Oh! give the Lord the best of your strength, the best of your time, the best of your mercies, and the best of your services, who hath given to your souls the best of Gifts. Num. 18. 29. Out of all your Gifts ye shall offer every heave Offering of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. So I say, of all thy Offerings offer God the best, who hath given to thee the best and greatest Gifts. So in Exod. 35. 22. For the service of the Tabernacle they brought bracelets, and ear-rings, and rings, and tables, all Jewels of 1gold: and every man that Offered, Offered an Offering of Gold unto the Lord. They gave the best of the best, and so must we. O do not offer to God, the worst of your time, the worst of your strength, the worst of your mercies, the worst of your services. That same is a very dreadful Text, Mal. 1. 8. 13, 14. compared. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and the sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy Governor, will he be pleased with it, and accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. Saith God, will men be put off thus? No, I know they won't, and why then should you deal worse with me, then with men? Thy Governors will have the best, I, the best of the best, and will you deal worse with me, saith God, then with your Governors? Will you thus requite me for all my savours, O foolish people, and unwise, is this your kindness to your friend? Vers. 13, 14. Ye said also, behold what a weariness is it? and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye have brought that which was torn, and the lame, and ⟨p. 160⟩the sick, thus ye brought an Offering, should I accept this of your hands, saith the Lord. (Oh! that God had not cause to complain thus of many of your souls, to whom he hath shown much love.) But mark what follows, vers. 14. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my name is dreadful among the Heathen. If you have better in your hands, and yet shall go to put off God with the worst, the curse will follow. Think of it and tremble, all you that deal fraudulently and false-heartedly with God. Ah Christians!
Oh! give the Lord the best of your strength, the best of your time, the best of your mercies, and the best of your services, who hath given to your soules the best of Gifts. Num. 18. 29. Out of all your Gifts ye shall offer every heave Offring of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. So I say, of all thy Offrings offer God the best, who hath given to thee the best and greatest Gifts. So in Exod. 35. 22. For the service of the Tabernacle they brought bracelets, and ear-rings, and rings, and tables, all Jewels of 1gold: and every man that Offered, Offered an Offering of Gold unto the Lord. They gave the best of the best, and so must we. O doe not offer to God, the worst of your time, the worst of your strength, the worst of your mercies, the worst of your services. That same is a very dreadfull Text, Mal. 1. 8. 13, 14. compared. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evill? And if ye offer the lame and the sick, is it not evill? Offer it now unto thy Governour, will he be pleased with it, and accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. Saith God, will men be put off thus? No, I know they won't, and why then should you deale worse with me, then with men? Thy Governours will have the best, I, the best of the best, and will you deale worse with me, saith God, then with your Governours? Will you thus requite me for all my savours, O foolish people, and unwise, is this your kindnesse to your friend? Vers. 13, 14. Ye said also, behold what a wearinesse is it? and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye have brought that which was torne, and the lame, and ⟨p. 160⟩the sicke, thus ye brought an Offering, should I accept this of your hands, saith the Lord. (Oh! that God had not cause to complaine thus of many of your soules, to whom he hath showne much love.) But mark what followes, vers. 14. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts, and my name is dreadfull among the Heathen. If you have better in your hands, and yet shall goe to put off God with the worst, the curse will follow. Think of it and tremble, all you that deale fraudulently and false-heartedly with God. Ah Christians!
- 1If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years (saith Austin) • would net deserve an •oure of the reward in Heaven, no not a moment, much less an Eternity: And therefore (says he) we had need do as much as we can, and do all that we do as well as we can, &c.If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years (saith Austin) • would net deserve an •oure of the reward in Heaven, no not a moment, much lesse an Eternity: And therefore (sayes he) we had need doe as much as we can, and doe all that we doe as well as we can, &c.
