Mercy Magnified, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
2. HE takes all with him; He gathered all together; He leaves nothing behind him: What this all is, we have already heard, viz. All the outward bleſſing, favours, priviledges which God beſtowes upon the Children of men, be it more or leſs. Hence,
DOCT. Sinful Man left to himſelf, denies God the glory of all his goodneſs.
Let God beſtow upon him whatever he pleaſeth, for him never ſo much, yet he takes it not a… any engagement upon him to ſerve God, o… glorifie him, but diſhonoureth him with all. This was the ſin which the Prophet laid to the charge of that wicked King, Dan. 5. 23. The God in whoſe hand thy breath is, and whoſe are … thy wayes, thou haſt not glorified. And this Pa… declares to be the guize of men who are ſtrangers from the grace of God, Rom. 2. 4, 5. The evidence and ground of this truth will appear if we lay together theſe particulars.
1. The heart of every natural man is eſtrat… ged from God: they are born ſo, Pſal. 53. 3… They go aſtray as ſoon as they be born: there is a… eſtrangement in the underſtanding, they know him not, though God be near them, they ſe… him not; though he doth all for them, they do not obſerve it, Hoſ. 2. 8. She did not know I gave her Corn, &c. There is an eſtrangement in the Will, they care not for God, they are his enemies; yea, enmity it ſelf againſt him Rom. 8. 7. They are eſtranged in their affections, hence they are called haters of God, Rom. …. 30. Now by vertue of this eſtrangedneſs, they are wholly indiſpoſed, and utterly averſe to the fear and ſervice of God.
2. There are many luſts in the heart of every unregenerate man to which he is enſlaved man, by ſeeking an unbounded liberty, had changed one good Lord, for many tyrannical ones, that have uſurped the Dominion over his ſoul, Tit. 3. 3. Serving divers luſt and pleaſures: The word intimates one that is addicted unto, or wholly at the devotion of another, and is uſed to expreſs our ſerving of God: Mens luſts rule them, their work and buſineſs is to gratifie them, and it is not one ſingle luſt, but there are many of them, and he is at the command of them all; each claims an empire over the ſoul, and ſets him on work to make proviſion for it, there is the luſt of the fleſh, or carnal concupiſcence, the luſt of the eye, or covetouſneſs, the pride of the life, or ambition, theſe muſt all be obeyed.
3. The luſts of an unregenerate man are infatiable: Like the horſe-leeches two daughters, or like the barren womb, they never ſay they have enough, or like the grave, which is ſtill gaping after more, hence ſo compared, Rom. 3. 13. Their throat is an open Sepulchre. all concupiſcence labours of a dropſie, the more it hath, the more it craves. When a man hath done his utmoſt to make proviſion for, he can never give content to his carnal deſire, Pro. 27. 20. And there is great reaſon for it, becauſe concupiſcence hath diverted the heart of man from the only ſoul ſatisfying object, to empty things.
4. The outward favours which God beſtoweth upon men are the proper objects upon which their luſts are placed, & from which they ſeek their ſatisfaction. Every carnal heart hath (with Demas) embraced the preſent world: When man left God he went to the Creature, and what God had provided to expreſs his bounty to him in, that hath he abuſed to ſerve his luſt withal: It is the world and the things of the world that his heart is in love with, which is oppoſite to the love of the father, 1. Joh. 2. 15. God hath in juſt judgment ſet the world in mens hearts, for that they know no other good, nor ſeek any other content; not God himſelfe, but his common favours are their portion, whether natural endowments, or occaſional bleſſings.
5. The natural man can ſpare nothing of theſe from his luſts: The truth is, all is too little; every thing is loſt that doth not feed ſome luſt or other: every luſt is like Nabal, only generous and noble to it ſelf, but churliſh to David: It may be ſaid of every luſt, as was ſaid of great Alexander. Unus Pellaeo juveni non ſufficit orbis. Hence then it is no wonder if ſo many luſts think themſelves ſtraitned; the natural man is bound to pleaſe all his luſts, and there is not enough in a whole world to give them content, and then it is not to be thought ſtrange, if he cannot ſpare any thing in the world from them.
6. The ſerving of God and ſerving a man's luſts are things directly contrary the one to the other; and hence a man cannot do them both. That man who ſeeks his own glory, cannot ſeek the Glory of God; they that mind their own things, cannot mind the things which are of God: And this is the very reaſon why men can allow God nothing of glory at all, becauſe they think they ſhall then wrong themſelves, diſſatisfie their own luſts: If men ſhould ſincerely improve their wit and parts for God, they ſhould then loſe their own commendations from men; if they ſhould lay out their health, and ſtrength, and power, and wealth for God, their luſts would want it: and, it being ſo that they are full reſolved in it to deny their concupiſcence nothing, hence they gather all together, and leave nothing behind, and reſolve that they will not part with ſo much as an hoof for God and his ſervice.
USE. 1. Hence we ſee one great reaſon of the vanity of the creature: The Apoſtle tells us, It is ſubjected not willingly, but by reaſon of him who hath ſubjected it in hope, Rom. 8. 20. The reaſon of it lyeth here, ſinful man hath gotten it into his hands, God hath providentially given him a Portion of theſe things, and he through the vanity of his mind, having it at his own diſpoſe, hath carried it away from God, and diverted it from its native and proper uſe, which was for the ſervice of God, to his own wicked and ſiniſter ends, by vertue whereof it comes to be in vain. The creature hath in its ſelf its uſefulneſs, every creature of God hath a natural capacity of being improved to his glory, man might as well honour God with his wit and parts, and ſubſtance as diſhonour him; they are Talents which might be traded withall for him, but a wicked heart having ſeduced him, he turns them into another ſtream, and ſo in application they loſe their end and become vain.
USE, 2. Here alſo ſee the reaſon why perſons of greateſt abilities and advantages, are many times the moſt averſe from doing any thing to the glory of God: We often ſee it is ſo, and wonder whence it comes ſo to be; we think, oh, what, and how much might ſuch and ſuch a man do for God, if he would but propound it to himſelf as his buſineſs to live to him? but alas, as they have a great portion of Gods bleſſings, ſo they have great luſts to gratifie, and they live at their devotions hereupon, let God call for their ſervice, let their conſciences tell them they wrong their own ſouls. Let the name and intereſt of Chriſt call never ſo much for their aſſiſtance, luſt countermands, ſin that reigns there will not have it to be ſo, and men have taken it up as a practical reſolution, that they will ſooner diſpleaſe God than their luſts.
USE. 3. Let this ſerve to convince unregenerate men of their great wickedneſs, and ſhew them what a dreadful account they will have to give in to God at the great day: Conſider of it ſolemnly, is it not enough for you to go away from God your ſelves, but muſt you needs carry away the whole creation of Gods goodneſs with you? Shall God gratifie your deſires in giving you a large portion of his bounty, and can you not give him one hearty acknowledgment for it all, but becauſe he gives you in abundance, do you therefore ſay to the Almighty depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes? Job 21. 14. Be convinced of folly and madneſs, and hence conſider.
1. This is a moſt ungrateful requital of God; it is a moſt ſhameful abuſe of his goodneſs: he may well expoſtulate with you, as he did with them in, Deut. 32. 5. Do ye thus requite the Lord, Oh fooliſh people and unwiſe? Do ye not know that goodneſs leads unto Repentance? Rom. 2. 4. And will you reſiſt that leading, and inſtead of it lead goodneſs into rebellion? cannot Jeſurun wax fat, but he muſt preſently kick? out of doubt a merciful God is grievouſly provoked by ſuch things as theſe.
2. Do you not know that by thus doing you are laying up treaſures of wrath for your ſelves? And will not your account be fearful and tremendous, when the fuel of that fire in which you ſhall burn eternally, ſhall be made of abuſed goodneſs, and your torments ſhall bear proportion to the favours which you have now enjoyed; when the creatures, which are now groaning under the preſſure of violently impoſed vanity, ſhall come in as witneſſes againſt you, and be earneſt pleaders that the wrong which you have done them may be righted upon you? Be therefore awakened to ſee the vileneſs of your own hearts, bewail your grievous folly, ſeek repentance and pardon, that you may be cleared of this dreadful charge in the great day of account.
3. We come to conſider of the place whither he carried his ſubſtance, into a far countrey: i. e. to get as far out of his fathers ſight, and care, and counſel as he could: Hence obſerve this.
DOCT. The more God doth for ſinners, the further they ſeek to get away from him.
The Prodigal could not be content to live by himſelf, near his father, where he might have been adviſed and directed how to improve or husband his eſtate to profit, but he goes inanother Country; yea, a far Countrey: Thus wicked men (like Cain) go out of the preſence of God; hence they are ſaid to be far from God, Pſal. 73. 27. The wickeds Apoſtacy is here compared to a journey, men go ſtep by ſtep, they grow worſe and worſe, by abuſing of all the goodneſs of God afforded to them. In the explication we may conſider, 1. What it is to go away from God? 2. The evidence that ſinners, eſpecially proſpering ſinners ſo do, and the reaſon of it.
1. What it is to go away from God?
Anſ. There is an eſſential, and a providential Omnipreſence of God, from which no creature can withdraw it ſelf, for in it we live, move, and have our being; this preſence fills heaven, earth and hell; it is the preſervative of all beings, it is the godly man's joy, and the wicked man's priſon. Neither is this going away from God a local motion, but a ſpiritual withdrawing. We may therefore obſerve, that beſides the general preſence of Gods common and univerſal Government of the world, by which he is intimately preſent with all creatures, and beſides that preſence of ſpecial and powerful Government, by which God leads all reaſonable Creatures to an everlaſting eſtate, and in which he drives wicked men to their end, and gets Glory by them, there is alſo a preſence of ſpecial Grace, often pointed at in Scripture, by which God guids and leads his own people by his Word and Spirit, in all their way affording them counſel and ſupport, and guiding them to Glory, inwardly by his ſpirit, outwardly by his Ordinances, and Providences: Now when men refuſe to be under this conduct, and withdraw themſelves from it, now it is that they do both ſay unto God depart from us, and do alſo themſelves depart away from God; and this is done.
1. When men do all they can to put God out of their thoughts, Pſal. 10. 4. abſence is a great help to forgetfulneſs; But wicked men deſire not to think of God, or his Word, of his promiſes or threatnings: Men live without God in the world, Eph. 2. 12. They live at ſuch a rate as if there were no God to Judge or call them to an account for their wayes: There is a practical Atheiſm in the heart of all natural men, Pſal. 14. 1. And they are gone far from God, having, as much as they are able, ſhaken off the thoughts of his being, power, holineſs, Juſtice, &c.
2. When men indulge themſelves in wickedneſs on preſumption that God is a great way off from them, they take it for granted that he intermedleth not with their affairs, ſees not, nor takes any notice of their wayes and doings; they may ſin, and live according to their own pleaſure, and God is not at all concerned in it; ſuch were they, Ezek. 8. 12. They ſay, the Lord ſeeth us not, the Lord hath forſaken the earth. Men would fain have it to be ſo, and as they would have it, ſo they preſume, and pleaſe themſelves that it is ſo.
3. When men, by falſly interpreting of Gods patience and benignity, do preſume him to favour and approve of their wicked wayes; ſo they argued, Pſal. 50. 21. Theſe things thou haſt done, and I kept ſilence: thou thoughteſt I was altogether ſuch an one as thy ſelf. Proſpering iniquity is in their account, Piety; ſin unpuniſhed, ſettles their reſolutions, and fortifies them in their courſes, Eccl. 8. 11. And what is this but to go far from God, when men make ſuch a God of him, that if he were ſo, he ſhould ceaſe to be God? Make him to be one that loves your ſin, and approves of your iniquity, and you do manifeſtly deny the God-head.
4. When men go on in evil wayes adding ſin to ſin: all ſin ſets the creature at a diſtance from the holy God; ſin is of a ſeparating nature, Iſa. 59. 2. Your ſins have ſeparated between you and your God. Every tranſgreſſion is a ſtep from God, when men throw themſelves into vain courſes they are upon their journey; and as they grow more bold in wicked wayes, they get further off from him: Sin is called a going a whoring from God, & what is that but a going from the lawful husband, to the bed of a ſtranger? Apoſtate Judah is therefore ſaid to be gone far from God, Jer. 2. 5:
5. When men put away from them the fear of God: this is the character of a wicked man, Pſal. 36. 1. There is no fear of God before his eyes. This is interpreted a forſaking of God, Jer. 2. 19. God dwels in mens hearts by putting his fear into them, when he cauſeth them to delight in his wayes, to love his commands, and to be afraid of his Judgements: but when inſtead of this, they thruſt away his law, refuſe to hearken to his counſel, and are not awed by his Judgments, their will cannot ſubmit to his, when conſcience is ſtifled, or lulled aſleep, and men ſin ſecurely and without any dread, now they are gone far from God.
2. For the evidence of the Doctrine that it is ſo, the Scripture is plain; it is the very character of wicked men, as we heard, Pſal. 73. 27 They that are far from thee, ſhall periſh. And that their proſperity emboldens them to it, the Pſalmiſt alſo aſcertains us, Pſal. 55. 19. Becauſe they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. And he that obſerves the boldneſs, ſecurity, confidence, fearleſneſs, irreclaimableneſs of wicked men, eſpecially if the providence of God ſmiles upon them, will eaſily conclude theſe men are far from God.
Reaſ. 1. From the natural rebellion and enmity of the heart of man againſt God: Men hate God, they abhorre his holineſs, his Laws diſreliſh their carnal aims and ends, croſs and contradict their natural deſires and concupiſcences; his promiſes ſavour not with them, his threatnings irritate and provoke them: the ſumme is, proud and ſinful man would be at the greateſt poſſible freedom to take his own courſe without any controle; and knowing how contrary Gods Government is to his wicked will, how oppoſite Gods grace is to his impiety, hence he deſires to be from under it: Men cannot ſo quietly and ſecurely ſin whiles God is near them: The Prodigal knew that if he dwelt near his Father, he muſt expect to be diſturbed by wholſom counſels and admonitions, and that would mar a great deal of his mirth, he ſhould not with ſo much liberty and content follow his mad courſes.
Reaſ. 2. From the natural tendency there is for the ſinful heart of man to be ſtrengthned in this rebellion by outward proſperity: When men have their Portion large and great, they hope they can now vye it with God: the Prodigal had no more uſe or need of his father, now he had his Portion, and therefore as long as that laſted he regarded not to come at him: If God ſpeak to back-ſlidden Judah in her proſperity, She will not hear: proſperity makes men proud, Pſal. 73. 5, 6. They are not in trouble as other men, therefore pride. compaſſeth them about as a chain. Men can now do well enough without God, yea beſt when he is furtheſt off from them; and they muſt be reduced to a… afflicted and diſtreſſed condition before they will think of a return, Hoſ. 5. 15. We hear nothing of the Prodigals returning to his Father till his folly had laded him with inſupportable miſery.
USE. 1. This ſerves to diſcover the great wickedneſs, and horrid ingratitude of the Children of men, that ſtrengthen themſelves in rebellion by that which ſhould ſoften and break their hearts: That thoſe cords of kindneſs by which God would bind & engage their ſouls to love him, muſt be turned into cords of vanity to bind their hearts more ſtrong in rebellion againſt him. It is a very ſore charge which God draws up againſt Judah, to the obſervation o… which, as a thing moſt unreaſonable, and horrible, he calls heaven and earth as witneſſe… Iſa. 1. 2. I have nouriſhed and brought up Children and they have rebelled againſt me. How right… our is the condemnation of ſinners, that God kindneſs ſhould ſet their hearts more againſt him, that goodneſs ſhould engender hatred▪ This is a ſtrange Antiperiſtaſis. Let it the… convince us what wicked hearts we have naturally, and humble us before God, that i… ſhould be ſo.
USE. 2. It plainly diſcovers to us that the converſion of a ſinner is not of himſelf, no… from any leading motion or inclination of his own heart: for the very Bias of a mans heart doth naturally draw him to turn away from God, yea to run as far from him as poſſibly he can, and he would never return any more, if God did not draw him by his Almighty power: There muſt be the irreſiſtable attraction of the Spirit of God to encline the ſoul to ſeek him, before it will look after him: If all Gods outward favours make him worſe, there is no hope till there be ſomething inward to change his heart, that he will ever be better: Wonder not then if we ſee men growing worſe under the beſt of means and outward mercies, for the ſinful nature of man takes advantage by theſe things to be ſo; but let us pray earneſtly to God for the pouring out of his ſpirit and workby his power.
USE, 3. To teach us that it is ſometimes a great favour of God to withhold from men the enjoyment of a great Portion of outward bleſſings, or take them away from them: Auguſtin's Periiſſem, niſi Periiſſem is obſervable; whither would ſome men have gone, how far had they run away from God, had he not laid chains of affliction upon them, and bound them in fetters? David was going aſtray before he was afflicted, and how far might he have gone if God had let him alone? think not your ſelves then to be hardly dealt withal, becauſe you are held under the reſtraints of Providence, the day may come when you may bleſs God for it.
USE, 4. For tryal; It may put us upon it to examine our ſelves, and ſee what improvement we make of thoſe bleſſings and favour which God indulgeth us with. Much of ou… true ſpiritual condition is to be known by this Have you Gods bleſſing? have you parts, o… worldly comforts? and do they make you weary of Gods wayes, more careleſs of his fear… and more ſecure in ſinning? theſe are th… notes and characters of a Prodigal, only a rebellious Child will do ſo: But if Gods favours are thankfully received, and his cords of love engage your hearts to love him and to ſtudy his fear; if they make you more to delight in his wayes, and diligent in his ſervice; if they oblige you to improve them to his glory, this is indeed a fruit of his ſpirit & grace in the ſoul, and to be acknowledged as an evidence that his ſpirit dwels in you. They only are godly men who do carefully honour God with all his gifts; and if you ſo do, you ſhall be acknowledged by God, and he will never repent of what he hath done for and beſtowed upon you.