The Benefit of Contention, Religious tract
The benefit of Contentation.
Taken by Characterie, and examined after.
LONDON. Printed by Roger Ward, for Iohn Proctor, and are to be ſolde at his ſhop vppon Holborne bridge. 1590.
THE BENEFITE OF CONTENTATION.
1. TIM. 6. 6.
Godlineſſe is great gaine, if a man be content with that he hath.
BEcauſe when we preach, we knowe not whether wee ſhall preache againe, my care is to chooſe fit and proper textes to ſpeake that which I would ſpeake, and that whiche is neceſſarie for you to heare. Therefore thinking with my ſelf what doctrine were fitteſt for you, I ſought for a text which ſpeakes againſt couetouſneſſe, which I may call the Londoners ſume. Although God hath giuen you more then other, whiche ſhould turne couetouſneſſe into thankefulneſſe, yet as the Iuie groweth with the Oke, ſo couetouſneſſe hath growen with riches: euerie man wiſheth the Philoſophers ſtone, and who is within theſe wals that thinkes he hathe inough, though there be ſo manie that hauehave to much?Exod. 16. 2. As ye Iſraelites murmured as muche when they had Mamma as when they were without it,Nom. 11. 4 ſo they which hauehave riches couet as much as they which are without them: that conferring your mindes and your wealth together, I may truly ſay, this Citie is rich, if it were not couetous. This is the deuil which bewitcheth you, to thinke that you hauehave not enough, when you hauehave more then you neede. If you cannot chooſe but couet riches, I will ſhewe you riches which you may couet. Godlineſſe is great riches. In which words, as Iacob craued of his wiues and his ſeruants to giuegive him their Idols,Cene. 35. 4 that hee might burie them, ſo Paule craueth your couetouſneſſe, that hee might burie it: and that yee might be no looſers hee offereth you the vantage, in ſtead of gaine, hee propoſeth great gaine. Godlineſſe is great gaine: as if hee ſhoulde ſay, Will you couet little gayne before great? You hauehave found little ioy in money, you ſhall finne great ioy in the holy Ghoſt: you hauehave founde little peace in the world, you ſhall finde great peace in conſcience. This ſeeing ye world ſtriue for the worlde, like beggers thruſting at a dole, Lawyer againſt Lawyer, brother againſt brother, neighbor againſt neighbor for the golden apple, that poore Naboth cannot holde his owne,1. King. 21. 4. becauſe ſo manie Achabs are ſicke of his vineyard: when he hath found the diſeaſe, like a ſkilfull Phiſtian, hee goeth about to picke out the greedie worme whiche maketh men ſo hungry, and ſets ſuch a glaſſe before them, that will make a ſhilling ſeeme as great as a pound, a cottage ſeeme as faire as a Pallace, a plough ſeeme as godly as a diadem, that hee which hath but twentie poundes, ſhall be as merrie as hee which hath an hundred, and hee whiche hath an hundred, ſhall be as iocund as hee which hath a thouſand: and he which hath a thouſand: ſhall be as well contented, as hee whiche hath a miſſion: euen as Daniel did thriue with water and pulſe,Dan. 1. 12. as well as the reſt did with their wine and iunkets. This is the vertue and operation of theſe wordes: if you heare them with the ſame ſpirite that Paule wrote them, they will ſo worke vponupon your heartes, that you ſhall goe away eueryevery man contented with that which hee hath, like Zacheus, which before hee had ſeene Chriſt,Luke. 19. 8. knew nothing but to ſcpane, but as ſoone as hee had heard Chriſt, all his mind was ſet vponupon giuing: this was not the firſt day that Zacheus ſeemed rich to others, but this was the firſt day that Zacheus ſeemed rich vntounto himſelf, when riches ſeemed dung, & Godlineſſe ſeemed riches. Chriſt doth not will other to giuegive all their goods away to the poore, as hee bad the yoong man,Mat. 19. 21. to ſee what he would doe, but he which forbad him to keepe his riches, forbiddeth vsus to louelove riches, which makes our riches ſeeme pouertie,1. Tim. 6, 17. When ye contenme riches, yee ſhall ſeeme rich, becauſe no manhath inough but he which is contented: but if yee couet, and grone, and chriſt:Gen. 49. 4. as Iacob gaue Ruben a bleſſing, but ſaid thou ſhalt not be excellent, ſo God may giuegive you riches, but hee ſaith, you ſhall not be ſatisfied. For yee will be couetous vntill ye be religious. He that wil hauehave contentation muſt leaue his couetouſneſſe in pawne for it. This is the ſpirite which we would eaſt out, if ye wil leaue but this one ſinne behinde, you ſhall depart out of the Churche like Naaman out of Ioraan, 2. King. 5, 14.as if you had bene waſhed, & all your ſms ſwepe away like the ſeales frō Paules eyes.Actes 9. 18. For what hath brought vſurie, and ſimonie, and briberie, and crueltie, and ſubtiltie, and enuy, and ſtrife, and deceite into this Citie, and made euerie houſe an Inne, and euerie ſhoppe a market of othes and lies, and fraud, but the ſuperfluous louelove of money? Name couetouſneſſe, and thou haſt named the mother of all theſe miſchiefes: other ſinnes are but hirelinges vntounto this ſinne: vſurie and briberie, and ſimonie, and extortion, and deceite, and lies and othes, are factors to couetouſneſſe, and ſerue for porters to fetche and bring her liuing in. As the receiuer makes a theefe, ſo couetouſneſſe makes an vſurer, and extortioner, and deceiuer: becauſe ſhe receiueth the bootie which they ſteale.Gen. 30. 1. Euen as Rachel cryed to her huſband, GiueGive me Children or elſe I die: ſo couetouſneſſe crieth vntounto vſurie and briberie, and ſimonie, and crueltie, and deceipt, ant lies, GiueGive me riches or elſe I die. Howe they may ſaue a little, and how they may get much, & how they may prolong life, is euerie mans dreame from ſunne to ſunne, ſo long as they hauehave a knee to bowe vntounto Baal: Rom. 11.ſo manie vices bud out of this one that it is called The root of all euil, 1. Tim. 6. 10.as if he would ſay, the ſpawne of all ſ…es. Take away couetouſneſſe and hee will ſell his wares as cheape as hee: hee will bring vp hys Children as vertuouſly as he: he will refuſe bribes as earneſtly as hee: hee will ſuccour the poore as heartily as hee: hee will come to the Church as lightly as he. If ye could feele the pulſe of euerie heart, what makes Gehezi take the bribe, which Eliſha refuſed?2, King. 5, 17. What makes Demetrius to ſpeake for images,Actes 19, 24, which Paule condemned? What makes Nabal deme Dauid that whiche Abigali gaue hym?1. Sam. 5. 10. what makes Iudas grudge the oyle which Mary tendered?Math. 26, …. Nothing but couetouſneſſe. When thau ſhouldſt giuegive, ſhe ſaith it is too much: when thou ſhould receaue, ſhe ſaith it is too litle: when thou ſhould remit, ſhe ſaith it is too great: when thou ſhould repent, ſhe ſaith it is to ſoone: when thou ſhould heare, ſhee ſaith it is to farre: like Pharao whiche found one buſineſſe or other to occupie the Iewes, Exod. 5, 6.when they ſhould ſerue God.
Thus eueryevery labour hath an ende, but couetouſneſſe hath none, like a ſuiter in law which thinkes to hauehave an end this fearne and that tearme, and the lawyer which ſhuld procure his peace prolongeth his ſtrife, becauſe he hath an action to his purſe, as his aduerſarie hath to his land: ſo hee which is ſet on coueting doth drinke brine whiche makes him thirſt more, and ſeeth no hauen till he arriue at death: when he hath lied, hee is readie to lye agayne: when he hath ſworne, hee is readie to ſweare againe: when he hath deceiued, he is readie to deceiue again: when the day is paſt, he would it were to begin again: When the tearme is ended, he wiſheth that it were come againe: and though his houſe be full, and his ſhop ful, and his coffers ful, and his purſe full, yet his heart is not full, but lanke and emptie, like the diſeaſe which wee cal the Woolfe, that is alwaies eating, and yet keepes the body leane. The Ant dooth eat the foode which ſhée findeth: the Lyon doth refreſh himſelfe with the pray that hée taketh, but the couetous man lieth by his money as a ſicke man ſits by his meate, and hath no power to take it, but to looke vponupon it, like the Prince to whome Eliſha ſaid that he ſhould ſee the corne with his eies, but none ſhuld come within his mouth. Thus the couetous man makes a foole of himſelfe. Hee coueteth to couet: hée gathereth to gather: hée laboureth to labour: he careth to care, as though his office were to fill a coffer full of angels, and then to dy, like an aſſe which carieth treaſures on his back all day, and at night they are taken from him, which dyd him no good but lode him, Howe happie were ſome if they knewe not golde from lead? If thou be vviſe (ſayth Salomon) thou ſhalt bee vviſe for thy ſelfe, Prou. 9. 12.but hée which is couetous, is couetous againſt himſelfe. For what plague is this (vnleſſe one woulde kill himſelfe) for a man to ſpend all his life in carking, and pining, and ſcraping, (as though hee ſhoulde doo nothing but gather in this world, to ſpend in the next) vnleſſe he be ſore that he ſhall come againe when hee is dead, to eate thoſe ſcraps which hee hath gotten with all this ſtyrre? Therefore couetouſneſſe may well bee called miſerie, and the couetous miſerable, for they are miſerable indeed.
Of them which ſéeme to bee wiſe, there be no ſuch fooles in the world as they which louelove money better then themſelues, but this is a iudgment of God, that they which deceiue other ſhould deceiue thēſelues & liue like Cain which was a vagabond vponupon his owne landes,Gen. 4. 14. ſo they are beggers in the middeſt of their wealth. For though they hauehave vnderſtanding to know riches, and a minde to ſeeke them, and wit to finde them, and pollicie to keepe them, and life to poſſeſſe them, yet they hauehave ſuche a falſe ſight and bleare eye, that when their riches lie before them, they ſeeme pouertie, and hee which hath not halfe ſo much ſeemes richer then they wil you know how this comes to paſſe, to ſhewe that the couetous men belong to hell, they are like hel while they liue.Pro. 30. 15. Hell is neuer filled and they are neuer ſatiſfied, but like the horſe-leath which cryeth giuegive, giuegive, ſo their heartes crie bring, bring, and though the tempter ſhoulde ſay to them as hee ſaid to Chriſt,Mat. 4. All theſe vvill I giuegive thee, yet … would not content them no more then heauen contented him:Luke. 16. but as the glutton in hell deſired a drop of water & yet a riuer woulde not ſatiſfie him, for if a drop had bin granted him he would hauehave deſired a drop more, and a drop more, and a drop to that, ſo they will lie and ſweare and deceiue for a droppe of riches. The deuill need not offer them all as hee did to Chriſt, for they will ſerue him for leſſe, but if he coulde giuegive them all, all would not content them, no more then the worlde contented Alexander. For it is againſt the name and nature of couetouſneſſe to be content, as it is againſt the name and nature of contentation to bee couetous.
Therefore one ſayth, that no mans heart is like the couetous mans heart, for hys heart is without a bottome, like a fire which hath neuer woode inough.
A prentiſe is bound, but for nine yéere and then hee is free: but if the couetous might liue longer then Methuſalah, Gen. 5. 25.yet they woulde neuer be free men, but prentiſes to the world while they hauehave a foote out of the graue.
It is a woonder to ſee, as the deuill compaſſeth about, ſeeking whome hee may deuour: ſo men compaſſe about ſeeking what they may deuour, ſuch louelove is betweene men and money that they which profeſſe good wil vntounto it from their heartes, will not take ſo muche paynes for their life as they take for gaine.
Therefore no maruaile if they hauehave no leyſure to ſanctifie themſelues, whiche hauehave no leyſure to refreſhe themſelues. Chriſt knewe what hee ſpake when hee ſaide No man can ſerue two maiſters, Mat. 16. 24.(meaning God & the worlde) becauſe ech would hauehave all. As ye angel & deuil ſtroue for Moſes bodye,Iudg. 1. not who ſhould hauehave a part but who ſhoulde hauehave the whole ſo they ſtriue ſtil for our ſoules who ſhal hauehave al. Therfore the Apoſtle ſaith, the louelove of this world is enmitie to God. 1 Ioh. 2. 15Signifieng ſuche emulation betweene theſe two, that God cannot abide the worlde ſhould hauehave a part, and the worlde cannot abide that God ſhould hauehave a part. Therefore the louelove of the worlde muſt needes be enmitie to God, and therefore the louers of the world muſt needes be enemies to God, and therefore no couetous man is Gods ſeruant, but Gods enemie.Epheſ. 5. 5. For this cauſe couetouſnes is called Idolatrie which is the moſt contrary ſinne to God, becauſe as treaſon ſetteth vp another king in the kings place, ſo Idolatrie ſetteth vp another God in Gods place. This word doth ſignifie, that the couetous make ſo much of mony, that they euen worſhip it in their hearts, and would do aſmuch for it, as the idolaters doe for their idols. Paul ſeing ſuch ſins committed, and ſuch paine taken for gaine, thought with himſelfe if they could be perſwaded, that godlineſſe is gaine, it is like that they woulde take as much paines for godlines, as they take for gaine. Therefore hee taketh vppon him to proue this ſtrange paradoxe. that godlines is gaine, againſt all them in the verſe before, which hold that gain is godlineſſe: Theſe two opinions are verie contrarie, and here are manie againſt one. A man woulde thinke that Paule ſhould be very eloquent and ſharpe witted, and that he had neede to vſe ſome Logicke: For he hath choſen an hard text: what Paul, wil you proue that godlineſſe is gaine? You ſhal hauehave moe opponentes againſt you,1. King. 22. 17. then Michaia had when he forbad Achab to ſight: if you had taken the former verſe which ſaith that gaine is godlines, then you ſhoulde hauehave had matter and examples inough, the marchant and mercer and lawyer, and landlord, and patrene, and all woulde come in and ſpeake for gaine, as the Epheſians cryed for Diana: Act. 19. 28.but if you will be croſſe to all and preach godlineſſe is gaine, to them which count gaine godlines. Men will thinke of you as Feſtus did,Acts. 25. that you ſpeake you know not what. Theſe leſſons are for Paul himſelfe.Mat. 19. As Chriſt ſaith, All doe not receiue this word, Luke. 12, 18.ſo all doe not count this gaine but loſſe, we count him riche which hath his barnes full like theLuke. 16. 14. churle,Dan. 5. 1. his coffers ful like the glutton, his table full like Baltaſar, his ſtable ful like Salomon, 1. King. 4. 26.his grounds full like Iob, his purſe full like Creſſus. Iob. 1. 3.you ſpeake againſt your maiſter: for Chriſt ſent worde vntounto Iohn that the poore receiue the Goſpell,Luke. 7. 22. as though the godly were of the poorer ſorte,Pſal. 73. 38. 5. 12. and Dauid calleth the wicked rich, they proſpeand floriſh, their ſeed blaſteth not, their cowe caſteth not, as if hee ſhoulde ſay, it is not as you take it Paul, that godlines doth make men riche. For this I hauehave obſerued in my time, that the wicked are the wealthieſt,Luke. 16. and good Lazarus is the poore man and wicked Diues is the rich man. Againe we read that the blinde man was aſked, vvhichwhich of of the Scribes or the Phariſees or the Elders did follovv Chriſt, yet theſe were counted rich men, though they had no godlineſſe: and if ye ſhould examine your ſelfe, it ſeemes you were no riche man for all your godlineſſe, when you did worke with your handes for your liuing:1. Theſ. 2. 9. therefore if Godlineſſe bee ſuche gayne, how happeneth it, that your ſhare is no better: So they which are like Nicodemus (when Chriſt ſaith they muſt be borne agayne)Iohn. 3. thinke that hee can hauehave no other meaning but that they muſt returne againe into their mothers wombe:Iohn. 6. and when he calleth hymſelfe bread, that hee muſt needes meane ſuch bread as theydine with As the Iews hearing the prophets ſpeake ſo oft of Chriſtes kingdom,Math. 20. 20. and call him a king, looked for a temporal king which ſhould bring them peace, and ioy, and glory, and make them like kings themſelues: ſo the carnall eares whē they heare of a kingdome, and treaſures, and riches, ſtraight their minds runne vponupon earthly, and worldly, and tranſitory thinges, ſuch as they louelove: to whome Paul anſwereth as Chriſt aunſwered hys Diſciples. I hauehave an other meate vvhichwhich you knovve not of: Iohn. 4. 32.ſo there is another gaine, which you know not of, I ſayd not that godlineſſe is earthly, or worldly, or tranſitorie gaine, but great gaine. Godlineſſe is great gayne. He will not prooue Godlineſſe to be gaine, but great gaine: Godlines is great gaine, as if he ſhoulde ſay, more gainful then your wares, and rents, and fines, and intereſt: as though he would make the Lawyer and Marchant, and Mercer, & Draper, and Patrone, and Landlord, & all the men of riches beléeue that Godlines wil make thē rich ſooner then couetouſnes.Aba. 1. 5. I feare this ſaying may be renued.Pſal. 14. 2. & 43. 2 If a man tel you, ye vvil not beleeue it, nay if God tel you, yet ye wil not beleeue it. As the Lord looked down vponupon earth, to ſee if any did regard him, & ſaith, there is not one, ſo this ſentence may go from court to citie, from citie to countrie, and ſay there is ſcarce one in a towne that will ſubſcribe vntounto it. Many (ſaith Dauid, Pſal. 4.) aske vvho vvill ſhewe vsus any good, meaning riches, and honour, and pleaſure, which are not good, but when he came to goodneſſe it ſelfe, hée leaues out Many, and prayeth in his owne perſon, Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus. as though none woulde ioyne with him, yet Wiſedome is iuſtified of her ovvn children, and the godlye call Godlines gaine. To make vsus louelove Godlineſſe, he calleth it by the name of that we louelove moſt: that is, Gaine. As the Father calleth his ſonne which hee would louelove more than the reſt by his owne name, to put him in minde of ſuch a louelove as he beareth to himſelf. Here we may ſee that God dooth not commannd men to be godly onelyonly, becauſe it makes for his glory, but becauſe Godlineſſe is profitable to vsus. For Godlines is not called Gaine in reſpect of him, but in reſpect of vsus: it is gain to vsus, but it is dutie to him. So it is not called health in reſpect of God, but in reſpect of vsus, becauſe it is the health of the ſoule. ſo it is not called a kingdome in reſpect of God, but in reſpect of vsus, becauſe we are intituled to the kingdome by this difference from the reprobates. But all the good thinges in the world together, and the goodneſſe of all is found in Godlineſſe: and therefore godlineſſe is called by the names of thoſe thinges that men count. beſt, to ſhewe that the Godlie are as well, as merrie, as content with their louelove towarde God, and Gods louelove toward them, as other are with health, and wealth, and pleaſures. Therefore it is ſaid of the Godly. Eſay. 33. The feare of the Lord is his treaſure. Therefore ſaith Ieremy, 3. Lament. The Lord is my portion. as though he deſired nothing els: and therfore it is ſaid of Moſes. Heb. 11. 26. That he eſteemed the rebuke of Chriſt greater riches thē al the treaſures of Egypt. If croſſes be riches, as Moſes thought, what riches are in Godlines? but is this al? ſhal godlines be our riches in this life only. Nay (ſaith Paule, 1. Tim, 4) Godlineſſe hath the promiſes of this life and of the life to come. And therfore chriſt ſaith, Firſt ſeeke the kingdome of God, and all the reſt ſhall bee caſt vponupon you, Mat. 6. Ruth. 2. 16.euen as the ſheaues fel before Ruth: ſo riches ſhall fall in your way, as they did to Abraham, and Lot, and Iacob, and Iob, and Ioſeph, riches wer caſt to thē they knewe not how, but as if God had ſaid, Be rich, and they were rich ſtraight. For all good thinges were created for the good, and therefore they are called good. Gen, 1. Becauſe the good God created them for good men to good purpoſe:Gene. 25. 30 Gen. 27. 8 and therfore as Iacob got the bleſsing, ſo he got the inheritance alſo: to ſhew that as the faithfull hauehave the inwarde bleſſing, ſo they hauehave the outward bleſſings too, when they are good for thē. For (ſayth Dauid, Pſal. 34) They vvhichwhich ſeeke the Lord ſhall vvant nothing that is good. He ſayth not, that they ſhall vvant nothing, but, that they ſhall vvant nothing that is good. Now God knowes better then wee what is good for vsus: as the Nurſe knoweth better then the child when the milke is ready for it. Therefore Chriſt ſaith, Your heauenly Father knovveth vvhat you hauehave need of: he ſaith not that vve know vvhat vve hauehave need of, but that our father knovveth: as if he ſhoulde ſay, when you hauehave neede of health, your Father will ſende you health: when you hauehave neede of riches your Father will ſend you riches: whē you hauehave néede of l…ertie, your Father will ſend you libertie: for he ſaith not onelyonly, that his Father knovveth vvhat vve hauehave neede of, but he vvill giuegive vsus the things vvhichwhich vve need. Therfore as childrē take no care for their apparell, what cloathes they ſhould weare, nor for their victuals, what meat they ſhould eat, but leaue this care for their father, ſo ſaith Chriſt, Take you no care, for my father careth for you.
Hee was not content to call Godlineſse gain, but hee calleth it great gaine, as if hee would ſay Gaine, and more then Gaine: riches, and better then riches: a Kingdome, and greater then a Kingdome.
As when the Prophetes woulde diſtinguiſh betweene the Idol gods and the liuing GOD, they call him the great God: ſo the gaine of Godlineſſe is called greate gaine. The riches of the worlde are called earthlye, tranſitorye, ſnares, thornes, dung, as though they were not worthye to bee counted Riches: and therefore to draw the earneſt louelove of men from them, the holy Ghoſte bringes them in with ſuch names of diſdaine, to diſgrace them with their louers: but when hee comes to Godlineſſe, which is the riches of the ſoule, he calleth it great riches, heauenlye riches, vnſearcheable riches, euerlaſting riches, with all the names of honor, and al the names of pleaſure, and all the names of happineſſe. As a woman trimmes and deckes her ſelfe with an hundred ornaments, onelye to make her amiable, ſo the holy Ghoſt ſetteth out Godlineſſe with names of honour, and names of pleaſure, and names of happineſſe, as it were in her iewels with letters of commendation, to make her to hee loued. Leaſt any riches ſhoulde compare with Godlineſſe, hee giues it a name aboue other, and calleth it Great Riches, as if, hee woulde make a diſtinction betweene Riches and Riches: betweene the gaine of Couetouſneſſe, and the gain of Godlineſſe, the peace of the world and the peace of conſcience, the ioy of riches, and the ioy of the holy Ghoſt. The worldly men hauehave a kind of peace, and ioy, and riches, but I cannot call it great, becauſe they hauehave not enough, they are not contented as the Godly are, therefore onelyonly Godlineſſe hath this honour, to be called great riches. The Gaine of couetouſnes is nothing but wealth, but the Gaine of Godlineſſe is wealth, and peace, and ioy, and louelove of God, and the remiſſion of ſins and euerlaſting life. Therefore onelyonly Godlines hath this honour to by called great gaine. Riches make bate, but Godlineſſe makes peace: Riches breede couetouſneſſe, but Godlineſſe bringes contentation: Riches make men vnwilling to die, but Godlineſſe makes men ready to dy: Riches often hurt the owner, but Godlineſſe profiteth the owner & other. Therfore onelyonly Godlineſſe hath this honour to be called great riches, ſuch …ine, ſuch ioy, ſuch peace is in Godlineſſe, and yet no man couets it: for this is the qualitie of vertue, it ſeemeth nothing vntounto a man vntil he hath it, as Salomon ſaith of the buier, while he is in buying he diſpiſeth the thing which he buyeth, & ſaith,Pro. 20. 14. It is naught, it is not woorth the price which ye aſk, but when he hath bought it, ſo ſoon as he is gon, he boaſteth of his peniworths, and ſaith it is better, then his mony. So Godlines, before a man hauehave it, hee ſaith it is not woorth his labor, and thinkes eueryevery houre too much that he ſpendeth about it, but when hee hath found it, he would not looſe it againe for al the world, becauſe hee is now come to that, which followeth, to be contented vvith that hee hath. Riches come, and yet the man is not pleaſed, honour comes and yet the man is not pleaſed: libertie comes, and yet the man is not pleaſed, pleaſure comes, and yet the man is not pleaſed,Pſal. 23. 5 vntill God come, & then he ſaith, My cup is ful. Shevv vsus thy father (ſaith Phillip) & it ſufficeth. Iohn. 14. 7nay ſhew vsus thy truth and it ſuffiſeth. Novv my ſoul (ſaith the Churle) take thy reſt: nay, now my ſoule take thy reſt,Luke. 12. 19 for thou haſt layd vp for many yeares. The godly man hath founde that which the world dooth ſeeke, that is inough, eueryevery word may be defined, & eueryevery thing may be meaſured, but enough cannot be meaſured nor defined: it changeth eueryevery year: when we had no thing, we thoght it enough if we might obtaine leſſe then we hauehave: whē we came to more, we thought of an other enough: nowe we hauehave more, we dream of another enough: ſo enogh is alwais to come, though too much be there already. This is becauſe we ſéek contentation in the things, when it is in the mind, for Godlines is in the mind, and the gaine of Godlines is contentation. The apoſtle ſpeakes as though hée had founde a new kinde of riches, which the world neuer thought of that are of ſuch a nature, that they will ſatiſfie a man like the water that Chriſt ſpake of,Iohn. 4. he that drinkes of this vvater ſhall thirſt no more: ſo they that taſt of theſe riches ſhall couet no more: but as the holy ghoſt filled all the houſe,Act. 2. (Act. 2) ſo ye grace and peace, and ioy of the holy ghoſt filleth all the hart, that as Ioſeph had no neede of Aſtronomy becauſe hee had the ſpirite of Prophecie,Gen. 44. 15 ſo hée which hath contentation hath litle need of riches. Such a ſweet thing is Godlineſſe that it ſeaſoneth al eſtates, like the Vnicornes horue, which dippeth in ye foūtain, & maks the waters which were corrupt & noiſom clear & wholſome vponupon the ſuddaine: ſo whatſoeuer eſtate godlineſſe comes vntounto, it ſaith like the Apoſtles, Peace bee to this houſe, peace be to this heart, peace bee to this man.
I may liken it to the fiue loauesLuke. 5. 9 and two fiſhes wherewith Chriſt fed fiue thouſand perſons, and yet there were twelue baſkets full of that which was left, which coulde not fill one baſket when it was whole: ſo their litle feaſt was made a great feaſt: ſo the godlye though they hauehave but litle for themſelues, yet they hauehave ſomething for other, like the wyddowes Myte, that they may ſay as the Diſciples ſaide toMark. 12. Chriſt,Math. 10 they want nothing, though they hauehave nothing. Contentation wanteth nothing, and a good heart is worth all: For if ſhe want bread, ſhe can ſay as Chriſt ſaid, I am another bread: Iohn. 4. 32.If ſhe want riches, ſhe can ſay, I hauehave other riches: If ſhee want ſtrength, ſhe can ſay, I hauehave other ſtrength: If ſhee want friends, ſhe can ſay, I hauehave other friends. Thus the Godly and all within, that the Godleſſe ſéek without. Therfore if you ſée a man contented with that which hée hath, it is a great ſigne that Godlineſſe is entred into him, for ye hart of man was made a Temple for God, and nothing can fill it but God alone. Therefore Paule ſaith after his conuerſion that which he coulde neuer ſay before his conuerſion,Phil. 4. I hauehave learned to be contēt, Firſt he learned godlines, then godlines taught him contentatiō. Now (ſaith Paul) I hauehave learned to be content, as though this were a leſſon for eueryevery Chriſtian to learn, to be content For thus he muſt thinke, that as God ſaid to Moſes, when he coulde not obtaine leaue to goe to Canaan, Let this ſuffice thee to ſee Canaan: Deut. 26.ſo whatſoeuer he giueth, he giueth this charge with it, Let this ſuffice thee. As Ieremy ſaith, This is my ſorrow, and I vvil beare it, Ier. 10. 19ſo thou muſt ſay, This is my portiō & I wil take it. This is the ſigne, whether Godlines be in a man, if he hauehave ioy of yt which he hath: for ye thinges which god giueth to ye righteous, Paul ſaith yt he giueth thē to enioy, 1. Tim. 6. 17. yt is, if he hauehave much, he can ſay with Paul, I hauehave learned to abound: if he hauehave litle, he can ſay with Paule, I hauehave learned to vvant: yt is, if he hauehave much as Abraham, & Lot, & Iacob, & Iob, and Ioſeph, yet it cannot corrupt his mind, but as the net was ful of fiſhes, and yet did not rent, becauſe they caſt it in at Chriſts cōmaund:Iohn. 21. 11. ſo though ye godly man be full of riches, yet his heart is not rent, his mind is not troubled, his coūtenāce is not chaunged, becauſe hée remē breth yt theſe thinges were geuen him to doo good, as Heſter thought of her honor: if hée hauehave litle,Heſt. 4. 14. it is like the litle oyle, which ſerued the widdow as little as it was,2. King. 4. 7. For a litle to the righteous Pſal. 34.(ſaith Dauid) is better then great riches to the vngodly: for when a man hath found ye heauenly riches, hee careth not for earthly riches no more then he that walketh in the Sun, thinks not whether the Moon ſhine or no, becauſe he hath no néed of her light. Therfore we conclude wt Chriſt (Math. 5)Mat. 5 Bleſſed are they vvhichwhich thirſt after rigteouſnes, for they ſhall be ſatisfied: Not they which thirſt after riches, nor they which thirſt after honour, nor they which thirſt after pleaſure, they ſhal not be ſatiſfied, but thirſt more, as the ambitious, voluptuous and couetous do, but they that thirſt after righteouſnesſhalbe ſatisfied, though they hauehave no riches, nor honor, nor pleaſure:Gen. 2 euen as Adam was warm though he had no cloaths, though he was naked, yet he did not ſée his nakednes, ſo long as he was innocent: but when he began to rebel, then he began to want cloaths, ſo thogh a man be pore, yet he doth not ſee his pouerty ſo long as hee is contented, but when hee beginnes to couet, then he beginnes to want riches, and from that day the curſe (in the firſt of Agge. 6.) takes holde vponupon him, Ye eat, but ye hauehave not inough: ye drinke, but ye are not ſatisfied: ye cloath your ſelues but ye are not vvarme. Indeed the couetous man ſéemeth to drawe the world to him with cordes, his coffers are of lodeſtones, his handes like nettes, his fingers like lime-twigges, there it comes, and there it comes, one would thinke that this man ſhould be happie one day.
When the Churles barnes wer full, hee bad his ſoule reſt, thinking to gaine reſt by couetouſneſſe,Luke. 12. 8. that hee might ſay Riches gaine reſt aſwell as Godlineſſe, but ſee what happened that night when he began to take his reſt, riches & reſt, and ſoule and all were taken from him. Did he not gaine faire? would he hauehave taken ſuche paines if hee had thought of ſuch reſt, couetouſneſſe may gaine riches, but it cannot gaine reſt, ye may thinke iike this churle to reſt, when your barnes and ſhoppes and coffers are full: but yee ſhall finde it true which Eſay ſaith,Eſay. 41. there is no reſt to the vngodly, therefore the wiſe man to preuent anie hope of reſt, or honour or profite, by ſinne, ſpeakes as though he had tried,Pro. 12. 3. a man cannot be eſtabliſhed by iniquitie. Therefore hee cannot be quieted nor ſatiſfied by the gaine of deceipt, or bribes, or lies, or vſurie,Pro. 10. 2. which is iniquitie: therefore bleſſed is the man whome godlineſſe doth make riche, for vvhen the bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich (ſaith Salomon) he doth ad no ſorrovv to it, Pro. 13. 6but (ſaith he) the reuenevves of the vvicked is trouble, as though his money were care: wherefore let patrone, and landlord, and lawyer, and all ſay, that Paul hath choſen the better riches, which theefe, nor moth, nor canker can corrupt. theſe are the riches at leaſt which wee muſt dwell with, when all the reſt which wee hauehave lied for, and ſworne for, and fretted for, and coſoned for, and broken our ſleepe, and loſt many ſermons, forſake vsus. Like ſeruauntes which chaunge theyr maiſters: then godlineſſe ſhall ſeeme as great gaine to vsus as it did to Paul, and hee which loued the worlde moſte, would giuegive all that he hath for a dram of faith, that he might be ſure to go to heauen when hee is dead, though hee went towardes hell ſo long as hee liued.
It is ſaid of this citie that manie citizens of London hauehave good willes, but bad deedes, that is, you doe no good till that ye die.
Firſt you are vngodly, that you may be riche, and then you part from ſome of your riches to excuſe for your vngodlineſſe, it may be, that ſome heere hauehave ſet down in their willes, when I die I bequeath an hundreth pound to a colledge, and an hundreth pound to an hoſpitall, and an hundreth gownes to poore men. I doe maruaile that you giuegive not more when you are at that poynt,Mat. 27. 3 for Iudas when hee died returned all agayne: ſo yee die and thinke when ye are goue, that God wil take this for a quittance: bee not deceiued for God doth not looke vppon that whiche yee doe for feare, but vponupon that which yee doe for louelove. If you can finde in your heart to doe good while yee are in healthe, as Zacheus did, then God hathe reſpect vntounto your offering, but before God hearken howe you giuegive your riches, firſt hee examines howe ye come b… them.
Thus you ſee the fruites of Godlineſſe and the fruits of couetouſneſſe if yee bee couetous you ſhall neuer hauehave inough though ye hauehave too much. If ye be godly, yee ſhall hauehave inough though yee ſeeme to hauehave nothing.
Therefore what counſell ſhall I giuegive you, but as Chriſt counſelled hys diſciples,Lnk. 16. 9 be not friendes to riches, but make you friendes of riches, and knowe this, that if hee cannot ſay as Paul ſaith,Phil. 9 I hauehave learned to be content, Godlineſſe is not come into your houſe yet, for the companion of Godlilineſſe is contentation. Therefore as Chriſt ſaith,Iohn. 8. 39. if the ſonne make you free, you ſhall be free in deede, ſo I ſay, if godlineſſe make you rich, ye ſhalbe rich indeede.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Smith, The Benefit of Contention (1590)