Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A43699
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A sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the lord mayor and court of aldermen at the Guild-hall chapel, Nov. 21, 1686 by Charles Hickman.
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Hickman, Charles, 1648-1713.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing H1897; ESTC R27428
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12,624
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30
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of rest where there shall be no distinction between the Dust of the Rich and Poor neither his Pomp shall attend him nor thy Poverty haunt thee to the Grave O Death how acceptable is thy sentence unto the needy when all our cares shall be laid aside in the dust and the remembrance of our sorrows shall be blotted out This is the birth-day of joy and pleasure unto those that mourn and 't is not the least advantage of Poverty that it puts us in mind of out latter end and makes us in love with that state which must of necessity happen to us And as for the Burthen of Want it self how easie is it to a Man that has remov'd far from him vanity and lies 't is the disappointment that makes it troublesome to the vain designing Man who promis'd himself great and glorious advantages of his Wealth but to the humble 't is welcome as being the Message of Heaven and he makes no reply but I am thy servant be it unto me according to thy will O God! Therefore he studies to conform himself to the pleasure of the Almighty and if he cannot raise his Fortunes up to his Mind yet he will certainly level his Mind to his present Fortune If God has not allow'd him so large a Field wherein to exercise his Gifts he will make the best use of his narrow confin'd estate and by the prudent management of his single Talent he shall receive his reward with those on whom ten Talents were bestow'd For God has given every one the means to grow happy though not the opportunity of growing rich The Honesty and Industry the Patience and Contentment of the poor Man are as acceptable Vertues unto God as the Bounty and Charity the Humility and Thankfulness of Kings and Princes And now Who shall separate the poor Man from the love of God shall Tribulation and Anguish No certainly for this is the Gift of God unto him for good to exercise his Patience and recommend his Vertues Shall Poverty and Distress this is a Gospel-promise and not to be rejected by any that profess an esteem for the Doctrine of Christ and the example which he has set before us Shall shame and contempt this indeed is the greatest burthen of Poverty and all but this a prudent Heathen boasted that he could endure but even this does not exceed a Christians strength for either we have or should have learnt from St. Paul to approve our selves in all things as the servants of God in afflictions in necessities in distresses by honour and dishonour by good report and evil report And if neither the Anguish Distress nor Shame of Poverty can make this condition unsupportable to an humble faithfull Believer he will never fly to unlawfull means for his redress but rather perish in his necessities than steal or take the name of his God in vain Death comes alike both to the rich Man and the poor and since 't is appointed for all men once to die what matter is it to the Body whether it be by Hunger or a Surfeit but for our Souls sake 't is not onely more meritorious but more glorious too to depart this Life for want of the necessary supports thereof than either to cram our selves to Death by the superfluities of Riches or to prolong our Life and advance our Fortunes by impious and dishonourable means If we can bear our Poverty with content and freely enjoy the exercise of our Vertue and Religion what greater advantages can we desire by being rich Who would exchange an honest and vertuous though mean Estate for a turbulent dangerous and unprofitable greatness Who would not rather chuse to be a door-keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the Tents or feast in the Palaces of ungodliness And if we can frame our Minds to this vertuous compliance with our Fortunes then is Poverty truly the Gift of God and a real Blessing But if we find our selves uneasie and groaning under the burthen of our Want if we murmur against God and repine at the Plenty of others then indeed is Poverty a Curse but 't is a Curse of our own making 'T is the punishment of our sins and the hand of God upon us for our Reformation Therefore we must still give him thanks for he is still the help of our countenance and our God. He bringeth Good out of this Evil and though the Clouds of Adversity should seem to shut us out from his presence yet he visits us when we are in the darkest Regions of despair If we down into Hell he is there also he still retains a peculiar title to our gratitude and in the Wiseman's words though I should be poor yet still he is my God and I will not take the name of my God in vain But lastly Though it be possible to escape the temptations of Riches and overcome the perplexities of Want yet still the safest and most desireable course of life is a middle state between Poverty and Riches Give me neither poverty nor riches says the Wise-man but feed me with food convenient for me He would not willingly either bring a burthen upon himself by multiplying Riches to provide for other men nor be himself a burthen unto others by seeking a support from their hands He would neither have his thoughts rack'd and distracted for want of necessary food nor yet slacken'd and dull'd for want of a convenient imployment but he would chuse such a condition of life as should qualify him for the performance of his duty both towards God and Man and divide his time between the cares of this World and the next Such an Estate as should oblige him to work with his hands the things for his good and yet afford him time and opportunity to pay his duty unto God and beg his blessing upon the works of his hands that the favour and countenance of God may encourage him in his Calling and a faithfull diligence in his Calling may enliven his Devotion and increase the sense of his gratitude unto God. Thus while some labour under the burthen of Riches and Honours and scarce enjoy the fruits of either whilst others are oppressed with want and with difficulty bear up and maintain their vertue against the tide of adversity he alone enjoys himself in a peacefull calm And as God has plac'd him above the contempt of the Rich and below the envy of the poor so he neither envies the Riches of the one nor contemns the Poverty of the other Having food and raiment he is therewith content and there is nothing in the World which he wants because there is nothing more which he desires As he places not his happiness in the possession of Riches so neither does he disquiet himself for their loss but with chearfulness he submits to the will of God and undergoes the change of his Estate with the same indifference as he does the changing of his Garment though the new at present be not altogether so fit and suitable to his Body yet a little use and industry will make it so In all things and at all times he is thankfull and content and therefore manages no secret plots no treacherous designs to advance his Fortune with the disturbing of his ease impairing of his health wrecking of his conscience and denying of his God. No murmurings are heard in his Tent and no disappointments break his rest for vertue is his security God his defence and under the shadow of his wings he lays him down in peace and rises up with comfort So many and so great are the advantages of his private retir'd condition so sweet and refreshing are his enjoyments so easie and comfortable is his business so sincere is his piety and so exalted his devotion that it is for the interest as well as for the ease of every man to frame his mind according to this standard and say with the Wise-man in my Text Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me THE END