The Strife of Brethren and a Treaty for Peace, Sermon 1 – Dedication 4
THE CONTENT OF A WAYFARING MAN: OR, Jeremies Cottage in the Wildernesse.
JEREM. 9.2.
O that I had in the Wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and goe from them.
Or thus, Ob that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the Wildernesse.
WE have here Jeremies Content, and Jeremies Account: His Content was moderate, He aspired no great things for himselfe, nor Bishops Lands, nor Deanes Houses. A Cottage was his Content, and his Content was sutable to his Condition.
His Condition was a Wayfaring-man, Non lequitur de diversorii… quae erant… pagis & ur… bus, sed de diversoriis descrti quemadm…dum videbimus ubi per sylvas longum est & molestum iter, tuguria quaedam componisi fortè depre… bensus fuerit viator tenebris noctis ut possit latere sub tecto, scil. nè sub die cubet. Calv. in Loc.and the Cottage of a Wayfaring man was his Content, onelyonly a hole to hide his head in a storm, and to afford him a nights lodging in his Way: And that in no stately Citie, where perhaps a small Cottage may be of more value then a large Farm in the Countrey.
But the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wildernesse. And Wildernesse, whether you take it literally, for a place smally inhabited; as that wildernesse wherein the Priests had 6 Cities; or for a place not at all inhabited, as that to which Jeremies wild Asse was used; or figuratively for a rude and untaught people, as Wildernesse doth often signifie in holy Scriptures. Either way it suits very well with Jeremies Content, who desired to enjoy himselfe in a peaceable retirednesse, which he could not in a tumultuous Citie; and probably as he had better hopes of the safety of his person amongst wilde beasts, then wicked men: so of the successe of his Ministery amongst a rude and ignorant people in the wildernesse, then amongst those whose knowledge did puffe them up in Jerusalem. For so we find Jeremies Account, why he desired the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wildernesse, That I might leave my people, and goe from them.
My people: His they were though they were so bad. Jeremy you will yeeld, was an able, painfull, faithfull, couragious Minister, who feared not the frownes of Kings nor Princes, Fetters nor Dungeon, for the faithfull discharge of his Ministery; and yet so good as he was, he was unhappily matcht with a bad people, and so bad they were, as that he did desire to leave them, and yet not leave them without leave from God, or love to them.
Not without leave from God; for these words we must not conceive to fall at randum from Jeremy, as if he were hurried away from his people by passion, or discontent, but as he sayes, Chap. 11. v. 20. Ʋnto thee, O Lord, have I revealed my cause. And Chap. 20.12. VntoUnto thee, O Lord, have I opened my cause. He seeks to God for a place of remove, and would remove as the Israelites in the wildernesse at Gods command.
Not without love to them; for though he did leave them, yet hee would not leave to pray for them, & to pray in teares, and teares in abundance; and that abundance not sufficient to content his love, but that he wishes for more. O that my head were full of waters, and mine eyes a fountain of teares, that I might weep day and night for the captivity of the daughter of my people, verse 1. of this Chapter. For so you must joyn that verse to this, and you have then and there a double account of Jeremies option for a Cottage in the wildernesse.
Seeing his preaching could doe no good in Jerusalem, he was desirous to retire himselfe to prayer, and to pray in teares, as Jeremy did, retirednesse is best.
Foreseeing their Captivity, he was unwilling to see it, and therefore desired to enjoy himself in a peaceable retirednesse, rather then to live in Jerusalem with fire over his head. O that I had the Cottage of a Wayfaring man in the wildernesse, that I might leave my people and go from them.
I have now given you the Analysis of the Text, and you see there is much in it, and I have little time, I shall endeavour as well as I can, to contract much into little, and shall confine my selfe to the two generall heads of the Text: Jeremiahs Content, and Jeremiahs Account.
From the first, I observe; How moderate gracious desires should be in these earthly things.
From the second; How good Ministers may upon warrantable grounds desire to remove from an unkind people.
And first, I shall apply my selfe to the first, Jeremies Content: O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wildernesse, that I might leave my people, and goe from them.
Gracious desires should be moderate in these earthly things. 1. Generall Doctrine.I doe not say, The desires of grace should be moderate. For that is our great corruption, that in those things wherein unsatiablenesse of desire is onelyonly lawfull, our affections are too remisse; as in spirituall and heavenly things; and too intense in those things wherein unsatiablenesse of desire is most unlawfull: as in temporary and earthly things. And therefore I say, If our desires are gracious, they are and should be moderate in earthly things.
Will you please to look upon your example in the Text, Jeremiah was one of noble birth, of great parts, of eminent gifts, of admirable courage, of unparalleld fidelity in his Ministery: and yet neither his birth, nor place, nor parts nor gifts, did make him ambitious: A cottage did content him who might deserve a palace.
Will you take another instance to this? It is that of Agur, Prov. 30.8.Give me not riches lest I be too full, but feed me with food convenient for me. Give me not riches.
Quis nisi mentis inops? You will scarce think him a reasonable man that should desire riches not to be given unto him? But stay a while, and heare his reason: Lest I bee too full. He would not have his food to become his disease. You well know the danger of surfeits, you know it, but feele it not whilest the sweet morsell is going down; but he that feares it, puts the knife unto his throat, and moderates his appetite. Feed me with food convenient for me. 1. Victum, Food he doth desire: So much of these outward things as may afford him a livelihood. 2. Dimensum, Food convenient, a portion sutable and competent to his place and calling. This is lawfull, and this is moderate.
To these two instances will you please to take one Rule from him that is our Rule. …ohn 14.6. Matth. 6.11.He that blesseth our prayers, taught us to pray for our daily bread. 1. For Bread, Panem indigentiae, so much as may supply our wants in our way: A Jacobs scrip to victuall us over Jordan. 2. Our daily Bread, sine solicitudine, without anxious thought for to morrow: for to morrow [saith the same divine Oracle] will care for it selfe: Sufficient unto the day is the evill thereof.
Nor did our blessed Lord and Saviour set this Boundary unto others, which he kept not himself: For he who had the fulnesse of Heaven and earth for his foot-stool, was yet content with his daily Administrations. You have now the proofe of the Doctrine:Matth. 8.15. Mark 15.41. That gracious d…sires are and should be moderate. I might give you many Reasons for further confirmation of it; but time confines me to those only which offer themselves in the Text.
The first is this:
That our Content should be suitable to our Condition. Reason 1 Wayfaring-men wee are by our Mortall Condition, and our Spirituall Content should be the Cottage of a wayfaring-man, onelyonly that which may suffice us in our way.
The life of Man is not unfitly compared to a way wherein persons of divers conditions travell,Matth. 5.22. Psalm 49.13. Psal. 24.6. and this is the brood of Travellers, we all meet in this one condition to be wayfaring-men. There are many conditions of the wayfaring-man which suit with ours, should I travell them all, I should scarce part with the wayfaring-man, before this travell were ended. I will onelyonly restrain my selfe unto two. 1. What we are in respect of our mortall Condition? Wayfaring-men. 2. What we ought to be in respect of our spirituall desires. Content with our cottage in this wildernesse of sin.
This World is a through-fare either to Heaven or to Hell, and whether Judas goeth to his place, or Peter to his, we all are as a ship under saile, passing swiftly to our haven, and every moment of time doth hasten us to our last home.
The travailes of men indeed are to divers ends: Some to be great, others to be rich; some for knowledge, others for wealth, [sew for grace.] And whilest for the increase of these, wee desire encrease of yeares, what doe wee desire, but that [which unto the carnall man is so undesired] our hastning to our journeys end: the way in which wee all meet, the way of all flesh.
It is not without a mystery, and this of our condition, that the worlds first entertainment of our Saviour was in an Inne, Luke 2.7.and his Mother fell in travell with him, whilest shee was in travell. How much doe they mistake their condition, that take their Inne for their home, and make their way their rest.
I cannot blame worldlings to build them tabernacles here, and to wish they might ever dwell in them, being with Pharaohs Baker loath to go out of their earthly prisons, because they feare a worse condition out of them. But you my Beloved, that have good hopes of Heaven, account your selves strangers and pilgrimes here, and let your affections, your conversations be in Heaven, whilest yet your commoration is in your removing tabernacles.
Should a wayfaring man be so taken up with the delights and profits of a forreigne Countrey, as to dislike the Lawes and Government of his own, and so to dislike it, as to take up armes against it: What doth he but make his travaile his exile, & may perhaps come short of a pardon, when he desires to returne home againe. Heaven is the Countrey, from whence our immortall soules did all set forth. Every finne is a warre against it, which if in disdaine of our home wee doe maintaine, wee are not travailers, but traytors and fugitives, and may be to seek of mercy, when our travaile is ended.
My Brethren, minde your Condition, that's the first.
Secondly, Let your content be suitable to your condition.
When the Israelites travailed through the Moabites Countrey,Deut. 2.6. they would meddle with nothing, but necessaries in their way; and when they were journeying into the Land of Promise,Exod. 11.2. they left their brick and clay to the Aegyptians, and borrowed of them onelyonly Jewels of gold and Jewels of silver; such things as were portable in their way to the holy Land.
You that have a birth above the world, yee sonnes and daughters of the Highest, fowle not your fingers with this world. Let the Aegyptians take their brick and clay unto themselves, and borrow you onelyonly of this earthly Mammon so much as may be portable in your way to Heaven; or, by an holy exchange into heavenly treasures, Matth. 6.20. Luk. 16.9.may be transported thither before you.
Our forefathers that lived six and eight hundred yeares, were content with removing tents, and wee whose lives are but of three dayes to theirs, must provide houses so great, and inheritances so large, as if wee did forget that our condition is mortall, or that it is our duty, to suite our content unto our condition. Let worldlings beare with a chiding from the Poet; O curve in terras animae & coelestium inanes: O yee crooked soules, bowed down unto the earth, and empty of all that is heavenly: why are yee so serious in trifles, and do so trifle in that which is most serious.
Fond Earthworme, give me leave to reason with thee a little; thou hast provided for thy selfe a great and stately mansion, with ponds, and orchards, and vineyards, and all things that may delight and content thy flesh, but what hast thou laid up for thy precious soule, in those foreign,2 Cor. 5.1. buildings made without hands, eternall in the heavens. It will not be long, ere thy stately mansion will disdaine to lodge thee. Thy delicate wife, thy tender children, and thy dearest friends refuse to keepe thee, yea be glad to bury thee out of their sight: as Abram his beloved Sarah; and then think what will become of thy poore and naked soule. Are thy comforts no surer then his which said, Quò iturus sum nescio? Whether I am going I know not. Hast thou taken so much care for a life so transitory, for which a cottage might have sufficed, and left an eternall felicity upon a peradvanture? I tell thee, and be not angry with me, if I tell thee the truth; the basest vermin that crawleth upon the earth, is in a far better condition then thou art.
O that men heaping up earthly riches, according to the utmost measure of their will and power, would yet learne to measure their will and power, according to the frailty of their mortall condition; and whilest thy gaze so much on the golden bead of their Babylonian Idoll, in which they glory, they could yet looke down upon the feet of clay wherewith they travell.
When I heare my fellow-travailer tell me of the danger of theeves and plunderers in my way; I begin to thinke of securing the money I have about me, and if I were to set forth, I would carry no more with mee then is needfull in my way. I need not Interpret, Breve iter magno viatico non instruitur sed eneratur; Large provisions for a short journey are not an help but a burthen unto it, and if wee cannot unloade our selves, it is not from the impossibility of the duty, but from the perversnesse of our affections, and wretched creatures that wee are, who for a temporary security, can doe that which for an eternall felicitie wee reject as impossible to be don.
I have now don with the first reason, why gracious desires in these earthly things should be moderate; Because our spirituall content should be suted to our mortall condition.
The second now that offers it selfe in the Text is this; Reason 2 Because the peaceable retirednesse of a mean and low estate is much more desireable, then the trouble and danger of an high and great; and for this I conceive, was Jeremies desire to retire into a cottage in the wildernesse, that his soule might be free from the strifes and vexations that were in Jerusalem. And for this probably John Baptist might retire to exercise his Ministry in the Wildernesse rather then in the Citie,Luk. 3.7. to the 18. because he saw so much disquiet and ungodlinesse in it, as appeares by the sharp reproofes of his Sermon to those that came out of it. And Moses doubtlesse saw some rich content in a peaceable retirednesse, that he was so unwilling to leave his private enjoyment for a publick imployment, his following his father in lawes sheep in Midian, to be the Leader of the people of Israel, although the Lord answered all his foure doubts, and took off all his excuses in the third of Exodus.
David likewise saw very much in this, who was so willing to have changed his Throne in Israel, for a porters office in the Lords house; Psal. 84.10.and reckoned one day there spent, to be better unto him, then a thousand in the tents of ungodlinesse. For his experience had taught him, that the tempter never gat so much advantage against him at his fathers sheepfold, as in his pallace at Jerusalem. 2 Sam. 11.2.Great estates and high Imployments, are but the bellows of pride and passion; if there be not a great measure of wisdome and grace to keep the heart down.
Solomon likewise was not unacquainted with the comfort and content of a peaceable retirednesse,Eccles. 2.8.11. who had tyred himselfe in searching out the vanity and vexation of high estates: Better (saith he) is a sallat of green hearbs where peace is, then a stalled oxe and contention therewith.Prov. 15.17.
Surely, great estates carry with them great disquiets, and not lesse in mannaging, then in getting. How much better might a man enjoy himselfe in a mean and low estate? And how much better is it for a man to enjoy himselfe, then to enjoy an estate?
He discovered a rich content in himselfe, that boare for his divise a Torteis in his shell, with this Motto: Mecum habito, I dwell with my selfe: and he also, that gave another word to it; Ʋbicun{que} sum, meus sum, Wheresoever I am, I am my selfe.
Seneca that divine Philosopher, that was very studious in searching out beatitudes, discovered this amongst others: Beatus est, qui id se esse putat: he is happie that can finde his happinesse within himselfe, and Bias-like doth carry his treasure and felicity with him. It is a poore and contemptible felicity, which one fit of an ague, stone, or gout, can deprive us of: and this is the top-excellency of all earthly comforts.
It was an enigma no lesse elegant then acute of Heraclytus, who compared earthly-minded-men (coveting so much to be rich and great) unto those that digged in silver-mines, who by all their hard toyle and care, got Parvum in magno, a little silver-oare in a great deale of dirty drosse: how much better is it to enjoy Magnum in parvo, a great and rich content in a mean and low estate. And as Cosmographers, who contract the whole world into a little Mappe, to enjoy all in a little; which he enjoyes, who in a little enjoyes God and himselfe, whose estate doth not possesse him, but he his estate: and whilest he is in the world, lives in Christ above it.
The wise and holy God doth not unequally dispence his providences; Some have high places, and little comfort, great estates, and small content in them: others enjoy a rich and great content in a meane estate. Some with those Israelites fare daintily, and whilest the flesh is in their teeth, there is leannesse in their soules: Others with Daniel, doe eat their pulse with quiet consciences, and doe enjoy a richer content in God, and his Christ, then the whole creature can afford the worldling without them.
It was an hot dispute amongst ancient Philosophers, whether a private enjoyment, or publique imployment were more desireable? Howsoever Seneca's writings approved the publique, yet his desires lead him unto the private: when being tyred with the temptations of Nero's Court, endeavoured if he might to have enjoyed himselfe in a solitary retirednesse; And though he placed not happinesse in Contemplation, as other Philosophers did, yet in Tranquillity: which he rarely enjoys who aspires greatness, as he well shewed that laid down a Crown for the burthen of it.
Our Ecclesiasticall History reports of Albertus Magnus, that he was so affected with a peaceable retirednesse, as that he left his Bishoprick of Ratisbone, to give himselfe to his private studies.
I doe not undertake to determine the question, because to a wise man, saith the Philosopher both estates may be comfortable, much more comfortable to him that is gracious, without all dispute, good the more publique it is, the more good it is: and virtus in nobili plus placet, quia plus claret, Vertue and grace the more eminent it is, the more beautifull it is, and beneficiall not onelyonly in its imployment, but by its example: But, where grace and wisdome is wanting to keep down lust and pride, which are the usuall pedissequas of high imployments and great estates, there that lazie and unthrifty adage is made good: Bene vixit qui bene latuit: It had been some kinde of good to such a man, that he had enjoyed lesse opportunities of doing good, wherein he did evill. I presume that many in these times doe wish with Jeremy, or the time may shortly come, (how soone they know not) that they might wish, they had lived in some obscure cottage in the Wildernesse, rather then to have been acquainted with those great temptations, in which their high places and imployments have ensnared them.
It is reported of the Hedge-hogge, which in our vulgar reproach is the character of a covetous man, that he goes to a pile of apples and gathers up as many as he can upon his prickles, and when he comes to his hole, he goes in with his prickles, but leaves his apples behinde him. How many are there that have wallowed themselves in the apples of their sweet contentments, which they have pursued with many pricks and gripes of conscience, who when they shall descend, as shortly they must, to their holes of darknesse, they must then leave all the sweet apples of their false delights behinde them, and can carry nothing with them, but the stings and stripes of a wounded conscience. Will you heare what they say that have gon before them, what hath pride profited us? or what hath the pomp of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a poste that passeth by—but wee are consumed in our wickednesse.
Is there now, that sayes if I were not Alexander, I could wish my selfe Diogenes, if I were not called to a publique place, I could desire a private retirednesse; surely, I could desire it likewise in thy behalfe, if the Lord hath not given thee grace, to make thy place serviceable to him and to his Saints.
I have now done with the Doctrinall part of this portion of the Text, to wit, Jeremies Content, and I shall give you a very short application of it.
And first, whither shall I look? Shall I look off from my selfe, Ʋse 1 or from any of you to carry home the reproof of this doctrine? Surely my brethren, there is scarce a mothers sonne in this Congregation, that lies not under the just rebuke of this truth: I mean for our immoderate desires of these earthly things.
Esaus hands we see every where hunting after the prey, & quoquomodo rem, all is good fish with the most, that comes to the net: but where doe we heare Jacobs voyce? Gen. 33.11. Phil. 4.11.The Lord hath had mercy on me, and I have enough. Or that of Paul, a Christian; I have learned in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content.
Paul a Pharisee had never learned this lesson,Acts 9.4. compared with Gal. 1.6. before he came to Christ, whose ambition hurried him to serve the lusts of the Councell at Jerusalem, in making havock of the Saints at Damascus. But when the heavenly vision had once struck downe his high thoughts, which lay with his body on the ground before the Lord Jesus; then, and not till then,Phil. 3.8. had he learned all to be losse unto him, and Christ onelyonly his gain.
Christians, we speak much of contentment, and it is usuall to say, I thank God I am content with what I have; but certainly, if thou art not brought over from the world unto Christ, and doest not enjoy thy selfe in him, thou didst never yet know what contentment meaneth.
The Prophet Habakkuk seeth the worldling loading himselfe with thick clay, Habak. 2.9.and calls unto him, Woe to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse. There is a covetousnesse which is good, to covet (as the Spirit directs us) the best gifts, 1 Cor. 12.31.and be you herein as covetous as your hearts can hold, and spare not. But there are other gifts which the Heathens call gifts of Fortune, because of their inconstancy: and of these is the evill covetousnesse, to covet to make the House great, and not the heart good. Habak. 2.10.The same Prophet calls to such and tells them in plain language, that they consult shame to their own house. But how is that, you will say? Without all question, the covetous man takes counsell within himselfe, with Edom, to build his Nest on high: hee consults nothing but glory to his House; but consulting not with God and his Word in his wayes, the wise and holy Providence turns his counsels into foolishnesse, and the glory of his House into shame.
Little do many think how soon and how sad the Accounts may be to them and to their families, who have raised their houses by the undoing of their brethren. Some that have willingly emptied themselves to make them full, and others that have been drained by them to make their morsels fat, and their cups to over-flow. He hath swallowed down riches, Job. 20.15.(saith Zephar in Job) and he shall vomit them up again; but when Judas would have vomited up his prize of blood, it
This is all I shall say more to this point, He onelyonly is a poore man that is ever in wants, and he is ever in wants that covets to be rich: and, which is farre worse, a worse tyrant there cannot bee then a mans own lusts, nor a worse flave then he that serves it. And what doth he that covets to be rich having a sufficiency, but covet to serve his unsatisfied lust; at least as he that weares a thin silk cloake upon a thick fur'd gown, doth shew the wantonnesse of his spirit, not any usefull imployment he makes of it: even so when superfluity and not necessity doth excrutiate the soule with worldly cares, it argues the mind full of vanity, and the heart full of pride.
But secondly, I would rather exhort you, Ʋse 2 and O that I had argument strong enough to perswade the worldlings reason, that there is reason enough hee should be perswaded to moderation: If from nothing else, yet from the things themselves which he so much covets.
For first, Riches and great estates, at their best cannot make the possessors thereof better: nay, he must be exceeding good, that is not made much the worse by them; for hee that travelleth in his abundance, walketh upon snares, 2 Tim. 6.9.and had need of much grace to keep his soule, that he be not entangled and undone by them.
Secondly, look upon thy prosperity and glory at the highest, it is but as thy shadow in the Sunne, the least cloud over-casts it at high noon; and that which in the morning is before thee, in the evening is behind thee: and all is but mane & vesper, of adayes continuance, so soon passeth it away, and we are gon.
O that these reasons now, would make your reason to yeeld to Jeremies Content: a Content suitable to your mortall Condition. O that I had the Cottage of a wayfaring-man in the wildernesse.
That was the first Generall of our Text, which I have now compassed, Jeremies Content: I had a desire to have given you his Account why he desired his Cottage in the wildernesse, That I might leave my people, and go from them. But I know the limits of your time in these morning Exercises, and I shall not exceed.
Reader, here were some counsels added upon the second point which follow in the end of the second Sermon.
The second Sermon.
THE ACCOMPT OF A MINISTERS REMOVE: OR JEREMY DEPARTING FROM HIERUSALEM.
Caveat magistratus né stipendia a piis majoribus instituta diminuat, vel diminui & interverti patiatur, Deus enim vindex horum omnium, & famem ministrorum sequi solet fames verbi in ingrata illa regione. Joh: Gerhard loc. com. de Magistrat. polit. sect. 185.
Hebr. 13.17. Obey them that have the over-sight over you, and submit your selves, for they watch for your soules, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with griefe, for that is unprofitable for you.
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons. 1648.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL, FRANCIS BƲLLER, ESQUIRE, Member of the House of COMMONS; Abundance of Grace, and assurance of Glory.
Noble Sir,
THIS Account of a Ministers Removall, being pressed into publicke, doth hand unto me this publick acknowledgement of what I owe unto your Family, for my first induction into a Pastoral charge; wherein, although it pleased God to make my Cup exceeding bitter by two that bore the marks of Gods manifest displeasure, theone killed by the Sword of his Comrade in an Alehouse; the other stigmatized as Cain, a fugitive from Gods House, and from all Civill Societies, for eight or nine yeares together: yet it pleased God to make my comforts superabundantly sweet in some spirituall seed there, the growth whereof I saw, especially in that Ordinance of Catechising, wherein your Family blessed the Congregation with a fruitfull example.
It is our happinesse if we may be serviceable to God, and to his Church in our generations, and then is greatnesse both honourable and comfortable, when it is acted by grace.
The good God of heaven encourage your power and parts to shine as a light upon an Hill, to all that are in the valley beneath you, and make you happy in the saving comforts of your Family. Which is the earnest prayer of
Your Worships and your Families most humbly devoted, JOHN FATHERS.