The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 39
Sermon XXXIX.
Cant. 1. 6.
They made me the Keeper of the Vineyards
THE Spouſe is yet apologizing for her Blackneſs, of which ſhe aſſigneth four Cauſes. 1. Her afflictions: The Sun (ſaith ſhe) hath looked upon me. 2. Her oppoſition both from within and without: My mothers Children were angry with me. Theſe I have diſcourſed, and come now to the third Cauſe aſſigned by her, expreſſed in theſe words; They made me the Keeper of the Vineyards: They, that is, my Mothers Children (before mentioned) made me the Keeper of the Vineyards. In my Explication of the Text, I hinted a double ſenſe of the words; the one literal, the other metaphorical. In the former it ſignified her intanglement in ſecular affairs. Keeping the Vineyards is a ſecular imployment, a mean imployment, and a laborious imployment. Thence you read that the General of the Aſſyrian Army, 2 King. 25. 12. left of the poor of the Land to be the Dreſſers of the Vineyards; and thoſe in the Parable who had laboured in the Vineyard, told their Lord, that they had born the heat of the day. Thus the ſenſe is, I have been too much intangled in ſecular affairs; that hath been the cauſe of my blackneſs. 2. Others underſtand the term Vineyard in a metaphorical ſenſe. God uſeth the term to ſignifie his Church, Iſa. 5. 1, 2, 3. As God hath a Vineyard, ſo Idolaters and ſuperſtitious perſons had their Vineyards. Moſt Heathen Nations having ſome notions of a God, have had ſome Worſhip of a Deity, and wanting the guidance of holy Writ, grew vain in their own imaginations; hence came Idolatry and Superſtition; the Iſraelites, having lived many years in Egypt, and in their paſſage through the Wilderneſs, converſing with the Moabites, and Midianites, and not driving out all the Canaanites out of the promiſed Land, by converſe with them, learned to know, and to ſerve their gods, as you ſhall read in their whole ſtory, in the Books of Kings and Chronicles; there being a corrupt as well as a ſincerer part, in the Jewiſh Church, the corrupter part, impoſed upon the whole, the Idolatrous and Superſtitious Worſhip, and Rites of theſe Nations. This is the ſenſe into which the Chaldee Paraphraſt interpreteth theſe words. I am not apt to think this the ſenſe, but more incline to the former; yet… ſhall not wholly paſs it over, partly becauſe the Chaldee Paraphraſt is a very antient Interpreter; and partly becauſe that ſenſe carries a truth in it. Hence ariſe two Propoſitions.
Prop. 1. That a ſubmiſſion to falſe Worſhip, and Superſtitious Rites in the Service of God, will make the Spouſe of Chriſt appear black.
Prop. 2. That great entanglements in ſecular affairs, will make the Spouſe of Chriſt black.
I ſhall ſpeak ſhortly to the firſt, and more largely to the ſecond, which I rather think to be the ſenſe. The Church of God hath three things committed to her truſt; the Doctrine of the Goſpel; the Ordinances of Worſhip: The Rules of Diſcipline. The admiſſion of corruption in any of theſe, maketh a Church black, as it is a breach of truſt, and a deviation from the Divine Rule. This is ſufficiently proved by the meſſage Chriſt ſent to the ſeven Churches of Aſia. He let the Church of Epheſus know, that he had ſomething againſt her, becauſe ſhe had left her firſt love, Rev. 2. 4. v. 13. He reflecteth upon the Church of Pergamus, becauſe ſhe had thoſe in her, who held the Doctrine of Balaam, and of the Nicolaitans, v. 20. He reflecteth on the Church of Thyatira, for ſuffering the woman Jezabel to ſeduce the Servants of God, to commit fornication, and to eat things offered to Idols. Nor is any thing plainer in the whole ſtory of the Jewiſh Church, than that the admiſſion of corruption in the Worſhip and Order of that Church, was that which made it black and defiled, and look unlovely in the Eyes of God, and was at laſt the cauſe of its ruine and deſtruction. But becauſe Chriſtians may not ſo diſtinctly underſtand either wherein the Nature of Worſhip lies, or wherein the difference lieth betwixt that which is true, and falſe, I ſhall in a few Concluſions lay down what I conceive to be truth in this caſe, and then paſs on to the handling of the Propoſition ariſing from the other ſenſe of the words.
1. Worſhip is an homage performed to God immediately, in conſideration of his Excellency. This is Aquinas's, and other of the Schoolmens notion about Worſhip, and it is a very good one.
2. This homage is either the homage of the outward, or inward man. The homage of the inward man lieth in the exerciſes of our Faith, Love, Fear, the exerciſe of our thoughts upon God, admiring him, &c. But that which the Scripture calleth Worſhip moſt ordinarily, is ſome external acts teſtifying that inward homage, and ſubmiſſion of the heart.
3. Theſe acts are either ſuch as the Light of Nature directeth, and the Law of Nature obligeth us unto, or ſuch as God hath preſcribed us in his Word. Worſhip being in the general nature of it, nothing but an external homage done to God, in teſtification of the inward, and more ſecret homage and ſubjection of our Soul. It is the moſt reaſonable thing imaginable, that God ſhould preſcribe it; this he hath done as the God of Nature, imprinting a Law in our hearts, obliging us to call upon him for good things we want, and to praiſe him for good things received, partly in his holy Writ. There is no natural Worſhip, but is alſo inſtituted, but there is much inſtituted Worſhip, which the Light of Nature doth not ſhew, nor the Law of Nature oblige us to, ſuch as Reading the Scriptures, hearing the Word Preached, communicating in the holy Sacraments.
4. External acts of Worſhip, that depend meerly upon Inſtitution, muſt be either inſtituted by Chriſt, or by our own wills, or the wills of others, Col. 2. 23. there is a Will-worſhip mentioned.
5. All true Divine Worſhip muſt have a Divine Inſtitution. Whatſoever is pretended as an immediate act of homage to the Divine Being, and is not directed by Nature, and directed alſo, and confirmed and regulated by the Revelation of the Divine Will in the Word of God, is what we call Falſe Worſhip, or Will-Worſhip. As the firſt Commandment directeth our homage to God, as the alone true Object, ſo the ſecond directeth the manner of it, to be according to his revealed Will; for certainly that Commandment muſt not be interpreted as meerly prohibiting the Worſhip of God by, or before a graven Image, or the ſimilitude of a thing, on purpoſe ſet before us, either as repreſentative of the Divine Being, or as a Medium by which we worſhip God, but as prohibiting all other Modes, Acts and Methods which have no more of a Divine Inſtitution than that hath, only that one inſtance is given, and under it the other included. So that a graven Image is but ſpecies pro genere, and thoſe that worſhip God before a painted Image, or any other way which God hath not preſcribed, are alſo tranſgreſſors of that ſecond Commandment. Hence it is obſervable, that God directed the Jews not only every Act by which an homage was paid to him, but alſo every Rite and Ceremony, and it was guilt enough for the Jews in his Worſhip to do that which he commanded them not. Uzziah muſt not offer Incenſe, nor Saul Sacrifice, nor Nadab and Abihu make uſe of ordinary fire, nor Uzzah carry the Ark upon a Cart, nor touch it. The ſame we conceive to be the will of God in the New Teſtament, God being a Spirit, and to be worſhipped by us in Spirit and in Truth, as well as by the Jews; and it ſeemeth the moſt reaſonable thing imaginable, 1. Conſidering that our Worſhip in its ſelf is a pitiful thing, infinitely diſproportioned to the perfection and excellency of God, ſo as it deriveth all its value from the Divine Inſtitution. 2. And being an homage done to God, it is moſt reaſonable that God himſelf ſhould direct what he will accept. 3. Nor is it to be imagined, had God left man in the caſe to his own conduct and direction, how vain and various man would have been. 4. Beſides, it is not reaſonable to think that the holy Scriptures ſhould be a leſs perfect Rule in matters of Worſhip, than it is in matters of Doctrine, or that concern our ordinary courſe of converſation, or that acts of Worſhip, as to which it appeareth in all the Scripture, that God had a ſpecial jealouſie, and in which we are ſaid to draw nigh to God, ſhould be none of thoſe good works, as to which the holy Scriptures are ſufficient to furniſh every good man.
6. Divine Worſhip being an humane act, and that of the moſt noble nature, as it muſt have ſuch circumſtances as are neceſſary to all humane acts, (ſuch are Time and Place;) ſo it is reaſonable that it ſhould have ſuch circumſtances as ſuit ſuch acts, ſo as they may be performed in ſuch manner as the Light of Nature, and common guiſe and cuſtom of Countries ſhall not determine, ſordid, filthy, or indecent, and ſuch as may render it uſeful, and more profitable and advantageous, and anſwering to their ends, which circumſtances, being neceſſary to the acts as humane acts; or at leaſt plainly expedient, to avoid the indecent and ſordid performance of the acts, or for the more profit and advantage of the acts, and ſuch as in regard of the variety of Countries, the Cuſtoms and Uſages of them, &c. could not be determined by the Word of God, muſt be determined by the Governours of Churches, Nations, or Kingdoms, but ſtill with reſpect to the general ends of the action. But for any things uſed in the Worſhip of God, neither directed by Nature, nor yet by holy Writ, and appropriated to the Worſhip of God, as a Religious act, out of a reſpect to the excellency of the Divine Being, and as an homage to it, I cannot ſee how they can be lawful, they muſt have ſomething of the nature of Worſhip in them, and having ſo, they ought to have a Divine Inſtitution, without which I cannot ſee how they ſhould avoid the guilt of Idolatry, or Superſtition, which differ thus. If the faileur reſpect the Object, either terminatively, where the creature is made the term and ultimate Object, as in Ahab's Idolatry, and the Papiſts Adoration of the Bread in the Euchariſt, or mediately, as in Jeroboam's caſe, and the Jews, relating to the golden Calf, or Micab's; all which worſhipped the true God, though by an Image, and uſing an Image as a mean of their Worſhip (as the Papiſts now do in their Veneration of their Images) This is Idolatry, called in Scripture Whoredom, ſpiritual Whoredom; and as Adultery in marriage, ſo this is the higheſt ſin can be committed in Worſhip, and which God hath more ſeverely puniſhed at all times, than any other ſins People have been guilty of. If the faileur reſpect the Acts, or the manner; if it be only internal, it is Hypocriſie, if in the external Acts or Manner, it is Superſtition, (ſuch are the Papiſts Salt Oil, Cream, Spittle, ſuperadded to the Inſtitution for Baptiſm, and an hundred other Rites and Ceremonies uſed in all parts of their Worſhip.)
7. It is very obſervable, that from the beginning of the Church there hath been a ſtrange Itch in men, to be adding and mixing their own fancies, inventions, and Will-worſhip with the true Worſhip of God. God gave unto Moſes the particular Rule, and Law of his Worſhip; he communicated it to the People. David added to it, but no more than God by his Spirit directed, as appeareth, 1 Chron. 28. 19. All this, ſaid David, the Lord made me to underſtand by his hand upon me, in writing. If you would know what that was, v. 12, 13. The Pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, of the Courts of the Houſe of the Lord, and of all the Chambers round about, of the Treaſuries of the Houſe of God, and of the Treaſuries of the dedicate things alſo for the courſes of the Prieſts and Levites, and for all the work of the Service of the Houſe of the Lord: Texts of Scripture which they are not aware of, who bring in David as an inſtance of a Prince, who added new Acts, or Modes, or Rites and Ceremonies in the Worſhip of God. David ordered no more than the Lord had made him to underſtand in writing, by his Spirit, and by his hand upon him. One would think that mens common reaſon ſhould judge it ſafeſt to keep to the Divine Rule, and that it ſhould be the eaſieſt thing. But ſo vain hath man been in all Ages, that you ſhall find they could never content themſelves with that Rule, but as if they had had a mind to pull down the Vengeance of God upon them, they were continually deviſing new waies and methods, after the example of other Nations, and copying out their Idolatries and Superſtitions. The Jews muſt make a golden Calf in imitation of the Egyptians, then they fall in with the Idols of the Moabites. Micah muſt have an Image. Jeroboam muſt ſet up Calves at Dan and Bethel. In ſhort, this was the conſtant vanity of the Jews to all reaſonable mens juſt admiration. Chriſt left us a perfect Rule for Worſhip under the New Teſtament. But how ſoon was the Primitive Church, in matter of Worſhip, turned aſide from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel. It kept Doctrine in good degrees of Purity, for five hundred years after Chriſt, but the Purity of Worſhip was abated in many places within leſs than three hundred years, and every Age ſtill grew worſe and worſe, till the Pope got into the Saddle, and then that Pope was no body who could not think upon one trifle or other to be added to the Rituals of Worſhip: Till the Popiſh Worſhip came up to be what it is at this day, a mixture of Paganiſh, Jewiſh, and Chriſtian Rites. And it is a very hard thing for any who readeth the Goſpel, and obſerveth Chriſt's Rules, and the Apoſtles Practice and Rules for Worſhip and Ordinances, to find any thing amongſt them which hath upon it Chriſt and the Apoſtles Stamp and Impreſſion.
8. In all times this hath been a temptation to ſincere Profeſſors, and many both Miniſters and People, individual Believers and Churches, to deviate from the Divine Rule. Either the Commands of Superiours have prevailed, (as in Jeroboam's time) it is laid to the charge of the Iſraelites, Hoſ. 5. 11. That they willingly followed the Commandment. (It is like ſome not very willingly neither, but the more of their will was in it, the greater the guilt was, and they are chiefly blamed) ſo Micah 6. 16. The Statutes of Omri are kept. Or elſe the Example of their Leaders in Church or State have had the force of a Law upon them: Or the gaudry or ſpecious pretences made for things introduced, have had a force upon them. Many things having as (the Apoſtle ſaith) a ſhew of Wiſdom, and Will worſhip, and a neglecting of the body.
8. And laſtly, When theſe things have happened, they have been the blackneſs and pollution of thoſe Souls, and thoſe Churches that have been ſo far prevailed upon. Black and white in this caſe muſt be determined and adjudged from a ſtrict adherence to, or a deviation from the Divine Rule. Thoſe that are brought over to ſuch compliances, have diſcoloured themſelves more or leſs, according to the degree wherein they have offended. They have kept others Vineyards, but their own they have not kept. The truſt which their Lord and Maſter committed to them, as to the Ordinances of Worſhip, they have not kept. 1. Theſe things bring a blackneſs and unlovelineſs upon the Soul, or upon a Church in the Eyes of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt. He may not preſently give them a Bill of Divorce, and ſay unto them, they are not his People, but he looks upon them with an ill Eye, as a ſpeckled Bird, Jer. 12. 9. Mine Inheritance (ſaith God) is become unto me as a ſpeckled Bird; they kept ſomething of Divine impreſſions and inſtitutions, but they were ſpeckled; they had ſome colours fetched from the Moabites, and Ammonites, and Philiſtins, &c. It is his will that thoſe who worſhip him, ſhould worſhip him according to his will, in Spirit, and in Truth (ſuch the Father ſeeketh to worſhip him) now theſe things ſpoil the truth of Divine Worſhip (which muſt be meaſured from a Divine Inſtitution:) And they ſpoil the ſpirituality of it, reducing Carnal Ordinances, and ſetting them up inſtead of the Spiritual Worſhip of God. Such indeed the Jews had for a time, as you read, Heb. 9. 10. but they were to hold no longer, than until the time of Reformation. The Goſpelworſhip was to be excluſive, not only of Ordinances that were typical, prefiguring a better and moſt excellent Sacrifice and Service, which were fulfilled the Antitypes being come, but it was alſo excluſive of Carnal Ordinances, ſuch as were pleaſing and gratifying to the fleſh and outward man. The Worſhip of God according to Chriſt's Inſtitution, was to be more reaſonable, plain and ſpiritual. 2. Nay, Errours in the matters of the Worſhip of God, do not only defile, and make the Soul guilty, but exceeding guilty. Errours of Worſhip look like controulments of the Divine Wiſdom, who ſent his Son, and his Apoſtles to eſtabliſh a Rule of Worſhip. Theſe additaments ſpeak the Eſtabliſht Rule imperfect, for otherwiſe they muſt be idle and ſuperfluous, nothing of which nature is to be admitted in ſo grave and ſacred an action. The Aſſertion of the Divine Rule as not perfect in the matter of Worſhip, reflecteth upon our Saviour either as not knowing what it is that in worſhip would be moſt acceptable to his Father, or as not faithful in the Houſe of God. Or finally, as careleſly leaving things of that nature to the wills and fancies of men, as whoſe wildneſs even from the beginning of the world to that time, had ſhewed it ſelf in nothing more. But beſides, how can we better meaſure the greatneſs of any guilt, than by the Revelations of God's will and wrath againſt it, and in reference to it. If you obſerve the Old Teſtament throughout from the time of the Iſraelites coming out of Egypt, to their coming out of Babylon, you fhall find the will of God fully revealed againſt no one ſin, or kind of ſin like this of corruption, and faileurs in the matter of his Worſhip, ſo as ſuch Souls muſt needs be black in the Eyes of Chriſt, becauſe guilty, and that not in an ordinary degree.
2. Hence alſo theſe things have made them black in the Eyes of the ſincerer part of Chriſtians. Thus doubtleſs were the Iſraelites in Jeroboam's time, not only to the men of Judah, who adhered to the true Worſhip of God, and the ſincerer part of the Ten Tribes, who left them, and came to Hieruſalem to worſhip: But the generality of the Iſraelites in Ahab's times, in the ſight of Elijah, and thoſe ſeven thouſand whom God told Elijah, he had at that time in Iſrael, who had not bowed their knee to Baal, nor kiſſed him with their lips.
UſeThe Uſe of this will be very ſhort; only warning us to be very tender in this point; very careful of having to do with theſe Vineyards. It is inconſiſtent with the keeping of our own, the things which God hath committed to our truſt. It renders Churches, and particular Souls alſo black. It is an abatement to our beauty and comelineſs. Theſe things are ſpots in our beauty, ſhadows to our glory. Nothing more offendeth the Eyes of the Divine Glory; nothing more provoketh the Lord to jealouſie. To thoſe who conſideringly read the Hiſtory of the Jewiſh Church recorded in the Old Teſtament, nothing need be added upon this Argument. I come now to the ſecond ſenſe of theſe words, to which I told you I more inclined to. From whence the Propoſition is this;
Prop. That great intanglements in ſecular affairs will make the Spouſe of Chriſt to appear black.
Demas did once appear white; twice you have an honourable mention of him, Col. 4. 14. Luke the beloved Phyſician, and Demas ſalute you. He is reckoned amongſt Paul's fellow-labourers, Philemon, v. 24. but the world made him black, 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas (ſaith the Apoſtle) hath forſaken us, and imbraced the preſent world. Martha was doubtleſs white, in her Lord's Eyes, yet being cumbred about many things, ſhe appeared ſomething black. Mary had choſen the better part, Luk. 38. 40, 41. The Apoſtles left their Nets when they followed Chriſt: When therefore one askt leave of our Saviour before he followed him, to go and bury his dead; Chriſt replied, Let the dead bury the dead, follow thou me. You know the excuſes thoſe made, Matth. 22. that were invited to the Marriage Feaſt; one had bought a Farm, another had bought five yoke of Oxen. Our Saviour hath determined, Matth. 6. 24. No man can ſerve two Maſters, but either he will cleave to the one, and neglect the other; or neglect the one, and be overcareful for the other. What need we any Scripture in the caſe; ſhew me that man or woman that is intangled in a multitude of worldly affairs, and hath not loſt ſomething of his beauty (if he or ſhe ever had any) as to the power and practice of Religion & Holineſs. But it will be demonſtratively clear to us, if we conſider either how much of our time the world will take up, or how much of our ſtrength and ſpirits, how it will diſtract and divide us; how much it will allure and intice us, or to how many ſcandals it will expoſe us. Of all theſe I ſhall ſpeak a word or two.
1. I ſay firſt, if we conſider how much of our time worldly occaſions take up. All humane actions require time as well as place. There is no religious action, but requireth time, and the more time is ſpent in our worldly employments, the leſs muſt, or can be ſpent in religious duties, the more our intanglements are in ſecular affairs, the leſs time we muſt ſpend in the acts of our more immediate homage to God; Alaſs, how little time hath he who is much imployed in the world, for reading, hearing, praying, for any religious ſervice, and this is the ordinary plea that men make for the non-performance of them, they have no time to read the Scriptures, or to pray in their Families, or to inſtruct them, or to hear the Word, or to imploy their thoughts upon ſpiritual things. Solomon ſaith of the covetous man, that the multitude of his riches will not let him ſleep. It may be ſaid of others, the multitude of their buſineſſes will not let them pray, or keep up any courſe of Religion in their Families, it ſuffers but a few to ſpend the Lords Sabbath as they ought to do, they are ſo far from ſparing God any of their own time, that they are more ready to ſteal his time, though it be but one day of ſeven.
2. Secondly, Worldly buſineſſes do not only take up much of our time, but alſo much of … ſpirits and ſtrength, God doth not only require our love, and ſuch acts of homage in teſtification of our love as he hath preſcribed, but alſo that we ſhould love him, and do thoſe acts with all our hearts, with all our might, and ſtrength; and exceſs of worldly labour, and buſineſs, waſts our Spirits, takes away that might, and ſtrength which we fhould ſpend in the ſervice of God. Ah what heartleſs, lifeleſs prayers, and religious duties are performed by men and women taken up with an undue proportion of ſecular imployments?
3. Thirdly, They fill the head with a multitude of diſtractions, 1 Cor. 7. 35. The Apoſtle upon this account, v. 34. commendeth a ſingle life to thoſe to whom God had given that gift, for, ſaith he, The unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord, that ſhe may be holy, both in Body and Spirit: but the married Woman careth for the things of the World, that ſhe may pleaſe her Husband. And this (ſaith he) I ſpeak to you for your own profit, not that I might caſt a ſnare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord, without diſtraction. Diſtractions in religious ſervices, though they appear not to the world, yet really are the blackneſs of the Soul, and it is our duty (as much as in us lyeth) to ſerve the Lord with the greateſt attention of our thoughts, and with as few diſtractions as we can; now the more we are incumbred with ſecular affairs, the greater we ſhall find our diſtractions in the ſervice of God. For, as it is upon the ringing of a Bell, though the man's hand be off the Rope, and the Bell begins to be ſtill, yet for ſome time we ſhall diſcern a din in the ſides of the Bell, cauſed from its former motion and agitation: So will every obſerving Chriſtian find, that when his hand is off his ſecular buſineſs, yet his head will for ſome time be working upon it; and this more eſpecially ſheweth a preparation of heart neceſſary for thoſe in particular, who are much imployed in worldly buſineſs, before they draw nigh to God in the Solemn Duties of his Worſhip, that the noiſe of their ſecular affairs may be out of their heads, and they may ſerve the Lord without diſtractions, and not be like to the People, whom God complaineth of, Ezek. 33. 31. They ſaid come, and let us go and hear the Word of the Lord. And (ſaith God) they come unto thee as the People cometh, and ſit before thee as my People, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouths they ſhew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſs. Chriſt (in the Parable of the Sower) compareth ſome hearers of the Word to the ground that received the Seed amongſt Thorns, the cares of the world, and the deceitfulneſs of riches choked the Word, and made it become unfruitful. It is a great blackneſs of a Chriſtian, not to have his heart with God in Religious Services, ſo as the Lord (as the Prophet expreſſeth it) is nigh in his mouth, and far from his reins, and it is a blackneſs that will cover the face of every man and woman that converſeth too much with the world. Paul therefore rightly adviſeth the Corinthians, that they ſhould uſe the world in a careleſs manner, that thoſe that rejoyced in the affluences of it, ſhould be as if they rejoyced not, and thoſe that bought, as if they poſſeſſed not, and thoſe that uſed the world, as not abuſing it. But (ſaith he) I would have you without carefulneſs, 1 Cor. 7. 30, 31, 32.
4. Worldly imployments have often an ill influence upon Chriſtians, to intice, and allure them to ſin, not only by omiſſions of duty, but by the commiſſions of things which are contrary to their duty, there is a ſenſible ſweetneſs in worldly enjoyments, and thoſe are the product of worldly buſineſs and imployment. The Devil baiteth all his Hooks with ſome piece of the World or other. Some with the ſenſibly ſweet part of it, ſome with the gay, and ſplendid part of it, ſome with the richer, and more profitable part of it. It is an hard thing for Chriſtians to keep Vineyards, and not drink ſome of that intoxicating Wine which is the fruit of them. When Samuel gave up his account as a Judge, in 1 Sam. 12. 3. Behold (ſaith he) here I am, witneſs againſt me before the Lord—whoſe Ox have I taken, or whoſe Aſs have I taken, or whom have I defrauded, whom have I oppreſſed, or of whoſe hand have I received any bribe? Paul in like manner thus acquitteth himſelf to the Church of Epheſus, Acts 20. 33. I have coveted no Mans Silver, or Gold, or Apparel. But ſhew me the Man or Woman that hath been much incumbred with worldly affairs, and can ſay; I have coveted no Mans Houſe, or Land, or Silver, or Gold; or that can ſay; To whom have I told a lie for my gain, or ſaid it hath coſt me ſo much, when indeed it did not? Or whom have I done injuſtice to in a bargain? Commonly the beſt of the Market which ſuch Chriſtians have, is that of Zacheus, Luke 19. If I have taken any thing from any man by unjuſt dealings, I reſtore him fourfold.
5. Laſtly, A too great incumbrance with the world, leaves a blot upon Chriſtians in the common repute of the world, if they eſcape real blots from it. Holy Men in the Greek are called foreign that is, men who are not Earthly, and the world expects it of ſuch as profeſs to Religion and Godlineſs, that they ſhould be perſons looking for better Houſes then thoſe made of Clay, even an Houſe in the Heavens not made with hands, and for a better Country, and a more induring ſubſtance. Hence a too great purſuit of the world becometh a greater blot to Perſons profeſſing to an heavenly converſation, then unto others. Our converſation is in Heaven (ſaith the Apoſtle) foreign, our trading and buſineſs is in Heaven. I ſhall only add two or three words for application of this diſcourſe.
Uſe 1.This in the firſt place, giveth us all an opportunity to bewail the diſadvantage we have all received from the fall of Adam. It was a curſe which upon the fall fell upon all the Poſterity of Adam, Gen. 3. 19. In the ſweat of thy face thou ſhalt eat thy Bread, till thou return to the ground. I do not think that if man had continued in innocency, he ſhould have lived idly, but Mercers opinion is very probable, his labour ſhould rather have been for delight, then for neceſſity, or rather, his labour ſhould not have been ſo great, as now it is; the Thorns and Thiſtles which the ground now naturally brings forth, and in the prevention, and extirpation of which the labour of the Husbandman is ſo much, were clearly the effect of the curſe upon the Earth, Gen. 3. 18. a lively-hood for the Sons of Men had doubtleſs been got at a cheaper rate, with leſſer labour, and man had been at a great deal more liberty, and leiſure for a communion with God, and have had more time for his immortal Soul, then his worldly occaſions will now permit, or allow. This may be a profitable meditation for the poorer ſort of Chriſtians, whom the need of Bread for themſelves, and the want of a juſt proviſion for their Families, reſtrain from ſpending ſo much time in communion with God as they would, to ſit down, and think of the woful effect, and fruit of the ſin of Adam, that firſt ſin of man, which reduced the Sons and Daughters of men to theſe miſerable neceſſities.
Uſe 2.Secondly, Obſerve from hence, what an advantage thoſe have, whom the liberal hand of Divine Providence hath delivered from ſuch a miſerable ſervitude to ſecular affairs. If they will make themſelves ſlaves, and drudges to the World, they may, but the Providence of God hath not put them upon any neceſſity ſo to do. God hath given them Eſtates to live upon, Servants to toil for them. I will but offer two things to the conſideration of theſe.
1. How inexcuſable will you be if you do not keep your own Vineyards well? Your own Vineyards are your Souls, thoſe immortal Subſtances, ordained to an Eternity, ennobled with Reaſon, and many gifts and faculties, by which, if you will, you may bring forth much fruit to the honour and glory of God; if now you be not found mighty in the Scriptures, much in reading, hearing, prayer, cloſe in your walking with God, &c. You cannot plead that you want leiſure: A morning and evening Service God under the Law required, and in the ſame proportion doubtleſs under the Goſpel, though not by way of Sacrifice properly ſo called. I obſerve of David and Daniel, that they prayed thrice in a day, Pſal 55. 17. Evening, and morning, and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud (ſaith David.) Of Daniel we read, Dan. 6. 10. that he kneeled three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks unto God, as he did before-time. They were both great men, and at more leiſure than ordinary Jews. they conſidered this; and as God had doubled their portions, ſo they thought it reaſonable in ſome meaſure to proportion their duties to their circumſtances.
2. Secondly, Conſider how little you will have to ſay, if you ſo far intangle your ſelves in the world, as it becometh a ſnare to your Souls. Who pitieth him that is burned, who for meer wantonneſs puts his finger in the fire? Hath God given us food and rayment? Jacob begged no more. The Apoſtle commandeth us, if we have ſo much, to be therewith content. It is an excellent Exhortation which the Apoſtle hath given, and thoſe are eſpecially capable to receive to whom God hath given a plenty in this world, Heb, 13. 4. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with thoſe things which you have, for God hath ſaid, I will never leave nor forſake you.
Uſe 3.Let this caution us all (in the laſt place) to take heed how we keep Vineyards; how we make our ſelves drudges and ſlaves to ſecular imployments. Take heed of ſuch a Service to the world as is inconſiſtent with that duty and ſervice which you owe unto God. You cannot ſerve two Maſters, you cannot ſerve God and Mammon. Suffer me to allude to that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 5. 9, 10. I wrote (ſaith he) to you an Epiſtle, not to keep company with Fornicators, yet not altogether with the Fornicaters of this world, or with the Covetous, or the Extortioners, or the Idolaters, for then you muſt go out of the world; But now I have wrote to you, not to keep company, if any Brother, &c. I do but allude to the Text. Brethren, I have this day been ſpeaking to you to have a care of medling with the world, becauſe it waſts your time, ſpends your ſpirits, diſtracts your thoughts, allureth and inticeth you to the too much love of it, becauſe it will be a blot upon your Profeſſion, yet I would not be underſtood, as if I had been perſuading you to the lives of lazy Monks, and Nuns, and Hermites; if you will have nothing to do with the world, you muſt not live in it. God hath commanded us in the ſweat of our face to eat our bread. The Apoſtle bids, that thoſe who would not labour, ſhould not eat, and hath told us, that he would have us to labour with our hands, that we might have ſomething to give to thoſe that want, and hath told us, that he who provideth not for his family is worſe than an Infidel, and hath denied the Faith. Only take heed how you converſe with it, that you be not by it defiled, that it takes not up too much of your time, nor waſts too much of your ſpirits and ſtrength; that it leadeth you not into temptation, diſtracteth not your hearts in holy duties. Keep thy foot when thou goeſt into the Houſe of God; look to your thoughts and affections, when you draw nigh unto God in holy ſervices and duties; uſe the world ſo, as thou mayeſt have time for Religious duties in thy family, and mayeſt not by thy worldly concerns, be diſtracted in them. I would ſpeak to you in this caſe, as Paul doth in the caſe of ſervitude to men, and of Marriage. Are you by the Providence of God looſed from the world? ſeek not to be bound to it. Do your neceſſities call, and for the preſent bind you to it? Till God by favourable Providence looſen you from it, do not looſen your ſelves by idleneſs and lazineſs. It is poſſible thou mayeſt be God's free-man, while thy neceſſities bind thee to worldly buſineſs. I confeſs thou haſt an hard task, but (ſaith the Apoſtle) Let every man in the Calling wherein, and whereto he is called, abide therein with God. Mark that laſt term, not without God, not in a neglect of his duty to God, but with God. Labour to have manum in clavo, oculos in coelo, to be in thy heart, thoughts and affections with God, whiles thou art imployed in thy lower buſineſs and concerns in this life.