Rules How to Use the World, Chapter 6 – Chapter 7
CHAP. VI.
The things of the World must be ever matter of our Prayer so far as needful for us.
PRayer is the best means we can use, not only to prevent the evil we fear, and either to remove, or sanctify that we feel, but to obtain the Good we want, and to bless that we have: it cannot but speed if rightly perform'd either for the particular Mercy desired, or an equivalent, in kind, or vertue, as good, or better; therefore under all our wants, we should send to Heaven; or when ever we desire the World, we should send this Messenger to God the Maker of it, as not Anxiously careful in any thing; but,
Praying for every thing whilst Phil. 4. 6.careful for nothing.
Rebecca and Samuel (a Wife and Oratio fuit Samuelis mater. Gen. 24. 1, 2, 3, 14. 1 Sam. 1. 10, 11Child of the better sort) were both obtain'd by Prayer, and they are ever the best Mercies (if not Materially, yet formally and eventually) that come this way; the Evil will be remov'd, and a Blessing given with them, so that they will be either as pleasant Food, or wholsom Physick.
God gives the Blessing, and we by Prayer ask it.
They are double Mercies (Benjamins Portions,) Mercies with an overplus that come this way.
Hannah by Prayer obtain'd, not 1 Sam. 1. 20.only a Child, but a Son (a Blessing of the right hand) and a Prophet too. Hezekiah by Prayer Isa. 38. 5, 6.obtain'd, not only his Life, but the addition of a Lease of fifteen years to it, and deliverance for the City: and the blind man in the Gospel by Prayer, reap'd the double John 9.fruit of a single Cure, for the Eyes both of his body and mind were opened by it, and Christ's Ʋberior gratia quam petitio.Grant to the Thief on the Cross, was greater than his Request.
He that desir'd but to be remember'd by him when in his Kingdom, went up with him into it.
Yea the comfort of those Mercies enjoy'd, is ever the best.
Jacob that got the Blessing, but not by Prayer, had twenty years trouble about it, but Isaac a child of Prayer, was therefore (without which he had not been such) a Son of Laughter.
Every Creature, as well as every Providence, is Sanctify'd by it.
Mercies obtain'd this way, will be most valued by us, and best secur'd to us.
Most valued.
Usually, what we easily come by, we (like Children) as easily part with, but what (with Jacob and Hannah in Prayer) we obtain with difficulty, we receive with Thankfulness, and use with Care.
Mercies got by Prayer, and Estates by Industry, are best valued and kept.
Best secured.
Not only the being of Mercies, but the Duration and Continuance of them is from God; and unless they are this way enstated, confirm'd, and setled upon us, they will (like Sand in a Glass, or Water in a Sieve) be Fleeting, and Sliding from us. Prayer is a Request upon Promise, and what is obtain'd by it, will (as Covenant-hold) be stable, and abiding; as,
What we possess by Lease, is surer than what we have by Trade.
If we would seek them, so as to find them, and find them, so as to be blessed in them, in all our Requests, we must aim at Gods Glory, submit to his Will, wait his leisure for them, and beg his Blessing with them.
We must aim at Gods Glory.
David begg'd his Life of God, Psal. 88. 10, 11.that God might have it (in the 1. Sam. 1. 11.use) again; and Hannah begg'd a Son of God, for God; a Son from him, to give unto him.
All Temporal Blessings must be askt for Spiritual Ends.
We must submit to his Will.
Spiritual things are promis'd absolutely, Temporal things conditionally only, they are not therefore the only things to be sought for (who would desire all his Heaven Mat. 6. 33.here) nor in the first place, either of our Time or Affections, before other things, nor above them, nor too importunately neither, but so far only as they are good and needful. Our Desires must not be peremptory, nor must we tell God what we must or would have, but leave it to him to choose our Inheritance for us, lest we feel the effects of his Anger, in a withering Curse at the root of our Gourd.
Nothing must importunately be sought of God, but God himself.
We must wait his Leisure.
God knows what is best for us, and the time when best for us to receive it, he keeps not the fruit of his Mercy by him until it is rotten, nor gives it before it is ripe. We must not therefore think to force Mercy out of his hands, by an over-hasty desire of it, but patiently wait his time, which is a due, as well as an appointed time.
Till'd Ground is best for Seed, and then we are fittest to beg, and receive Mercies, when fittest to enjoy them.
We must beg his Blessing with them.
Bread is the staff of Life, but Isa. 3. 1. Mat. 4. 4.God is the Strength of that staff; he feeds us by it, but more, by his Blessing upon it. It is he that gives a Being to all our Mercies, (it is his Ocean that overflows our Banks) and it is he, and he alone, that can give a Blessing to them, he can withhold them from us, and he can Curse them to us (as he did the Quails to the Israelites) to him therefore we must look, and upon him only depend, for a supply of what we want, and for a Blessing upon what we have. The first is more than he owes us (for, by our sins we forfeited our Right to all) but the last not more than is needful for us, for a little blest, is better than much, yea than all without it. A little or nothing with the Blessing is enough, but all without it as nothing. It concerns us therefore to desire, that all our Mercies may be season'd with the Blessing; that if we have not so much of the World as others, yet we may have as much of himself; the Blessing, if not the Inheritance; without which, the best of the World can do us no good, and with which, Gen. 33. 9, 11. foreignthe worst can do us no hurt; for, then we are Rich, when under Gods Blessing.
Esau's enough was much, Jacob's Enough was all.
CHAP. VII.
The things of the World must be no matter of our immoderate Joy.
JOY is the Enlargement of the Heart as delighted in the Expectation or Fruition of some sutable good, really so or so apprehended, of a luxuriant Nature, and prone to Exorbitancy: for though Spiritual Joy cannot well exceed, yet that which is Worldly may, both as to time and measure. Therefore in the Flood of Prosperity we must have an Eye to our Compass, that our Hearts may be kept within the right Channel.
Mediocrity does well, but the Res severa gaudium. Seneca:Excess is Vicious.
Religion destroys not our Affections, but only refines them; (Christ took not away the Water of Purification, but turn'd it into Wine) it condemns not, but allows and encourages our Joy, when it is not in things that are not Lawful, nor immoderate in them that are.
It is not Isaac, but the Ram that must be Sacrificed.
When sensual Joy abounds, danger is at the door; (when the Dolphins play, the Marriners fear a Storm) therefore, if we would have our dead Hearts rais'd to Life, we must cast these Minstrels out.Mat. 9. 23, 25.
Sensual Joy layes a Snare for Spiritual.
When we are rejoycing, there are some in Sorrow; we must not therefore cast out Compassion to make room for Joy, nor be so much straitned in our Bowels, 2 Cor. 6. 12.when our Hearts are enlarg'd, as to forget them that are Sorrowful, while we are Rejoycing; but when at the Feasts of Mirth, send Esth. 7. 34. 9. 22.Portions to them that are in want, that (in this sense whilst they rejoyce with us) our Joy may be full.
There is a Sympathy in Nature, and therefore should be much more one in Grace.
That was the best Wine, that John 2. 10.Christ turn'd from Water into Wine, and that is the purest Joy that is distill'd from Godly Sorrow, and therefore, in the midst of our Mirth, we must be sad at the remembrance of our Sins, that the Sun of our Joy may arise out of the Waters of Godly sorrow for them.
The more Sorrow for Sin we let out, the more Joy we shall take in, the Pots that had the most Water, had the most Wine.
We live in a Miserable World, where Happiness and Misery, Joy and Sorrow (like Jacob and Esau) tread upon the Heels of one another. It concerns us therefore to rejoyce, as if we rejoyced not, for 1 Cor. 7. 30.at the best it is but a Feast of Tabernacles.
It is folly to rejoyce overmuch in any thing, in which we cannot rejoyce long.
Worldly Joy when immoderate layes a Foundation for Sorrow; Benjamin prov'd a Benoni, and Gen. 35. 18.our Idol will become our Torment, it will either be broken in pieces, or continue as a Sting, remain as a Curse, or be remov'd in Wrath.
Wo be, either to the Idol, or Idolater.
God must be the object of our chiefest Joy; other things may be the matter of our occasional Joy, but God only must be our substantial, and exceeding Joy. Therefore, in the midst of our Joy, we must not so far forget our selves, as to forget him the object of our chiefest Joy; (the gladness of our Psal. 43. 4.Joy;) for it is as much our Duty to Rejoyce in him, as it is to Trust in him; and if we rejoyce in any thing more than in him, we shall never be made joyful by him.
Laughter becomes not such Fools, nor is the Oyl of Joy prepar'd for their Heads.