The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 10
SERM. X.
1 Cor. 7 30.
—And they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not.
THere is yet one point more, that this clauſe, (and they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not) will afford, which is this.
Doct. That the poſseſſing and laying up an Eſtate by trading, is not diſallowed by God.
An Eſtate and poſſeſſion in the world is allowed by God, and therefore in old time, the beſt men were likewiſe the richeſt men, as Abraham, and Jacob, and David, &c. But I am unwilling to inſiſt upon ſo generall a Doctrine, and had rather handle the words more particularly. And they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not, that is, when a man has gotten an Eſtate by buying and ſelling, he ſhould carry ſuch an indifferent affection towards it, as if he had gotten nothing at all, from whence note this Doctrine.
Doct. That Chriſtians ſhould take a great deal of heed, that they do not place an immoderate affection upon the Eſtates and poſſeſſions they have got by buying and ſelling. And they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not, In Pſal. 62.10. ſaies David, If riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them. Many men do not only poſſeſs wealth, but their wealth poſſeſſeth them, and takes up all their time and ſtrength, and thoughts, and their hearts too, you may poſſeſs wealth, but wealth muſt not poſſeſs you: If your rickes do increaſe, yet you muſt not ſet your hearts upon them. Job cleares himſelf in this caſe, Job 25.31. ſaies he, If I rejoyced becauſe my wealth was great, and becauſe my hand had gotten much, let God do ſo and ſo to me.
In the proſecution of this Doctrine, I ſhall handle theſe two Queries.
Querie 1 Qu. When do Chriſtians place an exceſſive or immoderate affection upon the Eſtates and poſſeſſions they have gotten by their Trades?
Query 2 2. Why Chriſtians ſhould be ſo carefull, that they do not place an immoderate affection upon the riches and wealth that they have gotten?
Firſt, When may Chriſtians be ſaid to place an immoderate affection upon their poſſeſſions?
Anſw. Anſw. I ſhall give it you in theſe 5. or 6. Demonſtrations. As
1. Affections to the world when exceſſive.You then place an exceſſive affection upon your Eſtate in the world, when your earneſt endeavours and purſuit after worldly wealth does take you off from all ſerious endeavours after ſpirituall things. And thus it was immoderate in thoſe Tradesmen mentioned in Mat. 22.5. that when a great King had invited them to a marriage feaſt, and ſent forth his Servants to tell thoſe that were bidden, that all things were ready and prepared for them, they made light of it, and went their wayes, one to his Farme, another to his Merchandize, and would not come: when men are ſo bent upon their gain, and have their hearts ſo taken up with the world, that they are quite taken off from all ſpirituall duties, when it is with them, as with the young man in the Goſpel, Mat. 19.12 Mat. 13.22that when Chriſt told him, that if be would be perfect, he muſt ſell all he had, and give it to the poor, he went away ſorrowfull; for he had great poſſeſſions: this is a ſign their hearts are too much glewed to the things of the world, Luke 10.42. when Martha was cumbred about many things of the world, though theſe were expreſſions of her love to Chriſt, yet becauſe ſhe did neglect giving attendance in hearing Ghriſts voice, he told her, that ſhe was troubled about many things; but one thing was neceſſary, and Mary had choſen the better part that ſhould not be taken from her. When your following Trades takes you off, that you never read the word, or pray in your Families, or Cloſet, then is your affection to the world immoderate.
2. When your tradings and affairs in the world does ſo take up your hearts, that you cannot take that ordinary refreſhment and comfort that God allows you in the bleſſings you enjoy, then you place inordinate affections upon the things of the world, Eccleſ. 5.12. The ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet; but the abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep. When men are ſo poſſeſſed, and taken up with the affairs of the world, that either for care of getting, fear of loſing, or hopes of increaſing, they cannot eat their bread in due ſeaſon, nor take their naturall reſt and ſleep: this is a ſign their hearts are too much glewed to the world, Eccleſ. 2.26. God giveth to a man that is good in his ſight, wiſdom and knowledge, and joy; but to the ſinner he giveth travell, to gather and heap up riches, he gives him diſquietneſs, vexation, and trouble of mind. The Pſalmiſt ſets out a covetous man by a lively compariſon, in Pſal. 59.14.15. he compares him to a Dog that is hungry, that at the evening returns and makes a noyſe, and goes round about the City, and wanders up and down for meat, and grudges if he be not ſatisfied. It is reported of the Dog, that when he is hungry, he hath a moſt enraged appetite, now ſaies he, let him run up and down like a Dog, and make a noiſe, for want of meat.
3. You are exceſſive in placing your affections upon your riches, when what you poſſeſs in the world, fills you with ſecurity and ſenſuality. What, ſaies the rich man in the Goſpel, I have goods laid up for many years, there is his ſecurity, ſoul take thy eaſe, eat, drink and be merry; there is his ſenſuality. As 'tis ſpoken of the Inhabitants of Hazor, Jer. 49.31. Go (ſaith God to the Babylonians) to the wealthy Nation that dwells without care. In Prov. 18.15. ſaies Solomon, the rich mans wealth is his ſtrong City, and as an high-wall in his own conceit. And thus did riches make David ſecure, Pſal. 30.6. In my proſperity I ſaid, I ſhall never be moved, then are your affections to the things of the world exceſſive, when it breeds in your ſecurity and ſenſuality.
4. When your wealth proves ſerviceable and inſtrumental to your luſts, and is as fewel to your corruptions, then is your love to it inordinate; as in Prov. 10.16. The labour of the righteous tendeth to life, but the revenues of the wicked tend to ſin.
1. When you make your wealth and riches fewel to feed your pride, as in Ezek 28.5. By thy great wiſdom, and by thy traffick haſt thou increaſed thy riches, and thy heart is lifted up becauſe of thy riches, ſaid God to the Prince of Tyre. If God gives you wealth, and as you grow high and rich in the world, you grow proud in heart too: this is a ſign you are immoderate in your affections to the world; and hence it is, that the Apoſtle in 1 Tim. 6.17. chargeth thoſe that be rich in the world, that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
2. When your wealth breeds uncompaſſionateneſs in you, and makes you deſpiſe and contemn the poor, Jam. 2.3. 'Twas the rich man in the Goſpel, that let poor Lazarus lie at his Gate, and gave him nothing, Luke 16.2. He that hath this worlds good, and ſeeth his Brother have need, and ſhutteth up the bowels of his compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him, ſaith the Apoſtle 1 John 3.17.
3. When you do, as in Prov. 10.15. make your wealth your confidence, then are your affections immoderate to the things of the world, when you will part with nothing to pious and Chriſtian uſes, either for the furtherance of Gods glory, and worſhip, or for the good of man, 1 John 3.17.
4. Then are your affections exceſſive upon the things of the world, when you are ſo inſatiable and eager after riches, Eccleſ. 5.10.that you never think you have enough. When men enlarge their deſires like hell, and are like the grave that will never be ſatisfied. When you are like thoſe ſpoken of in Eſay 56.11. that were greedy Doggs that could never have enough; ſuch men are ſlaves to their wealth, and their riches poſſeſſeth them more then they it. (Beloved) when you are thus eagen in your purſuit of riches, and ſo reſtleſſe in your deſires, after the things of the world, this ſhews that your affections are too much ſet upon them. And thus I have done with the firſt queſtion, and have ſhewed you when peoples affections towards their Eſtates and poſſeſſions, may be ſaid to be exceſſive. Queſt. We come now to the ſecond Queſtion, which is this, Why ſhould Chriſtians be ſo carefull, that they do not place an immoderate affection upon their wealth and poſſeſſions in the world?
Anſw. I anſwer, (firſt) becauſe of the uncertainty and inſtability of all earthly comforts, all the glory of the world is called but a faſhion, they are things only in ſhew and appearance, not in reality; the world is not only a bundle of vanities, and ſo not worth any thing; but theſe are alſo liable to a great deal of uncertainty, & inconſtancy, & therefore we ſhould not ſet our affections too much upon them; either the world will leave you, or elſe you muſt leave it. Prov. 23.5.It may be your Eſtate will die and decay before you die; for riches (as Solomon ſaies) take unto them wings, and fly away from you., which he uſeth as an Argument to take off mens affections from the world. Beloved, could you carry your wealth with you, when you go hence, and keep it to eternity, then indeed your earneſt and unwearied endeavours after it were excuſable; but ſeeing you muſt leave all behind you when you die, naked came you into the world, and naked ſhall you return, you ſhall carry nothing with you, therefore do not ſet your hearts too much upon them. In Pſal. 49.12. ſaies the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 39. Pſal. 49.10Man being in honour abideth not men heap up riches; but know not who ſhall enjoy them. In Eccleſ. 2.18. He leaves it unto the man that ſhall be after him.
Reaſon 2 2. Another reaſon is, becauſe you know not what they ſhall be that ſhall enjoy what you labour for; you may take a great deal of pains in gathering and heaping up wealth, and yet leave it to them that will neither love you, nor thank you for it. Now ſhall I toil and moil in the world, and hazard my ſoul to get riches, when I may leave my Eſtate to I know not whom, that it may be, will neither love me, nor thank me for it, nor yet honeſtly or charitably imploy it. Eccleſ. 2.19. I hated all the labour that I had taken under the Sun, becauſe I ſhould leave it to the man that ſhall be after me, and who knoweth whether he ſhall be a wiſe man or a fool. Shall I riſe up early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulneſs, and take ſo much pains to get an Eſtate, when I do not know whether a wiſe man or a fool may enjoy it: You that are ſuch covetous muck-worms, as ſpend all your ſtrength and time in getting riches, and heaping up wealth carkingly and eagerly; yet thou doſt not know whether he that ſhall rule over all thy labour, ſhall be a wiſe man or a fool, a good man or a bad, a friend or a ſtranger, whether he ſhall imploy it well or ill.
3 Do not place your affections exceſſively upon the world, becauſe you have better things pertaining to another world, that you ſhould place your affections upon, you have true laſting and durable riches to rejoyce in, as reconciliation with God, cōmunion with Chriſt, the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, juſtification of your perſons, ſanctification of your natures, acceptation of your ſervices, &c. you have all theſe to rejoyce in, and therefore why will you be ſo much in love with Pebbles, when you may have Pearls in the room of them; with Counters of Braſſe, when you may have peeces of Gold.
4. Another reaſon is this, becauſe if you do place your affections too immoderately upon the things of the world, when you come to part with them, and it pleaſeth God to take them away from you, the loſſe of them will be the more grievous, and vexatious to you. When the Lord comes to lay you upon the D…ghill (like Job) and ſtrips you of all your comforts, riches, poſſeſſions, Children, and friends in one day; how bitter and grievous will this be to you? If your hearts be cemented and glewed to the world, and the things thereof ſit as cloſe to you, as the skin upon your fleſh, you will not part with them but with a great deal of trouble and difficulty; but if you live with weaned affections to the world, and the comforts of this life are but as the Gloves to your hands, which you may eaſily pull off without any pain; Then when God calls for any of your comforts, or ſtrips you of all of them, you will be willing to part with them, and ſay with Job, the Lord gave, and the Lord takes, bleſſed be his name for all. Job, 1.21.Otherwiſe it will be a great miſery and a ſad affliction to thee, to be ſtript of thoſe poſſeſſions that have taken full poſſeſſion of thy heart.
And thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of this part of the Text, and they that buy as if they poſſeſſed not.
Uſe. We come now to the application; and the uſe that I ſhall make of this, ſhall be directed to three ſorts of people.
Is it ſo that Chriſtians ought to take heed, that they do not place immoderate affections upon the riches and poſſeſſions they get in the world? then I have ſomething to ſay
Firſt, to thoſe that do buy and ſell, and trade in the world, and take a great deal of pains, and yet God doth not bleſs their endeavours with any increaſe; they buy, but poſſeſs nothing, they labour and toil in the world, but get nothing.
2. To thoſe that buy and ſell, and poſſeſs riches in the world, but do it by diſhoneſt gain.
3. To thoſe that buy and ſell, and get great Eſtates, and do it lawfully, and by honeſt and commendable courſes. I ſhall ſpend two Sermons in ſpeaking to theſe three ſorts of people, and ſhall now begin with the firſt.
1. To you that buy and ſell, and are induſtrious in your Callings in the world, and yet God doth not bleſſe you with any increaſe; you buy, but poſſeſs nothing, and can hardly bring the year about with all your pains, and labour and ſweat, and toyl in the world, you cannot advance your Eſtate, nor get any thing at the years end: Advice to ſuch as take pains in the world, and yet are ſcarce able to get a ſubſiſtance.to ſuch as you are I have two things to ſay.
Firſt, ſomething by way of Counſel.
Secondly, ſomething by way of comfort.
1. By way of Counſel, I would have you firſt to look about you, and ſeriouſly to conſider, whether your povertie be not of your own procuring, whether it be not your own fault, that you do not grow rich and thrive in the world. Beloved, there are many wayes wherein men may follow a Calling, and yet not get riches. As
1. Doth not your poverty proceed from your own indiſcretion in managing your Calling. In Pſal. 112.5. A wiſe man will guide his affairs with diſcretion: ſo in Ezek. 28:4. with thy wiſdom and with thy underſtanding thou haſt gotten thee riches, there is a great deal of wiſdom and judgement required in the managing a Trade, which it may be thou wanteſt, and ſo by thy indiſcretion in buying and ſelling, and truſting out thy COmmodities, thou keepeſt thy ſelf behind hand in the world.
2. It may be though you follow your Calling, yet you are idle and ſloathfull, do not follow your Trade cloſely. Now ſaies Solomon, Prov. 6.9. To a ſloathfull man poverty comes as one that travelleth, and want as an armed man.
3. It may be you are a Company-keeper, and what you get by your Trade you ſpend in the Ale-houſe, what you get one way you ſpend another. Prov. 28.19. He that followeth after vain perſons ſhall have poverty enough. It may be you ſpend your Eſtate in riot and exceſs, Prov. 23.21. The drunkard and the glutton ſhall come to poverty, and drowſineſs ſhall cloath a man with rags.
4. It may be thou doſt follow a Calling, and get a great deal of money, and yet ar… a niggard, and a cloſe Fiſted man, that wilt not pitty and relieve the neceſſities of the poor, and this is the way to make thee a begger. In Prov. 11.24. ſaies Solomon, There is that ſcattereth, and yet increaſeth, that man that gives when no eye ſees him, or ear hears him, he that diſtributes to the poor ſhall increaſe his ſtore; but (ſaies he) there is that withholdeth, (that is, withholdeth from the poor) and that tends to poverty, when God ſees that thou doeſt improve thy talent, and imploy what thou haſt to his glory, he will give thee more; but if not, he will take away what thou haſt, and give it to others that ſhall make better uſe of it.
2. You that buy and ſell and yet get nothing, take this advice; do not grudge at, nor envie the wealth and proſperity that other men have and enjoy in the world, Pſal. 37.7. ſaies David, Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of him that proſpereth in his way. David himſelf ſlipt into this fault almoſt, Pſal. 73.2.3. and Jeremy reaſons with God about it, Jerem. 12.1. The riches and poſſeſſions of wicked men it is their portion, and all they are like to have, and therefore do not envie them, but rather pitty them, becauſe their riches will be their ruine, and they are but like unto Oxen fatted for the ſlaughter. Will it grieve thee that thou goeſt on foot, when another rides to the place of execution?
3. You that can get nothing here below, do you labour to lay up a treaſure in Heaven: if you cannot get riches here, labour to get grace here. If you cannot get gold, yet buy the Gold that Chriſt ſpeaks of in Rev. 3.18. I counſel thee, ſaies he, to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou maiſt be rich. If you cannot get goods, get grace; if you cannot get wealth, get Chriſt; if you cannot get earth, get Heaven.
And thus much by way of counſel to you that buy and ſell and get nothing: but now I have a word or two by way of comfort to you.
1. Reſt contentedly ſatisfied with thy condition; and know, that if God denies thee poſſeſſions and increaſe by thy trading in the world, he ſees it is for thy good. In Pſal. 84.11. The Lord will give grace and glory, & no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Eccleſ. 5.13.Now it may be the Lord ſees that if he ſhould give thee wealth and great poſſeſſions in the world, it would be for thy hurt, thy riches would be thy ruine, and thy wealth thy woe, and thy proſperitie a ſnare to thee; and therefore he keeps it from thee in a great deal of mercy. We ſhould look upon all the comforts that God keeps from us as ſo many mercies, becauſe God keeps that from us that would ruine us.
2. God in his diſpenſations of outward bleſſings in the world, doth in his wiſdom think it beſt to let good men have the leaſt ſhare in theſe worldly poſſeſſions, and wicked men to have the greateſt. In Pſal. 73.3. The wicked are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued as other men; but their eyes ſtand out with fatneſs, and they have more then heart can wiſh; they ſpend their dayes in jollity and mirth. But now on the other ſide, James 2.5.God hath choſen the poor of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of a Kingdom: the wiſdom of God is very much diſcovered in thus diſpenſing his bleſſings, God doth herein like to a Noble-man, that will not ſuffer his Son to go from houſe to houſe, to gather in his yearly Rents; but imployes his Servant in ſo mean a work, and many times the Servant hath mony enough when the Son hath none. In Eccleſ. 9.11. I returned, and ſaw under the Sun, that the race is not to the ſwift, nor the battle to the ſtrong, neither yet bread to the wiſe, nor yet riches to men of underſtanding. Wicked men ſhall have riches, when men of wiſdom and underſtanding ſhall have none; God in his wiſdom ſees it meet, that wiſe men ſhall ſcarce have bread to eat, when fools have abundance, that men of underſtanding ſhall want, when wicked men have more then their hearts can wiſh. Now will you murmur and complain when God ſees it meet to be thus?
3. Conſider for thy comfort, that God gives thee better riches then they have, and though he give wicked men the poſſeſſion of theſe outward comforts, yet you have the true right and title to theſe poſſeſſions: now who would be ſo fooliſh, as to count the Steward happier then the Heire? the Steward only hath it in poſſeſſion; but the Heir in propriety. And conſider, that if thou art one that belongs to the election of grace, though thou be never ſo poor here, yet thou haſt the only true and durable riches; Rev. 2.9.thou art inriched with thoſe treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, and grace and happineſs that are at Gods right hand. And though God doth not truſt thee with Pebbles, yet if he gives thee Pearls, thou haſt no reaſon to complain: though God doth not truſt thee with riches, yet if he gives thee grace and Chriſt, and heaven and glory, thou haſt no reaſon to murmur againſt him. Acorns are good enough for Hogs, but bread is for the Children.
4. Conſider, that the poorer you are in the world, the fitter you are for Gods ſervice. The lean Oxe is fitter for ſervice then the fatted Oxe: what if God keeps thee low and poor, ſeeing it is to make thee more capable of doing him ſervice, why ſhould you be troubled?
5. Conſider, that thou art free from the more cares and incumbrances, by how much the leſſe the Lord gives thee here in this world; for they that will be rich fall into divers ſnares and temptations, 1 Tim. 6.9. Now which is beſt, either to go in a broad way where there is a ſnare laid for thee, or to go in a narrow way where you may go with ſafety, and without danger. And therefore (beloved) if God give you but a ſmall portion here below, why then ſay, I have the leſſe cares and troubles, and ſnares and incumbrances that rich men are liable and expoſed to. In Gen. 13.2. tis ſaid, Abraham was rich, the word in the Hebrew is heavy; and ſo thoſe that are encompaſſed with riches, the Prophet Halbakuk expreſſeth it by a compaſſing about with thick Clay; they are ſo loaden with worldly enjoyments, that they cannot run the race that is ſet before them in the way to Heaven.
6. Conſider, that it may be thou haſt more peace and comfort, and contentedneſs in the little thou poſſeſſeſt, then many times wicked men have in their great abundance, you have many times more reall comfort in your ſcarcity and penury, then the wicked have in all their plenty. Pſal. 37.16. A little that the righteous man hath is better then the riches of many a wicked man. Prov. 15.6.Beloved, thoſe to whom God gives abundance, they have every thing neat and neceſſary about them, yet they may have ſomething or other that pinches and troubles them; the condition of poverty, want and diſgrace, may be more eaſie in ſome reſpects. A Sattin Suit may more gall a rich man, then a Ruſſet Coat that a poor man weares does trouble him. God doth many times mingle care and trouble with the riches and abundance that wicked men have; but now a poor man, though he has but a little, yet he hath the bleſſing of God with it, Prov. 10.22. The bleſſing of God maketh rich, and he adds no ſorrow with it, Eccleſ. 4.6. Better is a bandfull with quietneſs, then both the hands full with travel and vexation of ſpirit: A little Eſtate with peace and contentedneſs is better then twice as much with ſorrow and care. Suppoſe thou art a poor man, yet it may be thou haſt more comfort in what thou haſt, then the rich have in their affluence and confluence of all worldly things. Now conſider with your ſelves, is it not better for thee to wear a Ruſſet Coat, and have a ſound and healthy body, then to be cloathed in Sattin and Purple, and have a Leproſie all over thy body? Is it not better for thee to enjoy a little with the bleſſing of God upon it, then to have all the riches and abundance of the wicked, and to have their care and trouble with it?