Discourses Proving Jesus to be the Messiah, Sermon 13
SERMON XIII. The Children of this World Wiſer than the Children of Light.
Preached at Whitehall, Anno 1683.
LUKE XVI. 8.
For the Children of this World are in their Generation wiſer than the Children of Light.
THESE Words are in the Parable of the Rich Man's Steward, who being call'd upon to give up his Accounts, in order to his being diſcharged from his Office, caſt about with himſelf, what courſe he had beſt to take, to provide for his ſubſiſtence, when he ſhould be turned out of his Employment. At laſt he reſolves upon this, That he will go to his Lords Debtors, and take a favourable Account of them; and inſtead of a hundred meaſures of Oil, write down fifty, and inſtead of a hundred meaſures of wheat, write down four ſcore; that by this means he might oblige them to be kind to him in his Neceſſity. The Lord hearing of this, commends the unjuſt Steward, becauſe he had done wiſely; That is, he took notice of his Diſhoneſty; but praiſed his Shrewdneſs and Sagacity, as having done prudently for himſelf, tho' he did not deal juſtly with him; and this is uſual among Men. When we ſee a Man ingeniouſly bad, to commend his Wit, and to ſay it is great pity, he doth not uſe it better, and apply it to good purpoſes. Upon the whole, our Saviour makes this Obſervation; that the Children of this World, are in their Generation wiſer than the Children of Light; as if he had ſaid, thus did this worldly Wiſe-man, thus provident was he for his future Security and Subſiſtence. He no ſooner underſtands that he is to be turned out of his Office, but he conſiders what Proviſion to make for himſelf againſt that time. And is it not pity, that good Men do not apply this Wiſdom to better and greater purpoſes? For is not every Man ſuch a Steward, entruſted by God with the Bleſſings of this Life; and many opportunities of doing good? For all which, ſince he muſt ſhortly give an Account, he ought in all Reaſon ſo to uſe them, as thereby to provide for the Happineſs of another Life, againſt this temporal Life have an end.
And this is all the Parallel intended in this Parable, as we may ſee by our Saviour's Application of it. For Paralels are not to be ſtretched to an exact Parallel in all the Parts and Circumſtances of them; but only to be applyed to the particular point and purpoſe intended. A Parable, and the Moral accomodation of it, being (as one well obſerves) not like two Plains, which touch one another in every part; but like a Globe upon a Plain, which only toucheth in one Point. Thus our Saviour ſeparates the Wiſdom of this Steward from his Injuſtice, and propoſeth that to our imitation; The Children of this World are in their Generation wiſer than the Children of Light.
The Words are a Compariſon; in which we have
1ſt. The Perſons compared, the Children of this World, and the Children of Light. It is a very uſual Phraſe among the Hebrews, when they would expreſs any thing to partake of ſuch a Nature, or Quality, to call it the Son or Child of ſuch a thing. Thus good Men are call'd the Children of God, and bad Men the Children of the Devil; thoſe who mind earthly things, and make the things of this World their greateſt aim and Deſign, are called the Children of this World and thoſe who are better enlightned with the Knowledge of their own immortality, and the Belief of a future ſtate after this life, are call'd the Children of Light.
2dly. Here is the thing, wherein they are compared, and that is, as to their Wiſdom and Prudence.
3dly. The Object of this Prudence, which is not the ſame in both; as if the Senſe were, that the Children of this World are wiſer than the Children of Light, as to the things of this World; but here are two ſeveral Objects intended, about which the prudence of theſe two ſorts of Perſons is reſpectively exerciſed; the concernments of this World and the other. And our Saviour's meaning is, that the Children of this world are wiſer in their generation; that is, in their way, viz. as to the Intereſts and Concernments of this World, than the Children of Light are in theirs, viz. as to the Intereſts and Concernments of the other World.
4thly. Here is a deciſion of the matter, and which of them it is that excels in point of Prudence, in their way; and our Saviour gives it to the Children of this World; they are wiſer in their generation, than the Children of Light.
Now this Propoſition is not to be taken in the utmoſt ſtrictneſs and rigour; as if it were univerſally true, and without any exception; as if no Man had ever been ſo Wiſe and Provident for his Soul, and the Concernments of another World, as Worldly Men are for the Intereſts and Concernments of this Life. For there are ſome that are Fools at large, and imprudent in their whole conduct and management, both as to the Affairs of this World, and the other; who are in too ſtrict a ſenſe, the Children of this world. They mind nothing but this World, and yet are groſly imprudent, even in their proſecution of their temporal Intereſts. They neglect and fore-go all other worldly Advantages, for the ſake of a little ſenſual Pleaſure; and then they loſe and deſtroy that too, by an over hot and eager purſuit of it, and turn it at laſt into Gall and Wormwood. And there are others, (as St. Paul for inſtance) who, I doubt not, have been as prudent, and zealous, and induſtrious for the promoting of Religion, and the Salvation of themſelves and others, as any Man can be about the Affairs of this preſent Life; and I hope there are ſome ſuch in every Age, but God knows they are very few, and their Wiſdom and Induſtry is ſeldom ſo equal, and conſtant, and uniform, as that of the Men of this World.
So that we are to underſtand this Saying of our Saviour's with the ſame Allowance as we generally do all Moral and Proverbial Speeches, that they are true for the moſt part, and the Inſtances and Exceptions to the contrary are very rate. It is ſeldom ſeen, that good Men are ſo wiſe for the Concernments of their Souls, and of Religion, as many worldly Men are for their worldly Intereſts.
In ſpeaking to this Propoſition, I ſhall do theſe thre things.
Firſt, Confirm and illuſtrate the Truth of it, by conſidering the ſeveral Parts and Properties of Wiſdom.
Secondly, Give ſome probable Account of this, by conſidering what Advantages the Children of this world have above the Children of light.
Thirdly, I ſhall draw ſome Inferences from the whole, by way of Application.
Firſt, I ſhall endeavour to confirm and illuſtrate the Truth of this, by conſidering the ſeveral parts and properties of Wiſdom. Now this is Wiſdom, to mind and regard our chief end, and by all means to promote it; and this Regard to our chief End doth expreſs it ſelf chiefly in theſe particulars; in our being firmly fixt and reſolved upon it; in chuſing the fitteſt Means for the compaſſing and accompliſhing of it; in a diligent Uſe of thoſe Means; in an invincible Conſtancy and Perſeverance in the proſecution of it; and in making all things to ſubmit and to ſtoop to it. Theſe are the principal parts and properties of Wiſdom; and I ſhall ſhew, that in all theſe the Children of this World do uſually excel the Children of Light.
1ſt. They are uſually more firmly fixt and reſolved upon their End. Whatever they ſet up for their End, Riches, or Honours, or Pleaſures, they are fixt upon it, and ſteady in the Proſecution of it. If they ſet up for Riches or Honour, they neglect and deſpiſe Pleaſure, if it croſs either of thoſe Ends. And this fixt Reſolution of the End is the great ſpring of Action, and that which inſpires Men with Vigour and Diligence in the uſe of Means; and the more reſolved Men are upon the End, the more active and induſtrious they will be in the uſe of Means; for the End governs the Means, and gives Law and Meaſure to our Activity and Induſtry in the uſe of them, and ſweetens and allays the Trouble and Difficulty of them.
So that where the End is once firmly fixt and reſolved upon, there will not be wanting fervour of Proſecution; but if we be wavering and unſteady as to our End, this will weaken our Hands, and quench the heat of our endeavours, and abate the eagerneſs of our Purſuit, and according to the degree of it, will derive a debility and inconſtancy into all our Motions. The double minded Man (as St. James ſays) being unſtable in all his ways. Now the Children of this world are commonly more fixt and reſolved upon their End, than the Children of light. 'Tis rare to ſee the whole Life and Actions of a good Man, ſo conſtantly and uniformly conſpiring to the furtherance of his great End, ſo directly tending to the Salvation of his Soul, and the increaſe of his Glory and Happineſs in another World; as the Actions of a worldly Man, and the whole Courſe of his Life do, to the advancing of his worldly Interests. The covetous or ambitious Man ſeldom do any thing, to the beſt of their knowledge, that is impertinent to their End, much leſs contrary to it; through every thing that they do, one may plainly ſee the End they aim at, and that they are always true to it: Whereas the beſt Men do many things, which are plainly croſs and contrary to their End, and a great many more, which have no relatioin to it; and when they mind it, it is rather by fits and ſtarts, than in any even courſe and tenor of Actions.
And of this we have a famous inſtance in that worldly and ſecular Church, which now for ſeveral hundreds of Years hath more ſteadily purſued the End of ſecular Greatneſs and Dominion, than any other Church hath done the Ends of true Religion, the Glory of God, and the Salvation of the Souls of Men, ſo that there is hardly any Doctrine or Practice peculiar to that Church, and differing from our common Chriſtianity, but it hath a direct and viſible tendency to the promoting of ſome worldly Intereſt or other. For inſtance, Why do they deny the People the Holy Scriptures and the Service of God, in a language which they can underſtand? but that by keeping them in Ignorance, they may have them in more perfect Slavery and Subjection to them? Why do they forbid their Prieſts to marry? but that they may have no Intereſt diſtinct from that of their Church, and leave all to it when they die? To what end is Auricular Confeſſion? but to keep People in awe, by the knowledge of their Secrets? Why muſt the Laity only receive the Sacrament in one kind, but to draw a greater Reverence to the Prieſt, whoſe Priviledge it ſhall be to receive in both? And why is the Intention of the Prieſt neceſſary to the efficacy of the Sacraments? but to perſwade the People, that notwithſtanding the gracious Intention of God toward Mankind, they cannot be ſaved without the good will of the Prieſt? The Doctrines of Purgatory and Indulgences are a plain device to make their Markets of the Sins and Souls of Men. I might inſtance in a hundred things more in that Church, which are of the ſame tendency. This St. John foretold ſhould be the Character of the Spirit of Antichriſt, that it ſhould be a worldly Spirit, and the Doctrines of it ſhould ſerve a Secular Intereſt and Deſign, 1 John 4. 5. They are of the World, and they ſpeak from the World, and the World hears them. What Church is there in the World, ſo true throughout to the intereſt of Religion, as this worldly Church hath been to its own Secular Power and Greatneſs?
2dly. The Children of this world are wiſer in the choice of Means in order to their End; and this is a great part of Wiſdom. For ſome Means will bring about an End, with leſs pains, and difficulty, and expence of Time than others. And the Men of the World are very ingenious in diſcerning the fitneſs and force of Means to their ſeveral Ends. To what a certainty have Men reduced all the ways and arts of Gain, and growing rich, and of riſing to Honour and Preferment? What long Trains will Men lay to bring about their deſired End? What ſubtil methods have Men diviſed, to inſinuate themſelves into Court; and when they are there, to plant themſelves in the Eye of their Prince, and in the Sunſhine of his Favor? and then they have as many ways of worming others out, as of ſcrewing themſelves in.
But in the Concernments of our souls, and the Affairs of another World, how dull and injudicious are we? and how awkardly and untowardly do we apply Means to Ends, as if Men were only wiſe to do evil, but to do good had no underſtanding, as the Prophet complains? By what incongruous and irregular Means do many (who would ſeem to be, and ſometimes perhaps are very zealous in Religion) endeavour (as they think) to promote God's Glory, by pious Frauds and counterfeit Miracles, and telling officious Lies for God? What a compaſs do many Men fetch to go to Heaven, by innumerable devices of will-Worſhip, by voluntary Severities, neither pleaſing to God, nor profitable to Men? By tedious Pilgrimages, and ſenſeleſs Ceremonies, and innumerable little external Obſervances, of no Virtue and Efficacy in Religion? and by wandring through a wilderneſs of Opinions, and the buſhes and brakes of unprofitable Queſtions, and Controverſies? Whereas the way to Heaven lies plain and ſtraight before us, conſiſting in Simplicity of Belief, and in Holineſs and Innocency of Life. Not but that there are great differences in the Church of Rome, between the Secular Prieſts and and the Regular; betwen the Janſeniſts and the Jeſuits: but they ſtill unite in a common Intereſt, and are ſubject to Antichriſt their common Head. They do not ſeparate from one another, and excommunicate one another, and declare againſt one another, that they are not of the true Church. Satan never caſts out Satan; and tho' he love Diviſions among Chriſtians, yet he always takes care, that his own Kingdom be not divided againſt it ſelf, ſo as to endanger the Ruin of it. And whenever they have any hopeful deſign for the extirpation of Proteſtants, they can lay aſide their Enmities, and be reconciled in ſuch a deſign. Then the Pope and the Kings of the Earth take counſel together, and like Herod and Pilate, when Chriſt was to be crucified, can be made Friends at a days warning. Whereas the Diviſions of the true Church are pernicious to it; and as we ſee at this Day among our ſelves, our ſenſeleſs Differences and wild Heats on both ſides, do contribute to the ſetting up of Popery, and the ruin of the Reformed Religion; and yet no Perſwaſion, no Experience can make us wiſer.
3dly. The Children of this world are commonly more diligent in the Uſe of Means for the obtaining of their End; they will ſweat and toil, and take any Pains, riſe up early, and lie down late, and eat the bread of Carefulneſs; their thoughts are continually running upon their Buſineſs, and they catch at every Oportunity of promoting it; they will pinch Nature, and haraſs it; and rob themſelves of their Reſt, and all the Comfort of their Lives, to raiſe their Fortune and Eſtate. What Drudges were Caeſar and Alexander in the way of Fame and Ambition? How did they tire themſelves and others with long and tedious Marches? To what Inconveniences and Dangers did they expoſe themſelves and Thouſands more? What Havock and Deſtruction did they make in the World, that they might gain to themſelves the empty Title of Conquerors of it? When the Men of the World engage in any Deſign, how intent are they upon it, and with what vigour do they proſecute it? They do not counterfeit a Diligence, and ſeen to be more ſerious and induſtrious than in truth they are; they are rather Hypocrites the other way, and would conceal their Covetouſneſs and Ambition, and not ſeem to aſpire after Riches, and Honours, ſo much as indeed they do.
But in the purſuit of better things, how cold and remiſs are we? With what a careleſs indifference do moſt Men mind their Souls? How negligent and formal, and many times Hypocritical are they in the Service of God, and the Exerciſe of Religion? With what a pitiful Courage, and with what faint Spirits do they reſiſt Sin, and encounter the Temptations of it; and how often, and how eaſily are they foil'd and baffl'd by them?
4thly. The Men of the World are more invincibly conſtant and pertinacious in the purſuit of Earthly things; they are not to be birbed or taken off by favour or fair Words; not to be daunted by Difficulties, or daſht out of Countenance by the Frowns and Reproaches of Men. Offer an Ambitious Man any thing ſhort of his End and Aim, to take him off from the proſecution of it; he ſcorns the motion, and thinks you go about to fool him out of his Intereſt. Bait a Covetous Man with Temptations of Pleaſure, to get his Money from him; how generouſly will this mean ſpirited Man trample upon Pleaſure, when it would tempt him from his Deſign of being rich?
Difficulties do not daunt them, but whet their Courage, and quicken their Endeavours, and ſet a keener edge upon their Spirits. Give an Ambitious Man almoſt a demonſtration of the impoſſibility of his attempt; contrà audentior ibit, he will go on ſo much the more boldly and reſolutely. In the ways of Religion Men are apt to be diſcouraged and put out of Countenance, by Contempt and Reproach: but a Covetous Man is not to be jeer'd and flurted out of his Money and Eſtate; he can be content to be Rich, and give leave to thoſe that are not ſo, to laugh at him.
Populus mihi ſibilat, at mihi plaudo.
The Rich Worldling can hug himſelf and his Bags, when the World hiſſeth at him; he can bear to be hated, and perſecuted, and have all manner of Evil ſpoke againſt him for Money ſake, And in the purſuit of theſe Deſigns, Men will, with great Reſolution, encounter Enmity and Oppoſition, and endure great Sufferings and Perſecution. How many have been Martyrs to their Luſts, and have Sacrificed their Eaſe and Health, and even their Lives in the proſecution of their Ambitious, and Covetous, and Voluptuous Deſigns?
But on the other hand, how eaſily are Men check'd and diverted from a good Courſe, by the Temptations and Advantages of this World? How many are cold in their Zeal for Religion, by the Favour and Friendſhip of this World? And as their Goods and Eſtate have grown greater, their Devotion hath grown leſs. How apt are they to be terrified at the apprehenſion of Danger and Sufferings; and by their fearful Imagination, to make them greater than they are; and with the People of Iſrael, to be diſhearten'd from all further Attemps of entring into the land of promiſe, becauſe it is full of Giants and the Sons of Anak? How eaſily was Peter frighted into the denyal of his Maſter? And when our Saviour was apprehended, how did his Diſciples forſake him, and flie from him? And tho' they were conſtant afterwards to the Death, yet it was a great while before they were perfectly armed and ſteel'd againſt the fear of Suffering.
5thly. The men of the World will make all things ſtoop and ſubmit to that, which is their great End and Deſign; their End rules them, and governs them, and gives Law to all their Actions; they will make an Advantage of every thing, and if it will not ſerve their End one way or other, they will have nothing to do with it. If an ambitious Man ſeek Wealth, it is but in order to his Deſign, to purchaſe Friends, and ſtrengthen his Intereſt, and make his riſing the eaſier; he will lay his whole Eſtate at the ſtake, rather than miſs of his End. The covetous Man will quit his Pleaſure, when it lies croſs to his Intereſt; if he have any expenſive Luſt, and chargeable Vice, he will turn it off, or exchange it for ſome more frugal and profitable Sin.
But in the affairs of Religion, and the concernments of our Souls, how frequently do Men act without a due Regard and conſideration of their great End? and inſtead of making other things ſubmit to it, they often bow and bend it to their inferiour Intereſts. They make Heaven ſtoop to Earth, and Religion to ſerve a worldly Deſign; and the glory of God to give way to gain; and the great Concernments of their Souls, and their eternal Salvation, to their Temporal Profit and Advantage. The Men of the World are generally true to their great End, and pay it that Reſpect which is due to it, and will ſuffer nothing to take place of it in their Eſteem and Affection; and if Men were as wiſe for their Souls and for another World, they would bring all things to their great End, and make all the Concernments of this Temporal Life to yield and give way to the great Concernments of their Eternal Happineſs. I proceed in the
Second Place to give ſome Account of this, whence it comes to paſs, that the Children of this World are wiſer in their generation than the Children of Light. And this I ſhall do, by conſidering what Advantages the Children of this World have, as to the Affairs of this World, above what good Men have, as to the Concernments of another World. I ſhall inſtance in four or five of the chief.
1st, The Things of this World are preſent and ſenſible, and becauſe of their nearneſs to us, are apt to ſtrike powerfully upon our Senſes, and to affect us mightily, to excite our Deſires after them, and to work ſtrongly upon our Hopes and Fears: but the things of another World being remote from us, are leſſen'd by their diſtance, and conſequently are not apt to work ſo powerfully upon our Minds; they are inviſible to us, and only diſcerned by Faith, which is a more obſcure and leſs certain Perception of things, than we have of thoſe Objects which are preſented to our bodily Eyes. The things which God hath prepared for them that love him, the Glory and Happineſs of the next World, are things which Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard. The Children of Light do not ſee God, as the Children of this World ſee Mammon.
2dly, The ſenſual Delights and Enjoyments of this World, are better ſuited and more agreable to the corrupt and degenerate Nature of Men, than Spiritual and heavenly things are to thoſe that are regenerate. In this lapſed and degenerate ſtate of Mankind, Appetite and Senſe are apt to prevail above Reaſon; and therefore thoſe things which are moſt delightful to Senſe we ſavour and mind, and love to buſie our ſelves about them, becauſe they are moſt ſuitable to the animal life, which is the governing Principle of corrupt Nature.
And the Reaſon of this is plain, becauſe that Principle in worldly and ſenſual Men which purſues earthly things, is in thoſe who are unregenerate, entire and undivided, and conſequently the Affections and Inclinations of the whole Man do all tend one way, and run out towards thoſe things in a full and undivided Stream: Whereas good Men are but regenerate in part, and tho' they have a principle of ſpiritual Life in them, yet their Affections are divided, and there is a great ſtrugling and conſlict between fleſh and Spirit, and it is a great while before the ſpiritual Principle doth clearly prevail, and get a perfect Victory over our ſenſual Appetites and Inclinations. Mens Affections to the World are entire and unbroken, and therefore they purſue theſe things with all their might: But the beſt Men are but good in part; and that heavenly Principle which is in them, is very much hindred in its Operations by a contrary Principle, our earthly and ſenſual Inclinations, which are hardly ever perfectly ſubdu'd and brought under in this World.
3dly, The worldly Man's Faith, and Hope, and Fear of preſent and ſenſible things, is commonly ſtronger than a good Man's Faith, and Hope, and Fear of things future and eternal. Now Faith, and Hope, and Fear, are the great Principles which govern and bear ſway in the Actions and lives of Men. If a Man be once firmly perſwaded of the reality of a thing, and that it is good for him, and poſſeſt with good hopes of obtaining it, and great fears and apprehenſions of the Danger of miſſing it, this Man may almoſt be put upon any thing. The Merchant trafficks, and the Husbandman plows and ſows in Faith and Hope, becauſe he is convinced that Bread is neceſſary to the ſupport of Life, and hopes that God will ſo bleſs his Labours, that he ſhall reap the fruit of them; and plainly ſees, that if he do not take this Pains, he muſt ſtarve. But how few are there that believe, and hope, and fear concerning the things of another World, as the Children of this world do concerning the things of this World? If any Man asks me, how I know this? I appeal to Experience; it is plain and viſible in the Lives and Actions and Endeavours of Men. Good Men are ſeldom ſo effectually and throughly perſwaded of the Principles of Religion, and the truth of the Sayings contained in the holy Scriptures, as the men of the World are of their own Sayings and Proverbs. Men do not believe that Honeſty is the beſt Policy, or as Solomon expreſſeth it, that he that walketh uprightly walketh ſurely; as the Men of the World believe their own Maxims, that a Man may be too honeſt to live; that plain Dealing is a Jewel, but he that wears it ſhall die a Beggar. Few Men's hopes of Heaven are ſo powerful and vigorous, and have ſo ſenſible an effect upon their Lives, as the worldly Man's hopes of Gain and Advantage. Men are not ſo afraid to ſwear, as they are to ſpeak Treaſon; they ae not ſo firmly perſwaded of the danger of Sin to their Souls and Bodies in another World, as of the danger to which ſome Crimes againſt the Laws of Men do expoſe their Temporal Lives and Safety; and therefore they will many times venture to offend God, rather than incur the Penalty of human Laws.
4thly, The Men of the World have but one Deſign, and are wholly intent upon it, and this is a great Advantage. he that hath but one things to mind, may eaſily be skill'd and excel it. When a Man makes one thing his whole buſineſs, no wonder if he be very knowing and wiſe in that. Now the Men of the World mind worldly things, and have no care and concernment for any thing elſe. It is a ſaying I think of Thomas Aquinas, Cave ab illo qui unicum legit librum: He is a dangerous Man that reads but one Book; he that gives his Mind but to one thing, muſt needs be too hard for any Man at that. Application to one thing, eſpecially in matters of Practice, gains a Man perfect Experience in it, and Experience furniſheth him with Obſervations about it, and theſe make him wiſe and prudent in that thing.
But good Men, tho' they have a great affection for Heaven and heavenly things, yet the buſineſs and neceſſities of this Life, do very much divert and take them off from the Care of better Things, they are divided between the Concernments of this Life and the other; and tho' there be but one thing neceſſary in compariſon, yet the Conveniencies of this Life are to be regarded; and tho' our Souls be our main care, yet ſome Conſideration muſt be had of our Bodies, that they may be fit for the ſervice of our Souls; ſome Proviſion muſt be made for their preſent Support, ſo long as we continue in theſe earthy Tabernacles; and this will neceſſarily ingage us in the World, ſo that we cannot always and wholly apply our ſelves to heavenly things, and mind them, as the Men of the World do the Things of this World.
5thly, and laſtly, The Men of the World have a greater Compaſs and Liberty in the Purſuit of their worldly Deſigns, than good Men have in the Proſecution of their Intereſt. The Children of Light are limited and confined to the uſe of lawful Means for the compaſſing of their ends; but the Men of the World are not ſo ſtrait laced, quocunque modo rem, they are reſolved upon the Point, and will ſtick at no Means to compaſs their End. They do not ſtand upon the nice Diſtinctions of good and evil, of right and wrong, invented by ſpeculative and ſcrupulous Men, to puzle buſineſs, and to hinder and diſappoint great Deſigns. If Ahab have a Mind to Naboth's Vineyard, and Naboth will not let him be honeſt, and have it for a valuable Conſideration, he will trie to get it a cheaper way. Naboth ſhall by falſe Witneſs be made a Traitor, and his Vineyard by this Means ſhall be forfeited to him. And thus the unjuſt Steward in the Parable provided for himſelf, he wronged his Lord, to ſecure a retreat to himſelf in the time of his Diſtreſs.
The Third and laſt thing only remains, to make ſome Inferences from what hath been ſaid, by way of Application. And
1ſt, Notwithſtanding the Commendation which hath been given of the Wiſdom of this World, yet upon the whole matter, it is not much to be valued and admired. It is indeed great in its way and kind: but it is applied to little and low Purpoſes, imployed about the Concernments of a ſhort Time and a few Days, about the worſt and meaneſt part of our ſelves, and accompanied with the neglect of greater and better things, ſuch as concern our Soul, and our whole Duration, even our Happineſs to all Eternity. And therefore that which the World admires and cries up for Wiſdom, is in the eſteem of God, who judgeth of things according to Truth, but Vanity and Folly. The wiſdom of the world (ſaith St. Paul) is fooliſhneſs with God. The Rich Man in the Parable, who increaſed his Goods, and enlarged his Barns, and laid up for many Years, did applaud himſelf, and was no doubt applauded by others for a very wiſe Man: but becauſe he laid up Treaſure for himſelf, and was not rich towards God, that is, did not employ his Eſtate to good and charitable Purpoſes, therefore God, who calls no body out of his right Name, calls this Man Fool; Thou Fool, this night ſhall thy Soul be taken from thee, and then whoſe ſhall all theſe things be? And our Saviour here in the Text, while he commends the Wiſdom of the Children of this World, he adds that which is a conſiderable blemiſh and abatement to it, The Children of this World are wiſer, foreign, for their Age, for the concernments of this preſent Life; but this is but a ſhort and purblind Wiſdom, which ſees but a little way, and conſiders only things preſent and near at hand: whereas true Wiſdom hath a larger and farther Proſpect, and regards the future as well as the preſent, and takes care to provide for it. Nay our Saviour gives the Wiſdom of this World it's utmoſt due, when he ſays, The Children of this World are wiſe for their generation; for this is the very beſt that can be ſaid of it, it ſeldom looks ſo far, and holds out ſo long. Many Men have ſurvived their own Projects, and have lived to ſee the Folly and ill Fate of their covetous and ambitious Deſigns. So the Prophet tells us, Jet. 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 days, and at his end ſhall be a Fool.
This is Wiſdom, to regard our main Intereſt; but if we be wrong in our End, (as all worldly Men are) the faſter and farther we go, the more fatal is our Error and Miſtake. The Children of this World are out in their End, and miſtaken in the Main; they are wiſe for this World, which is inconſiderable to Eternity; wiſe for a little while, and Fools for ever.
2dly, From what hath been ſaid we may infer, that if we loſe our Souls, and come ſhort of eternal Happineſs, it is through our own Fault and groſs Neglect; for we ſee that Men are wiſe enough for this World; and the ſame Prudence, and Care, and Diligence applyed to the Concernments of our Souls, would infallibly make us happy. Nay our Saviour here in the Text tells us, that uſually leſs Wiſdom and Induſtry, than the Men of this World uſe about the things of this World, is exerciſed by the Children of Light, who yet at laſt, through the Mercy of God, do attain eternal Life.
So that it is very plain, that if Men would but take that care for their immortal Souls, which they generally do for their frail and dying Bodies, and be as heartily concerned for the unſeen World, and for Eternity, as they are for things viſible and temporal, they would with much more certainty gain Heaven, than any Man can obtain worldly Riches and Honours. And can we in Conſcience deſire more, than to be happy for ever, upon as eaſie and upon more certain Terms, than any Man can be rich or great in this World? For we may miſs of theſe things after all our Travel and Pains about them; or if we get them, we may loſe them again: But if we ſeek the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs, if we be ſincerely good, we are ſure to have the Reward of it, even that eternal Life, which God, that cannot lie, hath promiſed; if we lay up for our ſelves Treaſures in Heaven, they will be ſafe and ſecure there, where no Moth can corrupt, nor Thieves break through and ſteal.
If we would ſeriouſly think of the other World, and were throughly poſſeſt with a firm belief of the eternity of that Happineſs or Miſery, which remains for Men after this Life, we ſhould pray to God, and hear his Word, and perform all the duties of Religion, with the ſame Care and Concernment, with the ſame fervour and intention of Mind, as Men proſecute their worldly buſineſs. Were we fully perſwaded of the unſeen Glories and Torments of the other World, we ſhould be much more affected with them, than with all the Temptations and Terrors of Senſe; becauſe in Reaſon they are much more conſiderable. The diſgrace of the Pillory will fright Men from Perjury; and will not everlaſting Shame and Confuſion? The fear of Death will deter many Men from robbing and ſtealing, who would perhaps venture upon theſe Crimes, if there were no danger in them; and will not the Horrors of the ſecond Death, of the Worm that dies not, and the Fire that is not quenched, have as great an awe and influence upon us? If they have not, it is a ſign, that we do not equally believe the danger of Human Laws, and the Damnation of Hell.
Surely Men have not the ſame belief of Heaven, and Affection for it, that they have for this World. If they had, their Care and Diligence about theſe things would be more equal. For we are not ſo weak as we make our ſelves; we are not yet ſo degenerate, but if we would ſet our ſelves ſeriouſly to it, and earneſtly beg the Aſſiſtance of God's Grace, we might come to know our Duty,page missing Pains for the deceitful Riches; than we do for the true; and be contented to hazard more for a corruptible Crown, than we for an incorruptible! That they ſhould love Pleaſure more, than we do God, and mind their Bodies and temporal Eſtates more, than we do our Souls and our eternal Happineſs!
Do but obſerve the Men of the World, what a Pace they go, what large and nimble ſteps they take in the purſuit of earthly things, they do not ſeek Riches as if they ſought them not, and love the World as if they loved it not, and enjoy the preſent delights of this World, as if they poſſeſt them not; tho' the faſhion of this world paſſeth away: but we ſeek Heaven, as if we ſought it not, and love God as if we loved him not, and mind Eternity and the World to come, as if we minded them not; and yet the faſhion of that World doth not paſs away.
But to all this it may be ſaid, you have already told us, that the Children of this world have ſo many Advantages above the Children of Light, that it is no wonder if they excel and outſtrip them; and it is very true, that in many reſpects they have the Advantage of them. But if the Children of Light would look about them, and take all things into conſideration, they might ſee ſomething very conſiderable to ballance the Advantages on the other ſide. It is true, the things of this World are preſent and ſenſible: but ſo long as we have ſufficient Aſſurance of the reality of a future State, and of the Rewards and Puniſhments of it, the Greatneſs and Eternity of theſe is ſuch an amazing Conſideration, that no diſtance can render them inconſiderable to a prudent and thinking Man. And tho' the Men of the World have an entire Principle, which is not divided between God and the World; whereas in good Men there is a great conflict of contrary Principles, the Fleſh and Spirit: yet this diſadvantage is likewiſe ballanced by that powerful Aſſiſtance of God's Grace, which is promiſed to all good Men, who heartily beg it of him, and are ſincerely reſolved to make uſe of it. And laſtly, tho' the Men of the World have many Ways to compaſs their Ends: yet the Children of Light have one great and infallible one. All the Means which the Men of the World uſe to accompliſh their Deſigns, may fail and miſcarry; for the Race is not to the ſwift, nor the Battel to the ſtrong, nor yet Bread to the wiſe, nor Riches to Men of underſtanding, nor Favour to Men of skill; but time and chance happen to all: but he that ſincerely ſerves God, and uſeth the Means for the attaining of everlaſting Salvation, is ſure to attain it; if we ſeek the righteouſneſs of God as we ought, we ſhall certainly be admitted into his Kingdom. And this ſurely is an unſpeakable Advantage which the Children of Light have above the Children of this World, that if we faithfully uſe the Means, we cannot fail of the End, if we have our fruit unto holineſs, our end ſhall be everlaſting Life; Which God of his infinite Goodneſs grant to us all, for his Mercy's ſake.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Tillotson, Discourses Proving Jesus to be the Messiah (1698)