God's soveraignty displayed from Job 9. 12. : Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? &c., or, A discourse shewing, that God doth, and may take away from his creatures what hee pleaseth, as to the matter what, the place where, the time when, the means and manner how, and the reasons thereof : with an application of the whole, to the distressed citizens of London, whose houses and goods were lately consumed by the fire : an excitation of them to look to the procuring causes of this fiery tryal, the ends that God aims at in it, with directions how to behave themselves under their losses / by William Gearing ...

SECT. IV.

[ IV] A fourth end God aims at, in taking away these things from us, is to have us to be instructed in this, that mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth, Luk. 12. 15. By life two things are understood,

1. That a mans happiness doth not consist in the abundance of the things he doth enjoy; only Christ, and a right to, & assurance of heaven, that is a mans happiness in this life, and the fruition of Christ and heaven hereafter, is the e∣ternal happiness of a man: Lazarus was an happy man, though he had no∣thing, and Dives a miserable man, though he had abundance. Earthly-minded

persons seek for satisfaction from earthly things; therefore there be many that say, Who will shew us any good?

(1.) Such a satisfying good, as may make our souls happy; they look downward, and think to find this hap∣piness in outward things. But David opposeth his resolved choice to their vain wandring desire; Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me; as if he had said, I know where to have enough, Lord let me enjoy thee, and have the light of thy countenance shine∣ing upon me, and I am satisfied: Then he speaks of his former experience, that formerly he had found satisfaction from God. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine encreased, Psal 4.6, 7. as if he had said, the fullest Barns and Wine-cellars cannot yeeld that con∣tent to an earthly heart, that my soul hath formerly found in thee; when they are as full as they can hold, yet their immortal soul is not satisfied; but I by enjoying thee am fully satisfied: Then David compareth the satisfaction he had found in God, not only with the abundance of these things, but with the

encrease of them; for it is the encrease of outward things that is apt to win the heart: a lesser estate encreasing doth more win the hearts of natural men, than a greater estate not encreasing: But David found more content in God, than worldlings did, not only in the abun∣dance, but also in the encrease of corn and wine. Lastly, saith he, Thou hast put gladness into my heart.] Thou hast infused it into my soul: it is God that sheddeth sweet consolation into the spirit of a man; he doth not only give matter of joy, and ground of com∣fort to a believer, but giveth, as it were, the very affection of it to the soul. As for earthly things, they put not comfort into our hearts, if a man will have a∣ny good from them, he must extract and draw it out; and when the heart and the world do close most, yet it then falls short of satisfaction; but God doth put gladness into the heart, and he can satisfie it.

2. By life is meant likewise, that although a man had never so many pos∣sessions, had an house full of gold and silver, yet all his wealth cannot pro∣long his daies, nor adde a minute to his life; as if our Saviour should reason

thus; I wonder to see men take such great pains for the things of this life, to toil and labour in a restless manner: if every pound they got and had, would adde a day or year more to their lives, there were some reason why men should thus toil for riches: but can a rich man redeem his life from death with thousands of gold and silver for a day? would not a rich man that fear∣eth death and hell, give a world (if he had it) that he might not die and be damned, and yet ten thousands of worlds cannot redeem a mans soul from death and hell; therefore why are men so greedy after these things that cannot make their lives any longer?

Let us take a view of the Parable which our Saviour spake upon this very occasion of a rich Farmer, wherein se∣veral things are to be observed.

1. His Trade was very gainful, in∣timated by his ground, which brought forth plentifully, the world was coming on upon him apace.

2. He had heaped together abun∣dance of riches, he had so much, he could not tell where to lay them.

3. See what he resolved upon, viz. to follow his pleasures and contentments

without all controul; as the Proverb is, What is a Gentleman more than his pleasure? he would take his pleasure as well as the best man in his Country; he would play the Glutton, and Hunt, and Hawk, and Whore, and Drink, and Swear, and Swagger, and let him see what man would dare controll him, he would make the Town and Country too hot for him. Thus saith he to him∣self; Soul, thou hast riches enough.] and that not for a day, or a moneth, or a year, but for many years: go take thy pleasure, eat, drink, and be merry; thy abundance of riches will maintain thee in it; here you see the prosperity of a rich covetous fool. Mark now the end and conclusion of him; behold the lamentable Tragedy of an Earth∣worm; behold what God saith unto him, Thou fool.] He was but a fool for his labour; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 insipiens, an unwise man, so the word signifies; one that li∣ved by sense like a bruit, not forecasting for the future. This night they shall take away thy soul.] Mark the words, This night.] Thou hast to day promised thy self long life, mirth and pleasure; thou art deceived, thy riches shall not lengthen thy life, for this night thou

shalt die, They (i. e. the Devils) shall come and take away my soul.] And thou that didst dream of many years pleasure, shalt burn in hell to Eternity. Salvian hath a good meditation on this place:* 1.1 With his goods he prepareth happiness for others, misery for himself, mirth for others, tears for himself, a short pleasure for others, everlasting fire for himself. His Heirs that enjoyed his riches, did game, eat, drink, and were merry, and this poor covetous wretch was howling and roaring, weeping and wailing in hell. Now see our Saviours use of this Parable: So is he that lay∣eth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God: that is, so is every covetous wretch, that laboureth more for temporal riches, than for grace and godliness, such a one is a fool, though he gets abundance of riches; such a one will God cross in his plots and purpo∣ses, and when he thinks to enjoy his pleasures, then God will cut him off, and throw him into hell, his children after him shall spend his wealth, he shall be tormented in hell, when they are merry and jovial upon earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bonis suis aliis prae∣parat bea∣titudinem, sibi mise∣riam, aliis gaudia, si∣bi lachry∣mas, aliis volupta∣tem bre∣vem, sibi ignem per∣petuum. Salvian.