Gods Sovereignty Displayed from Job 9:12, Treatise 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
SECT. I.
LOok to the ends that God aims at, in taking away this or that from you: his ends in it are diverſe.
1. One end is to teach you, that there is nothing in any man, nor of any man that you can ſafely truſt unto: Man hath nothing in him that he may rely upon; his beſt abilities will fail him in time of his greateſt need.
1. For bodily ſtrength, take the example of Sampſon, Judg. 16.20, 21. when he had dealt treacherouſly with God, in diſcovering to an Harlot the ſtrength he had received as a Nazarite, he awaked out of ſleep, and ſaid, I will go out as at other times, but the text ſaith, he wiſt not that God was departed from him: then the Philiſtines took him, and bound him, and put out his eyes, and made him to grinde in a Mill: his ſtrength now failed him, when he had need to make uſe of it, now he found he had no ſtrength of his own to truſt to, and was left wholly to the will of his enemies: if the Lord leave a man to himſelf, his ſtrength will ſoon fail him, whatſoever his ſtrength and abilities bee.—So it is in multitudes of men, and combinations of men: who more vigorous than David and his men of war; yet when he would have the people numbred, to ſee the number and multitudes of his people, the Lord in three daies ſpace cut off ſeventy thouſand men by the Peſtilence, to ſhew him the vanity of truſting in numbers of men. There is no King ſaved by the multitude of an hoſt; a mighty man is not delivered by much ſtrength; an horſe is a vain thing for ſafety, neither ſhall he deliver any by his great ſtrength, Pſal. 33, 16, 17.
2. The abilities of the ſoul, whether natural or moral abilities, are not to be truſted to, Eccleſ. 9.11. thus ſaith Solomon, I returned, and ſaw under the Sun, that the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battle to the ſtrong, nor bread to the wiſe, nor yet riches to men of underſtanding, nor yet favour to men of skill, but time and chance hapeneth to them all.
1. Time: Notwithſtanding all their skill and cunning, unleſs God go along with them, they cannot bring their enterprizes to paſs, be they never ſo wiſe and skilful; unleſs God go along with rhem, they cannot take the fitteſt time to accompliſh their ends and deſires. And on the other ſide, Time happeneth to them, that is, ſuch a time happeneth to them, that caſteth them into ſuch ſtraits and exigences, that all their wit and skill, and underſtanding cannot help them. Some think they have ſo much wit, and ſo much forecaſt, ſo much underſtanding, skill, and foreſight, as that they can ſhift and provide for themſelves in the worſt of times, as it is ſaid of Cato, hee was ſuae fortunae Faber, let him live in any time or Commonwealth, he would make ſhift for one: but Solomon here tells us, that favour ſhall not be to men of skill, notwithſtanding all their wit and underſtanding, they ſhal not be able to get the favour of thoſe they do deſire: and notwithſtanding all their underſtanding, though they think they ſhall lay up wealth and riches to ſuſtain them in a time of trouble, yet riches ſhall not be to men of underſtanding, neither ſhall they have bread to eat in a time of Famine, thus Time happeneth to them all.
2. Chance alſo hapneth to them: no chance hapeneth to God, for he ordereth all things by his providence; no contingency hapneth to him; but many chances and occurrences happen to men beſide their expectation; many things happen to them above and below their expectation, contrary to their own wills, to their own waies and means, to their own ends, to their own thoughts▪ projects and deſigns. Achitophel relied much upon his wit, and gave evil counſel to Abſalom, 2 Sam. 17.1, 2. for thus he ſaid unto him; Let me chuſe out twelve thouſand men, and I will ariſe and purſue after David this night, and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid, and all the people that are with him ſhall flee, and I will ſmite the King only, and I will bring back all the people to thee; and the man whom thou ſeekeſt, is as if all returned, ſo all the people ſhall be in peace; and the ſaying pleaſed Abſalom well, and all the Elders of Iſrael. This plot was fairly laid, but chance hapned to him; now Huſhai forſook David, and fled to Abſalom on purpoſe to defeat the counſel of Achitophel; and a ſtrange chance it was that Abſalom ſhould admit him to be of his Privy Council; and yet more ſtrange! that he ſhould ask his advice after Achitophel's, whoſe counſel in thoſe daies, was as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God, and that he, and all the men of war ſhould prefer Huſhai's advice better than Achitophel's; thus chance hapned to this grand Polititian; that he immediately withdrew himſelf from the Court. When he ſaw that his counſel was not followed, he ſadled his Aſſe, and aroſe & got home to his houſe, unto his City, put his houſhold in order, and hanged himſelf. But none of theſe came as a chance to God, no contingency in this was to him; for v. 14. The Lord had appointed (or commanded, as in the Margin) to defeat, and bring to naught the good counſel of Achitophel, that he might bring evil upon Abſalom.
2. For courage and valour that neither is to be truſted to: bee a man never ſo ſtout hearted, let him have the heart of a lion, yet courage may fail the moſt valiant, when they have occaſion to make moſt uſe thereof. Who more valiant than Joſhuah and his army; yet the little Town of the men of Ai ſmote the Iſraelites, and the hearts of the men of war melted away like water, Joſh. 7.5. their natural valour, proved then but a meer vapour; for the Lord withdrew himſelf from them, becauſe of the accurſed thing that was in the Camp of Iſrael, 1 Sam. 14. chap. we read a ſtrange ſtory of Jonathan the ſon of Saul, that hee with one man, his Armour-bearer, aſſaulteth a whole Garriſon of the Philiſtines, killeth many of them, ſcattereth and purſueth them, and raiſeth a great fear upon them; and there was trembling in the hoſt, in the field, and among all the people; the Garriſon, the ſpoilers they alſo trembled, and the earth quaked, ſo it was a very great trembling, and the watch-men of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. Verſ. 15, 16. Yet this valour of Jonathan was not to bee truſted to: for wee read, 1 Sam. 28. chap. that Saul gathered a great army together, to fight againſt the Philiſtines, and chap. 31. when the Philiſtines fought againſt Iſrael, the men of Iſrael fled from before the Philiſtines, and the Philiſtines followed hard upon Saul and upon his Sons, and Jonathan with the reſt of the army, fled away from the face of the Philiſtines, and the Philiſtines ſlew Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchiſhua, Sauls ſons, in Mount Gilboa.
The reaſon why none of theſe things are to be truſted to, is becauſe God is the only fountain of all thoſe excellencies and good things, whether of body or minde, that are upon any men upon earth; and therefore as the greateſt, ſtreams that run with the fulleſt current and carry the biggeſt veſſels, if they be not continually relieved with a conſtant ſpring, they would ſoon fail, & leave their channel dry: So men of the greateſt natural or moral endowments, unleſs they are relieved by a conſtant influence from Heaven, from the Fountain of life, they will ſoon wither and decay.
II. Then much leſs is there any truſting to ſin, or any ſinful courſe. Truſt not in oppreſſion. Pſal. 62.10. do not ſtudy how by defrauding and circumventing others, you may enrich your ſelves, and work out your own ends, by baſe and wicked oppreſſion: if a man would undertake ſome dangerous enterprize to the hazarding of his life, upon promiſe of ſome reward from another man, it ſheweth he did relie much upon that man; elſe hee would never make ſo dangerous an adventure upon ſuch a mans woid: many men relie upon ſins; they promiſe fair, pleaſure, profit, and hereupon they hazard their ſouls upon uncertainties: if thou truſteſt in any ſin, thou wilt be exceeding vain, becauſe ſin is the greateſt deceiver in the world: ſin is deceitful all over, root and branch; the inward luſts are deceitful, and all the iſſues, ſuccours, roots and branches, that proceed from it, are deceitful.
III. God would have us alſo to underſtand, that there is no truſting to riches: Riches are called deceitful riches, Mat. 13.22. They promiſe, or ſeem to promiſe much more than they perform; they are therefore compared to thorns, by our Saviour: many are taken with the green leaves, but are never ſenſible of the thorns that grow under them; they bring many troubles to thoſe that have them, and lay many loads upon their backs, and prove ſnares to their ſouls, leaving them under great diſcontent, and hindering the ſouls of many men, in the purſuit of eternal happineſs. And many times they are deceived in the very thing it ſelf, as to the ends themſelves moſt aim at: Prov. 12.26. The way of the wicked ſeduceth them. V. 27. The ſlothful man roſteth not what he took in hunting. As hunters many times loſe their prey; ſometimes the dogs eat it; ſometimes others catch it out of their hands. Achan hunted after the wedge of Gold, but loſt his life by it; and Saul got fat cattle, but loſt his kingdome by it. Many a wicked man gets much wealth and riches, but never reap that comfort by them as they expect: neither do they get the bleſſing of God to ſweeten thoſe outward comforts to them, though they have them: and in the mean time perhaps their Conſcience woundeth them, and although they feed upon the ſweet of Gods creatures, yet they become as gravel in their bowels, like the book which St. John did eat, which was in his mouth as honey for ſweetneſs, but bitter in his belly, Rev. 9.10. The remembrance how many men came by their wealth and riches, proveth very woful and bitter to them.
Finally, there is no creature to bee truſted to; not friends: nor relations, nor great mens favours. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie, Pſal. 62.9. The fureſt friend thou haſt in the world, is not ſure of himſelf, therefore thou canſt not promiſe thy ſelf, he will be ſure to thee.
SECT. II.
A ſecond and God aims at, is to learn you, that when men take too much delight in their outward comforts and enjoyments, it is his uſual courſe to deprive them of what they eſteemed moſt dear and precious. I have read of Juſtus Lipſius, a moſt learned man, who had a moſt choice Library, and ſuch a one as contained the primeſt Authours; for out of all parts of the world, what rare book ſoever could be purchaſed, either by price, or by entreaty, he had it in this his treaſury; ſo that his Library was eſteemed the moſt famous for books of all ſorts; nor had Lipſius ſo great a delight in any thing in the world, as in being in this his rich ſtudy; ſo that I may ſay, Lipſius had even buried his ſoul here; but behold a lamentable change; what he had been, in ſo many years, with ſo great care gathering together, all, even all, was by one furious fire ſuddenly conſumed; what grief muſt this be to Lipſius, at once thus to loſe all theſe his precious delights and jewels? The like hapned to John Comenius, that maſter of Learning, in this preſent age; the ſtory whereof he gives us in this manner; In the year 1655. (ſaith he) the King of Sweden brought in Armies into Poland, the event whereof was very unhappy to the Goſpel-profeſſours; eſpecially to Leſua, the chief City of refuge of the Bohemian and Sileſian Exiles, which although the very Nobility of the Kingdome, delivered up with other royal Cities in the greater Poland, (as Poſnonia, Caliſſia, Wſchowia) into the hands of the Swedes; yet the Polonians being afterwards ſtirred up, and again prevailing, there ſeemed a good occaſion and colour for the utter overthrowing of Leſna, the late odious Neſt of the Hereticks, as they termed it;Comenius in vit. Drabic. c. 28. which was done at the latter end of April by the permiſſion of God, in the year 1656. where, as others ſuffered the loſs of all their goods, ſo did I alſo in like manner. Indeed I would have timely conveyed away my ſelf, either for fear of ſome ſuch tragical iſſue, or of a war of a longer continuance, and therewith of the hinderance of my ſtudies amongſt the noiſes of Arms. And both the admonitions ſent privily by Drabicius, as alſo the Exhortations of friends to haſten away from that ſtrange Country out of thoſe flames, with invitations to come unto them, did ſpur me up. But I could not get a diſcharge from my people, nor would I leave my flock with ſcandal, it being verily an evil example, as they ſaid; until being oppreſſed on a ſuddain, and carrying away my life only for a prey, we were deprived of all; For a foregoing rumour (only for two hours) of the Enemies approaching to deſtroy us with an univerſal ſlaughter, raiſing a pannick fear, put the whole City (the armed with the unarmed) to flight; and the Enemy being not able to pour out his fury upon the Citizens, he poured it out upon the City; all the ſtreets of the City (after a light plundering of the principal houſes) being ſet on fire, and ſo burning for three daies together, that of a thouſand ſix hundred houſe, four Churches &c. nothing, truely nothing was left but aſhes and rubbiſh. In which terrible fire, my little houſe alſo, with all my houſhold ſtuff, was deſtroyed; my Library alſo, with my Manuſcripts, Philoſophical, and Philological (chiefly thoſe which appertained to the garniſhing of our own Country language;) and my Theological Manuſcripts, of more than forty years ſtudy, were conſumed. Even thus doth God many times deal with his chiefeſt favourites, hee either depriveth them of what they eſteem moſt dear and precious to them; or elſe denieth what they moſt eagerly purſue. I will alſo give an inſtance of another kinde; The Lord giveth to Parents perhaps a beautiful, docil, ingenious, and towardly Childe, which for his pregnant wit, carrieth away the Bell from all his School-fellows; but upon a ſuddain death croppeth off this roſebud, and the hopeful youth dieth in the prime and flower of expectation; oh now how exceſſively do his Parents weep and lament? and it may be conceived, they inwardly think, what they bluſh to ſpeak; as, why did God give us ſuch a Son as this, ſince he was determined to ſnatch him away ſo ſoon from us? had we not affliction enough before, but muſt this heap of miſery bee added to all the reſt? But God takes away ſuch comforts as theſe, and he will have us to ſubſcribe, it ought to be ſo, and for that cauſe God takes away our deareſt relations and beſt comforts ſometimes from us, that we may ſee our errour, in placing too much of our love upon theſe things, and give God the very yolk of our hearts,
SECT. III.
A third end God aims at, is to reduce Wanderers, and to ſpur them home again unto himſelf, that move ſlowly towards him. Wee may learn wiſdome from the very brute beaſts; theſe if they be put into a Coach, Chariot, or Cart, and be laſhed with whips, or pricked with goads, they are ſenſible it is for their exorbitancy, or becauſe they move too ſlowly; wherefore they come preſently into the way again, and make more haſte and ſpeed in their journey. Certainly when God brings great loſſes and croſſes upon us, he would have us thereby to begin to ruminate and think with our ſelves, verily, I have wandered and gone out of the way of the Lord, behold this fire that hath conſumed my goods, calleth me to return again; Oh whether ſhould I have run, if the Lord had let me alone? But ſuppoſe that I did go the right way, yet ſure I did but creep as a ſnail in it? theſe loſſes do read lectures to me of a neglected duty; therefore I now reſolve to put on a little faſter. Abſalom had by his ſervants often deſired Joab, the Captain of the Hoſt, to come unto him, but hee came not, 2 Sam. 14.29. But what Abſalom? Therefore he ſaid to his ſervants, ſee Joabs field is near mine, and he hath Barley there; go and ſet it on fire; and Abſaloms ſervants ſet the field on fire; then Joab aroſe, and came to Abſalom, unto his houſe: In like manner the Lord dealeth ſometimes with us; the Lord ſends out his Meſſengers from time to time, declaring that it is Gods will and pleaſure that we ſhould come unto him, but in the time of our eaſe, of our health, of our proſperity, we refuſe to come unto him, but when God fireth us out of our neſts, burneth up our corn, conſumeth our goods, our ſubſtance, then we begin to be more gentle and tractable, and preſently think of returning to him, from whom we have gone aſtray. Certainly Hawks will not come to the lure until they be empty; Euſebius Emiſſenus ſaid of the Prodigal,Euſeb. Emiſſen. ſerm. 2. de Prodigo. Luk. 15. That hunger brought him home, whom ſaturity and fulneſs, had driven away from his Fathers houſe. It is reported of Wenceslaus King of Bohemia, when as his army was routed, and all his forces diſperſed, and himſelf was taken Priſoner, being asked how he did, and what courage he had now; he anſwered, never better: for while he was ſo invironed with his ſtrong army, he very ſeldome thought on God, but now being ſtript of all theſe fading helps, he placed all his truſt and hope in God, who would heartily embrace thoſe that came unto him, and never forſake thoſe that truſted in him.
SECT. IV.
A fourth end God aims at, in taking away theſe things from us, is to have us to be inſtructed in this, that mans life conſiſteth not in the abundance of the things which he poſſeſſeth, Luk. 12. 15. By life two things are underſtood,
1. That a mans happineſs doth not conſiſt in the abundance of the things he doth enjoy; only Chriſt, and a right to, & aſſurance of heaven, that is a mans happineſs in this life, and the fruition of Chriſt and heaven hereafter, is the eternal happineſs of a man: Lazarus was an happy man, though he had nothing, and Dives a miſerable man, though he had abundance. Earthly-minded perſons ſeek for ſatisfaction from earthly things; therefore there be many that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good?
(1.) Such a ſatisfying good, as may make our ſouls happy; they look downward, and think to find this happineſs in outward things. But David oppoſeth his reſolved choice to their vain wandring deſire; Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me; as if he had ſaid, I know where to have enough, Lord let me enjoy thee, and have the light of thy countenance ſhineing upon me, and I am ſatisfied: Then he ſpeaks of his former experience, that formerly he had found ſatisfaction from God. Thou hast put gladneſs in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine encreaſed, Pſal 4.6, 7. as if he had ſaid, the fulleſt Barns and Wine-cellars cannot yeeld that content to an earthly heart, that my ſoul hath formerly found in thee; when they are as full as they can hold, yet their immortal ſoul is not ſatisfied; but I by enjoying thee am fully ſatisfied: Then David compareth the ſatisfaction he had found in God, not only with the abundance of theſe things, but with the encreaſe of them; for it is the encreaſe of outward things that is apt to win the heart: a leſſer eſtate encreaſing doth more win the hearts of natural men, than a greater eſtate not encreaſing: But David found more content in God, than worldlings did, not only in the abundance, but alſo in the encreaſe of corn and wine. Laſtly, ſaith he, Thou haſt put gladneſs into my heart.] Thou haſt infuſed it into my ſoul: it is God that ſheddeth ſweet conſolation into the ſpirit of a man; he doth not only give matter of joy, and ground of comfort to a believer, but giveth, as it were, the very affection of it to the ſoul. As for earthly things, they put not comfort into our hearts, if a man will have any good from them, he muſt extract and draw it out; and when the heart and the world do cloſe moſt, yet it then falls ſhort of ſatisfaction; but God doth put gladneſs into the heart, and he can ſatisfie it.
2. By life is meant likewiſe, that although a man had never ſo many poſſeſſions, had an houſe full of gold and ſilver, yet all his wealth cannot prolong his daies, nor adde a minute to his life; as if our Saviour ſhould reaſon thus; I wonder to ſee men take ſuch great pains for the things of this life, to toil and labour in a reſtleſs manner: if every pound they got and had, would adde a day or year more to their lives, there were ſome reaſon why men ſhould thus toil for riches: but can a rich man redeem his life from death with thouſands of gold and ſilver for a day? would not a rich man that feareth death and hell, give a world (if he had it) that he might not die and be damned, and yet ten thouſands of worlds cannot redeem a mans ſoul from death and hell; therefore why are men ſo greedy after theſe things that cannot make their lives any longer?
Let us take a view of the Parable which our Saviour ſpake upon this very occaſion of a rich Farmer, wherein ſeveral things are to be obſerved.
1. His Trade was very gainful, intimated by his ground, which brought forth plentifully, the world was coming on upon him apace.
2. He had heaped together abundance of riches, he had ſo much, he could not tell where to lay them.
3. See what he reſolved upon, viz. to follow his pleaſures and contentments without all controul; as the Proverb is, What is a Gentleman more than his pleaſure? he would take his pleaſure as well as the beſt man in his Country; he would play the Glutton, and Hunt, and Hawk, and Whore, and Drink, and Swear, and Swagger, and let him ſee what man would dare controll him, he would make the Town and Country too hot for him. Thus ſaith he to himſelf; Soul, thou haſt riches enough.] and that not for a day, or a monethmonth, or a year, but for many years: go take thy pleaſure, eat, drink, and be merry; thy abundance of riches will maintain thee in it; here you ſee the proſperity of a rich covetous fool. Mark now the end and concluſion of him; behold the lamentable Tragedy of an Earthworm; behold what God ſaith unto him, Thou fool.] He was but a fool for his labour; foreign inſipiens, an unwiſe man, ſo the word ſignifies; one that lived by ſenſe like a bruit, not forecaſting for the future. This night they ſhall take away thy ſoul.] Mark the words, This night.] Thou haſt to day promiſed thy ſelf long life, mirth and pleaſure; thou art deceived, thy riches ſhall not lengthen thy life, for this night thou ſhalt die, They (i. e. the Devils) ſhall come and take away my ſoul.] And thou that didſt dream of many years pleaſure, ſhalt burn in hell to Eternity. Salvian hath a good meditation on this place:Bonis ſuis aliis praeparat beatitudinem, ſibi miſeriam, aliis gaudia, ſibi lachrymas, aliis voluptatem brevem, ſibi ignem perpetuum. Salvian. With his goods he prepareth happineſs for others, miſery for himſelf, mirth for others, tears for himſelf, a ſhort pleaſure for others, everlaſting fire for himſelf. His Heirs that enjoyed his riches, did game, eat, drink, and were merry, and this poor covetous wretch was howling and roaring, weeping and wailing in hell. Now ſee our Saviours uſe of this Parable: So is he that layeth up treaſure for himſelf, and is not rich toward God: that is, ſo is every covetous wretch, that laboureth more for temporal riches, than for grace and godlineſs, ſuch a one is a fool, though he gets abundance of riches; ſuch a one will God croſs in his plots and purpoſes, and when he thinks to enjoy his pleaſures, then God will cut him off, and throw him into hell, his children after him ſhall ſpend his wealth, he ſhall be tormented in hell, when they are merry and jovial upon earth.
SECT. V.
A fifth end is, that thereby we may learn to mortifie our ſelves: Clemens Alexandrinus ſpake to the purpoſe:Clem. Alexandr. Padag. The Vine turneth wild, and degenerateth, unleſs it be pruned: man proveth exorbitant except he be ſcourged: for as the luxuriancy of the Vine-tree runneth out into wilde branches, except it be cut and curbed, and bringeth forth but a few Grapes, and thoſe bitter ones; but when it hath endured the pruning knife, it produceth ſoft, thick cluſtered, and ſweet Grapes: ſcarce is it otherwiſe with man, for unleſs he be daily purged by loſſes, croſſes, ſorrows, he runneth out into lewd courſes, as the Vine into leaves, and is hardly reduced to a due conformity to the Will of God: but when the hooked Sickle of Calamity biteth him, then he bringeth forth the fruits of repentance and mortification. Our corrupt appetite alwayes luſteth after forbidden fruit, and is by an unbridled itching, carried headlong into dangerous precipices; here the moſt wiſe God repreſſeth the haſty courſe of this unbridled kicker, while he meeteth him with loſſes, croſſes, and calamitous incumbrances, and ſo this wilde Colt is tamed. Now becauſe we are as fearful to meddle with mortification, as the dog is to drink of Nilus, therefore our moſt gracious God doth exerciſe us with loſſes and fiery tryals, that by them we may be the more ready to mortifie our corruptions. The Scripture ſets it forth by a full expreſſion, viz. the crucifying our luſts and the affections thereof, Gal. 6.24. in alluſion to Chriſts crucifying: obſerve the manner of his death, his hands and feet were nailed to the Croſs, the Souldiers thruſt their Spears into his ſide, it was neer the heart of Chriſt: Thus muſt we do with our ſins, we muſt run the ſpear into the very heart of ſin, and we muſt nail the hands and feet of our luſts: Nail the hands (1) The outward acts of ſin, and nail the feet, that ſo we might not walk any more in the luſts of our fleſh, as we have formerly done; that look as Job after his manifold loſſes and ſore tryals, ſaid, Lord I have ſinned, I will do ſo no more: ſo do thou ſay, Lord I have a proud heart, I have walked within my houſe in pride and loftineſs, I have boaſted of my great wealth and ſubſtance, I will do ſo no more: Lord I have bad an unclean heart, full of filthy thoughts and affections, I will be ſo no more; here is a mortified man. If you would have your loſſes and croſſes ſanctified, conſider with your ſelves whether your earthly members be mortified, or do you walk ſtill in the vanity of your minds? do you ſtill keep up your former converſation? Are your luſts your Centurions ſtill? do you obey them? if ſo, then have your loſſes done you no good at all; this is the end that God aims at in ſending theſe Viſitors to you, to clip your wings, that you be not as Birds that flee away from their Maſters. Let theſe therefore excite you to do with your body of ſin, as they were to do with the houſe that was over-ſpread with Leproſie; they were to raſe it down to the ground, and carry all the rubbiſh without the City; ſo do you raſe down that body of corruption, and put away your luſts, that abominable rubbiſh of ſin from among you.
SECT. VI.
A ſixt end is, that you may bee the better fitted to compaſſionate others in the like condition: it may be many of you, when you were full, and knew the want of nothing, and had all things about you according to your hearts deſire, you were then ſo blinded with your own ſelf-love, with your pleaſures and inordinate luſts, and deſires of your own eaſe and profits, that the diſtreſſed ſaints might ſtarve and ſigh and mourn, and yet you conſider'd it not; whether others did dance for joy, or mourn for grief of heart, it was all one to you; ſo long as you could hear the melodious noiſe of the viol, and drink wine in bowls, you regarded not the afflictions of Joſeph; ſo long as you had your backs clothed with rich apparrel, and your bellies filled with variety of dainties, and could dwell in your ſtately edifices, and warm ceiled houſes, you never thought upon the hunger and cold of the poor and needy, and the miſeries of thoſe that ſcarce have a hole to put their heads in; you were often acquainted with the pinching wants of your miſerable brethren, yet perhaps your hearts were nothing affected with pitty and compaſſion toward them; you had hearts of ſtone, who could hear the cries of the oppreſſed, and look upon the pale-wrinckled faces of famiſhed perſons, and hear them ſighing and bemoaning their extremities and yet your bowels yearned not over ſuch; how many Nabals are there that could ſee David in hunger, and yet their hearts dead within them? curſed Edomites, who could behold the ruine of Zion, and mourn not over it? How many were there among you, that had abundance of this worlds goods, and yet were niggardly in releiving and refreſhing the bellies of the poor: as for themſelves, they felt no hunger, but had their full tables every day, yet ſuffered they poor Lazarus to go away without crumbs; they had changes of apparel, and ſome of them lay by till they were moth-eaten, yet ſuffered they Chriſt in his members to go naked: curſed Chams, that would not cover their brothers nakedneſs. How many among you, had abundance of all things, and yet gave poor pittances, God knoweth, and that with murmuring and repining hearts? parting with their Alms, as narrow-mouth'd pots do with liquor, with much bubling, who like Grapes, yield no liquor unleſs they be preſſed. Oh how dwelleth the love of God in ſuch, ſaith the Apoſtle? what a Sun in the Heavens, and not light? what a fixed Star, and not ſhine? what fire, and not give heat? theſe are ſtrange things in nature. So I may ſay, what love to Chriſt, and no compaſſion to his members, no relief, no bounty? it is as ſtrange as to ſee the Sun full of darkneſs; certainly the love of God dwelleth not in ſuch flinty hearts. Therefore doth the Lord take away our houſes, our goods, our deareſt outward comforts ſometimes, for this end, that we may have a fellow-feeling of others miſeries. They are uſually the moſt pittiful to others, who have ſuffered great loſſes and miſeries themſelves. He that hath been pinched with poverty, will eaſily be brought to pitty thoſe that are poor and needy: he that hath been ſick and weak, will be ready to commiſerate thoſe that are viſited; He that hath loſt all his goods, been toſſed from poſt to pillar, and ſtripped out of all his eſtate, will preſently relent at others grieved in the ſame kinde. Being diverſly afflicted and diſtreſſed, we learn with that Tyrian Queen to ſay,
Virgil. Aeneid. 5.Non ignara mali, miſeris ſuccurrere diſco
The ſenſe of evils makes me to bemone,
And ſuccour them who under ſuffrings groan.
You may plainly ſee there was ſuch bowels of compaſſions in the Saints in Scripture. What is the whole book of Lamentations, but a large Commentary, or deſcription of Jeremiah's compaſſion toward Jeruſalem? though God had provided well for the particular comfort of him, yet Jeruſalems miſeries did embitter his comforts, and turned all his wine into water. How tenderly affected was Job, with every particular mans diſtreſs? When the ear heard me, then it bleſſed me; and when the eye ſaw me, then it gave witneſs to me; becauſe I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherleſs, and him that had none to help him. The bleſſing of him that was ready to periſh came upon me, and I cauſed the widdows heart to ſing for joy. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame, I was a father to the poor, &c. Job 29.11, 12, 13, 15, 16. This the Apoſtle calls a refreſhing of the bowels of the Saints; which is a Metaphor taken from ſuch, as being almoſt faint with a great heat, do finde ſome ſhady place to cool them; ſuch is relief to our needy brethren. Till we have been in miſery and neceſſity our ſelves, we ſhall ſcarce afford our diſtreſſed brethren, any more than lip-compaſſion: Alas poor man! he is in great wants, he is in a miſerable condition, it grieveth me to ſee him, this is all; this is that which the Apoſtle James taxeth, Jam. 2.15.16. If a brother or ſiſter be naked, and deſtitute of daily food: and one of you ſay unto them, depart in peace, be you warmed and filled, notwithſtanding you give them not thoſe things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit him? Your lip-love, and your lip-compaſſion, is no comfort at all to him; Chriſt will throw ſuch compaſſionate Hypocrites into hell: where there is no relief from the hand, there is no pitty nor compaſſion in the heart; A niggardly hand is the Index of an iron heart: this compaſſion is no other than painted fire to a cold hand; it is true what a very Reverend man ſaid; Miſeratio divitum ſine benignitate, eſt illuſio miſerorum. Rich mens pitty without bounty, is a mocking of the poor in their diſtreſſes.
SECT. VII.
Another end that God aims at, in taking theſe outward things from you, is that himſelf may bee your portion; he is the portion of his people. Thou art my portion O Lord, Pſal. 119.57. The Prophet calleth God, the portion of Jacob, Jerem. 10.16. The Vine is the Drunkards portion; Mammon is the Covetous mans portion; Pleaſure is the Voluptuous mans portion; Gods wrath is the Wicked mans portion, upon the wicked he ſhall rain ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and an horrible tempeſt, this ſhall bee the portion of their cup, Pſal. 11.6. outward ſorrows, inward graces, and God himſelf, are the godly mans portion, and the kingdome of heaven is his inheritance. True it is! ſome of Gods people have theſe outward things alſo, but they have them not as their portion; and many times he takes them from thoſe that have them, that they may make God their only portion, Therefore David ſaith, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup, Pſal. 16.5. The meaning is, the Lord is to me inſtead of houſe and land, of meat and drink, and all neceſſaries for this preſent life. As the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 6.13. Becauſe God could ſwear by no greater, therefore he ſware by himſelf: So it may be ſaid in this caſe, becauſe God could give no greater portion to people, therefore he gives himſelf unto them. And when they are ſtript of other things, yet even then they have God to live upon. Wherefore did God keep Iſrael forty years in the Wilderneſs, and made them to hunger and thirſt, and fed them with Mannah, which neither they nor their Fathers did know? was it not to this end, that he might make them know, that man did not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live, Deut. 8 3. What doth a great rich heir live upon, but this portion? hee may have many other conveniencies, but hee chiefly makes account of his portion for his livelyhood. God is an All-ſufficient portion; whoſoever hath him for his portion, hath enough; there is enough in him to ſupply all our wants: the creatures at beſt, can but ſupply this or that particular want; but my God, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſhall ſupply all your wants. All other portions are defective, but this ſufficeth all: Some things give health, but not comfort; ſome things give comfort, but not honour; ſome things give honour, but not ſatiety. Still the ſhooe wrings in one place or other, there is ſomething or other wanting to us: but God is an All-ſufficient portion to the ſoul; he is health to the ſick, wealth to the poor, honour to the deſpiſed, an habitation to the diſtreſſed; he is all that we need or can deſire, yea, he gives abundantly more than we are able to ask or think. God is of all other, the moſt tranſcendent portion, for communicating, for ſecurity, for certainty: wee may bee robbed of our other portions, or they may be leſſened, diminiſhed, burnt, ſpent, conſumed; but here is an abiding portion; God is my portion for ever, ſaith Aſaph, Pſal. 73.26. Hee is an everlaſting portion. This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death, Pſal. 48.14. God is a moſt ſure and certain portion, and many times when Gods Children have leaſt of the things of this world, he giveth moſt of himſelf to them, in whom is every good and perfect gift, and all things richly to enjoy. Aaron had no lot among his brethren, but God ſaith to him, I am thy part, and thine inheritance among the children of Iſrael, Num. 18.20. So it is with all Gods children when they are ſtript of all, then God is their portion, and their inheritance: hence a beleever may conclude, the Lord is my portion, therefore I ſhall not want; ſurely mercy and goodneſs ſhall follow me all the daies of my life: hee that hath the Sun, can never want light; he that hath a fountain, can never want water; and he that hath the moſt high God, the poſſeſſour of all things, can never want any thing that is good for him: it is an infinite advantage to bee heir of all that God hath to give, both in heaven and in earth: well may hee ſay, when I have nothing, yet I want nothing, becauſe I have God who is all things to me: The lines are fallen to me in pleaſant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage, Pſal. 16.6.