The Combat Between the Flesh and Spirit, Sermon 11
SERM. XI.
1 Cor. 7.30.
—And they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not.
I Come now to direct the uſe of this Doctrine, (that Chriſtians ought to take heed that they do not place an inordinate and exceſsive affection upon the Eſtates that they have gotten by buying and ſelling in the world) to the ſecond ſort of people I promiſed to ſpeak to, and thoſe are ſuch as do buy and ſell in the world, and have gotten them Eſtates and poſſeſsions, and that honeſtly and juſtly. I have three things to ſay to you.
1. I ſhall give you ſome cautelary directions.
2. Some aſtoniſhing conſiderations.
3. Some uſefull admonitions in reference to your Eſtates, juſtly and honeſtly gotten.
1. I ſhall begin with the cautelary directions.
1. You that have gotten wealth and riches in the world, Severall cautelary directions to thoſe that have got great Eſtates in the world, juſtly.I would have you often recollect and call to mind your former poverty in the world, before you were rich: this the Lord commanded the Iſraelites to do, Deut. 8.2. ſaies God there to them, when you ſhall live and multiply, and go in and poſſeſs the Land, which I promiſed to your Fathers, then thou ſhalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee theſe forty years in the wilderneſs, to humble thee, and to prove thee, and to keep thee from pride and haughtineſs of ſpirit. I remember what Plutark relates of Agathocles, that when he was advanſed from a Potters Son to be a Prince, he would alwayes have his meat ſerved up to him in earthen Platters, to humble him in the remembrance of his mean extraction, and to put him in mind from whence he came, that he might not be lifted up with pride. And ſo beloved, you ſhould often call to mind, and reflect upon your former poverty and low condition: it may be ſome of you, when you came to this City, had ſcarce Cloaths to your backs, which now are clad in Silk and Sattin, you ſhould remember from whence you came. Thus David did in Pſal. 78.71. He choſe David alſo his Servant, and took him from the ſheep Folds, from following the Ews great with young, be brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Iſrael his inheritance. This is here mentioned by the Pſalmiſt, as a holy meditation to keep his heart humble, this is the firſt direction.
Direct. 2 2. Attribute nothing to your own induſtry and diligence in your Calling; but to the bleſsing of God upon your endeavours, if he hath given thee an increaſe of riches by thy Trade; and the reaſon of it is this; becauſe though a man doth riſe up early, and go to bed late, and take never ſo much pains in the world, yet without the bleſsing of God, Pſa. 127.2.all will do no good, Deut. 8.17.18. Thou ſhalt not ſay in thy heart, my power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth; but thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. Beloved, you muſt take heed of aſcribing your riches to your own induſtry; for without the bleſsing of God nothing can proſper, Hab. 1.16take heed of ſacrificing to your own nets, and burning incenſe to your own draggs, becauſe you have gotten wealth in the world.
3. Be not proud of thoſe riches that God hath given thee. In 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them, ſaies the Apoſtle, that are rich in the world, that they be not high minded, Vermis divitia um ſuperbia eſt. Auguſt. Ardua res haec eſt opi…us non …adere mores. Et cum tot … oeſos viceris eſſe N…mam. Martial.the worm of pride does often breed in rich mens hearts, it is a hard matter to keep your heart low and humble when your Eſtate is high, and to keep pride down, when God hath lifted thee up above thy Brethren, Ezek. 28.4.5. By thy great wiſdom, and by thy traffick thou haſt increaſed thy riches, and thy heart is lifted up. As God doth lift you up in wealth, take heed that your heart be not lifted up with pride.
4. Truſt not in your poſſeſſions and riches, as if they were able to protect you from dangers, and deliver you from troubles, &c. The rich mans wealth, ſaies Solomon, is his ſtrong Tower, and as an high wall in his conceit, Mat. 10.24. How hard is it for them that truſt in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God? Prov 10.15Juvenal could ſay, Quantum quiſque ſua nummorum ſervat in Arca, tantum habet & fidei, your ſilver and gold cannot ſhelter you from the wrath of God.
5. You that have gotten great Eſtates and poſſeſſions, look not on your ſelves as owners, but as Stewards of the manifold bleſſings of God, and of the great abundance that he affords you. Beloved, God is the owner of all that you poſſeſs; the Cattle upon a thouſand hills are his. He is the right Owner, you are but the Stewards of your abundance; and therefore if God hath bleſſed thee with abundance of riches in the world, that thou art worth ſo many hundreds by the year, conſider, that you are no Owner, but a Steward of the bleſſings of God, they are left thee but for a ſeaſon of years, and therefore do not abuſe them to exceſs and wantonneſſe; but improve them to the giver and owner of them, Luke 16.11.12. If you be not faithfull in the unrighteous Mammon, who will commit to your truſt the true riches, and if you be not faithfull in that which is another mans, who ſhall give you that which is your own: ſo verſe 9. make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs.
6. If God hath bleſſed you with a great Eſtate, you may poſſeſs it; but let not your wealth poſſeſs you. If riches increaſe, you muſt not ſet your hearts upon them, your eye, or hand or tongue may be upon them; but you muſt not ſet your heart upon them. Let your money come no nearer your heart, then your hands. A Heathen could ſay, R…bus non me trado ſed comm… d…. Seneca.that though he did lend himſelf, yet he would not give himſelf to his wealth. Poſſeſſions in the world, are like a roſe in a mans hand, if you uſe it gently, it will preſerve its ſavour and ſent, and colour a great while; but if you cruſh it and handle it roughly, it will quickly loſe its colour and ſweetneſs: ſo if you uſe and imploy your wealth well, you will poſſeſſe it the longer; but if you ſet your hearts too much upon it, you will quickly loſe it. And thus I have done with theſe cautelary directions, I ſhall now lay before you ſome aſtoniſhing conſiderations.
1. You that have gotten great Eſtates in the world, Severall aſtoniſhing conſideraon; to thoſe that are rich in the world.though never ſo honeſtly, conſider, that God in the diſpenſations of his grace, diſtributes moſt commonly the bleſsings of eeternall life, rather among the poorer and meaner ſort of people, then amongſt the rich, and men of great poſſeſsions. In 1 Cor. 1.26.27. You ſee your Calling Brethren, ſaies the Apoſtle, how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, (he doth not ſay, not any, but not many) great good men like Starres of the firſt magnitude, are thinly ſcattered in the firmament of a Stae; but GOd hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe, and God hath choſen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty; & baſe things of the world, and things that are deſpiſed hath God choſen: ſo in James 2.5. God hath choſen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and Heirs of a Kingdom. It is very obſervable, that among the ſeven Churches of Aſia, the beſt Church was the pooreſt, and the worſt among them was the richeſt,: the Church of Laodicea was the worſt of all the Churches; Rev. 3.17.for ſhe was luke-warm, neither cold nor hot. And yet the Text ſaies, ſhe was rich, and increaſed in goods, and needed nothing; and the Church of Smyrna, that was one of the beſt Churches, Rev. 2.9. yet ſaies Chriſt of her, I know thy poverty, but thou art rich, though they were outwardly poor, yet they were inwardly rich. God doth ordinarily beſtow his grace upon the poor, more then upon the rich; and therefore this may be an aſtoniſhing conſideration to you. As heretofore God did chuſe mean and ſilly Creatures to be for ſacrifices, he did not chuſe the Lion and the Eagle, the Lion being the King of Beaſts, & the Eagle the King of Birds; but the Lord choſe the Lamb & the Dove, poor ſilly mean & harmleſs Creatures, not ſo noble, nor ſo well accounted of as the Lion and Eagle. So in his elections to grace & glory, hechoſe the Lamb and the Dove, that is, the poorer and meaner ſort of people, rather then men of great riches and poſſeſsions in the world.
2. Conſider, that in the firſt and primitive preaching, and planting of the Goſpel: it was a rare thing for a rich man to embrace Chriſt, and be a follower of him, Mat. 11.6. The poor receiue the Goſpel: theſe were the men that imbraced Chriſt. So in John 7.48. When the Officers and Souldiers that came to apprehend Chriſt, heard him ſpeak, they were convinced, and ſaid, never man ſpake as he ſpake; but ſaies the chief Prieſts to them, are ye alſo deceived? have any of the Rulers or Phariſees believed on him? It is worth your noting in Mat. 27.57. it is ſaid there, that Joſeph, a rich man of Arimathea, he himſelf alſo was one of them that did follow Chriſt. It is ſpoken as a matter of wonder, that Joſeph that was a rich man ſhould follow Chriſt, Mark ſaith, that he went boldly to Pilate, Mark 15.43. but John ſaith, he was Chriſts Diſciple ſecretly for fear of the Jews. The poor and meaner ſort of people, the poor Fiſhermen did moſt of all receive the Goſpel.
3. Conſider, that where one man is made better by his abundance and riches in the world, there are multitudes made worſe by them. And therefore let this conſideration ſtartle you, Eccleſ. 5.13. ſaies Solomon, There is a ſore evill that I have ſeen under the Sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Beloved, where riches makes one man better, it makes a thouſand worſe.
I remember I have read of Pius Quintus, who relates of himſelf, that when he was a man of a mean and low condition in the world, then he had a very good hope of his ſalvation; but afterwards being advanced to be a Cardinall, then he began very much to doubt and queſtion it; but after that, being again promoted higher, and made Pope, then he began quite to deſpair of it. His riches and preferment in the world making him grow worſe and worſe.
May not ſome of you too truly complain when I was poor and in a low condition, then I did continually remember to pray in my Family, to read and hear the word of God, and frequent the Ordinances of God; but now I am grown rich, my Family goes without prayer, and my worldly occaſions interrupts and takes me off from the worſhip and ſervice of God, from reading, hearing and praying, both in publick, and privately in my Family, I am now a great deal worſe, then when I was poor, and I have evilly requited the Lord for all his mercies. Mens honours change their manners, whiles they increaſe in wealth, they decreaſe in grace. The people of God are uſually better in a ſtate of affliction then proſperity. And thus you ſhall find, that David was a great deal better, when he was hunted by Saul, like a Patridge upon the Mountains, then when he ſate upon the Throne. Therefore 'tis ſaid, 2 Chron. 17.3. that Jehoſaphat walked in the firſt wayes of David his Father; it ſeems his laſt wayes were not ſo good: many men in their laſt dayes, when they come to be aged and wealthy, they are then even poſſeſſed with their riches, and they are in their hearts (it may be) when they are not in their hands: and therefore conſider ſeriouſly with your ſelves, whether your firſt dayes in the world were not your beſt dayes, and now your laſt and richeſt dayes, your worſt dayes. It is obſerved of the Children of Iſrael, that they were better under bondage in Egypt, then they were in the Land of Canaan, where they had all things needfull; for then they waxed proud and forgot the Lord: therefore Moſes gives them ſuch a caution, Deut. 8. from verſe 7. to 15.
4. Conſider this beloved, that your wealth and poſſeſſions in the world, though they may be lawfull and honeſtly gotten: yet they lay you under a greater difficulty of coming to Heaven, then other men; in Mat. 19.23.24. when Chriſt told the young man, that if he would be perfect, he muſt go ſell all that he had, and give to the poor, he went away ſorrowfull, for he had great poſſeſſions. Then ſaid Jeſus to his diſciples, how hardly ſhall a rich man enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And again, I ſay unto you, it is eaſier for a Cammel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Upon how hard tearms can a rich man hope to go to Heaven? ſome are of opinion, that the word here tranſlated Camel, properly ſignifies a Cable Rope, and Mr. Perkins is of that judgement too; and ſaies he, though a Cable Rope cannot go through a needles eye, as it is, yet if you untwiſt it, there is a poſſibility of getting it through. So if men do untwiſt themſelves from the world, and live with weaned affections from their wealth and poſſeſſions, this is the way for them to come to heaven. Heaven is compared to a ſtately palace, with a narrow Gate, the expreſsion ſhews a great deal of difficulty for rich men to go to Heaven. Mark and Luke ſet it forth with a patheticall emphaſis, oh how hard, &c. but ſaies Chriſt, That which is impoſſible with man, is poſſible with God. The riches of the world are perplexing and alluring vanities, and laies you under the greater difficulty of coming to Heaven, and it is a hundred to one, but they do enſnare and entangle you.
5. Conſider, that you to whom God hath given great poſſeſsions in the world, are expoſed to more diſtracting and diſtorting and diſquietting cares, then poor men are; for they have no cauſe to complain of their poverty, if they have but food and rayment, becauſe they are free from thoſe cares and troubles that are incident to rich men; who would deſire ſilken Stockins, if he muſt have gouty Leggs under them? and indeed the Gout is a diſeaſe that ordinarily follows rich men? or deſire a Sattin Doublet, or a purple Robe, to have a leprous and infirm body under them? ſo it is better for you to be poor as you are, then to have riches, and ſo many troubles, and croſſes and afflictions, with them. In 1 Tim. 6.9,10. ſaies the Apoſtle there, they that will be rich fall into temptations and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtfull luſts, which drown men in perdition and deſtruction; for the love of money is the root of all evill, which while ſome have coveted after, they have pierced themſelves through with many ſorrows, Eccleſ. 5.12. The reſt of a labouring man is ſweet, but the abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep. So in Eccleſ. 2.26. God giveth to the ſinner travell, both in gathering and heaping up of riches, he meets with a great deal of ſorrow and trouble which a poor man is without: therefore riches are compared to thorns, you can hardly graſpe them with your hand, but they will pierce & wound you. A rich man hath three vultures continually feeding on his heart, great care in getting, fear in keeping, grief in parting, and this hinders his quiet. It is obſervable, that the ſame word in the Hebrew that ſignifies Merchandize, ſignifies trouble, to note unto us, that thoſe that do entangle themſelves in the affairs of the world, will meet with a great deal of trouble, and anguiſh, and vexation with it.
6. Conſider, that many times your wealth and riches doth ſtifle and interrupt the ſucceſs and power, and benefit of the word of God upon your ſouls. In Mat. 13.22. it is ſpoken of the thorny ground, that the deceitfulneſs of riches choaked the word, and made it altogether unfruitfull. Can a crop of Corn grow in a hedge of thorns? no more can the word thrive in a heart filled with worldly cares.
Beloved, it may be theſe awakening conſiderations that I have laid before you concerning riches, may make ſome of you go home with a reſolution, never to be rich, or endeavour after a great Eſtate in the world; but do not miſtake me, and conclude from hence that it is a ſin to be rich, it is a danger to be rich, but not a ſin, it is a ſnare and temptation, and therefore you ſhould take care, both how you get, and how you uſe and imploy your riches.
2. Becauſe there is a danger in wealth, do not therefore caſt away your wealth, and ſpend it idly and waſtfully, and throw away the bleſſings of God from you. As 'tis reported of Crates the Thebane, Directions how to procure Gods bleſſing upon our Eſtate, thereby to preſerve and increaſe them.who ſaid of his wealth, Ego perdam te ne tu perdas me. Ile deſtroy thee, leaſt thou ſhouldſt deſtroy me. And this brings me to the 3d particular I promiſed to handle, namely, to give you ſome uſefull directions and admonitions how you may do to have Gods bleſſing upon your Eſtates, and thereby have them both preſerved and increaſed. And
1. Seaſon thy poſſeſſions with grace, get grace to be mingled with thy goods, and get the true riches to be mingled with thy worldly wealth; and this is the way to preſerve and improve them. In Pſal. 112.1.3. ſaies the Pſalmiſt, Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Commandements, his ſeed ſhall be mighty upon the earth, wealth and riches ſhall be in his houſe. When God bid Solomon aske what he would of him, 2 Chron. 1.12. he did not aske riches, but wiſdom and knowledge, and an underſtanding heart, and ſaies God to him, becauſe this was in thy heart, and thou haſt not asked riches, wealth, or honour, therefore ſaies God, wiſdom and knowledge is granted to thee, and thou ſhalt have riches and wealth, and honours likewiſe, ſuch as none of the Kings have had, that have been before thee, neither ſhall any after thee have the like. Beloved, you ſhould firſt ſeek the Kingdom of God, and his righteouſneſs, and then all other things ſhall be added to you. The way to keep and increaſe your riches, is to get grace into your hearts.
2. Imploy part of your increaſe to pious and Chriſtian uſes, to promote and advance Religion, and do it in your lifetime, Prov. 3.9.10. Honour the Lord with thy ſubſtance, and with the firſt fruits of all thine increaſe, (that is) give it to pious uſes, what then? ſo ſhall thy barnes be filled with plenty, and thy preſſes ſhall burſt out with new wine. In token of thankfulneſs to God for his bleſſing, improve part of them to his glory, for good and pious uſes.
3. Give up part of thy increaſe to charitable uſes, towards the relieving the neceſſities of the poor, Prov. 11.24. There is that ſcattereth, and yet increaſeth, and there is that withholdeth more then is meet; but it tendeth to poverty. A penurious withholding tends to poverty, God may blaſt an Eſtate that is well gotten if it be ill kept, works of mercy done prudently were never a hinderance, but rather a furtherance to mens outward Eſtates. As in other gifts the good uſage of them doth bring an augmentation: ſo in theſe 2 Cor. 9.10. the Apoſtle calls works of charity ſeed ſown. No field ſo fruitfull to ſowe in, as the poor Members of Chriſt, no ſeed better then mercy, no Crop of Corn ſo commodious as liberality will bring you. Yet Pſal. 112.5. give with diſcretion. The wiſe man is mercifull, but he orders his affairs with diſcretion. You ſhould be diſcreet in conſidering how much you ought to give according to your ability, and no more; and when, and to whom you muſt give, not hand over head, to tag and rag, to every begger that goes up and down the ſtreets, without any difference; but to thoſe poor men that follow a Calling, and if they be able, do take pains to live in the world, and ſuch as walk holily and religiouſly; if you do thus give, I will aſſure you, you ſhall never be the poorer man at the years end, or at leaſt at your lives end; but to be a penurious man, is the way to be a poor man.
As things ill gotten are ſoon loſt, ſo things ill kept will not long continue. If you would have Gods bleſſing upon your poſſeſsions, be of a tender and compaſsionate diſpoſition towards the poor. And do not only give to thoſe that come and beg of you, but do you go and find out the poor, Eſa. 32.8.and relieve them. The liberall, ſaies the Prophet Eſay, will deviſe how to give liberally: you ſhould ſeek out, where is the man that I may do moſt good to relieve and ſuccour? Throw your money upon the waters and after many days you ſhall find it again, 'tis a proverbiall ſpeech for fruitleſs charges, we uſe to ſay, I might as well have thrown my money down the River; Eccleſ. 11.12.ſo though it may ſeem that you had as good caſt your money into the water, yet you ſhall find, that God before the years end, will bring about an increaſe, and a good advantage for all that you have given away to the poor, for Chriſt ſake. And therefore be not reſerv'd and niggardly towards the poor, do not only give a morſell of bread at your door, that your Neighbour may ſee you, but give in ſecret when no body ſees you, and give to them that moſt need your charity, and this is the way for God, both to bleſſe and increaſe your riches.
4. And laſtly, you whom God hath bleſſed in your endeavours, and enlarged your poſſeſsions, follow your Calling conſcionably and diligently ſtill: as God hath bleſſed thee hitherto, ſo do not now uſe any indirect or falſe wayes to get more riches, but follow thy Calling honeſtly ſtll, for the Hand of the diligent ſaies Solomon, makes rich, and in all labour there is profit, but the talk of the lips tendeth onelyonly to penury.Prov. 10.4.14.23.
And thus I have done with theſe two branches: firſt I ſpake ſomething to thoſe that buy and ſell, and follow a Trade in the world, and yet can ſcarce bring the year about.
And now I have ſpoken ſomething to thoſe that buy and ſell, and have gotten great Eſtates and poſſeſsions in the world, and that juſtly and honeſtly.
And in the afternoon I ſhall ſpend an hour in ſpeaking to thoſe that have gotten poſſeſsions and riches in the world; but diſhoneſtly and fraudulently.