k Heb. xi. 38. i Matt, xxiii. 29— 31. "» Matt. x. 32, 33.
David's gratitude.
2 Sam. vii. 18, 19. Then went king David in, and sat before- the Lord, and he said. Who am I, 0 Lord God ? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God ; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house, for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God ?
IT is no small comfort to reflect that the disposi- tions of our hearts are noticed by God, and, if good, are well-pleasing in his sight. There are many holy
VOL. III. s
desires and purposes which we are not able to ac- complish ; which yet are accepted before God, as mnch as if they had been carried into effect. David had conceived a wish and determination to build a house for God, in order that the ark, which was the symbol of the divine presence, might no more dwell within curtains, while he himself was dwelling in a house of cedar. But God did not suffer him to execute his purpose, on account of his having shed much blood in war^ : nevertheless he commended the desire (" thou didst well that it was in thy heart ^") and made it an occasion of discovering to him the honour that was to be conferred on him and his posterity. Struck with the majesty and con- descension of God, David went in before him, and burst forth into these expressions of devoutest adora- tion. We shall shew,
I. What grounds David had for gratitude and thanksgiving —
Though David was not suffered to gratify his own inclinations in the particular before mentioned, yet he found abundant cause of thankfulness in,
1. The mercies already vouchsafed to him —
[He had been taken from a very low employment '^ ; chosen in preference, not only to all his own family, but also to the whole nation ; preserved in the midst of numberless dangers ; exalted in due season to the throne prepared for him ; made victorious over all his enemies ; and brought to a state of unrivalled power, affluence, and prosperity*^. On a review of these mercies, he could not but be astonished at the divine goodness to him, or refrain from proclaiming it with rapturous admiration.]
2. The mercies yet further promised to him —
[God had promised that he should have a son, on whom the honour of building a temple should be conferred ; yea, moreover, that the Messiah also should spring from his loins, and sit upon his throne for ever and ever*^. In comparison of this, David observes that all his personal advancement was " but a light matter : " and then, as utterly at a loss to express
a 1 Chron. xxii. 8. ''1 Kings viii. 18. c ver. 8.
^ ver. 9. '^ ver. 12 — 14. with Heb. i. 5.
314.3 David's gratitude. 259
his sense of the divine goodness, he exclaims, " Is this the manner of man, O Lord God ? " is this the way in which mean and worthless men, such as he felt himself to be, are treated by their fellow-creatures *^? No: it is peculiar to God, who magnifies his own sovereignty in conferring the richest benefits on the most unworthy of mankind.]
But however distinguished a favourite of Heaven David was,
II. We have still greater reason for gratitude and thanksgiving —
Let us view our obligations to God,
1. Generally —
[As creatures, we were originally formed of the dust of the earth: yet, though so mean in our original, we were distin- guished above the whole creation by having a rational and im- mortal soul breathed into us, and a capacity given us to know, to love, to serve, and to enjoy God. Let any one of the human race reflect on this, and say, whether he has not reason to adore the goodness of God, who has given him powers so infinitely superior to any that are possessed by the brute creation, and faculties that shall enjoy eternal blessedness, if it be not utterly his own fault. Let but this elevation of our nature be considered, and we shall exclaim, with profoundest reverence, " Who am I, O Lord God, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? " As sinners, we have still further ground for praise. We are by nature mean ; but by practice we have been inexpressibly vile. Yet when we were deserving of nothing but his wrath, God loved us, and gave his own Son to die for us. Further, when we were even trampling on the blood that was shed for us, he sent his Spirit to reveal his Son in ovu* hearts, and both to fit us for his glory, and to bring us safely to the possession of it. And " is this the manner of man, O Lord God?" Man selects those who are great and worthy, in order to bestow on them his richest favours ; but God, in choosing us, " has lifted the beggar from the dunghill, to set him among princes, and to make him inherit a throne of glory s." O what marvellous condescension is this ! and what gratitude does it demand at our hands ! " Who is a God like unto thee ^? "]