church, thou hast some influence; there is not a finger or toe in the body of Christ, but is of some use, and cannot be spared without making the body lame and defective; not a loop or pin in the tabernacle of the church, but as it fills up some space, so it bears some weight; not the choicest member can say to the meanest in the church, I have no need of thee. Paul, though a great apostle, stood in need of the prayers of the meanest Christian. An iron key may sometimes open that lock, which a silver one cannot. There is never a saint in the world, that knows the good that he doth, nor shall it be known to others the use he is of, till he be taken away, and then the place will feel a loss of him a city, a country, and kingdom may be spared upon the prayers and uprightness of one righteous person. Let not more worthy members despise the ignoble, since they cannot be without them; and let not inferior members envy the more honourable, because God appointeth every one his station, and accepteth the meanest member's faithful service; a sweeper of chimneys may honour God in his place, as well as a pastor of souls in his; a plain Christian in a leathern coat may, if faithful in his station, do God as much service, as a great Doctor in his purple robes. If thou be serious in the work of God, thou mayest promote the cause of God in thy family, which may reflect a lustre on the whole church. 7. But alas, saith the soul, I am so far from increasing my treasure, that I fear I am on the losing hand. I am spending, wasting, decreasing by sinful practices; what I gain in a duty or ordinance, I lose by an act of sinning, and have much ado to recover myself. Oh this inconstant, unstable spirit! What shall become of me? I answer, the case is sad, and much to be lamented, but so it is with the best of God's children. David saith, thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down, while we are tossed upon the fluctuating waves of the sea, we must expect a mariner's motion-to mount up to heaven, and go down to the depths,* to have rich enjoyments, and sadder abatements, that we may know both how to want, and how to abound in point of enlargement. Sometimes our hearts are opened, as the heart of Lydia, to receive of that grace which becomes our treasure, then again our hearts are shut up, and we are in danger of shutting out divine incomes. Sometimes the sails of our souls are spread to receive the lively gales of the Holy Spirit, but how often are they contracted, and we then resist the blessed operations thereof? Let us complain of this, as our sin and shame, but thus it must be in this sublunary state, to make a distinction betwixt this vale of mutability and the heavenly mount of unchangeable blessedness; yet, take notice, that the believer's treasure may be maintained, and even increased by this variety of conditions; by standing still, or falling back, he may grow more self-suspicious, penitent, vigilant, and diligent, and make the more haste after his God, to redeem the time that he hath left, and pick up his scattered crumbs. When a covetous man hath wasted any thing, or missed a good bargain, he will seek to make amends, by future diligence. Thus will the gracious soul do: so that God may overrule slips, to make a firmer standing, stumbling to produce a speedy motion forwards, and falls to occasion a greater heedfulness and sensibleness. Hast thou not found it thus believer? Hast thou not been a gainer by thy losses? Have not these spiritual Egyptians of raging corruptions, paid tribute to thy soul, to increase thy spiritual stock? Have not these Gibeonites been hewers of wood and drawers of water, to help thee in the service of the *Psal. cvii. 26. sanctuary? I question not, but thou hast found these bitter enemies, as occasions at least, to put thee on to watch thy treasure better. The Canaanites were to be to Israel, as pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides; just so are sins to the saints-those pricks in their eyes make them weep more for sin, and those thorns in their sides spur them on towards the city of refuge. There are different sorts of Christians, some are solid, sober, and more regular in their movements, that keep forward in a good, even pace in the ways of God; others are more unstable, sometimes pushing forwards, and then drawing back again, yet these may be God's children, as well as the former. Sometimes it is occasioned by the natural levity and fickleness of their spirits, or other causes, yet still the almighty arm of Jehovah is under them, and all his saints are in his hand, and though these unstable souls may not excel, yet they shall keep their hold, and be still approaching nearer to heaven, to that immutable state, where there is fulness of joy, and rivers of pleasure flow for ever more. Thus much for answer to some objections; I shall now conclude all with a brief and serious exhortation, and oh that I could persuade and prevail upon all to look after their share in the treasure, so largely opened to you. Methinks it should be an easy thing to persuade men to embrace a treasure, but oh how hard it is to engage them to look after a treasure for their souls! I see what a wretched thing a carnal heart is, and poor souls fight against their own interest, and forsake their own mercy. One would think that they who are poor in the world would be induced to think of some treasure at last. I beseech you, let reason be heard, argue rationally, and * Num. xxxiii. 55. let your souls be framing such thoughts as these-God hath cast my lot in a mean estate, and I work hard for a bare living; I toil and travel night and day, and I can scarce get coarse clothes for my back, and food for myself and my family; I would have got something beforehand, but I see it will not do, times are hard, trade is dead, I despair of growing rich; the world is like a shadow, the more I pursue it, the further it flees from me, and have I been pursuing after that which I cannot overtake? and which, if I should overtake, can do me no good, may do me much hurt; and, in the meantime, have I neglected my immortal soul, and the getting of a treasure in it to make it rich and happy? These spiritual goods are the best that can be got, and these may be got, and little else. O my soul, shall I be poor in this world and poor to all eternity? Must I live in misery here, and be in greater torment hereafter? Oh why should I be such a perfect beggar, doubly poor, of a poor estate, and of a poor, low, degenerate spirit? Oh rather let me be poor in spirit that I may be an heir of a kingdom, a better than this dunghill world can afford. If I want bread for my body, Lord, evermore give me the bread of life for my poor soul; the garments of Christ's righteousness to cover my nakedness; fine gold that I may be rich; though I be separated from my neighbour, let me be united to the Lord; though I be despised by men, yet let my soul be owned by the Lord; although I have not a foot of land, or house of mine own in this world, yet, oh that I may have right to mansions above, that I may take possession at death of the inheritance of the saints in light. Thus do you that are poor argue the case, and rest not satisfied without the true riches; if you cannot get earth, make sure of heaven, and then you make no bad bargain. Keep up this trade of re ligion, when other trades decay; live above the world, learn to act faith, put the bond in suit, make a virtue of necessity, and if you cannot get left-hand mercies, be sure of right-hand mercies, and then you are happy for ever. Let rich men also look after a treasure above. I know it is a hard thing to persuade such as have treasures on earth, to look after treasures of heaven, and in heaven. It is impossible for them that trust in riches to be saved, and most men do so. Oh how apt are men of great estates to please and applaud themselves on account of their large possessions, especially after the malicious revilings of the poor, or the awakening convictions of God's Spirit by some heart-shaking Boanerges; they go home and thus bespeak themselves-" what need I regard the vain calumnies of the sons of Belial, or the furious invectives of these bawling priests; I have need of nothing, and I fear no man; I am able to live of myself; let every man look to himself. * It is a hard world, and we must look to ourselves; God hath blessed me with an estate, and I trust he loves me, and I shall do as well as others." Such workings are in rich men's breasts! The God of heaven knows your secret, self-flattering thoughts, but they will be found to be vain another day; when you lie upon a death-bed, ready to breathe out your despairing souls, what will money do in the chest without grace in the heart? What art thou better for hundreds or thousands a-year? What art thou the better for the honourable or worshipful titles of lord, knight, esquire, or gentleman? I have heard of a person of quality that cried out upon his sick-bed, "ten thousand pounds for a good conscience!" but alas, pardon and heaven cannot be bought with Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipse domi simul ac nummos contemplor in arcâ.-Hor. |