Four Useful Discourses, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
I Shall now give unto you ſome further evidences of this, that it is a very difficult leſſon to know how to abound. The evidences are,
Firſt, The ſolemn and frequent charges of God to his people, To take heed to themſelves when they are full. We do not find in Scripture that God doth ſo ſolemnly and frequently charge people to take heed to themſelves when they are low; that they don't then forſake him: though there are ſome Commands that way, but nothing ſo much in ſuch a ſolemn way as God doth when he ſpeaks to thoſe that are like to be in a full condition; then ſaith God, Look to your ſelves; as I'll give you two or three Scriptures. The firſt is in Deut. 6. 11. there God ſaith what he would give unto them, They ſhould have houſes full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedſt not; Vineyards and Olive-trees which thou plantedſt not. When thou ſhalt have eaten and be full (ſaith the Text) what then? Then beware leſt thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the Land of Egypt, from the houſe of bondage. That's a time when poople are leaſt careful at all, when they eat and be full, then they think of no danger at all; I but this is the charge of the Spirit of God, That when thou ſhalt have eaten and be full, then beware in a more eſpecial manner. O that you would remember this, you that have full Tables; O that this Scripture were written over your Tables, and were in your thoughts when you come to full Diſhes; you eat and drink and are full. It would be but a melancholy thought to ſome of you to think of this, O I muſt beware now in a more eſpecial manner. Some of you that have been in a poor eſtate, perhaps you were but poor Sea-boys at firſt; but in ſome few Voyages have raiſed up an eſtate: then this is a Text that concerns you. Hath God given you ſuch Voyages, that now your houſe is full; you were wont to have your houſes empty, but ordinarily you Marriners have your houſes full of good things that you bring from beyond Sea. Now when your houſes are full, ſaith the Text, beware of that, that you forget not the Lord; but then fear him. And ſo in Deut. 8. 12. you have again this charge renewed, the Lord doth not give it you once, but preſently again he renews this charge; When (ſaith he) thou haſt eaten and art full, th…n thou ſhalt bleſs the Lord thy God, for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his Commandments and his Judgments and his Statutes, which I command thee this day; leaſt when thou haſt eaten, and art full, and haſt built goodly houſes, and dwelt therein; and when thy heards and thy ſtocks multiply, and thy Silver and thy Gold is multiplied, and all that thou haſt is multiplied: then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God. Still ſee what charges are here, as if God ſhould ſay, I am not ſo ſolicitous about you, while you are in the Wilderneſs, while you are empty; but I am very ſolicitous about you, what you will do when you are full; I am afraid then you will forget me: Therefore you ſee how it is renewed: yea, you have it renewed again in Deut. 11. 15. And (ſaith he) I will ſend graſs in thy field for thy cattel, that thou mayeſt eat and be full. Take heed to your ſelves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aſide and ſerve other Gods. Take heed you be not deceived when you are full. There is a great deceitfulneſs in riches; ſo you know the Scripture ſpeaks of the deceitfulneſs of Riches. You will ſay, why when we are full, we hope we may eat and drink, and have the pleaſure of what God gives us. O but take heed you be not deceived. Now that God ſhould give ſuch caution and ſolemn charges again and again, in the 6th. 8th. and 11th. Chapters, and ſo repeat them again and again; ſurely by this God would have us to learn that there is a great deal of danger in being full; and therefore it is a difficult leſſon for us to know how to be full and abound.
Another evidence that it is ſo difficult, is this; When do you find throughout all the Book of God, that ever a full condition did ever turn any ſoul to God, or was the means of it, that was not turned to God before. I can find in Scripture that an afflicted condition hath been bleſt ſo by God, as it hath been an occaſion to turn ſome to God: As you know Manaſſes in his affliction he ſought the Lord. And ſo God ſpeaks once and twice, and men hear not; but then he opens their ears by correction: And in their affliction they will ſeek me early: But do you ever find it, that thoſe that did not ſeek God before, were drawn to God by a full condition. Truly I know no certain example of any, where the proſperous eſtate of a man was any occaſion to his converſion: therefore that ſhews that there is a great deal of danger in a fuller condition.
Yea further, Where do you find that any of Gods children that were brought into a full condition, but were rather worſe for it than better. I confeſs there is one or two examples, that we read not that they were worſe for their proſperity; as Nehemiah and Daniel: but where have you an example elſe, but almoſt all of them, when they were full, they forgat God. When they were afflicted, they would learn; David had learned to be content in his afflicted condition, and to get abundance of good by his afflicted condition; O but he could not learn ſo well to be full. And therefore you ſhall find that the moſt excellent Pſalms that ever David penn'd, it was in his afflicted condition: There was a fulneſs of the ſpirit of God in him then, then in a more eſpecial manner: And therefore I remember that it's ſaid in one place, That Solomon did not do according to the firſt works of his Father David. The firſt works of David were the works when David was not ſo full; but when he grew to be full, his works were not ſo good then. And generally all the people of God were worſe in a full condition: So Solomon, you know how his fulneſs had almoſt ſpoil'd him; Solomon, though he had ſo much wiſdom that he underſtood all things almoſt, yet he want…d wiſdom to know how to be full. There was never a man of that greatneſs in the world (that was a meer man) that had the wiſdome as Solomon had; and yet all his wiſdome was not enough to teach him this leſſon, to know how to be full.
And then, This is an evidence that it's a very difficult thing to learn to be full; becauſe that the way of God conſtantly hath been, even from the beginning of the world to this day, to keep his people down low in affliction; and eſpecially in the times of the Goſpel. Now why is it that the Lord hath ſo ordered things in the waves of his providence, as that the moſt part of his Churches and his Saints, ſhould be kept under the hatches, under afflictions. Why God could as eaſily fill them with fulneſs of outward bleſſings, as fill them with the Holy Ghoſt; but thoſe that God fills with the Holy Ghoſt, yet he doth not fill them with outward bleſſings, in his ordinary way; but the people of God have been in afflictions. This is an evidence to us that God ſees that it is more ſafe for them to be in a mean eſtate than in a high, becauſe they can better learn how to be empty than to be full. The Lord ſees it's a hard leſſon for his people to learn how to be full, and therefore he doth but very rarely bring them into a full condition.
And daily experience teaches it too, who are thoſe that are the moſt ſpiritual and heavenly Chriſtians, are they thoſe that are fulleſt? We ſee it plainly otherwiſe. O God hath a great deal more glory from poor mean Chriſtians, and there is more ſpiritual Communion between God and them, than there is between God and thoſe that are in a fuller eſtate. The Eccleſiaſtical Story is notable for this, I ſuppoſe you have heard of; That at the time when the Church was delivered from perſecution, and Conſtantine had endowed it with great poſſeſſions, the Story ſaith, there was a voice heard in the Air, ſaying, This day is poyſon poured into the Church. And ſo it fell out indeed, for the Church grew far worſe after it was delivered from perſecution. It was in a worſe condition by far, then it was when it was under perſecution; they could not learn to be full, ſo as they could learn to be afflicted and empty; then they fell to contending and wrangling one with another, and then Hereſies began to prevail a great deal more than they did when they were under perſecution; and we find it ſo by our experience. Is it not ſo, that when we are loweſt, then we are in the beſt condition for the moſt part; for as ſoon as we have proſperity and are full, we begin to ſpurn with the heel. But I have ſpoken to that at other times. And thus much for that ſecond particular, That it is a very difficult leſſon to learn to be full.
But yet it is very neceſſary, there is a kind of abſolute neceſſity of it, a great neceſſity. Why, many wayes there is need of this, and it would be a very ſad thing, if you do not learn this leſſon.
For, Firſt, Thoſe that are full, if they have not learned how to be full, they will be guilty of the abuſe of the Creatures of God more than other men; the Creatures of God that they enjoy in a fuller way than others, will be under bondage, and will cry out againſt them: So, do not you enjoy a great many Creatures more than others that are in a poor condition. But if thou haſt not learned how to uſe them for God, night and day do theſe Creatures of God cry to heaven againſt thee: as if they ſhould ſay, Lord, we were made for thee, and we have a propenſity in us to be ſerviceable to thy glory; but here's one to whom thou haſt given the poſſeſſion of us, and he doth abuſe us, and force us from the end that thou haſt made us for; and that we would fain be uſeful in. Lord, we are forced to do that that is contrary to our nature, we were never made to be ſerviceable to the luſts of men, and yet here's a man that doth abuſe us to his luſts: Lord why ſhould we be in bondage to ſuch men as know not how to uſe us. You love not to be a ſervant to one that knows not how to uſe you. The Creatures of God they groan under the bondage they are in, when men and women enjoy them in the fulneſs of them, and yet abuſe them; not working them to the end that God hath made them for: there is a cry that God hears from his Creatures, though you hear not the voice of it.
Yea, and Secondly, If you be in a proſperous condition, and have not learned to be full, then you will be guilty of ſinning againſt mercy more than others; the mercies of God towards you will be but an aggravation to your ſinfulneſs; and this is a grievous condition. O Mercy, my Brethren, is a tender thing, and to ſin againſt mercy is very grievous. Thoſe that are in a low condition, they have many mercies, but not ſo many as you; therefore they are not guilty of ſinning againſt mercy ſo much as you are. What a ſad thing is this, that Gods mercy, that might do us ſo much good, ſhould be of no other uſe to us, but meerly to aggravate our ſins at laſt. There's no greater aggravation of ſin than that that comes from mercy; and therefore when the Lord would ſpeak to the very heart of his people, ſo as to perſwade, he brings them to that, to conſider of his mercy towards them. In Deut. 32. 6. Do you thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe. So, Doſt thou thus requite the Lord, hath God made thy condition more comfortable than anothers? Another he wants Bread, and fares hardly, lies hard, and is in the cold; and lives in a poor condition, and thou haſt all things full about thee, and yet art thou worſe? Do'ſt thou thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh heart? And ſo you know it was the aggravation of the ſin of David, in 2. Sam. 12. after David had committed that great ſin, the Lord ſends the Prophet to him to convince him of his ſin; and mark how he aggravates it ver. 7. Thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, I annointed thee King over Iſrael, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and I gave thee thy Maſters Houſe, and thy Maſters Wives into thy boſome; and gave thee the Houſe of Iſrael and of Judah, and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee ſuch and ſuch things: Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the commandement of the Lord? O this was that that ſtruck the heart of David; I have ſinned, ſaith David. And in Nehem. 9. 25, 26. you have a remarkable Scripture for that, ſetting out there the mercy of God; So they did eat and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themſelves in thy great goodneſs; nevertheleſs they were diſobedient and rebelled againſt thee; and caſt thy Law behind their backs, and ſlew thy Prophets, &c. Here's the aggravation, they were filled with good things, nevertheleſs they were diſobedient. O may not this Scripture be made good upon many of you. The Lord hath filled your houſes with abundance of mercy, you cannot look into any of your Families, but you ſee mercy; yet nevertheleſs a carnal heart for all this, nevertheleſs a Swearer, a Company-keeper, a Prophaner of Sabboths, a Neglecter of the Worſhip of God in thy Family. Notwithſtanding, an unclean wretch, for all thoſe mercies that the Lord would wooe thee to obedience by. That's the ſecond thing that ſhews the neceſſity of learning to be full, otherwiſe we ſhall be guilty of ſinning againſt much mercy; and likewiſe the mercy of God will ſerve for no other end but to aggravate our ſin.
And, Thirdly, If men do not learn to be full, they will grow extream wicked. How our fulneſs doth afford fewel for luſts, that we ſpoke to. I onelyonly now ſpeak to it, as to ſhew the neceſſity that we learn to be full; leſt we come to grow moſt abominably wicked. Sin will come to be out of meaſure ſinful, if ſo be we learn not to be full. As a man that hath a weak diſtempered body, and lives at a full Table, and hath a ſtrong appetite, and yet if he doth not learn how to order his diet, he will grow full of Diſeaſes; ſo when thy heart is weak (at leaſt) and thou comeſt to a full Diet, and knoweſt not how to order thy ſelf, thou art like to grow extreamly diſeaſed; and therefore you find in Scripture, that thoſe that were in a full condition, and yet had not grace to know how to be full, they are deſcribed to be the moſt wicked people that are in the world. Job 21. 14. Therefore they ſay unto God, depart from us; for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes. And in Pſal. 73. there you may read at large of the proſperity of the wicked, from the beginning and ſo on; and in Iſa. 2. 7, 8. Their land alſo is full of ſilver and gold, neither is there any end of their treaſures; their land is alſo full of horſes, neither is there any end of their chariots; then mark in the 8th. verſe, Their land alſo is full of Idols. Theſe two are joyned together. O ſo it is in many Families, this Family is full of all outward good things, and it's a Family full of ſin; and here's a man that hath a full Eſtate, and a man that is full of ſin, as he is full of his Eſtate. If thou do'ſt not learn to abound, thou wilt certainly abound in ſin; and therefore it is an abſolute neceſſary leſſon for us to learn to abound.
And then, Thirdly, If thou doſt not learn to abound, thy portion will be in this life, if there doth not go together with thy abundance the grace of God to teach thee how to abound; this will prove to be thy condition, to be a man or woman that God hath ſaid ſhall have no other portion from him then in this world. If the Lord gives a man an eſtate, and doth not withal give him ſome proportionable meaſure of grace to know how to uſe it, and abound in it, that's a man that God ſaith, his portion ſhall be in this world; it is as much as if God ſhould ſay from heaven concerning this man, Here's one, whoſe portion is in this world. In the 17th. Pſalm, at the latter end, there the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of men who have their portion in this world; here's their conſolation, Thou haſt a full eſtate, and doth God give thee nothing with thy full eſtate, it is like to be thy All. You will ſay, Is this ſo great a matter? I a thouſand thouſand times better thou hadſt never been born, though thou hadſt a thouſand times more in the world then thou haſt, if this ſhould prove to be thy portion, thy All: for thou art made for eternity, and thoſe creatures were not: and therefore if thou ſhould'ſt onelyonly have hopes in this world, thou art a wretched creature. Shall St. Paul ſay, if we have onelyonly hopes in this life, we were moſt miſerable of all men: O may I ſay concerning thee, if thou haſt onelyonly hope in this life, thou art moſt miſerable of all creatures, except the Devils themſelves. O it's a dreadfull thing for a man or woman to have their portion in this world: But now, thoſe have it, that have a great deal in this world, and yet know not how to uſe it for God. O conſider of this, you that God hath given more portion to than others; do you think thus in the night, Lord, thou haſt indeed made my condition more comfortable then others, I am full handed, and have means coming in; but Lord, what if it ſhould prove that my portion ſhould be here. I remember it's reported of Gregory, that was the Pope, he did profeſs that there was no Scripture that did ſtrike to his heart, ſo much as that Scripture; Wo to you, here is your conſolation; fearing leaſt his portion ſhould be here. And the truth is, that Scripture, and that other in the 17th. Pſalm, ſhould go to the hearts of rich men, and of thoſe that have a full eſtate in this world; except their conſciences tell them, that through the grace of God, they have learned in ſome meaſure to know how to uſe it for the glory of God as for their own comfort. You account it an ill thing for a man to have an eſtate, and knows not how to uſe it for himſelf: As now, If a man ſhould be born to a great inheritance, and ſhould be a fool; you know his eſtate is begged: why now to have an eſtate and know not how to uſe it for God; is it not as great an evil? Is that onelyonly an excellency to be able to know how to uſe an eſtate and improve it for your own advantage, and is it not as well to improve it for God? O it's a miſerable condition that any man is in, that is full, and knows not how to be full; there's a man that is like to have his portion in this world.
I but that's not all neither, If God gives you an eſtate, and you know not how to be full; then all that thou haſt is curſed to thee: There is a ſecret curſe of God goes a long with it. As now, when a man gives a thing in an anger, ſaith he, Here take it if you will and choke with it. Such kinde of ſpeech men have when they give things in anger. But if you give to your Children things out of love, you do not onelyonly give it them, but if there be any danger, you have a care that there be a right uſe of the things. So now, when God gives out to his own people, God hath a care of them after he hath given them; I give it them, but I muſt have a care leaſt this turn to their hurt. But now, when God gives to a wicked man, Take them, ſaith God, if you will; but God never minds them farther, to look after them, to ſee whether this ſhall do them good or no; God never minds them, but lets them take them, and ſpoil themſelves with them, God doth not care. Were it not a ſign of hatred to a man, if I ſhould ſee one that is a mad man; and give him a Sword into his hand, I may be guilty of murther: It is as great an argument of hatred, that God doth hate a man, when he doth give him an eſtate, and yet doth not give him a heart to make uſe of that eſtate; he puts (as it were) a Sword into a mad mans hand. But though I cannot do it juſtly, yet God may do it juſtly, as a puniſhment of ſin. The curſe of God is mixed with Wine as well as Water; and then it's ſtronger in Pſal. 69. 22, 23. There you may ſee how full comforts may be curſed unto men; it is threatned as a puniſhment of their ſin: Let their table become a ſnare before them: and that which ſhould have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. O this is a terrible text, Let their table become a ſnare: It is a propheſie againſt thoſe that gave Chriſt Gaul for his Meat, and Vinegar when he was upon the Croſs? And ſo it is againſt all ſuch as ſhall inſult over the people of God in their affliction. As men, when they are full and rich and proſperous in the world, they will add to the affliction of Gods people. Now this is the curſe of God upon them, that ſhall add to the affliction of the people of God; Let their table become a ſnare before them, and that which ſhould have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Thou haſt a Table well furniſhed, but how do'ſt thou know but that it is a ſnare for thee, and a trap? We ſet traps to catch Vermin withal, and if thou haſt a wicked heart, God looks upon thee but as a Vermin, and doth ſet this to be a trap to catch thee withal: Now perhaps thou do'ſt not ſee it: Why mark the word that follows, Let their eyes be darkened, that they ſee not. The Curſe lies ſecret, that thou canſt not ſee; now this is part of the Curſe. How few men do ſee a Curſe upon their Tables. No, this (I ſay) is part of the Curſe of God upon them that they ſhould not. O what need is there that we that have any fulneſs of the Creature, learn to be full; leaſt that which ſhould have been for our welfare, is turned into a Curſe unto us.
Well, But though it be curſed, yet if he may enjoy it ſtill, a wicked man will be content.
Then that's the next thing in the evil of that mans condition, that hath not learned to be full; That God juſtly may rend away what thou haſt in his wrath from thee: And becauſe thou knoweſt not how to uſe it, it were juſt with God in his wrath to rend it from thee. As you will do, if you have ſervants, or any in the houſe, if they have a knife in their hand, and you ſee that they are ready to do miſchief with it, you will ſnatch it from them: Nay, If you know not how to uſe it, you ſhall have it no longer. It is juſt with God to come upon thee in his wrath, and to take away all thy outward comforts, becauſe thou do'ſt not know how to uſe them. Thou knoweſt not how to make uſe of a Child for God, or of an Eſtate for God; and ſo he may juſtly take it from thee, thou not knowing how to uſe it. So God doth threaten in Pſal. 78. 25, 31. Man (ſaith he) did eat Angels food, he ſent them meat to the full; but in ver. 29. So they did eat, and were well filled; for he gave them their own deſires. But then it follows, They were not eſtranged from their luſts, but while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them. They eat to the full, and had enough, I, but they onelyonly ſought out of greedineſs to ſatisfie themſelves; and the wrath of God came upon them, while the meat was in their mouths. It provokes the wrath of God upon men, when they have a fulneſs, and yet have not learned to be full.
And as God may juſtly rend it all away from them, ſo when they come to an affliction, O how ſad will it be to thoſe men that have not learned to be full; O then there will be matter for Conſcience to gnaw upon and terrifie the Soul withal. Afflictions willbe dreadful to thoſe men that have had a full Eſtate and not learned to be full: Then Conſcience will upbraid them, and ſay, O you once had plenty, you once had the comforts of the Creature to the full; O but how did you uſe them, what glory had God by them? Were they not made fuel for your luſts, and ſerviceable to your wickedneſs? And now it is a righteous thing with God to take theſe things from thee; and theſe ſorrows that are now upon thee, are but the beginning of ſorrows. O the conſcience of a man that hath been rich, and afterwards is croſſed in his Eſtate, if while he was rich, he was not godly; this mans conſcience will tear him and rend him. Though now you enjoy fulneſs, yet you may not expect to enjoy it alwayes. What do you think will become of you, when your fulneſs ſhall be taken from you? O then it will be terrible to you.
Yea and further, If a man be in a full condition, and learns not to be full; ſuch a man will do abundance of hurt in the place where he lives; not onelyonly to himſelf but to others. O the evil he may do in a Town and in a Family, and in a Kingdom. One rich man, if God doth not ſanctifie his heart and his eſtate, may do more miſchief than an hundred other wicked men. God doth not ſo much look at the hurt that baſe Drunkards, that go up and down, from one Alehouſe to another can do. They may deſtroy their own ſouls, but now a man that is a man of an eſtate in the place where God hath ſet him, if he ſpend nights in Chambering and Wantonneſs; if he contemn the wayes of God and Religion; O the hurt that comes by that man, and the guiltineſs that will come upon his Spirit that way. O how is the Goſpel hindered by ſuch men as they, that have outward proſperous eſtates; and yet for all that have not hearts to make uſe of it: whereas I ſhall ſhew preſently the contrary will be in thoſe that have learned to be full. But onelyonly now, to ſhew the danger of a full condition, If we have not learned to be full; and all to put you upon this, that you may beſeech God to learn you to be full, when God doth give you a fulneſs; leaſt you ſhould contract the guilt of the ſins of thouſands of others upon you.
And then, If thou do'ſt not learn to be full, thy full eſtate will endanger thy ſalvation exceedingly. It is eaſier for a Cammel (ſaith Chriſt) to go thorow the eye of a Needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Now Chriſt doth not interpret at firſt what is a rich man, but at another time he doth, thoſe that truſt in them. Chryſostom hath this paſſage upon that to the Hebrews, He wonders how any Governor can come to be ſaved. The fulneſs of a mans condition doth much endanger his ſalvation, if God doth not teach him how to be full.
And then it will make death to be more terrible. O Death, how terrible will it be to a man that hath not learned to be full. When Death ſhall come, and now he muſt be deprived of all, bid an everlaſting farewel to his Houſe and Eſtate, and Lands comming in. Never ſuch merry meetings as he was wont to have, I but now they are gone; there's an end of thoſe dayes, he ſhall never have them more. O then (I ſay) Death will gnaw upon a man, and then a mans conſcience indeed will terrifie him. If he be afflicted, they will come upon him to terrifie him. But when he ſees that he muſt bid an everlaſting farewel to all thoſe things, then Death will terrifie him to purpoſe. O conſcience will tell him, Now art thou going to give an account before the great God of all that thou didſt enjoy in this world. It's a ſad meſſage that this will be to ſome that are full. You think becauſe you have money to pay for what you eat and drink, and do enjoy, you think you ſhall be called to no farther account. O yes, you muſt be called to an account for all the Creatures that you do enjoy. Now if men can ſcarce count the mercies that they do enjoy, O then how will you be able to give an account for them. Well, all this is but to awaken the hearts of people that have the comforts of this world, that they may not ſatisfie themſelves with what they enjoy; but ſeek what they can to learn to be full.
And the Excellency of this Leſſon of Learning to be full, is very great.
For firſt, It ſhews a great deal of ingenuity in the heart of a man. Ingenuity in theſe two regards,
Firſt, Becauſe hereby it appears that this man is not onelyonly for his own turn. It's a ſordid ſpirit for a man to ſeek to ſerve his own turn upon others, and when his turn is ſerved, never to care for any body; But now, an ingenious ſpirit, when that hath its own turn ſerv'd, it is as careful again to return anſwerable reſpect to thoſe that were uſeful to him; as it was deſirous to have its own turn ſerv'd before. So it is in thoſe that have learned to be full, they have ingenuity; they are as careful to return anſwerable reſpects to God, as they are to receive any mercy from him.
And their Ingenuity is in this, That they are thankful ſpirits. An ingenious heart is a thankful heart, and loves to acknowledge whence he had any mercy.
And then further, That's great ingenuity for one to be moved by good, and be moved by mercy. 'Tis a ſlaviſh ſpirit that's onelyonly mov'd by neceſſity and force and violence. That's nothing for a man to be forced to do a duty. The baſeſt Slave by a Whip will be put to do that that is his duty, I, but for one to be wrought upon by love and by goodneſs, this is ingenuity. Now if the Lord hath given thee an eſtate, and thou findeſt it doth draw thy heart to God more, and works upon thy heart, that thou art affected by Gods mercy; O this is a ſign of an ingenious heart.
And then, what grace ſuch a man hath, is a great deal more conſpicuous than others mens graces, and more beautiful. As a Diamond, that is ſet in Gold, there is a beauty in it. A Diamond ſet in a Crown of Gold, doth ſparkle more gloriouſly, than when it is wrapt up in a dirty Rag. So the graces of many that are poor and mean in the world, are (as it were) wrapt up in a dirty rag; as ſometimes they wrap up their money. But now a man that is eminent in the world, and godly too, his graces are like Diamonds upon a Crown (as it were) that are ſo conſpicuous before the world, that the world takes much notice of them, and gives glory to God for them.
Thirdly, It's an excellency, becauſe it is ſo rare. It's a very rare thing for a man to be inſtructed in this Leſſon of being full. It's a ſpeech of Bernard, Not to be lifted up, when a man is put high, that is very unuſual; now, ſaith he, the more unuſual it is, the more glorious thing it is. It is a very rare bleſſing of God upon a man, for him to learn to be full. I remember the ſame learned man Bernard, writing to Eugenius, that was advanced to great favour; he ſpeaks of the grace of God towards him, and bleſſing God for it, his promotion did not ſucceed his former eſtate, but was added to his former eſtate. That's thus, The promotion of many men doth ſucceed their former eſtate; that is, the former ingenuity they had, and ingenuity that they ſeem'd to have; that's gone, and the promotion doth come and ſucceed it. But the promotion of this Eugenius was not ſo, he continued in the former eſtate that he was in before, that is, the former humility and heavenly-mindedneſs, and holineſs as he ſeem'd to have before, ſo he had the ſame ſtill: ſo that his ſtate and promotion did not ſucceed, but was added to it. I, this is an excellency indeed, when a mans fulneſs is added to his former condition, and doth not ſucceed it; that is, he is the ſame man now that he was before: that's a rare bleſſing of God upon one.
Fourthly, It argues a great deal of ſtrength of grace, for a man that is full, and knows how to be full, and to improve it. It argues not onelyonly grace, but ſtrength of grace: as it argues a great deal of ſtrength in mens bodies, that they can drink a great deal of Wine, and not be drunk. Some think that they may take liberty to themſelves to drink Wine, ſo they do not ſtagger in the ſtreets. But you know the Scripture ſaith, Wo to thoſe that are ſtrong to drink Wine. It's a ſpeech of Seneca, That moderation is a ſign of a ſtrong breaſt. Moderation in the midſt of proſperity, is a ſign of a ſtrong heart. It's a ſign God hath given thee ſtrength of grace, if thy conſcience can witneſs this to thee, Well, Through Gods mercy, though I have many weakneſſes, and fail in all that I do, yet I can ſay, to the praiſe of God, that my eſtate hath not eſtranged my heart from God; but my heart doth cleave to God, and I have communion with God in the Creatures that God ſonds me. And when God doth give me the beſt Voyages, I find my heart in the beſt temper, and I have more ſweet communion with God then than at other times. Can you ſay ſo? I appeal to your conſciences now, whether you can ſay, as in the preſence of God, I never found my heart in a more heavenly ſpiritual temper, than when I have found God bleſſing me in my labors; and I have enjoyed God in them. O now, if thou canſt ſay ſo, be of good comfort; thou haſt learned a leſſon that is a thouſand times worth more than all thy proſperity. This is thine excellency, not that thou haſt a fuller eſtate than others, but that God hath taught thee ſuch a leſſon as this is.
And then farther, Such a one may do abundance of good. What abundance of glory may God have from one man that way; whereas a man that is of an eſtate, and hath not grace withal, he is like a great Elder-Tree in the midſt of a Garden. Such a Tree, why it ſpoils the Flowers and doth hurt there. I but one that hath an eſtate and is rich, and godly withal, he ſtands as a prime Flower in the Garden, that is an ornament to it: As commonly, in the midſt of your knots you ſet a prime flower there, to be an ornament to all the reſt. So the Lord will have ſome to be rich, that may be an ornament and a ſhelter to his ſervants. O many, many hundreds of people, will bleſs God, that ever God ſet ſuch a man in ſuch a place; and that God did give them their eſtate. We ſay of ſome men that they have good eſtates, I, and it's well beſtowed on them; for they do a great deal of good with them. But now, when they are not onelyonly ſo, but their hearts are to improve their eſtates for the furtherance of the Goſpel, for the beating down of ſin, and the countenancing of Religion, O then all the people of God that live about them, will bleſs God, O for ſuch a man. Had it not been for ſome few in a place that God gave eſtates unto, that was ſtirring, what would have become of the Goſpel; Religion would have been trampled under feet. O will not this be a greater comfort in the day of Jeſus Chriſt, when Chriſt ſhall own this, and ſay, I gave you an eſtate in the world, and I acknowledge that you did make uſe of it for my Glory and Religion. I made you an inſtrument to uphold it in the place where you were uſed. O if Chriſt ſhould own this, would it not be a thouſand times worth your eſtates.
And then, When you come to die, O how ſweetly will you die; when you can ſay, O Lord remember me for good. As Nehemiah did in the cloſe of his Book, look upon the very laſt words of Nehemiah; he was a man that was full in outward bleſſings, and he improv'd them to purpoſe for God; and that was the very cloſe of all, Lord remember me for good; and ſo may'ſt thou when thou comeſt to die. Thy conſcience ſhall not upbraid thee, as others will; Thou comeſt to God for mercy, What come to me for mercy? I have beſtowed mercy upon you already, and how did you abuſe it? With what face can you cry to me for mercy, that have abus'd it ſo? O but when your Conſciences can tell you that you have not abuſed Gods mercy, but his mercy in outward things hath drawn your hearts unto him, and you have imploied it in his ſervice: Now thou may'ſt with joy and encouragement ſay, Lord remember me for good. And if God ſhould ever bring thee into afflictions in this world, it will be ſweet and comfortable to thee, if thou haſt uſed thy proſperity well. For that man that is willing to give up the comfort of his proſperity to God, which he doth enjoy; God will have a care to take away the gaul and the bitterneſs of affliction from that man when he is under affliction. O there's nothing more comfortable to a man in affliction, than to conſider that he hath made uſe of his proſperity for the honour & glory of God. When I was in proſperity, God had honour, and now I am in affliction, I can comfortably fly to God for peace and comfort to my ſoul.
And in this, God doth attain to his end and the end of his Creatures. God hath his end eſpecially from theſe men; the end of his Works of Creation and Providence. Why▪ the Lord hath made this world and filled it with abundance of excellent things; but now, how ſhall God attain his end: that is, To have glory from the excellent things that he hath made in the world? Why, moſt men takes them and abuſes them to Gods diſhonour; now were there not ſome men that had hearts to give God the glory of their eſtates, why God ſhould have no glory from all his works; all his works would be as it were to no purpoſe. But now it ſeems God hath called thee out to give him the glory of his works; ſo that thou art the man among ſo many that doth pay as it were to God the rent that he requires for all the great things that he hath done in the world; which cannot but bring in a great deal of comfort to thee, and ſhews the excellency of it.
I have now but two other things for the opening of it before we come to the application, yet all the way as we have gone along, we have indeavoured to apply it; ſhewing wherein it conſiſts, the difficulty of it, and the excellency of it: Now for the cloſe at this time, let theſe things ſink into your hearts; I'll give you one Scripture that you may go a way and ſeek to God to teach you how to be full, and to learn this leſſon; It is in the 12 ver. of the Epiſtle of Jude, Theſe are ſpots in your feaſts of charity, when they feaſt with you, feeding themſelves without fear. There's the deſcription of wicked and ungodly men. How are they deſcribed? They feaſt themſelves without fear, that they may be fed to the full; they care for nothing elſe. O this is a ſign of a wretched wicked man, to feaſt himſelf without fear. Hath God given thee a full eſtate, and what, do'ſt thou take it without fear. If God hath given thee an eſtate, and all outward comforts in this world according to thy hearts deſire, it ſtands thee upon to fear leaſt thou ſhould'ſt not improve it for God. And O that God would ſend you away from his preſence upon the conſideration of what you have heard, even with trembling hearts. Lord, Thou haſt given us theſe and theſe outward comforts; (and let Husband ſpeak thus to the Wife, and Wife to the Huſband, when they ſee all things comming in in a plentiful way:) O the Lord hath given us theſe mercies more than others, O but how if we ſhould not improve them for God, how if we ſhould abuſe them, and if we have not anſwerable grace to make uſe of them, what ſhould become of us? Now having your hearts poſſeſt with the fear of this, you will be the more like to be driven to God in prayer; to ſeek of him that he would learn you this leſſon, to teach you how to be full.
And there is a great myſtery in this, as there is a myſtery of Godlineſs in Contentment, ſo there is a myſtery in this; and I ſhall ſhew you further that it is done in a kind of myſtical way. There are indeed ſome natural Rules, whereby we may propound to men how to make uſe of their proſperity; and it were well if all of us were wrought upon in a natural way. But I ſhall endeavor to go further with you than ſo, To ſhew you in a ſpiritual way how you ſhould learn to be full, according to the Rules of the Goſpel; To manifeſt the myſtery of Godlineſs in the giving God the glory of your Eſtates and all the Comforts that you do enjoy in this world.