Samuels Encounter with Saul, Doctrine 9 – Doctrine 10
Doct. 9. Couetouſnes is the roote of much euill.
VERSE. 19.
Wherefore then didſt thou not obey the voyce of the LORD, but didſt flie vponupon the ſpoile, and didſt euill in the ſight of the LORD?
TO that which I ſaid of Samuels words to Saul before: there is yet another thing in this ſpeach of Samuells, which hee deliuered to Saul from God, I meane an other ſin of Saul, though more ſecret, yet horrible in ſuch a man as he was eſpecially: and that was that hee, though a King, was ſet forward in this halfe ſeruice of God, by the deſire of the goods and cattle of the Amalakites, inſomuch that his double and deceitfull heart cauſed him to deale treacherouſly againſt the Lord, as in many of his other actions before, cap. 12. 13. 14. he had done. For when hee ſawe what commoditie and benefite he might reape, in this charge of killing the Amalakites, he not looking vuto the commandement of God which was vtterly to deſtroy all, but to the bootie which he ſawe he might reape, was carryed away with the coueting and deſire of it, and thereby aggrauated his ſinne exceedingly. But ſeeing the very ſinne it ſelfe is particularly ſpoken of, for which Saul was rebuked, that is, a braunch of couetouſnes, in that he turned to the pray, it ſhall not be amiſſe to heare ſomthing about and concerning it.
For if Saul a King and therefore rich in all commodities,A caueat. was caught with the louelove of that execrable thing I meane the ſpoile of the Amalakites which God had commanded to be deſtroyed, who of meaner eſtate would a man thinke, is like to be free from deſiring and coueting the goods of others?Note. For the which cauſe the Apoſtle chargeth in his epiſtle to Timothie, 1 Tim. 3. 6.that a miniſter though rare, a chriſtian and reuerend Preacher [for ſuch ought miniſters to be] yea, and Timothie himſelfe, flie and be free from the deſire of mony, which cauſeth to fall into temptations and ſnares: warning all that they may poſſibly ſoone fall, yea, dangerouſly that way, and bring themſelues into many noyſome luſtes thereby: If Kings the mightieſt▪ and Preachers who ſhould be examples to others, are in danger of falling into this ſin, who hath not cauſe to feare himſelfe and take warning? For in this matter of profit our hearts are falſe and deceitfull if in any other, Inſomuch as I may truly ſay that as many well diſpoſed chriſtians are much diſguiſed by occaſion of worldly dealings, much more other men who hauehave little taſt of ſound doctrine in them: for the beſt armed and ſeaſoned chriſtians muſt knowe that they doe not without dayly watching and prayer and obſeruing themſelues, eſcape the ſnares which are layed for them by the diuell this way.
For if any be ſo ſuſpicious of himſelfe,Hard to digeſt and vſe proſperitie well. as that hee take heede he be not lifted vp, nor made vaine, idle, and worldly, by growing rich by his proſperitie, he is a rare man; the moſt part euen of ſuch as doe louelove the goſpell, decaying as ſencibly in grace, as they growe in wealth: but if the ſame perſon be as well prepared to beare aduerſitie, and decay when God ſhall ſend it, he may worthily be counted a rare man, and be marueiled at, as reſembling the Apoſtle himſelfe, who had learned both to abound and to want, and in eueryevery eſtate to be contented.Phillip. 4. But the ſinne is ſo common, I ſay, not for man to ouer-ſhoot themſelues this way, but alſo to be iuſtly offenſiue about matters of profit, that fewe ſuſpect themſelues about their worldly dealings, no not when they are in great danger, and hauehave alſo exceeding cauſe to accuſe themſelues. As may appeare in the example of the Phariſies,Luk. 16. 14. who when Chriſt reprooued couetouſnes among them (teaching that if a man hauehave not beene faithfull in the wicked riches, no man will truſt him in the true meaſure) it is ſaid; all theſe things heard the Phariſies which were couetous, and they mocked him. And while men thinke that Preachers ſhewe themſelues ridiculous and worthy to bee laughed at, for ſpeaking againſt couetouſnes, it is manifeſt, that not only they do not, but alſo that they think they neede not goe about to reforme this. For oppreſſion and deceiuing one another is ſo well liked, that as long as they bring in gaine and commoditie to the practiſers of them, they regard not a whit who ſuſteyne loſſe or ſmart thereby, or once ſuſpect or feare that the Lord is prouoked to reuenge them for their doings. Oh, therefore how wiſe is he that is reſolued to take heede that none ſhall ſuſteine loſſe by him, but will ſee that he ſhall hauehave his due to the vtmoſt, and (leaſt this ſhould not be enough) prouideth ſo, that God may hauehave no controuerſie with him, for and about his earthly affaires and dealings, nor any other way!
Doct. 10. Sin neuer goeth without company.
And this reproofe which the Lord by Samuel layeth to Saules charge for his couetouſnes beſides his other ſinnes, this I ſay teacheth vsus, that ſinne goeth neuer alone but hath companions, as in Achans ſinne is to be ſeene, and in the epiſtle to the Romans,Rom. 13. where hee ſheweth how one ſinne leadeth another, as it were hand in hand: as gluttonie leadeth drunkennes, chambering leadeth wantonnes, and ſtrife enuying: that no man may reſt in the common defence and no leſſe fooliſh then common: that is this: that when many are conuicted of their witting offending of God, their anſwere is, it was but that one, with which they could be charged: and who is free they aske? whereas in that they confeſſe one, they proue themſelues therby, that they are worthily put to rebuke, as being guilty of many: foraſmuch as one ſinne goeth not alone without companions. Vſe. And that is a great reaſon why eueryevery faithfull chriſtian ſhould beware that he break not one of the leaſt, of Gods commandements, looſely or willingly, ſeeing as he ſhall thereby be leaſt in the kingdome of heauen, ſo ſhall not his ſinne be ſingle and alone, but accompanied with other as vile as it ſelfe: as in the ſinne of adulterie, deceiuing, malice bearing, and the like, who can tell how many noyſome ſinnes accompany them?