Gods Sovereignty Displayed from Job 9:12, Treatise 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Ʋſe 1 THis may ſerve to diſcover to us the extreme folly of thoſe whoſe chiefeſt care and greateſt labour is about the getting worldly goods that may ſoon be taken from them; their ſhops, their trading, their wares, their plate, their jewels, their money, their corn and wine, and oyl, their houſes, lands and poſſeſſions, their wealth and ſubſtance are in their thoughts, and God is ſeldome or not at all in all their thoughts; heaven is not in their deſires, and grace, which is the riches of heaven, is nothing lookt after; theſe things are the leaſt of their thoughts and endeavours: when they are to leave the world, then is their time to think of God, and to take care for grace, and for their immortal ſouls; when they are dying, then is their time to ſtudy how they may become godly: while they are ſtrong and healthy, and fit for labour, their main care and labour is for the meat that periſheth, and to try who can outſtrip one another in worldly riches, although God can ſoon clap a pair of wings to them, and make them to flee away from them. Theſe things are the ſummum bonum, the chiefeſt good, the very God of the world, the Paradiſe, the All in All of this world, the great Diana that all the world magnifies; they think it better to be out of the world than to have no riches, eſteeming them the only miſerable men that are poor and needy: Jeroboams golden Calves are ſtill the worldlings God, the world is of Jeroboams Religion to this day; no luſts are more unſatiable than worldly luſts, they are green and vigorous even in old age, the love of the world is a ſin that never waxeth old; when men ſhould think moſt on the world to come, yet then are old earth-worms too mindful of this preſent evil world.
O what unſpeakable folly is this, ſo eagerly to thirſt after and purſue ſuch periſhing vanities, which may ſoon be taken from us, and which only ſerve us while we are in this world; for if once our ſoul be taken from us, then whoſe ſhall all theſe things be? while the rich Glutton lived in the world, he fared deliciouſly every day, and wore Purple and fine linnen every day; but when he died, he left all theſe things behind him: Death turned him out of the comforts and poſſeſſion of theſe things. He that drank Wine in Bowls, is now drinking of the Cup of Gods wrath in hell: he that had all things to the full, doth now want a drop of water to cool his flaming tongue; he that was cloathed with Purple and fine linnen every day, is now bound with chains of darkneſs, and cloathed with woe, curſes, and unſpeakable wrath: he that maintained Hawks and Hounds for his delight and pleaſure, is now howling and roaring with curſed Fiends and damned Hell-hounds. Thus he that had the worlds goods only, while he was in the world, he hath nothing in hell to enjoy but Gods wrath, that is his everlaſting portion.
So again, rich Abraham and Job, that had this worlds goods, have now no need of them in heaven; there is no need of the Sun by day, nor of the Moon by night, for the Lord God is the light thereof. What a folly is it in men therefore to labour ſo eagerly after this worlds goods, and to ſet their minds upon them, and to neglect the good of their immortal ſouls; to love riches more than grace, and love droſs and dung more than Chriſt, when as Chriſt and Grace will bee their comfort in this world at death, and in the world to come when this worlds goods ſhall be taken from them; though your houſes and goods be burnt and conſumed to aſhes, yet Grace is a good that fire will not burn, nor water drown. Juſtly did our Saviour call the rich man in the Goſpel, fool (and in him all ſuch fools) that had more care for this world than for heaven. Who ever ſeeks the world for their bed, ſhall at beſt find it but ſhort, and ill made, and a ſtone and thorns under their ſides to keep them waking, rather than a ſoft Pillow to ſleep upon. O that it were written upon the bags, upon the doors, upon the cheſts, tables, counting-houſes of worldlings, which holy Job ſaid, Naked came I forth of my Mothers womb, Job 1.21.and naked ſhall I return; I muſt appear before God not in the worlds goods, but in the ſins which I have done in this world: It pitieth me many times to ſee the induſtrious Bees to take ſuch great pains all the Summer to get a little honey for the winter; they go abroad daily from flower to flower to ſuck honey, and carry it to their Hives, and are burnt in their Hives perhaps before winter cometh, and others take the honey. Thus worldlings toil, and ſpend their lives and ſtrength for the goods of this world, and think in their old age to take their eaſe, and give up themſelves to a devout ſolitude; but before that, it may be God takes away their goods by fire or water, or ſuffereth thieves and robbers to break in upon them, and take away all their wealth and riches from them; or it may be death cometh, and exerciſeth dominion over them, and turneth them into hell, and there they burn, and others enjoy their goods upon earth. Will ye then ſpend moſt of your care, thoughts, ſtrength, and time, for the things of this world, and have no care and thoughts for grace and heaven? Will ye like Martha, cumber your ſelves about many things that may quickly be taken from you, and neglect the one thing neceſſary that ſhall never be taken away from you, if once you have it? Luke 10.42. This worlds goods will do you good no longer than you live in this world, but godlineſs will make you happy, and the fruit of it will remain with you, when the goods and the world it ſelf ſhall have an utter end: Leave then this worlds goods to the children of this worlds, whoſe names are written in the earth, they are the only portion of worldly men: So Abraham ſaid to Dives; Son remember, thou in thy life time hadſt thy good things. God gives unto Eſau's the fatneſs of the earth, but denies them the dew of heaven. Indeed, God ſometimes promiſcuouſly ſcatters theſe outward things upon the godly and the wicked; he gives the wicked ſome ſhare of his goodneſs, yet it is worth your obſerving, that Iſaac would not vouchſafe to call Eſau's Portion a bleſſing, yet he gives him the fatneſs of the earth; the worlds goods are the influences of Gods Providence, not of his love; only the riches of his Grace is the influence of his love and favour. Ah! what pity it is to ſee how Satan layes upon many men a burden of cares above a load, and makes a Pack-horſe of their ſouls, when they are wholly ſet upon the world; we owe the Devil no ſuch ſervice; it were wiſdome then to throw off that heavy load into a mire, and to caſt all our cares upon the Lord: Oh never ſeek warm Fire under cold Ice; this world is not a field where true happineſs groweth.