The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 4
DISCOURSE IV. Of being content with Food and Rayment.
HOw many would be wel ſatisfied with what the Fire hath left them, if they could but take that excellent counſel which the Apoſtle gives them, 1 Tim. 6.8. Having food and rayment, let us be therewith content. Statelie Houſes, noble ſhops, full Trades, vaſt Incomes, ſome have not now as formerlie, who yet have food and rayment for them and theirs. Did Jacob indent with God for any more? Gen. 28.20. If God will give me bread to eat, and rayment to put on, then ſhall the Lord be my God. Did Agur ask any more of God, (as for the things of this world,) when he ſaid, Feed me with food convenient? Yea, did he not deprecare that which was much more, when he ſaid Give me not riches, leſt, &c. Dare we abſolutely pray for more than daily bread, (and other things as neceſſarie for life, whereof ravment is one?) and ſhall we peremptorilie deſire more than we dare to pray for? Can thoſe deſires be regular; which we fear to make the matter of our prayers? Or, if God vouchſafe us as much as we think lawful and fit to pray for, why ſhould we not be content? Turn your deſires of greater things than theſe, into the form of a prayer, and hear how it will ſound: Lord give me riches, though Agur were ſo unwiſe as to pray againſt them. Lord give me with Dives to be cloathed with Purple and fine Linnen, and to fare ſumptuouſlie every day; or to have wherewithall ſo to do. Lord give me ſo many hundreds by the Year, more than I need to ſpend. Lord give me one thouſand pound at leaſt; but rather two or three for every childe; I cannot be content with leſs as a portion for each of them. Offer if you dare to put ſuch Incenſe as this into Chriſt his Golden Cenfor; Appear if you dare with ſuch requeſts as theſe at the Throne of grace; Expect if you can that as to ſuch requeſts Jeſus Chriſt ſhould intercede for you. So abſurd prayers cannot be good deſires; nor can it be otherwiſe than abſurd to be diſcontented for the want of thoſe things which were abſurd to pray for. How many of our betters have barelie food and rayment, and yet are very thankful for what they have? The Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs had but bread and water, when for their murmuring they were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer, 1 Cor. 10. Beware of grumbling at Manna, and luſting after Quailes, leſt for ſo doing your carcaſſes fall in the Wilderneſs, as theirs did. If the end of life were to eat and drink, it were another matter; but if the end of eating and drinking be, that we may live, ſuch food as will keep us alive and in health, ought to be accepted with thankfulneſs: what a feaſt would a belly-full of bread be counted in a time of famine. How precious was an Aſſes head, yea a cab of Doves dung in the famine of Samaria, 2 Kings 6.28. Are we better than Lazarus who would have been glad of Dives his crums?
If that were a parable, then Lazarus is there put not for one perſon, but for every one, that is, ſuch as he is deſcribed to have been: namely defigned for Abraham's boſome, and yet glad of crums in this World. Let me here diet with Lazarus, (if the will of God be ſo) may I but be ſure hence-forth to lodge with him in the boſome of Abraham. Do we make light of food and raiment for us and ours? alas, what more can this World afford us, though we have ever ſo much of it? Solomon complaining how the hearts of men are taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things (which is conceived to be the meaning of that difflicult expreſſion, Eccleſ. 3.11. He hath ſet the World in their hearts,) ſhowes what the benefit of the World, and of the things therein is. I know (ſaith he) that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoyce, and to do good in his life: And alſo that every man ſhould eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labours, v. 12, 13. I finde the rich man ſpoken of Luk. 16.19. diſtinguiſhed from the beggar only by this, that he are better meat, and wore better cloaths. For the Text ſaith, That he was cloathed in Punple, and fared ſumptuouſly every day.
Now what great matter is it, that our vile bodies ſhould have every thing of the beſt? What are our bodies, eſpecially if too much pamper'd: but as ſo many reeking dunghils, annoying our ſoules with ill ſteames and vapours? or like dead carcaſſes joyned to living men, (a torture invented by Mezintius) which are an unſufferable offence to them. As it is ſaid of Eve, that ſhe was firſt in the tranſgreſſion; and as ſhe drew in her husband, ſo our bodies many times, like ſo much tinder do receive the firſt ſparks of temptation: or like the thatch of an houſe, are firſt kindled, and as that might ſet the whole houſe, ſo do they the whole ſoul on fire. Many ſins begin at the body, are occaſioned or fomented, or both, by the over-ſanguine, or melancholy, or cholerick temper or diſtemper thereof: which ſhewes we are no debtors to the fleſh, to fulfill the deſires thereof. Moreover if we conſider whence our bodies came, and whither they are going, it will appear there is no ſuch cauſe to be greatly concerned for them; that they ſhould wear the fineſt wool, and eat the ſineſt of the wheat. Duſt they were, and to duſt they ſhall teturn. Why muſt they needs be ſed ſo daintily which themſelves muſt ſhortly become food for wormes? when we feed our bodies too high, what do we but feed our luſts, yea, feed diſeaſes in our very bodies? ſo that it is become a proverb, that the Engliſh man digs his grave with his teeth. Few kill their bodies by mortifying them: but many by indulging them. Chriſtmat kills many more than Lent. As the Ape is ſaid to hug her young ones to death: ſo many kill their bodies with too much kindneſs to them. As over-pamper'd Horſes oft times throw their riders, and give them their deaths wound: ſo are men too commonly thrown both in oſickneſs, ſin, and death it ſelf, by indulging their bodies over much. The body (as one ſaith well) ought to be kept, as not infra, ſo neither ſupra negotium; ſed per negotio; not too high for its work, but equal to it. Paul ſaith, that he did keep under his body, and brought it into ſubjection. So far was he from cockring of it till it became his maſter, as too many do. There is no ſmall danger in over-exalting our blood and natural ſpirits.
Job was never more afraid of his children, than when they went a feaſting from houſe to houſe. Then did he offer a Sacrifice for each of them, leaſt they ſhould blaſpheme God, or had done it. A cheap and ſimple diet may preſerve health and ſtrength as well as the beſt dainties and coſtlieſt varieties. Daniel, and the three children who lived of pulſe and water, were fairer and fatter than all thoſe which did cat the portion of the Kings meat. Dan. 1.15. They are ſometimes the leaneſt cattel which devoure the fat. As for any ſervice of God or men, he ſhall be much more fit, who having no pallatable diet, eats but for neceſſitie, and to ſatisfie his hunger; than one that by the deliciouſneſs of his fare, is tempted to devoure more than he can well digeſt. As for delight in meats and drinks: he that brings but hunger and thirſt enough to a courſe meale, ſhall have more of that (and thoſe are ſauces which the poor have uſuallie moſt of) than he that with balfe an appetite ſits down to a great Feaſt. Why then, having a comperencie of wholſome food, though but mean and ordinarie, ſhould we not be therewithall content? Are we better then John the Baptiſt, of whom it is ſaid, that his diet was Locuſts and wilde Honey? Some have found more ſweetneſs in a draught of cold water (ſuch as their thirſt hath been) than in all the Wines and Spirits which they have drank at other times? Why then may not a mean diet content us, yea prove delicious to us, as Salomon ſaith, To the hungry ſoule every bitter thing is ſweet. Povertie brings ſuch ſawce with it, as will make a diſh of Tripe more ſavorie than a Veniſon Paſtie is to a rich man.
Then, as for Rayment: if we have but that which may ſerve the turn to keep us warm and decent, though it be courſe and plain: why ſhould we not be content therewith? We read in Mark 1.6. John was cloathed in Camels-hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his lo…ns (which was as mean as could be;) & do we not read of ſome of the primitive Chriſtians, that they wandred about in ſheepe-skins, and Goat-skins. Heb. 11.37. Are we better than they? would ſuch habits become us worſe than them? Time was, that God bid the Iſraelites to put off their ornaments, that he might know what to do with them. Exod. 33.5. Did God ever ſpeak, as if he knew not what to do with a people for want of ornaments? Did he ever ſeem diſpleaſed that a people were not fine enough? Why ſhould that habit diſpleaſe us, that God may beſt like us in, and know what to doe with us? Whilſt we are clad with coſtly attire, it is hard for us at the ſame time to be cloathed with humilitie: yea, not to have pride compaſs us as a chain.
Why ſhould not mean houſes ſatisfie us, if God in ſuch will appoint the bounds of our habitation? If the primitive Chriſtians were content with mountains, dens, and caves of the earth, as we read, Heb. 11.37. why ſhould we repine at mean dwellings, which yet may anſwer the main ends for which houſes are built; viz. warmth, privacie, defence, and ſuch like? were dens and caves better than ſuch houſes? or is it becauſe we think our ſelves better than thoſe that dwelt in deus and caves? Surely neither. It is but a little while that we and ours ſhall have need of any ſuch things, as houſes, food, and rayment; and may not that which is but mean and ordinarie content us for a while? Did not Citizens make ſhift with any thing whilſt the Citie was burning? Glad they were to crowd their goods, their children, yea themſelves into any hole where they could get, and thankful to thoſe that would receive them, and well content with it, as thinking with themſelves it was but for a while. Well, after a little while thou that cameſt naked into the world ſhalt go naked out of it, and never uſe ſuch clothing more: and whereas meats are for the belly, God ſhall deſtroy both them and it.
For the preſent then, be content with ſuch things as you have: as travellers uſe to make ſhift with any thing upon a journey: and ſouldiers upon a march; ſeeing ſuch things are but for a ſeaſon, and they hope for better afterwards. Lord I am ſenſible that this counſel, viz. to be content with food and raiment, is very good. Oh give to me and others a heart to take it. If we need many things, and are not ſatisfied without the beſt of every thing we need, (of ſuch fort as food and raiment) it is our weakneſs. So people that are ſick would taſte of every bodies beer, and none is good enough for them: ſome is too new, ſome too ſtale, ſome too bitter, ſome too ſower, ſome too ſtrong, ſome too ſmall, ſome fault there ſeemes to be in all; whereas it may be there is no fault in any, but all the fault is in their diſtempered pallates. One ſort of drink ſerves him that is in health (let that one be what it will, ſo it be but tollerable) Lord give me that health within my ſoul that I may not long for any thing that is not ſimply needful; nor be diſpleaſed with any thing that is truly good, though not the beſt, (as being humbly perſwaded that every ſuch thing is better than I deſerve) let me not ſeek great things for my ſelf, at any time, but leaſt of all at ſuch a time as this, in which thou haſt broken down what thou didſt once build up, and plucked up what thou didſt once plant, and ſeemeſt to be bringing evil upon all fleſh: as thou didſt threaten the Jewes of old, Jer. 45.5. May I be able to ſay with David, Pſal. 131.2. I do not exerciſe my ſelf in things that be too high for me: I have quieted my ſelf as a child that is weaned of his Mother: my ſoul is as a weaned child. Oh give me contentedly to feed on any thing, when thou wilt have me feed no longer on the milk of thoſe more luſcious comforts which I have formerly enjoyed. Let the food of my body be what thou wilt; ſo thou wilt but feed my ſoul with that bread of life which came down from heaven: and let my bodily raiment be ever ſo mean, ſo thou wilt but enable me to put on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and give me to be cloathed in the garment of that elder brother, the robe of whoſe righteouſneſs is that white raiment ſpoken of, Rev. 3.18. which ſuffereth not the ſhame of our ſinful nakedneſs to appear. If I have but food and raiment for my ſelf: the worſt is, I can contribute little, if any thing, to others: but this I know, that where there is a willing mind, thou accepteſt according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12. With God the will without the deed is more than the deed without the will. 2 Cor. 8.10. He is rich in good works, who is ready (that is wholly inclined) to diſtribute; if he had but wherewithall, 1 Tim. 6.18. Lord, if thou wilt make me thy Steward, intruſting me with an eſlate wherewith I may do good to others: I ſhall count it a bleſſed thing to be both able and willing to give; rather than to be on the receiving hand. But if thou wilt allot me only food and raiment for me and mine, and that none of the beſt neither: thy will be done; that I know will bear our charges through this world. Mannah and old cloaths (for the Iſraelites had no new ones for 40. years together) will ſerve us in the Wilderneſs: only ſweeten our paſſage, by aſſuring us we ſhall at laſt arrive at thy heavenly Canaan; and then ſhall we ſay, The lines are fallen to us in a pleaſant place, verily we have a goodly heritage.