A Posing Question Put by the Wise Man, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The Second Queſtion.
IF a Man know not, What is good for a man in this Life; Is it then Lawfull for a man to pray for the things of this Life, viz. Riches, &c? Since he knoweth not, but they may be Hurtful for him. His proſperity may be his Ruine, his Table may be his Snare; and that which he thought was for his Welfare, may become his Trap. To this Queſtion I ſhall give an Anſwer
1. In General.
2. More Particular.
I. In General, I Anſwer thus: That it is Lawful to pray for the things of this Life; although we know not, whether they are good for Man in this Life. There are theſe Arguments to make it good.
1. Riches, and Health, and the Comforts of this Life, are in themſelves Bleſſings of God. They flow from Him, who is the Fountain of Good; and are, in themſelves, Streams that iſſue from that Fountain, and ſpeak His Goodneſſe. They are ſome of thoſe things, by which, He that is Good (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks) doth good to his Creatures. Acts 14. 17. God left not Himſelf without Witneſs, in that he did Good, and gave them Rain, and Fruitful Seaſons; filling their hearts with Joy and Gladneſs. So, upon that account, they may be pray'd for.
2. The things of this Life may be prayed for, In that our Saviour hath taught us to pray for our Daily Bread. Where, by Bread, is meant all thoſe Good things that are neceſſary for this Life. Bread is there a Comprehenſive word, being the Staff of Life; And ſo call'd the Staff of Bread. And by a Synechodoche it is put for All, both Neceſſary and Comfortable ſupports of mans Life. Now, being to pray for our Daily Bread, we may pray for what is Neceſſary and Comfortable for Life.
3. Outward Good things are neceſſary for our Uſes, and for our Well-being in this World. Mat. 6. 32. Your Heavenly Father knoweth, that you have need of all theſe things. In Prayer, there is a making known of our Needs and Wants to God; not only Spiritual, but Temporal too; not only thoſe that relate to our Souls, but alſo to our Bodies. The Apoſtle bids us, Phil. 4. 6. In nothing be careful, but let your Wants be made known to God. Then no doubt, but we may Lawfully pray for all Comfortable, and Suitable ſupplies to our Wants.
4. Theſe Outward things do not of themſelves Hurt. Of themſelves they make none Evil. Outward things are to Men, as they are to Them. It is not from the things Themſelves, but from Luſts within that they become Evil. The Poyſon is not in the Flower, but in the nature of the Spider: So the Evil of Outward things, is not in the things Themſelves, but from our Luſts, that turn them into Evil. It is not mens Poſſeſſions, but mens Corruptions that make them to become Evil to them. When a mans Table comes to be his Snare, the Creatures are not to be blamed, but a mans own Luſts. The Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 1. 4. ſpeaks of the Corruptions that are in the world through Luſt. The World, and the things of the world are the Object; but the Cauſe why they become Evil to us, is Luſt. The Fault, why men are Covetous, or Senſual, or Effeminate, is not in Gold, or Wine, or Women; but in Mens Senſual Affections, and naughty Diſpoſitions. So it is Obſervable, when St. John, 1 John 2. 16. doth Sum up, what of the World is oppoſite to the Love of God, He doth not name the Objects, but the Luſts. He doth not ſay, What ever is in the World is Pleaſure, or Honour, or Profit; but he names, The Lusts of the Eye, The Lusts of the Fleſh, and the Pride of Life; And theſe are not of the Father, but are of the World. (i. e.) Theſe are not of God, as Riches, and Honour, and outward things are; but of that world, that man hath made within himſelf, by his own Corrupt deſires, and Senſual Luſts and Affections. By this you ſee, The Evil is not in the things themſelves, but in our ſelves; We find, they are ſuch things as are Conſiſtent with Grace and Holineſſe. We read of Abrahams and Jobs Wealth and Riches. St. Austin, ſpeaking of theſe Worldly things ſaith, Dantur bonis ne putentur mala, dantur malis ne putentur ſumma bona. It is a certain Truth, That God never giveth any thing in it ſelf Evil, to thoſe that are Good; ſo, neither doth he give the chiefeſt good Things, to thoſe that are Evil. So that when theſe things become Evil to men, it is from a mans own Corruptions. When men make theſe things, the Bellows of Pride, the Fewel of Uncleanneſs, the Inſtruments of Revenge; This is not from themſelves, but mans making uſe of them for ſuch ends, for which they were not Ordained. So when the Goſpel calls upon us, to Renounce the World, The meaning is not, That we ſhould caſt the things of the World out of our Poſſeſſion, but out of our Affection. To be Rich, is not Inconſiſtent with Religion, it is mans abuſing of Riches, &c. that makes them Evil to us.
5. The things of this life, may be helps to Chriſtians, to further them in doing good: though they be ſeeming hindrances; yet, by a wiſe Improvement, they may become great Advantages, for the performing of Works both of Piety and Charity. If a man have but the Art, of placing theſe things aright, They may help a man toward Heaven. As we ſee it is with a Trunk of Mony; Let a man put it upon his Head, it boweth him down; But let him put it under his Feet, it lifteth him up. 'Tis the Apoſtle's Command, in 1 Tim. 6. 18. to thoſe that are Rich, that they be Rich in Good Works; Letting them know, That they have an opportunity put into their hands, of doing good with their Wealth. See what our Saviour ſaith, Luke 16. 9. Make you Friends of the Vnrighteous Mammon. But, why doth our Saviour call it, The unrighteous Mammon? Not becauſe Riches are ſo in themſelves, but becauſe of mens either Evil getting, or uſing of them. q. d. Things that many men abuſe, and ſo make them the Riches of Iniquity; may be ſo imployed, as to be helps to further good. And therefore, it was a hard ſaying, and Cenſure of a Father (although I confeſs it is ſometimes true) Omnis Dives aut iniquus, aut iniqui Haeres, Every Rich man is either an Oppreſſor, or the Son of an Oppreſſor.
6. Wealth and Riches, and the Things of this Life, are the things that come within a Promiſe. It is ſaid of him that feareth the Lord, Pſal. 112. That Wealth and Riches ſhall be in his Houſe (i. e.) when God ſeeth it good for him. For all Temporal Promiſes muſt be underſtood with an Exception. The Rule is this, concerning ſuch Promiſes, That they do not Intimate what ever ſhall be, but what ever befalleth a Godly man ſhall be a Bleſſing. The Fruit of a Promiſe, ſhall not be the Fruit of a loſer Providence; but to a Godly man, they are the Fruits of a Promiſe, and therefore may be prayed for.
Thus for the Anſwer in General.
II. The Particular Anſwer is this. Though we ſaid, and have ſhewed, that it is lawful to pray for outward things, yet it muſt have its Rules and Limitations, and that upon this Ground, That we know not what is good for a man in this life. Concerning praying for outward things, we muſt know this, they muſt not be prayed for;
1. Abſolutely.
2. Ultimately.
1. Abſolutely. In praying for outward things, we muſt not pray for them, but with a Submiſſion to the Will of God. In praying for them, we muſt take need of making our wills a Law to God's. For, as I ſhewed you before, That the Evils of this life, are not Evils to be abſolutely prayed againſt; ſo neither are the things of this life, abſolutely to be prayed for. Then it is Right, if, when you are begging of them, you can find in your heart to be without them, if God will have if ſo. As for thoſe Good things that relate to another Life, they are to be abſolutely prayed for; but, for the things of this life, we are not to do ſo; we muſt not ſo deſire them, as not content to be denyed. This was Rachels ſin, in her deſire of children, Give me Children or elſe I dye. She would have no Nay, but ſhe muſt have children, and ſhe payed dear for it, for ſhe died in Child-bearing; ſhe would die if ſhe had not children, and ſhe died in bringing forth a child, whom ſhe called Benoni. Thus Iſrael would have no Nay, but they muſt have a King. And thus the hearts of many, are ſo ſet upon the things of this life, that they cannot brook a denial of them; and think God doth not love them, if He do not grant thoſe Requeſts they make for them.
2. In praying for outward things, as you may not pray for them Abſolutely, ſo you are not to pray and ſeek for them, Ultimately, but to make them Subordinate to Gods Glory. It is lawful to pray for Health, and Wealth, and the good things of this Life; but it is to be done, with a reſpect to the Glory of God, that we may be enabled the better, to Serve and Honour Him with them; and not that our ſenſual deſires, and ſinful luſts, may be ſatisfied, Jam. 4. 3. The Apoſtle telleth us, of ſome that did Ask; but he telleth us, that their End was not right; for they did ask, that they might conſume it upon their Luſts. This asking is Evil and Unlawful. How many are there, that would have God beſtow that upon them, that they would beſtow upon their Luſts, as Health, and long Life; that they may live the more Pleaſantly, Wealth, that they may fare Deliciouſly every day; Great Eſtates, that they may Raiſe Themſelves and Families, that they may be ſome-body in the world, and may lord it over others. It is not right, when men deſire outward things, that they may live more comfortably, and not Serve God more chearfully.
Quest. But ſome may Ask, How may I know, in praying for the things of this Life, that I have a reſpect to Gods Glory; ſince the Heart of man is ſo Deceitful?
Anſw. By theſe things, it may be known.
1. He that makes Gods Glory his End, in ſeeking theſe things, is as much in begging Grace to Uſe them for God, as he is to have them. Where the deſires of a man, after theſe things, are right, they are not ſingle deſires after the things themſelves, but conjoyned and coupled with deſires of Grace; whereby he may be inabled to ſerve and honour God with them. This is his moſt earneſt Requeſt, That, if God put any ſuch price into his Hand, he would give him a Heart to make uſe of it for his Glory. Prov. 3. 9. Honour God with thy Substance. So, this is the great Requeſt of thoſe that eye the Glory of God, in their begging the things of this life; That, if God ſee it good to beſtow thoſe things on them, that he would give them to honour Him with their Riches, with their Health, and with all their Worldly Enjoyments. When it is otherwiſe, our praying for them is not right. There are many that only look after the things themſelves, but never begg for Grace, by which they ſhould make a right Improvement of them. Then it is right, when a man deſireth rather to be denied the Things themſelves, than Grace to uſe them; when he can ſay, Lord give me not Riches, give me not Honour, give me not Worldly Poſſeſſions, if thou do not withall give me a Heart to uſe them to thy Glory.
2. This ſpeaketh it, When a man can take a Denial, and be content to go Without them, when God will have it ſo. This ſheweth man's reſpecting the Glory of God, above the things themſelves. Such an one ſits down contented, when God is pleaſed to croſs his deſires, and to deny him his requeſts: When he beggeth Health, and Wealth, and the good things of this life, and is denied; he layeth his hand upon his mouth, and concludeth, that, God did not ſee thoſe things to make for his Glory, nor for the good of him that begged them. We read of Balaam, Num. 22. when he was ſent for by Balak, that he gave out, he would not eye the offers that Balak made him, but only the Command of God. Yet, when he was told, He ſhould not go, he enquires again, and again, till at laſt God bid him go; which ſhews, he eyed more the Promotion and Advancement he expected from Balak, then the Command of God. So ſome, in ſeeking the things of this life, are ſo impatient, that, though the Lord have denied them once, and again, yet they will be asking them again; It is good for men to do ſo, in ſeeking after the things of another life, but not in ſeeking after the things of this life.
3. This ſpeaketh it, When, in praying for the things of this Life, he prayes only for ſuch a meaſure and proportion of them, as may leaſt expoſe him to ſin. By this, a man ſhews, in ſeeking of them, he hath en eye to the Honour and Glory of God. Such an one ſeeks not great things for himſelf, but only what is convenient. It was Agur's prayer, Prov. 30. 8. That God would feed him with food convenient. If you ask, why he prayed for convenient Food, and a convenient Eſtate, the Reaſon was this, Becauſe he ſaw danger in extreams; in Poverty on the one hand, and Riches on the other. He ſaw, To be very Rich, or very Poor, was very dangerous, and would put under great Temptations. q. d. Lord I would not be Rich, becauſe it is hard to be Rich and Good; and I would not be poor, becauſe it is hard to be poor, and not to ſin. Therefore he prayeth for ſuch an Eſtate as did beſt ſuite with holineſs, and would leaſt expoſe him, to temptations unto ſin; this ſpeaks his eying the Glory of God. He prayeth againſt Riches, and abundance, but it is not upon this account, becauſe they may make a man envyed, or cauſe cares and troubles, for he that encreaſeth Riches, increaſeth them: But it is purely upon another account, (viz) the Glory of God, as appears by his Reaſon given, verſ. 9. Lest I be full and forget Thee, and ſay, Who is the Lord? Which ſhews, that it was Gods Honour and Glory, that he did Reſpect. So when he prayeth againſt Poverty, he doth not make this his Reaſon, leſt I be deſpiſed and trodden under foot, but, leſt the Name of my God be taken in Vain. So that what he prayed for, was in Relation to Gods Glory. So it is with him that eyes the Glory of God, in ſeeking the things of this life; he ſeeks not great things for himſelf, but only what is proportionable and convenient. He knows, A ſhoo too big for his foot, may hinder him in going, as well as a ſhoo that is too little: A Staff, you know, is a help to a man when he walketh; but a bundle of Staves, both hinder and burden. It is good for men, in ſeeking the things of this life, to ſeek only what is fit and convenient, that they may be the better fitted to be ſerviceable to their God, and to run the Race that is ſet before them. Suppoſe a man were to run a Race, and many Suites were laid before him to take his choice, ſome of cloth of Gold, &c. he would not chooſe the moſt Gorgious, but the moſt Convenient, leſt otherways he loſe the Race.
Quest. Some may Ask, What is a convenient Eſtate?
Anſwer:
1. That which Nature requireth. Nature is content with a little. It was the Saying of a Wiſe man, He that liveth according to Nature, will find a little, Enough; and He that liveth according to Opinion, will never have Enough. And it was the Saying of a Gracious man, Having Food and Rayment, let us therewith be Content.
2. That is Convenient, that is ſuitable to the Eſtate wherein God hath put us. Some need not ſo much as others do; and it is their Happineſs, if they knew it; as it is for a man to ſee without Spectacles, and to walk without Crutches. It was the ſaying of Socrates, when he ſaw great Riches carried through a Town, How happy am I, that I can live without all this?
3. That is Convenient, that is requiſite for the comfortable Maintenance of our Families. The Apoſtle ſaith, He that Provideth not for his own Houſe, is worſe than an Infidel. Yet Solomon ſaith, There was a man, That had neither Son, nor Brother, and yet there was no end of his Labours.
4. This ſpeaketh our reſpecting Gods Glory, in our ſeeking the things of this life, Our uſing the Things for God, when he hath beſtowed them on us, and hath granted us our deſire. Do you not ſpend them upon your Luſts? Do you not ſay to the Wedge of Gold, Thou art my Confidence? Do you not make them the Fuel for Luſts, and Inſtruments of Revenge? You may know, what your Hearts were in Deſiring them, by the Uſe you afterwards make of them. Remember, Luſt is an earneſt Craver; and will pretend, That what it beggs, is for God, till it hath what it deſireth. It is good for Chriſtians then, to put the Queſtion to themſelves, What God hath the more from them, for that they have received from Him?
To cloſe up the Anſwer to this Queſtion; Let me tell you, Although it be lawful to pray for the things of this life; yet not Principally and Primarily, but with reſpect to the Inferiority of their Nature and Uſes. Remember ſtill, Theſe are not the Cheif things to be ſought after. Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God, &c. We ought, in our Prayers, to give the precedency, and preeminence to Spiritual good things. Heavenly things are to be preferred before Earthly; and we are to place them in our Prayers, as God hath placed them. Though we may Lawfully pray for the things of this life, yet we pray Unlawfully, when we are more earneſt for them, than for the things that relate to another life. God took it well from Solomon, when he was left to his choice, and bid to ask what he would, he only asked Wiſdom. He did not ask Riches, nor Long Life, nor the Life of his Enemies. Yet God gave him Thoſe. The way to have the things of this World, is, chiefly to ſeek after the things of another World. Theſe things you may pray for Abſolutely, viz. Grace, and an Intereſt in Chriſt, and Pardon of Sin, and all Soul-Mercies; and all the Good things that relate to another life. We read of ſome, in Hoſ. 7. 14. that howled upon their Beds, for Corn and Wine. Thoſe were the things they only ſought after; and their Prayers was but a brutiſh Crie, compared to the howling of a Dog. A gracious Soul pants after the things of another Life, when others pant only after the things of this Life. The Prophet ſpeaks of ſuch, Amos 2. 7. who pant after the Dust of the Earth: But David's Soul panted after God, Pſal. 42. 1. So panteth my Soul after Thee, O God. Then it is Right, when we pray for the things of this Life, with a ſerious conſideration of their Lowneſs, and Baſeneſs, and Inferiority, being compared with the things of Eternity, and another Life.
Thus for the ſecond Queſtion.
The Third Queſtion, is This:
WHether our being Ignorant of What is good for us in this Life, doth not warrant to adventure on, and undertake things (as we ſay) Hand Over-head, or at all Adventure; without Circumſpection, Conſideration, prudential Foreſight, or providential Care. As in the buſineſs of Marriage, and of managing all our buſineſſes and affairs in this Life. Some may ſay, I ſee I know not what is good for me in this life: And therefore, the thing I am about, notwithſtanding all my Prudence, and Care, and Circumſpection, may (for ought I know) be for Evil to me; and, without all this Care and Circumſpection, may be for Good to me. So the Queſtion is, Whether this Truth doth not deſtroy all Prudential and Providential care about the management of the Affairs of this Life.
Anſwer. No ſuch matter: It makes nothing againſt that. And that, we ſhall ſhew in theſe following Propoſitions; which I ſhall briefly name.
1. Divine Providence doth not deſtroy Humane Prudence; Which is ſo much commended by Solomon, in his Book of the Proverbs.
2. Gods Providence doth ſometimes make up mans Improvidence. But that is no warrant at all, for a man therefore to be Improvident.
3. It is a Tempting of God, when we neglect the Means, for bringing to paſſe the End.
4. It is creating Croſſes to our ſelves; and, for which we muſt only thank our ſelves. We are not called to bear Croſſes of our own making, but of God's ſending.
5. It is made one of the Characters of a Righteous man, That he guides his Affairs with Diſcretion, Pſal. 112. 5.
6. There is almoſt a whole Chapter ſpent in the Commendation of a Virtuous Woman's Prudential and Providential care in providing for her Husband, Children, and Family; as you may ſee, Prov. 31.
7. Such a Concluſion would juſtifie that prophane Saying of ſome, That if they are Ordained to be ſaved, they ſhall be Saved, let them live as they list. Theſe ſeparate between the Means and the End. When as God hath appointed the Means as well as the End. So do ſuch, in reſpect of the Affairs of this Life; that lay aſide Prudence, And ſay, If God ſee it good for me, it ſhall be Good.
Thus for the Third Queſtion.