Four Useful Discourses, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
WE Shall now come to what remains, There are but three things more in this point that now we are to finiſh.
And the Firſt is, To ſhew you what a myſtery of Godlineſs there is in a right learning how to be full.
Secondly, What are the ſeveral Leſſons that are to be learned.
And then the application of all from the point.
And this is the method we obſerved in the learning how to want. The Myſtery of Godlineſs.
And I told you that from the word in my Text, I am inſtructed, ſo it is in your Books; but in the Original it is, I am taught as in a myſtery; ſo that there is a myſtery in both theſe. I have ſhewn you in many things wherein the myſtery of Godlineſs lies in learning how to be content. A godly man knows how to abound after another manner than any other can do. Perhaps a man by ſome ſtrength of natural prudence and wiſdom may know how to order his Eſtate, ſo as not to be very inordinate and wicked in the management of his outward eſtate. A man that hath civility and natural wiſdom, may make ſome good uſe of the bleſſings of God, that God hath given him: But a gracious heart comes to ſanctifie the name of God in his eſtate and outward bleſſings that God hath given him, in another manner than natural wiſdom will teach a man. Grace will raiſe a mans ſpirit higher, and that in theſe particulars,
Firſt, A gracious heart learns how to be full, by often reſigning up the eſtate that it doth poſſeſs unto God. He learns how to enjoy his eſtate, by reſigning up all his eſtate and comforts unto God. This is a way that a natural man underſtands little of, To know how to enjoy his comforts by reſigning up his comforts; yet that's the way of a gracious heart. He doth very frequently, when he gets alone into his Cloſet, reſign up his Eſtate; Lord, Thou haſt bleſſed me with many outward comforts, more than thou hast done others of my brethren: Lord, I here profeſs all to be thine, and give up all to thee; all belongs to thee: and I deſire to enjoy no farther than I may be uſeful to thee in the place where thou haſt ſet me. Here Lord, I give up my ſelf and all my fulneſs unto thee, take all, diſpoſe all, lay out all for thine own praiſe and glory. And by this means, when he hath done this, he comes to enjoy more ſweetneſs than what he hath in any other way. It is not in a greedy uſe of what he hath, that he comes to enjoy his fulneſs; but by reſigning up what he hath to God: and ſo he comes to enjoy his fulneſs in a better manner and more comfortably than ever he did before. This a godly heart finds by experience (as divers times upon occaſion I have hinted to you) that the oftner any thing comes out of Gods hand, the better and ſweeter it is; and therefore he is willing to give up often what he hath into the hand of God: And that's the firſt way. But,
Secondly, He learns how to be full in this way of myſtery; he doth ſeek to preſerve his comforts and enrich himſelf; by communicating what he hath: not onelyonly by reſigning to God, but by communicating his comforts he ſeeks to preſerve them; and he ſeeks to enrich himſelf, by communicating of his riches. Now this is a myſterious way, yet the Scriptures ſhews this to be the way of a gracious heart. A carnal heart he would enjoy his fulneſs, but how▪ that is, by keeping it to himſelf: I but a godly heart that learns in the way of myſtery how to be full; looks upon it as the onelyonly way to preſerve his eſtate, by communicating his eſtate, by doing many good works, by making uſe of his eſtate for the publick good, the glory of God and the good of his brethren. In Iſa. 32. you have a notable Scripture for that, that that's the way that a godly man uſes for the preſerving of his eſtate; ver. 8. But the liberal deviſeth liberal things. What then, he doth not onelyonly take the opportunity when he is called to communicate of his eſtate, but ſtudies with himſelf how he may communicate his eſtate for good. I but he may quickly communicate all away, you will ſay, and grow a begger himſelf. No, but mark what the Text ſaith, And by liberal things ſhall he ſtand: That's the way that he takes for the preſervation of what he hath: he will truſt God with that. And indeed he comes to enjoy the comfort of his life by the communicating of the comforts of his life. And then he ſeeks to get riches by communicating of his riches. That Scripture you have for this in 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in uncertain riches, but in the living God; who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works; ready to diſtribute. The more good works he doth, the richer he makes account himſelf is. Now, ordinarily a carnal heart, when he is call'd to do good works, he cannot for ſhame but do ſomething; I but he thinks he is the poorer by it. What will you get away all my eſtate and make me a begger? Why, theſe often Contributions draws away my eſtate, and they think they have ſo much of their heart-blood drawn away, and ſo they grow poorer and poorer. But a godly man he makes account that the more good works he doth, the richer man he grows. Why God himſelf accounts his riches to be in the works of mercy. In Eph. 2. there you ſhall find that the riches of God are in the works of his mercy. That in the ages to come he might ſhew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindneſs towards us. Why God is not ſaid to be rich in power ſo much as in grace; in the works of his mercy, in the works of kindneſs. And ſo a godly man, that hath learned by the grace of God to be full, doth account himſelf made rich in the communicating what fulneſs God hath given him, for the glory of his Name and the good of others. This is a ſecond myſterious way of a godly mans learning how to be full.
And then the Third way of a Godly mans learning how to be full is this; He doth learn how to have comfort in his eſtate, by mortifying of his affections to his eſtate; and by moderating of his ſpirit in the joy that he hath in his eſtate, he comes to receive the greater joy in what he hath given to him. This you will ſay is a riddle, for a man to have greater joy in outward things, by moderating of his joy, and to have a greater fulneſs in his abundance, by keeping himſelf within bounds. This is the way of a godly man, the more he keeps himſelf within bounds, the more comfort he hath in his abundance; and the more he can mortifie his affections to the comforts of the world, the more comfort hath he in theſe comforts of the world. Now becauſe this may ſeem to be a great riddle and myſtery (for ſo it is) I will give you one Scripture that will make it out fully; and it is in Phil. 4. 4, 5. Rejoyce in the Lord alway, and again I ſay rejoyce. Here the Apoſtle puts people to rejoyce, to rejoyce in the Lord; that is, not onelyonly in ſpiritual things, but rejoyce in all Gods bleſſings in a ſpiritual way. Now the men of the world, when they are put upon it to rejoyce, and again to rejoyce, they think they know nor how to reioyce but by letting out their hearts without any bounds; they know not how to keep any bounds. But mark the words that follow, Let your moderation be known unto all men. As if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, And would you rejoyce indeed truly and graciouſly and fully, I exhort you to rejoyce, and again to rejoyce. Well then. This is pleaſing to the heart of a man, we will give our ſelves liberty to rejoyce, we will enlarge our ſelves in our joy. I but, ſaith the Apoſtle, Let your moderation be known to all men though: So that in that he adds this exhortation, Let your moderation be known to all men, it's apparent that he means the joy in outward things as well as in ſpiritual things: Let your moderation be known to all, ſo that he doth not envy your rejoycing in your eſtate. You may rejoyce in the comforts of this world that God hath given you. But would you have true joy, that that ſhould glad your hearts indeed, let your moderation be known to all men, and do ſo bound your ſelves in your joy, and let your hearts be ſo mortified to the world, as that you may rejoyce in God, even while you rejoyce in the outward bleſſings that God hath given to you. And although many men may think this to be a myſtery, and ſcarce to be believed; yet thoſe who are truly godly, find this by experience. I appeal to you, when have you had the greateſt comfort and joy in your eſtates and comings in, but at that time when you have found your hearts mortified to the world, and that you could keep your ſelves in bounds. If a man goes abroad, and among company, if he can keep his appetite in bounds and eat moderately, he hath more comfort in his meat and drink than another man hath that eats exceſſively. A man that eats and drinks moderately, he preſerves his health, and by preſerving his health he hath more ſweetneſs in his meat and drink in a conſtant way, than thoſe that eat and drink immoderately; and when a man hath been abroad among company, and let out his heart profuſely in way of laughter and merriment, and all upon the merry pin; why in the midſt of this laughter his heart is even ſad, and when he comes home, he comes home with a dead ſpirit. He is like Nabal, you know that when he was feaſting, his heart was merry; but as ſoon as his drunkenneſs was gone from him, his heart died like a ſtone. Many Company-keepers that give liberty to themſelves in jollity and mirth, why the next day their hearts are even as dead as a ſtone; and there's a great deal of guilt upon their ſpirits, and their conſciences fly in their faces; ſo that they have not ſo much joy in their ſpirits as thoſe that can keep within bounds. Thoſe that can go in a ſober way and meet with their neighbours, and rejoyce one with another; they when they come home, can bleſs God for this their refreſhing that they have had; and the next morning their hearts are in a ſweet and joyful frame. The more we keep our ſelves in bounds in the uſe of the Creature, the more comfort have we in the uſe of the Creature. That's the third way of a gracious hearts learning how to abound. He learns how to enjoy the world, by mortifying his heart to it, and by keeping himſelf within bounds in the uſe of the Creature.
And then the Fourth way of myſtery of the Godlies learning how to abound, it is this; He learns how to abound, by getting all that he hath to be ſanctified by the Word and Prayer. It was one way of knowing how to want, by having our afflictions ſanctified to us; and ſo it is the way to know how to abound. Now this is a way that carnal hearts have little skill in, they think they know how to abound by their natural wiſdom; I but the way that a gracious heart hath for abounding, is this; God hath proſpered me in my way and courſe in any kind; now let me go to God and exerciſe Faith in his Word, and ſeek unto him in prayer, that I may have a ſanctified uſe of all theſe things then that God hath granted to me. In 1 Tim. 4. 4, 5. Every Creature of God is good, and nothing to be refuſed, if it be received with thankſgiving; for it is ſanctified by the Word of God and Prayer. A little to open this Scripture, That the Creature is ſanctified by prayer, that I ſuppoſe is eaſie for you to underſtand; that is, when I have any good in any Creature, then I am to ſeek to God by prayer for a ſanctified uſe of it unto me. But how is it ſanctified by the Word? Now that that the Apoſtle doth intend here in ſanctifying by the Word, is this, that he would ſhew to us, That a godly man hath another kind of intereſt in the Creature than another man hath; ſaith he, All things are good, but how ſhall they be good to me? How ſhall I know that they are good to me? That muſt be by the Word (ſaith he) I cannot know that they are good to me, that I have a ſanctified uſe of them, that is, that all the comforts I have, I do enjoy them in order to eternal life; for then a thing is ſanctified, when it is conſecrated (as it were) and made holy: that is, when it is made uſeful to the higheſt and laſt end. As a place is ſanctified, when it is ſeparated from other things for God; ſo when the bleſſing of God is upon my eſtate, to make it to be to his glory and my laſt good, then it is ſanctified. Now how comes this? This is by the Word of God; for we by our fall have loſt all our intereſt in the creature unto our outward comfort. Now God indeed out of his bounty doth give to ſome men abundance here in this world, I he gives them thoſe things that are in themſelves good; I but how ſhall they come to be good to him; that muſt be by the Word ſaith he, that is, God by the Word of his Goſpel, the Covenant that he hath made with his poor ſervants in Chriſt revealed in his Word; it is that that gives the godly man a ſanctified uſe of what he hath. If he hath it in a natural way, it may prove a curſe to him; if he hath it onelyonly by Gods general providence, by the command of God in his works of providence, that is no ſanctified uſe. But now, if a man comes to enjoy what he hath by the word of the promiſe, by the word of the Goſpel, that reveals Chriſt unto us, and our renewed intereſt unto all we do enjoy by Jeſus Chriſt. This is the Word that ſanctifies all to us. Moſt men look upon what they enjoy, onelyonly but in a way of general providence. Now a gracious heart looks upon what he enjoys by the word of the Promiſe, the word of the Covenant, that gives him a ſanctified uſe; and through the power of this word, he comes to know how to be full: and uſe all his abundance in a right way: ſo that the way he takes for the making uſe of his fulneſs, it is, when God bleſſes him, preſently to exerciſe faith in the Word, in the Promiſe; to look into the Covenant. Godlineſs hath the promiſe of the things of this life, and of that which is to come. And ſo he comes to make uſe of the promiſe, and improve it by faith; and ſo comes to have a ſanctified uſe and improvement of all the good things that he doth enjoy in this world. Is not this a myſtery to moſt rich men. Doth it put them upon prayer more than before, and upon the exerciſe of Faith in the Word more than before. One that is godly, never prayes more than when God doth proſper him in this world. It is uſual for men to pray much in times of affliction. In their affliction they will ſeek me early. I but that's a ſign of a carnal heart. But now, a godly man, when God proſpers him, he ſees cauſe to pray moſt then. I it is for poor people to live by faith, that have nothing in the world. You will think it's fit for them to believe and truſt in God. I but a godly man uſes the more faith, when he hath the moſt in the world. That's a good way in the myſtery of knowing how to be full.
And then a Fifth way in the myſtery of knowing how to be full, is this. A godly heart by his fulneſs growes to increaſe his humility, growes ſenſible of his unworthineſs by his fulneſs. Now this is a way of myſtery too, It is a good thing for a man to have humility together with his fulneſs, but to have humility by his fulneſs, this is a very great myſtery; it's a rare thing to ſee humble proſperity; but to ſee a man humble by his proſperity, this is rare indeed. Affliction will humble men, that's true, every one can underſtand that; but how proſperity ſhould humble men, that's very hard to underſtand. I'll give you a clear Scripture for this, how proſperity will humble a gracious heart; it's in the 2 Sam. 7. 18. The Lord there had told David of great things that he would do for him, and ſpake to him of the honour that he had put upon him, and that he would ſtill put upon him, and he would continue his Houſe to be a great Houſe, and honourable, like the great men of the earth. Mark, one would have thought that the heart of David ſhould have been raiſed up, when God told him not onelyonly the great things that he had done, but the great things he would do. This would have pufft up a carnal heart. But then mark, in the 18 verſe, Then went King David in, and ſat before the Lord, and he ſaid who am I, O Lord God, and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto; and this was yet a ſmall thing in thy ſight, O Lord God; but thou haſt ſpoken alſo of thy ſervants houſe for a great while to come; and is this the manner of men, O Lord God; and what can David ſay more unto tbee; for thou Lord God knoweſt thy ſervant for thy words ſake; and according to thine own heart haſt thou done all theſe great things, to make thy ſervants know them: wherefore thou art great O Lord God. He doth not bleſs himſelf, O God hath made me great; but, wherefore thou art great; and what am I, and what is my houſe, and it is according to thine own heart; and not according to any thing in me, ſaith David. The larger God was in telling of him the great things he had, and ſhould have, the more humble was the heart of David. O this is a good ſign of true humility, when you find your comings in to be more then heretofore, as if you have had a great voyage, many hundreds coming in of clear gain: then for you to get alone, as it's ſaid that David did go then and ſat down before the Lord. Go and ſet thy ſelfe before the Lord, and fall humbling thy ſoul; O Lord, who am I that thou ſhould'ſt deal thus graciouſly with me, that thou ſhould'ſt make ſuch a difference between me and others. When your rents come in it may be quarterly more then others; why think with your ſelves, Lord, What is it that hath made the difference between me and others? Others have their 18 pence a day for the providing for their families, and thou giveſt me hundreds together. O Lord, what am I, that it ſhould be thus with me more than with others! O if it were thus, it were right indeed; and yet this is the way of a godly mans learning how to be full. His fulneſs teaches him humility, and by being taught humility by his fulneſs, he comes to know how to be full for the glory of God and the good of his Church.
Sixthly, Another myſtery there is in a godly mans learning how to be full, is, He accounts it better to loſe for, and return to God; than to gain for, and keep to himſelf. A godly heart when he hath a fulneſs, he doth rejoyce in it according as God will have him, in the outward bleſſings that he hath; I but he rejoyceth more in this, that he hath ſomething to venture and loſe for God, than that he hath gain for himſelf. One man rejoyces that he hath an eſtate to live merrily withal, and bravely in the world; the other man rejoyces that he hath an eſtate that he may venture for God, and his returning any thing to God, he doth account a greater priviledge to him than receiving from God. This is a way of myſtery too; and of this there was ſomething ſpoken likewiſe in the way of Contentment; and therefore I ſhall but name it now.
Seventhly, and then the laſt way is this, A godly man learns to abound, by abounding in holineſs: The more he abounds in worldly riches, the more he ſeeks to abound in holineſs and in the duties of Gods Worſhip. Now this is a myſtery to the men of the world, they think indeed, poor men that have not ſo much to do in the world, they may be often in the Worſhip of God, and hear Sermons, and meditate (and the like.) But for them that have ſo many things to take them off, they think it cannot be expected from them: Whereas godlineſs will teach men to abound in their many buſineſſes and outward proſperity that they have, and the great things of the world, by adding a proportionable abounding in the performance both of the Worſhip of God and in holineſs. They think that becauſe they have ſo many things to draw them aſide, that they cannot be ſo holy as others: but now, godlineſs will teach them to be more holy, according to the proportion of their eſtate: As eminent above others, ſo they will labour that their holineſs ſhall be eminent above others. O this were an excellent thing indeed, if all rich men ſhould never ſatisfie themſelves in this barely, that they have more than others, but look to what a degree God hath made them higher then others in their eſtates; that they ſhould indeavour and never be ſatisfied till they attain to it, till they be in the like degree above others in holineſs. Why now for men to do this, is a myſterious thing, and where this is, certainly thoſe are well inſtructed in the myſtery of godlineſs. Thus you ſee that a gracious heart learns how to abound, not in a meer natural way, by natural wiſdom, but in a way of myſtery of godlineſs.
But then there are divers Leſſons that he learns by learning this Leſſon: As I told you in knowing how to be content, one need learn a great many Leſſons before he get to be inſtructed in the Art of Contentment in Affliction; ſo in abounding in the ſame manner: As now,
Firſt, (I'll but name theſe things) He muſt learn the Leſſon of the Principle from whence all he hath comes, the fountain from whence all his good comes; be thorowly inſtructed in that. Why I do enjoy theſe and theſe outward comforts; from whence have I theſe? Why God hath bleſſed my endeavors and skill, that God hath given me more than others. I but it is the bleſſing of God in all beyond my skill. Such and ſuch friends have left me ſo much means; I but the fountain is on high, from whence all the outward good that I have comes. This in general is acknowledged, but the learning of it indeed in a gracious manner will work mightily upon the heart; the underſtanding of the fountain of all my outward good as well as ſpiritual good.
Yea, And this Fountain, it is not onelyonly God the Firſt Being, the Creator of all, in his providence, but it is God in Chriſt: For we are to know that the very preſervation of the world is through the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt; the world would fall about our ears elſe: and all the good things in the creature are preſerved by the power of Chriſt now. And ſo a gracious heart looks upon the fountain of all, not onelyonly as God the Creator of all; but God through Chriſt the Mediator, that doth preſerve the world: the world would otherwiſe fall into confuſion. And ſo all the good that I have, it comes from the work of Gods wiſdom and goodneſs, ordering things through Chriſt unto me.
And then, the leſſon of our unworthineſs, that's to be learned throughly; your unworthineſs of the leaſt crum of bread, the leaſt drop of water for the cooling of you. This would teach you how to be content in want, (that we ſpake to before) and it will likewiſe teach you how to abound, when you can learn your own baſeneſs and vileneſs before the Lord. And I now ſpeak it, not to learn it by your proſperity, that was before in the myſtery of it, but to learn it any way; by conſidering your ſinfulneſs, and your inability to uſe what you have; and conſidering how little ſervice you have done for God: learn to know your ſelves, that was the leſſon in learning to want, to know our ſelves; but above all men, rich men had need to learn to know themſelves.
And then, To learn the vanity of the Creature and the uncertainty of it; that helps you how to want, and ſo it will help you to abound too. It's true, I have theſe things, but what are theſe things to the portion of an Immortal Soul; is there not a vanity in all theſe things in the world? They make no ſuch great difference between me and others, but they are ſuch things as often I have heard may ſtand with the hatred of God, ſuch things as a Reprobate may have for his portion: That meditation will make men willing to be content in the want of them. I abound now in theſe things, why what great reaſon is there that I ſhould have my heart lifted up thereby, here's many now in the world that are lower then I, and there are abundance in Hell that had more than I. O this will be a meanes to moderate thy heart, and help thee to know how to abound, when thou conſidereſt of the vanity of the things of the world, and of the uncertainty of them; I have them now, how quickly may they be gone; my houſe bravely furniſht, how quickly may God ſend a Fire. O conſider the uncertainty of all you have, and this will teach you how to make uſe of what you have in a looſe way: Charge men that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor truſt in uncertain riches. Or if God ſhould not take away your riches, why let God but turn ſome humour in your bodies, and bring ſome pain or diſeaſe; and what will all your riches do you good? Let God but touch me in my brain, I ſhall not know how to make uſe of my eſtate; or touch me in my body, a little in the kidnies, or pain in the bowels; what's all the world then. O conſider of the vanity and of the uncertainty of all things; the learning of that leſſon is a great help in knowing how to abound.
And then, The learning that all theſe things are but Talents, God gives me them to trade withal, and I am but a Steward (put them together) I am but Gods Steward, and God puts me to trade for him in all that I do: This will teach men how to abound. When you imploy Factors, if they be faithful, the very conſideration of this, This is my Maſters goods, and I am but a Steward, and I am to give account, and muſt keep my books even: The conſideration of this will call off his thoughts from other things, and make him look to his books to keep them even. O if you would but learn this leſſon, that all outward comforts are Talents that are given you to husband for God, and you are his Stewards; it would make you to keep the books even: Every day you would be caſting over the books: Are things even between God and me? What doth God aim at, why I ſhould have a proſperous eſtate and others not? By ſearching to know Gods end, a mans conſcience will preſently tell him, Surely God did not aim at this, that I ſhould have more ſatisfaction to my fleſh; there is ſome thing elſe that God did aim at: Let me learn to know Gods end.
And then, Learn this leſſon, and it would be a great help to you for the learning how to abound: That is, That God doth but very ſeldom truſt, his own people with theſe Outward Comforts (that we have ſpoken to in the opening of it) but now I bring it in as a leſſon that is to be learned, and ſhew you how that will help you how to abound: I ſpoke of it by way of evidence that it is a difficult thing for us to learn how to abound. Now this leſſon will put us upon this, To learn to be ſo much the more watchful over our ſelves.
And then, Let not me bleſs my ſelf in my abundance.
And then, Let me deſire proportionable meaſure of grace to what I have, leaſt what I have turn to my hurt rather than for my good. Such and many other leſſons might be named for the helping of us to abound; but the truth is, there's nothing almoſt will help us to know how to want, but it will likewiſe help us to abound; and therefore I do but name theſe things.
We come now as briefly as we can to wind up all in a word of Application. You have had theſe ſix particulars opened to you, When a man knowes how to abound; And the difficulty of it; And the neceſſity of it; And the excellency of it; And the myſtery of it; And the leſſons to be learned.
Now then my Brethren,Appl. from all that hath been ſaid, it ſerves to rebuke thoſe men who take care onelyonly how they may get fulneſs in the world; and never are ſatisfied there: but to know how they may uſe this for God, and how to manage their fulneſs, it's ſcarce in all their thoughts. I appeal to you this morning, as in the Name of God, Have theſe things been in your thoughts that have been ſpoken to you? I dare not lay it ſo, that every particular ſhould be in your thoughts; but in the general hath it been in your thoughts and care, as much to know how you ſhould abound, as to get your abundance. God knows it is otherwiſe, and your conſciences may tell you, that that's your care how you may improve and get abundance; but how to abound, that hath been but little known: But by what hath been ſaid out of the Scripture the Lord hath rebuked you for one that hath a carnal heart, a ſenſual and an earthly heart; for one that's little acquainted with the wayes of God, and ſpiritual things: O that thou would'ſt charge thy own ſoul in thy retired thoughts and meditations; and that God would make what hath been ſaid out of this to ſtick upon thy heart.
And then, Secondly, Hence we are taught what an excellent thing Religion is, that it helps every way. It helps us how to want, it helps us how to abound. If we be in a low eſtate, there comes in a help; if we be in a high eſtate, there comes in a help. O Religion is of admirable uſe, Grace and Godlineſs is of other manner of uſe then the world thinks for. And as it is of uſe to all, ſo it is above all to rich men. O that rich men would believe this, That they have the greateſt need of Grace. O that rich men by this would learn to be in love with Godlineſs, and with thoſe means that might work Grace upon them; becauſe there's nothing can do them ſo much good as Religion. O if Grace be anſwerable to their Eſtates, then they are happy men indeed. If the Lord pleaſe to add his upper Spring to the neather Springs, then they are happy Creatures. God gives you abundance in the neather Springs, but doth he give you the upper Springs too? O have thy thoughts working thus, The Lord hath given me enough for this world, to carry me thorow this Pilgrimage of mine; O but had I grace added to all that I have, then I ſhould be a happy man indeed. O learn to know the excellency of Grace, and what need you have of it above other men.
Thirdly, Hence upon what we hear, me thinks all our deſires ſhould be moderated in reſpect of this world; and you poor people, you ſhould not be ſo much troubled for want of abundance: for you ſee there's a great deal of difficulty in learning how to abound: And when our ſpirits are ſet upon the things of this world, let us curb them in this; I ſee there's a great deal of difficulty in knowing how to uſe things, and therefore let me be more moderate in my deſires after abundance. And,
Fourthly, You that have rich friends any of you, you ſee what need you have here to pray for them. It was the ſpeech of a holy man once, when he met an acquaintance of his, that he had not ſeen a long time before, and it ſeems he had a great eſtate befallen him; as ſoon as he met him, O Sir (ſaith he) I had never need to pray for you ſo much as now. His friend ſtood amazed at it, ſuppoſing that he had heard of ſome great evil that had befallen him. He gives him this anſwer, I hear you have a great eſtate befallen to you. Certainly there's no men in the world, that have ſo much need of Prayer, as thoſe that are high in eſtate.
And then, You who do abound, be you exhorted to what you have heard, and now to ſet upon the work, To learn how to abound.
Learn this one Leſſon farther (that ſhould have been ſpoken) Learn throughly your dependance upon God in all your abundance; To ſee as much need of God in the midſt of your abundance, as in the greateſt depth of affliction. That's one thing that is of very great uſe. A man hath attain'd to a good meaſure of Grace when he comes to this, that he ſees he hath as much need of mercy from God in his abundance, as in the loweſt afflicted eſtate in the world. Many men and women they think that they have need of God in their affliction; then they depend upon God. I but you ſhould depend upon God as much if you had all the world to poſſeſs, as the pooreſt beggar in the world. This you may either put into the myſtery that there is in it, or into the Leſſons; for indeed it is a myſtery to the men of the world: and therefore Chriſt teaches not onelyonly poor people to come and ſay, Lord give us this day our daily bread; but the richeſt men in the world is to pray ſo: the greateſt Prince and Monarch in the World is every day to come to God, to the Gates of Mercy, to beg his bread. Now if rich men would be ſo ſenſible of their condition, that, they depend upon God for the enjoyment of what they have every moment; have as much need of mercy as the pooreſt wretch that lives upon the Face of the Earth: This would be a mighty help for them to learn how to Abound. I beſeech you, examine whether this be ſo in you or no? When you have been poor, and afflicted, then you acknowledge you had need of Mercy: I, but now, whether do you find that your Life is as much a Life of Dependance upon God now, as ever it was? If God ſhould take away all you have, then you would think, O, I muſt live altogether the Life of Dependance; but certainly, you ſhould now live the Life of Dependance, as if you knew not where to have your Dinner or Supper: Man lives not by Bread only, ſaith the Scripture, or by Meat; but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God: he lives by it. There is much in this that I am ſpeaking: But a little for the further putting of you on in this, that you may learn this Leſſon of Aboundance:
Conſider but this, What a great Mercy of God it is to you, that your great Work that you are put now upon, it is how to improve Mercy; whereas the work of other Men, it is how to get Mercy: Other Men, all their Care and Thoughts is, how they ſhould get Neceſſaries; and now that that God calls you to, it is to Improve what you have. The Life of many Men and Women, is this, Nothing elſe but to Improve Mercy, not to bear Affliction much, or to ſeek to get; but the whole Courſe of their Life is to be ſpent in Improving Mercy. Think but of this one thing, and it will make you Thankful; when you are in your Families, What have I to do in the Morning when I riſe? Nothing but to Improve the Mercy that God gives me: Mercy meets with me when I riſe; Mercy goes forth with me; Mercy comes in with me, and I have nothing to do from the Beginning of the Year, to the End of the Year, but to make uſe of Mercy: Why this is the Lives of many to receive in Mercy, and make uſe of it for God: O the comfortable Life that thou haſt! Therefore ſeeing that God puts thee upon ſuch a Notable and Excellent Imployment thou hadſt need be Faithful. Thy work is a great deal better, and more Comfortable than the works of others; therefore often Examine thy Heart. And, O that I could but prevail thus far with Men and Women, that have great Eſtates, that there ſhould never a Day paſs but they would call themſelves to Examination! Have I learned to be full? Do I enjoy my fulneſs for God, yea or no? Do not let the Reckoning between God and thy Soul, run too long, but keep thy Book even every day with God, and then thou ſhalt have abundance of Comfort in thy Fulneſs.
And ſet before you the Example of thoſe that have Miſcarried in their Fulneſs, and that will be a very good help unto you. Such and ſuch Men have Miſcarried, Lord help me that I may not Miſcarry, as they have done: Yea, thy moſt eminent Servants have Miſcarried, the Lord help me that I may not Miſcary.
And for the Cloſe of all, O you that God hath given theſe Mercies to; Bleſs Him for His Bleſſings: but eſpecially Bleſs Him that He hath Bleſſed His Bleſſings to you. When we receive a Bleſſing, we ſhould Bleſs God; I, but when God hath Bleſt this Bleſſing, then our Bleſſing of Him ſhould be Double and Trebble too. O think thus with thy ſelf, What all this and Heaven too! ſuch convenient Habitations, and compaſſed round about with Mercy whereſoever you are! All this, and Heaven, Houſe and Eſtate, and Friends, and Health of Body, and every Thing that I want: O the greateſt thing that I want, is a thankful Heart, for if I had but that, then I were happy indeed. Now for a Man to have all things in a Fulneſs, and only Scantineſs in Thankfulneſs; every thing is full, but only the Heart is empty. The Heart of the Wicked is little worth. Thy Houſe is full, and thy Eſtate, but what's thy Heart in the mean time? But now, If God gives thee ſo much Mercy in the World, and all this but the beginning of Heaven to thee: O then, how ſweet is thy Life made to thee by God! And all things that are the means of Undoing of others, are the means to help thee to Honour God. O by this the Mercies of God are raiſed indeed: Bleſs God for ſo great a Bleſſing, it is not an ordinary thing.
Only one thing more for the Cloſe of all in my Text, and that is the joyning of both theſe things together, That I learn how to be content, and how to be full. There ſhould have been that Note.Obſ. And that is,
That Grace wil! help Men to carry themſelves evenly with God, and graciouſly with God in variety of Conditions. Let the Condition be up and down, this way, and then another, yet Grace helps a Man to lie ſquare any way, like a Dye; caſt it which way you will it lies ſquare: So put a gracious Heart into any Condition, Full or Empty, yet Grace will help him in any Condition whatſoever, as the Apoſtle ſaith in the Corinthians: Through Honour and Diſhonour, by Evil report and Good report, by the Armour of Righteouſneſs, on the Righthand and on the Left. We find Uſe of our Weapons on the Right hand, and on the Left, the Armour of Righteouſneſs helps not only on the Left-hand to Fence off the evil of Adverſity, but on the Right-hand, to Fence off the Evil of Proſperity: Here's a Chriſtian Souldier, that can make uſe of the Armor of Righteouſneſs, both on the Right-hand and on the Left.
I had thought to have given ſome grounds, Why it is that Grace will help any way; as a Watch in a Mans Pocket, if it be a good Watch, though a Man ſit upon it, and it is tumbled up and down, yet the Wheels they keep a conſtant ſteady motion. So it is with the heart of a man, if there be Grace within, and the wheels work aright, yet Grace makes the Heart ſtedfaſt within, let the condition be never ſo various; to be toſt up and down, this way, or that way; yet the heart keeps the ſame. The Motto of Queen Elizabeth may be the Motto of every gracious heart, Alwayes the ſame. So in a conſtant way, either in proſperity or adverſity, ſtill he continues in an evenneſs with God. If God caſts him upon his Sick Bed there he rejoyces in God and bleſſes God, and you will find ſavory and ſpiritual things come from him then; and if God deliver him, and you find him in proſperity, there his heart is heavenly ſtill, and gracious and ſpiritual, and raiſed above the Creatures; which way ſoever he be put.
I cannot give you the grounds, I'll onelyonly compare a Scripture or two together (and ſo conclude all) to ſee the evenneſs of the heart of a godly man in all conditions, let them be what they will. In Pſal. 57. To the chief Muſician Al-taſchith, Mictam of David, when he fled from Saul in the Cave. That's the Title of the Pſalm. A Pſalm that David made in his very great affliction, when he fled from Saul for his life in the Cave. See what he ſaith, and comparing that ſame with Pſal. 60. where it is, To the chief Muſician upon Shuſhan-Eduth, Mictam of David; to teach, when he ſtrove with Aram Naha…aim, and with Aram Zobah, when Joab, returned and ſmote of Edom in the Valley of Salt, Twelve thouſand. David was low when he fled from Saul in the Cave, there David had not the Kingdom; well but afterwards David was high and had the Kingdom, Joab was his Officer, and ſmote of Edom in the Valley of Salt Twelve thouſand: Now you would think that this different condition of David, ſhould have made a different work in his Spirit; yet you ſhall find a great part of that Pſalm to be the very ſame: In the 57th. Pſalm, ver. 7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will ſing and give praiſe; awake up my Glory, awake Pſaltery and Harp, I my ſelf will awake early, I will praiſe the Lord among the People, I will ſing unto Thee among the Nations, &c. Why, you ſhall find likewiſe, that David in the 60th. Pſalm, he hath much of this, of bleſſing God as well in his Proſperous ſtate in which he was, as in his Afflicted eſtate. Let us compare this with the 108th. Pſalm, ver. 5. Be thou Exalted, O God. There David was in his Proſperous eſtate: And here's the ſame Expreſſion; O God, my heart is fixed, ſaith he, I will ſing and give praiſe with my Glory. Awake Pſaltery and Harp, I my ſelf will awake early: I will praiſe Thee, O Lord, among the People, and I will ſing Praiſes unto Thee among the Nations, &c. Juſt he goes on in the very ſame words.
But now the 60th. Pſalm, is to be compared with the 108th. where it is, God hath ſpoken in his Holineſs, I will rejoyce: I will divide Shechem, and mete out the Valley of Succoth: Gilead is mine, Ephraim alſo is the ſtrength of my Head, Judah is my Law-giver, &c. Now in the 108 Pſalm, God hath ſpoken in his Holineſs, I will rejoyce, I will divide Shechem, &c. This is the Note from hence (and ſo we have done.)
That David in his various Conditions, though at ſome times more Proſperous than others, yet ſtill you find him in the ſame Spirit, and almoſt the very ſame words. Be he …n the Cave, or when Joab had overcome, or be he afterwards how he will, in a higher Condition; for the 108th. Pſalm was made in a time after this: Yet Davids heart is the ſame, Praiſing God, Bleſſing God, Believing in his Word, Truſting in his Word: Now that's the Note.
You ſhould obſerve; Whether you can make uſe of the ſame Scripture in one Condition, as in another: Thoſe Scriptures that are comfortable to you in one Condition, make uſe of them in another. And whether you can Praiſe God in one Condition, in the ſame way as in another. Why Grace doth ſo ſatisfie and ſtrengthen the Heart, as the things that are without in the World, makes very little alteration: There is very little alteration, that External things can make in a Gracious heart. When a Man or Woman is ſo, that a Proſperous condition puffs him up, or Adverſity makes him dejected, it's a ſign of very little Grace, or no Grace. But thus much for this Text.