The Chief Interest of Man, Section 4 – Section 5
SECT. IV. How much Godlineſſe conduceth to the preſerving and increaſe of Mens Eſtates, which Sin doth like a Canker, waſt and conſume. An illuſtration of Jer. 17.11. and Hoſ. 9.11. Objections anſwered, which Men make from that Juſtice and Charity which Religion obliges Men to, and from thoſe expenſes and loſſes which it expoſes them to, as alſo from experience and daily obſervation.
THe next intereſt of Man in his perſonal capacity which I ſhall conſider, is the furniture of this life for bearing his charges in his Pilgrimage while he is on his way towards his long home, and though Riches (by reaſon of the abuſe of them) ſometimes ſeem to be undervalued both by God and Man, in the Scripture and other writings, yet in themſelves they are uſeful and deſirable, and if we ſhould underſtand theſe things abſolutely and ſimply, which are ſpoken of them, not in a certain reſpect and ſecundum quid (as they ſpeak) it might rather be ſaid, the curſe of the Lord makes rich than his bleſſing; thereby a Man is capable of doing good to others, and our Saviour hath pronounced it more bleſſed to give than to receive, he is able to command his own affairs, he is freed from the temptations of poverty to a ſinful flattery and pleaſing of Men, incroaching upon Gods time or Mens Eſtates, from diſtracting cares about the neceſſaries of this life, they are a defence to him, not only in his own conceit, but really lifting him up, that the foot of contempt may not trample upon him, and that whatever is praiſeworthy in him may be more conſpicuous to others which is little taken notice of in the poor, whoſe wiſdom, yea, all other graces and vertues are deſpiſed. Now as the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battel to the ſtrong, ſo neither are Riches alwayes to the diligent, or induſtrious, or wiſe, but to thoſe whom God favours with his bleſſing. Godlineſſe hath the promiſe both of this life, and that to come, though God hath not abſolutely promiſed abundance or ſuperfluities, neceſſaries he hath; ſo that though the Lions (whereby we may according to the language of Scripture, underſtand thoſe who have both cruelty and power to oppreſſe others) may lack and ſuffer hunger, thoſe that fear the Lord ſhall want no good thing. Again, Godlineſſe may be ranked amongſt the natural cauſes as well as amongſt the moral cauſes of riches. Do but conſider what diligence the Goſpel requires in our particular callings, and though (according to what I lately ſaid) this is not the only or ſolitary cauſe of Riches, yet it is a means which God doth ordinarily bleſſe. Do but further conſider what ſobriety and moderation is required in Meat, Drink, Apparel, and we ſhall eaſily conceive how much it doth tend to the increaſe of Mens ſubſtance, and ſtopping up thoſe chinks and crannies, at which other Mens Eſtates do run out. On the other hand we ſhall find many ſins both moral and natural cauſes of decays in mens Eſtates, it is true all ſin doth make men obnoxious to the curſe: but there are many ſins which derive a curſe upon Men, which in a ſpecial manner (like the ruſt) devours their Riches; particularly oppreſſion and injuſtice, the Prophet Jer. 17.11. elegantly ſhews how the deſigns of Men, for ſetting up themſelves thereby prove abortive, as the Partridge ſitteth upon eggs and hatcheth them not, ſo he that getteth Riches and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midſt of his dayes, and in the end ſhall be a fool.
Some Birds Men take care of to ſecure them againſt injuries and violence as thoſe that are tame, others there are whoſe uſeleſſeneſs makes them neglected of all and ſo is their ſecurity, others there are able to reſiſt the violence of the Birds of prey; the Partridge is none of theſe, and ſo is moſt likely of all others to miſcarry and prove a prey to violence: ſo the unjuſt Oppreſſor may indeed gather Riches, but he ſhall ſoon leave them, himſelf is like the Graſſe, but his Glory is like the Flower of the Graſs (which oft falls off while the ſtalk ſtands) and he ſhall outlive his Glory, ſome Mens Glory flies away from the conception, others from the womb, others from the birth, Hoſ. 9.11. ſome mens deſigns fail while they are projecting and contriving them, others while they are travelling with them, or labouring to effect them, they fade in their wayes, others when they have juſt attained them, and arrived at their end, as the Rich Man, but when he ſhould ſolace himſelf in the enjoyment of them, they ſhall be taken away like the Corn, and the wine in the Harveſt or vintage, and in his end he ſhall be a fool, that is according to the language of the Scripture (wherein words of exiſtence are put ſometimes only for appearance and manifeſtation) he ſhall appear to be a fool, though formerly he ſeemed to be of the wiſe of the World, that knew how to get moſt for himſelf in the ſcuffle of the World, wherein almoſt every one ſcrambles to get as much as he can to himſelf to make his own heap biggeſt, but increaſing that which is not his own, Hab. 2.6. but of right belongs to others, he proves like the Dog in the fable, that not content with what he had, but catching at more loſt all. So Adultery (through the curſe of God) is a devouring Fire that conſumes and waſts a Mans ſubſtance. So the Covetous unmerciful Man unfolds that riddle. Prov. 11.24. he ſcatters by gathering whiles he retains his Riches when God requires them for the relief of the poor, or by his extortion and oppreſſion ſqueezeth out the ſweat, yea, it may be the blood of the poor: what is ſo either gotten or kept proves a canker to his Eſtate to devour it. Yea, there are many ſins, which are the natural cauſes of poverty, and if God ſhould leave men only to the genuine natural effects of their ſin, they would ſoon fade in their wayes, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Jam. 1.11. By means of a whoriſh Woman a Man is brought to a morſel of Bread, her words are ſo enſnaring, he is loſt that is once entangled with them, and it is a ſad ſign ſuch a one is abandoned of God. So the unmerciful Man and the Oppreſſor expoſeth himſelf to the curſes of the poor, yea, to their rage and violence if ever they have the opportunity of a popular tumult. So how doth Pride (like ruſt) eat up Mens Silver and God. Drowſineſs cloaths a Man with rags, ſo Gluttony and Drunkenneſſe feed upon Mens Eſtates till they have devoured them. Envy and malice beget contentions and quarrels which caſt Men into chargeable Law-ſuits. If Men would in their Books of Accounts allow ſome pages for their Luſts, and ſet down what they ſpend on them more than what Nature, Reaſon, Religion require, and write ſo much laid out at ſuch a time for Pride, ſo much at another time for Pleaſure and Voluptuouſneſſe, ſo much for envy in a Law-ſuit to vex ſuch a one, ſo much for entertainments, Buildings, Gardens, Feſtivals, Pomp of Funerals, (I ſpeak not againſt a decorum and moderation in ſuch things anſwerable to a Mans rank and Eſtate, but only againſt the ſuperfluity and exceſſe in theſe things, which Mens own Conſciences will tell them, ambition and vain glory put them upon) let them ſet down ſo much lucrum ceſſans from idleneſſe and negligence in their particular callings, and they ſhall find ſuch a retinue of Luſts (which Religion would make them ſhake off and abandon) as chargeable as a train of Servants, though the old complaint ſhould be true. Quot ſervi, tot Fures. Notwithſtanding all that I have ſaid, many have ſuch a prejudice againſt Religion, that they think if a Man begin ſeriouſly to addict himſelf thereto, it ſoon ſpoils his thriving in the World. As firſt, it is obſerved by many that it takes up much of Mens time, and many as ſoon as they begin to be ſo ſtrict in matters of Religion, neglect their particular callings. To this I anſwer, God is but little beholding to men that complain that his ſervice takes up too much of their time, there are none in the World amongſt the devout orders that conſecrate their time more entirely to God than thouſands do to the Devil and to their own luſts; yea, how few are there that do not allow more time to Pride in adorning themſelves? to pleaſure in vain ſports and recreations? to idle diſcourſe? to fruitleſſe viſits? to ſuperfluous ſleep & eaſe than God requires to be ſpent ſolely in his ſervice? he allows us time enough for our private affairs and particular callings. God is not ſerved only in prayer and reading, and hearing his word, but in the works of our ordinary callings. Col. 3.13. What is there ſaid of ſervants is true of others alſo in their ſeveral ſtations, while they duely attend their lawful vocations. It is true, ſome Chriſtians may not have prudence to ſhare their time equally betwixt their general and particular callings, but ſuch are ordinarily obſerved to be young Converts, (as they are called) that is, ſuch as have had but late acquaintance with the power and practice of Godlineſſe, and ſomething is to be indulged to theſe who at firſt converſion many times find ſo much delight and ſweetneſſe in exerciſes of Religion, that they know not how to leave them off. We know under the Law he that had marryed a Wife was diſpenſed with the firſt year to ſtay at home and ſolace himſelf with her and not forced to go out to War. Some again are ready to complain of the charge of Charity which Religion doth oblige a Man to. To ſuch I anſwer, nature it ſelf doth bind a Man to the ſame charity, that Chriſtianity binds him to, only Chriſtianity directing us to right principles and ends in ſuch actions, makes them turn to our good account. So that Chriſtian Charity is the beſt Ʋſury, God gives us bond for repayment. Prov. 19.17. and he is a good pay-maſter. If a Man would lay up ſomewhat againſt an evil day, he cannot put it into better hands. Eccleſ. 11.2. If the worſt come, and the hand of violence ſhould ſeize on his Eſtate, yet he may ſay with him in Seneca, I have that ſtill which I have given away, yea, a Man of meer humanity and generoſity, cannot but have ſuch a ſympathy with others in their ſufferings, that in relieving them, he relieves himſelf, as Alexander when Darius ſent a complement to him by his Ambaſſadors for his civility to his Wife, Mother, Daughters, whom he had taken Captives, returned him anſwer, that it was in vain to complement with an Enemy, and the favour he had ſhewed to them was not ſo much out of affection to him, as to ſatisfie his own nature, which could not inſult over the miſery of others. For the charge of the ſervice of God, let ſhame for ever cloath them, and confuſion cover them as a Garment that complain of it. Let an Heathen, an Alexander condemn them, who when Leonidas reproved him for ſpending ſo much incenſe in ſacrifice to his Gods, and told him he might do that when he had taken the Countries from whence it came, having taken them, ſent him incenſe in abundance, and ſent him word, that for the future he ſhould not be ſparing in his offerings to his Gods, for he had found by experience that what was offered to them they paid with Ʋſury. And further, our expence now under the Goſpel about the ſervice of God, is nothing to what it was formerly under the Law. What I ſaid before in reſpect of time, I may ſay here in reſpect of Eſtate, what Men ſpend upon Religious uſes and works of charity, is not comparable to what Men ſpend upon their Luſts. And whoever call themſelves Chriſtians ſhould diſdain that any ſhould be more free in the ſervice of the Devil, than they are in the ſervice of Chriſt. Neither is it Chriſtian charity but blind zeal and ſuperſtition that makes men give away their Eſtates (as is ordinary amongſt the Papiſts) to maintain others in eaſe and idleneſſe under a pretence of devoting themſelves to religious exerciſes, and the imitation of I know not what pretended Saints. Others are not aſhamed to complain of that juſtice and equity, that Religion doth oblige a man to obſerve in his commerce with others, as hindering their thriving in the World: but I have ſaid enough already of the curſe that follows injuſtice and oppreſſion, to ſhew how vain this objection is, beſides the puniſhment inflicted by Man for theſe ſins, which are the more odious to Men becauſe they are againſt our neighbor immediately (as many other ſins are not) ſo as men are more ſenſible of them, and as much as they can avoid having any thing to do with ſuch as are falſe and unjuſt in their dealings with others. Some object further the ſufferings which Religion expoſeth a Man oftentimes to. But to this I may anſwer, as to the former, Men ordinarily ſuffer more for ſin. The Devil hath had more Martyrs than Chriſt in moſt Ages of the World; that is, more have ſuffered for doing the Devils works, and fulfilling his Luſts, than for the ſervice of Chriſt. How many are there that ſuffer impriſonment, baniſhment, loſſe of goods, yea, of life for injuſtice, oppreſſion, murther, adultery, ſedition, and other ſins. And I have oft thought it might be a great comfort to one impriſoned for the cauſe of Religion, for Chriſts ſake, to think he might have ſuffered the ſame for his ſin, if he had been left to his Luſts as others; or for his miſery, for Debt and Poverty, whereas now he ſuffers the ordinary lot of Mankind, in ſuch a cauſe, on ſuch an occaſion, as it ſhall prove his greateſt advantage, God rewarding ſo bountifully, whatever a Man undergoes for his ſake, both with preſent ſpiritual comforts, and future everlaſting Glory. Laſtly, experience may be objected againſt all that I have ſaid, it being obſerved that the followers of Chriſt have the leaſt ſhare ordinarily in the things of the World.
But I anſwer to this, it is not becauſe Religion is any way prejudicial to Mens worldly Eſtates, but becauſe God in his free and wiſe Providence doth for the moſt part chooſe the poor of the World to be the Heirs of his Kingdom, both that he may confound the wiſdom of Men, and ſtain the Pride of their glory, chooſing contrary to Mans ordinary judgment and choice, and alſo becauſe out of his bounty he is pleaſed to give many a portion in this Life, to whom he intends none hereafter. Further, however God doth not many times give his Children ſuperfluities, he ordinarily provides for their neceſſities, and many may make Davids obſervation, that they have not ſeen the righteous forſaken, nor his ſeed begging their bread. Yea, I may add, as Pſal. 37.16. A little that a righteous Man hath, is better than great Treaſures of many wicked, becauſe he is ſatisfied with what he hath.
The vanity of the Creature proceeds from the vanity of Mens minds, when Men will make the Creature their chief happineſſe, they muſt needs find it vanity and vexation of ſpirit, becauſe it doth not anſwer their expactations from it, they looking for more from it than ever God put in it. But a Godly Man having ſomething elſe for his chief good, which is ſufficient to fill his moſt enlarged deſires, and to anſwer the higheſt expectations that he can have from it, he makes uſe of the Creature only for the end, to which God hath appointed it, to ſupply his bodily neceſſities, to be a Viatioum in this his Pilgrimage towards Heaven, which end it is ſufficient to anſwer, ſo that there is none can rejoyce and take pleaſure in the Creature more than a Godly Man.
SECT. V. The influence which Religion hath even upon our bodies, how far it conduceth to our health. Diſeaſes of the body ordinarily proceed from the diſtempers of the Soul. That Temperance, Diligence in our callings and moderation of our paſſions, which the Goſpel requires and teaches, is the beſt remedy againſt them.
THE next intereſt of Man, which I ſhall ſpeak of, doth yet more nearly concern him, and that is Health, which is not only as one calls it the Paradiſe of all ſenſual pleaſures; wherein they grow and flouriſh, but the Salt that ſeaſons all our worldly comforts, without which we can find very little ſayour in them, yea, are not only incapable of enjoying all other things, but of enjoying our ſelves, yea, the want of it makes us as unable to do good as to enjoy good, but only as we may be examples of Faith and Patience to others. Now though Religion chiefly concerns the Soul, and ſeems to have little influence on Mens bodies, yet I will confidently affirm (what may ſeem a Paradox to many) that the precepts of Chriſt well obſerved would free as many from Diſeaſes as his Miracles, they would prevent as many diſeaſes as his miracles cured. How many are there whoſe bodies are filled with the ſins of their ſouls, which they have tired and worn out in the ſervice of their inſatiable Luſts, which are like furious Riders, that tire out their Beaſts they ride on before they be tired themſelves. Though Men are not preſently ſenſible of decayes in their health by riot, drunkenneſſe, and ſuch like ſins, they lay in daily the ſeeds of thoſe diſeaſes which many groan under in their old age, though others feel them ſooner. We ordinarily ſay that exceſſe kills more than the Sword. By exceſſe we are not to underſtand only eating and drinking to ſurfeiting and drunkenneſs, or till nature be ſo oppreſſed that it diſchargeth it ſelf of its burden, but when Men make their appetite not their reaſon, the meaſure of their allowance. It would require the skil of a Phyſician to enumerate the Diſeaſes which are the effects of Mens ſins, but every one may eaſily obſerve that the ordinary Rules which the beſt Phyſicians preſcribe for the preſervation of Health, require nothing more than Temperance and exerciſe, the former Religion ſtrictly injoyns, and though it do not require the later as ſuch, or under ſuch a notion, yet in effect it requires it of moſt, commanding diligence in Mens callings, and condemning idleneſſe, which is the ſource of ſo many diſeaſes, as daily experience will evince, it being obvious to the obſervation of all, that Health is the poor Mans priviledge, and ſickneſſe moſt common among the Rich, who live in idleneſſe, though they have many other advantages above the poor for the preſervation of their health, beſides thoſe two cauſes of ſickneſſe there is a third, which religion doth remove, or at leaſt much correct, and that is, inordinate paſſions, ſuch as Anger, Fear, Sorrow, Envy, which have a very malignant influence upon the Body, and there is ſcarce any thing which tends ſo much to the poizing and ballancing of the humors of the body, (which is ſo neceſſary for the preſervation of the health) as a well compoſed temper of mind, and calmneſſe, and quietneſs in the Soul, which Religion doth not only teach, but (which is more) doth in a great meaſure effect, and therein exceeds the morals of Phyloſophers as we ſhall in due place more fully ſee.