3. He hath a right of using and disposing all things thus in his
428 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XI.
possession according to his own pleasure. Reason will tell us that the use, benefit, and utility of anything belongeth to him whose it is ; so God is the sole disposer of all things. As he made them for himself, so he governeth them ultimately and terminatively for himself ; some things immediately, all things ultimately : ' By whom and for whom all things were made,' Prov. xvi. 4; all the conditions of men, riches, poverty, health, sickness, ease, pain, life, death. Now this right of dis- posing of us is of great use to keep us in a quiet subjection to God's laws and providence, without murmuring or repining. We cannot say to him, What makest thou ? or, Why doest thou this ? Isa. xlv. 9. It is enough God did it. But to apply the whole.
Use 1. It serveth to check many sins. All mischief and disorder cometh from looking upon ourselves as proprietaries and owners, and not considering who hath the great interest in us. Surely were these truths well digested and thought of by us, it would work a great cure upon mankind.
1. That nothing we have is our own.
2. That whatsoever is given us by God, is given us for his service, to be done to him.
3. That to this Lord of ours we must be answerable, who will one day call us to an account. Or will you take one of them, if all be too many to be remembered by you ; and that one implieth all the rest : ' Ye are not your own, but are bought with a price.' If a man did think of this, My heart is not my own, it is God's, and he must have it, he would not fill it with the dross of evil thoughts. My time is not my own ; my tongue, my wit, my language, it is not my own. Would the prodigal waste his estate so vainly ? Reprove him, and he will tell you, I spend but my own. The covetous man saith, ' Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh, and give it to men that I know not ? ' 1 Sam. xxv. 11. How easily might you persuade him to charity, could you convince him it is another's goods, and to be laid out when the Lord hath need of it. It would check our pride to con- sider ' who made us to differ,' 1 Cor. iv. 7. Alas ! master, it was borrowed, as Elisha's servant told his master. A groom is proud of his master's horse : they are proud of that which is none of theirs, that are proud of their parts and proud of their estates. Yea, it would check our spiritual pride, when we have done anything for God, or suffered anything for God, or given anything for God's sake : 1 Chron. xxix. 12-14, ' Of thine own have we given thee, for all is thine.'
Use 2. Is to press us to more faithfulness in God's service ; to serve him more with our parts, time, strength, wit, wealth, power, and in- terest. All the good things that God hath given us are God's still. Now you should ' give unto God the things that are God's. You are robbers if you lay not out all that you have according to his will, and for his glory. But (1.) ' Give yourselves to the Lord,' 2 Cor. viii. 5, and then other things will come in the more easily. You are his already ; you cannot add to God's right; yet it may add to the obligation, bind you more strongly to subjection and obedience. Oh ! then, in the first place, become his servants and vassals ; avouch God to be your God : Deut. xxvi. 17, ' Thou hast avouched this day the Lord to be thy God.' Wicked men give up themselves to the Lord, but it is by constraint :
Vers. 14, 15.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 429
' All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' But, ' Oh, that they had an heart ! ' Deut. v. 28, 29. (2.) Having given yourselves to the Lord, give other things to him. A Christian lays himself, and all his in- terests and capacities, at Jesus Christ's feet, that he may make an advantage of everything for God : Zech. xiv. 20, ' In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord ; yea, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord.' We have received nothing from ourselves, and therefore should improve all we are and have for God. (3.) The reality of our dedication will be known by our use, if hard at work for God, and this be the business of our lives : Phil. i. 21, ' To me to live is Christ.' It is not enough negatively that our gifts be not employed against Christ as weapons of unrighteousness, but positively for God, that he gets something by every relation and acquaintance: Neh. i. 11, 'Prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and give him mercy in the sight of this man ; for I was the king's cup-bearer.' He improved his place for God when he was in it. God hath made many great and rich, but what doth the Lord get by them ? Are they more useful ? Some have wit, but do not consecrate it to Jesus Christ ; have power, interest, and great place, but they do not honour God thereby : though they profess to give up them- selves to God, yet in the use of themselves there appeareth no such matter : they use their tongues as their own, hearts as their own, wealth, strength, and interests as their own. Therefore you should keep a constant reckoning how you lay out yourselves for God. Undertake nothing but what will bear this inscription upon it, ' Holi- ness to the Lord.' Put this question to yourselves, Can I dedicate this to the Lord ? Eccles. ii. 2, ' What doth it ? '