2. Do not despise things for their meanness, for so thou mayest condemn the ways of God. God will have his people love him for his own sake, not for the outward accommodation and advantages we have by him. As it is said, John vi. 26, ' Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracle, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled.' Princes try the affections of their subjects most when they come to them in a disguise, and veil their majesty under the plainest garb ; and so did Christ to the world, and still does to this day. He suffereth this stumbling-block, to see if we will look beyond it. As there was mean- ness in the outward habitude of Christ's person, so there is now in the administration of his kingdom ; as ai)pears by considering : —
[1.] That the ordinances are weak to appearance ; there is nothing but plain words, plain bread and wine, in one ordinance, and only water in another. The simple plainness of the ordinances is an obstacle to men's believing ; they would fain bring in pomp, but that will mar all. When there were wooden chalices, there were golden priests. God would have his ordinances like himself, simple and full of virtue. The tabernacle was all gold within, but covered with badgers' skins without. This stumbleth the world at first dash ; they will not look for gold where they see nothing but badgers' skins: 2 Kings v. 12, ' Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel ?' Wiiat ! no greater thing to be done for my health? I might have done thus at home. So some are apt to say, We had better read at home, than wait upon such plain preaching ; but re- member, it is God's ordinance, and that puts a value upon it.
[2.] These ordinances are administered by weak men. Many times God singleth out the meanest. Our h?aviour sent fishermen to conquer the world, and made use of a goose-quill to wound Antichrist. Moses,
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the stammeving shepherd, was commissioned to deliver Israel ; Uod makes use of Amos, who was a herdsman, to declare his will, Amos i. 1. So Elisha the great pro|)het was taken from the plough, 1 Kings xix. 19. And many times God made use of young men, such as Paul, whose very person causeth prejudice ; young Samuel, young Timothy, men of mean descent, low parentage, and of no great appearance in the world.
[3.] The manner how it is by them managed, which is not in such a politic, insinuating way as to beguile and deceive, and as if they were to serve their own ends : 2 Cor. i. 12, the apostle saith, ' Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, we have our conversation among you.' He calleth it carnal wisdom to use any underhand dealing to gain esteem to their way, or to go in any by-path out of Christ's way. They did nothing deceitfully and closely, but what they openly held forth. And so now the less there is of worldly wisdom, the more God prevaileth : Luke xvi. 8, ' The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light'
[4.] The persons by whom it is entertained, the poor: James ii. 5, * Hath not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith?' Usually God's true people are the meanest and most contemptible, not being so noted for outward excellency as others. Mat. xi. God revealeth the things of his kingdom to babes, men destitute of out- ward ^sufficiencies. This hath been always a great prejudice against Christ's doctrine : John vii. 48, ' Have any of the rulers or the phari- sees believed on him ?' Have the great men, the great scholars, closed with that way ?
[5.] The general drift of it is to make men deny their pleasures, to overlook their concernments, to despise the world, to hinder unjust gain, to walk contrary to the honorary customs and fashions of the world. If men would be Christians indeed, they will find that the usual customs of the world are most contrary to Christianity ; as to for- give injuries, to seek reconciliation, to put up with disgrace, and to show kindness to those that are not likely to repay us again : Luke xiv. 12- 14, ' When thou makest a dinner or supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy rich neighbours, lest they bid thee again, and a recompense be made unto thee ; but call the poor, the blind, and the lame, and the maimed, for they cannot recompense thee ; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.' So to make a man contented, though he and his family should be in a mean condition, though he be not so great in the world as others ; yet this is a great prejudice against the ways of Christ. Therefore do not despise persons or things for their meanness ; do not count zeal folly, or reli- gion weakness ; do not reckon them among fools that are conscien- tiously scrupulous : Heb. xiii. 2, it is said, that some that entertained strangers thereby entertained angels unawares ; so some that refuse things because of outward appearance, they refuse Christ unawares ; they may condemn and reproach the very saints and people of God. Luke xvi. 15 : ' That which is highly esteemed among men is abomi- nation in the eyes of God.' There is no judging by the outward proba- bility and face of things. Still true, strict Christianity is disesteemed