The Power of Godliness, Book 6 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Several practical Conclusions that may be drawn from this Petition, with directions to know a lawfull from an unlawfull desire.
Question: WHat Conclusions may be drawn from this Petition?
A. 1. God giveth and maintaineth to us all things belonging to this life. God giveth, God taketh, saith Job, His blessing maketh rich, saith Solomon. Job. 1.21. Prov. 10.22. Jam. 1.17. Ier. 27.5. Psal. 145.16. Ezek. 16.17. Hos. 2.8, 9. Psal. 104.27, 28, 29, 30. Act. 14.17. Neque potest non esse utilissimum atque optimum, quod ab optimo parente Deo nobis datur. Denido, quid potest esse tam difficile, quod non facile consequamur & obtimamus si Deus ipse obijciat postremo, quis non me…n Dei atque pudore percellatur, si qua bona ille tam plane offert; ea negligat, & frustra elabi patiatur. Mal. in Iosh. 1.1, 2. Dei nutu cuncta distribuuntur, conservantur & augentur. Psal. 65.9.Every good and perfect gift descendeth from him. Mine is all the earth, I gave it to whom I will. He openeth his hand, and filleth every living thing. Silver and gold, and wool and flax, and corne and wine and oyl are mine, saith the Lord. For as in a house the Master in the Family, keepeth (to the dogs) every creature in it; giveth one greater, another lesser wages: putteth some in honourable place, others in the scullery: so doth God the great Father of all the Family in Heaven and in Earth; neither can any deal us a fit state but he. For as the Physician only can prescribe the diet, so God he seeth where a full and liberall measure, where a more sparing is expedient. The Devil, he taketh upon him that all Kingdoms are his, he giveth them as he will; a loud lie; he cannot touch a hog till God sealeth him a Warrant: and as an executioner that killeth by poyson, serveth the Magistrate: so doth he serve God in giving a deadly sweet poysoned Cup to those God leaveth to his power. Again, though our good friends and our means help us with this or that, yet God is the first Donor; these are instruments conveyghing that which God of grace deviseth to us, and bestoweth upon us. He that sendeth a Present in the giver of it, not the man that putteth it into our hands; which doth teach us to be content with that we have,Mat. 20.15. and not to envy other mens plenty▪ We look our Children and Servants should take that of us which we give them, without murmuring, or discontented semblance, be it fine or course. How much more must we be willing to stand to Gods carving, and not dare to quetch against his disposition.
2. All things needfull to the maintenance and comfort of this life are to be asked of God. It is God that giveth them, and it is his will and pleasure that we should crave them at his hand.Psal. 102.24. Zech. 10.1. O my God, take me not away in the midst of my daies. Ask ye of the Lord rain, in the time of the latter rain. The necessity of man requireth that he should have supplies for this life, that he may have a right mind in a sound body; else he can neither enjoy himself, nor do good to his neighbour, nor do the service and works which the Lord requireth: He cannot profit man, nor serve his God Witness the condition of distracted and melancholik, of naturals, of deaf, and dumb persons. Also what can men diseased and in pain do, in comparison of what they may do when their minds are free, and bodyes strong and healthy. And God who knoweth that we stand in need of these things,1 Tim. 4.8. Psal. 34.9, 10. hath promised to give them as well as spiritual. Godliness hath the promise of this present life. God will withhold no good thing from them that fear his Name. But Prayer is the mean whereby we obtain what God hath graciously promised, and will mercifully bestow. God is the only Fountain from whom all good things do flow to us God himself speaketh of himself to Abraham, Act. 14.17. & 17.28. Gen. 17.1. Obad. vers. 5. Gen. 32.20. Deut. 8.5.I am God All-sufficient, or sufficiency it self, as the word Dai is taken elsewhere. Hereupon Jacob the Patriarch when he had tried the exceeding bountifulness of God All-sufficient toward himself: I am less then all thy mercies, and then all thy truth which thou hast shewed to thy servant. And that the Jews might be perswaded that God alone is the Well-spring of every good gift,Deut. 26.2, 3. therefore we read it was commanded unto them to bring of the first of all their fruits in a basket, and profess that they had received them of the bountifulness and mercy of the Lord. Moreover, all our labour and watchfulness are unprosperous: yea, and even his own gifts also, being good in themselves, are yet hurtfull to us, unless he pour his blessing upon them. For the earth being cursed for mans sake, Gen. 3.17.which the Lord both in Word pronounced, and in deed declareth, so often as he sendeth upon us scarcity, either by drouth, or by waters and hail, if at any time it yeeld Corne and other things necessary for life, there is no wise man but seeth that these things proceed not from mans travell, but from the special blessing of God. For here that principle hath place: Neither he that planteth is any thing neither he that watereth, 1 Cor. 3.7.but God that giveth increase. Besides, when the very strength of nourishing in Bread, is said to be of God,Psal. 105.…6. & 107.34. and the Lord is he, who sendeth famine, taketh away strength from such things as should nourish, maketh the earth fruitfull and barren: hereof it followeth that it is God by whose power and providence,1 Reg. 17.1. 2 Reg. 8.1. both the fruits come to ripeness, and serve men for their nourishment. The same is most true in matters belonging both to the Common-wealths and Families, whereupon saith the Psalmist:Psal. 127.1, 2. Except the Lord build the house, their labour is lost that build it. This point Christ proved to his Disciples by one experience, who when they had wearied themselves all night and caught nothing,Luk. 5.5. Joh. 21.6. being commanded in his name to cast forth the net, they inclosed such a multitude of Fishes, that their net brake withall: giving to understand by this Miracle, that all our labour dependeth of God, and that it is his only blessing that maketh men rich. All creatures in their kind teach us to c…ll upon God for the supply of our necessities.Psal. 104.27. & 145.15. The young Ravens report their wants unto God. All things trust in thee, O Lord, that thou shouldst give them meat in due season. It is the pleasure of God,Psal. 37 3, 4, 5. that we should trust in him for things corporal as well as spiritual: But invocation doth accompany sound confidence; if we trust in God, we cannot but seek unto him by Prayer. Again, God is glorified by our acknowledgment of his Divine providence, and our voluntary submission unto his good pleasure in outward blessings;Ioel 2.22. Hos. 2.8. He will be acknowledged the given of every good thing, and it angry that we should think we receive them from any other. Love and praise is due to God for his mercies towards us: But we cannot be thankfull for what we ask not. What love shall God have from us for what we have received, if we look not to him for what we want? The sweetness of earthly comforts is lost, when we cannot be assured of Gods favour in them, nor tast his special goodness, and discern his fatherly care. But the heart can never be certified of Gods love and mercy in the enjoyment of these common blessings, if it be not lifted up in Prayer unto his Majesty. Let every Christian then assure himself that he may lawfully desire and pray for the things of this life, only it must be considered of whom, by what means, for whom, for what time, in what right, and in what measure, or wherewith we would have our wants supplied. It will be said,Mat. 6 33. If we seek the Kingdom of God, all these things for this life shall be ministred unto us. And that our Saviour saith, Labour not for the meat that perisheth; Ioh. 6.27.The answer is easie, for it is not said, Seek only the Kingdom of God, but first, that is, seek it chiefly. And the promise of having all things for this life, doth not exclude the lawfull means to get them: but rather binds us with assured confidence to seek unto the Lord for them. Thou hast spoken unto thy servant concerning his house for a long time: therefore have I been bold to make this supplication before thee. Gods promise should embolden us to pray, but not lull us asleep in security. Also the Exhortation of Christ in the last place mentioned, is not absolute, but comparative, namely, that of the two, he would have them rather seek for that which is spiritual and everlasting, then for that which is corporal and perishing. Notwithstanding these places, or any thing else that can be objected; James said, the cause why men had not,Iam. 4.2. was because they did not ask. It was Asa his fault, not that he did seek to the Physicians for health, but because he sought only to the Physicians,1 Chro. 16.12. Psal. 119.71. Ier. 10.24. and not to the Lord. It may be objected, it is good to be afflicted. And Jeremy saith, Correct us, O Lord. But afflictions in themselves are evil; they are fruits of sinne, they also occasion men to sin. Therefore Agur prayeth,Prov. 30.8, 9. that he might not be poor, that is, so needy, as to be destitute of daily food and clothing, lest (saith he) I steal, and take the name of my God in van. Yet, it is most true which David saith. But afflictions are good by accident, through Gods gracious working of humiliation and repentance by them: of themselves they are not good. It is no good argument to say; Afflictions work for our good, therefore we may pray for them, or we must not pray against them. For the very sinnes of Gods Children, through the infinite wisdom and power of God, may, and oft do, work much for their good; yet in no case may be prayed for, but alwaies prayed against. The Prophet Jeremy doth not pray absolutely that he might be corrected, but as the case then stood betwixt God and his Church, sith God was forced to correct them, he desireth that the correction might be in judgment and moderation, as a fruit of his fatherly love, and not in extremity, as proceeding from his wrath and heavy displeasure. The very words do shew this sense: for he saith, Correct me, but in judgment; not in thine anger. He doth in this place only deprecate the greater evil of punishment, and willingly submitteth himself unto the less. Wherefore notwithstanding any thing that can be said against it, If any man be afflicted, Iam. 5.13.let him pray. For God himself saith, Call upon me in the day of trouble, Psal. 50.15.I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.
1 Chro. 29.14. 1 Cor. 10.26. Psal. 115.26. Gen. 32.10. Luk. 17.10. Illud certe ut mo, nisi impius negaver it, merae liberalitatis esse, quidquid Deus largitur mortalibus: ac proinde neminem unquam; nep robissimum quidem, jure expostulare posse, si quid corum quae ab ipso accepit, omittat. Mal. in Josh. 1. vers. 1, 2. Gen. 32.10. Job 36.31. Psal. 145.15. Psal. 104.27. Gen. 33.5.3. The least outward thing is the gift of Gods grace to us. All things come of thee, O God, and that of thy free goodness. The earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof. And though he made it for mans use, and hath given it to the children of men; yet hath he reserved the right in himself, to dispose of it to this or that person, both what he pleaseth, and as much or as little as seemeth good to him. And when he hath disposed of any parcell of his goods to any men, they hold them but as Stewards, to be accountable to him their Master; and are but Tenants, at the meer will and pleasure of him their Lord. The first grant of earthly things to man was of bounty, much more the Possessions of them since he hath forfeited his interest by sin and disobedience. It is the Lords mercy that we are not confounded; and if life it self, be given of mercy, then all things pertaining to the maintenance of life must spring from the same Fountain. We cannot deserve one bit of bread or sup of water. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant, saith Jacob. Nothing is more free then gift: but whatsoever we receive we ask it on gift, challenge it not as due. He giveth meat in abundance. Thou givest them their meat in due season. These are the Children which God hath graciously given me. Such therefore as will challenge Heaven by way of commutative Justice, because they have given a penny answerable to that penny-worth, were never taught by the Spirit of Christ. And considering that God of his grace is the giver of bread, and of all other good gifts for this life: this should move all men to get their names entred into his checkroule, and become servants to this great Master: and being admitted to be Members of his Family and Houshold of faith, this should cause them to approve themselves good servants, by doing their Lord and Masters will: then may they be assured they shall want nothing that is good. It is of this God and Father, of whom it is said in the Parable,Luk. 15.17. His servants have bread enough, and to spare. It is therefore good serving this Master, who will alwaies either give much, or cause the little which he giveth to be sufficient. Whosoever are good servants and children to such a Master, such a Father, how can they want? For as he hath wherewithall to give, so having commanded us to ask of him, he will give to us liberally, and never upbraid us with what he hath given. And when we have received any thing, we must accknowledg this as Gods gift with all thankfulness. If a friend give us our Board but a monethmonth or two, we think our selves much beholding to him. How much then are we beholding to God, at whose Table we live of free cost all our time?1 Reg. 6.27. Let us seek our maintenance of God, for if the Lord do not help (as the King of Israel could say when there was nothing to be had either out of the Barne-floor, or out of the Wine-press) we cannot have maintenance. Prayer is a special means to obtain good things with a blessing, which if they be received with thanksgiving,Deut. 8.18. 1 Chro. 29.14 they are good indeed. Let us not therefore forget the Lord our God, for it is he that giveth us power to get substance. What though we were born to the things we do possess, or they were given us, or we bought them, or did attain them by hard labour and industry? yet it must be acknowledged. that Gods gift of grace was in all these. For who made our Ancestours? Who gave them Lands or living to leave us? Who did put it into the hands and hearts of our friends to bestow any thing upon us? Did not the Lord? Whose money or goods was it, wherewith we bought any thing? Was it not Gods? And who gave us wit to invent, and strength to labour? Was it not that God,2 Cor. 9.10. who doth also teach our hands to warre, and our fingers to fight? All these things be of him to whom be praise and glory for ever, Amen. Let no man say in his heart, my power or might of my hand hath gotten this wealth: let not any ascribe praise for his maintenance unto friends, false gods, or any other means, but to the true God: lest he teach them to acknowledg that, by his taking away of their wealth,Hos. 29, 10. which they would not acknowledg by his bestowing it upon them. And as we must be thankfull for what we have received,Mat. 20.15. so we must look unto it, that we do not envy other mens plenty, because it is the gift of Gods free grace.
4. As outward blessings are given of grace,Mal. 3.10, 11, Psal 8.7, 8, 9. 1 Cor. 3 22. 1 Sam. 30.16, 17. so is the blessing and comfort of them. In Adam we have lost our right to all things, which in Christ the Heir of the world we only recover: But what we receive in Christ, that is given of favour. Again, we may easily an hundred waies be thrust from the possession of all things, before we come to use them; according to that Proverb,Dan. 5.5. 2 King. 7.17. Job 20.22, 23. Isa 3.1. Hag. 1.6. Prov. 10.22. Dan. 1.13, 14. Many things come between the cup and the lip. When men have all things needfull in their possession, yet another gift of Gods blessing must be added, else all they have will not avail them. All the rich fools plenty could not continue his life. Men may taste, and eat, and put on clothes, and yet be neither warm nor satisfied. While the daintiest meat is in the mouthes of men, it may be their bane, and not their nourishment; as it fared with the Children of Israel, who while the meat was between their teeth, ere it was chewed,Psal. 78.30, 31. Mar. 6.41. & 14.22. Luk. 24.30. Act. 27.35. the wrath of the Lord smote them with a very great Plague. Therefore it was the manner of our Saviour Christ, alwaies before he did eat, to bless it, asking his Fathers leave to use it, with a blessing upon it. So did the Apostle, He took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. Gods own Children must be remembred, that they trust not in earthly meanes. Many of them are took like Asa; who if they have outward helps, they seek to them and not to God, who must give them with a blessing, or they cannot profit those that have them.2 Chro. 16.12. But let Gods hand upon his servant Asa be a warning to all that fear God. His disease was but in his feet, yet because he sought not to the Lord, but to the Physicians, it was his death.
5. Our faith and invocation must be daily renewed towards God for his care on us in this life. Whatsoever we have, our faith must be no less on him, then if we were stripped naked of every thing; yea, our mouthes must be no less open wide to him. David though a King, saith, The Lord is my portion, and the sustainer of my Lot. Had we done much for one, if he when he felt himself warm should not respect us, but look at his own strength, would we not count it treachery? If a substantial man, who deserved credit alone, should be less trusted when he layeth down a substantial pawn, would it be well taken? This duty belongs to poor and rich. He that hath store and plenty under his roof, must beg his daily bread of God, as well as the naked and hungry that lie in the street. But what need we every day to do thus? Because all we have,Assidue petendus est panis, ut in haec consuetudine amandi & colendi Deum retineamur, nobisque omnino persuadeamus, id quod est, vitam ac salutem nostram ex Deo pendere God doth let us no longer leases of it then for the day. Again, this we have of anothers; we cannot use it though we have it without the owners leave; as the servants that keep things under us, we allow them not without our leaves to do their pleasure with them. Besides, God can keep us from touching them, or finding any comfort in them, (though we use them) or feeling his sweet grace, as who is the giver of them. Wherefore let us take heed of the sensual confidence in the creature, and fly up in spirit to him that giveth and maintaineth with us all things; as the Sunne which both bringeth and continueth the light with us, Let us not set down our rest upon things present, and sing with the glutton, Take thy rest soul; or with the Priest, This is my rest: but by benefit of the things we have, let us, as by wings, fly up higher into belief on our Creatour. God greatly delighteth in this, and often to hear us, doth keep us Tennants at will, as it were, from hand to mouth often, that we might wait on him. Aegypt had Nilus to water it, but the Land of the Israelites, was to expect the first and the latter rain, when God should as a Gardiner with his Spout-pot, so from the bottels of the Clouds pour upon them. Which may serve to put all men in mind of their wretched condition, as well rich as poor, whom, without exception, Christ accounteth of as beggars, and biddeth them ask of him their daily bread, without which they cannot continue, no not one moment.Psal. 55.17. Dan. 6.10. And if this Petition for bread must be made every day, then others also. For Gods Glory, Kingdom, and Will are opposed every day: and man hath need of forgiveness and new supply of grace every day. Omission breeds unfitness, difuse of Prayer doth so estrange the heart from God, that there followeth unwillingness and difficulty to set about this work of Prayer again any day.Pr. 1.2…. He that will pray but now and then in a good mood, may justly expect that God will never hear him. If we pray daily, then shall we hold a gracious familiarity with God our Father; Then will he hear us alwaies, and we shall ever have our requests granted, when it shall be best for us. It may rejoyce a Christian heart to consider, that he hath leave to come to God to preferre his suits to him every day, nay oft in a day. We are loth to put up Petitions to men too oft, lest they should grow weary of us, and we troublesome to them: but the Lord is best pleased with them that come oftnest to him, that crave most at the Throne of mercy. In Courts of requests amongst men, there are certain daies in which one mans suit is heard, at which time other mens suits must be put off to other daies of hearing. Every man cannot have his suit sped every day, no not every Term. But all Gods people may come to him by Christ Jesus, and have their requests heard and granted in the Court of Heaven every day; yea, seaven times, and if need be seventy times seven times in one day.
6. Christians must depend upon God for provision and maintenance every day. There be innumerable things, which if they be wanting to us, either we lose life, or lead it uncomfortably. Now this necessity of things being known, and the infirmity of nature, we must go unto our heavenly Father, and humbly crave of him all things that be needfull for us:Prov. 3.4. Lev. 26.6. Isa. 95.13, 14. Psal. 122.6, 7. Prov 3.23. & 8.…0. & 1.3…. Iob 5.19. who hath his ears open to the supplications and cries of his people. For whiles he doth exhort us to ask bread, in that he doth promise that he will give largely to them that pray. By teaching how we must ask, he doth exhort; by exhorting, he doth inforce; by enforcing, he doth promise; by promising he doth bring us into most certain hope of obtaining.
Ob. But no man can reckon up the particular things he needeth.
A. When we ask things necessary according to the will of God so farre as we know, God will grant unto us what he knoweth to be expedient, though it be not asked in particular. As God of his common bounty giveth to wicked men what they crave not: so of special love he will bestow upon his Children both what they beg and what they need, though by reason of their ignorance they do not desire it in particular. But if we obtain not our desires in things necessary for this life, we must examine our selves, whether some sin unrepented of do not hinder good things from us, or we have not hurt our selves by sloth and lack of providence: and upon serious humiliation we must conclude, that what God doth deny to give, is not good and profitable for us, who hath more care of our salvation, then we of our own.
7. As Christians must pray, so must they labour by just and honest means to procure the welfare of their natural life. Some things must be desired, so as we fit and prepare our selves for them, but must not labour after them: but the maintenance of this life is of the number of those things that cannot be prayed for, unless they be laboured after, as God hath appointed. Poverty and want is threatned to him that laboureth with a slack hand: plenty and abundance promised to the diligent. In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread. Prov. 22.29.The hand of the diligent maketh rich. Now faith believeth as God hath promised, and prayeth according to the Tenor of his Word.
8. We must crave of God a good mind, that we might wisely and justly use, things well and honestly gotten. God hath made us Stewards of his blessings to be disposed to the glory of his name, and comfort of our Brethren: which Office cannot be discharged without his grace and direction. The good things which we have gotten by our honest labour, through the favour of God, are not our own wholly,Prov. 3.27. our poor Brethren must share with us therein: But to know what portion is due unto them, and willingly to part with what the Lord hath given them, is a grace that none receive, but they to whom it is given, who do heartily beg it of the Lord. Earthly things soon creep into the affection, and steal the heart away from love, pity and compassion, if they be not kept out by hearty Prayer, and the heart framed to mercy by often and frequent communication with God. The use of wealth is a work of grace, no less difficult then the getting of it. It is as hard to possess the world without pride, coveteousness, forgetfulness of the poor, and security, as it is to live contentedly in the want of things, necessarily directing the heart unto God for seasonable supply. To think we need not ask of God the right use of earthly things, is to be grossly sottish of the state of our souls, and extreme mindless of that duty we owe to God.
9. It belongeth to every Christian to desire and procure the bodily welfare of his neighbour.Psal. 35.13. Jam. 5.14, 15, 16. The Law of charity doth binde a man to love his neighbour as himself; His necessity doth call for our help; and a mercifull care of our Brother is a sure proof that we are truly religious.Act. 12.5. Gen. 25.21. Jam. 5.17, 18. Isa. 58.7. Heb. 13.3. Heb. 13.16. Act. 10.4. Remember them that are in bonds, as if ye were bound with them: and them that suffer adversity, as if ye were in their case. Prayers joyned with Almsdeeds are excellent Sacrifices, well-pleasing unto God. Humanity and Christity both, do call for mercy at our hands; yea, spiritual self-love: for we do our selves good in relieving our Brethren. Is not the hand a gainer, when it hath made shoes for the feet? Is not the stomack benefited by cooking meat for the rest of the members of the body? We are members one of another. This doing of good to our Brethren,Prov. 19.17. Eccl. 11.1. 2 Cor. 9.6. is but lending to the Lord, and he will repay with advantage. The poor are the Lords fertile soyl, which through his blessing shall yeeld plentifull increase to them by whom they are dressed. To relieve our needy Brethren, is to make bags which will hold, and to lay up Treasure in Heaven, Luk. 12.33. 1 Tim. 6.19. Extra fortunam est quidquid donatur amicis … Quas dederis sola… semper habebis opes. Mart ep. l. 5. ep. 43. Mat. 6.34. Luk. 12.20.and to lay up in store for our selves a good foundation. Liberality is the best riches, the best good husbandry to gain riches: There is that soweth, and is more increased; but he that spareth more then need, shall surely come to poverty.
10. We must not trouble our selves with distrustfull cares for time to come. Take no thought for the morrow: for life it self is in the hand of God, and we have no assurance to live till the morrow. It is the good pleasure of God that his Children should live by faith, as well for the preservation of their bodies, as for the salvation of their souls. He hath undertaken to provide for them, and they must look to him for it every day. God liketh to see and hear his Children oft in his presence, and hath so ordered it, that their necessary occasions should bring them before him day by day. God looketh for new acknowledgment of his gifts every day: and willeth that they have cause thereof by new gifts from him every day. Distracting cares are very troublesome, accompanied with great vexation and fear: disturbing the quiet and peaceable frame of the soul, and taking away the sense and comfort of what we have for the present, and torturing the heart with fear of what shall never fall. Now it is the gracious pleasure of God to free us from this carking torment, that we might attend more comfortable imployment, and casting off the thought of earthly things which will disquiet, give our selves to the contemplation of heavenly things, which be full of comfort. And surely it is much for our profit and comfort, that God will have us to live at his finding, and he will be pleased to keep our maintenence in his custody. For we may be well assured, if we trust in him, we shall be well provided for. And seeing it is his will, we should ask our maintenance every day of him, we have good leave and good occasion to increase an holy acquaintance with God, by coming oft into his presence, and speaking oft unto him. Besides, if the Thief, or Vermin, or any casualty deprive us of those outward props of our life, we may go to him boldly for more: for if we depend on him according to his Commandement, he is by promise obliged to provide for us. He hath store and great plenty, and will furnish his Children with sweet, and good, and enough. It will not stand with his honour that his Children should want. No man under the Sunne can live more merrily, and more securely then Gods Children may do: for they need care for nothing but to please God. Though there are many things for which they must labour in their Calling, yet there is nothing for which they need to care. The Children of Israel might lie down and sleep securely in the Wilderness, when they had not one morsell of Bread against to morrow; for the morrow day brought with it Manna, Psal. 4.8.provision for the morrow: this was because God sustained them. But conscionable dependance upon God every day is no nurse to idleness, no enemy to providence for the time to come, which falleth within the reach of our daily course, no opposite to thriftiness and frugality. We are sent by the Ant to school, that we may learn in Summer to provide against Winter. He that sleepeth in Harvest is the sonne of confusion. God would not have us superstitious Capuchians, who think it an offence to have any thing unspent over night; nor prophane Companions that sing care away, and set Cock-on-hoop, whose money burnes in their Purses till it be consumed; nor yet foolish unprovident ones who buy their fewel when it freezeth; but care of time to come, which cometh from unbelief, and desire to be greater then that we should need to care, is that which the Word condemneth. Care must be for the present, but providence for time to come.
11. The maintenance whereupon a Christian may desire to live, must be his own by the gift of God, neither unjustly gotten, nor unlawfully possessed.Prov. 5.15. 2 Thes. 3.12. Drink waters out of thine own Cistern. The Appostle commandeth that men should eat their own bread. How can any man pray God to bless that unto him, which he hath gotten by fraud or injustice? How can he hope for good to come by any unjust or indirect dealing?
12. Every Child of God hath a true right to those temporal goods which he doth lawfully possess.Mat. 5.5. Heb. 1.2. 1 Cor. 3.22. Duplex jus: charitatis & proprietatis. Jus charitatis manet semper, sed non pro semper habent; enim jus utendo non pro omni tempore, sed pro tempore necessitatis. Act. 4.22. The meek have right of Inheritance unto to the Earth; For they are one with Christ, who is the Heir of all things: and what they possess is given them of God in love and mercy. But this right the godly man hath in his goods is limited not absolute; he must not dispose them at his own pleasure, but according to the appointment of God, the Lord of all things. Whosoever hath best right to any thing, hath a chief Lord over him, by whom he must be ordered in all his expences, to whom he must give an account in the day of reckoning.
13. All things are not necessarily common amongst Christians. Each man hath such a propriety in that which he lawfully holdeth, that without his leave or just cause, no man ought to meddle with it. In the very time when community of goods was most needfull, and when voluntarily the Saints made their goods common, even then, till a man had passed away his right by his own act, the propriety and right was still in himself. For thus saith Peter to Ananias, while it remained, was it not thine own? Act. 5.4.and when it was sold, was it not in thine own power. God hath set this order amongst men, that they knowing what they get shall be their own,Deut. 15.11. they may be encouraged to labour. Also that he might trie the liberality of the rich, and patience of the poor.
14. Our desire must be moderate touching things of this present life. Thus Agur prayeth, Lord let me not want, nor abound, feed me with food convenient for me. Jacob saith, Seeing thou givest me bread, and raiment, thou shalt be my God for ever; Paul, Having bread and raiment let us be content. Nature is content with small things,Luk. 12.13. and grace moderateth the desire of earthly things. A mans life doth not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Nay, it is dangerous to the life:Speciosa magis quam tranquilla imperij facies est. Valtur. de re mil. lib. 1. cap. 3 Minus in parvis fo…tuna furit. Praebet sonmos casa securos. Sen. Hyppol. act. 4. chor. Tuta sine t…lo est domus; Rebu…que parvis alta prastatur quies. Immane regnum est. posse sine regno pati. Sen. Thyest. act. 3. Miserere tu folicium. Mart. epig. lib. 1, 50. Eccl. 5.12. Isa. 5.12. Prov. 30.9. 1 Tim. 6.17. Psal. 123.4. Ezek. 33.32. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. for a Lamp with a little Oyl is maintained: with much extinguished; so is this light, this natural life which the soul causeth in the body. A mans prosperity is not in abundance; for the dinne and tumult which accompany the expences which follow upon it, are more irksome then that exceeding of one ones estate is contentfull. A moderate estate hath more ease and comfort, another more disturbance and ostentation. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. It is an old saying, that more perish by fulness then by famine. The way of the covetous is not most compendious to this life, much less to a better life. For out of superfluity doth grow disregard of God and his Works, yea, denyall of God, as he saith, lest I be full and deny thee. From thence doth grow confidence in riches, high-mindedness, and contempt of the poor. The heart thereby is stolen away, and wonne to the love of the world, so much, that, either it keepeth men that they come not at all to the means of salvation; or if they do come to the preaching of the Word, and sit with the people of God before the Minister, yet they do not profit; because their heart goeth after their covetousness; Or if while they hear, they begin to affect the Word, yet when they are gone, the cares of this world, and deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and they become unfruitfull. They that will be rich, saith the Apostle, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For if once men affect and love riches, it becometh a root of all evil, causing shipwrack of faith and a good conscience. Of all estates a moderate and middle estate for maintenance, is freest from surfetings of the body, and temptations of the mind. Contentment and grace have best entertainment among them that have not overmuch. But it is to be marked, that not the having, but the affecting of great things is sinfull. For what God casteth upon us walking within the compass of our waies, we are with thankfulness to embrace it. We are no where commanded to cast away riches,Nec abnuendum est, si dai imperium Deus. Sen. Thyest. act. 3. Psal. 62.11. Jam. 4 3. Rom. 13.14. but to look to the good use of them, that the heart be not carried away with vain confidence, and self-conceit. Wh…n thou art full, take heed lest thou forget the Lord. Let us therefore bridle our inordinate appetites which know not how to say enough. If we have but small things let us learn to be content, and desire no greater. For we must not desire earthly things as our goods, but as our necessaries; not as the only good, so as to rest in them as the wished end, but as helps and furtherances to the Kingdom of Heaven. But how may we know what is a lawfull from an unlawfull desire? First, By their quality, when they are vehement, though about a thing that is good: vehement, so that they work a perturbation in us, and put us so off the hooks, that we are not our selves for the instant; these are sinfull. Rachel might lawfully have desired Children: but when it comes to Give me Children, or I die: To this, that she will die of the sullens, if she have them not, this lawfull desire is depraved and become sinfull. Thus we know natural heat from unnatural; the natural heat is so temperately dispersed, that it disturbeth not the sweet content of natures constitution: But these unnatural heats, they make the part to glow to which they shoot, and breed a tedious distemper. So an ordinary desire doth not interrupt the sweet harmony of natures constitution, but whiles it is kept in due order, a man walketh not feeling disturbance by it. Secondly, By the quantity: for if they be excessive and unsatiable, they are sinfull. To have care of business, is lawfull; but when there is no end of it, one draweth on another, this is unlawfull. So to take delight is lawfull: but when men dwell upon it, and unsatiably after one must have a second, after a second a third; this is gross sensuality. So to take a Cup of Wine is lawfull; but when one draught calleth on another, one meeting another; this is inordinate. How is natural thirst known from unnatural? The one is satisfied with a draught or two, that more is not cared for: The other is so kindled by drinking that it still desireth drink: as it fareth in Thirsts caused by Agues, Heates; and in Dropsie-like appetite by salt Rhewmes provoked. Thirdly, by the Object, if they be carried after things unlawfull: as to encrease our estate by fraud, cosenage, oppression. Thus when a womans mind standeth to Ashes, Lie, Pitch, raw Flesh (as such who do long, are subject to these) we know them to be unnatural, because they are after that which is unwholsome, and agreeth not with nature, when she is in her right frame and temper. Fourthly, Desire is unlawfull when it is accompanied with envy, malice, grudging, and repining at the prosperity of others, whom God hath preferred before us in these things.
15. Every daies prosperity and adversity is in the hand of God. Who is there that thinks he cannot provide food for himself for the space of one day, if he be not able to do it for a long time: But the Scripture teaching us to ask our daily bread every day, doth admonish us of our weakness to make preparation for our selves for any little space. Whatsoever we enjoy, we must alwaies behold God in it, and acknowledg him to be the absolute giver, owner, and maintainer of it. Whatsoever be taken from us, we must still observe the hand of God in it, who giveth and taketh away at pleasure. The infinite power of God is in all things to be magnified and adored, for we stand at his disposition to be exalted or to be abased. The Lord himself hath assured us that prosperity and adversity come of him.Lev. 26.3. Deut 28.1…. Prov. 22.2. The rich and poor meet together, the Lord is the maker of them both.