Part 21

This is duty, and it may be priviledg to those that are under this hand of God. And for thy encouragement to this hard work, (for this is a hard work) consider of these four things. {100c}

1. This is right lying down under Gods hand, and the way to be exalted in Gods time: when God would have Job embrace the Dunghill, he embraces it, and says, The Lord giveth, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. {100d}

2. Consider, That there are blessings also that attend a low condition, more than all the world are aware of. A poor condition has preventing mercy attending of it. The poor, because they are poor, are not capable of sinning against God as the rich man does.

3. The Poor can more clearly see himself preserved by the providence of God than the rich, for he trusteth in the abundance of his riches. {100e}

4. It may be God has made thee poor, because he would make thee rich. Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in Faith, and heirs of a Kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him? {100f}

I am perswaded, if men upon whom this hand of God is, would thus quietly lye down, and humble themselves under it, they would find more peace, yea, more blessing of God attending them in it, than the most of men are aware of. But this is an hard Chapter, and therefore I do not expect that many should either read it with pleasure, or desire to take my counsel.

Having thus spoken to the Broken man, with reference to his own self; I will now speak to him as he stands related to his Creditors.

In the next place therefore, let him fall upon the most {101a} honest way of dealing with his Creditors, and that I think must be this.

First, Let him timely make them acquainted with his condition, and also do to them these three things.

1. Let him heartily, and unfeignedly ask them forgiveness for the wrong that he has done them.

2. Let him proffer them all, and the whole all that ever he has in the world; let him hide nothing, let him strip himself to his raiment for them; let him not keep a Ring, a Spoon, or any thing from them.

3. If none of these two will satisfie them, let him proffer them his Body, to be at their dispose, to wit, either to abide imprisonment their pleasure, or to be at their service, till by labour and travel he hath made them such amends as they in reason think fit, (only reserving something for the succour of his poor and distressed Family out of his labour, which in Reason, and Conscience, and Nature, he is bound also to take care of:) Thus shall he make them what amends he is able, for the Wrong that he hath done them in wasting and spending of their Estates.

By thus doing, he submits himself to Gods rod, commits himself to the dispose of his Providence; yea, by thus doing, he casteth the lot of his present and future condition into the lap of his Creditors, and leaves the whole dispose thereof to the Lord, {101b} even as he shall order and incline their hearts to do with him. And let that be either to forgive him; or to take that which he hath for satisfaction; or to lay his body under affliction, this way or that, according to Law; can he, I say, thus leave the whole dispose to God, let the issue be what it will, that man shall have peace in his mind afterward. And the comforts of that state, (which will be comforts that attend Equity, Justice, and Duty,) will be more unto him, because more according to Godliness, than can be the comforts that are the fruits of Injustice, Fraudulency, and Deceit. Besides, this is the way to engage God to favour him by the sentence of his Creditors; (for He can entreat them to use him kindly,) and he will do it when his ways are pleasing in his sight: When a mans ways please the Lord, his enemies shall be at peace with him; {102a} And surely, for a man to seek to make restitution for wrongs done, to the utmost of his power, by what he is, has, and enjoys in this world, is the best way, in that capacity, and with reference to that thing, that a man can at this time be found active in.

But he that doth otherwise, abides in his sin, refuses to be disposed of by the Providence of God, chuseth an high Estate, though not attained in Gods way; when Gods Will is, that he should descend into a low one: yea, he desperately saith in his heart and actions, I will be mine own chooser, and that in mine own way, whatever happens or follows thereupon.

Atten. You have said well, in my mind. But suppose now, that Mr. Badman was here, could he not object as to what you have said, saying, Go and teach your Brethren, that are Professors, this lesson, for they, as I am, are guilty of Breaking; yea I am apt to think, of that which you call my Knavish way of breaking; to wit, of breaking before they have need to break. But if not so, yet they are guilty of neglect in their Calling, {102b} of living higher, both in Fare and Apparrel, than their Trade or Income will maintain. Besides, that they do break, all the world very well knowes, and that they have the art to plead for a composition, is very well known to men; and that it is usual with them, to hide their Linnen, their Plate, their Jewels, and (’tis to be thought, sometimes Money and Goods besides,) is as common as four eggs a penny. And thus they beguile men, debauch their consciences, sin against their Profession, and make, ’tis to be feared, their lusts in all this, and the fulfilling of them, their end. I say, if Mr. Badman was here to object thus unto you, what would be your reply?

Wise. What! Why I would say, I hope no Good man, no man of good conscience, no man that either feareth God, regardeth the credit of Religion, the peace of Gods people, or the salvation of his own soul, will do thus.

Professors, such perhaps there may be, and who, upon earth can help it? Jades there be of all colours. {103a} If men will profess, and make their profession a stalking-Horse to beguile their neighbours of their estates, as Mr. Badman himself did, when he beguiled her that now is with sorrow his wife, who can help it? The Churches of old were pestered with such, and therefore no marvel if these perilous difficult times be so. But mark how the Apostle words it: Nay do wrong and defraud, and that your Brethren: Know you not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither Fornicator, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. {103b}

None of these shall be saved in this state, nor shall profession deliver them from the censure of the Godly, when they shall be manifest such to be. But their profession we cannot help: How can we help it, if men should ascribe to themselves the title of Holy ones, Godly ones, Zealous ones, Self-denying ones, or any other such glorious title? and while they thus call themselves, they should be the veryest Rogues for all evil, sin, and villany imaginable, who could help it? True, they are a scandal to Religion, a grief to the honest hearted, an offence to the world, and a stumbling stone to the weak, and these offences have come, do come, and will come, do what all the world can; but wo be to them through whom they come; {103c} let such professors therefore disowned by all true Christians, and let them be reckoned among those base men of the world which by such actions they most resemble: They are Mr. Badmans Kindred.

For {103d} they are a shame to Religion, I say these slithy, rob-Shop, pick-pocket men, they are a shame to Religion, and religious men should be ashamed of them. God puts such an one among the Fools of the world, therefore let not Christians put them among those that are wise for heaven. As the Partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not, so he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his dayes, and at his end shall be a fool. {103e} And the man under consideration is one of these, and therefore must look to fall by this Judgment.

A professor! and practice such villianies as these! such an one is not worthy to bear that name any longer. We may say to such as the Prophet spake to their like, to wit, to the rebellious that were in the house of Israel. Goe ye, serve every man his Idols:—If ye will not hearken to the Law and Testament of God, to lead your lives thereafter: but pollute Gods holy name no more with your Gifts, and with your Idols. {104a}

Goe professors, Goe; leave off profession, unless you will lead your lives according to your profession. Better never profess, than to make profession a stalking-horse to sin, Deceit, to the Devil, and Hell.

The ground and rules of Religion allow not any such thing: Receive us, says the Apostle, we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. {104b} Intimating, that those that are guilty of wronging, corrupting or defrauding of any, should not be admitted to the fellowship of Saints, no nor into the common catalogue of Brethren with them.

Nor can men with all their Rhetorick, and Eloquent speaking prove themselves fit for the Kingdom of Heaven, or men of good conscience on earth. {104c} O that godly plea of Samuel: Behold here I am, says he, witness against me, before the Lord, and before his Anointed, whose Oxe have I taken, or whose Ass have I taken, or whom have I defrauded, whom have I oppressed, {104d} &c? This was to do like a man of good conscience indeed. And in this his Appeal, he was so justified in the consciencies of the whole Congregation, that they could not but with one voice, as with one mouth, break out joyntly and say, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us. {104e}

A Professor, and defraud, away with him! a Professor should not owe any man any thing, but love. A professor should provide things, not of other mens, but of his own, of his own honest getting, and that not onely in the sight of God, but of all men; that he may adorn the Doctrine if God our Saviour in all things.

Atten. But {105a} suppose God should blow upon a Professor in his Estate, and Calling, and he should be run out before he is aware, must he be accounted to be like Mr. Badman, and lie under the same reproach as he?

Wise. No: {105b} If he hath dutifully done what he could to avoid it. It is possible for a Ship to sink at sea, notwithstanding the most faithfull endeavour of the most skilful Pilot under Heaven. And thus, as I suppose, it was with the Prophet that left his wife in debt to the hazarding the slavery of her children by the Creditors. {105c} He was no profuse man, nor one that was given to defraud, for the Text says he feared God; yet, as I said, he was run out more than she could pay.

If God would blow upon a man, who can help it? and he will do so sometimes, {105d} because he will change dispensations with men, and because he will trye their Graces. {105e} Yea, also because he will overthrow the wicked with his Judgments; and all these things are seen in Job. But then the consideration of this, should bid men have a care that they be honest, lest this comes upon them for their sin: It should also bid them beware of launching further into the world, than in an honest way by ordinary means they can Godlily make their retreat; for the further in, the greater fall. It should also teach them, to begg of God his blessing upon their endeavours, their honest and lawfull endeavours. And it should put them upon a diligent looking to their steps, that if in their going they should hear the Ice crack, they may timely goe back again.

These things considered, and duely put in practice, if God will blow upon a man, then let him be content, and with Job embrace the dunghill; let him give unto all their dues, and not fight against the Providence of God, (but humble himself rather under his mighty hand,) which comes to strip him naked and bare: for he that doth otherwise, fights against God; and declares that he is a stranger to that of Paul; I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where, in all things, I am instructed both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to suffer need. {105f}