Four Godly and Learned Treatises, Doctrine 1 – Title page
COLLOS. 3.5. And Covetousnesse which is Idolatrie.
COvetousnesse which is Idolatrie, that must be mortified as well as the other earthly members. Now this Covetousnesse is nothing else; but an inordinate and sinfull desire of getting or keeping Wealth or Money. The inordinate lusting after Honours, that is stiled Ambition; too much affecting of Beautie, is called Lustfulnesse; and Lust is an inordinate affection, which when it propoundeth Riches for its object, is called Covetousnes, which is Idolatry. Now Idolatry consisteth in one of these three things: First, in worshipping the true GOD in a wrong manner, apprehending him as a Creature, giving that to him that agreeth not with him. Secondly, when as wee make the creature a God; that is, by conceiving it under the notion of a God: so did they which worshipped Iove, Mars, and those Heathens that worship the Creatures as Gods. Thirdly, when as wee attribute that unto it, which belongeth unto GOD: as to trust in it, to delight in it, to put all our trust and confidence in it: when as we thinke, that it can performe that unto us which God only can, this thought is Idolatry. Now that Covetousnesse is Idolatry, is meant onelyonly in this sence when as wee thinke that riches can doe that for us which God onelyonly can; as that they can doe us good or evill. Esay, 41 23. If they are Gods, saith God, let them doe good or evill. God onelyonly doth good and evill, therefore hee is distinguished from Idols because they cannot doe it. Affections follow opinions, and practise followes affections. Therefore Heb. 11 6. He that will come to God must beleeve that he is, & that he is a rewarder of all those that seeke him. None will worship God, unlesse they beleeve that God can comfort and releeve them in all their distresses; So no men will earnestly seeke after wealth or riches till they have an opinion, that riches and wealth will yeeld them comfort, or be a strong tower of defence to free them from inconveniences; this makes them to trust in them, and this thought is Idolatry. There are two Points of Doctrine that arise from these words: The first, is this.
That to seeke helpe and comfort from any creature, or from riches, and not from God alone, Doct. 1.is vaine and sinfull.
The second is this.
That covetousnesse which is Idolatry, Doct. 2.is to bee mortified.
For the first; That to seeke helpe and comfort from any creature and not from God alone, is vaine and sinfull: It must needs bee so, because it is Idolatry. Now in Idolatry there are two things. First, Vanity and emptinesse, 1. Corinth. 8.4. An Idoll is nothing in the world; here it is Vanitie. Secondly, Sinfulnesse, there is no greater sinne than it. It is extremely vaine, because we attribute that to it that doth only belong to God; To think, that if I am well, if I am strong in friends, have a well bottomed estate, that then my mountaine is strong on every side, I shall not be removed, this is sinfull and vaine; yee shall not live a jot the better or happier for it; A strange Paradoxe, contrary to the opinion and practice of most men. If wee consult with our treasures, doe not we thinke that if we have such wealth and such friends, that wee should live more comfortably and happily? There is no man but will answer that hee thinketh so: But yet my brethren yee are deceived, it is not so: It belongs to God onelyonly to dispense of his Prerogatives, good or evill.Psal. 33.17. A Horse is but a vaine thing, saith the Psalmist, to get a victorie: That is, though it be as fit a thing as can bee in it selfe, yet if it bee left to its selfe without God, it is but vaine and can doe nothing. So I may say of Riches and other outward things; riches are vaine, and honours and friends are vaine to procure happinesse of themselves. So Physicke of its selfe is vaine to procure health; without God they are nothing worth: hee that thinkes otherwise erreth. Luk. 12.19. It was the folly of the rich man that hee thought so; and therefore sang a Requiem to his soule, Eate drinke and be merry, O my Soule, thou hast goods laid up for thee for many yeares: hee did not thinke himselfe happie, because he had an interest in God and his favour, but because hee had abundance of outward riches; And therefore you see the end of all his happinesse, Thou foole, this night shall thy soule be taken from thee, and then what is become of all his happinesse? Yet such is our folly, that most of us reflect on the meanes and on the creatures, and expect happinesse from them. But Christ tels us, they will not doe the deede; this night shall they take away thy soule, and then all thy happinesse is gone. The rich man thought before that he had beene secure as long as his wealth continued with him, that he needed not to expect any calamity; but now hee sees that he built upon a sandy foundation. David though an holy man, being established in his kingdome, having subdued all his enemies, and furnished himselfe with wealth and treasure, hee thought that his mountaine was then made so strong that it could never bee moved; that to morrow shall bee as yesterday and much more abundant; but, no sooner did God hide his face, from him, but he was troubled, Psal. 30.7. To shew, that it was not his riches and outward prosperity that made him happy, but God onelyonly: So Daniel, 5.23. Be…shazzar when as he thought himselfe happy, being environed with his Wives, Princes, and Servants; when as hee praised the gods of silver and the gods of gold, abounded with all outward prosperity and reposed his happinesse in it, is counted but a foole by Daniel for it; Because hee glorified not God, in whose hands his breath and all his wayes were; and therefore he was destroyed.
These things of themselves will not continue with us, nor yet make us happy. Wee take not a step to prosperity or adversity, but Gods hand doth leade it. My brethren that heare mee this day, that have heretofore thought, that if ye had such an estate, such learning, such ornaments, and such friends, that then yee were happy; to perswade you that it is not so, it would change your hopes and feares, your griefes and joyes, and make you labour to bee rich in faith and in good workes. It will be very hard to perswade you to this, yet we will doe what we can, and adde certaine reasons which may perswade you to beleve it to bee so, if God shall adde a blessing to them, and joyne the operation of his Spirit with them to perswade you.
Reason. 1.First, this must needs be so, in regard of Gods All-sufficiencie; hee alone is able to comfort without the creatures helpe: else there were an insufficiencie and narrownesse in him, and so hee should not bee God. If hee could not fill our desires every way, hee were not All-sufficient; Even as the Sunne should bee defective, if it needed the helpe of torches to give light. God is blessed not onelyonly in himselfe, but makes us also blessed; it is the ground of all other Commandements; Thou shalt love and worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou feare: Deut. 6.13. Matth. 4.10. Deut. 6.5.Wee must love him with all our hearts, with all our soules; let not the creature have one jot of them, because all comfort is from God. Gen. 17.1. I am God all-sufficient, walke before me, and be perfect: that is, love me altogether, set your affections on none but me, yee neede not goe unto the creature, all is in me. If the creature could doe any thing for to make us happy and not God, then wee might step out to it; but the creature can adde nothing to it, God onelyonly is all-sufficient to make you perfect every way; though the creature be used by God as an instrument, yet it is onelyonly God that makes you happy and gives you comfort, and not the creature.
Secondly, it must needs bee so because of the vanitie and emptinesse of the creature: It can doe nothing but as it is commanded by God; he is the Lord of Hoasts, Psal. 59.5.who commandeth all the creatures, as the Generall doth his army. A man having the creatures to helpe him, it is by vertue of Gods command. It is the vanitie of the creature that it can doe nothing of it selfe, except there be an influence from God. Looke not then to the creature it selfe, but to the influence, action and application that it hath from Gods secret concurrance with it. What it is to have this secret concurrance and influence from God unto the creature, you may see it expressed by this similitude; Take the hand, it moves because there is an imperceptible influence from the wil that stirres it: So the creature moving and giving comfort to us, it is Gods will it should doe it, and so it is applied to this or that action. The Artificer using a hatchet to make a stoole or the like, there is an influence from his Art that guides his hand and it: so the creatures working is by a secret concourse from God, doing thus and thus. And to know that it is from God, yee finde a mutability in the creature, it works not alwayes one way▪ Physicke and all other things are inconstant; somtimes it helps, sometimes not, yea many times when as yee have all the meanes yet they faile; to shew that there is an influence from God, and that the creatures are vanishing, perishing and unconstant of themselues.
Thirdly, It must be so, because it is sinfull to looke comfort from any thing but from God: because by this wee attribute that to the creature, which onelyonly belongs to God; which is Idolatry. The creature steales away the heart in an imperceptible manner,2 Sam. 15.6. as Absolom stole away the peoples hearts from David; or as the adulterer steales away the love of the wife from her husband. This makes you serve the creatures: this makes you settle your affections on the creatures: if they faile, yee sorrow; if they come, yee joy: and yee doe this with all joy, with all delight and pleasure, and desire; This is a great sinne, nay it is the greatest sinne: as adultery is the greatest sinne, because it severs and dissolves the marriage; so is this the greater, because it severs us from God, and makes us cleave to the creature.
The maine Consectarie and use from this, is;Vse. 1. To keepe you from hasting after worldly things: men are never weary of seeking them, but spend their whole time in getting of them; and this is the reason, why the things that belong to salvation are so much neglected: men spend so much time in a thousand other things and trifles, that they have no time at all to serve God in: they are busie about riches, honours, credit, or the things whereon their pleasures doe pitch: but if this be digested, it will teach you to seeke all from God, who disposeth all things, and to whom the issues of life and death, Psal. 68.20.of good or evill▪ doe belong. Consider with your selves and you shall finde; that the reason wherefore yee seeke for outward content and comfort, is because you thinke it will doe you good if you have it, or hurt if you have it not. But herein you erre, giving that to the creature which onelyonly belongs to God. Esay, 41.23. If the Idols bee God, saith the Lord, let them doe good or evill; The scope of this place, is to cut off the whorish and adulterish affection of those, who have an eager and unweaned desire after earthly things, by shewing, that they can doe us neither good nor hurt. Therefore God punished David exceedingly for numbring the people;2 Sam. 24. because he thought that they could strengthen him against his enemies without Gods helpe. Wherefore, Ieremie, 9.23.24. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisedome, neither let the mightie man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this; that hee understandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord, which execute loving kindnesse, Iudgement and Righteousnesse in the earth. As if hee should have said: If these things could doe you good or hurt, there were some reason that you might seeke them: but there is nothing in them that you should desire them; For it is I onelyonly that execute Mercy and Iudgement, all good and evill is from mee. Therefore Psalme, 62. we have this caveat given us. If riches increase set not your hearts vponupon them, magnifie not your selves in them or for them, for all good and comfort is onelyonly from God; else you might set your hearts on them; but now all power and kindnesse is from him, therefore your wealth can never doe it.
Obiect.But it may bee objected: That God doth comfort us and make us happie in this life by meanes, and riches are the meanes; Wherefore then may we not seeke to them to get this comfort?
Answ.To this I answer; That God doth reward every man according to his workes, not according to his wealth. Yea hee can comfort us without these; For he is the God of all Consolation: 2. Cor. 1.3. and that both Inclusive and Exclusive; all comfort is in him, and from him, none without him. If wee thinke to have it from honours, wealth or friends, we deceive our selves, for they are vaine and profit not, 1 Sam 12.21.22. Turne yee not aside, for then shall yee goe after vaine things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vaine. All these things without GOD, will profit you nothing.
Obiect.But will not health, wealth and friends profit us?
Answ.No, not all, they are vanitie, they are empty in themselves, they cannot doe it: they are in themselves but vanitie; having the creature yee have but the huske without the graine, the shell without the kernell. The creature is but empty of it selfe; except God put into it a fitnesse to comfort you, all is vanity and nothing worth, and this vanity is nothing but emptinesse. And this serves to correct the thoughts of men, who thinke that if they had such an estate, all their debts paid, if they had such and such friends, then all would bee well with them: and who is it that thinks not thus? But let those that entertaine such thoughts, consider the vanitie of the creature: all our sinnes proceed from the over-valuing of the creature; for sinne is nothing but an aversion of the soule from the immutable God to the creature. Labour then to conceive of the creature aright, to see that it is vaine: this will keepe you right, and hinder you from going from God and cleaving to the creature.
To presse this further, consider these foure things first.
First, if ye goe another way to worke, beleeve all ye see, and seeke comfort in the creature; consider yee shall loose your labour. It is not in the power of the creature to yeeld yee any comfort; if yee busie your selves in seeking any comfort from it, ye walke in a vaine shadow: Psal. 39.6. Surely every man walketh in a vaine shadow, surely they are all disquieted in vaine: Hee heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them: If we looke comfort from riches, wee looke it but from a shadow, all our labour is in vaine. There is a shadow of the Almightie in which some men walke,Psal. 91.1. where they shall be sure to finde this comfort: Others there are that walke in the shadow of the creature, in the vanity of their mindes, seeking comfort from it; those who thus walke shall be deceived. A shadow though it seeme to be something, yet it is nothing; it may seeme to have the lineaments of a man or some other body, yet it is nothing: So these outward things may seeme to have something in them, but yet indeed they have nothing; those who seeke for comfort in them commit two evills, Ierem. 2.13. They forsake God the fountaine of living waters, and digge unto themselves pits which will hold no water. God having all comforts in him, comforts never failing; because there is a spring of comfort in him, yet wee forsake him, and dig to our selves pits, which if they have any water it is but borrowed, and not continuing; and that water which they have is none of the best, it is muddy and will not alwayes continue▪ wherefore pitch your affections on the tru… substantiall good, not on vanities: If wee see a man come to an orchard full of goodly fruits and hee should catch onelyonly at the shadow of them, netling his hands, and spending his labour in vaine, wee would account him either a foole or a mad-man; yet wee in the cleare Sunne-shine of the Gospell, (such is our madnesse) doe catch and seeke after shadowes with trouble of minde and sorrow of heart, neglecting the substance.
Secondly, Consider that you seeke your happinesse, the wrong way, in that you seeke it in worldly things, they are not able to helpe or make you happy; because they reach not to the inward man: The body is but the sheath and case, our happinesse lies not in it: so in the creatures, their happinesse consisteth not in themselves, but in something else: It lies in observing the rule that God hath appointed to them: the fire, observing the rule that God hath given it, is sure; so is it of water, so of all creatures animate and inanimate, their happinesse consists in observing the rule that God hath prescribed to them. The Law of God is the rule that we must walke by, following it as a rule we are happy: hee that keepeth the Commandements shall live in them: hee that departeth from them is dead. Everie motion of the Fish out of the water is to death, but every motion of it in the water is to life: So let a mans motions bee towards God, then they are motions to life, but let him move after outward things, and it is a motion to death and misery; therefore, if yee seeke this comfort from outward things, yee goe the wrong way to get it.
Thirdly, Consider that you make a wrong choise, yee seeke not that which will doe it. If you seeke for this comfort from God, all is in one place, but if yee seeke for it in the creatures, yee must have a multitude of them to comfort you; yee must have health, wealth, honours, friends, and many other things; but one thing will doe it if yee goe the right way: yee shall finde it onelyonly in God.Luk. 10.41.42. Martha▪ shee was troubled about many things, when as one thing onelyonly was necessary. If yee seeke comfort in earthly things, ye must have a thousand things to helpe it, but godlinesse which hath the promise of this life and of the life to come doth yeeld this comfort of its selfe, if that yee seeke it in it. It is a great advantage for us to have all comforts in one thing: Godlinesse onelyonly hath all these comforts, therefore seeke them in it.
Fourthly, Consider, that that comfort and happinesse which you have from the creature, is but a dependent felicity, and it is so much the worse; because it depends on the creature, which is mutable and uncertaine: how much better is it to depend on God, in whom is no shadow of variety or change. Iames 1.17.Every creature is weaker by how much it hath more dependency on another creature: and so are yee weaker by how much more yee depend on outward things. If yee depend on friends, they may change their affections, and become your enemies, or death may take them away, and then your happinesse is gone: If yee depend on riches, Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine eye on that which is not? For riches certainely make themselves wings, and flie away like an Eagle towards heaven; and then your happinesse is gone: But if yee seeke and place your happinesse in God, in whom is no change nor alteration, then it is perpetuall. A dependancy on things that are mutable will yeeld no comfort, because God will have all to depend on himselfe: therefore, 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ of God is made unto us, Wisedome, and Righteousnesse, and Sanctification, and Redemption. That no flesh might reioyce in its selfe, but that he that glorieth, might glory in the Lord. For this end, God conveied Christ unto us; that hee might make us beleeve, that we fare not the better for any creature, that so wee might rejoyce onelyonly in the Lord: therefore hee hath made Christ redemption from all evill, that hee might furnish us with all good: Christ hath redeemed us from hell and misery, from want of good things: seeke not then a dependancy on the creature, thinke not that it will better you, and this will make you to depend on Christ. Therefore for these regards correct your opinion of worldly and outward things, and judge of them with righteous Iudgement: depend onelyonly on God if you will have him to be your portion, as hee was the Levites: Refuse him not as the Israelites did, depend on him in good earnest. A little you say, with Gods blessing will doe much. Labour not therefore, neither toile yee to leave great portions to your children (the common pretence that men have for their covetousnesse) though you leave them never so much, if Gods blessing bee not on it, it is nothing, it can yeeld them no comfort; yea many times it is an occasion of their hurt. If then Gods blessing be all in all, if that onelyonly can administer comfort and make us happy, I would aske you this question? What if ye did leave your children onelyonly Gods blessing, would it not be sufficient though you leave them little or nothing else? Yee thinke not so: and yet whatsoever ye can leave them without Gods blessing, is nothing worth. Preachers labour much in this, to draw you from worldly things, and all to little purpose: It must be Gods teaching that perswades within, that must effect it: yee must therefore take paines with your hearts, the generality of the disease shewes that it is hard to be cured; Labour therefore to finde out the deceipts which do hinder your practise of these things; which are these.
One Deceipt that deceives men is, that they are ready to say,Deceipt. 1. that these things are the blessings of God. Why then should not wee rejoyce in them? As for afflictions they are crosses, and therefore wee grieve for them: if these then did not adde to our blessednesse, why count wee them blessings, and account Povertie as a crosse?
To this I answer, that if yee take them as blessings yee may rejoyce in them, as the instruments by which God doth you good. Blessings are relative wordes, they have reference unto God: if yee consider them without reference unto him, they cease to be blessings: therefore if yee consider them meerely as blessings, yee may rejoyce in them. Now yee receive them as blessings:
First, if yee depend on God for the disposing, continuing, and want of them, if yee thinke yee shall enjoy them no longer than God will. If yee thinke this with your selves, wee have Wives, Children, Friends, and Riches, 'tis true we have them, but yet they shall not continue with us an houre or minute longer than God will: If ye thinke so in good earnest, then yee rejoyce in them as blessings. A man that is relieved when he is in danger, lookes more to the will than to the hand of him that helpes him: wee looke more to the good will of our friends, than to their gifts: so we should looke more to Gods Will and pleasure, than to the benefits which he bestowes on us. The consideration of these things as blessings, must raise up your thoughts to heavenly thinge, to consider that whatsoever is done in earth, is first acted in heaven; the Sunne is first eclipsed there, and then here: so your estates are first eclipsed there, before that they are here. Looke therefore on GOD, and on these as meerely depending on Gods will, and then you enjoy them meerely as blessings.
Secondly, yee looke on them as blessings, if yee looke on them so, as to know, that yee may have them in aboundance without any comfort. Instruments have nothing of themselves; whatsoever they have is put into them. A man may have wealth, friends, and all other outward things, his mountaine may seeme to be strong, yet without Gods blessing on them, he may want comfort in them. When as yee thinke thus, that yee may have these things without comfort, it is a signe that your eye is on God, that yee looke on them onelyonly as the Vehiculaes or Conduit pipes, to convay comfort. The aire yeelds light as an Instrument, though it hath no light of its owne: the water may heat, but not of its selfe, but by that heate which is infused into it by the fire: So if a man drinke a Potion in beere, the beere of its selfe doth not worke, but the Potion worketh by the beere: So it is with all outward blessings, they of themselves can yeeld you no comfort at all, but if they yeeld you any, it is by reason of that comfort which God puts into them.
Thirdly, yee doe then enjoy them as blessings, if you thinke that you may have comfort without them: the ebbing and flowing of outward things doth not augment your comfort or diminish it: Those that have not any outward blessings, may have more gladnesse and comfort in their hearts, than those whose corne and wine are increased, Psalm. 4.7. Those who have but a small Cottage and a bed in it, are many times more happie, more healthy, and sleepe more quietly, than those rich men, whose wealth will not suffer them to sleepe: Eccles. 5.12. Many there are, that seeme to want outward things and comforts, yet are full of inward comforts and delights: Many there are, who like Paul and the Apostles,2 Cor. 6.10. Seeme to have nothing, and ye… possesse all things: As it is all one with God to helpe with few as with many;1 Sam 14.6. 2 Chr. 14.11. So he can comfort with few friends and externall blessings, as well as with many: Yea hee can make a little that the righteous have, Psal. 37.16.more comfortable than all the revenues of the vngodly, be they never so great. That which hath been said of blessings, the like also may bee said of crosses; yee may grieve for them if yee take them as crosses: but withall take heed, that you account not those things crosses which indeed are no crosses. Want was no crosse to Paul, nor yet Imprisonment:Phil. 4.12. Acts 16.25. for in the one he abounded, in the other hee sung: It is advantage unto us many times to have outward blessings taken from us. It is advantage to us to have bloud taken away in a Pleurisie: it is good sometimes to lop trees, that so they may bring forth more fruit; so it is good many times for us to have crosses to humble us, and to bring us nearer to God: yet yee may sorrow for the losse of these things, and take it as a crosse, if yee can say this from your hearts, that yee are not afflicted, because ye are made poore, because your wealth is taken from you but because it is Gods pleasure to take it from you, either for the abuse of it, or else to punish you for some other sinne. So if that yee are cast into some sicknesse, ye may not grieve for it as a crosse meerely, as it is a sicknesse, but as you conceive the hand of God in it, laying it on you as a punishment for your sinne.
Deceipt. 2.The second Let and Deceipt is, the present sence and feeling that we have of the comfort that comes from aboundance.
Men are ready to say, that they feele comfort from aboundance of outward things; therefore whatsoever you say to the contrary, is but speculations and fancies. Men are guided by sence, which cannot be deceived; we find and feele comfort in these things by experience, we see a reality in these things, and therefore whatsoever you say to the contrary, is but vaine, and to no purpose.
Answ.To this I answer, you must not judge of things according to sence, for sence was never made a Iudge by God, to judge of these things; but judge of them according to faith and rectified reason, which judgeth of things that are to come, that are past & present all together, and so can best judge of these things as they are.
Now for to helpe your judgements in these things.
First, consider what the Scripture doth say of them: what it doth say of pleasure, friends, and riches: the Scripture presents things as they are, and that tels you that they are but Vanity of vanities, and that all is vanity.Eccles. 1.2.
Secondly, consider the Iudgements of others, concerning them who have beene on the stage of afflictions, and have abounded with good workes whilst they lived, but are now gone.
Thirdly, consider what yee will judge of them at the day of death; then men are awaked, they see these things as they are indeed, and then they be foole themselves that they have spent so much time in seeking after those things which will not profit them, and spent so little time in seeking after salvation.
Fourthly, Iudge not of them as you finde them for the present, but likewise as you shall finde them for the time to come, judge of all together.
Now for Sence: you must understand that there is a double sence.
First, there is a sence and feeling of the comfort of the creature, as a man that is benummed with cold, is refreshed with fire: or a man that is faintie and feeble in heart, is refreshed with wine.
Secondly, There is a supereminent comfort proceeding from an inward apprehension of Gods fauour towards us, in giving these blessings to us.
There may be an inward distemper, which may make our joyes to bee hollow and counterfeit: there may be sadnesse of heart, when as there is outward joy; because there is an inward and supereminent sence which affects the heart another way: and therefore, Eccles. 2.2. Externall Ioy, is called mad Ioy; because wee minde it not: It is the joy of joyes, and life of comfort that is from within, that proceeds from the inward man. As the soule is stronger, and the more it is in health, so it findes more comfort, both externall and supereminent comfort: Graces are to the soule as health is to the body; the more and greater they are, the more comfort they administer.
Obiect.But yee may object that the creature can administer its owne comfort, and of its selfe.
Answ.To this I answer; That there is an aptnesse and fitnesse in the creature for to comfort us, but yet it can yeeld us no comfort without God: Wherefore keepe your affections in square, have so much joy and delight in the creature, as the creature requires, and no more; if your affections hold a right proportion with their objects, they are right; therefore thus farre yee may joy in the creature, and no further.
First, Yee may joy in it with a remisse joy, and yee may also sorrow for it with a remisse sorrow,1 Cor. 7.30. yee may joy in it as if yee ioyed not, and sorrow in it as if yee sorrowed not.
Secondly, Ye may joy in them with a loose joy and affection; as they set loose to you, so yee may set loose to them, 1 Cor. 7.29.30.31. Brethren the time is short, it remaineth therefore that those who have wives, be as though they had none; that those that weepe, be as though they wept not; that those that reioyce, as though they reioyced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it, That is, let your affections be loose to these things: Take any of these outward things, yee may cast your affections on them in a loose manner: goe no further than this; For the fashion of the world passeth away; Yee may bee taken away from it, and it from you; therefore affect it no otherwise, than a transitorie thing, and with a loose and transient affection, willing to depart from it, whensoever it shall please GOD to take it from you.
Thirdly, yee may love them with a dependent affection; they are things of a dependent nature, they have no bottome of their owne to stand on, they onelyonly depend on God, and so yee may love them as depending on him: eyeing the Fountaine, and not the Cesterne from whence they flow▪ take not the light from the aire onelyonly, but looke to the Sunne from whence it comes.
Deceipt. 3.The third Deceipt, is false reasoning: We finde it otherwise by experience: we see that a diligent hand maketh rich, and bringeth comfort: we see that labour bringeth learning; and for the labour which we take to get it, in recompence of it, it makes us happy.
Answ.To this I answer, That this chaine doth not alwayes hold: God breakes it many times; riches come not alwayes by labour, nor comfort by riches; except God bee with the labour, the labour profits nothing. Psal. 127.1. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it: Except the Lord keepe the Citie, the Watchmen watch but in vaine. It is in vaine to rise up earely, to goe to bed late, to eate the bread of carefulnesse: Yee shall not reape the fruit yee expect, unlesse God bee with your labour. If Christ bee absent the Disciples may labour all night and catch nothing;Luke 5.5. &c but if he be present with them, then their labour prospereth, then they inclose a multitude of Fishes: So when as wee labour and take paines, and thinke to be strong in our owne strength without Gods helpe, wee goe to worke with a strong key which will not open; but if Gods hand bee in the businesse, wee doe that with greater facilitie and ease which God hath appointed wee should doe. You may see this in Ioseph, God purposed to make him a great man, see with what facilitie he was made the Governour of Egypt next to Pharaoh without his owne seeking, and beyond his expectation: So it was with Mordecai; so with David: God appointed to make them great, and therefore they became great notwithstanding all oppositions. On the contrary, let man goe on in his owne strength, and he shall labour without any profit at all: Hence it is, that many times we see a concurrencie of all causes, so that we would thinke that the effect must needs follow, and yet it followes not, and if it doth follow, we have no comfort in it.
First, because God makes an insutablenesse, a disproportion betwixt the man, & the blessing; as betweene Iudas and his Apostleship. A man may have tables well furnished, Riches in aboundance, a Wife fit for him, and yet have no comfort in them, because God puts a secret disproportion betwixt him and them.
Secondly, though there bee a concurrencie of things, yet God may hinder the effect; sometimes for good, sometimes for evill: As Elisha his servant was ready in the nicke, when the Shunamite came to beg her possessions and Land of the King, 2. King. 8.5.6. He was then telling the King how Elisha had restored her sonne to life, which furthered her suite: So on the other side, Abraham, When hee was to offer up his sonne Isaac: in the instant God sent the Ramme tied in the Bush, Gen. 22.13. So Saul when as he had purposed to kill David, God calls him away to fight with the Philistims: and as God hinders the effect for good, so hee doth for evill.
Thirdly, God doth it sometimes by denying successe unto the causes.E…cles. 9.11. The battell is not alwayes to the strong: when there are causes and the effect followes not, it is because God doth dispose of things at his pleasure, and can turne them a contrary way: health and comfort, joy and delight, follow not outward blessings, except God puts it into them.
The fourth Deceipt is this: These things are certaine and present,Deceipt. 4. but other things are doubtfull and uncertaine, we know not whether we shall have them or no.
Answ.To this I answer, it is not so: Future, spirituall, and eternall things, are not uncertaine▪ but those things which wee enjoy here, are; those things which we here enjoy, as also wee our selves, are subject to changes and alterations: we are as men on the sea, having stormes as well as calmes. Wealth and all outward blessings are but transitory things: but faith and spirituall things are certaine and endure for ever: we have an Almighty and unchangeable God,1 P…. 1.4. an immortall incorruptible inheritance: that fadeth not away, reserved for us in the highest heavens. In temporall things, who knowes what shall bee to morrow; in them thou canst not boast of to morrow:Prou. 27.1. but as for spirituall things they are certaine, there is no ambiguity in them. But the maine answer that I give is, that here we must use our faith; consider the grounds on which faith relies, and then the conclusions and consequences that arise from them, take heed to them and be not deceived. If ye beleeve God to be the Rewarder of all those that trust in him, as you say he is,Heb. 11.6. why rest you not on him? Why are yee not contented with him for your portion? Why thinke yee not him sufficient? If the creature be God, then follow it; but if God, be God, then follow him, and be satisfied with him: Labour therefore for faith unfained, and walke according to it.
If then it be vaine and sinfull to seeke helpe and comfort from any creature,Vse. 2. or from riches, and to thinke that they can make us live more comfortably; hence then consider the sinfulnesse of it, and put it into the Catalogue of your other sinnes, that formerly yee have had such thoughts. Every one is guilty of this sinne more or lesse, and this is a sin not small, but of a high nature; It is Idolatry: In the times of ignorance, Sathan drew many men to grosse Idolatry, to worship stockes and stones; but now he drawes them to another Idolatrie lesse perceptible, and yet as dangerous in Gods sight as the other, who is a spirit, and can discerne and pry into it. Io…. 4.24.Let us therefore examine our hearts, and consider how much wee have loved and trusted the creature: let vsus condemne our selues, and rectifie our Iudgements, and judge of things as they are: Let us not thinke our selues happy for that we enjoy the creatures; let us not thinke ourselves blessed in them, but onelyonly in Christ, because it is not in their power to make us happy. If wee have so joyed in these, or loved them so as to love God lesse, it is adulterous love and joy. We have no better rule to judge of adulterous love than this, when as our love to the creature, doth lessen our love towards God.
Now least we bee deceived in our love to the creature, I will give you these foure signes to know, whether your love to it bee right or no.
First, see if your affections to the creature cause you to withdraw your hearts from God. Ier. 17.5. Cursed bee the man that maketh flesh his arme, and whose heart departeth from the LORD: It is a signe wee make flesh, our arme, when as wee withdraw our hearts from God; we make the creature our aime, when as it withdrawes us from God. 1 Tim. 5.5. She that is a Widdow indeed, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications night and day: This is a signe that they trusted in God, not in the creature, because they pray unto him. Consider what your conversation is, whether it bee in heaven or no: Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven: the neglecting and not minding of earthly things in the former verse, shewed him not to be of an earthly conversation. The more our hearts are drawne from God, the more are they fixed and set on earthly things.
Secondly, consider what choise yee make when as these things come in competition with God and spirituall things: what Bils of Exchange doe you make?Luke 16.9. Doe ye make yee friends of the unrighteous Mammon, not caring for these things when they come in competition with a good conscience, or doe yee forsake GOD, and sticke to them?
Thirdly, consider what your obedience is to GOD, whether his feare be alwayes before your eyes; or whether riches set you on worke or no: what mans obedience is, such is his trust; if yee obey God, then yee trust in him, if yee obey riches, then yee trust in them, and not in God.
Fourthly, consider what your affections are: nothing troubles a holy man but sinne, which makes him seeke helpe at Gods hands, and not in these: on the contrary, nothing troubles a worldly man, but losses and crosses, sinne troubles him not at all: By this judge of your love to Riches, whether it be right or no.
Thus much of the first generall Doctrine; we come now to the second, which is this.
Doct. 2.That Covetousnesse is to be mortified.
That Covetousnesse is unlawfull, all know it: the things therefore that will be usefull in the handling of this point, will be to shew you what Covetousnesse is; and why it is to bee mortified.
Now to shew you what it is.
Covetousnesse may be defined, to be a sinfull desire of getting or keeping money or wealth inordinately.
First, it is a sinfull desire, because it is a lust, as lusting after pleasure is called Voluptuousnesse; it is also inordinate, the principle being amisse, and likewise the Object: The principle is amisse, when as wee over-value Riches, set a greater beauty on them than they have, and seeing them with a wrong eye, we lust after them, by reason that we over-value them; And thus to over-value them, thus to lust after them, and to thinke that they can make us happy, is Idolatry. The object of it is as bad as the principle, when as the end of getting riches, is either to raise us to a higher condition,Luke 16.19. or to fare deliciously every day; or else to spend them on some lust, Iam. 4.3.as well as to keepe them.
Secondly, it is, of getting or keeping mony; of getting it inordinately, when as wee seeke it by wrong meeanes; or of keeping it inordinately; and that in two cases. First, in not bestowing it on our selves, as wee ought. There is tenacity of this sort among men, Eccles. 4.13. There is a great evill under the Sun; namely, Riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt: When as it is comely and good for a man to eate and drinke, and to enioy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the Sunne, all the dayes of his life which God giveth him, for this is his portion: And thus to take his Portion and to reioyce in his labour is the gift of God. Eccles. 5.18.19. Then secondly, in not giving to others, being too straight handed, having goods and seeing othrrs to want.
The last and chiefe thing in the definition is, Inordinately, that is, besides the rule of Gods Word. A thing is said to be inordinate, when as it is besides the square, and in doing thus, we doe amisse.
Now this affection of seeking money is said to be inordinate, in these foure respects.
First, when as we seeke it by measure, more than we should.
Secondly, when we seeke it by meanes, that we should not.
Thirdly, when we seeke it for wrong ends.
Fourthly, when we seeke it in a wrong manner.
For the first, we offend in the measure, when as we seeke for more than God gives us: that which God gives every man, that is his Portion here, Eccles. 5.18. And hee that desireth and with-holdeth more than his portion, is hee that offendeth in the measure, Prov. 11.24.
But how shall I know Gods Will, and what my portion is?
Answ.I answer, by the event: see in what estate and condition God hath set you, see what estate he hath given you, this is your Portion, and with it you must bee contented. GOD hath a Soveraigntie over us, wee are but his subjects, and must be contented with what he gives us: you are contented with that which your Father or your Prince gives you; therefore you must receive that which God bestowes upon you, with all humility and thankfulnesse. If we be soundly humbled, wee confesse our selves worthy to be destroyed, Ezech. 36.32. We confesse with Iacob, Gen. 32.10. That we are unworthy of the least of Gods mercies; that the least Portion is more than we deserve. The Prodigall being humbled, was contented with the lowest place in his fathers house, to bee as one of his Fathers houshold servants:Luke 15.19. and so wee ought to be content with that Portion which God hath given us, be it never so small, because it is more than we deserve; and if we desire or seeke for more, this desire is sinnefull.
Secondly, as we ought not to seeke wealth more than is our due; so we ought not to seeke it by unlawfull meanes; not by vsury, gaming, oppression, fraud, deceipt, or any other unlawfull meanes. I adde this of gaming, because it is unlawfull (though it be little considered:) for it is no meanes that God hath appointed or sanctified for to get money; because it is neither a gift nor a bargaine. I dispute not now; whether playing for trifles, to put life into the game be lawfull, but of gaming with an intent to get and gaine money or wealth; this I say is an unlawfull meanes, and such as have gotten money by these unlawfull meanes, are bound to restitution.
Thirdly, when the end of our seeking after money is wrong, then our affection is sinfull, as if wee seeke it onelyonly for its selfe, that wee may be rich; or to bestow it on our lusts. If we make this our end, to bestow it on our lust, and not on necessaries onelyonly, not contenting our selves with so much as shall serve our turnes; if wee seeke it thus, wee seeke it in excesse. He that desirs, money for a journey, desires no more than will serve to defray the costs and expences in his journey; so if a man desires money for any other end, he desires as much as will serve him for that purpose, and no more. So in other things: hee that is sicke, desires as much Physicke as will cure him, and no more: so wee ought to desire as much as will serve our necessities, and no more. But if we desire it for ambition, pleasures, or any other by-respect, this desire is sinful and inordinate.
Lastly, it is inordinate, when as we seeke it in a wrong manner, which consisteth in these 5. particulars.
First, when as wee seeke it out of love unto it; and this manner of seeking it, is spirituall adultery. Iames 4.4. Yee Adulterers and Adulteresses, know yee not that the friendship of the world, is an enmity with God, and whosoever is a friend of the world, is an enemy to God? If wee be in love with it for its owne beauty, it is sinfull, it is spirituall adultery.
Secondly, when as we seeke it to trust in it; when as we thinke we shall be the safer for it, and make it our strong Tower. Yet hee that trusteth in Riches shall fall, Prov. 11.28. And therefore, if we have food and raiment we ought therewith to be contented, 1. Tim. 6.8. And not to trust in vncertaine riches.
Thirdly, when as wee are high minded and thinke our selves the better men for our wealth; when as it makes us looke bigger than we did; as commonly those that are rich doe; therefore 1 Tim. 6.17. Paul bids Timothy, Charge those that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded.
Fourthly, when as we seeke it to glory in it; as David, hee would number the people to glory and trust in them: this is sinfull; For he that glorieth, must glory in the Lord not in them: 1 Cor. 1.31.
Fiftly, when as we seeke it with too much haste and eagernesse, when as all our dayes are sorrowes, our travell griefe, and our hearts take no rest in the night. Eccles. 2.23. When as wee seeke it, not staying Gods leisure; such a desire is inordinate, importunate, and sinfull: therefore, 1 Tim. 6.9.10. Those that will be rich, (that is, such who make too much haste to bee rich,) fall into temptation and a snare; and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction, and pierce them through with many sorrowes.
But now you will object,Quest. that riches are blessings; and demand of me whether you may not desire riches as they are blessings?
Answ.I answer, that it is true, that they are blessings, and the reward of the feare of GOD. Prov. 22.4. By humility and the feare of the Lord, are Riches and Honour. Therefore it is said of David, that Hee died full of Riches. 1 Chro. 29.28Abrahams servant reckoned them as a blessing. Gen. 24.35. The Lord hath blessed my Master greatly and he is become great, and hee hath given him Flockes, and Heards, and Silver, and Gold, and Men-servants, and Maid-servants, and Camels and Asses: Iacob counted them as blessings, Gen. 32.10. And Christ himselfe saith,Acts 20.35. That it is more blessed to lend than to borrow, to give than to receive; may wee not then desire them? To answer this, yee must know, that there is a twofold will and desire. First, a remisse will, which is rather an inclination than a will. Secondly, there is a peremptory will, which is mature ripe and peremptory: with this latter will wee may not desire them, but with the former we may; for in the 1 Tim. 6.8. If we have food and rayment, let us therewith be content: If any man have a desire to be rich; yet having food and rayment let him not so desire more riches; but that hee may be content with it; yea having, or having them not, ye must be content. Now there is a double content; the first is, as when a man is sicke (to expresse it by a similitude) yet he may pray for health, and use meanes to get it with a full and perfect will, yet with a depending on Gods will: so we being in want may desire riches and wealth with a full will, sitting in the meane time under Gods hand, and referring and submitting our wills to his will. Secondly, there is a content, whereby having sufficient for food and rayment wee suffer not our wills actually to desire more, nor to goe beyond the limits which God hath set us. God hath promised outward blessings as a reward of his service, and propoundeth them to us, as so many arguments and motives to stirre us up to feare him: and therefore wee may desire them as his blessings, with such a remisse and subordinate desire as this; when as we set bounds and limits to the sea of our own desires which are in themselves turbulent, and submit our selves wholly to Gods will. Christ being to die had a will to live, yet not a full and resolute will, but a will subordinate to Gods Will. Father if thou wilt, Mat. 26.39.let this Cup passe from me, yet not my Will but thine be done: his will was but an inclination, and not a will; so we may wish riches with a remisse will and inclination, but not with a perfect will; that is, wee may not goe about to get them with a full desire and resolution.
But how farre may a man desire wealth?Quest. Where must hee set limits to his desires? where must they be restrained?
Answ.I answer, that hee may desire food and rayment, he may desire that which is necessary for nature, without which he cannot live & subsist: as a man may desire a ship to passe over the sea from one countrey to another, because he cannot passe over without it: so a man may desire foode and rayment in the sea of this life, because without it hee cannot finish his course which God hath prescribed unto him.
Now there is a threefold necessitie.
First, there is a necessitie of expedience, as if a man hath a a journey to goe, 'its true, hee may goe it on foote, yet he may desire a horse ride on, because it will be more expedient for him: so you may desire with a remisse desire, so much as is expedient for your vocation and calling, so much as it requires.
Secondly, there is a necessitie in respect of your condition and place; as men in higher ranke and calling neede more than men of an inferiour degree, to maintaine their place and dignity; so may they desire to have more than they; so as they desire no more than will bee sufficient to maintaine them in that ranke and degree wherein they are placed.
Thirdly, there is a necessitie of refreshment, and you may desire as much as is needfull for your necessarie refreshment, as much as hospitalitie requires, so that you doe not goe beyond it. And in these three respects, you may desire God to give you as much as shall bee expedient for you, because it is no more than nature requires.
Now besides this desire of things necessarie, there is a desire of superfluitie and excesse: this desire proceeds not from nature but from lust; because we desire such a degree of wealth, either to raise our estates, or that we may bestow it on our lusts and pleasures; that like the rich Glutton, Luke, 16. We may be well clad and fare deliciously every day. Many mens lives are nothing else but playing and eating, eating and playing, and are led alwayes in this circuit: To desire wealth to this or any other superfluous end is very sinfull, and it must needs be so for many reasons.
First,Reason. 1. because mans life stands not in abundance & excesse: therefore Luke, 12.13, 14, 15. verses. When as a certaine man spake to Christ to speake to his brother to divide the inheritance with him: he said unto him, Man who made mee a Iudge or devider …ver you; and then bids the multitude to beware of Covetousnesse; because that a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that hee possesseth: That is, though yee have never so much wealth, yet ye shall not live the longer for it; your life consists not in it, no more doth your comfort: for they will but please the sight of your eye, they will not make you more happier than you are; seeke not therefore superfluitie, for your life consists not in abundance: He is but a foole, that thinkes that these things will make him happy, that these will make him rich: all they that are not rich in God, Luke 12.21.are poore; and if they thinke themselves happy and rich in these things, they are but fooles.
Secondly, the desire of superfluitie is sinfull, because it proceeds from an evill roote: the fruit cannot bee good that proceedeth from an evill and bitter roote; but this desire proceeds from such a roote; That is, from lust; it comes not from Gods spirit, which biddeth every man to be content with food and rayment: Nor yet from nature,1 Tim. 6.8. which seekes not superfluities; therefore proceeding from lust it must needs be sinfull.
Thirdly, what yee may not pray for, that ye may not desire to seeke after: but we may not pray for superfluities. Prov. 30.8. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches, feed me with food convenient for me, not with superfluities: And in the Lords Prayer we are taught not to pray for superfluities,Mat. 6.11. but, Give vsus this day our daily bread, that is, as much as is necessarie for us, and no more: therefore we may not desire it. The seeking of more than is necessary doth hinder us, and not further us; a shooe that is too big, doth hinder a traveller, as well as one that is too little.
Fourthly, it is dangerous, for it doth choake the word, and drowne men in perdition: therefore it is Agurs Prayer, Prov. 30.8.9. Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for mee; least I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Fulnesse and excesse is alwayes dangerous: full tables doe cause surfeits, full cups make a strong braine giddy. The strongest Saints hath beene shaken with prosperity and excesse, as Dauid, Hezekiah, Salomon; they sinned by reason of excesse in outward things. It is dangerous to bee rich, therefore it is Davids counsell, Psal. 62.10. If riches increase, set not your hearts upon them. Mar. 10.23.24, 25.A rich man cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven: It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle, than for him to enter into Heaven: For if a man be rich, it is a thousand to one, but that hee trusteth in his riches, and it is impossible that hee who trusteth in his Riches, should enter into heaven.
Lastly, to desire superfluity must needs be… sinfull, because wee have an expresse command to the contrary. 1 Tim. 6.8. If wee have food and raiment, let vsus therewith be content. This is the bound that God hath set us, we must not goe beyond it. If it were lawfull for any man to desire and have abundance, then it were lawfull for Kings; yet God hath set limits to them. Deut: …7.17. Hee shall not multiply Horses nor Wives to himselfe, that his heart turne not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himselfe silver and gold, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren: God hath set us downe limits and bounds how farre wee should goe, therefore to passe beyond them is sinfull, but we passe beyond them, when as we desire superfluity, therefore the desire of superfluity is sinfull.
But may not a man use his calling to increase his wealth?Quest.
Answ.I answer, that the end of mens callings is not to gather riches, if men make this their end, it is a wrong end; but the end of our calling is to serve God and man. The ground of which is this. Every man is a member of the Common wealth, every man hath some gifts or other, which must not lie idle: every man hath some Talents, and must use them to his Masters advantage; and how can that be, except hee doe good to men? Every one is a Servant to Christ, and must doe Gods worke: no man is free; every one is Christs servant, and must bee diligent to serve Christ, and to doe good to men.Rom. 12.6.7.8. He that hath an office must be diligent in it, and attend on it: every man must attend his calling, and bee diligent in it. If riches come in by our calling, that is the wages, not the end of our calling, for it lookes onelyonly to God: wee must not make gaine the end of our callings; there are many that make gaine their godlinesse, and the end of their professions:Rom. 16.18. Some preach onelyonly for gaine: others use all other callings onelyonly for gaine: but if any man wil make gaine the end of his calling, though he may conceale and hide his end from men, yet let him be sure that hee shall answer God, the searcher of the hearts for it: on the other side, if a man by diligence in his calling have Riches following him, hee may take them as a blessing of God bestowed on him,Pro. 10.4. and as a reward of his calling. The diligent hand maketh rich; that is, GOD will surely reward it; not that we must eye riches and make them our end:Pro. 10.22. GOD makes a man rich, and man makes himselfe rich. God makes us rich, by being diligent in our callings; using them to his glory and mans good, he doth cast riches on us: Man makes himselfe rich, when as he makes riches the end of his calling, and doth not expect them as a reward that comes from God. I shall expresse it by Iacob. Iacob he serves Laban faithfully, Gen. 30.43.and God blessed him so that hee did grow rich: hee went not out of his Compasse and Spheare, hee tooke the wages that was given him, and because Gods end was to make him rich, God enriched him by his wages, as a reward of his service. The more diligent a man is in his calling the more sincere and upright, the more God doth blesse him, and increase his riches. God makes men rich, Pro. 10.22.when as hee gives them riches without sorrowes, and troubles, when as they come in with ease, without expectation and disquiet: Man makes himselfe rich, when as there is great trouble in getting, keeping, and enjoying them: when as he useth his calling to get riches, or when as hee useth unlawfull meanes. The method that God useth to inrich men, is this; He first bids us seeke the kingdome of heaven, and the righteousnesse thereof, Mat. 6.33.and then all these things shall bee administred unto us as wages: we must looke to our duty, and let God alone to provide and pay us our wages: he that takes a servant, bids him onelyonly to looke to his duty, and let him alone to provide him meate, drinke and wages. We are all but servants, God is our Master, let us looke to our duty, and leave the wages to him.
Quest.But whether may not a man take care to get wealth? Is not a man to take care for his estate, to in…rease it and fit it?
Answ.I answer, hee may lawfully take care of it, observing the right rules in doing it, which are these.
First hee must not goe out of his compasse, but walke within his owne pale: he must not step out of his owne calling into other mens; and in his owne calling hee must not trouble himselfe with so much businesse as may hinder him in his private service unto God: if hee doth fill himselfe with too much businesse in his owne calling▪ or step into other callings, this is sinfull and inordinate. If a man in his owne calling, fill himselfe with so much businesse that hee cannot intend the things of saluation, that hee is so much tired with them that he hath no spare time to search his owne heart, and doe the particular duties necessary to salvation, he then failes in this, and sinnes in his calling.
Secondly, his end must not be amisse, hee must not aime at riches. Abraham was poore and so was Iacob, yet God made them rich and mighty: they were diligent in their callings, and God brought in wealth. God calls not a man to trust in himselfe, to make riches his aime and end, to seek excesse, superfluitie, and aboundance; to live deliciously, to satisfie his lusts and pleasures; Our aime must bee Gods glory and the publique good, and then GOD will cast riches upon us as our wages.
Thirdly, let it be a right care, and not an inordinate care: There is an inordinate care which choakes the Word;Mat. 13.22. yee may know whether your care be such a care or not, by these three signes.
First, if ye be troubled in the businesse you goe about, which trouble consisteth either in desire, feare, or griefe: when as either we desire such a blessing exceedingly, or feare that we shall not have it; or grieve much for the losse of it.
Secondly, when as wee feare that wee shall not bring our enterprises to passe, or attaine to that which we desire.
Thirdly, when as we are troubled at it, if it bee not accomplished, and grieve when as wee fore-see any thing that may prevent it: Care being aright, sets head and hand a worke, but the affections are calme and right, there is no tumult or turbulency in them, the issue of all being left to God.
But when is a man a covetous man?Quest.
Answ.I answer, that then a man is a covetous man, when he hath desires arising within him, which are contrary to the former rules, and he resists them not; or else resists them so weakely and feebly, that he gets no ground of them: hee sees no reason why hee should resist them, and therefore gives way unto them. A man is not a covetous man, nor yet an ambitious man, which hath covetous and ambitious thoughts; for these the holiest men have; but hee that hath such thoughts, and strives not at all against them, or else strives but weakely, hee is a covetous or ambitious man. A godly man may have these thoughts and desires, but he strives strongly against them, gets ground of them, and gives them a deaths wound: but the covetous man he yeelds unto them, the godly man he gets the victory over them.
Now this Covetousnesse is evill in its selfe, and therefore it must be mortified. For first of all, it is Idolatry, and Spirituall Adulterie: and then it is a bitter root having many stalkes on it: he that doth any thing to hold correspondency with it, hee that doth belong unto it, to him it is the root of all evill. Luke 16. It keepes a man from salvation, it choakes the good seed of the Word sowne in mens hearts.Mat. 13.22. Secondly, it must be mortified; for the vanity of the object is not worth the seeking: therefore, Luke 16.9. Earthly treasure is set downe in a comparison with the true treasure, and expressed in these foure circumstances.
First, it is called, the Mammon of unrighteousnesse and wicked riches, because it makes men wicked; it being opposed to spirituall blessings, which are best.
Secondly, It is least, because it doth least good, preserves us not from evill, doth the soule no good.
Thirdly, It is but false treasure, it hath but the shadow of the true, it shines as if it were true, but yet it is false and counterfeit.
Lastly, it is not our owne, it is anothers mans; Riches are the goods of others, not our owne, Luke 16.12. and Luke 10.41.42. There are foure attributes given to riches. First, They are many things, and require much labour; Martha was troubled about many things. Secondly, they are unnecessary, one thing is necessary. Thirdly, they will bee taken away from vsus. Fourthly, they are not the best: and therefore our desire after them should be mortified.
From hence therefore be exhorted to mortifie this earthly member, Covetousnesse, Vse.which is Idolatry; a sinne to which all men are subject. Young men though they want experience of Riches, are notwithstanding subject to this vice; but old men are most subject to it, though they have least cause and reason for it. Professors of Religion are subject to it, many times it growes up with the Corne and choakes it; therefore use effectuall meanes to root it out of your hearts.
First of all, pray to God, not to incline your hearts to Covetousnesse, it is impossible for man,Psal. 119.36. but easie for God to doe it.
Secondly, be humbled for sinne: wee are so covetous and desirous of money, because wee are never humbled for sinne, so much as wee should bee; and this is the reason why many would rather let Christ goe than their wealth and riches.
Thirdly, use them to better purpose than formerly yee have done; make friends with them, find some thing better than them to set your hearts upon: except yee have a better treasure▪ yee will not vilifie and depart with these. Labour therefore for true Godlinesse with content, which is great gaine, 1 Tim. 6.6. This will heale the malady, and take away the false pretence of gathering, having, and affecting riches.
FINIS.
AN ELEGANT AND LIVELY DESCRIPTION OF Spirituall Life and Death.
DELIVERED In divers Sermons in Lincolnes-Inne, November the 9.th. M.DCXXIII. vponupon Iohn, 5.25.
BY I. P. then Batchellor of Divinitie, and Chaplaine in Ordinarie to the Prince his Highnesse.
Ignatius Epistola 15. ad Romanos.
Mors est vita sine Christo.
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Cotes for Michael Sparke, at the blue Bible in Greene-Arbor. 1632.