The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 40 – Meditation 41
MEDITAT. XL. foreign
AN immoderate greedy deſire of worldly Things, though not attended with another mans hurt or loſs, is Covetouſneſs.
To ſeek an unwieldy greatneſs and fulneſs in the world, to extend ones care to Childrens Childrens Children; what does this ſpeak, but an over-high valuation of the world, and an atheiſtical diſtruſt of God?
To be more ſtudious of worldly Accommodations, than of enriching the mind with virtue; of gaming an Eſtate, than of ſaving the Soul; of Portions for Children, more than of their Education; is palpable preferring of the World before God, and rank Covetouſneſs.
And what excuſe can be made for thoſe greedy Tradeſmen, that appoint to themſelves no end, no meaſure of getting? I know indeed that an Employment is good; and I know alſo, that there are many good ways of mens employing themſelves, beſides ſcraping for Riches. I doubt theſe men do never ſincerely examine themſelves, whether all this while, in all theſe pains that they take, they act out of pure Conſcience to live in an Employment. Methinks it is very agreeable to the temper of univerſal Charity, to ſay, Now that I have provided for my own houſe, when ſhall my Brethren provide for their houſes alſo; I will make room for thoſe that are ſtraitned; I have eaten and drunken, now let them alſo eat and drink. Or if pure Conſcience of an Employment keep them in their ſtation, that they will ſtill work with their hands the things which they account good, let it be to give to him that needeth.
Much wealth neceſſarily brings along with it much care, many fears doth uſually increaſe, worldly deſires will be followed with great accompts: And to prefer this before the peace and quietneſs of our minds, and the eaſineſs and paſſableneſs of our accompts, ſavors of great imprudence, and, I doubt, impiety.
I know Covetouſneſs is hard to be diſcerned, and it is of ſo ill a name that few will own it. But the Searcher of hearts does diſcern it; and his Word does deſcribe the men that are guilty of it, by their haſtening to be rich, by lading themſelves with thick clay, by their willing to be rich, (1 Tim. 6. 9.) by their riſing up early, late taking reſt, eating the bread of ſorrows, and the like. And we can partly diſcern mens neceſſities, their Families, and their Dependents; if their worldly care exceed what theſe do in reaſon call for, it is to be ſuſpected, that it is degenerated into Covetouſneſs.
To theſe intemperate Gapers after wealth, I commend that plain, but terrible Text of our Lords, It is eaſier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. What a ſtrange task is this! Yea, though we ſhould be ſo favourable as to interpret it of a Cable Rope, which yet the ſpelling of the word will not endure. A Camel go thorow the Eye of a Needle? It implies the greateſt humane impoſſibility.
Oh but (ſays the Worldling) God can effect this; for the Text tells us for our comfort, That with him all things are poſſible.
But I pray Friend, How know you that God will? Is it not that God, who hath commanded you not to covet, not to labour after the meat that periſheth, not to be careful what to eat and to drink, not to ſeek great things for your ſelves, not to lay up treaſures for your ſelves on earth?
Oh but they can come off at leaſt by diſtinguiſhing: By rich men are there meant, Thoſe that trust inriches. Now, ſay they, we can avoid that well enough.
Nay, not ſo eaſily neither. If it were ſo eaſie a thing, What need rich men be charged ſo ſeveraly that they do not trust in riches? It ſeems rather to be very difficult, next to impoſſible; in that Chriſt hath made having Riches, and truſting in Riches, to be Phraſes of the ſame importance, Mark 10. 23, 24. The Scripture records thoſe few that were rich and good, as wonders of Divine Grace, as inſtances of Omnipotence: And indeed there are but very few of them. He paſt for a Prodigy of old, Quiſquis ingentes oculo irretorto ſpectat acervos; and ſo he may do now.
It is the Character of a Diſciple of Chriſt, To forſake Houſe and Lands for his Name ſake. And is this an Argument of a mind ſo diſpos'd, a ſign of a Soul ſo prepar'd, to be perpetually graſping after more, and to be joining Houſe to Houſe, and Land to Land?
If they that hunger after Righteouſneſs, are therefore bleſſed, becauſe they ſhall be filled, I am ſure they muſt needs be curſed, that hunger after the mammon of unrighteouſneſs; for they are not, cannot, ſhall not be fill'd.
Oh the ſhame that is upon the Profeſſors of the Religion of Christ Jeſus! Men that pretend to a life more excellent than a Prince his, to be guilty of Covetouſneſs. All their Religion is in vain, who mind earthly things. O Lord, incline my heart to thy Teſtimonies, and not to Covetouſneſs!
MEDITAT. XLI. Of Carefulneſs.
I Will deſcend a little lower, to conſider of Worldly Carefulneſs. This is directly contrary to Faith in the Promiſes and Providence of God, and ſo is a preferring of the World before him.
It proceeds from a diſtruſt of God's Providence, which diſtruſt is very ſinful and diſhonourable; nay, it is as if one ſhould refuſe to take God's Word for ſufficient ſecurity. However light men make of it, and however ſmall a fault the Worldling repreſents it to himſelf, ſure I am, our Saviour links it with Gluttony and Drunkenneſs, and ſeems to make it as bad a fault and as dangerous as they, (Luke 21. 34.) Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with ſurfeiting or drunkenneſs, or cares of this life, &c.
It argues a want of ingenuous affiance in God, and is perplexing to the mind, hindring converſe with God, which is the higheſt perfection, and the greateſt happineſs of the Souls of men.
What can I ſay worſe of it, than that it is unſeemly, uneaſie, unſafe, and unprofitable? For after all our Cares, all Events depend upon God; and all humane Solicitude cannot ſtate or ſix one Event, nor make the leaſt change in the courſe of things, not one hair white or black.
I do not remember that ever I heard Chriſt Jeſus more induſtrious in arguing againſt any thing, than againſt this worldly Carefulneſs, Mat. 6. Read the Goſpel throughout, and I do not think you will find him to have ſet himſelf more againſt any ſin than this.
Our heavenly Father is very gracious in offering his help for our relief againſt this Carefulneſs. The Curſe be upon me, ſaid Rebekah to her ſon Jacob. Kind mother! Such is the kindneſs of our Father, Caſt your care upon me. It is an eaſie and pleaſant thing to depend upon another, to truſt to Almighty Goodneſs, in compariſon of what careful carking is.
Diligence is not this Carefulneſs; Care is not ſo much forbidden us as Carefulneſs. This ſolicitouſneſs about the World is known to be ſinful, by the unſeaſonableneſs of it, the immoderateneſs of it; when men take more care, and beat their brains much more about the things of the Body, than of the Soul; of Time, than of Eternity.
Lord, make me to underſtand the value of my Soul, and the danger that it is in, that my thoughts and cares may be mainly beſtow'd about the preſervation of it! Let me ſee the particular Providence of God, which reaches even to every Sparrow, and ſingle hair of my head; and to believe all his gracious Promiſes, ſo as not to be any more ſolicitous about this world!