The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 26
DISCOURSE XXVI. Of chuſing rather to continue under affliction, than to eſcape by ſin.
IT is the greateſt miſery that attends a ſuffering condition, that it tempts men to ſeek a deliverance by ſin. Agur gives this reaſon why he deprecated poverty, Prov. 30.9. Leſt (ſaith he) I be poor and ſteal, and take the name of the Lord in vain. Even Theft its ſelf is a taking of Gods name in vain, as being a practical denying of Gods alſufficience to provide for us, without the interpoſition of our ſin, and thereunto are men tempted by extream poverty. It were eaſie to recount many indirect courſes which are taken by men and women, utterly to defend themſelves againſt want. Some betake themſelves to unlawful trades, no leſs than proſtituting their own bodies, or the bodies of others, therewith to provide for their backs and bellies; ſome have other trades as bad as that (if ſo bad can be;) others uſe lawful callings unlawfully, vending bad commodities, taking unconſcionable rates, pinching thoſe poor people that work to them. Some go the way of open violence, (as by robbery, extortion, oppreſſion,) others the no leſs diſhoneſt way, of ſecret fraud and couſenage. Some are tempted to break, not becauſe they cannot pay their debts and live: but becauſe they cannot live ſo as they were wont to do if they ſhould pay their debts, and therefore they will rather defraud their Creditors, than their Genius. Some, if God take away from them but ſome part of what he hath given them, reſolve to lend him nothing (in that ſenſe as they who give to the poor, are ſaid to lend to the Lord) not but that they are more able than ſome others who are careful to maintain good works, and to be very charitable: but becauſe they are not ſo able as they have been; as who ſhould ſay, if God impair his wonted bounty towards them, (though much of his bounty be ſtill extended towards them, howbeit not ſo much as formerly) they will put an imbargo upon all their charity, nothing ſhall … out to the poor, if there come not into them ſo much as formerly. It ſounds like taking ſome kind of revenge upon God himſelf.
I wiſh the words of David, Pſal. 10.9. were not applicable to many, where ſpeaking of a wicked man, he ſaith, He lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net. Are there not many that work upon the neceſſities of poor men, and grinde their faces when they have them at an advantage? Theſe are ſome of the ill methods and artifices whereby too many attempt to make up their loſſes. But better it were to be alwaies poor, than to grow rich by ſuch waies as theſe. Where ſin is made uſe of as the cure of Affliction the remedy is worſe than the diſeaſe, and it is as our Proverb ſpeaks, Out of the Frying-pan into the Fire. Deliverance obtained by ſin is like Jacob's bleſſing procured by lying, which was many waies imbittered to him: For none of all the Patriarchs had ſo many croſſes as he. Sin is a worſe labyrinth than affliction: worſe to ſtay in, and worſe to get out of. So David found it when he would have concealed his ſhame in the matter of Bathſhebah by making Uriah drunk, that would not do his buſineſs, neither did he ſee how he could effect his deſign without killing him: and when that was done, he was in a worſe caſe than ever; for then watered he his couch with his tears, then were his bones broken. So Peter thought to have ſecured himſelf, by denying his maſter: but that denying coſt him dearer than it is probable his owning of Chriſt at that time would have done. All that men truly get by ſin, they may put in their eyes (as we ſay) and not ſee the worſe. What had become of Job if he had followed the wicked counſel which his wife gave him, whereby to put an end to his troubles? ſaying, Curſe God and die.
Let thoſe that are tempted to repair their loſſes by indirect means, think but of three Texts. The firſt is, Prov. 21.6. The getting of creaſure by a lying tongue, is a vanity toſſed to and fro of them that ſeek death. The next is, Prov. 22.16. He that oppreſſeth the poor to encreaſe his riches, ſhall ſurely come to want. The laſt is, Jer. 17.11. As the Partridge ſitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not: ſo he that getteth riches, and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midſt of his daies, and at his end ſhall be a fool. But as for thoſe that chuſe rather to ſuffer than to ſin, God taketh a particular care of them: witneſs Daniel, preſerved in the Lions den; and the three children in the fiery furnace. They that ſin under ſufferings, what do they but take in more lading in a ſtorm, whereas the uſual and beſt way is, to caſt out part of that lading which they had taken in before.
O Lord, I deſire to depend upon this, that thou knoweſt how to deliver the righteous out of temptations; and that without their unrighteouſneſs. Let not the lot of the wicked ſo long reſt upon the backs of thy ſervants, as to make them put forth their hands to wickedneſs. Cauſe us to believe, that thy bleſſing only ſo maketh rich, as to add no ſorrow therewith. and let us never forget or miſdoubt what thou ſaidſt to thy ſervant Abraham, I am God all-ſufficiernt, walk thou before me and be upright. Doubtleſs a little which a righteous man hath is better than great treaſures of the wicked. Let me ever be perſwaded (as I hope I now am) that innocent poverty is much more elegible than ill gotten proſperity.