1 John iii. 18, ' Let us not love in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth.'
What doth it profit ? that is, the poor ; the belly is not filled with words, or the back clothed with wishes. This is but like that mad person that thought to pay his debts with the noise of money, and instead of opening his purse, shaked it. The poor will not thank you for good wishes, neither will God for saying you have faith.
The points are these : —
Ohs. 1. That an excellent way to discover our deceitful dealing with God is to put the case in a sensible instance, or to parallel it with our own dealings one with another. You will not count words liberality, neither will God count pretences faith : this is the reason of parables ; matters between God and us are stated by instances of like matters between man and man. The judgment hath best view of things when they are carried in a third person, and is not so Ijlinded and perverted as in our own case. David could determine,
2 Sam. xii., ' The man that doth this shall die the death.' If the case had been represented in a downright reproof, no doubt he would have been more favourable. Again, by this means they are made more ])lain and sensible ; for heavenly things, being represented in an earthly form, come clothed with our own notions. We can see the sun better in a basin than in the firmament, and interpret heaven's language when it speaketh to us in the dialect of earth. Well, then, use this art, put the case in a temporal matter : Mai. i. 8, ' Offer it now to the governor ; will he be pleased with thee ? or will he accept thy person ? ' Would men account this fair dealing, to come with a gift so sickly and imperfect ? So sometimes suppose the case your own : woulcl I be thus dealt withal ? Thus Christ made the Pharisees to give judgment against themselves, Mat. xxi. Those that despised,
^ See Luke ii. 29, and 2 Kings v. 19, where only is a salutation, not an allowance or grant of his request ; yea, Naaman's words imply a resolution rather than a case and request.
236 ANT ExrosiTiON, WITH NOTES, [Jab. II. 15, 16.
abused, porsccntocl tlio messcn2:crs, killed the son, saith Christ to them, ' What ^vill the Lord of the vineyard do with them?' They answer, ver. 40, 41, 'He will miserably destroy them, and let out his vineyard to other men.' So will God do to you, saith Christ, ver. 43. And thus God appealeth to the Jews upon a parable, Isa. v. 3, ' Jud^e between me and my people.' We shall soon see the irrationality of our inferences in divine matters when we put the case in terms proper to human affairs ; as when 'grace is turned into wantonness,' how absurd and illof^ical is the consequence, when we infer careless- ness of duty out of the abundance of grace ? It is as if you should say, My master is good, therefore I will oliend him and displease him. Thus you may do in many cases, especially when the word giveth you the hint of a metaphor ; only take heed you do not reason thus in tlio matter of believing and expecting mercy from God, lest you sti-aitcn free grace, which is not dispensed ' after the manner of man,' 2 ISam. vii. 19. God will accept a returning prostitute, wliich man will not, Jer. iii. 1. Otherwise itwill be of special use to shame us with neglect, to open a gap to conviction, to shame us with the absurdity and irrationality of our inferences in matters of religion.
Obs. 2. From that if a brother or a sister. God's own peojilc may be destitute of necessary outward sujiports: Heb. xi. 37, they 'of whom the world was not worthy,' ' wandered about, destitute, afflicted, tormented.' It is true David saith, Ps. xxxvii. 25, ' I have been young, and now am old, yet never saw I the righteous forsaken, or their seed begging bread;' but either he speakcth merely upon his own experience, or asserteth that they were not forsaken though begging bread ; or else he speaks of the shameful trade of begging, which among the Jews was a token of God's curse ; as Ps. lix. 15, ' Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satis- tied.' So, ' let them be vagabonds,' Ps. cix. 10. Certainly the Jews had more of the carnal and outward blessing of the covenant tlian be- lievers under the gospel, it being more suitable to their dispensation.
Ol)S. 3. Bare words will not discliarge or satisfy duty. Good words are good in tliemselves, and do become a Christian mouth, but they must not be rested in. Some cannot go so far in profession as good words, religious conference, and holy discourse. Words argue that you have a knowledge of duty; and bare words, that you want a heart for it.
Obs. 4. More particularly observe, that a few charitable words are not enough. Some men's words are fierce and cruel, others ' love in word and in tongjue,' 1 John iii. 20; but this is not enough. Words are cheap, compliments cost nothing; and will you serve God Avith that which costeth nothing? Words are but a cold kind of pity; the belly is not filled with words, but meat;^ nor is the back clothed with good wishes. Words ai-e but a derision ; you mock the poor when you bid them ' be warmed, be filled,' and do not minister to their necessities. Nay, it is a Icind of mocking of God: Gal. vi. 7, 'Be not deceived, (<od is not mocked.' He speaketh of such as would fain be accounted lii)e^:il and charitable, but it was only in words and excuses.