Sermons Preached on Several Occasions, Sermon 5
The Fifth Sermon.
PROV. XXII. 2.
The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.
THESE words, as we ſee, contain two Propoſitions; the former of which is,
That the rich and the poor meet together:
The latter,
That the Lord is the maker of them all.
Both theſe Propoſitions may be underſtood ſeveral ways; I ſhall ſpeak of them in order; and firſt of the former Propoſition,
The rich and the poor meet together.
Which words are capable of many Interpretations, and 'tis not eaſie to judge which of them Solomon chiefly intended. 'Tis poſſible that he might purpoſely expreſs himſelf in ſuch terms, as that we might not be able to reſtrain the words to any one ſenſe, excluding all other Interpretations. In ſuch Scriptures where divers Expoſitions carry equal probability, ſo that we know not well which to embrace, or which to reject, the ſafeſt way for the moſt part is to take in all thoſe ſenſes which the words will naturally and fairly admit of; ſo among them all we ſhall be ſure to have that which was aimed at. As to our preſent buſineſs, The rich and the poor may be ſaid to meet together,
1. In reſpect of the common nature of Mankind in which they agree, whatſoever other difference there may be between them.
As for their Bodies, there is the ſame rare compoſure and admirable artifice in both, the ſame infinite Wiſdom, Power and Goodneſs of God diſcovered in framing the Bodies of the one, as of the other; there is not a Limb, nor a Joint, nor a Bone, nor a Sinew, nor a Vein, nor an Artery, nor a Muſcle, nor a Nerve, nor a Griſtle, nor the leaſt ſtring or little inſtrument of vital or animal operation or motions, but is alike to be found in the one as in the other, and all alike exquiſitely framed and fitted for the reſpective uſes and ſervices in the Body. In a word; The Body of the poor man is in all reſpects as wonderfully made, as that of the rich.
Then as to their better part, the Spirit, the poor man is endowed with as excellent a Soul as the rich man. Hath the rich man a Soul endowed with the admired faculties of reaſon, and liberty of will? ſo hath the poor man. Have the rich an immortal Soul that ſhall have a Being to eternity? ſo have the poor. Hath the rich man the Image of God ſtampt upon his Soul? ſo hath the poor. Doth the Soul of the one owe its original immediatly and ſolely to God? and ſo doth the Soul of the other. Is God the Father of the Spirits of the rich? ſo is he of the Spirits of the poor. Is the Soul of the rich capable of unſpeakable and endleſs happineſs in the immediate viſion and fruition of God, in whoſe prefence is the fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore? ſo is the Soul of the pooreſt, every way as capable thereof.
2. The rich and the poor meet together in reſpect of the mutual dependance they have upon each other, and the need the one hath of the other. As the poor man cannot live without the rich man, ſo neither can the rich live without the poor. The poor cannot live without the charity and aſſiſtance of the rich, and the rich cannot live without the Service of the poor. How many poor mens Service is neceſſary towards the making of the rich man's Clothing, and the furniſhing of his Table! Doth he wear one Suit of Apparrel, or make one Meal, unto which the labour of the poor man's hands doth not ſome way or other contribute, either immediately or mediately, Eccleſ. 5.9.and more remotely? The king himſelf is ſerved by the field. And how many poor mens labour doth the Field require in manuring, and plowing, and harrowing, and ſowing, and fencing, and weeding, and reaping, and inning the Fruits of the Earth! And yet after that all this is done, the Corn that is thus houſed, is not preſently without any more ado made food; there muſt be threſhing, and winnowing, and grinding, and baking, in which the ſervice of many poor mens hands is neceſſary, before the King himſelf can eat a bit of Bread. And as for the Pride and Luxury of many rich men, it were endleſs to reckon up how many poor mens hands in ſeveral ways of imployment are made uſe of to ſupply and furniſh them with materials by which theſe their Vices are fed and maintained.
3. The rich and the poor meet together in reſpect of their joint abode, neighbourhood, and cohabitation here in this World. There is no place where they are not both to be found. In all places where men live together for the mutual help and defence of one another, God's wiſe Providence hath mingled the rich and the poor together. Shew me a rich man's ſtately and well-furniſhed Houſe, and I ſhall not need to go far to ſhew you a poor man's Cottage: and ſo on the contrary. And indeed 'tis needful it ſhould ſo be, for as I have juſt now ſhewed, neither of them could be without the other.
4. The rich and the poor meet together in reſpect of the care and good Providence of God, that is alike extended to both. They are both under the ſame gracious Providence that looks after, provides for, preſerves, ſafeguards and protects them both, though in ways ſomewhat different. The rich cannot ſay that God only regards them, and fixeth the eye of his Providence on them alone; neither can the poor complain that God diſregards or neglects them. The Lord is good to all, Pſal. 145.9.his mercy is over all his works. And ſo far is he from having denied the poor the benefit of his gracious Providence, that in conſideration of their deſtitute, diſconſolate, and helpleſs condition, he hath many ways expreſſed his particular and tender care of them above others, as may elſewhere be ſhewed. Many Laws he hath made in behalf of them, many promiſes he hath made to them; he hath laid many charges on the rich to be helpful to them, and made many promiſes alſo to encourage them thereunto.
5. The rich and the poor meet together in the ſame poſſibility and capacity of exchanging Conditions with one another. As the rich is capable of becoming poor, ſo the poor is capable of being made rich. The high Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth diſpenceth outward things as he ſees good, and to whom he pleaſeth. He can fill the hand of the poor, and empty the hand of the rich, whenſoever he will: He can reduce the rich to ſuch a condition, as that the ſame hand that was wont to give relief, ſhall receive it; and he can advance the poor to ſuch a condition, as that the ſame hand which received relief, ſhall give it: Such ſtrange turns of God's Providence we often ſee. God, according to his good pleaſure, putteth down one, and ſetteth up another, Pſal. 75.7. He raiſeth the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth up the needy out of the dunghill; that he may ſet him with princes, even the princes of his people, Pſal. 113.7, 8. And he maketh thoſe that were brought up in ſcarlet, to imbrace dunghills, Lam. 4.5.
And this leads me to the ſecond Propoſition,
The Lord is the maker of them all.
Which, when I ſhall alſo have ſpoken unto, I ſhall then make application of both together.
This latter Propoſition may alſo be diverſly underſtood. The rich and the poor may be conſidered, either as men, or as diſtinguiſhed from one another by the different adjuncts of Riches and Poverty. Now take them under which of theſe two Conſiderations you pleaſe, the Lord is the maker of them both.
1. If you conſider them both as men, ſo God is the maker of them all. And this, whether we look back to the firſt origine of Mankind, or whether we conſider them as taking their beginning from their more immediate Parents.
If we look unto the Rock whence we were all hewen, and to the Pit whence we were digged; if we look back to our firſt Parents, Adam and Eve, in them we all came out of the hands of God by creation; he framed the firſt man out of the duſt of the Earth, and the firſt Woman out of the Rib of Man, and breathed into them the breath of life, endued them both with an immortal Soul. In this Divine Original, in the honour of this miraculous beginning, the poor man hath an equal intereſt with the rich man; the rich cannot claim nearer kindred to Adam and Eve, than the poor; the poor can call Adam Grandfather, and Eve Grandmother, by as good right as the rich.
Again, if we conſider them with relation to their more immediate Parents, as they derive their beginning from them, ſetting aſide for the preſent the external and accidental conſiderations of Riches and Poverty, Honour and Diſhonour, and the like, which will come to be ſpoken of afterwards; ſo God is the maker of them both; neither hath the Rich and Noble, conſidered merely as a Man, any preeminence in his birth above the poor and ignoble. They both are alike fearfully made, Pſal. 139.14, 15, 16.and curiouſly wrought in the loweſt parts of the earth, that is, in their Mother's Womb: In God's book were all the members of them both written; which in continuance were faſhioned, when as yet there was none of them. And when the Body was by the concurrence of admirable Wiſdom and Power fitted to receive and entertain the Soul, and made a meet Receptacle and Inſtrument for ſo excellent a Being, God infuſed the Soul into the Body, by his immediate Almighty Power, giving it a being out of nothing, and in a wonderful manner, far tranſcending our apprehenſion, united the one to the other. And all this expence of Wiſdom and Power he equally beſtows upon the Rich and the Poor. And then they both endure the ſame confinement and impriſonment in the Womb; the Infant of the rich and Noble hath no more room there, nor is it ſooner at liberty than the Infant of the Beggar. And ſo at the length the ſame Wiſdom, Power, and Goodneſs ſends them both alike into the World; the Infant of the meaneſt, the loweſt, doth not put the Mother to more pains in the birth, than the Infant of the higheſt, it may be to a great deal leſs. And how different ſoever their entertainment is when they are come into the World, yet God ſends them both into it alike; the Infant of the Prince, that ſits upon the Throne, is as naked and ſhiftleſs as the Infant of the pooreſt that imbraceth Dunghills. And thus we have ſeen, that God is the maker of them both, conſidered as men; and that as ſuch, God makes the rich and the poor alike, putting no diſſerence between them, nor being at any greater expence of Wiſdom and Power in making of the one, than he is in making of the other.
2. If the rich and the poor be conſidered as they are diſtinguiſhed by thoſe adjuncts of Riches and Poverty, ſo likewiſe God is the maker of them both. 'Tis God's Providence that puts theſe external Differences between men. The Lord maketh poor, 1 Sam. 2.7.and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and lifteth up, as Hannah ſings. 'Tis neither by chance, nor by man's skill or induſtry alone, that men become rich, but by the bleſſing of God upon skill and induſtry, and his over-ruling Providence, that gives out, and diſtributes theſe things by no other rule than the good pleaſure of him, who worketh all things according to the counſel of his own will, Eph. 1.11. The race is not to the ſwift, nor the battel to the ſtrong; neither yet bread to the wiſe, nor riches to men of underſtanding, nor favour to men of skill; Eccleſ. 9.11. It is God that giveth men power to get wealth, Deut. 8.18.
This we ſee by experience. Men of great skill and abilities, that underſtand the World, and know how to manage ther Affairs to the beſt advantage; that lay many wiſe Plots, and have many ingenious Deſigns for raiſing themſelves, and advancing their Eſtates; that by their wit and forecaſt put themſelves into many very probable ways of attaining Riches; yet they do but labour in the fire, lay out their wit, and ſpend their ſtrength for nought. All their Projects and Contrivances are but as the Spider's Web, finely and curiouſly ſpun indeed, and drawn out of the very bowels of the Creature; but inſtantly broken to pieces, and ſwept away with one little bruſh of the Beſome. If God do but blow upon mens wiſeſt Counſels for advantaging themſelves, they are preſently blaſted, they wither, fade away, and come to nothing. And ſo we may obſerve on the other ſide, That men of far weaker parts, leſs skill, leſs forecaſt and contrivance, leſs ability for managing their Affairs, yet many times, through the bleſſing of God, who giveth power to get wealth, attain unto great Eſtates. In theſe, as in all other things, God's bleſſing and over-ruling Providence are all in all. The Pſalmiſt diſcourſing of the inconſtancy and inſtability of all earthly things, cries out, Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: To be laid in the ballance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. And hereupon he counſels men not to rely on any of theſe things, nor to ſuffer their Affections to be faſtened to them; If riches increaſe, Pſal. 62.9, 10.ſet not your heart upon them: And then preſently he adds in the next Verſe, God hath ſpoken once, twice have I heard this, That power belongeth to God. As if he had ſaid, 'Tis a Divine Oracle worthy to be believed, which I have heard from the mouth of God more than once, That power belongeth to God; 'tis in the hand of his Providence to diſpoſe of theſe things, to give them, and take them away again at pleaſure; and therefore he, and he only is to be truſted in, and relied on. And as for Riches, ſo again for Poverty, 'tis an effect of God's Providence alſo; though many times as a juſt puniſhment of mens waſtfulneſs, prodigality, unthriftineſs, idleneſs, and many other ſins. But many there are, who though they be induſtrious and unblameable, yet the moſt wiſe Providence of God keeps them low ſtill; and whenſoever they begin to get ſomething about them, and to put up their heads a little, God provides ſomewhat to pull them down again, that meaner Condition being that which his Wiſdom judgeth to be meeteſt for them. We uſe to ſay, Some are born to be poor. There is ſomewhat of truth in it, if we underſtand it aright. As God hath, as it were, deſtined and ordained ſome to be rich, ſo he hath deſtined ſome to poverty. Poor they are, and poor they ſhall be; do they what they can to ſhake of their poverty, they ſhall never be rid of it. Neither yet ought any man to be offended at this diſpenſation of God; much leſs to charge God fooliſhly, as if he had not done herein what is beſt. Fooliſh man may be apt to think how much better it had been if God had made all men rich, and Poverty had been a thing which the World never knew. But let no man oppoſe his own fooliſhneſs to God's Wiſdom. Who hath been his counſellor? Rom. 11.34. Shall any teach God knowledge? Job 21.22. It becomes us, weak, blind, and ſhallow Creatures that we are, ever-more to think well of what God doth, whether we can diſcern the grounds and reaſons of his Providence or no; and to have a holy veneration even for thoſe his Works, the cauſes whereof we do not underſtand, nor are able to give an account of. But as to the matter in hand, though perhaps it may not be needful nor expedient that we ſhould know all the reaſons which God had for putting ſuch a difference between men, making ſome of them to be rich, and others poor; yet ſome imperfect account of ſome of the reaſons of this Diſpenſation we can give. That God doth no man any wrong in with-holding the things of this World from him, while he is pleaſed to load others with his benefits, giving them as much as heart can wiſh, will be readily granted by all who acknowledge God's Sovereignty, and allow him to have a rightful power to do as he pleaſeth with his own. Beſides, who can challenge any thing, a crumb of Bread, or a drop of Water at the hands of God? He that hath leaſt, muſt he not confeſs that he hath more than he hath deſerved? Who hath firſt given unto him? ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 11.35. In him we live, and move, and have our being: And ſeeing he hath given us our being, and all our Powers and Abilities, we can render nothing to him in way of ſervice, or otherwiſe, but what we have received from him. Can we deſerve any thing at his hands by rendring him that which was his own before, that which we owed him? Again, beſides all this, we have all, by our manifold ſins, and continual provocations, deſerved to be deprived of whatever mercy we enjoy. We ſhould long ago have been turned into Hell, if we had had our due, and been dealt with according to our ſins: And how much more then have we deſerved to be ſtripped of all our Comforts? Be it never ſo little and ſo mean that you have, you had not now had it, if God had been extream to mark what you had done amiſs. It had been all gone, it had been ſnatcht away from you in diſpleaſure, if God's patience and long-ſufferance had not ſtood you in more ſtead than any deferts of your own.
Well then, this I take for granted, that he who is in the pooreſt, the moſt deſtitute, the moſt forlorn, the moſt deſolate and deſpicable condition among you all, is convinced that God hath done him no wrong, nor can do any man wrong, by denying him that which he is not bound to give him.
Now moreover, that God in putting ſuch a difference between men, is not only juſt, but moſt wiſe and good, may appear to any man that ſhall duly conſider this diſpenſation.
1. 'Tis for the Order and Beauty of the Univerſe, that there ſhould be variety in the World, and interchangeable Viciſſitudes of things; Winter and Summer, Spring and Autumn, Sickneſs and Health, Proſperity and Adverſity, Light and Darkneſs, do all contribute, though in ſeveral ways, to adorn and beautify the Creation, and ſet forth the Power, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs of the Creator. And even thoſe things which in ſome mens eyes may ſeem to be the ſpots and blemiſhes of the Creation, (for ſo men of profane ſpirits may be too prone to judge of them) do as well contribute to the beauty and luſtre of the whole, as thoſe things that are of eminent beauty and perfection. Even Monſters ſerve to ſet forth and commend the Wiſdom and Goodneſs of God, in the exact frame, due lineaments, right proportions and features, ſtrength and beauty of perfect Creatures. So the poor, ſtrait, and indigent condition of ſome, ſo much the more commends the Bounty and Goodneſs of God to others; and provokes them, at leaſt ſhould provoke them to ſo much the greater love and thankfulneſs to that God who hath been ſo bountiful to them, and hath been pleaſed to put ſuch a difference between them and others, and this albeit they have deſerved at the hands of God no more than thoſe their inferiours who are in the moſt neceſſitous condition.
2. This difference which God hath put between men, affords the Rich opportunities of exerciſing their Charity, Pity, and Compaſſion towards the Poor; and gives the Poor occaſion of exerciſing their Faith and Truſt in God for ſupplies of Neceſſaries; Patience, Humility, Contentment with their mean condition, quiet ſubmiſſion to the good pleaſure of God in thus dealing with them, and thankfulneſs to God for thoſe helps and aſſiſtances which he is pleaſed to reach forth to them by the hands of thoſe with whom he depoſited more of the things of this World, on purpoſe that they might be helpful to thoſe who have leſs.
3. God hath been pleaſed to put this difference between men in regard of the neceſſity there is of different Stations and Conditions, different Services and Imployments for procuring and carrying on the good and welfare of the Community of Mankind. Some muſt govern, and others muſt be governed; or elſe we ſhall quickly be ruined, and all things will run into confuſion. Some muſt labour in the Field, others muſt grinde at the Mill, others handle the Diſtaff; ſome muſt be imployed in meaner, other in higher Services, in order whereunto it was fit that men's conditions ſhould be ſuited to thoſe Imployments in which they are to be ſerviceable to God and their Generation.
Now the Application of what hath been ſpoken, follows; and this will concern all. I ſhall firſt ſpeak to the Rich, and then to the Poor. As for the Rich, or thoſe whom God hath been pleaſed to intruſt with a larger portion of Temporal things, they may hence be minded of their Duty ſeveral ways. If the Rich and the Poor meet together in all thoſe reſpects before mentioned, and God be the Maker of them all, both as men, and as conſidered under the different Adjuncts of Riches and Poverty; then may the Rich hence be cautioned and admoniſhed.
1. Not to deſpiſe the Poor. This is that which men who even wallow in plenty, and abound with the good things of this Life, are very ſubject to. A poor man is many times a contemptible thing in their eyes; and as he hath occaſion to come near them, he ſcarce meets with thoſe civilities from them that are due to Mankind. And uſually none are more faulty this way, than ſuch as have the greateſt obligation to civility and condeſcenſion; I mean ſuch as were not long ſince in a mean condition themſelves, and have but newly been advanced to an higher Station. But theſe, and whoſoever elſe may be blame-worthy in this reſpect, ſhould conſider what hath above been diſcourſed of.
(1.) That the pooreſt and moſt forlorn Creature who is moſt deſpicable in their eyes, hath as noble and excellent a Soul as they have themſelves, or as the greateſt Potentate in the World hath; and as for his very Body, though cloathed with naſty Rags, the exquiſite Workmanſhip thereof is no leſs admirable than that of his that is cloathed with Scarlet, and adorned with Gold and Pearls, and whatever Nature or Art could contribute to make it beautiful and lovely.
(2.) That the pooreſt man in the World is as dear to God as they are, and as much under the Care and gracious Providence of God; for fine Cloaths, and Riches, and Honours, commend no man to God; high and low, rich and poor are alike to him; for he is no reſpecter of perſons; Act 10.34.neither doth he rate or value any man according to theſe things. 'Tis grace and holineſs that he looks after, and accordingly proportions his eſteem for men. The Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth; man looketh upon the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh upon the heart, 1 Sam. 16.7▪ The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, Pſal. 34.15. The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy, Pſal. 147.11. But as for wicked and ungodly men, of what rank or quality ſoever they may be in this World, the Lord hates and abhors them.Pſal. 5.5.
(3.) They ſhould conſider, that the pooreſt man in all the World is as capable of being admitted to the bliſful Viſion and Fruition of God in the World to come, is as capable of glory and eternal happineſs, as the richeſt. As God hath given the ſame Rational and Immortal Soul to Rich and Poor, whereby they are both capable of the ſight and enjoyment of God; ſo hath Chriſt died for both, and paid the ſame invaluable price for the Redemption of both; and ſo he hath commanded his Goſpel to be publiſhed alike to both, and therein the ſame terms of Salvation to be indifferently propounded to the one and the other. There is not one Goſpel for the Rich, and another for the Poor; nor are the terms of peace with God, and reconciliation to him, more eaſy and favourable for the one than for the other. The Goſpel puts no difference between men with reference to thoſe different circumſtances as to outward things, under which they may be. It ſpeaks the ſame Language to all; Go into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature; He that believeth ſhall be ſaved, and he that believeth not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.15, 16. Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12.14. Except ye repent ye ſhall all periſh, Luke 13.3. Except ye be converted ye ſhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 18.3.
Now if God values the Souls of Rich and Poor alike, hath taken the ſame care of, and made the ſame proviſion for the Salvation of both; if Rich and Poor meet together, ſtand both upon even ground, and are upon equal terms, as to the matters that are of higheſt importance and everlaſting concernment to the one and the other; ſhould any man deſpiſe his poor Brother upon the account of theſe temporal things, theſe poor and worthleſs trifles that ſignify as good as nothing?
2. The Rich may hence be cautioned, Not to count the Poor a grievance or heavy burthen to them; I mean the honeſt, ſober, humble, modeſt and induſtrious Poor. As for wicked, looſe, idle, and unprofitable Perſons, whether they be Poor or Rich, they are not only a grievance, but the very Peſts of the places where they live, as expoſing them to God's wrath, and drawing down his Judgments upon themſelves and others.
1. While you count the Poor a grievance, and think how much happier the World would be if all men were Rich as you are, you forget that the Rich ſtand in need of the Poor, and could not ſubſiſt without them. Though you had ſuch a Maſs of Treaſure as you could wallow in Gold and Silver, yet theſe Metals could not clothe you; neither could you feed and live upon them; Gold and Silver would neither quench your thirſt, nor ſatisfie your hunger. You are beholding to the labour of the Poor man's hands for your Raiment and your Diet, as I have ſhewed before.
2. 'Tis a great advantage that you have the Poor among you, and continually before your eyes, to make you the more thankful for that plenty that God hath bleſſed you withal (as hath alſo been ſaid), 1 Cor. 4.7.Who maketh thee to differ from another? as the Apoſtle puts the queſtion in another caſe. Why had not he that laſt craved a Bit of Bread at your Door, been the Rich man, and you the Beggar? Why had not he been in your room, and you in his? Why had not he been Arrayed in your Silk and Purple, and you clad in his Rags? Can you look upon him, and reflect on your ſelf without a deep ſenſe of his moſt free and undeſerved Bounty to you, who is the Maker of Rich and Poor, and of his own good pleaſure alone hath put this difference between you and your Poor Neighbour? The advantage of this kindly Incentive and Spur to thankfulneſs, you owe to the Poverty of your Brother. Beſides, as the beholding of his Poverty makes you more thankful for your abundance, ſo it helps you to reliſh your good things the better, and puts a ſweetneſs into them which you would not have taſted, unleſs your Neighbours wants had been as ſauce to your full Diſhes to make them ſavoury to you. So you are beholding to him not only for your Meat, but for your Sauce alſo.
3. The Poor that live among you, afford you a rich opportunity of laying out and imploying that which God hath put into your hand to the beſt advantage. Were it not for the Poor, you would want an object on which to exerciſe your Charity and Compaſſions, and ſo you would loſe much of your comfort here, and a great part of your reward hereafter. What comforts, what inward ſatiſfactions and contents there are in doing good to the diſtreſſed, he only knows who hath with humility and ſincerity much exerciſed himſelf that way. He who hath been much in that Duty, can upon his own experience ſubſcribe to that of our Saviour, that 'tis a more bleſſed thing to give than to receive. Act. 20.35But beſides the preſent comforts that are to be enjoyed in the right performance of this Duty, there is moreover the reward hereafter, which God hath graciouſly promiſed, and will not fail to beſtow. As a man ſoweth here, ſo ſhall he reap hereafter; 2 Cor. 96.He that ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reap bountifully. He ſhall be fully recompenced for whatſoever he hath done of this nature at the Reſurrection of the juſt. Luke 14.14.And this ſo exactly and punctually, that not ſo much as a Cup of cold Water given to a Diſciple in the name of a Diſciple, ſhall be unrewarded.
What other improvement of your Riches comparable with this, can you poſſibly make? Imploy them how you will any other way for your Temporal Advantage, they will no longer ſtand you in ſtead than while your abode ſhall be here; when Death comes, all is gone; you muſt then leave whatſoever you have laid together and heaped up; and you muſt go as naked out of this World as you came into it, excepting only your Winding-ſheet and Coffin; that's all you can carry hence, and that alſo to moulder into duſt together with your ſelf. But now the Poor give you an opportunity of making that uſe of Riches that ſhall abound to your account another day, and ſo in effect you carry them along with you into the other World.
3. Seeing the Rich and Poor meet together in ſo many reſpects; and ſeeing God is the Maker of them both; and ſeeing 'tis by his moſt wiſe and gracious Providence that there ſhould be ſuch different Ranks and Conditions of men, that ſome ſhould be full, and others empty, ſome ſhould abound, and others be in want; let the Rich be hence cautioned not to oppreſs the Poor.
(1.) This were a foul and wretched abuſe of thoſe Advantages in Power and Wealth, which God hath graciouſly afforded them above their Brethren.
(2.) This were horrid unthankfulneſs to God, who hath been pleaſed out of his free Goodneſs and Bounty to put ſuch a difference between them and others.
(3.) This were directly contrary to the deſign of God, in beſtowing upon one a larger Portion of theſe Temporals than another, which was, that he that hath much, might be helpful and beneficial to him that hath little, and not that he might thereby be the better enabled to keep under and cruſh his needy and diſtreſſed Brother. God hath made no man ſtrong, that he might puſh at thoſe that are weaker; nor hath he made any man Rich, that he might by his Wealth and Riches imperiouſly domineer over and trample on his Poor Neighbour. Neither may the Rich man be emboldened to oppreſs his poor Brother, becauſe he is weak and unable to make reſiſtance. The weaker he is, and the more unable to defend or right himſelf, the more unſafe it is to meddle with him: For God himſelf hath undertaken to ſtand by, and help thoſe who have no power to help themſelves. Take heed what you do in taking Advantage of the Poor man's weakneſs to injure and oppreſs him. Are you not aware, that while you abuſe your Wealth and Power to the oppreſſing of your weak Brother, and think you may do as you liſt with him that hath no might to oppoſe you, or defend himſelf againſt you; you have to do with God, and enter the Liſts with him, who hath ſaid, For the oppreſſion of the poor, and for the ſighing of the needy will I ariſe to ſet him in ſafety from him that puffeth at him, Pſal. 12.5. Who delivereth the poor from him that is too ſtrong for him, yea the poor and needy from him that ſpoileth him, Pſal. 35.10? If you love your ſelf, and would conſult your own peace and ſafety, meddle not with God, which certainly you do in oppreſſing your poor and impotent Brother. Take Solomon's Counſel, who ſaith, Rob not the poor becauſe he is poor, neither oppreſs the afflicted in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cauſe, and ſpoil the ſoul of thoſe that ſpoiled them, Prov. 22.22, 23.
Now the Poor may be oppreſſed many ways; I ſhall only at preſent give two inſtances thereof.
1. The Rich may oppreſs the Poor by denying them thoſe helps which of right belong to them, or by diverting to other uſes than that which was originally by the Bounty of Benefactors intended and deſigned for their relief. This were an horrible and crying Sin; this were no better than removing the old Land-mark, and entring into the Field of the Fatherleſs, which Solomon would have no man ſo hardy as to attempt, becauſe their redeemer is mighty, Prov. 23.10, 11.and he will plead their cauſe. You who have the diſpoſing of the Poors-money, take heed you derive not upon you the guilt of this ſin; a ſin of that heinous nature, as that it were enough to ſet a whole Town on Fire, and turn it into Aſhes; look to it therefore, and ſee that the Charity of Benefactors run in its own proper Channel.
2. The Poor may be oppreſſed by the Rich, in dealing rigorouſly and unmercifully with them, and uſing them hardly in thoſe things in which they make uſe of their labour. To enforce them to do their work upon ſuch pitiful terms, as that all which they can get by their utmoſt diligence will hardly buy them Bread to keep them alive, while you raiſe your ſelves, and grow Rich upon their unceſſant Labours, is certainly in God's account no better than Oppreſſion, a ſin which may juſtly bring the Curſe of God upon your Eſtates. If there ſhould be any here that are concerned, I would earneſtly requeſt them to conſider ſeriouſly of it. If upon enquiry you ſhould find you have been guilty of this kind of Oppreſſion, you may well look upon it as one of thoſe things for which God hath had a Controverſy with you, and puniſhed you, by ſnatching away from you what had been ſo heaped together. And let me further lay theſe things before you to be pondered.
1. To take advantage of poor Peoples Neceſſities, and make them part with their Work at any rate, becauſe they muſt have Bread for themſelves and theirs, or ſtarve, is that meaſure which you would not ſhould be made you, if you were in their Circumſtances. Suppoſe your ſelf to be in their condition, and they in yours; would you not then think it very hard meaſure to be ſo dealt with?
2. Though allowing them for their Labour ſo much as might make their Livelihood a little better, you would gain ſo much the leſs, yet you would have much more comfort in what is ſo gotten, were it never ſo little. 'Tis but an uncomfortable thing for any man to grow Rich by pinching the Poor.
3. You would be ſure to have the Bleſſing of God, and not his Curſe, upon what is ſo gotten, be it more or leſs. I beſeech you let this be written upon the Table of your Heart, let it be deeply ingraven there as a certain Truth, an unqueſtionable Principle which can never fail you, That in the Concluſion you ſhall be never the poorer for uſing Poor people well; and you ſhall be never the Richer for having uſed them hardly.
Having hitherto ſpoken to the Rich, I come now to ſpeak a few words to the Poor, who may alſo from what hath been ſaid, be minded of their Duty ſeveral ways.
Do the Rich and Poor meet together, and do they both ſtand upon even ground, and are they upon equal terms, as in many other reſpects before mentioned? So more eſpecially as to their higheſt Concernments are the Poor, the Loweſt, the Meaneſt, and the moſt Contemptible amongſt them, as much the Objects of God's Care, and of his gracious Providence, as the Rich; even as thoſe among the Rich, the height and ſplendor of whoſe condition in the World have made them Objects of the Envy of all their Inferiours. Are the pooreſt, even ſuch as are clothed in Rags, in as fair a way for Heaven, and as capable of Grace here, and Glory hereafter, as the greateſt Princes, as the moſt Illuſtrious and Renowned Potentates in the World; Then let the Poor hence learn, not to be diſcouraged, much leſs give way to murmuring and repining at the Providence of God, that has put ſuch a difference between them and their Superiors, as to the things of this World. It has ſeemed good to the Wiſdom of God to place them below, while others are ſeated above; to make their condition mean and deſpicable, while the conditions of others hath rendered them honourable, and even adorable in the eyes of the inferior World. But ſeeing the Poor and the Rich meet together, and are in equal condition as to the beſt, the moſt excellent, and the moſt deſirable things; What good reaſon is there why they ſhould not be well contented with their condition, and be moſt thankful unto God for it? What reaſon have they to juſtify their envying at the Rich and Honourable, ſeeing they themſelves are no way inferior to them, and come no way ſhort of them as to thoſe things which are of greateſt value, and of higheſt importance?
ƲSE 2.
Seeing the Poor are as capable of Heaven and Eternal Happineſs in the World to come, as the Rich; Let them give all diligence to be duely qualified for it; let their conſtant and earneſt endeavours be to labour after a meetneſs to be made partakers of the inheritance of the ſaints in light. Seeing God has put them in as fair a way for Heaven as any elſe, let them take heed that they fall not ſhort of Heaven through their ſloth and careleſneſs, and through their neglect of the great Salvation which God in the Goſpel reveals, and as freely offers to them as he doth to the Rich, and which, if they be not wanting to themſelves, they may be made partakers of upon the ſame terms on which the Rich are capable thereof; yea in ſome reſpects upon eaſier terms; foraſmuch as the Riches, Honours, Preferments, and high Places of their Superiors ſo load, incumber and clog them, as they are thereby much retarded and hindered in their way to Heaven. Both conditions have their difficulties, both their advantages; both have the like end to reſpect, both have the like capacity of attaining it; herein they both meet together, but the happineſs of all are, That God is the maker and diſpoſer of both.