It is said of Araunah, that noble Jebusite, renowned for his bounty, that he had but a subject's purse, but a king's heart ; but Jesus Christ hath a king's purse as well as a king's heart, and accordingly he gives. ' And as Christ's rewards are the greatest rewards, so his rewards are the surest rewards : ' He is faithful that hath promised/ 1 Thes. v. 241
Antiochus promised often but seldom gave, upon which he was called, in way of derision, a great promiser ; but Jesus Christ never made any promise, but he hath or will perform it, 2 Cor. i. 20, nay, he is often better than his word, 1 Cor. ii. 9, he gives many times more than we ask. The sick man of the palsy asked but health, and Christ gave him health and a pardon to boot, Mat. ix. 2. Solomon desired but wisdom, and the Lord gave him wisdom, and honour, and riches, and the favour of creatures, as paper and pack-thread into the bargain, 2 Chron. i. 10-15. Jacob asked him but clothes to wear, and bread to eat, and the Lord gave him these things, and riches, and other mercies into the bargain.2
Christ doth not measure his gifts by our petitions, but by his own riches and mercies. Gracious souls many times receive many gifts and favours from God that they never dreamt of, nor durst presume to beg, which others extremely strive after and go without.
Archelaus being much importuned by a covetous courtier for a cup of gold wherein he drank, gave it unto Euripides that stood by, saying, Thou art worthy to ask, and be denied, but Euripides is worthy of gifts, although he ask not.
The prodigal craves no more but the place of a hired servant, but he is entertained as a son, he is clad with the best robe, and fed with the fatted calf, he hath a ring for his hand, and shoes for his feet, rich sup- plies more than he deserved, Luke xv. 19-25. Jacob's sons, in a time of famine, desired only corn, and they return with corn and money in their sacks, and with good news too — Joseph is alive, and governor of all Egypt, Gen. xlii.
And as his rewards are greater and surer than other rewards, so they are more durable and lasting than other rewards. The kingdom that he gives is a kingdom that shakes not ; the treasures that he gives are treasures that corrupt not ; and the glory that he gives is glory that fadeth not away ; but the rewards that men give are like themselves, fickle and unconstant, they are withering and fading.3
Xerxes crowned his steersman in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the same day.
And Andronicus, the Greek emperor, crowned his admiral in the morning, and then took off his head in the afternoon.
Rossensis4 had a cardinal's hat sent him, but his head was cut off before it came to him. Most may say of their crowns as that king said of his, O crown ! more noble than happy. It was a just complaint which long ago was made against the heathen gods, 0 faciles dare summa deos, eademque tuerl diffi,ciles, they could give their favourites great gifts, but they could not maintain them in the possession of them.
1 As the King in Plutarch said of a groat, it is no kingly gift, and of a talent, it is no base bribe. 2 Gen. xxviii. 20 compared with Gen. xxxii. 10.
3 Heh. xii. 28 ; Mat. vi. 19, 20 ; 1 Peter i. 4. 4 Qu. ' Roffensis ' ?— Ed.
198 APPLES OF GOLD. [1 KlXGS XIV. 13.
The world may give you great things, but the world cannot maintain you in the possession of them ; but the great things, the great rewards that Christ gives his, he will for ever maintain them in the possession of them, otherwise heaven would not be heaven, glory would not bo glory. Now by all these things you see that it is a very great honour to be an old disciple, an old Christian ; and this honour you will never attain to, except you begin to be really good betimes, except in the morning of your youth you return to the Lord, and get an interest in him.
1 shall now come to make some use and application of this weighty truth to ourselves.
You see, beloved, that it is the great duty and concernment of young men to be really good betimes. If this be so, then,
Use 1. First, This truth looks sourly and sadly upon such young 'imii thai arc only seemingly good, Had make some shows of goodness, li/if are not right toivards God at the root.
As Joash, when he was young, he seemed to have good things in him towards the Lord, whilst good Jehoiada lived; but when Jehoiada was dead, Joash his goodness was buried with him, 2 Chron. xxiv. 1-6, 13-16.
Ah ! how many in these days, that have been seemingly good, have turned to be naught, very naught, yea, stark naught !
It is said of Tiberius, that whilst Augustus ruled, he was no ways tainted in his reputation ; and that, whilst Drusus and Germauicus were alive, he feigned those virtues which he had not, to maintain a good opinion of himself in the hearts of the people ; but after he had got himself out of the reach of contradiction and controlment, there was no fact in which he was not faulty, no crime to which he was not accessory.1
Oh ! that this were not applicable to many young persons in these days, who have made great shows and taken upon them a great name, who have begun to outshine the stars, but are now gone out like so many snuffs, to the dishonour of God, the reproach of the gospel, the grief of others, and the hazard of their own souls.
It was a custom of old, when any was baptized, the minister delivered a white garment to be put on, saying, Take thou this white vestment, and see thou bring it forth without spot at the judgment-seat of Jesus Christ ; whereupon one Maritta baptizing one Elpidophorus, who, when he was grown up, proved a profane wretch, he brings forth the white garment, and holding it up, shakes it against him, saying, This linen garment, Elpidophorus, shall accuse thee at the coming of Christ, which I have kept by me as a witness of thy apostasy.2
Ah ! young men and women, your former professions will be a sad witness against you in the great day of our Lord Jesus, except you repent and return in good earnest to the Lord, Pro v. xiv. 14.
Oh ! it had been better that you had never made profession, that you
1 Nero's first live yi-urs are famous, but afterwards who more cruel? There are some that write that, after Demas had forsaken Paul, he became a priest in an idol-temple. [The one authority for such apostasy is an over-pressing of the following in Epiphaaioa :
.... Ka/ Ay/tat, xeti 'Eofioyivnv, ml; ayxirriravras to\ \vrav6a alava, xai xaraXs/^avra; rut iii* tvs aXritiiaf. — llaeres. xli. ti. — G.]
2 Crabs that go backwards are reckoned among the unclean creatures, Lev. xi. 10.
1 Kings XIV. 13.] apples of gold. 199
had never set your faces towards heaven, that you had never pretended to God and Christ, that you had never known the way of righteousness, than, after you have known it, to turn from the holy commandment.
Cyprian, in his sermon de lapsis, reporteth of divers who, forsaking the faith, were given over to evil spirits and died fearfully.