A Christian Library, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Secondly, (though I inverte the order, in setting the cart before the horse) dote not so upon the world: for while our mindes are so scattered among these visible things, we forget how the state stand… within us. Besides, I have shewn you that as nothing so alienates a mans love, from his vertuous Consort, as his inordinate affection to a filthy strumpet: so nothing does so far separate, and diminish a mans love to God, and heavenly things, as our inordinate affection to the world and earthly things. The damps of the earth, do not more quench fire, than the love of the earth stiflles grace. Neither trees nor grasse grow above, where the golden Mines are below. If the love of money, be once entered into the heart: no fruites of goodnesse, can appear in the life. Yea there is an absolute contrariety between the love of God, and the love of money. The Covetous man is like that Pompous Prelate, who said he would not lose his part in Parris, for his part in Paradice. Or like Vlisses, who so dearly loved his Countrey, that he preferred his native soyl Ithaca, before immortality. Or the Child, that more esteemes of an Apple, than of his Fathers Inheritance. For thus stands the case with them. Man hath a precious Jewel to dispose of, viz. his soul, God and the world come to buy it, the world steps in first, and tempts him as once Saul his servants, saying, Hear now ye Benjamites, will the son of Ishay, will the son of Mary, give every one of you fields, and vineyards? will he make you all Captaines over thousands? and Captaines over hundreds? 1 Sam. 22.7. Yea if a man will needs have present possession, Satan will instantly give him bags of money; as he dealt with Gehazi, Achan, Iudas, Annanias and Saphira, Balaam, and in a thousand the like cases.
God comes and out-bids the world; for he offers grace, and peace, and glory: but withall he craves day for the greater part of it; and gives nothing in hand but his promise, his Word, and some small earnest of the bargain. Nay perhaps instead of bettering our condition, he makes it worse: for the incouragement that Christ gives is, Whosoever will be my Disciple, let him take up his cross daily and follow me, … what he injoyes unjustly; he must restore the same to the right owners, though it be to the impoverishing of his estate. As in case thou wouldst indeed, and to purpose become rich, happy and cheerfull; If thou lovest not gold, above thy salvation: restore to every man thy evil-gotten goods. For as humility is the repentance of pride, abstinence of surfeit, almes of covetousnesse, love of malice: so only restitution, is the repentance of injustice. This is the revenge that a Christian must take upon himself, if he meanes to be saved, 2 Cor. 7.11. For as the best charm for the tooth-ake, is to pull out the tooth: Or as they, who have meal in their stomachs undigested, or store of ill humours, are eased only by vometing them up: so if ever thou lookest to find ease in thy soul, and conscience, or to pacifie God; be sure to vomit up all thy extortions, by restitution. For as it fared with those Marriners touching Ionas, Ionah 1.15. they tremble, pray, unlade, strike sayles, fall to oares, but all in vain, the Vessel was sick, and had taken a surfeit, when she took in the fugitive Prophet; all the losse of their goods, cannot expiate the cause of this tempest; there is a morsell that lyes undigested in the stomach, throw out Ionas, and all is quiet.
There are a world of men, that bear the Name, and wear the livery, but have not the soules of Christians. Others must pay them, or they will use all kindes of extremity: but they (by their good wills) will not pay what is lent them, in their greatest need. But a debtor that can pay, and will not, makes himself uncapable of pardon. Indeed such men think to set all on Christs score, and to say Dimitte nobis debit… nostra: forgive us our debts is sufficient, though they leave out the other part of the petition. But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts. For he that dies before restitution, dies in his sinne: and he that dies in his sinne, cannot be saved. Nor is there a more infallible character of a wicked man, in all the Book of God: The wicked borroweth, but payeth not again Psal. 37.21.
Where is no restitution, of things unjustly gotten, there sin shall never be forgiven: Non t…llitur peccatum, nisi restituatur oblatum: as St Augustin speaks, and all Orthodox Divines hold; in case the party have wherewithall. For if a man have it not, God will accept of the will for the deed. Yea in this, and all other cases: he doth the will of God, who does the best he can to do it. But in case a man do it not, so farre as he is able: well may he gull his own soul, but God will think it foul scorn to be so mockt. As consider, Repentance without restitution: is as if a thief should take away thy purse, ask thee pardon, say he is sorry for it; but keeps it still: In this case, wouldst thou not say he did but mock thee? The Law of God, under the penalty of his curse, requireth thee to restore, whatsoever by unjustice or oppression, thou hast taken from thy neighbour or master; with a fifth part (for amends) added to the principal, Levit. 6.5. Numb. 5.6, 7, 8. And we read that there is a flying roll, a winged curse for him, that gets riches by robbery and oppression: that shall not only pursue the theef, but even enter into his house, and consume it with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof, Zach. 5.3, 4.
Nor had Zacheus his repentance served his turn, (if ever he had this way been faulty,) or his bounty to the poor been accepted: if he had not withall, restored to every man his due, Luk. 19.3, 8. Micah 6.10, 11. Ier. …8.8.
So that, whatever blinded sensualists may think of it; there is wisdome and gain in restoring: for when all is done, how to be saved is the best p…o…: and better it is, to case our evil-gotten goods over-board, than make shipwrack of our souls.
Merchants when a tempest comes, think it wisdome to cast their goods, yea even their ballayne …ver board, to save themselves. And for certain thou art worse than j…e…zy, if thou dost not the like. For what shall …t profit a man… though he should win the whole world, if he gain Hell with it, and …ose both Heaven and his own soul? Mat. 16.26. What is it to flourish for a time, and perish for ever? and well does that man deserve to perish, that so loves the creature, as that he leaves the Creatour. The losse of saith is a dangerous shipwrack; if it be possible save your vessel, save your goods, save your bodies: but though you loose all else, save your faiths, save your souls.
True, your twenty in the hundred, will not believe this: but an hundred to twenty, he shall feel it, here or hereafter. As what gained Balaam, or Iudas, or Ahab, or Achan, or Ananias and Saphira? when by seeking unlawfull gain, they lost both what they got, and themselves too?
A man would think, that Achan paid dear enough for his goodly Babylonish garment, the two hundred shekels of silver, and his wedge of gold which he coveted, and took away: when He, his Sons, and Daughters, his Oxen, and Asses; his Sheep, and Tent; and all that he had, were stoned with stones, and burnt with fire: if that was all he suffered, Iosh. 7.18. to 26. But to be cast into Hell, to lye for ever in a bed of quenchless flames, is a far greater punishment. For the soul of all sufferings, are the sufferings of the soul; and in reason, if Dives be tormented in endless flames, for not giving his own goods to them that needed, Luk. 16.21, 23. Matth. 25.41, to 43. What shall become of him, that takes away other mens? If that servant in the Gospel, was bound to an everlasting prison, that only challenged his own debt; for that he had no pity on his fellow, as his Master had pity on him: whither shall they be cast, that unjustly vex their Neighbours, quarrel for that which is none of theirs, and lay title to another mans propriety? If he shall have judgment without mercy, that shews not mercy, Jam. 2.13. What shall become of extortion, and Rapine? Psal. 109.11. Oh the madnesse of men! that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute, in the weak flame of a farthing Candle; knowing it so intolerable: and yet for trifles, will plunge themselves body and soul, into those endlesse and everlasting flames of hell fire.
True, He that maketh gain, blesseth himself, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 10.3. Yea, if he can, (I mean the cunning Machevill…n, whom the Devil and covetousnesse hath blinded) any way advantage himself, by anothers ruine; and do it politickly: how will he hug himself, and applaud his own wisdome! Hab. 1.13. to the end. But by his leave, he mistakes the greatest folly, for the greatest wisdome. For while he cozens other men of their estates; Sin and Satan cozens him of his soul, See Iob. 20.15. 1 Tim. 6.8, 10. And wofull gain it is, that comes with the souls losse. And how can we think those men to have reasonable souls, that esteem money above themselves▪ That prefer a little bas… pelf; before God, and their own salvation?
Nor are there any such fools, as these crafty knaves: For as Austin speaks; If the Holy Ghost term that rich Churl in the Gospel a fool, that only laid up his own Goods, Luk. 12.18, 20. find out a name for him that takes away other mens.
And this know, that if thou dost not (willingly, or at least with an unwilling willingnesse) do it thy self, yet it shall be plucked from thee with a vengeance. As what saith the Holy Ghost? Job. 20. Though wickednesse be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue, yet his meat in his bowels, is turned; it is the gall o… Aspes within him; he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly. He shall suck the poyson of Aspes, and the Vipers tongue shall slay him: because he hath oppressed, and forsaken the poor, because he hath violently taken away an house, which he builded not. Surely he shall feel no quietness in his belly. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him, while he is eating. He shall flee from the Iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. And the like from vers. 5. to the end of the Chapter. And so Ieremy 17. 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, vers. II.
Wherefore in any case, omit not to restore what thou hast unjustly gotten: And that without disputing the point, or making thy lust of counsel: (as they that desire with heed, and more surely to see, do shut the one eye.) Do like Abraham, who when he was bid to offer his Sonne; rose up betime, and left his wife at home, never making Sarah privy to it; lest she should stop him, Gen. 22.6. So do it if it be possible, before thy flesh hears of it; like Abigal, who if she had consulted with Naball, whether she should have supplied David with victuals or no▪ the Miser would never have consented: so she had perished, with her whole family, 1 Sam. 25. Paul consulted not with flesh and blood, when he went to preach among the Heathen, Gal. 1.16. the case was clear enough, having a strict command from God. So in this case, there needs no deliberation, but answer the Devil, as that Martyr answered his Persecutors, when they offered him both torments and rewards: (rewardes if he would deny Christ, torments if he would not,) but withall time of deliberation: whose answer was, In re tam iusta, nulla consultatio▪ The case is so clear, that I need not study about it.
Here I might … stances that restoring and giving rather than sinning, is the way to grow rich; I mean in pecuniary riches, see Prov. 11.24. & 28.27. Mark. 10.29, 30. Mat. 6.33. 2 Cor. 9.6, 9, 10, 11. 2 Chron. 25.9. & 27.6. Deut. 7.13. to 16. & 28.1. to 14. 2 King. 6.25. to Chap. 7. vers. 17. Psal. 34.9, 10. & 37.26, 28, & 112.3. & 37.3, 4, 5. Luke 18.29, 30. Mark. 4.24. Hag. 1.2 Chapters, Mal. 3.10, 11, 12. But if this weary not the Muckmonger, it's well.
Now this being the case, namely that what God gives, is chiefly hereafter, little at present; yea that we may look to be loosers by him at present; whereas Satan and the world out-bid Christ, in respect of outward condition, and present pay: thus it fals out, or this is the issue. The worldling cryes, a bird in the hand is best, hugges his money that he hath: God he thinks is not so good a customer, or he dares not trust him. Yet will this man, rather accept a reversion of some great Office or Estate, though expectant, on the tedious transition of seven years, or on the expiration of anothers life, (which may prove to be sixty years or more,) than at present a summe of farre lesse value. But what a strange folly is this? rather to take the idle vanities of this world in hand, than faithfully to wait upon Gods promise, for an eternal Kingdom of glory in Heaven!