his Stone, which when I have brought to fuch a pitch, rolls down again, and renews my Pains, with my Grief and Sorrow! How muft thofe incorporeal Beings above pity fuch fruitlefs Labours! Of how many Men have I read,and heard, that have trufted God in defpight of all Improbabilities, and God hath fuccoured and affifted them beyond expectation: Elijah, 1 Kings 17. 9. goes to Sarepta, meets with a Widow-woman gathering Sticks, in order to kindle a Fire,and to drefs the laft handful of Meal that was in the Barrel, and the few drops of Oil that remained in the Bottle, all that the wretch had left to fupport the Life of her felf and Son, for it was a time of Famine, and it was in a manner a Funeral Dinner too, for fhe intended to make this her laft Meal, and fo to expire and give up the Ghoft. Here was little to fpare, one would think, for a Traveller, efpecially if that had been her Maxim, which is fo ufual with us, that Charity begins at home; the knew not the Prophet, whether he would do Miracles, or no. In this great exigency, and ftrait, the Man of God bid her dress the Flower and Oil fhe had left, for him, and afterwards take care for her self and Son. A ftrange Requeft! It's true, he tells her that the God of Ifrael had faid, That the Barrel of Meal fhall not wafte: But thefe were Words, and what are they to a hungry Stomach, and croaking Bowels, to give that little All away to a stranger, and starve her felf and Son, upon cold Prophefie? Yet, behold her Faith throws open all the Flood-gates of Impoffibility; the believes, and trusts trufts against Senfe, even to a Contradiction, goes and gives that little fhe hath left to a ftranger, and, by that Faith, forces, as it were, Heaven into a Miracle; for fhe had no fooner dreffed the remainder for the Prophet, but the Barrel is filled again by Angels, and fo it continued till the Lord fent Rain upon the Earth. Why fhould not I do as they have done, and put it to the Trial? Sure I am, I can lofe nothing by it. I will therefore be induftrious in my lawful Calling, and leave the Succefs to God ; I will use those honeft means to live which the Scripture warrants, and commit my felf to him, whofe Eyes are over all his Works. If he please to bless me, I'll praise him; if not, I'll admire his Soveraignty and Greatnefs, who is not bound to give me any thing: And left my Sins fhould feparate between his Kindness and my Neceffities, and turn away his Face from me, because I answer not the end he made me for, as all other Creatures do, that fhare in his Protection, and Providential Care, I will watch against thofe Corruptions which do so easily befet me, and ftrive to glorifie God in my Soul and Body; and then, the kindeft Difpenfations of his Providence will be mine, and all things will work together for my good. Such Thoughts would drive out the Evil Spirit of Mistrustfulness. But while the Enemy meets with no Oppofition, no wonder if he fecurely revels in the Soul, makes Man a Burthen to himself, prompts him fometime even to unlawful Courfes, and doth not let him reft reft, till he desperately refolves with him in the Poet, Flectere fi nequeo fuperos, Acheronta movebo. If Heav'n be deaf, and will no Pity fhew, I'll try what Hell and the black Hoft will do. Had the Covetous but a Heart to think with himself, Vain, Foolish Man, how loth am I to confefs my self guilty of this Vice! how do I deceive my self with the fair Names of good Hufbandry and Frugality! But will thefe Delufions. ftand the Fire? Will thefe Paper Walls be proof against everlasting Burnings? If there be fuch a Sin as Covetoufnefs, and that Sin fo odious to God and his Holy Angels, as Christ and his Apoftles make it, and fo great an Impediment to everlasting Happiness as the Scripture reprefents, it must needs be worth knowing, whether I am infected with this plague, efpecially fince my Behaviour and Actions look as if I were. Why should the Apostle call this Sin Idolatry, but because it makes Men fet their Affections on this World, more than upon that which is to come; and more on their Riches, Eftates, or Incomes, than upon God, and everlasting Glory, whereby God is robbed of his Honour, and that high Efteem and Love, which is God's due as he is God, is given to the Creature, which in God's fight is lighter than Nothing and Vanity? And is not this my Cafe? How is my Soul fixed upon this World? How close doth my Heart tick to the Profits and Advantages it X affords? affords? How is my Soul bound up with my Corn, and Wine, and Oil? How do I fancy that all my Happiness is gone, when these outward Comforts are gone! Did ever Sin grieve me a quarter fo much as a Temporal Lofs? Did offending a Gracious God ever coft me the Tenth Part of the Tears I fhed, for being deprived of a little fhining Clay? How hearty is my Joy under the Bleffings of God's left hand? How little am I affected with the Bleffings of his right? How far greater fatisfaction doth my thriving in the World give me, than my thriving in Grace and in the Knowledge of the Lord Jefus Chrift? How loth am I to honour God with my Subftance; How unwillingly, how grudgingly, do I part with any thing confiderable for charitable Ufes? I find fault with this Sin in another, and shall not I reprehend it in my self? I complain of my Neighbour of being hard-hearted, and unkind to People in distress: And is that a Virtue in me, which is a Vice in another? Dionyfius the Tyrant wondred at his Son, that with all the Gold and Silver he had in his Houfe, he had made no Man his Friend; And may not I juftly wonder at my self, who, as long as I have lived, have not made my felf Friend of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that at my Death I may be received into everlasting Habitations? How loth am I to part with any of this World's Goods for God's Service? How happy do I count my felf, when Religion doth coft me nothing? How loth am I to be at the leaft charges for Heaven? How doth it grieve me, when I spend any thing upon Religion? How do I doat upon thefe fublunary lunary Vanities? How far greater Pains do I take to be rich, than to be happy for ever !! How can I difpenfe with a Sin for Profit's fake! How little of my Defires and Breathings hath God, and a bleeding Saviour! How dull am I under the most lively Defcriptions of the Joys of Heaven! How dull under the ftupendious offers of Grace and Mercy! How dead under the joyful meffage of Pardon! How dull, when tempted by all the ravishing Arguments of God's Love, to love him above all! What means my unwillingness to take God for my greatest Portion? What means that Quicknefs, Sagacity, and Wisdom, when my Riches, Plenty, or worldly Profperity is concerned, and that strange Dumpishness, when God courts, and befeeches my Soul to lay hold on Eternal Life? Are not thefe evident Signs, that the World draws and attracts my Heart most powerfully? God fees, my Heart is not upright with him; he fees, I am afraid to take up with him alone; he fees, how Covetoufnefs hath poffeffed my Soul; and can I cherish this Root of all Evil in my Breast, and not tremble at the danger my Soul is in? Am I by the Apostle's verdict an Idolater, and do I make light of so great a Guilt? If no Idolater must expect a Crown of Glory, Alas! what can I look for, but Eternal Darkness? Could Ariftippus throw his Gold into the Sea, and fay, It's better I should drown thee, than that thou should'it undo me; And fhall I be aSlave to my Wealth? When I read that it's eafier for a Camel to enter thorow the Eye of aNeedle, than for a rich Man who fets his Heart: " : |