The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Reasons which may moue vsus to contemne worldly prosperitie.
NOw that wee may not thus set our hearts and affections§. Sect. 1. Prosperitie seldome bettereth our spirituall …state. immoderatly vponupon worldlie prosperitie, but may despise and contemne it when it commeth into comparison with Gods fauour and grace, or the glorie of his kingdome, or allureth vsus vntounto sinne; there are many arguments which may perswade vsus. As first, because prosperitie doth very seldome better our spirituall estate, and further our saluation, but almost alwaies maketh vsus worse, more prone vntounto sinne, and further off from God and godlinesse. For as the Moone being in the full, is furthest distant from the Sunne, from whom she receiueth her light and brightnes; so when we are in the full of prosperitie, we are furthest off from God the author and fountaine of all our good. But of this I hauehave alreadie spoken.
Secondly, let vsus know that the meane estate is much to be§. Sest. 2. The meane estate is to be preferred before great prosperity. preferred before the greatest prosperitie and abundant plentie of these earthly things, not only for the reasons aboue alleaged, but also because it is most safe and free from danger, as not being so low to be trode vponupon, nor so high as to bee alwaies seated in the eye of enuie; not so weak as to lie open to all oppression, nor so mightie as to be made the marke of conspiracies and secret treasons: for as the low shrubs are made the pray of the beasts to brouze vponupon, and the ordinarie fuell of the fire, and the highest trees are most subiect to lightning and thunder, and exposed aboue all others to the violence of eueryevery tempest; whereas the trees of middle growth are free from both these dangers: so those who are in the lowest estate of pouertie, are often oppressed with wrong and iniurie, those who are placed in the high top of worldly prosperitie, are made more obnoxious to the rage of superiour powers; being either had in ielousie for their greatnes, as aspiring too fast, as though they would ouertop them, or thought in respect of their abundance a fit bootieIob 12. 5. to seaze vponupon. And only the meane estate is most free from these extreame perils, being below enuie, & aboue cōtempt. And this the very heathen man could discerne by the light of nature: It is (saith he) the propertie of a great minde, to contemne Magni animi est magna contemnere, & mediocria malle quā nimia, &c. Sen…c. epist. 39.great things, and to desire sufficiencie and mediocritie, rather then abundance and superflu…tie; for those are profitable, and euen vitall, but these as much as they abound and ouerflow, hurt. So too much ranknes maketh the corne to lie and rot, so boughs are broken with too much bearing, and too much fruitfulnes commeth not to ripenes: and the same happeneth to mens minds, which immoderate felicitie bursteth, so as they are not only iniurious to others, but also to themselues. VntoUnto this we may adde the wise Hagurs authoritie, as it is strongly backed with his powerfull reasons: GiueGive me not (saith he) pouerty nor riches, but feed me with food conuenient for me, lest I be full and Prou. 30. 8.denie thee, and say, who is the Lord? or lest I be poore and steale, and take the name of my God in vaine. The meane estate is therfore most to be desired, seeing it preserueth vsus from forgetfulnes of God, irreligion, and prophanenesse, which accompanieth prosperitie, from the vse of vnlawfull meanes to maintaine our state, and from impatiencie, murmuring and repining against God, to which we are tempted in pouertie and aduersitie.
Thirdly, let vsus consider that this worldly prosperitie is but§. Sect. 3. That prosperitie is but one of Gods ordinarie gifts, which he also bestoweth on the wicked. one of Gods ordinarie gifts, which is of no great excellencie and worth, being compared with his rich iewels, his spirituall graces, and eternall ioyes; as it may hereby plainely appeare, in that he scattereth them as common and triuiall trifles, amongst his enemies, as well as his friends, and bestoweth them as well on those, who contemne and rebell against him, as vponupon those that louelove and serue him; yea most commonly he giueth to his children these earthly blessings with a strait and sparing hand, and affordeth them to strangers and enemies in great plentie and abundance, both because they are things of small value, and therefore more fit to be the wages of seruants and slaues, then the patrimonie and portion of children: and also because through our corruption, they are (as I hauehave shewed) baits to catch vsus, and snares to entangle vsus. And that God thus dispenseth of these earthly things, it may appeare plainly by euident places of holy Scripture: the holy man Iob saith, that the tabernacles of robbers Iob 12. 6.do prosper, and they are in safetie which prouoke God, whom God hath enriched with his hand: and in another place he doth at large describe the great prosperitie of wicked men, in thatIob 21. 7. to 16. they attained to old age, abundance of wealth, and enioyed peace with immunitie from afflictions; in that all which they tooke in hand succeeded, and all about them prospered, in that to their profits were ioyned pleasures, and both continued not only to themselues euen to their death, but also to their children and posteritie. So the Psalmist telleth vsus that the wicked boasteth that he hath his owne hearts desire, andPsal. 10. 3. 5. 6. that his waies alwaies prosper, and standeth so firme in his owne conceit, that he can neither be moued, nor be in danger. Seeing therefore these worldly things are so common, base and contemptible, let not vsus who are heires of all Gods promises esteeme them worthie our louelove, when as Gods despised slaues, and trayterous enemies hauehave them in such great abundance: but let vsus fixe our hearts and affections vponupon that heauenly inheritance which is prepared for vsus, which being of infinite value, is worthie of our louelove, as being that rich treasure, which the Lord hath peculiarly reserued as a patrimonie for his owne children. And as we are exhorted, Let vsus 1. Cor. 11. Sic vtaris hoc mundo tanquā non vtens, vt ex bonis eius bona f…ci…s, non malus sias▪ &c. August. epist. ad Bonifacium epist. 70. tom. 2.vse this world, as not ouer vsing, or abusing it, that with his goods we may do good, and not be made euill, because in their owne nature they are good; neither are they giuen vntounto men by any other then by him, who hath all power in heauenly and earthly things; the which he hath giuen to good men, lest they should be thought euill, and to euill men, lest they should be thought excellent, and gifts of greatest value; and are taken from good men, that they may be tried, and from euill men, that they may be tormented. And in another place he saith, that it seemed good to the diuine August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 8.prouidence, to prepare for the time to come good things for the iust, which the vniust shall not enioy; and euils for the wicked, with which the good shall not be tormented: but …he would hauehave these temporall things, good and euil, common to both, that neither the good things should bee ouer greedily desired, which the wicked also enioy, nor the euill things should be dishonestly and vnlawfully auoided, the which are commonly incident to the good.
Fourthly, let vsus remember that very rarely the same man is§. Sect. 4. Worldly prosperitie and heauenly happinesse are seldome bestowed on the same men. richly rewarded, both in earth and heauen, or inioyeth the glorie of the world, and the glorie of Gods kingdome, the treasures of earth, and the treasures of heauen; temporall pleasures, and eternall ioyes: I say rarely, lest any should despaire; and but rarely, and not often, lest any should presume, and thinke that he may securely, and with case enioy both. So our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed that hunger now, Luk. 6. vers. 21. to 26.for they shall be satisfied, and that weepe now, for they shall laugh, and that are persecuted now for they shall richly be rewarded in heauen: But contrariwise he denounceht a woe against those that be rich, because they hauehave receiued their consolation; and to those that are full, for they shall hunger; and to those that laugh, for they shall waile and weepe: and elsewhere he telleth his Disciples, that they shall weepe and lament, and the world shall reioyce, Iohn 16. 20. 21. 22.that they should sorrow but their sorrowes should be turned into such ioy, as should neuer be taken from them. And the Apostle telleth vsus, that it is a righteous thing with God, to recompence tribulation to such wicked worldlings as trouble his seruants; but to them that are troubled, rest with the Saints, when 2. Thess. 1. 6. 7.the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels. And who can doubt but that the Iudge of heauen and earth wil iudge righteous iudgement? With this agreeth the saying of a Father, who bringeth in a worldling, demanding, whether a man might inioy rest heere, and rest in heauen; and maketh this answere: This is impossible, O man, and Chrysost. de Lazaro, Conc. 3. Tom. 2. pag. 1359.in the number of those things which thou vainly hopest. It cannot be, it cannot be, I say, that he who hath liued in sloth and securitie, and hath continually spent, euen all his dayes in worldly delights, and hath improuidently and negligently passed his time, that such an one should attaine that honor and glorie which is reserued in heauen. To this purpose it is that the Scripture allotteth to eueryevery one their portion, both the wicked and the godly; the wicked do receiue theirs in this life, euen the pleasures and prosperitie of the world, but the godly theirs in the life to come, when hauing finished their race, they shall receiue the crowne of glorie. So the Psalmist saith, that the men of the world hauehave their portion in this life, whose bellies Psal. 17. 14. 15.God filleth with his hid treasures: their children hauehave enough, and leaue the rest of their substance for their children. But I (saith he) will behold thy face in righteousnes, and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy Image. And our Sauiour describing the state of men both heere and in the life to come, in the persons of Diues and Lazarus, diuideth to either his owne portion; to Diues, and with him to all pompous worldlings, costly apparell, delicious fare, and plentie of all things in this world, but eternall torments in the world to come: to Lazarus, and with him, to almost all the faithfull, pouertie heere, and a great measure of miserie and affliction; but after this life a large portion of eternall ioy and blessednesse in Gods kingdome. And lest I might seeme to force the parable, you shall see that our Sauiour Christ himselfe doth purposely thus applie it, where he bringeth in Abraham speaking thus to the rich man; Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst Luke 16. 25.thy pleasure (or as the words in the originall moreforeign. emphatically signifie, thy good things, or thy portion of good) and likewise Lazarus paines, (or his portion of euils) now therefore (saith he) is he comforted, and thou art tormented. Which reason of Abrahams being syllogistically framed, inferreth to worldlings a fearefull conclusion: Those who in their life time liue in plentie and voluptuous pleasures, shall be tormented in hell fire; and those who patiently endure miscries and afflictions, shall be in ioy and blessednesse: but thou rich man liuest in all plentie and voluptuous pleasures, and Gods poore seruants patiently endure miseries and afflictions; and therefore thou must be tormented in hell, whereas they shall inherit the ioyes of heauen. And in truth what shew of hope hauehave these secure worldlings, that they should be preferred before the deare seruants of God; or what reason hauehave they to imagine, that they shall hauehave a double portion in Gods gifts, both in this life, and in the life to come, when his owne children must be contented with a single, though a most excellent part, and may seldome be suffered to enioy both heauenly glorie, and worldly prosperitie, vnlesse it be tempered and seasoned vntounto them with manifold crosses and afflictions? Yea let them know, and knowing tremble, that the righteous Iudge of heauen and earth doth administer righteous iudgement; and because there is none so bad, but hauehave in them some good naturall parts, some restraining graces, and hauehave been the instruments of doing some thing which at least hath had the …pearance of good; therfore God being infinit in bountie, will not let any thing, that hath but a shew of goodnesse go vnrewarded, but giueth to worldlings for these good things in them, or done by them, temporall blessings and benefits, wherewith being rewarded to the full, and farre aboue their deserts, they can expect no more, seeing they hauehave no part in Christs merits. Againe, because there is none so good and holy, but they are blotted and stained with infirmities and imperfections: therefore the Lord being infinit in iustice, doth not only punish these sins in his owne deare Sonne, but doth also chastise and correct his faithfull seruants themselues, that they may be examples of his righteous iudgements, and teach wicked worldlings what they are to expect for their trayterous rebellion, and outragious sinnes, when as Gods faithfull seruants and deare children, are so sharpely afflicted for their slips and smaller faults, which hauehave been alreadie fully punished in their Sauiour.Ierem. 25. 29. O that this were but well considered, and then would worldlings hauehave little cause to be puffed vp with pride, because they exceed others in worldly pompe and prosperitie: then would all (who are not extreamely secure) when they are greatly aduanced in their worldly estate, carefully take heed that their spirituall estate be not as much impaired, and feare lest this temporal prosperitie be al the portion that euer they shall receiue: then would not those who want these earthly benefits immoderatly desire them, and so vse vnlawfull meanes to attaine vntounto them, but would rest contented with their small pittance and shortallowance, hopefully expecting to receiue their portion in the life to come: then would not those that hauehave them, set their hearts vponupon them, but would willingly part with them to good vses, that in exchange they might hauehave the assurance of Gods louelove, and their owne saluation, more certainly confirmed vntounto them. And hauing this base and brasen money of worldly abundance come to their hand, they would not hoord and still retaine it in their possession, but part with it vponupon the next good occasion, lest death comming the value thereof should be cried downe, and so become to be of no worth.§. Sect. 5. Prosperitie abused increaseth their condemnation who abuse it.
Lastly, let vsus consider that worldly prosperitie immoderately loued, or otherwise abused, not only depriueth vsus of our portion in our heauenly inheritance, but also procureth a portion for such as thus abuse it with hypocrites in hell, where there is weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth: for woe vntounto them that now laugh, for they shall not only cease theirLuke 6. 26. Psalm. 69. 22. mirth, but contrariwise shall waile and weepe: so that worldly mens plentie is their snare, and their prosperitie their ruine, as the Psalmist speaketh. Now if we would also remember how proue we are to this abuse (as before I hauehave shewed) there would be little reason, why we should greatly desire this worldly prosperitie, if wee hauehave it not, or not feare it when we hauehave it, and much lesse that we should take more paines for the obtaining of it, then the rich treasures of Gods kingdome; or set our hearts vponupon it with more feruent louelove, being both base, momentanie and dangerous, then vponupon those heauenly & eternall ioyes which are prepared for vsus in the world to come. And thus much shal suffice for those arguments which may generally perswade vsus to cōtemne worldly prosperitie, comming in comparison with spirituall and heauenly things, and to flie and renounce it, when it is vsed as the diuels, or the worlds baite to allure vsus vntounto sinne: vntounto which many more might be added; but that I reserue them, and the more full and effectuall vrging of this point, till I come to speake of the contempt of the chiefe parts of this prosperitie, namely the honors, riches and pleasures of the world.