2. Those that do not render aught at all. They are crying for mercy, but think not of returning thanks to God, but, when they have what they would have, turn the back upon God, not the face : Jer. ii. 27, ' In the time of their trouble they will say, Arise and save us ; ' then their face is to God. There was a law in Ezekiel xlvi, 9, ' He that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate,' &c. He that went in at one gate was not to go out at the same gate, but an opposite ; some say, lest he should turn his back upon the mercy-seat.
3. Those that render something, but not suitable. If you would render according, you must be in a capacity. Under the law, the peace- offering was brought at the top of a burnt-offering, Lev. iii. 3. We must be first reconciled to God before we can do anything acceptable. Awaken the heart to the work. David awakens his soul : Ps. ciii. 1,
Bless the Lord, 0 my soul ; and all that is within me, bless his holy name.' Search out the works of God : Ps. cxi. 2, ' The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure in them.' Consider what the world gaineth by every discovery of God, what attributes of God are manifested, what promises are accomplished, how church hopes thrive. Desire God to give you the heart to render, that he that gave the occasion would give the disposition : Ps. li. 15, ' Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.' We are spiritually dumb and tongue-tied. Eeason and argue from your experiences to your duty : Ezra ix. 13, ' Seeing thou hast given us such a deliverance as this, shall we again break thy commandments ? ' When you have done all, you will be at a loss : Ps. cxvi. 12, ' What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me ? ' He that hath a right sense of God's mercies will be forced to say so ; and therefore be striving more and more.
Doct. 2. That it is a sign we are unthankful under mercies when the heart is lifted up upon the enjoyment of them. The Spirit of God bringetb this as the evidence against Hezekiah.
Eeasons of the point.
1. Because God can never be rightly praised and exalted while the heart is proud : Isa. ii. 17, ' And the loftiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.' God is exalted in
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the creatures' self-abasement ; as two buckets in a well, when one goeth clown, the other cometh up. The ark and dagon cannot stand together,
1 Sam. V. 3. Set up the ark, and dagon must come upon his face. If you would have God exalted in the riches of his grace, you must lie in the dust.
2. A proud, lifted-up heart cannot be rightly conversant about bless- ings. It doth not give them their due rise, nor their due value, nor their due end.
[1.] Not their due rise. Many will say God did it. ' God, I thank thee/ was in the pharisee's mouth, Luke xviii. 11 ; but they do not stand wondering why God should do it ; as David : 2 Sam. vii. 18, * Who am I, 0 Lord God ? and what is my father's house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? ' that God should look upon a worm, whence is it ? what did God see in me ? They actually disclaim all respect, and worth, and merit in themselves, that praise God aright.
[2.] A proud heart doth not give blessings their due value. He looketh for more still, he entertaineth crosses with murmuring, and blessings with disdain. It is but thus and thus, and still set God a new task to do : Ps. Ixxviii. 20, ' Behold he smote the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed ; can he give bread also ? can he provide flesh for his people ? ' They slight what is past if they have not what they look for : ' All this availeth me nothing, as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate,' Esther v. 13 ; Mai. i. 2, 'I have loved you, saith the Lord ; yet they say, Wherein hast thou loved us ? ' Where are all those mercies and glorious experiences ? It is all forgotten and undervalued. If the mercies fit not our mould, all is nothing.
[3.] It doth not give blessings their due ends. God giveth us mercies that we might be more holy and humble, and pride maketh us more carnal and insolent and secure ; and so we feed our lusts of the Lord's provision. He gives mercies that ' we may be lifted up in his ways,'
2 Chron. xvii. 6, that we might promote his interest the more cheerfully, without baseness, fear, or carnal respects. But pride abuseth it to care- lessness, contempt of holy things, insultation over those that are fallen under God's hand : Dent, xxxii. 15, * Jeshurun waxed wanton and kicked.' They despise the ordinances of God, and dispute away duties, and cavil at religion. Is this the fruit of our deliverances ?