A Christian Library, Chapter 27 – Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVII.
EIghthly, to this may be added, that if riches should not leave us, and be taken away, as they were from Iob; yet of necessity we must ere long leave and be taken from them; as the rich man in the Gospel, was from his substance and wealth. Nor do we know how soon, for so soon as a man is born, he hastens as fast to his end, as the Arrow to the mark: each day, is another march towards death; and that little time of stay is full of misery, and trouble: and therefore it's fitly called a passage, a shadow, a span, a tale, a vapour, a cloud, a bubble in the water; It is like a candle in the winde, soon blown out; like a spark in the water, soon extinguished; like a thin Air, soon expired; like a little snow in the sun, soon melted; It is like a pilgrimage, in which is uncertainty; a flower, in which is mutability; a house of clay, in which is misery; a Weavers shuttle, in which is volubility; a Shepherds tent, in which is variety; to a ship on the sea, in which is celerity; to smoke, which is vanity; to a thought, whereof we have a thousand in a day; to a dream, of which we have many in a night; to vanity, which is nothing in it self; and to nothing, which hath no being in the world.
And which is further considerable, the young may die as soon as the old. Yea, more die in the spring, and summer of their years; then do live to their autumn or winter: and more before ten, then after threescore. There are graves of all sizes, and likewise sculls in Golgotha, as, sayes the Hebrew proverb. One dies in the bud, another in the bloom, some in the fruit, few like the sheaf, that comes to the barn in a full age.
Men may p…t far from them the evil day; but they may find… it neerer then they are aware of, Revel. 22.12. The pitcher goes oft to the water… but at length it comes broken home. The cord breaks at last, with the weakest pull, as the Spanish proverb well noteth. The tree falleth upon the last stroke: yet all the former strokes, help forwards. A whirl-winde with one furious blast, overturneth the greatest and tallest trees; which for many years have been growing to their perfect strength and greatness: so oftentimes, the thrid of life breaketh, when men think least of death, as it fared with Saint Lukes fool, who promised himself many years, to live in ease, mirth, and jollity; when he had not one night more to live, Luke 12.19, 20. For when like a Iay, he was pruning himself in the boughs: he came tumbling down, with the Arrow in his side. Iohn the 22th. prophesied by the course of the Stars; that he should live long: but whilest he was vainly vaunting thereof, the Chamber wherein he was, fell down, and bruised him to pieces. His glasse was run, when he thought it but new turned. And the Axe was lifted, to strike him to the ground; when he never dreamed of the slaughter-house. And whether thy soul shall be taken from thee this night, as it fared with him formerly spoken of; thou hast no assurance: the very first night, which the rich man intended for his rest, proved his last night. Nor was there any more between Nabals festival, and his funeral, then ten or a dozen dayes, 1 Sam. 25.38. And could any thing have hired death, to have spared our fore-fathers; they would have kept our possessions from us.
Neither is this all, for if thou beest wicked, and unmerciful; thou hast no reason to expect other, then a violent death: for which see, Iob 24.24. Psal. 37.10, 11. Iob 36.11, 12. Psal. 37.37, 38, 39. & 55.23. Prov. 12.27. Great trees are long in growing, but are rooted up in an instannt. The Axe is laid to the root, Matth. 3.10. down it goes, into the fire it must: if it will not serve for fruit, it must for fuel. And what knowest thou? but God may deal with thee, as Mahomet did by Iohn Iustinian of Geneva who having taken Constantinople by his treason, first made him King, according to promise; and within three dayes after, cut off his head. God may have fatted thee with abundance, on purpose to send thee to the slaughter-house.
Nay, why hath God spared thee, so long as he hath? probably not in love to thee, but for some other end: As perhaps God hath some progeny to come from thee; As for good Hezekiah to be born, his wicked Father Ahaz is forborn. Why did Ammon draw out two years breath? in Idolatry: but that good Iosia was to be fitted for a King. Many sacrilegious extortioners, Idollaters, &c. Are delivered, or preserved: because God hath some good fruit, to come from their cursed loynes. However, thou canst not look to live many years. The Raven, the Phenix, the Elephant, the Lyon, and the Hart, fulfill their hundred yeares: But … seldome lives to four score, and thou art drawing towards it. Besides the last monethmonth of the great yeare of the World; is come upon us; we are deep in December, And that day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, for when thou shalt say peace and safety, then shall come upon thee sudden destruction, as the travel upon a woman with childe, and thou shalt not escape: as the Apostle speaks, 1 Thess. 5.2, 3.
That nothing is more certain then death, nothing more uncertain then the houre thereof: That this only is sure, that there is nothing sure here below, and that if we were owners of more land, then ever the Devil proffered to Christ; yet when death shall knock at our door, no more can be called ours, then the ground we are put into, needs no more proof then experience. See, Psal. 37.35, 36. But
Ninthly and lastly, a godly mans desires, are fixed upon the riches of the minde; which being once had, can never be lost. The which Saint Augustine only counted true riches. The wise and godly are of Pythagoras his minde: who being asked why he cared no more for riches? answered, I despise those riches, which by expending are wasted and lost; and with sparing, will rust and rot. They are of Stilpons judgment, who used to say; All that is truly mine, I carry with me. They desire not so much, to lay up treasure for themselvs upon earth; but to lay up for themselvs in Heaven, as their Lord and Master hath commanded them, Matth. 6.19, 20. What saith the Apostle? Let not covetousness be once named among Saints, Ephes. 5.3. As if that world, which many prefer before Heaven; were not worth talking of.
All worldly things are but lent us, our houses of stone wherein our bodies dwell, our houses of clay wherein our souls dwell, are but lent us: honours, pleasures, treasures, money, maintenance, wives, children, friends, &c. but lent us: we may say of them all, as he said of the Ax-head when it fell into the water; 2 Kings 6.5. Alas…, they are but borrowed. Only spiritual graces are given; of those things there is only a true donation, whereof there is a true possession worldly things are but as a Tabernacle, a moveable; heaven is a mansion.
Now put all these together, and they will sufficiently shew; that he is a fool or a mad man; that prefers not spiritual riches, (which are subject to none of these casualties) before temporal and transitory.
And so at lenght I have shewn you what it is not, and what it is to be rich. And I hope convinced the worldling, that the richest are not alwayes the happiest: Yea, that they are the most miserable; who swim in wealth, wanting grace and Gods blessing upon what they do possesse: while that man is incomparably happy; to whom God in his love and favour, giveth only a competency of earthly things, and the blessing of contentation withall; so as to be thankful for the same, and desire no more. I will now in discharge of my promise acquaint you; how of poor▪ melancholy and miserable▪ you may become rich, happy, and cheerful.
CHAP. XXVIII.
THe which I shal do from the Word of God. Nor need it seem strage, that for the improving of mens outward estates, I prescribe them rules and directions from thence: For would we be instructed in any necessary truth, whether it be
Theological, concerning God,
Ecclesiastical, concerning The Church,
Political, concerning The Common-wealth,
Moral, concerning Our neighbours and friends,
Oeconomical, concerning Our private families,
Monastical, concerning Our selves.
Or be it touching Our
Temporal estate.
Civil estate.
Spirituul estate.
Eternal Souls,
Bodies,
Names,
Estates,
Posterities.
We need but have recourse to the written Word. For that alone is a magazine of all needful provision, a store-house of all good instructions. And let a man study Machiavel, and all the Machiavilians, and State-politicians that ever wrote; he can add nothing, or nothing of worth to what may be collected thence, touching this subject. Wherefore, if any of poor would become rich, let him use the means which tend thereunto; observe and follow those Rules and Directions, which God hath prescribed and appointed in his Word, which are principally six; For as the Throne of Solomon was mounted unto by six stairs: so is this Palace of Plenty and Riches ascended unto, by six steps set upon this ground already laid. For I find in the Word, six infallible wayes to become rich; or six sorts of men, whom God hath promised to bless with riches, and all outward prosperity. That is to say,
1 The Godly,
2 The Liberal,
3 The Thankful,
4 The Humble,
5 The Industrious,
6 The Frugal.
These of all other men in the world, are sure never to want. And these are the main heads, unto which I will draw all, I shall say upon this Partition, or Division.