Counsel to the Rich, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of God's particular Love, and Care of the Souls of the Rich.
Lords and Gentlemen,
THE Lord moſt High hath ſent me unto you, and my Meſſage is Goſpel. If not, let it be Anathema.
The Goſpel of the great Lover of Souls. Of your Souls, as truly as of any inferior Ranks. Yea, very particularly of Yours.
Indeed the Poor have his Goſpel Preached to them. But they have it not confined unto them. And it is, unto the Preaching of the Goſpel; it is not to Salvation by it, that the Holy Apoſtle ſaith, Not many Wiſe after the Fleſh, not many Mighty, and not many Noble are called.
Moſt certain it is; that, Men of neither Poverty nor Riches, are the greateſt number of Heaven's Gueſts. But we are fully as certain, that Men of all Orders have the ſelf-ſame Invitation. For to the Feaſt thereof, we are commanded by our Saviour, to bid every Creature. And, to proclaim, that whoſoever comes unto him, He will in no wiſe caſt out!
Yea, ſingularly doth the Lord, rich in Mercy unto All, invite you Rich ones. His primary Deſign in giving you your Riches, is to win your Hearts. By the good things of this Earth, he Allures and Perſwades you to Heaven. By them, as by all his other Goodneſs, he leads you to Repentance!
For, what are Gifts, but Meſſengers, ſent to fetch Affections to the Giver? And, is it not a Creature leſs ingenuous than Brutes, who is not a Friend to him that giveth Gifts? Gifts, ſo Uſeful, ſo Delectable, and ſo Rare, as your Riches. That Good ſhould be rendred for Evil, is a Truth of ſome little Obſcurity. But, that Good ſhould be rendred for Good; (the Good of Duty, for the Good of Bounty;) is a Truth of moſt Meridian-light, and incapable of doubt! But,
Are theſe Good Gifts, convertible to very ill Ʋſes? Are your Riches, generally, your Snares? Do your fat Soils, uſually breed Rank Weeds? Have your Purples and fine Linen, a qualitative Touch, making proud Fleſh? And, do your rich Wines leſs Recreate, than Intoxicate you?
This, is as True as Sad. But, whoſe is the Fault? He that reproveth God let him anſwer it! God, the Maker of your Treaſures is Wiſe; God, the Donor of them, Gracious. Moſt apt he made them, to enable and engage you to his chearful Service. And, it is ſure, he beſtows them on you for the Purpoſe! Giving you ſufficient direction, for the Holy Uſe of them.
Who doubts, but, it is by means of its own Poiſon, that a Spider is made more Venomous by a Flower? When Iſraelites do turn Egyptian Jewels into Idols; who blameth the Jewels, the Givers, or Any, beſide the Idolatrous Abuſers?
They are wilfully blind who ſee not, that God is kind, Riches are Innocent, and the Poſſeſſors of them are Peccant. The Poſſeſſors, thrô whoſe Luſts, that which is Good, is made Death unto them. Proſperity, apt to be a Loadſtone, to draw them unto their Duty; becomes a Stumbling-ſtone, and occaſion of Revolt. Their Eſtates, which ſhould be as Joſhua's, Leaders to Canaan, do become Pharaoh's, that will not let them ſtir out of Egypt. St. Auſtin's words are worthy of Cedar; That Riches might not be thought to be the beſt Good, God gives them often to the worſt Men; that they might not be thought to be evil Things, he gives them ſometimes unto the beſt Men. In ſhort; your own Hearts do tell you, what a Price Riches are in a wiſe Man's Hand; tho they are ſo dangerous a Sword in a Mad Man's.
It is granted, you do moſt pronely abuſe Divine Bounty. Behold ye, therefore, another inſtance of your Saviour's overflowing Kindneſs! What ſhould he have done, that he hath not done for Rich Men?
His admirable Grace doth you the Favour, to give you loud Warning of your Danger! To tell you of the Sin that dwelleth in you; and of the Temptations that do incircle you; of the beguiling Serpents in your Paradiſes. And, of your Deceivableneſs by them, into the moſt deadly Sin. For, that you do incur; when like the unruly raging Sea, you do turn the ſweet ſhowers of Heaven into a filthy Brine.
He proclaims it extreamly hard, for you to be Saved. Not of deſign to put you into a needleſs Fright; but unto a neceſſary Watch. He gives you a kind Alarm, in an aweful Exclamation; How hardly ſhall they that have Riches, enter into the Kingdom of God! To the Life he paints forth the Difficulty, in a pathetical Simile: that of a Camel going through the Eye of a Needle. Expreſſing your Salvation to lie but juſt within the line of Poſſibility. And with great Prolixity, he Inculcates this. As moſt unwilling that, like unwary Bees, you ſhould drown your ſelves, and periſh in your Honey. As reſolving, that, if by any Warning, you will be Preſerved, you ſhall not be Loſt.
Nor is this his Beacon, all your Warning. No, he requireth all his Ambaſſadors, to be your like Monitors. Of any Mens Ears, eſpecially, to Thunder in yours. Uſing no more Gentleneſs, nor any leſs Severity, than will do you Good!
Charge them that be Rich in this World, that they be not high-minded; nor Truſt in uncertain Riches, but in the Living God, q. d.
None ſtand in more Jeopardy, than Men in Proſperity. The Places of none are more ſlippery. The Charms of no inchanted Men, are harder to be unbound. Sampſon was leſs ſtrongly fettered by the Philiſtines, than they by their Grandeurs. Wherefore,
Go temper your Miniſtrations, to the Quality of their Spiritual Diſeaſes; not of their ſecular Dignities. Dare not flatter, and fawn on them. As you value their Lives, treat them not meerly with ſoft Suaſions, and oiled Words. And with Rebukes as cold as Eli's; Not ſo, not ſo!
Take up the two-edged Sword of the Spirit, and call for fiery Tongues, when you deal with a Magnus, or a Dives. Storm them with Vollies of Divine Commands: Commands the apteſt to tear Cedars, to break Rocks, to level Mountains. To humble an Ahab, to ſhake a Felix, to caſt down the ſtrong holds of a Herod's Luſts!
Speak, as Preachers ſent from him, who *The Text in Jo… 34.17, 18, 19. ſhould be thus read. Wilt thou condemn him that is moſt Juſt; to ſay to a King, thou art Wicked; and to Princes, ye are Ʋngodly? Who accepteth not, &c.dares ſay to a King, Thou art Wicked; and to Princes, Ye are Ʋngodly! Who accepts not the Perſons of Princes, nor regardeth the Rich more than the Poor; Becauſe they are all the Work of his Hands. Fear not, as need requires, to give Cordials to the Pooreſt of the Pariſh, and Vomits to the Lord of the Mannor.
Conſider the Rich, as Men under the greateſt Truſts; and reſponſible for the greateſt Talents. Men, whoſe Converſion is of more mighty Influence, than meaner Mens; and is therefore of more exceeding Concernment to the Kingdom of God. By theſe Thoughts of them, be provoked to double your blows upon them.
Charge them, to know themſelves to be but Men. And not to lift up themſelves in their Imagination, above their proper Region. To remember, that Mountains of Gold and Silver, do not ſet a Soul nearer to Heaven, or ſafer from Hell. To beware, of taking too much State; of looking with Diſdain, and of breathing out Scorn, upon their Overſeers. Overſeers, of the Holy Ghoſt's making, and armed with Power, to retain their Sins or remit them. Charge them to mortify their common, but cruel Luſt; their Luſt for the pernicious Privilege, of a way to Hell without any ſtop in it. For the unmerciful Liberty of Self-damnation, without any Contradiction! Finally,
Smite with the Hand, ſtamp with the Foot; lift up your Voice as a Trumpet: and give them no Reſt, till they make God their Riches, and ceaſe to make Riches their God. Strain with Holy Violence to ſet up the Kingdom of God, in the Rich of this World. Whether they will believe it, or no; ſhew that you his Miniſters, do believe, that, God is not willing any ſhould periſh; but that all ſhould come to Repentance!
One thing more muſt be added; the divine Care of your Souls, is illuſtriouſly expreſſed alſo, in the abundance of your Chaſtnings! For, of theſe fatherly Inſtructions, ordinarily, you have your Portions. Of theſe refining Fires, you have large ſhares. Of theſe Medicines, few have more Doſes. God dealeth not with you as with Baſtards, but as Sons. Your have his Rod and Correction, to give you Wiſdom. And, kindly he hedgeth up your way with Thorns; if by any means you may be kept from your fatal Folly.
Thus hath God loved you, O ye Rich of this World! Thus hath he teſtified, that he would have you to be ſaved, and come to the knowledg of the Truth! And, what will you render to the God of all this Grace? Lebanon is not ſufficient, nor the Cattle on a thouſand Hills!
There is no blacker Guilt than that of Ingratitude. Breaches of Law, be leſs contumelious, than ſlights of Love. If you render not Thanks, according to the Divine Benefits; you muſt expect Wrath to the uttermoſt, according to Babylon's Judgments; How much they have glorified themſelves, and lived deliciouſly, ſo much Torment and Sorrow give them. Wherefore fear ye the Lord and his Goodneſs. Amen.