chastened himself with fasting; and that was turned to his reproach." John Baptist came in an abstemious way; and the people said of him, "He has a devil." The Lord Jesus Christ came in a way more suited to the liberty of the gospel dispensation; and his enemies took occasion from that to revile him as a "gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." Thus it is also in the present day; and thus we must expect to find it: for "the servant cannot be above his Lord: if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they those of his household." Our blessed Lord has told us, that, "if the world hated him, they will hate us also:" that they will "speak all manner of evil against us falsely for his sake;" and that they will even think they render service to God by putting to death his most faithful servants. Nor will any eminence in rank, or power, or talent, or wisdom, or piety, exempt us from this lot. If David could not escape it, neither can we if Paul was said to be "beside himself," those who tread in his steps must not expect to be regarded as of a sound mind. Nor will this opprobrious treatment proceed only from avowed enemies: our nearest friends and relatives will often be foremost in the assault; and "our bitterest foes be those of our own household'."] Having seen somewhat of David's trial, let us consider, II. The determination he formed in consequence of it Neither abashed nor irritated, he calmly avowed his unalterable determination, 1. To serve his God without fear [If to bear this open testimony for his God, and to glorify him thus in the sight of all Israel, was to render himself vile, "he would be more and more vile" as long as he lived. A noble resolution this, and worthy to be adopted by every child of man! Are the servants of Satan bold, and shall Jehovah's servants be cowards? Shall the ungodly commit all manner of iniquity without shame, and the godly be ashamed of walking in the ways of righteousness? No: there should be a holy energy in the soul of every saint, a readiness to rise to the occasion, however formidable that occasion be: he should have within him the elasticity of a strong well-tempered spring, whose reaction is always augmented by the pressure. d Ps. lxix. 10, 11. g John xv. 18. e Luke vii. 33, 34. f Matt. x. 24, 25. i John xvi. 2. k Acts xxvi. 24. 1 Matt. x. 36. If religion be decried through the whole land, so that not a second family could be found in all Israel to adhere to God, we should say with Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Reproach for Christ's sake should be regarded as honour", and, though not coveted, yet be welcomed as the truest riches o. It should be considered as a precious gift of God for Christ's sakeP, and be gloried in as a participation of Christ's sufferings, and a means of advancing his glory. We should be cautious indeed not by extravagance or misconduct of any kind to merit reproach: but, if it come for righteousness' sake, we should rejoice in it, and glorify God for it, "taking pleasure in it" as a testimony in our favour, and a pledge of an accumulated and everlasting weight of glory. Nor is it against reproach only that we should stand, but against the most envenomed persecution that men or devils can raise against us. We should be moved by no menaces, however cruel; but be ready to lay down our lives for Christ's sake, and account martyrdom a ground, not of pity and condolence, but of congratulation and joy".] 2. To abase himself without shame [The chief reason of Michal's rage was, that she thought David degraded himself by this public exhibition, which, however it might have become one of his inferior servants, was unsuited to his dignity. But David felt that a monarch in the sight of God is no more than other men; and that any elevation of rank which he possessed above others was rather a call to honour God the more, and not a reason for withholding from God any expression of gratitude and love. Hence he determined to regard himself as on a level with the least and meanest of his subjects in every thing that had respect to God. Nor would he value himself on this as an act of condescension, and thus convert humility into pride; but he would really be in his own estimation, what he professed before others to be, "less than the least of all saints," unworthy to "be a door-keeper in the house of his God," or to unloose the latchet of his Master's shoes". And this is the frame of mind which we also should cultivate. So far from regarding earthly distinctions as a reason for rendering to God a more measured service, as though the highest acts of piety were fitted only for the vulgar, we should consider wealth, honour, learning, and influence of every kind, as talents committed to us for the purpose of honouring God with them, and of rendering our example more effectual for the good of others. And, whilst the world is reproaching us for the excess of our piety, we should be ever abasing ourselves on account of its defects. If we keep in view the perfect requirements of God's law, and the unbounded obligations which he has laid us under by the gift of his only-begotten Son, how infinitely short of our duty will our best services appear! "Our very righteousnesses, in this view, will be as filthy rags," in which we can never hope to appear before God, and which can never come up with acceptance before him, till they have been washed in the Redeemer's blood'. Thus, whether men admire or reproach us for our piety, we should equally abase ourselves, as in reality deserving neither their admiration nor their reproach, but rather their pity on account of the defectiveness of our services, and the smallness of our attainments.] ADDRESS, 1. Those who cast reproaches on the saints [Behold Michal and David on this occasion, and say, whether you would not rather be the persecuted saint, than the malignant persecutor? Is there a creature in the world who must not acknowledge the superiority of David's state, in the midst of all the ignominy that was cast upon him? Such then is the state of God's people in the midst of all the calumnies with which they are loaded, and such is the light in which their calumniators are regarded by Almighty God. In the instance before us, God marked his displeasure against Michal, by inflicting the curse of barrenness upon her to her dying hours. And us also he warns in the most solemn manner to avoid the rock on which she split: "Be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strongh." If we choose not to serve God ourselves, let us beware how by scoffing and ridicule we discourage others: for our Lord tells us, that "it were better for us that a millstone were hanged about our neck, and we were cast into the depths of the sea, than that we should offend one of his little ones." To perish under the guilt of our own sins will be terrible enough: but to have "the blood of others also required at our hands" will be an inconceivable augmentation of our guilt and misery. This then would I entreat of all who despise and persecute the followers of Christ. Look into the Scriptures: see whether you approve of Cain, of Ishmael, of Michal, of Festus, or of any who bear the stamp and character e Isai. lxiv. 6. h Isai. xxviii. 22. f Rev. vii. 14. g ver. 23. of revilers in the Sacred Records: see whether in your consciences you do not rather side with Abel, and Isaac, and David, and Paul, and all the other sufferers, "of whom the world itself was not worthyk?" And if your own consciences bear testimony to the saints, dare not to walk in the steps of their oppressors, persecuting the living saints, whilst you raise memorials to the dead'.] 2. Those who are called to sustain them [Think it not strange that reproach is cast upon you for righteousness' sake; for thus it has been from the beginning: "They who have been born only of the flesh ever have persecuted those who are born after the Spirit," and so they will continue to do even to the end. You may, if you please, avoid persecution: "if you will be of the world, the world will love its own." But are you prepared to sacrifice all your hopes and prospects in the eternal world? St. James says, that "the friendship of the world is enmity with God; and that they who will be the friends of the world, must be the enemies of God:" say then, Are ye in doubt which of the alternatives to choose? What good can the world do you by its friendship, or what evil can it inflict by its enmity? To kill the body is the worst that they can do. But what will not God do for his faithful servants? and what will he not inflict on those who turn back from him? Can you think of being denied by Christ before the assembled universe, and not tremblem? O consider this, and you will not hesitate a moment whom to serve; but will "choose that good part which shall never be taken away from you." You will gladly "suffer affliction with the people of God, and esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the whole world."] k Heb. xi. 38. 1 Matt. xxiii. 29-31. m Matt. x. 32, 33. CCCXIV. DAVID'S GRATITUDE. 2 Sam. vii. 18, 19. Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house, for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God? IT is no small comfort to reflect that the dispositions of our hearts are noticed by God, and, if good, are well-pleasing in his sight. There are many holy desires and purposes which we are not able to accomplish; which yet are accepted before God, as much as if they had been carried into effect. David had conceived a wish and determination to build a house for God, in order that the ark, which was the symbol of the divine presence, might no more dwell within curtains, while he himself was dwelling in a house of cedar. But God did not suffer him to execute his purpose, on account of his having shed much blood in wara: nevertheless he commended the desire ("thou didst well that it was in thy heart") and made it an occasion of discovering to him the honour that was to be conferred on him and his posterity. Struck with the majesty and condescension of God, David went in before him, and burst forth into these expressions of devoutest adoration. We shall shew, I. What grounds David had for gratitude and thanksgiving Though David was not suffered to gratify his own inclinations in the particular before mentioned, yet he found abundant cause of thankfulness in, 1. The mercies already vouchsafed to him— [He had been taken from a very low employment; chosen in preference, not only to all his own family, but also to the whole nation; preserved in the midst of numberless dangers; exalted in due season to the throne prepared for him; made victorious over all his enemies; and brought to a state of unrivalled power, affluence, and prosperity. On a review of these mercies, he could not but be astonished at the divine goodness to him, or refrain from proclaiming it with rapturous admiration.] 2. The mercies yet further promised to him [God had promised that he should have a son, on whom the honour of building a temple should be conferred; yea, moreover, that the Messiah also should spring from his loins, and sit upon his throne for ever and ever. In comparison of this, David observes that all his personal advancement was "but a light matter:" and then, as utterly at a loss to express d a 1 Chron. xxii. 8. ver. 9. b 1 Kings viii. 18. c ver. 8. e ver. 12-14. with Heb. i. 5. |