310 THE THIRTEENTH SERMON. [1 TlM. VI. 8.
tlmt we need, but a contented heart : let a little suffice, if God gives no more. Diseased persons need more attendance than the healthy ; the di.stempers of our souls multiply our necessities, and as we indulge them they gain upon us; therefore every one of us should bring himself to be content with necessaries. Superfluities are an impediment rather than a help, as a shoe too big for the foot hinders our going, or as David could not go on with Saul's armour, because it was too great for him, 1 Sam. xvii. 39. We are freest from temptations when we have least, though enough for health, strength, and cheer- fulness.
6. Food and raiment are not hard to be obtained. I do not mean with respect to our endeavours, but God's blessing ; for in these things God will not forsake us. We have a heavenly Father, who knows what we stand in need of, ]\Iat. vi. 32. They that have least from God have ordinarily food and raiment vouchsafed to them ; he will not leave his people to unsupportable dilHculties ; our condition is tolerable, if not comfortable, 1 Cor. x. 13. He hath wonderful means to help, when all their supplies are removed out of the view of sense. It is notable to observe, tlie Israelites were not plagued when they murmured out of want, but when they murmured out of wantonness. Ileal wants, we may rationally presume, will be supplied, not fancies and carnal appetites. As for instance: Ps. Ixxviii. 21, 'Therefore the Lord heard tliis, and was wroth, and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger came up against Israel' Therefore — why ? When he had taken care to supply their wants by giving them plenty of water out of the rock of Horeb, and by sending manna in the morning and quails in the e«iTning, yet they fell a murmuring and complaining, preferring their condition in Egypt before that which God had brought them into. They must have a table better furnished with bread and fiesh ; they were clogged with this manna, not contented with a provi- sion for their wants, but required a satisfaction to their appetites. This highly displeased and provoked God, and brought very sliarp punish- ments ui)on them. So again, Ps. cvi. 14, 1.5, 'They lusted exceed- ingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert, and he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls.' Their minds ever and anon ran upon the flesh-pots of Egypt ; and because they had not that festival i)lenty in the wilderness, they murmured as if Moses had brouglit them out of Egypt to die there, and God must show more miracles, not to sup])ly their wants but to pamper their lusts.
7. This life was given us to seek a Ix^tler, and therefore the felicity of it must not be measured by a more ample portion of f.ood and raiment, but as we are fitted and prepared for the better life, which is the end and scope of life itself. All these things are but your provi- fcion in the way to heaven, therefore not i)rincipally to be sought after; your business is to serve God, and seek the salvation of your souls : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added imto you ;' that is, there will be enough to sustain us in our journey to heaven, whilst we are preparing fur eternity, and therefore we should be content.
8. Many times the less we have in this life the more fervently is the life to come sought after ; a moderate estate is freest from tempt-
1 Tim. VI. 8] tue tuirteenth sermon-. 311
ations. Abundance of all things without any want inclines us to a forgetfulness of God ; as, on the other side, perpetual want, without any cheerful taste of God's goodness, disposes men to atheism. In the two extremes religion is eitlier starved or choked. We see it in coun- tries and persons: in countries. Sodom and Gomorrah, which was as the garden of God, Gen. xiii. 10, Avas the first instance of unnatural sin, and an example of supernatural judgment. Some in great pros- perity have no thoughts of God and the world to come ; others that live in sordid poverty never consider the goodness of God, and so live and die miserable creatures. The middle estate is freest from danger, and religion is most secured in it: Prov. xxx. 8, 9, ' Give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me : lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of God in vain.' Pride and insolency are incident to the one, and any base dealing to the other. A great estate, like a rank soil, is more apt to breed weeds ; and bitter necessity be- trays us to any base shift for our sustenance ; therefore if God gives us anything to live upon, we should be content.
9. That God best knows what will do us good or hurt, and there- fore we should refer it to him to dispose of us according to his own pleasure. Certainly we should not want if God saw it better for us to abound, for he is no niggard of his blessings, but is good, and doth good. But it is not meet that man should have the disposal of him- self, or his own condition and affairs, or that God should accommodate his providence to our carnal interest and will. No ; God's will must always precede, and ours follow. We have a corrupt will, guided by a dark understanding ; and if the blind lead the lame, what can be expected but disorder and ruin ? Therefore our wills must not lead and make the first choice, but God's. We must bring our hearts thoroughly to yield to what God appointeth, and that our present estate is best for us. How unmeet judges are flesh and blood of what condition is fit for us ! We would be fed only with the deli- cacies of prosperity and pleasure, but it is for our profit that we should be chastened, ' that we should be partakers of his holiness,' Heb. xii. 10, 11. What a strange creature would man be if he were what he would wish himself to be ! Vainly proud, stupidly careless, and neglectful of God and heavenly things ; therefore our best way is to be what God will have us be : ' Not my will but thine be done,' Mat. xxvi. 39.