THE POOR man's RICHES. 237
I say, for the most part, we must not make it a general rule. It is a point rather to comfort us when it is so, than that it is alway so with the church. For howsoever they are always in some respects afflicted, they have ahvay something to abase them ; yet the times of the church are sometimes more glorious in the eyes of the world. They have the upper hand of the world sometimes. And sometimes again the children of God. they walk in the abundance of the comforts of the Holy Ghost, and increase and multiply, as it is in Acts ix. 31. When Saul was converted to be Paul, ' the church increased and grew, and went on in the fear of the Lord, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost.' There be good days and times for the church sometimes ; but for the most part in this world, God's church and children are under some cloud. I 'will not enter into the common-place of it, but only touch it in a word or two.
Reason 1. God will have it so, because it is Jit the body slwuld be con- formable to the head. You know our blessed Saviour, when he wrought our salvation, he wrought it in a state of abasement, and we ' in working out that salvation,' in going to that salvation that he hath wrought for us, we must go to it. for the most part, in a state of abasement in one kind or other ; for we are chosen to be conformable to our head, and we are as well chosen to our portion in afflictions as to grace and glory. God hath set us apart to bear such a share and portion of troubles in this world, to suffer as weU as to do. ' From my youth up,' saith the church, ' they have afflicted me; the ploughers have ploughed upon my back and make long furrows,' Ps. cxxix. 3 ; that is, from the infancy of the church, in all the growth of it, this hath been the state of the church, for the most part, to be afflicted and poor.
Reason 2. And indeed, if we look to ourselves, by reason of the remainder of our corruptions, it is needful it should be so. God in wisdom sees it fit it should be so, that we should be afflicted and poor, because he sees that we can hardly digest any flourishing condition in this world. It is as strong waters to a weak stomach. However strong waters intoxicate them not, to make them drunk, jei they weaken the brain. So, however a good condition in the world doth not altogether besot men, yet it weakens them without a great measure of faith, and makes them forget God, and the con- dition of worldly things, how empty and vain they are ; and forget them- selves and their own mortality ; and forget others, what respect is due to them, as if the world were made only for them to toss and tumble in at their pleasure, to have all- at their will, as if other men were scarce- men to them. You see when men are trusted with great matters, they deal with other men as if they were not men, as if all were made for their pleasure. This is the nature of man in great eminency. It sets up its own desire for a ' god,' as if all other were beasts, and base, and nothing. It is a pitiful thing to consider what our nature is in this kind. Nay, take the best. Hezekiah, in his prosperity, he would needs shew his treasures to the king of Babylon, a fair booty for him. You know what it cost him afterward. Naturally we are prone to outward carnal excellency, too, too much. God knows it well enough. David would be numbering the people, that he might be conceited what a goodly number he had to fight against his ene- mies. God punished him j^ou see in that kind. He took away that people that he made his confidence. God deals thus with his children in this world, because he sees a disposition in them that cannot digest, and manage,
*■ That is, ' scarcely ' not = rare. — G.
238 THE RICH POVERTY ; OR,
and overcome prosperity. They cannot command it as they should do, but are slaves to their own lusts, though they have a good measure of grace. We are prone to surfeit of the things of this life, and God is forced ; as it is in Ps. cxix. 75, ' of very faithfulness thou hast corrected me.' God, of very faithfulness, because he will be true to our souls and save them, ho is forced to diet us and to keep us ehort of the things of this life ; to take away matter of pride and matter of conceitedness in carnal excellencies ; to make us know ourselves, and him, and the world, what it is ; the vanity of the world and worldly things. You see, then, God hath some cause to do it.
Use. And ire viaif jof^tiftj God when he any wny abnaeth ux in this world. He knows what he hath to do with us : let us leave that to him, so he save our souls, and sanctify them, and delight in us to heaven and happiness. If his pleasure be to diet us in this world, in regard of riches and greatness, that he do not answer our desires, but keep us under hatches, let us leave it to his will. He knows what to do with us, as the physician knows better what concerns the sick than the sick doth. Therefore, let us take in good part the wise dispensation of God.