DIRECTIONS FOR THE POOR.
THERE is no condition of life so low or poor, but may be sanctified,
and fruitful, and comfortable to us, if our own misunderstanding, or
sin and negligence, do not pollute it or imbitter it to us: if we do
the duty of our condition faithfully, we shall have no cause to murmur
at it. Therefore I shall here direct the poor in the special duties of
their condition; and if they will but conscionably perform them, it
will prove a greater kindness to them, than if I could deliver them
from their poverty, and give them as much riches as they desire.
Though I doubt this would be more pleasing to the most, and they would
give me more thanks for money, than for teaching them how to want it.
_Direct._ I. Understand first the use and estimate of all earthly
things: that they were never made to be your portion and felicity,
but your provision and helps in the way to heaven.[100] And therefore
they are neither to be estimated nor desired simply for themselves,
(for so there is nothing good but God,) but only as they are means to
the greatest good. Therefore neither poverty nor riches are simply to
be rejoiced in for themselves, as any part of our happiness; but that
condition is to be desired and rejoiced in, which affordeth us the
greatest helps for heaven, and that condition only is to be lamented
and disliked, which hindereth us most from heaven, and from our duty.
_Direct._ II. See therefore that you really take all these
things, as matters in themselves indifferent, and of small concernment
to you; and as not worthy of much love, or care, or sorrow, further
than they conduce to greater things. We are like runners in a race,
and heaven or hell will be our end; and therefore woe to us, if by
looking aside, or turning back, or stopping, or trifling about these
matters, or burdening ourselves with worldly trash, we should lose the
race, and lose our souls. O sirs, what greater matters than poverty or
riches have we to mind! Can those souls that must shortly be in heaven
or hell, have time to bestow any serious thoughts upon these
impertinencies? Shall we so much as "look at the temporal things which
are seen, instead of the things eternal that are unseen?" 2 Cor. iv. 18.
Or shall we whine under those light afflictions, which may be so
improved, as to "work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory?" ver. 17. Our present "life is not in the abundance of the
things which we possess," Luke xii. 15; much less is our eternal life.
_Direct._ III. Therefore take heed that you judge not of God's
love, or of your happiness or misery, by your riches or poverty,
prosperity or adversity, as knowing that they come alike to all,[101]
and love or hatred is not to be discerned by them; except only God's
common love, as they are common mercies to the body. If a surgeon is
not to be taken for a hater of you, because he letteth you blood, nor
a physician because he purgeth his patient, nor a father because he
correcteth his child; much less is God to be judged an enemy to you,
or unmerciful, because his wisdom and not your folly disposeth of you,
and proportioneth your estates. A carnal mind will judge of its own
happiness and the love of God by carnal things, because it savoureth
not spiritual mercies: but grace giveth a christian another judgment,
relish, and desire; as nature setteth a man above the food and
pleasures of a beast.
_Direct._ IV. Stedfastly believe that God is every way fitter
than you to dispose of your estate and you.[102] He is infinitely
wise, and knoweth what is best and fittest for you: he knoweth
beforehand what good or hurt any state of plenty or want will do you:
he knoweth all your corruptions, and what condition will most conduce
to strengthen them or destroy them, and which will be your greatest
temptations and snares, and which will prove your safest state; much
better than any physician or parent knoweth how to diet his patient or
his child. And his love and kindness are much greater to you, than
yours are to yourself; and therefore he will not be wanting in
willingness to do you good: and his authority over you is absolute,
and therefore his disposal of you must be unquestionable. "It is the
Lord: let him do what seemeth him good," 1 Sam. iii. 18. The will of
God should be the rest and satisfaction of your wills, Acts xxi. 14.
_Direct._ V. Stedfastly believe that, ordinarily, riches are far more
dangerous to the soul than poverty, and a greater hinderance to men's
salvation. Believe experience; how few of the rich and rulers of the
earth are holy, heavenly, self-denying, mortified men! Believe our
Saviour, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the
kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's
eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they
that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things
which are impossible with men, are possible with God," Luke xviii.
24, 25, 27. So that you see the difficulty is so great of saving such
as are rich, that to men it is a thing impossible, but to God's
omnipotency only it is possible. So 1 Cor. i. 26, "For ye see your
calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble are called." Believe this, and it will
prevent many dangerous mistakes.
_Direct._ VI. Hence you may perceive, that though no man must
pray absolutely either for riches or poverty, yet of the two it is
more rational ordinarily to pray against riches than for them, and to
be rather troubled when God maketh us rich, than when he maketh us
poor. (I mean it, in respect to ourselves, as either of them seemeth
to conduce to our own good or hurt; though to do good to others,
riches are more desirable.) This cannot be denied by any man that
believeth Christ: for no wise man will long for the hinderance of his
salvation, or pray to God to make it as hard a thing for him to be
saved, as for a camel to go through a needle's eye; when salvation is
a matter of such unspeakable moment, and our strength is so small, and
the difficulties so many and great already.
_Object._ But Christ doth not deny but the difficulties to the
poor may be as great. _Answ._ To some particular persons upon
other accounts it may be so; but it is clear in the text, that Christ
speaketh comparatively of such difficulties as the rich had more than
the poor.
_Object._ But then how are we obliged to be thankful to God for
giving us riches, or blessing our labours?[103] _Answ._ 1. You
must be thankful for them, because in their own nature they are good,
and it is by accident, through your own corruption, that they become
so dangerous. 2. Because you may do good with them to others, if you
have hearts to use them well. 3. Because God in giving them to you
rather than to others, doth signify (if you are his children) that
they are fitter for you than for others. In Bedlam and among foolish
children, it is a kindness to keep fire, and swords, and knives out of
their way; but yet they are useful to people that have the use of
reason. But our folly in spiritual matters is so great, that we have
little cause to be too eager for that which we are inclined so
dangerously to abuse, and which proves the bane of most that have it.
_Direct._ VII. See that your poverty be not the fruit of your
idleness, gluttony, drunkenness, pride, or any other flesh-pleasing
sin.[104] For if you bring it thus upon yourselves, you can never look
that it should be sanctified to your good, till sound repentance have
turned you from the sin: nor are you objects worthy of much pity from
man (except as you are miserable sinners). He that rather chooseth to
have his ease and pleasure, though with want, than to have plenty, and
to want his ease and pleasure, it is pity that he should have any
better than he chooseth.
1. Slothfulness and idleness are sins that naturally tend to want, and
God hath caused them to be punished with poverty; as you may see,
Prov. xii. 24, 27; xviii. 9; xxi. 25; xxiv. 34; xxvi. 14, 15; vi. 11;
xx. 13. Yea, he commandeth that if any (that is able) "will not work,
neither should he eat," 2 Thess. iii. 10. In the sweat of their face
must they eat their bread, Gen. iii. 19; and "six days must they
labour and do all that they have to do." To maintain your idleness is
a sin in others. If you will please your flesh with ease, it must be
displeased with want; and you must suffer what you choose.
2. Gluttony and drunkenness are such beastly devourers of mercy, and
abusers of mankind, that shame and poverty are their punishment and
cure. Prov. xxiii. 20, 21, "Be not among wine-bibbers, amongst riotous
eaters of flesh: for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to
poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." It is not
lawful for any man to feed the greedy appetites of such: if they
choose a short excess before a longer competency, let them have their
choice.
3. Pride also is a most consuming, wasteful sin: it sacrificeth God's
mercies to the devil, in serving him by them, in his first-born sin.
Proud persons must lay it out in pomp and gaudiness, to set forth
themselves to the eyes of others; in buildings, and entertainments,
and fine clothes, and curiosities: and poverty is also both the proper
punishment and cure of this sin: and it is cruelty for any to save
them from it, and resist God, that by abasing them takes the way to do
them good, Prov. xi. 2; xxix. 23; xvi. 18.
4. Falsehood also, and deceit, and unjust getting, tend to poverty;
for God doth often, even in this present life, thus enter into
judgment with the unjust. Ill-gotten wealth is like fire in the
thatch, and bringeth ofttimes a secret curse and destruction upon all
the rest. The same may be said of unmercifulness to the poor; which is
oft cursed with poverty, when the liberal are blest with plenty, Prov.
xi. 24, 25; Isa. xxxii. 8; Psal. lxxiii. 21, 22, 25, 26, 34, 35.
_Direct._ VIII. Be acquainted with the special temptations of the
poor, that you may be furnished to resist them. Every condition hath
its own temptations, which persons in that condition must specially be
fortified and watch against; and this is much of the wisdom and safety
of a christian.
_Tempt._ I. One temptation of poverty will be to draw you to
think highlier of riches and honours than you ought; to make you think
that the rich are much happier than they are. For the world is like
all other deceivers; it is most esteemed where it is least known. They
that never tried a life of wealth, and plenty, and prosperity, are apt
to admire it, and think it braver and better than it is. And so you
may be drawn as much to over-love the world by want, as other men by
plenty. Against this remember, that it is folly to admire that which
you never tried and knew; and mark whether all men do not vilify it,
that have tried it to the last: dying men call it no better than
vanity and deceit. And it is rebellious pride in you so far to
contradict the wisdom of God, as to think most highly of that
condition which he hath judged worst for you; and to fall in love with
that which he denieth you.
_Tempt._ II. The poor will also be tempted to over-much care about
their wants and worldly matters;[105] they will think that necessity
requireth it in them, and will excuse them. So much care is your duty,
as is needful to the right doing of your work. Take care how to
discharge your own duties; but be not too careful about the event,
which belongs to God. If you will care what you should be and do, God
will care sufficiently what you shall have.[106] And so be it you
faithfully do your business, your other care will add nothing to the
success, nor make you any richer, but only vex and disquiet your
minds. It is the poor as well as the rich, that God hath commanded to
be careful for nothing, and to cast all their care on him.
_Tempt._ III. Poverty also will tempt you to repining, impatience, and
discontent, and to fall out with others; which because it is one of
the chief temptations, I will speak to by itself anon.
_Tempt._ IV. Also you will be tempted to be coveting after
more:[107] Satan maketh poverty a snare to draw many needy creatures
to greater covetousness than many of the rich are guilty of; none
thirst more eagerly after more; and yet their poverty blindeth them,
so that they cannot see that they are covetous, or else excuse it as a
justifiable thing. They think that they desire no more but
necessaries, and that it is not covetousness, if they desire not
superfluities. But do you not covet more than God allotteth you? and
are you not discontent with his allowance? And doth not he know best
what is necessary for you, and what superfluous? What then is
covetousness, if this be not?
_Tempt._ V. Also you will be tempted to envy the rich, and to
censure them in matters where you are incompetent judges. It is usual
with the poor to speak of the rich with envy and censoriousness; they
call them covetous, merely because they are rich, especially if they
give them nothing; when they know not what ways of necessary expense
they have, nor know how many others they are liberal to, that they are
unacquainted with. Till you see their accounts you are unfit to
censure them.
_Tempt._ VI. The poor also will be tempted to use unlawful means
to supply their wants.[108] How many by the temptation of necessity
have been tempted to comply with sinners, and wound their consciences,
and lie and flatter for favour or preferment, or to cheat, or steal,
or over-reach! A dear price! to buy the food that perisheth, with the
loss or hazard of everlasting life; and lose their souls to provide
for their flesh!
_Tempt._ VII. Also you will be tempted to neglect your souls, and
omit your spiritual duties, and, as Martha, to be troubled about many
things, while the one thing needful is forgotten; and you will think
that necessity will excuse all this; yea, some think to be saved
because they are poor, and say, God will not punish them in this life
and another too. But alas, you are more unexcusable than the rich, if
you are ungodly and mindless of the life to come. For he that will
love a life of poverty and misery better than heaven, deserveth indeed
to go without it, much more than he that preferreth a life of plenty
and prosperity before it. God hath taught you by his providence to
know, that you must either be happy in heaven, or no where;--if you
would be worldlings, and part with heaven for your part on earth, how
poor a bargain are you like to make! To love rags, and toil, and want,
and sorrow, better than eternal joy and happiness, is the most
unreasonable kind of ungodliness in the world. It is true, that you
are not called to spend so many hours of the week days in reading and
meditation, as some that have greater leisure are; but you have reason
to seek heaven, and set your hearts upon it, as much as they; and you
must think of it when you are about your labour, and take those
opportunities for your spiritual duties which are allowed you.
Poverty will excuse ungodliness in none! Nothing is so necessary as
the service of God and your salvation; and therefore no necessity can
excuse you from it. Read the case of Mary and Martha, Luke x. 41, 42.
One would think that your hearts should be wholly set upon heaven, who
have nothing else but it to trust to. The poor have fewer hinderances
than the rich, in the way to life eternal! And God will save no man
because he is poor; but condemn poor and rich that are ungodly.
_Tempt._ VIII. Another great temptation of the poor, is to
neglect the holy education of their children; so that in most places,
there are none so ignorant, and rude, and heathenish, and unwilling to
learn, as the poorest people and their children: they never teach them
to read, nor teach them any thing for the saving of their souls; and
they think that their poverty will be an excuse for all; when reason
telleth them, that none should be more careful to help their children
to heaven, than they that can give them nothing upon earth.
_Direct._ IX. Be acquainted with the special duties of the poor;
and carefully perform them. They are these:
1. Let your sufferings teach you to contemn the world; it will be a
happy poverty if it do but help to wean your affections from all
things below; that you set as little by the world as it deserveth.
2. Be eminently heavenly-minded; the less you have or hope for in this
life, the more fervently seek a better.[109] You are at least as
capable of the heavenly treasures as the greatest princes; God
purposely straiteneth your condition in the world, that he may force
up your hearts unto himself, and teach you to seek first for that
which indeed is worth your seeking, Matt. vi. 33, 19-21.
3. Learn to live upon God alone; study his goodness, and faithfulness,
and all-sufficiency; when you have not a place nor a friend in the
world, that you can comfortably betake yourselves to for relief,
retire unto God, and trust him, and dwell the more with him.[110] If
your poverty have but this effect, it will be better to you than all
the riches in the world.
4. Be laborious and diligent in your callings: both precept and
necessity call you unto this; and if you cheerfully serve him in the
labour of your hands, with a heavenly and obedient mind, it will be as
acceptable to him, as if you had spent all that time in more spiritual
exercises; for he had rather have obedience than sacrifice; and all
things are pure and sanctified to the pure; if you cheerfully serve
God in the meanest work, it is the more acceptable to him, by how much
the more subjection and submission there is in your obedience.[111]
5. Be humble and submissive unto all. A poor man proud is doubly
hateful; and if poverty cure your pride, and help you to be truly
humble, it will be no small mercy to you.[112]
6. You are specially obliged to mortify the flesh, and keep your
senses and appetites in subjection; because you have greater helps for
it than the rich; you have not so many baits of lust, and wantonness,
and gluttony, and voluptuousness as they.
7. Your corporal wants must make you more sensibly remember your
spiritual wants; and teach you to value spiritual blessings: think
with yourselves, if a hungry, cold, and naked body, be so great a
calamity, how much greater is a guilty, graceless soul, a dead or
diseased heart! If bodily food and necessaries are so desirable, oh
how desirable is Christ and his Spirit, and the love of God and life
eternal!
8. You must above all men be careful redeemers of your time;
especially of the Lord's day; your labours take up so much of your
time, that you must be the more careful to catch every opportunity for
your souls! Rise earlier to get half an hour for holy duty; and
meditate on holy things in your labours, and spend the Lord's day in
special diligence, and be glad of such seasons; and let scarcity
preserve your appetites.
9. Be willing to die; seeing the world giveth you so cold entertainment,
be the more content to let it go, when God shall call you; for what is
here to detain your hearts?
10. Above all men, you should be most fearless of sufferings from men,
and therefore true to God and conscience; for you have no great matter
of honour, or riches, or pleasure to lose: as you fear not a thief,
when you have nothing for him to rob you of.
11. Be specially careful to fit your children also for heaven: provide
them a portion which is better than a kingdom; for you can provide but
little for them in the world.
12. Be exemplary in patience and contentedness with your state: for
that grace should be the strongest in us which is most exercised; and
poverty calleth you to the frequent exercise of this.
_Direct._ X. Be specially furnished with those reasons which
should keep you in a cheerful contentedness with your state; and may
suppress every thought of anxiety and discontent.[113] As, 1. Consider
as aforesaid, that that is the best condition for you which helpeth
you best to heaven; and God best knoweth what will do you good, or
hurt. 2. That it is rebellion to grudge at the will of God; which must
dispose of us, and should be our rest. 3. Look over the life of
Christ, who chose a life of poverty for your sakes; and had not a
place to lay his head. He was not one of the rich and voluptuous in
the world; and are you grieved to be conformed to him? Phil. iii. 7-9.
4. Look to all his apostles, and most holy servants and martyrs. Were
not they as great sufferers as you? 5. Consider that the rich will
shortly be all as poor as you: naked they came into the world, and
naked they must go out; and a little time makes little difference. 6.
It is no more comfort to die rich than poor; but usually much less;
because the pleasanter the world is to them, the more it grieveth them
to leave it. 7. All men cry out, that the world is vanity at last. How
little is it valued by a dying man! and how sadly will it cast him
off! 8. The time is very short and uncertain, in which you must enjoy
it; we have but a few days more to walk about, and we are gone. Alas,
of how small concernment is it, whether a man be rich or poor, that is
ready to step into another world! 9. The love of this world drawing
the heart from God, is the common cause of men's damnation; and is not
the world liker to be over-loved, when it entertaineth you with
prosperity, than when it useth you like an enemy? Are you displeased,
that God thus helpeth to save you from the most damning sin? and that
he maketh not your way to heaven more dangerous? 10. You little know
the troubles of the rich. He that hath much, hath much to do with it,
and much to care for; and many persons to deal with, and more
vexations than you imagine. 11. It is but the flesh that suffereth;
and it furthereth your mortification of it. 12. You pray but for your
daily bread, and therefore should be contented with it. 13. Is not
God, and Christ, and heaven, enough for you? should that man be
discontent that must live in heaven? 14. Is it not your lust, rather
than your well-informed reason, that repineth? I do but name all these
reasons for brevity: you may enlarge them in your meditations.
[100] Prov. xxviii. 6; Jam. ii. 5.
[101] Eccles. ii 14; ix. 2, 3.
[102] Psal. x. 15; 1 Sam. ii. 7.
[103] Saith Aristippus to Dionysius, Quando sapientia egebam, adii
Socratem? nunc pecuniarum egens, ad te veni. Laert. in Aristip.
[104] 1 Cor. vii. 35.
[105] Luke x. 41.
[106] Matt. vi.; 1 Pet. v. 7; Phil. iv. 6.
[107] Prov. xxiii. 4.
[108] Prov. xxx. 8, 9; John vi. 27.
[109] Phil. iii. 18, 20, 21; 2 Cor. v. 7, 8.
[110] Gal. ii. 20; Psal. lxxiii. 25-28; 2 Cor. i. 10.
[111] Eph. iv. 28; Prov. xxi. 25; 1 Sam. xv. 22; 2 Thess. iii. 8, 10.
[112] Prov. xviii. 23.
[113] Phil. iv. 11-13; Matt. v. 3; 1 Sam. ii. 7; Matt. vi. 25, &c;
Psal. lxxviii. 20; Numb. xiv. 11; Matt. xvi. 9; Job xiii. 15; Eccl. v.
12; 1 Cor. vii. 29-31; Psal. lxxxiv. 11; xxxvii. 25; x. 14; lv. 22;
Rom. ix. 20; Psal. xxxiv. 9, 10; Rom. viii. 28; Heb. xiii. 5.