The Young Mans Guide, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV. Of Moderation in seeking after Riches
III. BE Moderate in the pursuit of worldly things, in seeking after riches, that thou maist not be drowned in the cares of them. Joh 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth to everlasting life Where by Meat our Saviour meaneth all things which this world affordeth for the use of man: one kind being by a Synecdoche put for all other kinds. And by labouring he meaneth an inordinate, and immoderate endeavour, after the things of this World. For the word in the Greek foreign, signifieth to endeavour after things with the greatest earnestness, pain, and diligence. So that our Saviour doth not simply forbid the labouring for earthly things, but,
1. The inordinate intention of the mind of him that laboureth, when it is filled with zeal for, and with carking, distrustful thoughts about these earthly things. Oh the carnal distrust of many Worldlings, who think they shall never have enough to keep them when they are old! which is a sinful anxiety, however vailed under the appearance of providence against future necessity, whereby they do but anticipate their cares, and create a needless Distraction to themselves.
2 The manner of labouring; when temporal things are preferred before spiritual and Heavenly: therefore our Saviour addeth, but labour for the meat which endureth to everlasting life; that is, chiefly and especially. Look how much more excellent the soul is than the body, things eternall than those that are temporal, so much more ought we, both in our judgements and affections to prefer, and pursue spiritual grace, and Heavenly glory, before these temporary trifles.
3. The measure of labouring, when we never think we have laid up enough, but are continually and eagerly seeking after more, our hungry hearts crying still in our ears, Gather, Gather, lay up for the dayes to come. When we cannot be content with food convenient, but seek after more than is needful both for the present and future maintenance of the charge God hath committed to us.
It is recorded of Esau, that though he was a Prophane, earthly-minded man, yet could say to his Brother Iacob, I have enough, Gen. 33. 9. Oh then what a shame is it for such as make a profession of Religion, and would seem to be of the seed of Iacob, yet cannot say, they have enough! Oh how many Christians herein come short of Esau? Should you by your extraordinary care and pains attain to a considerable estate here, what would be your advantage thereby? Happily you may wear better cloaths, fare more deliciously, provide greater portions for your Children, and at last go to Hell with the more credit than the poorer sort. And is this a priviledge to be so much desired, and laboured after, to descend with pomp into the pit?
Consider, I beseech you, how little good your wealth can do you? Can it free you from cares? Can it lengthen your dayes? Can it keep you from the Dropsie, Feaver, Gout, or other bodily Diseases? Can it preserve you from death, or obtain the pardon of your sins? You may indeed procure the Popes pardon, but will God sell you a pardon for money? Had you all the wealth in the World, it could not purchase Heaven for you, nor free you from hell▪ no nor procure you a drop of water to cool your tongue, or quench your thirst there. O who would lay out himself wholy upon that which cannot help him in his greatest distresses! Riches avail not in the day of wrath.
I beseech you therefore in the name of Christ, to cast out this Worldliness, and cherish it no longer: know it will prove a Murtherer of your souls; it will cheat you of everlasting happiness, and entice you into Hell by pretences of profit and advantage. It is observable, that we … not in all the Scripture that any Saint was guilty of this sin, of setting his heart upon the World, and seeking immoderatly after earthly riches. We read of Aarons Idolatry, Lots Incest, Noahs Drunkenness, Davids Adultery, Peters denial of his Master. But where do you read in Scripture of any Saint that was overcome with this sin? It is not to be denyed, but that as the seeds of all sin are in the best of men, so likewise the seeds of this sin: but that any Saint was given up to the power thereof, we do not read. How should this consideration stir you up to a greater watchfulness against the same?
For the better taking you off from an immoderate seeking after worldly riches, weigh these few considerations.
1. Consider the Vanity of all earthly things, which appeareth by the Testimony of Solomon, whom God for his Wisdom chose, as it were, to be the Fore-man of a grand-Inquest empanelled to make enquiry into the state of the World, and the things therein. Having seen, and experienced, and suck▪d out the juice, and even extracted the Spirits of all worldly things, to make the fuller proof of what there was in them; at length he gives in his verdict, that they were meer vanity, not only vain, but vanity in the abstract, and therefore altogether ineffectual to render a man truly happy, which he layeth down in this proposition, Eccles. 1. 2. Vanity of Vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity, that is, All worldly things are most vain, for thus the superlative degree in the Hebrew is usually expressed; as the highest Heaven, is called the Heaven of Heavens; the most excellent Song, the Song of Songs.
All worldly things are said to be extreamly vain,
1. Because there is no permanen…y in them, Being all subject to change and corruption.
2. Because they are false and deceitful, deceiving such as trust in them. They promise much content, and satisfaction, but they are so far from yielding the same, that they often bring much grief and trouble of mind.
2. Consider they are not only vanity, but vexation of Spirit, Eccles. 2. 11. Though riches are nothing in themselves, yet are they full of power and activity to inflict vexation upon the spirit of a man. For there is vexation in getting them, vexation and care in keeping, and vexation in parting with them. So that Worldliness is not only a sin, but a torment and vexation, it is its own punishment. Most sins carry a delight in their face, as this also doth; but they have a sting in their Tails: That which is so beautiful in thine eye, will be gall in thine heart, and Wormwood in thy belly. As those that live godly, so thou also that wilt live worldlily, must suffer tribulation; and through those many tribulations must thou enter into the Kingdom of everlasting darkness.
3. Consider that they are empty and unsavoury, yielding no true contentment to them who enjoy them. For how many do we see abounding with wealth, who yet have unquiet and discontented spirits? whereby it appears, that it is not in the power of outward things to satisfie the heart of man. True it is, these worldly riches promise contentment; and the Worldlings heart deceiving him, makes him believe, that when he hath raised his Estate to such a proportion, he will then rest satisfied, and contented: but when he hath obtained the Estate, where is the contentment? He shall not feel quietness in his Belly, but in the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits, Job 20. 20, 22.
Be wise, O Young Man; if thou hast no more Grace, yet learn more Wit than thus intensely to mind, and immoderately to seek after earthly things, which when thou hast them, cannot add one Cubit to thy contentation. It is God alone that can satisfie the otherwise insatiable heart of man. That Soul that seeketh contentment in any thing below God, is like to have the same success with that unclean Spirit, which sought rest in dry places. The full Bags, or Barns, will be as empty things as his dry places; thou mayst seek rest in them, but wilt find none.
4. Consider that worldly riches, as they are unsatisfactory, so unprofitable, yielding little profit to those who have most of them, Matth. 16. 26. What will it profit a man, though he gain the whole World, and lose his Soul? As he assuredly will, who sets his heart more upon gold, than upon Grace and Godliness: and seeketh more earnestly after worldly things, than after an interest in Christ, after the light of Gods Countenance, and the assurance of his loving favour.
Suppose a man have an affluency of this Worlds goods, yet what profit or priviledge hath he above him that enjoyeth but a competency? A little will be enough to a prudent mind, and enough is a feast. When thou hast the most, what wilt thou have more than for Food and Rayment, out of all thy store? For what's over and above, thou must be Accountant to thy Lord and Master at the Great Day, how and where thou hast bestowed it for him.
Obj. It may be thou wilt reply, that the rich may have daintier Diet, and more costly Apparel, than the poorer sort of people.
A. To which I answer, That the rich have no greater priviledge or profit thereby: because the pleasure of eating and drinking consisteth not so much in the daintiness of the fare, as in the goodness of the stomack. He who feedeth on his course fare with an hungry appetite, taketh more delight in his Meat, than he who is glutted with often feeding on his delicious fare. Neither hath the rich man any more benefit by his costly Apparel, than the poor man by his plain habit, which keeps him as warm as the finer and richer.
But how many rich Misers are there, who though they have abundance of this Worlds goods, yet have not the heart to use them, but spare from their own backs, and pinch their own Bellies to fill their Purses! What profit or benefit have such by their riches, but only the beholding them with their eyes?
Besides, no outward riches can make us better in the best things. They cannot make us more acceptable to God; neither can they make us more rich in Spiritual Grace, more Vertuous, or Religious: they cannot assure us of Gods love, nor of our future happiness: they will not profit us at the day of death▪ being then like Iob's Friends, miserable Comforters, adding to our grief: neither will they benefit at the day of Judgment, but rather increase our Bills of account, how we have gotten, how we have used, and spent them. Thus you see how unprofitable riches are to the owners and possessors of them.
5. Consider how riches are not only unprofitable, but also hurtful and pernicious to those, who setting their hearts upon them, do inordinately seek after the same. Hurtful they are not in themselves, and in their own nature, but through our corruption, whereby we are apt to abuse them unto evil.
1. The immoderate seeking after riches, will both keep us from the performance of Holy and Religious Duties, and distract us therein.
2. It will expose us to manifold temptations; as 1 Tim. 6. 9. and put us upon the committing of any sin for the obtaining a little worldly wealth.
3. It will hinder us from attaining unto Heavenly Happiness; and like the Camels bunch, keep us from entring into the strait Gate.
These considerations seriously weighed, will be a special means to take off thine heart from an immoderate seeking after worldly riches.