A Christian Library, Preface 2 – Chapter 1
THE PREFACE.
SECT. 1.
WHen a Gentleman in Athens had his plate taken away by Ahashucrus as he was at dinner, he smiled upon his friends, saying, I thank God that his Higness hath left me any thing. So whatever befals us, this should be our meditation: It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, Lam. 3.22. Or this, He that hath afflicted me for a time, could have held me longer; he that hath touched me in part▪ could have stricken me in whole; he that hath laid this upon my name, or estate, hath power to lay a greater rod both upon my body and soul, without doing me the least wrong. And indeed if we but think of our deliverance from the fire of Hell, or that our names are writ in Heaven, it is enough to make us both patient and thankful, though the trifles, we delight in, be taken from us.
But most men are so far from this, that if God does not answer their desires in every thing, they will take pleasure in nothing; they will flight all his present mercies and former favours, because in one thing he crosses them. Li… Ahab, they are more displeased for one thing they want (or rather fain and pretend they want, or at least have no right unto) than they are thankfull for a thousand things they enjoy; though the least mercy they injoy is beyond their best merit. They are ready to receive all, while they return nothing but sin and disobedience, wherein they more than abound; for they have done more against God in one week, than they have done for him ever since they were born: Yea, such sotts they are, that if another displease them, they will be revenged on themselves, grow melancholy and discontent, like foolish Children, who will forbear their meat, and g…w sick of the sullens, if never so little crost. Yea, though men have all …heir hearts can wi…h, and might (if they would, and had but the wi… and grace) be as happy as any men alive, yet some small trifle shall make them weary of themselves and every thing else, as it fared with foolish …man, Esther 5.13. More particularly, if their purses grow light, their …earts grow heavy; yea, as if men did delight to vex themselves; how many are there, that of happy make themselves miserable? or more mi…serable than they need, by looking upon miseries in multiplying glasses: the opinion onelyonly of being poor, or fear that they may be so when they are old, makes them never injoy a merry day, when they neither want, nor are like to doe; and every man is so miserable as he thinks himself. The raft of goods or evils does greatly depend on the opinion we have of them.
SECT. 2.
Thus millions are miserable, melancholy, discontent, by their own concelt▪ when thousands would think themselves happy, had they but a piece of their happiness. Which discontent or melancholy occasions more murmuring amongsts us, than ever there was among those Israelitos in the wilderness; an unthankfulness able to make or keep them poor and miserable, and that everlastingly.
Indeed, because judgement is not executed speedily, Eccles. 8.11. they think it no sin at all, such is their ignorance, Otherwise they might know, that as the Israelites was, so their murmuring is, against even the holy One of Israel; as Isaiah affirmed of Sens…erib, 2 King▪ 19.22. And David of Goliah, 1 …am. 17.36, 45. The Lord (s…yes Moses to the people, when they grumbled for want of bread, and also to Da…hau and Abiram) heareth your murmuring against him, and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord, Exod. 16.8. Numb. 16.15, 21. OnelyOnly this is the difference, multitudes of them were destroyed suddenly (even fourteen thousand and seven hundred at a clap) yea, they had all been consumed in a moment for their murmuring, had not Moses stood up in the gap, and interceded for them, Numb. 16.41. to 50. and 32.10. to 14. and 26.64, 65, and 11.12, 33. and 14.12, 22, 23. and 21.5, 6. Whereas millions among us do the like, and are not stung with fiery Serpents as they were: because they are reserved without repentance, to a fiery Serpent in Hell. Nor stricken with death temporall, because reserved to death …ternal. But God is the same God still, and as just now as ever, though now under the Gospel, instead of corporall judgements he inflicts many times spirituall, as blindness of mind, hardness of heart, and finall impenitency, the fore-runner of eternal destruction of body and soul in that burning lake, Revel. 19.20. For why is their ruine recorded? but for our learning and warning, … Cor. 10, 11. Neither is forbearance any acquittance; yea, to be let go on in a continual repeating of so great a sin (under such meanes of light and grace) uncontrouled, is the greatest unhappiness, the heaviest …urle, because such seldom rest, untill they come to that evill, from which there is no redemption. God owes that man a greivous payment, whom he suffers to run on so long unquestioned, and his punishment shall be greater, when he comes to reckon with him for all his faults together. O that men … but seriously consider this, before it proves too late … and before the draw-bridge be taken up, for favours bestowed, and deliverances from dangers bind to gratitude; or else the more bonds of duty, the more plagues for neglect. The contribution of blessings require retribution of obedience, or will bring distribution of judgements.
Yea, argue with all the world, and they will conclude, that there is no vice … ingratitude; and meer ingratitude returnes nothing for good, but these return evill for good, yea, the greatest evill for the greatest good, being more ingrateful to God and Christ, than can be exprest by the best Oratour alive. Our Redeemer hath done and suffered more, or would do (did we not so daily provoke him, for which read Gods goodness and Englands unthankfulness) more for us, than either can be exprest, or conceived by any heart, were it as deep as the Sea.
Yea, God hath removed so many evils from us, and conferred so many good things upon us, that they are beyond thought or imagination. And were the whole Heaven turned into a Book, and all the Angels deputed Writers therein, they could not set down all the good which Gods love in Christ hath done us. As consider, if we are so bound to bless God for his external, temporal, inferiour, earthly, perishing benefits (as food, ray…nt, friends, fire, air, water, health, wealth, life, limbs, liberty, senses, and a thousand the like) what praise do we owe him for the lasting fruits of his eternal love and mercy? and how thankful should we strive to be? And as much do we owe unto God, for the dangers from which he delivers us; as for the great and many mercies he hath bestowed upon us. Neither could we possibly be unthankful, if we seriously thought upon what God gives, and what he forgives. Besides (which would also be thought upon) what should we have if we did truly love and serve Christ? who hath done all this for his enemies, neglecting and dishounouring him.
SECT. 3.
Now can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love, and not study and strive for an answerable thankful demeanour: yet, as if all that Christ hath done for us were nothing to move us, we are so far from being thankful, that our whole life, language and religion is nought else but one continued act of muttering and murmuring! this is the case, and it is the case of almost who not.
And is this a small matter? Is it Gods unspeakable mercy, that we are not at this present frying in Hell flames, never to be freed, and do we complain for want of a trifle? O that we might, as we ought, lay this to heart! and that Gods Heralds would be often, and ever minding men of this their sordid and base condition, and their grievous provoking the Lord, who is even a consuming fire, Heb. 12.29. For to me it is a wonder, that of all other sins, this is the least preacht against. And me thinks it should …ut the very hearts of th…se, that have felt the love of Christ, …o hear him so dishonoured, who is the life of their lives, and soul of their soules, and that by those who profess themselves Christians. Nor do I think I could have pitcht upon a Subject more serious, publick and profit…ble, whether we consider the generality of the disease, or the nec…ss…y commodity and common good that I hope, and is likely to come by the ….
As tell me, will it be any desertlesse office, to find out a way to help all this? and to make the most poor and melancholy the richest and happiest men alive? for that is my drift; it is a Theam that perhaps hath not hitherto been thought of, at least not handled▪ but you will grant it as profitable a Project, when once it is effected, as was Columbus his discovery of the West Indies, yea, and I hope will extend it self to as many; for like a cunning Augler, I have baited my hook with that, at which every fish will be sure to bite. As who, or where, is the man that desires not to be rich and happy? I dare say, if the Great Cham, who is said to have a tree full of pearles banging by clusters, should but make proclamation, that whoever would re… it to him should have plenty of gold, he might drive such a trade, as would soon make him a Bankcrupt: For as the Prophet observes, every one, even from the least unto the greatest, is given unto covetousnesse, Ierem. 6.13. All …ape after gain, and how to get is each mans thought from sun to sun, insomuch that it is to be feared, nineteen parts of all the men in Christendom are whorshippers of the golden Calf. And let this serve by way of Preface, least the par…h or entry prove too big for the house: Or least it should be said of me (as once Nebuchadnezar objected to the Inchanters and Astrologians) that I do but while away the time, because I cannot tell them this thing, they so much expect and long for, Dan. 2.8.
SECT. 4.
As what will some Momus say? Here are great words, but no security; Its well if all prove not like the Indian Fig-tree, whose leaves are as broad as a target, when the fruit is no bigger than a bean. Many an Alchymist in projecting the Phylosophers stone, have been so confident to find that which should do all the world good, that they have distilled away great estates of their own and other mens, to whom they have promised before-hand gold in whole scuttles, but at length their glasses have broken together with themselves and all their adherents.
Answer: I know it is no unusuall thing with Projectors, to lift up Expectation so high, that she not seldom over-thinks the birth: But I had rather men should find more than they expect, than look for more than they shall find. Nor do I ask any more, than that you will hear all before you censure, which is no unreasonable request, for so far as we see, we dare believe a suspected or discredited person; and there are some dishes that we may …at, even from sluttish bands. Neither shalt thou after the perusal of it (in case I should tall short of what I pretend) have occasion, as many buyers, to cry out with him in the Comedy, pol ego & oleum, & oper… perdi….
Yea, these two things I will poremptorily promise thee:
First, That whosoever can shew thee the way better, yet none can shew thee a better way to grow rich and happy.
The second … that if thou beest not wanting to thy self, if thou wilt but reserve those rules and directions which I shall produce from the mouth of God, (who never yet deceived the trust of any, that had the wit or grace to confide in him, and obey his Precepts, thou shalt become of poor and melancholy, both rich and happy. Wherefore be at leasure to hear what I shall say, and call your best thoughts to counsell touching this great business.
CHAP. I.
NOw for the better discharge of what I have undertaken, you may please to take notice, that a poor and malancholy man is like a City inf…sted with too Enemies (the one forraign, the other domestick) which can never injoy peace and safety, unless the one be kept out, and the other cast out, or which is better, both subdued. The domestick, or in-bred enemy to be cast out is Melancholy; the forraign foe to be kept out, Is Poverty: of these two I will chuse to s…t upon the last first, and the rather, for that this being kept out, or vanquisht, the other will the sooner yeild, or with more eas… be overcome.
Touching Poverty, (for that error in practise proceeds many times, originally and dangerously from errour in judgement; and because a sound mind, and a right understanding of things will much advantage a man in the obtaining and injoying of a good and happy estate (for the one layes the foundation, as the other raiseth the walls and roof) and lastly, because this discourse may inrich the soul, settle the heart, and with Gods blessing change the will, as well as increase wealth (an ignorant rich man, being no better than a sheep with a golden fleece) that so God in all may have the glory▪ I will first shew what it …, and what it is not, to be rich, and then acquaint you h… of poor you may become rich. As touching the first of these, it is to be observed, that most men are much mistaken in judging who are poor, and who are rich: as strongly perswading themselves, that a man is so much the happier, by how much the more he is wealthier, which is as gross a delusion as possibly can be; for there are some cases, wherein men are never the better for their wealth, and others again, wherein they are much the worse, as thus.
God giveth to every man a stock or portion of this worlds goods (as well as of grace and wisdom) more or lesse to occupy withall… yea, I perswade my self there are few men, that have not once in their life a golden opportunity offered them, whereby, if they neglect it not, they may live comfortably all their dayes, and to him who is thankfull, and useth the same well, … to Gods glory, and profit of himself and others, he giveth more as to the servant which used his tallents well, be doubted them ▪ but to such as are unthankful▪ and abuse the same to their own … and Gods dishonour, or distrustfully …oord it up, he either taketh from them that which he had formerly … as he took away the … talent from the servant, which had … outward blessings, without his blessing upon them, and then they w… better mist then had, and will do them more hurt than good, Eccles. 5.13. Or thirdly, which is worst of all, he bestowes riches upon them in wrath, as he gave a King to the Israelites and Quailes: of these severally and is order.
OnelyOnly it will be necessary, that I first give you an account in breif, how sordidly and ingratefully they deal with God, that so you may the better see how God again requites and payes them back in their own coin, without the least tincture of injustice or severity.