Sarah and Hagar, Sermon 13
THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.
GEN. 16.10.
And the Angel of the Lord ſaid unto her, I will multiply, &c.
THeſe be the three ſorts of words that the Angel uſeth to Hagar, words of prediction.
And firſt, he foretelleth the multiplication of her ſeed, verſ. 10.
Secondly, the name of her ſon that ſhe ſhould bear, who was to be the root of ſo numerous an iſſue, Iſhmael: together with the reaſon of his name, verſe 11.
Thirdly, his quality and condition: He ſhall be a wilde man: his hand ſhall be againſt every man, and every mans hand againſt him; and yet of that power, that he ſhould dwell in the preſence of all his brethren.
But before I come to theſe particulars, give me leave to obſerve, in general, Here is a great comfort propounded to Hagar; but the Angel gave her not this comfort, till ſhe had been humbled. And this is Gods manner of dealing;
Firſt to humble them, and then to comfort them.Obſerv. 1. God and his Miniſters method is firſt to humble people, and then to comfort them.
So it was in the former Chapter, (verſ. 12.) with Abraham; an horrour of great darkneſs fell upon him, and after that, God ſpeaketh comfortably unto him. So Jacob was in great diſtreſs and perplexity, through the news of his brothers coming towards him; and then the Angel of the Lord cometh unto him, and wreſtleth with him, and aſſureth him of protection, Gen. 32.Gen. 32. And ſo Joſeph is in great trouble, and afterwards lifted up. And ſo Moſes, and divers others.
But to ſpeak of that which we eſpecially intend:
The ſoul God will have humbled in the ſight of ſin, and ſorrow for it, before he comfort it.
This we ſee in David; he confeſſeth and mourneth, before God ſpeaks peace unto him. And ſo it was with Manaſſeh; he is firſt humbled for his ſin, and then he is refreſhed with comfort. God promiſeth to reſtore comfort to the mourners, Iſai. 57. they mourn firſt,Iſai. 57.18. and then they have comfort. And when our Lord ſaith,Matth. 5.4. Bleſſed are they that mourn; for they ſhall be comforted; (Matth. 5.) he ſheweth the manner of Gods proceeding. And the like we ſee, in that ſweet invitation of his, Matth. 11.28. Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavie laden; and I will refreſh you: We muſt finde ſin a burden, before he will eaſe us. The woman that was a ſinner in the city, was humbled, before Chriſt told her, that her ſins were forgiven her. And ſo it was with that poor traveller,Luke 10.13. Luke 10. he is wounded, before the good Samaritan comes and cures him. And ſo it was with Saint Paul, Acts 9. he was humbled, and lay in great perplexity a good while, before God ſends Ananias unto him. And the Jaylor was caſt down in the ſight of his ſin, before he was raiſed up by ſpiritual comfort, Acts 16.
And certainly, this courſe that God takes, is full of wiſdom: For,
Firſt, God looketh there ſhould be a receptivity, a fitting capacity in that heart that he means to comfort: nay, he ſhould but throw away his comfort, if the ſubject be not prepared. The earth muſt be plowed, before the ſeed be committed to it: the wax muſt be chafed, before it will receive impreſſion: the veſſel muſt be cleanſed, before the ſweet liquor be put into it.Gregory Nazianzen. foreign; (ſaith Nazianzen;) Who puts precious ointment into an unſavoury veſſel? The ſeed ſeemeth but loſt, to be thrown upon the unbroken earth. And to what purpoſe, to ſet the ſeal upon wax that is hard? And unleſs the veſſel be rinſed, and made clean, the ſweet water, that is put into it, is ſpoiled. And ſo, unleſs the heart be humbled, comforts are caſt away; they cannot be received.
Secondly, God intendeth, that thoſe whom he will refreſh, ſhould finde ſweetneſs in his comforts:Pſal. 34.8. Taſte and ſee how gracious he is, Pſal. 34. but it is preceding humiliation, that muſt work this relliſh; even as we ſee, P…ſt frigora, dulcior ignis; fire is the more chearing, after cold; and after a dark lowring night, the clear morning is more comfortable:S. Baſil. And, foreign, (ſaith Saint Baſil;) Faſting and abſtinence ſauceth beſt the uſe of meats: And, to the hungry ſoul, even a bitter thing is ſweet, (ſaith Solomon.) And Seneca ſaith of Health,Seneca. Magis placet reddita, quàm retenta; that 'tis more apprehended, and more joyed in, being reſtored, then when not interrupted. They that have truely mourned for ſin, and have felt ſome anguiſh & diſtreſs of ſpirit for it, Oh how ſweet is comfort to them! How beautiful are the feet of thoſe that bring gladneſs! yea, the leaſt light, (by the ſmalleſt creviſe) to one that is in that darkneſs, is acceptable.
Thirdly, God intendeth, that men ſhould make much of thoſe comforts that he hath given them, and preſerve them: Now they cannot be ſo chary and ſo choice in the keeping of them, unleſs they have had, firſt, a ſenſe of the want of them: the receiving of them, after much longing for them, maketh men fearful, (by any miſcarriages) to loſe or forfeit them.Pſal. 85.8. Pſal. 85. God will ſpeak to his people, and to his Saints; with this intention, that they ſhall return no more unto folly.
The Uſe of this is,
Firſt, to us that be the Miniſters, and you that are the people: To us,Application in the ſpeaking comforts, and to you, in the receiving of them. We muſt not comfort, before we ſee you humbled for your ſins. God giveth his Miniſters the tongue of the learned, to miniſter a word in due ſeaſon: but to whom? to him that is weary, Iſai. 50. We muſt,Iſai. 50.4. like the good Samaritan, pour in, firſt wine, and then oil: we muſt purge by Potion, and then comfort by Cordial: we muſt uſe, firſt, verbera, the ſtripes of the Law; and then draw out uhera, the breſts of the Goſpel.
I know that people are greedy of comforts, and, like the ſons of Zebedee, they would have a grant of ſitting on the right hand, and left, in Chriſts Kingdom, before ever they have drank of the cup that he did drink of, or have been baptized with his baptiſm: they ſend for the Miniſter, and deſire him to give it them; but diſcover not any meaſure of humiliation, upon which to ground this comfort. Now, if we ſhould ſatisfie them in this, we ſhould be unfaithful to our Maſter, and bad ſtewards of that allowance which he giveth us to diſpenſe; yea, it may be, we might be guilty of giving childrens bread unto dogs. And as we ſhould be unfaithful to God, ſo we ſhould be helpleſs to men; we ſhould do them no good with comforts, being not diſpoſed for them by humiliation: nay, we ſhould do them much harm: for the great Maſter of Phyſick telleth us, that,Hippocrates. in an impure body, foreign, omne nutritivum eſt nocivum; that which nouriſheth, hurteth. There muſt be firſt an evacuation of humours, where there is Plethory; and then nouriſhing things do well. As we muſt be, therefore, careful, in our way, to give every one the portion of meat in due ſeaſon; ſo, do not you require comforts of us, till you come to a ſight of your ſins, and have true remorſe in your ſouls for them.
A ſecond Uſe may be this, even to abate the joy of ſome people in the world, who brag of thoſe comforts that they have in themſelves, and perſwaſion that they have of their good condition; and yet cannot ſay, that they have been truely and ſenſibly caſt down for their ſins. I may ſay, Their rejoycing is not good, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh,1 Cor. 5. (1 Cor. 5.) in another caſe: They may ſuſpect ſuch a building, as hath no better a foundation: They may juſtly fear, that their comfort is not of God, becauſe they have it not according to Gods order and method: For, on whom hath he ever beſtowed the ſpirit of adoption, who have not firſt had the ſpirit of bondage? What ſpirit hath ever God raiſed, that he hath not firſt, in ſome meaſure, caſt down? I ſay, In ſome meaſure: for I know, the ſame meaſure of humiliation is not required of all. As there may be in the ſoul falſe fears; (Satan hath his foreign, (as the Greek Father calls them;S. Chryſoſtom.) his vizards, to terrifie people withal; and to make them fear, when there is no juſt cauſe of fear:) ſo there may be falſe joys; and people may triumph in ſome comforts, that yet are not the joy of the Spirit: Remember we it every of us; True joy in the Chriſtian ſoul, riſeth out of ſorrow for ſin: And that is the trueſt conſolation, that we finde in our ſelves, after true humiliation.
A Second thing is this. Here is a promiſe of a great bleſſing to this woman, but mark how it is inferred; even upon the direction that the Angell had given her in the former verſ: If ſhe ſhall return and humble her ſelf, under the hand of her miſtreſs; acknowledging her fault,Obſerv. 2. Gods promiſes run alwaies with condition of obedience: the defect whereof Nulleth his obligation. Deut. 8.29. and carrying her ſelf fittingly for after time; then ſhe may expect the accompliſhment of that bleſſing, which the Angell here foretelleth: The promiſes of the bleſſings of God, run with a condition of our obedience: If thou doſt well, ſhall thou not be accepted (ſaith God to Cain, Gen. 4.7.) Acceptation there is a full word; it includeth the bleſſings both of this life, and that which is to come; but there is alſo a condition of doing well: So Deut. 8.29. Oh that there were ſuch an heart in this people, to fear me, and keep all my commandements alwayes; that it might be well with them, and with their ſeed for ever. God engageth himſelf to be good unto them, and to their ſeed; but there is a condition of obeying him, and keeping his commandements:c. 28. and this Moſes fully layeth forth, in Deut. 28. Where he mentioneth a world of bleſſings, but withall mentioneth the condition of enjoyment of them, even the keeping and obſerving of Gods commandements; David giveth none encouragement to Solomon to receive Gods bleſſing,1 Chron. 28. but upon condition of his obedience:Pſal. 122.12. 1 Chron. 28. And it was none other, then God himſelf, had told him, as he relates it, Pſal. 122.12. If thy children ſhall keep my covenant and my teſtimony, that I ſhall teach them, thus and thus it ſhall be unto them: Pſal. 84.11. The Lord is a Sun and a ſhield; he will give grace and glory, no good thing will he withhold; (here is good meaſure, preſſed down, heaped up, and running over;) but for whom is all this, or what is the condition? You ſhall finde it in the next words;Iſai. 1.19. Thoſe that walk uprightly: upright walking, is the condition of theſe bleſſings. Iſaiah. 1.19. If you be willing and obedient, you ſhall eate the good things of the land. Where ſee, that thoſe foreign, the things that concern this life; (as the Apoſtle calleth them, 1 Cor. 6.3.) are promiſed with a condition; and for the bleſſings of the life to come; They run with a condition alſo: as we may gather from that ſpeech of our Lord,Mat. 19.17. Mat. 19. to the young man, who deſired to know what he ſhould do, to obtain eternal life; (for he made account, he muſt do ſome thing for it:) Chriſt tells him, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandements: God hath made a promiſe of bleſſings, both here and hereafter; but to what? Saint Paul will tell us, 1 Tim. 4. Godlineſs hath the promiſe both of this and that life which is to come. 1 Tim. 4.8.Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life, ſaith our Lord unto the Church, Revel. 2.10. The promiſe is upon condition of practice.
For the Uſe of it:
It meets, firſt, with a great many in the world, who are urging God with the performance of his promiſe; yea, and challenging him for not performance; while, in the mean time, they regard not at all the performance of the condition. What? do men think, that, having entered into Covenant with God, that he muſt be tied by his part, and not they by theirs? Muſt he be faſt, and muſt they be looſe? I wonder with what face they can complain of God, where they are conſcious to themſelves of their groſs and foul neglects, contrary to their vow in Baptiſm, contrary to their Covenant renewed in the Lords Supper, and contrary to many private engagements, upon occaſion of ſome mercy experienced, or judgement feared or inflicted. I dare not think they are ſo deſperate, as to imagine that nothing is to be done on their part; that they make account to go to heaven in ſome whirlwinde; that the Kingdom of heaven will come with expectation; or that there is no more required, but ſome languid or faint wiſh, to make them happie; like that of Balaam; Let my ſoul die the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his: that once being within the compaſs of the Church, (like paſſengers at ſea) they ſhall be brought to the haven, even ſleeping; like the lilies cloathed without ſpinning, and like the birds fed without ſowing. Certainly, they muſt think, that ſomething is to be done on their part: And if ſo, Why do they not do it? Why do they not ſtrive, that they may be crowned? Why do they not run, that they may obtain? Why do they not fit themſelves for Gods bleſſing, by holy living? At leaſt, why are they not aſhamed to lay claim to the Obligation, when they have not performed the Condition? If they miſs what they would have, let them thank themſelves. God was, and is ſtill ready to do what he hath engaged himſelf; but we fall to obey his Commandments, and therefore fall ſhort of our hopes and expectations; and that we be forced to ſay, as Nehemiah, The Lord hath done righteouſly, but we have done wickedly; and as our Saviour; he would, but they would not.
In the ſecond place, let it teach us all, that, having a promiſe of bleſſings from God, we be careful to do what is required of us. Deſideranda eſt promiſsio, ſed conſideranda eſt conditio; the promiſe (ſaith one) is not more to be deſired, then the condition to be conſidered. The Apoſtle having mentioned, 2 Cor. 5.2 Cor. 5. toward the end. that God would dwell among them, and be their God, and they ſhould be his people; that he would be a father unto them, and they ſhould be his ſons and daughters: in the firſt verſe of the next Chapter, he ſaith, Having therefore theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs, both of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. Do we look to be made free by our Maſter, and not ſerve our time? Do we think to have our bargain, and not perform conditions? And do we think to have the good things of this life, and not walk in the fear of God? Surely we may have ſomething, but not in mercy, and for eternal life. Vis eſſe beatus, S. Auguſtine.& non bonus? (ſaith Saint Auguſtine;) wouldſt thou be bleſſed, and not good? Certainly no: without holineſs, no happineſs▪ without holineſs, no man ſhall ſee God. If a man live a deboiſt life, and ſo die, and think to have heaven at laſt, he is miſerably deceived; he may as well look for grapes from thorns, or figs from thiſtles: The way is truely laid down by Saint Peter, 2 Pet. 1.5.2 Pet. 1. Joyn unto faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, Verſe 11.&c. and verſ. 11. Thus an entering in ſhall be miniſtred unto us, into the kingdom of our Lord. Haec via ducit ad urbem; this is the way unto the new Jeruſalem. Let us perform the condition; and he which cannot lye hath promiſed, and will perform: heaven and earth ſhall periſh, before he fail.
Calv. in locum.I might adde a third general thing, out of Reverend Calvin upon this place: Ut mitiget quod in praecepto grave erat, ſolatio aliquo lenat, benedictionem promittit, in foetu quem geſtat: That he might mitigate what was irkſom in the command, and alleviate it with ſome conſolation, he promiſeth a bleſſing in the fruit ſhe buds with. It might ſeem an hard command to her, to return to her miſtreſs, and to humble her ſelf under her hand; he therefore ſweetneth it with the promiſe of a bleſſing. And he goeth on; Poterat Deus praeciſe injungere quod juſtum erat, ſed quo liberiùs faceret quod ſui officii eſt, quaſi blanditiis eam allicit ad parandum: God could have ſtrictly enjoyned her what was juſt; but, that ſhe might the more chearfully do her duty, he even wooes her to obedience, with pollicitations. And this is the gracious diſpoſition of God,
Obſerv. 3. Gods gracious imitable diſpoſition wooeth and inviteth, where he might command and urge. Hoſ. 11.4.That what we are bound to do, yet he is willing to invite us to the doing of it, by ſweet promiſes;
and ſo draweth us foreign, (as the Prophet ſpeaks;) with the cords of a man. Non vult ſervilitèr trahere, ut quaſi coacti praeſtemus quod mandatum eſt: he will not draw us in a ſervile manner, (like the horſe and mule) that we perform his precept by compulſion. God might ſay to every man, Obey me; thou oweſt it unto me, as my creature; I am thy Lord, and thou art my ſervant; and ſee thou do it, upon pain of damnation: But he addeth to his Commands, Promiſes of bleſſings, both temporal and eternal; ſo that what we do out of duty, we yet ſhall not do without a reward. We ſee this thorow the whole Book of God; and we ſhall finde, he hath not been more free in promiſing, then ſure in performing: for, who ever kindled a fire in vain, upon Gods altar?
Application Againſt Merit.And this may ſilence all conceit of Merit: God, of his good will, inviteth us by promiſes to do our duty; and ſhall we think the doing of our duty to be meritorious of that which God hath promiſed? Shall his encouragement be accounted a debt; and that (as they ſay) he cannot in juſtice deny the reward? It is true, he is a debtor, promittendo nobis, by promiſing ſomething to us; non accipiendo à nobis, but not by receiving ought from us. We may in humility ſay, Da quod promiſiſti, Give us, Lord, what thou haſt promiſed; but we cannot ſtand upon terms, and ſay, Redde quod accepiſti, Reſtore what thou haſt received from us. Nay, he is ſo far from being any way indebted to us for that which we do, that he is fain to help us to do our duty; to furniſh us with money, and help us to pay him his own debt. When he invites us to do our duty by a reward, and helpeth us to perform that duty, which he in his mercy hath promiſed to reward; I bleſs my ſelf to think where merit ſhould creep in! Nay, I cannot but judge ſuch groſs contemners of the grace of God, and to merit eternal miſery, that cannot be content to be ſaved by Gods ſole mercy. If a man ſhould encourage thee, by promiſe of a reward, to do that which otherwiſe he might exact of thee, and that thou couldſt not do that thing without his aſſiſtance; were it not a groſs part in thee, to challenge that reward as a debt, and ſay, he were not juſt, if he did not pay it? This is the very caſe between God and us.
But I paſs by this, and come to the ſubſtance of the verſe, which containeth the firſt prediction of the multiplication of her ſeed.
But here it is queſtioned, how this party, being but an Angel of the Lord, could ſay, I will exceedingly multiply thy ſeed. Angelus ſe facturum promittit, quod unius Dei proprium erat, (ſaith my Author;Obſerv. 4. God inveſteth his Angels and Meſſengers with his own Name and Authority, to ſet the higher rate upon them and their meſſages.) the Angel here promiſeth to effect that, which is onelyonly the proper work of the Almighty. But, (ſaith he) nihil obſtat, it is uſual in the Scripture, for the Angels to uſe the name of God; as that Angel ſaid to Gedeon, I will be with thee, and thou ſhalt ſmite the Midianites as one man, Judg. 1. becauſe God is pleaſed (ſaith he) inducere perſonam ſuam miniſtris quos mittit, quo magis conſtet verbo ſuo authoritas; to lend the repreſentation of his perſon to thoſe meſſengers he ſendeth, that the greater may be the authority of his Word, which they deliver. The Miniſters that divide the Word unto you, are Angels; and God inveſteth them in a great power, and deriveth upon them his own authority; inſomuch that they are called Salvatores, no leſs then Saviours,Obad. v. 21. 1. Tim. 4.10. in Obad. verſ. 21. and they are ſaid to ſave, 1 Tim. 4. and yet ſalvation belongeth properly to the Lord, Pſal. 3.8. Saint Paul ſaith, he hath begotten the Corinthians to Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4.1 Cor. 4.19. and yet Saint Peter telleth us, that God hath begotten us to a lively hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. Miniſters are ſaid to looſe and binde ſinners; which yet is the proper work of God: for none have power to forgive ſins, but God onelyonly. They are ſaid to bleſs the people; and we know this is the proper work of God, and he is the God of bleſſing. Miniſters are his ambaſſadours; and we know what kinde of power is committed to ſuch kinde of Agents, by Princes.
And therefore, in one word, for the Uſe of it:
It ſhould raiſe the rate and eſtimation of Gods Meſſengers in our hearts: and when they ſpeak unto us in the name of the Lord,Application we ſhould not receive it as the word of man, but as it is indeed the Word of God; which worketh effectually in all thoſe that believe. We look upon the perſons of Gods ſervants, but not upon their Office, and that authority wherewith God hath furniſhed them; and therefore, like the Phariſees,Luke 7.30. Luke 7. we reject the counſel of God against our ſelves. But we ſhould know, that what the Miniſter faithfully delivereth, by vertue of his Office, is to be received, as if God had immediately ſpoken it: If we do not, we ſhall finde that true that our Saviour ſaith,Luke 10.16. Luke 10. He that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me: and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him that ſent me.
But to go on:
I will multiply thy ſeed exceedingly. It is in the Hebrew, foreign, multiplicando, multiplicabo; In multiplying, I will multiply thee. It is the manner of ſpeaking in that holy Tongue, where it will ſhew the certainty and fulneſs of a thing: As Gen. 2. foreign, moriendo, morieris; In dying, thou ſhalt die. I have ſeen, I have ſeen; Videndo, vidi; that is, have certainly and fully obſerved: And foreign,Gen. 50.24. viſitando, viſitabit; He will ſurely viſit you; yea, fully, and in a great meaſure do it. So here, he will certainly multiply, and he will exceedingly multiply.
What might be obſerved out of this manner of ſpeaking, I have heretofore touched; and therefore I ſay no more of it.
But now here it is ſaid, I will multiply thy ſeed exceedingly.
Obſerv. 5. The fond affectation of great Names and Titles.The Queſtion is, Why the Angel calleth it her ſeed, and not Abrahams; ſeeing Iſhmael was his ſon; and the ſeed, and iſſue is reckoned to the man.
And it is anſwered, It is, to diſtinguiſh the promiſed ſeed, which was Iſaac, and to be born of Sarah; and that childe which came of the handmaid, that was but the reſultance of a carnal device. The Iſhmaelites (as we ſhall ſee) are reckoned unto Hagar, not unto Abraham; and therefore called Hagarens: And Sarah intendeth thus much,Gen. 21.10. in that ſpeech of hers, Gen. 21. ſhe doth not ſay, Caſt out the bond-woman, with thy ſon; for thy ſon ſhall not be heir with my ſon Iſaac: but, Caſt out the bond woman, with her ſon; for the ſon of the bond-woman ſhall not be heir with my ſon: and ever after, they were diſtinguiſhed, the Iſhmaelites from the ſeed of Iſaac. They were content, at firſt, with the name of Hagarens: but, in the pride of their hearts, conſidering that Hagar was but a bond-woman, they would not be called Hagarens, from Hagar; but Saracens, from Sarah, the free-woman, and principal wife.Application Even as in theſe times, ſome proud mindes riſing to wealth and place in the world; and being aſhamed of the obſcurity of their off-ſpring, will needs derive themſelves from ſome great family of their own name, and aſſume unto themſelves the Arms of that family. Oh how much more wiſdom were there in thoſe people, to labour for Vertue, which is true Nobility, then to be beholden to this borrowed, yea mendicated and begged dignity? I have read of a Pope of Rome, that bragged he came ex illuſtri dome, of an illuſtrious houſe; which upon examination, was a poor cottage, into which the ſhun did ſhine, through the many breaches of the ſame: but if he had been vertuous, he might have put honour upon this mean place; and it would have been no diſparagement unto him, in the judgment of wiſe men; to have been born ſo meanly. But no more of this.
I will multiply thy ſeed exceedingly. We ſee whoſe bleſſing Iſſue is; I will do it, ſaith God.
Secondly, from whence the Multiplication of iſſue is; and that it is a bleſſing.
But both theſe I fully handled elſe where.
To ſhut up then for this time:Obſerv. 6. There is no arguing who are Gods Benjamins, from the greateſt moſt of Temporalls.
Here was a great temporall bleſſing beſtowed upon ſuch as were without the covenant. God is pleaſed to beſtow temporall favours, with a full hand, upon ſuch as are Aliens from the commonwealth of Iſrael. We ſee this in manifold examples; how God hath made the cup of the wicked run over with theſe outward things: Eſau had the fatneſs of the earth, for his portion; and thoſe Sodomites that were ſo profligately wicked, yet dwelt in a place, that was as the garden of Eden: And the Canaanites whom God caſt out, and were ſo notorious for all kindes of abomination; had a land, that flowed with milke and honey. The rich glutton in the Goſpel, was cloathed in purple, and fared deliciouſly every day: Luk. 12.and that other, Luk. 12. had his barnes full, and looked to receive his incoms: They have had, and have, honour and great places, and offices: they have had children at their deſire; they have had goodly dwellings, and gotten great victories, and been ſuccesfull in many enterprizes: and there be many reaſons of this.
Firſt, God will ſhew his bounty, even to the veſſels of wrath; there ſhall be none but ſhall partake of his favour.
Secondly, ſome good may be found in the moſt deſperate perſons, ſome morall good; ſome action (though not in their intention, yet) in the event, that hath ſome goodneſs in it; and the leaſt good, God will not ſuffer to go unrewarded: As Saint Ierom obſerveth, upon Ezekiel 29.S Ierom. Ezech. 29. In Gods giving of Egypt to Nebuchodonoſor, for his ſervice againſt Tyrus. Intelligimus etiam Ethnicos, ſi quid boni fecerint, abſque mercede, in Iudicio domini non praeteriri: We hence underſtand, (ſaith he,) that very heathen men (if any good they do,) are not diſmiſſed without a recompence, from the juſtice of the righteous Lord.
Thirdly, God will hereby render them inexcuſable; if they be not allured by his favours, he will be juſtified in his judgments upon them. Saint Auguſtin ſeemeth to add a fourth reaſon; drawn from the nature of theſe outward bleſſings. Dantur bonis, ne putentur mala; dantur malis, ne putentur ſumme bona: They are given to good men, leſt they ſhould be thought evill things; and they are given to evill men, leſt they ſhould be thought the chiefeſt good.
For the Uſe of this:
Application Eccleſ. 9.2.Let not men crow, upon the enjoyment of theſe outward things; for they are no arguments of Gods ſpecial love, Eccleſ. 9. neither love nor hatred, by all that is before them: the wicked may have them, and have them ex largitate, ſed non ex benignitate dei; Out of Gods royall bounty, as a benefactor; but not out of his tender love, as a Father.
Secondly, let not the godly envy the proſperity of the wicked; this temptation they have had;Pſal. 37.1. &c. as we ſee in David, Pſal. 73. and Iob 21. and Ierem. 12. But what ſaith the Pſalmiſt? Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of the ungodly, neither be thou envious againſt the evill dooers; they taſte of his common bounty, but not of his ſpirituall love: and beſides; they ſtand in ſlippery places, their table is their ſnare. Et faelicitas implorum fovea ipſorum; The proſperity of fooles (ſaith Solomon,) is their deſtruction: They are but fatted to the day of ſlaughter; they receive all the good they are like to have, in this life; as Abraham ſaith, to the rich man in Hell: nay in ſteed of envying, let the godly be comforted.
Firſt, let them make account that God will give them that which is fitting for them, even in theſe outward things; for if the dogs be ſo fed, ſurely the children ſhall not want bread: But if God be pleaſed to keep them ſhort in theſe outward things, he will make it up to them in ſpirituall, yea, in eternal bleſſings. Quid dabit eis quos praedeſtinavit ad vitam, Qui haec dedit eis quos pradeſtinavit ad mortem? (ſaith the Father:) what will he give to thoſe, whom he hath ordained unto life; who hath given ſuch good things to thoſe, whom he ordained unto death?
Laſtly, Let it be an Uſe to us all; that ſeeing even the wicked may have ſo great a ſhare in theſe outward things, we ſhould labour for thoſe things that be moſt excellent; and that may put a difference, between us and them: theſe outward things are gratis data; gratiouſly and freely given; but there be ſome things that be gratum facientia, carrying grace along with them, (as the ſchool ſpeaketh;) and making their receivers gratious; and ſuch are true piety and godlineſs, and the fear of the Lord: There is juſtification and ſanctification, and peace of conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt: Theſe be panis Filiorum, the childrens bread; theſe be prima, the firſt and chief things; theſe outward things, but the Et Caetera, the additionals. Firſt, ſeek the kingdom of Heaven, and the righteouſneſs thereof, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you. Let us labour to be in Chriſt, in God; and then we ſhall have more joy, then all they, whoſe corn, and wine, and oyle, is increaſed: Let us be adorned with the ſanctifying graces of Gods Spirit, (in compariſon whereof, all the riches, and honours, and pleaſures of the world, are but dung and droſs:) and the King of Heaven ſhall take pleaſure in our Beauty.
Preached, Decemb. 8. 1641.