defire; but the latter hath gotten the golden ball, that the generality of mankind are fond to have, and are restless till they have gotten it, which makes the man's eftate unquiet and unfafe, because he hath many competitors for what he enjoys, which are continually endeavouring to trip up his heels: juft as we fee when a bird hath gotten a booty or prey, all other birds of prey are following and catching after it, and ever molefting him that hath it. 2. Because he that enjoys much, either of honour or wealth, or power, is the object of the envy of other men, which is a busy, restless, pernicious humour, and ever picking quarrels and finding faults, and studying and endeavouring the ruin of its object: Whereas a state of mediocrity, is a state of quietnefs, and free from the affaults and fhafts of his peftilent companions. 8. We fee that all worldly matters are by a kind of inbred and connatural neceffity fubject to mutations and changes. When grandeur, honour, and wealth are at their highest pitch, like the fun in the meridian, it stays not long there, but hath its declination. Now the changes that are incident to greatness and wealth, are always for the worst: they moft commonly take their wings and fly away, when they feem to be in their highest pitch of plenty and glory: And this creates in a man very great anxiety and reftlefs fear, left he fhould lofe what he hath; and infinite ftrugglings and fhiftings to keep it when it is going; and extreme difappointment, vexation and forrow when it is gone. On the other fide a state of mediocrity may have its changes too; and as it is feldom for the worse, so it is moft ordinarily for the better; whereby the man hath great peace and tranquillity. We need not have a better inftance of both thefe conditions than in Jacob, the perfon in the text; while he was in a state of mediocrity, and rather indeed, in a ftrait, than in an ample condition; when he had nothing but his staff, and his fupplies of bread to eat, and clothes to put on, he was in a state of great tranquillity; and that change which befel that condition, was a change not for the worse, but for the better, at least in relation to externals his fupplies increased: but as foon as he once arrived at great wealth under his uncle Laban, though it is true the Divine Providence kept him from a total lofs of it, yet he foon found that profperous condition full of thorns and difficulties: 1. His uncle and his fons began to envy his wealth, and he began to be in great fears and jealoufies left he fhould be deprived of all. 2. Then to avoid that fear, he flies, and his uncle pursues him, and then he was under a new fear of lofs of all he had. 3. When that fear was over, then he fears that the rumour of his wealth, and the former difpleasure of his brother Efau might make him and all his wealth a prey to his brother, and certainly, had not the immediate providence of Almighty God ftrangely interpofed, he had not only felt the difficulties and unquietness of his great wealthy condition (which were profitable for his inftruction) but he had fuffered a total deprivation of it, either by Laban or Efau, or at least by the neighbouring Shechemites, exafperated by the treachery and cruelty of his two fons Simeon and Levi. Upon these and many more confiderations, it is moft evident, that a state of mediocrity in externals is to be preferred before an eftate of much wealth, honour, or grandeur; that of the two extremes, poverty on the one fide, or very great wealth and glory on the other; the latter is in truth more dangerous and difficult than the former; but that of Agur's prayer, a ftate of mediocrity, neither poverty nor riches, but food convenient for a man's condition, is the most defirable state in this life, and that which avoids the difficulty of both extremes. I would willingly from thefe confiderations, therefore, learn to attain fuch a temper and difpofition of foul, as might be fafe and useful for me in relation to all these three conditions of life, whichfoever of them the Divine Providence should fend unto me. 1. In reference to a ftate of mediocrity, or fuch a state of externals, as might be suitable to the exigence, and nature of my condition in this life; I fhould make fuch a state my choice, and not my trouble: I fhould with all thankfulness acknowledge both the goodness and wisdom of Almighty God, in giving me fo competent, and fo fafe a condition; that hath by his providence delivered me from the difficulties, and inconveniences, and dangers, and temptations of both extremes, namely, great want, and great wealth: and I fhall bear my lot, not only with great patience and quietnefs, but with great contentation and thankfulness. 2. In reference to an eftate of Want or Indigence: If it should please the Divine Providence to appoint that condition to me, I should nevertheless comfort and fupport myself with fuch confiderations as thefe: 1. Though my condition be narrow and neceffitous, yet it is that which the great wife Lord of the great family of the world hath appointed to me; I will therefore bear it with patience and refignation. 2. Though it be an eftate of indigence and narrowness, yet it is fuch as affords me and my family life and fubfiftence, though not without much pains and difficulty; it might have been worse, and it may please God to make it better, when he seeth fit; I will therefore bear it with con tentedness, as well as patience. 3. Though my state be very narrow and pinching, yet it is poffible much more fafe than an eftate of grandeur and affluence: my account is the lefs; my temptations not fo dangerous; my cares fewer; my leffons of dependance upon God, of humility and lowlinefs of mind, of temperance and fobriety, of contempt of the world, of valuation of eternity and provision for it, are better learn in this extreme than in the other; I shall therefore endeavour to improve the importunities, even of this hard condition, and bear it not only with contentednefs but thankfulness. 3. In reference to an eftate of Redundance and affluence VOL. I. N fluence of externals, an estate of wealth and plenty, of honour and grandeur, of power and authority and preeminence; I will confider, 1. That this is an estate full of temptations, and temptations of the greatest fize and the most dangerous nature; as, pride and infolence, forgetfulness of God, luxury, intemperance, carnal confidence and fecurity, contempt of others, and infinite more; and if any of thefe get the advantage, they will do me more mifchief, than all my wealth will do me good. 2. Therefore I will learn and exercise very great vigilance and attention, that I be not cheated into these temptations. 3. I will take a true estimate of the world and of all thefe goodly appearances that I am attended with from it; and I will not take my measure and eftimate of them by common opinion of the world, or by their splendid outfide, but I will look more strictly into them, and find whether they are not uncertain, deceiving things; what ftability there is in them; what good they will do me after death; what quietness and tranquillity of mind they will give me, or rather take from me; whether they have in themselves any real influence to make me better or wifer. 4. Upon these confiderations, if I find, as find I fhall, that they have not that real worth in them that the vain world imagines, I will not fet my heart upon them, nor lay any confidence upon them, nor lay out much of my love unto them, nor any great efteem for them. 5. I will fet my heart to a true and ferious confideration of thofe durable riches, and glory and honour that our dear Lord hath provided for us in the life to come, and that eternal weight of glory will infinitely outweigh all the wealth and honour, and glory that I do or can enjoy in this world. 6. And upon this confideration also I will rectify my judg ment concerning this world, and the greatest glory of it, and thereby habituate myself to a low esteem of the wealth I have, or can have, and fet up my hopes and treasure in more noble and durable enjoyments. 7. I will confider I am but a steward when all is done, and the greater my wealth and honour is, the greater my accounts must be, and the more difficult to keep P them them fair. 8. That in as much as I am but a steward, I will be very careful that my management of my truft may be such as will bear my Lord's fcrutiny; I will not employ my stock of wealth or honour to the difhonour of my Lord, in riot or excefs, in vanity or oppreffion; but will do as much good with it as I can, according to the trust committed to me, that I may give a just and fair and comfortable account of my stewardship when my Lord and Mafter calls for it. 9. That in as much as thofe very externals are in themfelves bleffings if well employed, though not the bleflings of the greatest magnitude; I will with all humility and thankfulneis acknowledge the Divine bounty to me, in trufting me with abundance, and will employ it to his honour. Seneca Thyest. Act. 2. STET quicumque volet potens Me dulcis saturet quies; Obscuro positus loco, Leni perfruar otio; Nullis nota Quiritibus Etas per tacitum fluat. Sic cum transierint mei LET him that will afcend the tott'ring feat |