SERMON UPON 2 SAMDEL XXIV. 24.
Neither will I offer bitrnt-qferings unto the Lord my God of that which costs me nothing. — 2 Sam. xxiv. 24.
In the context you will find a laudable contention between a good king and a good subject. Since it was to David, and since it was for the Lord, Araunah would not sell, but give. On the other side, David, since it was for the Lord, he would not take, but buy. A double reason may be given of David's refusal.
1. According to the law no man might offer to God anything but what was his own.
2. Because he would not serve God cost free.
You have both in the parallel place, 1 Chron. xxi. 24, ' I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt-offerings without cost.' In the text it is notable that he calleth God, ' the Lord,' to note his majesty ; and ' my God,' to note his own love, choice, and interest. Such a God he could not find in his heart to serve in a cheap and unworthy fashion. ' Neither will I offer,' &c.
Boot. A gracious heart will not serve God with that which costs him nothing ; or counts that religion worth nothing which costs nothing.
Reasons. 1. This is the fruit of their faith. Carnal nature be- grudgeth everything ; and in the eye of sense all is lost that is laid out upon God. They say, with Judas, ' What needs this waste ? ' The same judgment that Seneca gave upon the Jewish sabbath, the same thoughts have carnal men of all the service of God : he said the Jews were a foolish people, quia septimam cetatis partem perdunt vacando, because they lost a full seventh part of their lives in idleness and rest. Now those that are thus minded, that think all is lost that is laid out in his service, will never do anything for God that is great and worthy ; the refuse of what they have is thought good enough for him. That this opinion, that all that is done in religion for God's sake is as good as lost, hath an influence upon men's careless and perfunctory dealing in religion, appeareth by the first chapter of Malachi. The main intent of that chapter is to expostulate with them about their con- tempt of God, and the sorry service which they brought to him. Among other arguments, this is pleaded, that the meanest employment about him was not without its reward : Mai. i. 10, ' Who is there among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye
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82 SERMON UPON 2 SAMUEL XXIV. 24.
kindle a fire on my altar for nought,' &c. That is, the porters of the temple did not open and shut the doors for nought ; nor the priest attend upon the burnt-offering for nought ; they were all well rewarded with tithes and oblations ; they were all well provided for, by God's own appointment and allowance. This is God's argument, which plainly showeth they were under the influence and dominion of this blasphemous thought : that they should be losers by God, and there- fore did not care how they served him. But now a man that hath faith, that is persuaded of God's being and bounty, Heb. xi. 6, he thinketh he can never do enough for God ; for he knoweth it will turn to a good account. Here, during the time of his patience, the super- ficial service he gets from us hath its reward : God giveth many temporal blessings to those that worship him in the slightest fashion. He suspended his judgments, j^ou know, upon Ahab's counterfeit humiliation, 1 Kings xxi. 29. His providence plainly declarelh that none shall be a loser by him, nor do anything for nought ; and there- fore, shall we not do it well ? If anything be done sincerely, though never so mean and inconsiderable, it hath its reward : Mat. x. 42, ' He that giveth a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose his reward.' The smallness and meanness of the benefit, help, or refreshing, done to any in Christ's name, shall not lose his estimation and recompense, if it be done under that notion. This, though hardly credited by the unbelieving world, is very true: 'Verily I say unto you,' and ' shall in no wise,' they are emphatical particles. But now the more eminent services, which are carried on with hazard and difficult}^ and some considerable self-denial, surely they shall not fail of their recompense : whatever we lose for Christ, we shall receive again with infinite advantage : Mark x. 29, 30, ' Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, and brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with per- secutions, and in the world to come eternal life.' He shall not only have heaven at last ; but here in this life, in the midst of persecution an hundredfold. Even in this time, the time of trials and troubles ; yea, by his troubles : in kind or value. Not an hundred wives, or mothers, or children, as Julian scoffed. Now who would not serve such a master, and serve him with his best, improve every received ability, stand upon no cost and charges, so we may be faithful to him ? It would be no difficult thing to persuade men to it, if they were firmly persuaded of these things ; as it would be no hard thing to persuade others to put out their money where they may have, not only ten in the hundred, but an hundred for ten ; or to sow their seed there where the soil will certainly produce an hundredfold. But we want faith, and therefore draw back and struggle with our shoulders when we are to do anything for God that will occasion trouble or cost. That faith hath a great influence upon the costly and self-denying services of the saints, is evident by the instance of Abel : Heb. xi. 4, * By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain,' TrXeicova dvaiav, the first, the fat, the best, the tenth. Cain, that doubted of the world to come, bringeth it hand over head. So also the instance of Abraham: