1 Qu. ' nobis et pro nobis ' ? — Ed.
SERMONS UPON LUKE XII. 48. 365
reason, have an immortal soul ; and for the body, ' our fle.sh is as the flesh of our brethren,' Neh. v. 5. Yea, they are all involved in the same common misery ; all sinners, all children of wrath, and guilty of eternal damnation. Now there being such a parity and equality in misery, what can be due to our nature ? The apostle useth this argument, Rom. iii. 22, 23, ' The righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe ; for there is no differ- ence : for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.' That righteousness which God freely giveth by Christ must save all, for there is no difference between one and another. Though there may be a diversity of states in the world, yet that doth not take away identity of nature. Others are reasonable creatures as well as we, and we are sinners as well as they. If God doth bestow any common and saving gifts upon any, it is merely of his free bounty.
2. Or else it must be ex 'pretio, by way of purchase. But we have nothing to pay, for all is God's already. There is indeed a price given to purchase all necessary grace for us ; but not by us, but by Christ, ' who gave himself a lansom for all,' 1 Tim. ii. 6, to redeem us to God.
3. Or ex mci'ito, by way of merit or great desert on our parts. But a creature can merit nothing of his Creator : Rom. xi. 35, ' Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again ? ' God is debtor to no man. The fountain oweth nothing to the stream, but the stream all to the fountain. Nor doth the sun owe anything to its beams, but the beams owe their all to the sun. It reraaineth then that it must be ex dono, by way of gift, free gift. There is no cause in the creature why God should make this difference, no inherent worth to move him so to do ; all is of free donation.
Use. This showeth — (1.) Whom to thank ; (2.) Where to seek any good gift or grace that we stand in need of.
1. Whom to thank. Whatever excellency you have, or however you are dignified from others, are not all these things the free gifts of God ? And should you boast of that which is God's free gift, and of which you are but receivers : 1 Cor. iv 7, ' Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it ? ' The apostle intimateth there that to give is a blessed thing, but to receive is an humbling thing. Wilt thou glory of that which never could be thine unless it had been bestowed upon thee by the singular grace and mere favour of another ? The glory belongeth not to the party receiving, but to the person giving. Therefore we should not rob God of his glory, and sacrifice to our own net and drag. As we have nothing but from God, so we should have nothing but for God. All the gifts you have you receive from him, and not from yourselves ; and therefore you must use them for him, and not for yourselves.
[1.] Do you differ in health, strength, beauty ? it is from God. He might have stamped the deformity of our souls upon our bodies, and we might all come into the world blind and maimed, with crooked bodies, distorted limbs, that the shape of our bodies might discover the depravation of our souls. If it be not so, give God the praise, and pity others. We read, John ix. 1-3, ' As Jesus passed by, he saw a man that was blind from his birth. And bis disciples asked him. saying,
3G6 SERMONS UPON LUKE XII. 48.
Wlio did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents ; but that tlio works of God might be made manifest in him.' We are not to make a perverse judgment, or censure others, but to admire the secret wisdom of God, and bless him if he hath given you a better constitution and a body tit for work and service.
[2.] Do you differ in the endowments of the mind, in a quick wit, clear understanding, solid judgment, and the vivacity of natural parts, whilst others are more heavy and blockish ? Who must have the glory of this, God or you ? Job xxxii. 8, ' There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.' You are to lielp the weaker, and glorify God that you have a more acute discern- ing, otherwise your understanding may undo you, and your unsanctified wit may be your eternal ruin, as many wit themselves into hell.
[3.] Is it that you flow in wealth and honour, and have great power and interest? Will you therefore vaunt yourselves unseemly, and de- spise and oppress the ])Oor. ? There are three proverbs, Prov. xiv. 31, ' He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker,' Prov. xvii. 5 ; ' Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker ; ' and again, Prov. xxii. 2, ' The rich and the poor meet together, the Lord is the Maker of them all ; ' that is, they live one among another, and have need of one another. Now God, that forbiddeth the poor to envy the rich, doth forbid the rich to despise the poor, for otherwise they dishonour God. This injury and contempt is to despise the wisdom of God, who would have some low and poor, others dignified with honour and estate. God hath laid this burden upon them. The heathens, that acknowledged a God and a providence, said, el rU t?}? (j)vaea)<i d/xapT')]/j.aTa,&c. — He that upbraided another with the defects of nature, did not upbraid the person so much as nature itself. So we that own a particular providence may know that to upbraid any man with his poverty, is to upbraid God who hath laid this burden upon them. We have cause to give thanks that we are not as they, that our Maker hath put a difference ; when they labour hard for the supplies of life, they come to us more plentifully and easily.