jer. 44.26. And by the excellency of Jacob, Amos 8.7.
A. I answer, Though God is pleased to use these several forms of Swearing, yet still he Swears by himself, and by none other. Thus when he Swears by his Holiness, he Swears by himself; for his Holiness, and all other his Attributes, are the same with himself; they are not Accidents as 'tis in the Creature, but they are all Essential to him. So when he Swears by his right hand, he Swears by his Almighty Power, which is signified by his right Hand. Thus Ex. 15.6. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy: That is, thou hast glorified thine Almighty Power by destroying thy proud Enemies. Thus Psal. 17.7. Shew thy marvellous loving-kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust in thee. And Psal. 98.1. O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. In all which places, and many more, by the right hand of God, we are to understand his Almighty Power: And what is the Almighty Power of God, but the Almighty and most Powerful God? So then Swearing by his right hand, he swears by his Almighty Power, and Swearing by his Almighty Power he swears by himself; for his Omnipotency, or Almightiness, is essential to him, 'tis of his very Nature and Essence. So again, when he swears by his great name, he swears by himself; the Name of God in Scripture being frequently taken for God himself; thus when we read of knowing God's Name, Psal. 9.10. of calling upon his Name, Joel 2.32. of praising his Name, and of blessing his Name, Psal. 145.1, 2. of trusting in his Name, Isa. 50.10. of fearing his Name, Mal. 4.2. and of his Name being a strong Tower into which the Righteous run and are safe, Prov. 18.10. By the Name of God we are to understand God himself: So then when he swears by his great Name, he swears by himself. Lastly, When he swears by the excellency of Jacob, he swears by himself, who is the excellency of his People; their relation to him, and interest in him as their God, being that which makes them truly honourable; whence it is that God is called the glory of his people, Psal. 106.20. where the Psalmist speaking of the Idolatry of the Israelites, saith, They turned their glory into the similitude of an Ox that eateth grass: That is, they represented God, who is their Glory, under the similitude of that Creature, and so Worshipped him.
But it may be here Objected, That Amos 6.8. God swears by himself that he abhors the Excellency of Jacob; How then, when he afterwards, chap 8.7. swears by the excellency of Jacob, doth he swear by himself?
A. In that former place where he swears that he abhors the excellency of Jacob, we are to take the excellency of Jacob in another sense; there by the excellency of Jacob, we are to understand all the outward pomp and splendour of that People, their Riches, their worldly Honours, their beautiful and admired City, their stately Houses and magnificent Palaces; yea, all their outward Spiritual Priviledges, When God being extremely provoked by their Sins, should come to reckon with them for all their Abominations, he would have no more regard of any of these things, than of what he hates and abhors; none of these things should plead for them, he would deliver their City and all that was therein, all their Riches, their goodly Palaces, their stately furniture, yea, the Temple it self whereof they gloried, into the Enemies hand, to be at the will and pleasure of an enraged and merciless Conquerour. This it is which in that place is meant by the abhorring the excellency of Jacob. May their condition never be the condition of this place. You have since the Fire gotten you a beautiful Town, goodly Buildings, and fine Houses,This is spoken to the People of Northampton. and you are through God's great Mercy to you, once more in a good way of Trade; but your sins, if not repented of and forsaken, will soon blast all the beauty of this place, and make God hate and abhor all the excellency thereof; none of these fine things shall be able to secure you from the Judgments of God, if you still go on to provoke him. Yea, all that God hath done for you in restoring you, and raising you up out of the Ashes to this degree of Beauty and Splendour, will but plead against you, and add weight to your Punishment, if you still go on in your Trespasses; your continuance in your sins and impenitency, after so much Severity and so much Mercy, would give your Transgressions the highest aggravations they are capable of, and make you ripe for some heavier Judgment than that which hath been lately upon you.
And here let no Man say, That Judgment was such as you need not fear any thing of a more dreadful nature. He who hath threatned to punish incorrigible Sinners after great Severities and fearful Judgments, yet seven times, and seven times, and seven times more for their sins, Levit. 26. hath yet greater, and greater, and greater Plagues in store for such an obstinate People: Though he hath shot his Arrows among us, yet he hath not emptied his Quiver, he hath still other Arrows left, and those dipt in Poyson, that shall rankle and torment you more than any thing that you have hitherto suffer'd. I beseech you consider it, and lay it to heart, so lay it to heart, as by your sound Humiliation, and sincere Reformation, to avert those Miseries which else you will have just cause to fear.
So from the form of the promise, I come to the matter of it, or the things promised; In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea-shoar; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
Where we see, that though there be three great things which God promised to do for him, yet they all relate to his Seed; his Seed should be wonderfully multiplied; his seed should possess the gates of his enemies; and in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed. Abraham in Obedience to God was willing to give up his seed to him, to Sacrifice Isaac his Son: And God takes it so well at his hands, that he doth not only give him back what he was so ready upon his account, and for his sake, to part with, providing another sacrifice instead of Isaac, but adds moreover, the promise of these great Blessings relating to his Seed and posterity that should descend from Isaac.
Whence we may observe these two things.
1. That we are no losers by our willingness to part with any thing upon God's account. God considers the losses we sustain, or are but willing to sustain for his sake, and makes us abundant recompense: That promise of our Saviour is well known, Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life, Matth. 19.29. wherefore they understand not their own interest who stick at foregoing any thing when God calls them to part with it; they can no way better consult their own advantage, than by freely giving up any thing, how dear soever it be to them, when God calls them to do it. If this were throughly believed, men would not so draw back, and struggle to hold fast that which God would have them let go. 'Tis true, we may prize our Mercies, and value them according to the worth of them; yea, we ought to prize them, provided that we do not over prize them, and set an higher rate upon them than God would have us; which in Temporal Mercies we are very apt to do, but in Spiritual Mercies the only danger is, lest we undervalue them. And as we must prize our Mercies, so we must keep them and preserve them; it were our sin to throw them away when we need not; but yet we must not hug them and hold them fast when God will have us part with them.
Therein we should both displease God, and prejudice our selves: As God cannot take it well at our hands that we oppose our selves against his Providence, so we gain nothing by it in the end, but the rending away of those things from us to our greater pain and smart, which we grasped so fast, and endeavoured with so much force to hold back, when God would pull them away from us.
2. Another thing which we may thence observe is, That God sometimes rewards the obedience of his Servants in the same kind in which they have been obedient to him. If Abraham be willing to part with his seed, and to give up his Son Isaac to God in obedience to his command, God will greatly multiply and otherwise bless his seed. For his willingness to part with one Son, he shall have many, his Off-spring and Posterity shall be as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea-shore. Thus if David be willing to build God an house, God will build him an house, 1 Chron. 17.10. If men honour the Lord with their substance, and with the first fruits of all their increase, God will bless their substance, and add to their increase; their barns shall be filled with plenty, and their presses shall burst out with new wine, Prov. 3.9, 10. and he that watereth others, shall be watered also himself, Prov. 11.25. Now God is thus pleased to suit his rewards to the nature and quality of the services which he doth reward, to the end the Persons so rewarded may the better discern God's meaning in those his gracious Providences, and that they may better understand that the Mercies which they receive at the hands of God were intended as rewards of their Obedience; which thing when they clearly see, they have the more comfort in those good things which appear to have been intended as rewards of their service; they are the more thankful for them, and they are the more encouraged to serve God faithfully for the future. Besides, God thus suits his rewards to the nature and quality of the services rewarded, that others may take notice how good and bountiful he is to such as sincerely obey him, and be thereby also encouraged to the service of so gracious and bountiful a Master.
All the Use that I shall make of this Observation▪ is only this; it may teach is carefully to mind and observe all the gracious Providences of God towards us; to view and consider▪ all the circumstances of his Mercies, that we may thereby discern what special relation any of them have to any particular services in which God hath been pleased to make use of us. He that will observe these things, shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord, as the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 107.43. He shall often take notice and discern how exactly God suits and proportions his rewards to the quality and the very circumstances of the services which have been done him. But he that heeds not, considers not what God hath done for him, understands not God's intentions in many of the Mercies he receives, and so he loseth much of the comfort of them, and much of the advantage they would afford him towards the heightning of his Thankfulness, and the encouragement of his Obedience.
And this may suffice to have been spoken of the Matter of the Promise, or the things promised in the general, as they all relate to Abraham's Seed.
I now go on to speak of the particular Mercies promised, in the same order in which they are mentioned in the Text.
The first thing promised, is, That in multiplying God would multiply his seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea-shore.
In multiplying he would multiply his seed; that is, he would certainly and greatly multiply it; for that is the import of that Phrase with the Hebrews. So Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest thereof (namely, of the forbidden fruit) in dying thou shalt dye (so 'tis in the Original) that is, thou shalt surely dye. So again, Gen. 37.33. Joseph without doubt is rent in pieces; or, he is surely rent in pieces; where in the Original the words are, Teroph Toraph, in rending in pieces he is rent in pieces; that is, He is altogether and certainly rent in pieces. Another Instance hereof we have, Exod. 19.13: where God speaking of the Punishment of him that at the giving of the Law should come near the Mount and touch it, saith, Sekol jiskol▪ In stoning he shall be stoned, that is, he shall certainly be stoned, and be stoned throughly and effectually, he shall be stoned till he dye. And so much concerning the meaning of that Phrase, In multiplying I will multiply thy seed. As for those expressions that follow, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand upon the sea-shore, they are added by way of further amplification of the Promise; and all that we are to understand by them is only this, That God would so wonwonderfully multiply his Off-spring, that the Increase of his Posterity should be even incredible. In the usual language of the Scriptures, any huge or vast multitude is thus described. So Josh. 11.4. the Host of the several Kings and Countries that combined against the Israelites, is said to have been even as the sand that is upon the sea-shore in multitude. So in the description of the Army that was overcome by Gideon, Judg. 7.12. 'tis said, That the Midianites, and the Amalekites, and all the children of the East, lay along in the valley like grashoppers for multitude, and their camels without number, as the sand that is by the sea-side for multitude. The like is said of the Army of the Philistines, 1 Sam. 13.5. All which places give us to understand no more but this, That those Armies were hugely numerous, containing a stupendious multitude of People; but not that they did indeed equal the number of the sands that are upon the Sea-shore. The language therefore is hyperbolical, such as in other cases the Scripture useth; as 2 Chron. 28.9. where the Prophet Oded reproving the Israelites for their Wrath and Cruelty, saith, They had slain their Brethren with a rage that reached up unto heaven; that is, with an exceeding great rage. The like Hyperbolies those Builders of Babel used, when encouraging one another, they said, Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower whose …op may reach unto heaven, Gen. 11.4.
Now whereas such a Numerous Off-spring is promised Abraham as a singular favour and as a reward of his Obedience, we may observe, That Children are a Blessing, and the more they are, the greater the Blessing is. This is frequently in Scripture either promised or mentioned as a Blessing. Three times we find it to have been promised to Abraham as a signal Blessing. I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, said God to him, Gen. 12.2. God brought him forth abroad, and he said, Look now towards heaven, and tell the stars if thou be able to number them; and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be, Gen. 15.5. And again here in the Text, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea-shore: So to Jacob was the like Promise made, Gen. 28.14. Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth▪ and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to to the south. So afterwards, when Joseph had sent for him, God encouraged him, saying, Fear not to go down into Egypt, For I will there make of thee a great nation, Gen. 46.3. So Jacob blessing his Children when he now lay upon his Death-bed, made this one special part of Joseph's Blessing, Gen. 49.22. Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall. And then he adds, v. 25. That the Almighty would bless him with the blessings of heaven above, and of the deep that lieth under, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb. And thus also Moses before his death, blessing the Tribes of Israel, concludes his blessing of Joseph, with the Prediction of the great Increase of his Posterity; saying, His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns; with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth; and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh, Deut. 33.17. So Job 5.25. among divers other Blessings reckoned up, which God promiseth to bestow upon the truly humbled and penitent sinner, that by sanctified afflictions hath been reduced and brought to him, this is one, He shall know that his seed shall be great, and his Off-spring as the grass of the earth. Much to the same purpose we have in the Book of the Psalms, The Lord will bless them that fear him, both small and great; the Lord shall encrease you more and more, you and your children; you are the blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth, Psalm 115.13, 14, 15. Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate, Psalm 127.3, 4, 5. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children like olive-plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; yea, thou shalt see thy childrens children, and peace upon Israel, Psalm 128. Add hereunto, Isa. 48.18, 19. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments; then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the Off-spring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof. Now to apply what hath been spoken.
Ʋse 1. If Children be a Blessing, then let such as have obtained Children, acknowledge it so to be. Thus did Jacob, Gen. 33.5. These are the children which God hath graciously given thy servant, said he to his Brother Esau, demanding who they were that he had brought along with him. But this Blessing is so much the greater, and with so much the more thankfulness to God is it to be acknowledged, when they are good and gracious Children, and when they be dutiful and obedient Children. These bring Honour and Comfort to their Parents. Of these especially it is that Solomon saith, That they are a crown to their parents, Prov. 17.6. And that they make their Parents glad, Prov. 10.1. and Prov. 15.20. And again, Prov. 23.24, 25. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him: Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. And much to the same purpose is that before in the 15th. and 16th. Verses of the same Chapter; My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine; yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. Wherefore no thankfulness can be sufficient for such a Blessing, wheresoever God hath bestowed it.
Ʋse 2. If Children be a Blessing, then are they much to be blamed, who are so far from rendring unto God their due acknowledgments of this Blessing, that they seem to account it no Blessing at all, but rather look upon it as their Unhappiness that they have Children. And there are divers sorts of these unthankful persons.
1. Such as would not be incumbred and troubled with the Care and Pains of bringing up Children. These should consider,
First, Where they themselves had been if their Parents had been so nice and coy, and had consulted their own ease and quiet so much.
Secondly, They should consider that the Education of Children is a great and very considerable service done to God, to his Church, and to the Commonwealth.
(1.) 'Tis a great and acceptable service to God. For God accounts your Children to be his Children; and therefore you educate them and bring them up for him in effect. When the Israelites, had offered their Children in Sacrifice to Idols, God charging them with that horrid Wickedness, said, Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast born to me, and hast sacrificed them to idols to be devoured, Ezek. 16.20. They had born them to God, he had an interest in them; and therefore this was no small aggravation of their sin, that they had taken his Children and sacrificed them to Idols. So then, as their Children were God's Children, so they were obliged to have educated them for him, and to have consecrated them to him. This is your case, you have born Children to God, and therefore what pains and difficulties should you not be willing to undergo in bringing them up for him?
(2.) The educating of Children is a great service to the Church of God; you educate them for the Church, which were it not for the education of Children, after one Age, would fail. Were it not that there is still a Succession of Children to rise up in the room of their Parents, after some years Christ would have no Church upon earth. Besides, you know not how eminently serviceable to the Church of God that poor Child may be, with whose Education you are unwilling to he troubled.
(3.) The Education of Children is likewise a great service to the Commonwealth, without which there would be neither any to govern others, nor any to be governed, and so indeed no Commonwealth at all.
2. Others are troubled that they have so Many Children, because they have little to maintain them, and wherewithal to make provision for them. But this is no other than a prophane Distrust of God's Providence: As if he that gives Mouths could not also give Meat. The Goodness of God in making provision for numerous Families, where Parents can do very little for them, is most remarkable. Do you not often observe with admiration, how many Children have been well brought up by those Indigent and Necessitous Parents who seemed to have had scarce any thing for their own Support and Sustenance? And where was it ever observed, that if Parents were sober, provident, and industrious, any of theirs miscarried for Want, how many Children soever God had given them, and how little soever they had to maintain them? He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry, Psalm 147.9. How much more will he sustain both you and yours, if ye depend on him, O ye of little faith; as our Saviour reasoneth, Matt. 6.30.
3. Others having Lewd and Graceless Children, are apt to judge them happier that have none.
But (1.) How bad soever Children are for the present, they may become better. They have Immortal Souls, capable of Grace and Glory, and they may be such as belong to the Election of Grace, for ought that you know to the contrary.
(2.) Wicked Children may be kind, dutiful, helpful, and serviceable to their Parents, as even such sometimes are: And is it not a Mercy to their Parents that they have such Children as are tender of them, beneficial and useful to them?
(3.) Though the Blessings of God may be through man's sin corrupted, vitiated, and abused, yet they are, in themselves considered, Blessings still, and so to be acknowledged.
(4.) Even wicked men may be greatly serviceable to the Places where they live, and to their Generation. It may please God to make use of such a one to save a Town, to preserve a Kingdom from ruin: And shall the Parents of such a Child not acknowledge him a Blessing to them, who is so to many Thousands? The Heathen man said, it did not repent him that he was born, because he was not born in vain, he had been useful and serviceable to his Countrey: Neither needs it repent Parents of having brought up and educated a Child that proves useful and eminently serviceable, though otherwise he be not such a one as they earnestly desire he may be, and wish that he were. And so much concerning that use.
Ʋse 3. If Children be Blessings, let both Parents and Children take heed that they do not by their sins turn this Blessing into a Curse. Let Parents bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: Let them pray much for them, and give them good example; and let them continue and persevere in so doing, altho' they should not presently see the fruit of their endeavours for their good, which they desire and long after. And as for Children, let them labour to be more truly Blessings to their Parents, by their humble, tractable, dutiful, and obedient Carriage towards, them, by their helpfulness and serviceableness to them, and by their constant endeavours to be every way a comfort to them. And all this they shall the better perform, if their first and chief care be to please God, and approve themselves to him, and then if they be careful to discharge their Duty towards their Parents upon God's account, for his sake, and in obedience to his Commands. But if Parents shall not only neglect their Children, neither praying for them, nor instructing them, but instead thereof give them evil Example, become Patterns to them of all manner of Wickedness, yea, and curse those whom they should pray for, as the manner of some ungodly and unnatural Parents is, What else can they expect at the hands of God, but that he should take them at their word, curse their Blessings, and make those their greatest Affliction, that should have been the greatest Comforts to them? And this may suffice to have been spoken concerning the first Branch of God's Promise to Abraham, That in multiplying he would multiply his seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is upon the seashore.
Now if you demand how this Promise was made good and fulfilled to Abraham?
I answer, The accomplishment and fulfilling of it was most strange and wonderful. There were but 70 Persons of them when Jacob went down into Egypt, Gen. 46.27. and Exod. 1.5. Deut. 10.22. Or at the utmost but 75, as St. Stephen reckons them after another way of Computation, Acts 7.14. Now the time of their continuance in Egypt was but 215 years; for 'tis evident from Chronology, that just half of the 430 years, mentioned Exod. 12.40. and by the Apostle Gal. 3.17. was spent in Canaan, where the Patriarchs sojourned 215 years, after the Promise made to Abraham of the Land of Canaan, Gen. 12.7. Now that in the space of 215 years, 70 or 75 persons should increase as they did, notwithstanding all the means which the Egyptians made use of to diminish and lessen them, is a thing that cannot but beget the highest admiration in the mind of any man that shall seriously consider it. For when they came out of Egypt, those 70 or 75 persons in the space of 215 years, were increased to the number of 600000 men that could bear Arms, besides Women and Children, and all under 20 years old, and Old Men that were unfit to bear Arms, Exod. 12.37. For though Women be there only mentioned, besides the 600000, yet 'tis evident that Children and all others that were unfit for War, are also under them comprehended; for the 600000 are said to have been all such as went on foot, that is, who marched as armed men are wont to do. Besides, when they were numbred within a little more than one year after they came out of Egypt, Numb. 1.45, 46. 'tis said, That the number of them from twenty years and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel, was six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty. Now the Women and Children, and all under 20 years of age, and old men, are judged to have been as many, and half as many again as those who were numbred; insomuch as that it is rationally supposed, that the whole number of them could not be less than Fifteen hundred thousand. What a stupendious increase of 70 persons was this, in the space of 215 years! So then, in this most wonderful and never sufficiently admired Increase, we see the miraculous fulfilling of God's Promise made to Abraham touching the multiplying of his Seed.
I now go on to speak concerning the Second Branch of the Promise made to Abraham, That his seed should possess the gate of his enemies. The meaning of which Promise is plainly this, that they should subdue their Enemies, get the mastery of them, and rule over them. For,
1. In their Gates were the chief Fortifications of their Cities.
2. In the Gates were their Armories and Magazines, there they laid up their Artillery and Preparations for War. Both which are conceived to be intimated by several Scriptures, which I shall not need here to mention.
3. In the Gates were their Courts of Justice; there sate the Judges and Magistrates; there were Criminals and Offenders tried and censured; there were Causes and Controversies heard and determined: Thus Hamor and Shechem are said to have repaired to the Gate of the City, Gen. 34.20. that they might there treat with the Inhabitants about their being circumcised, &c. So Eliphaz, describing the sad issues of wicked mens profligate and ungodly courses, and the miseries which thereby they bring upon their Posterity, saith, Their children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them, Job 5.4. They are crushed in the gate; that is, they are wronged and oppressed in Courts of Justice, where they ought to have been righted and relieved. So again, Job professing his Integrity, saith, If I have lift up my hand against the fatherless when I saw my help in the gate, then let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, &c. Job 31.21, 22. When I saw my help in the gate; that is, when I saw my Interest among those that sat in Judgment to be such, as I could carry any thing, whether right or wrong, against all that should withstand and oppose me. So lastly, Amos 5.12. the Prophet representing the wretched Iniquity and Injustice of those times, saith, They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
The last branch of the Promise made to Abraham, was, In his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. In his seed, that is, in Christ, who should descend from his seed, and who is expresly said to be the Son of Abraham, Matt. 1.1. and the Son of David, according to the flesh; who was also to descend from Abraham. This is indeed the chief branch of the promise, That in Abraham's seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed. In, by, and through Christ, the inestimable Blessings of the Pardon of Sins, Deliverance from Wrath to come, and Eternal Life, should be conferred upon true Believers of all Nations, whether Jews or Gentiles; hence it is that the Apostle, Gal. 3.8, 9. saith, That the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed; so then, they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham.
So much concerning the promise made to Abraham, and the several branches thereof. Now in the last place follows the ground or reason thereof; Because thou hast obeyed my voice: This ground of the promise was before mentioned, and more largely represented, to wit, in those words, By my self have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not with-held thy son, thine only son from me, that in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice; which ground of the promise is here again repeated, though more briefly, Because thou hast obeyed my voice. Now 'tis thus mentioned before the promise, and repeated after the promise,
1. To shew how highly God valued Abraham's ready Obedience to so difficult a Command. The things which we take very well, and are much pleased with, we often speak of and mention them over and over, and we dwell upon them. So here, God condescending to Abraham by speaking to him, as men are wont to speak to others when they have done any thing that greatly pleaseth them, twice mentions and insists on his obedience as the ground of the promise made to him: Whence we may observe,
1. That the more difficult the commands of God are, and the more we most deny our selves in yielding obedience to them, the more highly pleasing and acceptable is our obedience to him. Wherefore 'tis not our interest to be picking out the easiest Duties and passing by the hardest; to be chusing out those commands of God which we can most readily comply with, and in performance whereof we need not much deny our selves, or cross our own inclinations; waving those commands that require us to do what our corrupt nature is most averse from. Alas! we consider not that the more we deny our selves to comply with the will of God, the more we please him, the greater acceptance our obedience finds with him, the greater will our reward be. We do therefore very much prejudice our selves and stand in our own light, when we wave any command of God, drawing back, and declining to yield obedience thereunto upon account of the difficulty thereof. Did we understand our own interest aright, and consult it, we would most willingly undertake the hardest services, and the most unacceptable part of our duty; we would most chearfully offer and address our selves to the performance of such duties above all others, and chuse to exercise our selves in them; and we would count it a special favour that God at any time calls us to any such severe Duties, in compliance wherewith we must offer some violence to our selves, and swim directly against the stream of our corrupt affections and sinful inclinations.
2. Another reason of God's repeating the ground of the promise made to Abraham, and of his mentioning it the second time, was that Abraham might take particular notice of it, and look upon those great Blessings which he had promised him, as the reward of his obedience; for this would much sweeten the promise of those Blessings to him. What we know comes to us from the hand of God as a reward of our obedience, brings along with it double the comfort and satisfaction that otherwise it would have done; this infuseth an incredible sweetness into those good things which a man receives.
Ʋse. This may teach us carefully to observe all God's gracious Providences towards us, and to labour to find out his intentions in them, to the end that if they were intended as rewards of our obedience, we may not lose the comfort of them. But you will say, How may a man know that any good thing which he receives, was intended as a reward of his Obedience? To this I shall briefly Answer.
1. Whatsoever comes in an unlawful way, whatsoever is acquired by unjustifiable means, can never be looked upon as a reward. Rewards come in God's way, that is, either by special and extraordinary Providences, or upon the use of lawful means: If a man grow rich by unjust ways of gain, by cheating or couzening, by rapine or violence, he cannot look upon his riches as coming to him from the hand of God in way of reward. So if a man get the honours of the world by flatteries, or any other base and sinful compliance with his Superiors that hath power to advance him, he cannot look upon those honours so attain'd as rewards from the hand of God.
2. Though it be not an infallible argument, yet 'tis a shrewd presumption, that the good things which a man receives, were never given in by God in the way of reward, nor ever so intended, when they have a bad, and pernicious influence upon a man; when they make him more proud and haughty, more injurious and oppressive to his inferiors, more wicked and profligate in his life and conversation, when he abuseth the good things which he hath received, to the dishonour of God, the injury of his Brethren, and the wronging of his own Soul. God is mostly wont to give a Sanctified use of those good things that come from him in way of rewards, and they who receive them, do, for the most part, make an holy use and improvement of them, and are not the worse but the better for them.
3. A man cannot upon any sufficient grounds look upon those good things which God hath conferred on him, as the rewards of his obedience, when he hath never been exercised in any of those good Duties and Services, unto the performance whereof such Blessings are promised. On the other hand, you may know and rest assured, that the good things which you receive at the hands of God, are by him given unto you as the rewards of your obedience,
1. When God hath made you conscientious in the performance of the duties where unto the promise of such good things are made.
2. When the good things which God bestows on men, come in such a season, as evidently manifesteth that they are given in to them as rewards of their obedience, as namely, when they come in immediately after they have been in a way more than ordinary exercised in those duties, which God has promised so to reward. It were here very easy to give many instances hereof from the Scripture, as when Solomon had been exercised in the great service of Building and Dedicating the Temple, that God should then immediately appear unto him in such a gracious manner, as we read he did, 1 Kings 9.1, 2, 3, &c. as also he had before appeared to him upon the like occasion at Gibeon. So when Jehoshaphat and his People had humbled themselves by Fasting and Prayer, and sought help of God against their Enemies, which out of several Nations had combined themselves against them, God immediately by the Prophet Jahaziel, assures them of a glorious Victory to be obtained over them, which was accordingly effected the very next day, as we are informed in the sequel of that History, 2 Chron. 20.1, 2, 3, &c. I shall add but one instance more, and it is that which is left upon record, Acts 12. where we read that when the Church of God had from Peter's first Imprisonment been seeking God for his release many days, it pleased God the very night before that Herod had designed to bring him forth and put him to death, he was in a miraculous manner set at liberty by an Angel from Heaven, and the tidings thereof was brought to the Church of God, in the house where they were met to seek God for that Mercy, by Peter himself, as we read, v. 13. his release being so strangly effected, and the notice thereof in such a manner and season brought to the Church, even when they were now seeking to God for that Mercy; How could it be in the least doubted of or questioned, but that his release was in answer to the Prayers of God's People, and given in as an eminent reward of their service.
3. A man may know that the good things he receives at the hands of God, are in way of reward of his service, by those impressions thereof which God sometimes by his Spirit makes upon the hearts of his people. Such impressions no doubt were made upon the hearts of Solomon, Jehoshaphat, and of those Christians assembled together, Acts 12. whereby they were abundantly satisfied that what God had done for them, was done in reward of those services in which they had been then exercised. And such impressions, doubtless, were upon David's heart, when he said, Psal. 18.20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. And again, This I had because I kept thy precepts, Psalm 119.56. Unless they had by such immediate impressions from the Spirit of God been fully satisfied concerning it, How could they with so much confidence speak as they did?