صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

his glory: And does God concern himself for creatures that are fo much below us, which can only glorify him accidentally, not intentionally, by our reflection upon them, not their own, and whose yery beings are defign'd to perifh within a little time? and dare we not truft him with the care of us and ours, whom he has made in a more excellent fpecies, qualified with more direct capacities to ferve and praise him, formed for eternity, objects of his grace in this world, and defigned to be heirs of glory? will he fuffer us to starve, who will not let the meaner parts of his creation want what is neceffary to their fupport, or fuitable to their rank in the creation?

(2.) A fecond argument is, We are not fure that all our care will do the business; it is not certain of fuccefs. A man can no more add to his eftate, than to his ftature, though he be never fo circumfpect and industrious, except it pleases God to blefs his industry, and forward his increase. Why then fhould men vex and torment themselves with the projects and defigns of obtaining that which it may be God will never fuffer them to poffefs and enjoy? and why should they not rather, with the moderate ufe of means, apply themselves to God by prayer, and lay the ftrefs of all their hopes and expectations upon his bounty and bleffing, not upon their own follicitude?

(3.) His third argument is, that after all these things the Gentiles feek, the Gentiles, who knew not God, nor his providence; but had been trained up in notions of a blind chance and fortune, which favour'd fome, and frown'd upon others, without any regard to equity, and which yet their poets taught them might be over-ruled by prudence.

Nullum

Nullum numen babes, fi fit prudentia; fed te
Nos facimus, fortuna, deam, cæloque locamus.

So that a wife projecting man might ftill (according to their sentiments) have the command of his fortune. Such as these were çarking and follicitous to provide for themselves, fince plodding and good management were fuppofed to have fuch a commanding ftroke in the event of things, and fince their religion was fo far from teaching them dependance on the wife and merciful care of the deity for their relief, that fortune (their fuppofititious providence) was reprefented either as a thoughtless chance, or an unjuft and partial being, and an enemy to far the greater part of mankind. But Jews, to whom our Saviour fpoke, and Chriftians, for whofe direction and fupport these precepts and arguments were intended, being enlightened by revelation, fhould know better things. They, as they are convinced by their religion, reason, and obfervation of the fuperintendency and wisdom, the power and goodness of God, in the government of human affairs, and of every circumstance of our lives, are inexcufable, if they do not trust in him, and depend upon him, or if they fret themselves into the fame perplexity that heathens do on fuch an occafion.

(4.) Ir may very well take the place of another argument, that our Saviour here gives a formal and pofitive promife, that if we feek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, all the neceffaries of this life fhall affuredly be provided for us. The generality of the world are mistaken in nothing more (and no mistake can be more fatal) than in what they call fecuring the main chance. They take it to be the getting riches, or at leaft a competent livelihood. Religion and the interefts of eternity

eternity are confidered (if at all) but as a fecond rate importance. But here our bleffed Saviour puts things in their proper order, and fhews that the holiness of a Chriftian, and the happiness of heaven, are indeed the main chance to be fecured, and even the neceffaries of this life are of far infe rior confideration: If we do fincerely make the other our chief care and requeft, and the glorifying God our principal bufinefs and endeavour, thefe fhall be thrown in too ex abundanti, by the mercy of a gracious God. And can we defire a better fecurity against want than this? The Son of God engages here his word and honour, that the pious Christian, who makes religion his first and greatest care, fhall not need to be follicitous about temporal neceffaries, they fhall certainly be fupplied to him; he shall never want. Upon fuch affurance we may fafely reft, for heaven and earth fhall fooner pafs away, than one jot or tittle of his promife fail. Laying afide therefore, all anxiety about thefe matters, let us in all our ftraits ftill fay with David, *Why art thou caft down, O my foul, and why art thou fo difquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I fhall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

(5) THE Concluding argument is, that fufficient to the day is the evil thereof. Though we should fix our felves to all the studied calmness we are able, yet for our fins the providence of God has order'á fuch a viciffitude in all things here, that fomething or other poffibly may happen to try our patience every day we live; or if it fhould not, the returning wants and neceffities of men will daily engage them in cares and business troublesome enough; fo that it is a foolish thing for us to overcharge our present hours (fufficiently burdened already) with

* Pfal xlv. II.

the

the fears and fancies of the time to come; of wants which we may never fuffer, of forrows and difappointments which we may never meet with, and provifion for age we may never live to, or for children that may never live to enjoy it. We are expofed to unavoidable trouble enough every day; let us endeavour to bear that, when it fhall happen, as becomes us; but let us not be fo abfurdly greedy of vexation, as to anticipate troubles, which are yet at a distance, and are at moft but poffibilities.

THESE are the arguments our Saviour has thought fit to use, the reasons he has given, why we should not lay up treasures upon earth. Thus far he has condefcended to perfuade us. But if we will not be convinced by him, we must nevertheless be judg'd by him: and whatever our worldly notions are of policy and prudence, that man will then appear the wifeft, and fhall prove the happiest, who has in this life bent his thoughts most seriously to another; defpifing riches, and committing himself, and all that belongs to him, to the good providence of God by faith, difperfing chearfully to the poor, and labouring only to lay up treasures in heaven, which can never perish.

СНАР.

333

[ocr errors]

СНАР. XX.

Of CENSURE and of REPROOF.

MATTH. vii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it Shall be measured to you again.

And why beholdeft thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but confidereft not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou fay to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first caft out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou fee clearly to caft out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither caft ye your pearls before fine, left they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you.

[ocr errors][merged small]
« السابقةمتابعة »