he had carried _Israel_ away into captivity, placed in the cities of
_Samaria_, _They feared the_ Lord, _and served their own gods. These
nations_, saith the inspired writer, _feared the_ Lord, performed an
outward service to him, (a plain proof that they had a fear of God,
tho’ not according to knowledge) _and served their graven images, both
their children and their children’s children; as did their fathers, so
did they unto this day_, 2 Kings xvii. 33, &c.
How nearly does the practice of most modern Christians, resemble this
of the ancient Heathens? _They fear the_ Lord: they also perform an
outward service to him, and hereby shew, they have some fear of God;
but they likewise _serve their own gods_. There are those who _teach
them_ (as there were who taught the _Assyrians_) _the manner of the_
God _of the land_; the God whose name the country bears to this day,
and who was once worshipped there with an holy worship. _Howbeit_,
they do not serve him alone; they do not fear him enough for this.
But _every nation maketh gods of their own, every nation in the cities
wherein they dwell. These nations fear the_ Lord, they have not laid
aside the outward form of worshipping him. But _they serve their graven
images_, silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. Money, pleasure and
praise, the gods of this world, more than divide their service with the
God of _Israel_. This is the manner both of _their children and their
children’s children; as did their fathers, so do they unto this day_.
2. But altho’ speaking in a loose way, after the common manner of men,
those poor Heathens were said _to fear the_ Lord, yet we may observe
the Holy Ghost immediately adds, speaking according to the truth and
real nature of things, _They fear not the_ Lord, _neither do after the
law and commandment which the_ Lord _commanded the children of Jacob:
with whom the_ Lord _made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye
shall not fear other gods, nor serve them.――But the_ Lord _your_ God
_ye shall fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your
enemies_.
The same judgment is passed by the unerring Spirit of God, and indeed
by all, the eyes of whose understanding he hath opened, to discern
the things of God, upon these poor Christians, commonly so called.
If we speak according to the truth and real nature of things, _they
fear not the_ Lord, _neither do they serve him_. For they do not _after
the covenant the_ Lord _hath made with them, neither after the law and
commandment which he hath commanded them_, saying, Thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. _They serve other
gods_ unto this day. And _no man can serve two masters_.
3. How vain is it for any man to aim at this? To attempt the serving
of two masters. Is it not easy to foresee, what must be the unavoidable
consequence of such an attempt? _Either he will hate the one and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other._
The two parts of this sentence, altho’ separately proposed, are to
be understood in connexion with each other. For the latter part is
a consequence of the former. He will naturally _hold to_ him whom
he loves. He will so cleave to him, as to perform to him a willing,
faithful, and diligent service. And in the mean time, he will so far,
at least, _despise_ the master he hates, as to have little regard to
his commands, and to obey them, if at all, in a slight and careless
manner. Therefore, whatsoever the wise men of the world may suppose,
_Ye cannot serve_ God _and mammon_.
4. _Mammon_ was the name of one of the Heathen gods, who was supposed
to preside over riches. It is here understood of riches themselves;
gold and silver, or in general, money: and by a common figure of speech,
of all that may be purchased thereby; such as ease, honour, and sensual
pleasure.
But what are we here to understand, by _serving_ God? And what, by
_serving mammon_?
We cannot _serve_ God, unless we believe in him. This is the only
true foundation of serving him. Therefore, the believing in God, as
_reconciling the world to himself_ thro’ _Christ Jesus_, the believing
in him, as a loving, pardoning God, is the first great branch of his
service.
And, thus to believe in God implies, to _trust_ in him as our strength,
without whom we can do nothing; who every moment endues us with power
from on high, without which it is impossible to please him: as our help,
our only help in time of trouble, who compasseth us about with songs of
deliverance: as our shield, our defender, and the lifter up of our head
above all our enemies that are round about us.
It implies, to trust in God as our happiness; as the center of spirits,
the only rest of our souls; the only good who is adequate to all our
capacities, and sufficient to satisfy all the desires he hath given us.
It implies (what is nearly allied to the other) to trust in God, as
our end; to have an eye to him in all things; to use all things only as
means of enjoying him: wheresoever we are, or whatsoever we do, to see
him that is invisible, looking on us well-pleased, and refer all things
to him in _Christ Jesus_.
5. Thus to believe, is the first thing we are to understand by
_serving_ God. The second is, To love him.
Now, to love God in the manner the scripture describes, in the manner
God himself requires of us, and by requiring engages to work in us, is
to love him as the one God: that is, _with all our heart and with all
our soul, and with all our mind, and with all our strength_: it is to
desire God alone for his own sake; and nothing else, but with reference
to him: to rejoice in God; to delight in the Lord; not only to seek but
find happiness in him: to enjoy God as the chiefest among ten thousand:
to rest in him, as our God and our all. In a word, to have such a
possession of God, as makes us always happy.
6. A third thing we are to understand by _serving_ God, is, To resemble
or imitate him.
So the antient Father, _Optimus Dei Cultus, imitari quem colis_. It is
the best worship or service of God, to imitate him you worship.
We here speak, of imitating or resembling him in the spirit of our
minds. For here the true Christian imitation of God begins. God is a
Spirit; and they that imitate or resemble him, must do it in spirit and
in truth.
Now God is love. Therefore they who resemble him in the spirit of their
minds, are transformed into the same image. They are merciful, even
as he is merciful. Their soul is all love. They are kind, benevolent,
compassionate, tender-hearted: and that not only to the good and gentle,
but also to the froward. Yea, they are, like him, loving unto every man,
and their mercy extends to all his works.
7. One thing more we are to understand by _serving_ God, and that is,
the obeying him; the glorifying him with our bodies, as well as with
our spirits: the keeping his outward commandments: the zealously doing
whatever he hath enjoined, the carefully avoiding whatever he hath
forbidden: the performing all the ordinary actions of life, with a
single eye and a pure heart; offering them all in holy, fervent love,
as sacrifices to God, through _Jesus Christ_.
8. Let us consider now, what we are to understand, on the other hand,
by _serving mammon_. And first, it implies, the _trusting_ in riches,
in money, or the things purchasable thereby, as our strength, the means
whereby we shall perform, whatever cause we have in hand: the trusting
in them as our help, by which we look to be comforted in, or delivered
out of trouble.
It implies, the trusting in the world for happiness; the supposing that
_a man’s life consisteth_ (the comfort of his life) _in the abundance
of things which he possesseth_: the looking for rest, in the things
that are seen; for content in outward plenty; the expecting that
satisfaction in the things of the world, which can never be found out
of God.
And if we do this, we cannot but make the world our end: the ultimate
end, if not of all at least of many of our undertakings, many of our
actions and designs: in which we shall aim only at an increase of
wealth, at the obtaining pleasure or praise; at the gaining a larger
measure of temporal things, without any reference to things eternal.
9. The _serving mammon_ implies, secondly, loving the world: desiring
it for its own sake; the placing our joy in the things thereof, and
setting our hearts upon them: the seeking (what indeed it is impossible
we should find) our happiness therein: the resting with the whole
weight of our souls, upon the staff of this broken reed; although daily
experience shews it cannot support, but will only _enter into our hand
and pierce it_.
10. To resemble, to be conformed to the world, is a third thing we
are to understand by _serving mammon_: to have not only designs, but
desires, tempers, affections suitable to those of the world: to be of
an earthly, sensual mind, chained down to the things of earth: to be
self-willed, inordinate lovers of ourselves: to think highly of our own
attainments; to desire and delight in the praise of men: to fear, shun,
and abhor reproach: to be impatient of reproof, easy to be provoked,
and swift to return evil for evil.
11. To _serve mammon_ is, lastly, to obey the world, by outwardly
conforming to its maxims and customs; to walk as other men walk, in the
common road, in the broad, smooth, beaten path; to be in the fashion,
to follow a multitude; to do like the rest of our neighbours; that
is, to do the will of the flesh and the mind, to gratify our appetites
and inclinations: to sacrifice to ourselves; aim at our own ease and
pleasure, in the general course both of our words and actions.
Now what can be more undeniably clear, than that we _cannot_ thus
_serve_ God _and mammon_?
12. *Does not every man see, that he cannot _comfortably_ serve
both? That to trim between God and the world, is the sure way to be
disappointed in both, and to have no rest either in one or the other?
How uncomfortable a condition must he be in, who having the fear but
not the love of God, who serving him, but not with all his heart, has
only the toils and not the joys of religion? He has religion enough to
make him miserable, but not enough to make him happy: his religion will
not let him enjoy the world; and the world will not let him enjoy God.
So that by halting between both he loses both, and has no peace either
in God or the world.
13. Does not every man see, that he cannot serve both, _consistently_
with himself? What more glaring inconsistency can be conceived, than
must continually appear in his whole behaviour, who is endeavouring
to obey both these masters, striving to _serve_ God _and mammon_? He
is indeed _a sinner that goeth two ways_; one step forward and another
backward. He is continually building up with one hand, and pulling down
with the other. He loves sin, and he hates it: he is always seeking,
and yet always fleeing from God. He would and he would not. He is not
the same man, for one day, no, not for an hour together. He is a motly
mixture of all sorts of contrarieties; a heap of contradictions jumbled
in one. O, be consistent with thyself, one way or the other. Turn to
the right-hand or to the left. If _mammon_ be God, serve thou him; if
the Lord, then serve him. But never think of serving either at all,
unless it be with thy whole heart.
14. Does not every reasonable, every thinking man see, that he
cannot _possibly serve_ God _and mammon_? Because there is the most
absolute contrariety, the most irreconcileable enmity between them. The
contrariety between the most opposite things on earth, between fire and
water, darkness and light, vanishes into nothing, when compared to the
contrariety between God and mammon. So that in whatsoever respect you
serve the one, you necessarily renounce the other. Do you believe in
God through _Christ_? Do you _trust_ in him as your strength, your help,
your shield, and your exceeding great reward? As your happiness? Your
end in all, above all things? Then you cannot _trust_ in riches. It is
absolutely impossible you should, so long as you have this faith in God.
Do you thus _trust in riches_? Then you have denied the faith. You do
not trust in the living God. Do you _love_ God? Do you seek and find
happiness in him? Then you cannot love the world; neither the things
of the world. You are crucified to the world, and the world crucified
to you. Do you _love the world_? Are your affections set on things
beneath? Do you seek happiness in earthly things? Then it is impossible
you should love God. Then the love of the Father is not in you. Do you
_resemble_ God? Are you merciful, as your Father is merciful? Are you
transformed by the renewal of your mind, into the image of him that
created you? Then you cannot be conformed to the present world. You
have renounced all its affections and lusts. Are you conformed to the
world? Does your soul still bear the image of the earthly? Then you
are not renewed in the spirit of your mind. You do not bear the image
of the heavenly. Do you _obey_ God? Are you zealous to do his will
on earth as the angels do in heaven? Then it is impossible you should
_obey mammon_. Then you set the world at open defiance. You trample
its customs and maxims under foot, and will neither follow nor be led
by them. Do you follow the world? Do you live like other men? Do you
please men? Do you please yourself? Then you cannot be a servant of God.
You are of your master and father, the devil.
15. Therefore thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt
thou serve. Thou shalt lay aside all thoughts of obeying two masters,
of serving God and mammon. Thou shalt propose to thyself no end, no
help, no happiness, but God. Thou shalt seek nothing in earth or heaven
but him: thou shalt aim at nothing, but to know, to love and enjoy
him. And because this is all your business below, the only view you
can reasonably have, the one design you are to pursue in all things;
_therefore I say unto you_ (as our Lord continues his discourse)
_take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall
drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on_. A deep and weighty
direction, which it imports us well to consider and throughly to
understand.
16. Our Lord does not here require, that we should be utterly without
thought, even touching the concerns of this life. A giddy, careless
temper is at the farthest remove from the whole religion of _Jesus
Christ_. Neither does he require us to be _slothful in business_, to
be slack and dilatory therein. This likewise is contrary to the whole
spirit and genius of his religion. A Christian abhors sloth as much as
drunkenness, and flees from idleness as he does from adultery. He well
knows, that there is one kind of thought and care, with which God is
well-pleased; which is absolutely needful for the due performance ♦of
those outward works, unto which the providence of God has called him.
It is the will of God, that every man should labour to _eat his own
bread_: yea, and that every man should provide for his own, for them
of his own houshold. It is likewise his will that we should _owe no man
any thing_, but _provide things honest in the sight of all men_. But
this cannot be done, without taking some thought, without having some
care upon our minds: yea, often, not without long and serious thought,
not without much and earnest care. Consequently, this care, to provide
for ourselves and our houshold, this thought, how to render to all
their dues, our blessed Lord does not condemn. Yea, it ♦is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.
It is good and acceptable to God, that we should so take thought
concerning whatever we have in hand, as to have a clear comprehension
of what we are about to do, and to plan our business before we enter
upon it. And it is right that we should carefully consider from time
to time, what steps we are to take therein; as well as that we should
prepare all things before hand, for the carrying it on in the most
effectual manner. This care termed by some, “The care of the head,” it
was by no means our Lord’s design to condemn.
17. What he here condemns is, “The care of the heart:” the anxious,
uneasy care: the care that hath torment; all such care as does hurt,
either to the soul or body. What he forbids is, that care which sad
experience shews, wastes the blood and drinks up the spirits: which
anticipates all the misery it fears, and comes to torment us before
the time. He forbids only that care, which poisons the blessings
of to-day, by fear of what may be to-morrow; which cannot enjoy the
present plenty, though apprehensions of future want. This care is not
only a sore disease, a grievous sickness of soul, but also an heinous
offence against God, a sin of the deepest dye. It is an high affront
to the gracious Governor and wise disposer of all things; necessarily
implying, that the great Judge does not do right, that he does not
order all things well. It plainly implies, that he is wanting, either
in wisdom, if he does not know what things we stand in need of: or in
goodness, if he does not provide those things, for all who put their
trust in him. Beware therefore that you take not thought in this sense:
be ye anxiously careful for nothing. Take no uneasy thought: this is a
plain, sure rule, _uneasy_ care is _unlawful care_. With a single eye
to God do all that in you lies, to provide things honest in the sight
of all men. And then give up all into better hands: leave the whole
event to God.
18. _Take no thought_ of this kind, no uneasy thought even _for your
life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body,
what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than
raiment?_ If then God gave you life, the greater gift, will he not give
you food to sustain it? If he hath given you the body, how can ye doubt,
but he will give you raiment to cover it? More especially, if you give
yourselves up to him, and serve him with your whole heart. _Behold_,
see before your eyes, _the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither
do they reap, nor gather into barns_; and yet they lack nothing, _yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye much better than they?_
Ye that are creatures capable of God? Are ye not of more account in
the eyes of God? Of a higher rank in the scale of beings? _And which of
you by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature?_ What profit
have you then from this anxious thought? It is every way fruitless and
unavailing.
_And why take ye thought for raiment?_ Have ye not a daily reproof,
wherever you turn your eyes? _Consider the lillies of the field how
they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you,
that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore if_ God _so cloath the grass of the field, which to day is,
and to morrow is cast into the oven_, is cut down, burnt up and seen
no more, _shall he not much more cloath you, O ye of little faith_?
You whom he made to endure for ever and ever, to be pictures of his own
eternity! Ye are indeed of little faith. Otherwise ye could not doubt
of his love and care, no, not for a moment.
19. _Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat_, if we lay
up no treasure upon earth? _What shall we drink_, if we serve God with
all our strength, if our eye be singly fixed on him? _Wherewithal shall
we be cloathed_, if we are not conformed to the world, if we disoblige
those by whom we might be profited? _For after all these things do the
Gentiles seek_, the Heathens who know not God. But ye are sensible,
_your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things_.
And he hath pointed out to you an infallible way, of being constantly
supplied therewith. _Seek ye first the kingdom of_ God _and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you_.
20. _Seek ye first the kingdom of_ God. Before ye give place to any
other thought or care, let it be your concern, that the God and Father
of our Lord _Jesus Christ_, who _gave his only begotten Son, to the end
that believing in him, ye might not perish but have everlasting life_,
may reign in your heart, may manifest himself in your soul, and dwell
and rule there: that he may _cast down every high thing which exalteth
itself against the knowledge of_ God, _and bring into captivity every
thought to the obedience of_ Christ. Let God have the sole dominion
over you. Let him reign without a rival. Let him possess all your heart,
and rule alone. Let him be your one desire, your joy, your love: so
that all that is within you may continually cry out, _The_ Lord God
_omnipotent reigneth_.
_Seek the kingdom of_ God _and his righteousness_. Righteousness is
the fruit of God’s reigning in the heart. And what is righteousness
but love? The love of God and of all mankind, flowing from faith in
_Jesus Christ_, and producing humbleness of mind, meekness, gentleness,
long-suffering, patience, deadness to the world; and every right
disposition of heart, toward God and toward man. And by these it
produces all holy actions, whatsoever are lovely or of good report;
whatsoever works of faith and labour of love are acceptable to God and
profitable to man.
_His righteousness_: this is all _his_ righteousness still: it is his
own free gift to us, for the sake of _Jesus Christ_ the righteous,
through whom alone it is purchased for us: and it is his _work_: it is
he alone that worketh it in us, by the inspiration of the holy Spirit.
21. Perhaps the well observing this may give light to some other
scriptures, which we have not always so clearly understood. St. _Paul_,
speaking in his epistle to the _Romans_, concerning the unbelieving
_Jews_, saith, _They being ignorant of_ God’s _righteousness, and,
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of_ God. I believe this may be one
sense of the words. They were _ignorant of_ God’s _righteousness_,
not only of the righteousness of _Christ_, imputed to every believer,
whereby all his sins are blotted out, and he is reconciled to the
favour of God: but (which seems here to be more immediately understood)
they were ignorant of that inward righteousness, of that holiness of
heart, which is with the utmost propriety termed God’s _righteousness_,
as being both his own free gift through _Christ_, and his own work, by
his almighty Spirit. And because they were ignorant of this, they _went
about to establish their own righteousness_. They laboured to establish
that outside righteousness, which might very properly be termed _their
own_. For neither was it wrought by the Spirit of God, nor was it
owned or accepted of him. They might work this themselves, by their
own natural strength: and when they had done, it was a stink in his
nostrils. And yet trusting in this, they would _not submit themselves
unto the righteousness of_ God. Yea, they hardened themselves against
that faith, whereby alone it was possible to attain it. _For_ Christ
_is the end of the law, for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Christ_, when he said, _It is finished_, put an end to that law, to the
law of external rites and ceremonies, that he might _bring in a better
righteousness_, through his blood, by that one oblation of himself once
offered, even the image of God, into the inmost soul of _every one that
believeth_.
22. Nearly related to these are those words of the apostle, in his
epistle to the _Philippians. I count all things but dung that I
may win_ Christ, an entrance into his everlasting kingdom, _and be
found in him_, believing in him, _not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of_ Christ,
_the righteousness which is of_ God _by faith――Not having my own
righteousness which is of the law_; a barely external righteousness,
the outside religion I formerly had, when I hoped to be accepted
of God, because I was, _touching the righteousness which is in the
law, blameless――But that which is through the faith of_ Christ, _the
righteousness which is of_ God _by faith_: that holiness of heart, that
renewal of the soul, in all its desires, tempers and affections _which
is of_ God: it is the work of God and not of man, _by faith_; through
the faith of _Christ_, through the revelation of _Jesus Christ_ in us,
and by faith in his blood; whereby alone we obtain the remission of our
sins, and an inheritance among those that are sanctified.