A Ninth Plea

Oh but the condition that God has put me in makes me to be unserviceable, and this troubles me; it is true, if it were only an affliction and trouble to myself it were not so much, but I am put into such a condition by this affliction as I am unserviceable, and am likely to do God no further service, God puts me into a mean estate, and what good can I do? And how burdensome is my life to me because I can do no service for God! And this is grievous to me.

Indeed if it be true that this is your great grief, it is a good sign, if you can say as in the presence of God, above all afflictions here in this world to be laid aside and not to be employed in the service of God, I account that the greatest Affliction: I had rather bear any trouble in the world so I might do more service, than to be freed from trouble and to be laid aside and do little service: Can you say so? It is a good sign of grace for a man to account afflictions to be great because he can do the Lord but little service. Few men account that no affliction at all.

But yet there may be a temptation in this. To murmur at God's disposal when your calling is low and mean and you can do little service, this is many times a temptation to those that are poor, those that are servants and those that are of weak parts and are obliged to work hard to provide bread for their families, it is many times a grievous burden to them to think, such men the Lord uses in public service, and I live in an obscure way, and to what purpose is my life?

First, To help against this temptation that you may not murmur against this condition, Do but consider though your condition be low and mean, yet you are in the Body, you are a member of the Body though you are but a mean member, the toe and the finger has its use in the body, though it be not the eye, though it be not the head, or the heart yet it has its use in the body. And it is an excellent expression that I remember Austin has about this, (says he) It is better to be the meanest member in the Body, than to be the highest member and more excellent and cut off from the Body, it is better to be a little sprig in the tree joined to the Root, than to be an arm cut off from the Root. Now other men that have but common gifts in the world, that are not members of Jesus Christ, (indeed) they seem to have more excellency than those that are godly, that are in a mean condition, mean parts, mean callings, but they are not of the Body, they are not joined to the Root, and therefore their condition is worse. As a great arm of a tree when it is cut off it has a great many leaves upon it, and it seems a great deal more glorious than those little sprigs that are upon the tree, but that little sprig is in a better condition, why? Because joined to the tree and has sap from the Root and flourishes, but the other will wither and die within a while: So it is with the men of the world, they be but like great boughs cut off from the tree, though they have excellent parts, and have great estates and pomp and glory in the world, they have no union with Jesus Christ the Root: But now others that live in a poor condition, a poor tradesman, a poor servant, a poor laboring man that labors for his family everyday, yet he being godly, (says he) though I have but little for the present, little glory, little credit, little comfort yet I am joined to the Body, and there I have supply and that that will feed me with comfort, blessing, and mercy to all eternity: So all that are in a poor condition in this world if they be godly, do but think of that; though you are mean yet you are in the Body, and joined to the Root, you are joined to the principle of comfort, good, blessing, and mercy that will hold out to eternity, when thousand thousands of glorious pompous men in the world shall wither and perish everlastingly, and therefore be not troubled at your mean condition.

Secondly, Though you have but a mean calling in this world, and so are not regarded as a man of use in the world, yet if you are a Christian God has called you to a higher calling, your general calling it is a high calling, though your particular calling be but low and mean: And for that you have a place in the Chapter before my text, Philippians 3.14. I press towards the mark (says the Apostle) for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus: So that every Christian has a high calling of God in Christ Jesus, God has called him to the highest thing that he has called any creature to that he has made, the Angels in Heaven have not a higher calling than you have. You that perhaps spend your time in a poor business, in the meanest calling, if you are a dung-raker, to rake channels, or cleanse places of filth or any other thing in the world that is the meanest that can be conceived of, your general calling as a Christian does advance you higher than any particular calling can advance any man in the world; others indeed that are called to manage the Affairs of the State, they are in a high calling, or Ministers they are in a high calling, but yours in some respect is higher. A poor servant that must be scraping all day about poor mean things, many times may have such a temptation as this is, Oh what a poor condition has God disposed me to! Will God have regard to such a one that is in such a poor low place as I am? Oh yes, Christ has regard to the meanest member, as a man has as true regard to the toe if it be in pain, and will tender that as truly and verily as any other member; so Christ has regard to his lowest and meanest ones.

Thirdly, you are in a high calling though your outward calling be low in respect of men, yet in respect of God you are in the same calling with the Angels in Heaven, and in some degree called to that that is higher, for the Scripture says, that the Angels come to understand the mystery of the Gospel by the Church; you that are a Christian in that general calling of yours, you are joined with Principalities and Powers, and with Angels, in the greatest work that God has called any creature to, and therefore let that comfort you in this.

Fourthly, Your calling is low and mean, yet be not discontented with that, for you have a principle within you (if you are a godly man or woman) of Grace that does raise your lowest actions to be higher in God's esteem, than all the brave glorious actions that are done in the world; the principle of faith does it, for any man or woman to go on in obedience to God in a way of faith in the calling that God has set them, (I say doing this through a principle of faith) it does raise this action, and makes it a more glorious action than all the glorious victories of Alexander and Caesar, than all their Triumphs and glorious pomp that they had in all their conquests; it was not so glorious as for you to do the lowest action out of faith. For, as Luther speaks of a poor Milk-maid, and yet being a Believer, and does it in faith, he compares that action to all the glorious actions of Caesar, and makes that a great deal more eminent and glorious in the eyes of God, therefore faith raises your works that are but mean, raises them to be very glorious.

Yea, and the truth is, there is more obedience to submit to God in a low calling, than to submit to him in a higher calling, for it is clear obedience, mere obedience that makes you go on in a low calling, but there may be much self-love that makes men go on in a higher calling, for there is riches, credit and account in the world, and rewards come in by that, which does not in the other, to go on quietly in a low calling is more obedience to God.

Fifthly, Know further in the last place, there is likely to be more reward: For the Lord when he comes to reward, he does not come to examine what the work has been that men and women have been exercised in, but what their faithfulness has been, Well done good and faithful servant says the Lord, he does not say, well done good servant for you have been faithful to me in public works, ruling Cities and States, and Affairs in Kingdoms, and therefore you shall be rewarded, no, but Well done good and faithful servant; now you may be faithful in little as well as others are in more, by going on and working your days labor, when you get but a couple of shillings to maintain your family, you may be as faithful in this as those are that rule a Kingdom; now God looks to a man's faithfulness, and you may have as great a reward for your faithfulness that are a poor servant in the Kitchen all the day, as another that sits upon the Throne all day, and as great a Crown of glory you may have at the day of judgment, as a King that sits upon the Throne, that has ruled for God upon his Throne; yea, your faithfulness may be rewarded by God with as great glory, as a King that has swayed his Scepter for God; because I say the Lord does not so much look at the work that is done, as at the faithfulness of our hearts in doing it, then why should not every one of us go on comfortably and cheerfully in our low condition, for why may not I be faithful as well as another? It is true, I cannot come to be as rich a man and as honourable as others; but I may be as faithful as any other man, that every one of you may conclude with yourselves: what does hinder but that you that are the poorest and meanest may be as faithful as the greatest, yea you may have as glorious a crown in Heaven, and therefore go on comfortably and cheerfully in your way.

"But the condition God has put me in makes me useless — and that is what troubles me. If the affliction only hurt me personally, it would not be so hard to bear. But this affliction has left me in a condition where I can do no service, and I am likely to contribute nothing further to God's work. God has placed me in a humble station — what good can I do? And how heavy my life feels when I can render no service to God. That is what grieves me."

If this truly is your great grief, it is actually a good sign. If you can honestly say before God that above all afflictions in this world, being set aside from usefulness in God's service is the greatest — that you would rather bear any trouble as long as you can serve, than be free of trouble and laid aside from service — that is a good sign of grace. Few people count the inability to serve God as an affliction at all.

Yet there may be a temptation lurking in this as well. To murmur at God's will because your calling is humble and your ability to serve seems small — this is a temptation that especially comes upon the poor, upon servants, and upon those of limited gifts who must work hard every day simply to provide bread for their families. It is often a heavy burden to them to think: these other men are employed by God in public service, while I live in obscurity. What is the point of my life?

First, to help against this temptation and guard against murmuring in your condition: though your station is low and humble, you are in the body. You are a member of the body of Christ, even if a small one. The toe and the finger have their use in the body, even though they are not the eye, the head, or the heart. Augustine makes a wonderful observation about this: "It is better to be the least member joined to the body, than to be the greatest and most excellent member cut off from the body. It is better to be a small twig attached to the tree and joined to the root, than to be a large branch cut off from it." Other people who have merely common gifts in the world, who are not members of Christ — they may appear to have more outward excellence than a godly person of humble circumstances and modest gifts. But they are not in the body. They are not joined to the root. And therefore their condition is actually worse. A large branch cut from a tree may still have many leaves on it and look impressive — far more impressive than the small twig still on the tree. But the small twig is in a better condition, because it is connected to the tree, drawing sap from the root, and will continue to grow. The severed branch will wither and die. So it is with people of the world: they are like great branches cut from the tree. They may have outstanding gifts, large estates, and great pomp and glory. But they have no union with Jesus Christ, the root. The poor tradesman, the poor servant, the laboring man who works every day to feed his family — if he is godly, he can say: "Though I have little for now — little fame, little credit, little comfort — I am joined to the body. I am connected to the source of all comfort, blessing, and mercy that will sustain me to all eternity." When thousands upon thousands of glorious, prosperous people of the world wither and perish forever, he who is joined to the body will live. So if you are in a humble condition in this world, but you are godly — remember: though you are small, you are in the body, joined to the root, connected to the very source of all comfort, goodness, blessing, and mercy that will last forever. Do not be troubled about your humble condition.

Second, though you may have a humble calling in this world and may not be seen as a person of much importance, if you are a Christian, God has called you to a higher calling. Your general calling as a Christian is a high calling, even if your particular occupation is low and humble. The apostle says in Philippians 3:14: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Every Christian has received the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. God has called them to the highest thing He has ever called any creature to. The angels in heaven have no higher calling than you have. You may spend your days in the humblest of occupations — cleaning streets, hauling waste, or whatever the most lowly work imaginable might be. Your general calling as a Christian raises you higher than any particular occupation can raise any person in the world. Others may be in high callings — managing affairs of state, or serving as ministers. But yours, in some respects, is higher. A poor servant who spends the day in humble, tedious work may be tempted to think: "What a poor condition God has placed me in. Will God take notice of someone in as low a place as I am?" Oh yes — Christ takes notice of His lowest and humblest members. Just as a man truly cares for his toe when it is in pain and attends to it just as carefully as any other part of the body, so Christ has genuine care for His lowliest and most humble ones.

Third, though your outward calling may be low in the eyes of men, in the sight of God you stand in the same calling as the angels in heaven — and in some respects, in a calling that is even higher. For Scripture tells us that the angels themselves come to understand the mystery of the gospel through the church. You who are a Christian, in that general calling of yours, are joined with principalities and powers, with the angels of heaven, in the greatest work God has ever called any creature to. Let that comfort you.

Fourth, your calling may be low and humble — but do not be discontented with it, for if you are a godly person, you have a principle within you — the principle of grace — that raises your most ordinary actions to be higher in God's estimation than all the grand and glorious deeds done in the world. The principle of faith accomplishes this. For any man or woman to go on in obedience to God, by faith, in the calling He has placed them in — doing it through the principle of faith — that action is raised to be more glorious in God's sight than all the great victories of Alexander and Caesar, all their triumphs, all the pomp of their conquests. None of that compares to even the lowest action done out of faith. Luther made this point about a poor milkmaid who was a believer and did her work in faith — he compared that action to all the glorious deeds of Caesar, and said it was far more glorious in God's eyes. Faith raises even the most humble work into something truly glorious.

Indeed, there is more obedience in submitting to God within a humble calling than in submitting to Him in a higher one. When you continue quietly in a humble calling, it is pure obedience — obedience alone that keeps you there. But in a higher calling, self-interest often enters in: there are wealth, reputation, honor, and worldly rewards that come with it, which do not come with the lower calling. To press on quietly and faithfully in a humble calling is a purer form of obedience to God.

Fifth and finally, know that in a humble calling there is likely a greater reward waiting. When the Lord comes to reward His people, He does not examine what the nature of their work was, but how faithful they were in it. He says: "Well done, good and faithful servant" — not, "Well done, because you governed cities and managed the affairs of kingdoms. He says: "Well done, good and faithful servant." You may be just as faithful in little as others are in much. Going on each day in your labor, earning a small wage to support your family — you may be just as faithful in this as those who rule a kingdom. God looks at a person's faithfulness. A poor servant working in the kitchen all day may receive as great a reward for faithfulness as someone who sits on a throne. They may receive as great a crown of glory on the day of judgment as a king who has ruled for God. God does not measure primarily by the size of the work done, but by the faithfulness of the heart in doing it. So why should not every one of us press on cheerfully in our humble condition? Why could I not be as faithful as another? It is true: I may not be as rich or as honored as others. But I may be just as faithful as any person alive. Every one of you — even the poorest and most humble — may be as faithful as the greatest. You may have as glorious a crown in heaven. Therefore press on cheerfully and contentedly in your way.