The Parable of the Sower and of the Seed, Text (4 of 8)

The Parable of the Sower and of the Seed · Text (4 of 8)

p. 1685. The calling.5. How lawfull is it, and necessary, to imploy a mans selfe in his calling? But (besides that, many liue in vnlawfull callings, or in none:) where is the man that sanctifies the particular passages of it by the Word and prayer? Where is hee that retaines an heauenly minde in following his earthly businesse? How many sticke not to gather Manna on the Sabbath day, which shall rot betweene their teeth? How many all the weeke long gather goods, and driue their Trades with as many Othes, lyes, and glozings, almost as words? How many turne their Trades into Crafts, getting as much by craft, deceit, and iniustice, as by faire and lawfull following of their calling? Where is the man that chokes not his generall calling with his speciall, and incrocheth all the time of the weeke, that scarce any can be allotted to the seruice of God, either in Gods House or his p. 169owne? How is it, that men thrust themselues as busi-bodies into other mens matters, and faile in their owne?

6. What is more lawfull or necessary,6. Care of family. than to prouide for a mans owne? Is not hee that prouideth not for his household, worse than an Infidell, 1. Tim. 5.8? But hence how doe numbers confound Christian and carking care, not seeking first the Kingdome of God for themselues and theirs, but becomming Drudges to the world, and to their children, prouiding no otherwise for them, than the beasts for their young ones, present food and harbour; forgetting the words of the Apostle, Ephes. 6.4. Bring them vp in the nurture and instruction of the Lord? foreign.As if a Christian, who takes care of the body and baser part of such as belong to him, can forget or neglect the soule, which is the farre more noble part of man. Or as if he which performes it to his family, (which the very Law of Nature calls for at his hands) should vtterly forget that, which Gods Word eueryevery where chargeth him withall.

7. What is more sweet and necessary vponupon earth,7. Society. foreign. than company and society with men? whence the Philosopher calls man A sociable creature, as the beasts be not. But how many mischiefes creepe into the life, and sinnes into the soule, by the abuse euen of lawfull society! as when men chuse or fall into swearing, drinking, or idle company: when they runne promiscuously into all companies, and fall to such exercises as they finde: as Peter in Caiaphas his Hall when hee should hauehave been better employed: or when they frequent societies where God and Christ p. 170is not, but Satan and his Agents, and a whole troupe of tentations. And what hurt comes by mens communication, which naturally is profane, vnsauory, vncharitable? Besides, euen good men in bad companies acquit not Gods glory, nor themselues, as they ought; and in good company, either doe not, or receiue not the good they should.

This is the first reason.

2. In things lawfull, men are most secure, and thinke themselues safest: and there Satan is most, where he is least suspected. As the Serpent lyeth in the greenest grasse: so Satan lyeth in ambush against vsus in our most lawfull liberties. As he laid his traine against our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the matter of meate and drinke, when he was hungry: so also against vsus, chiefly in things, wherein God hath giuen vsus allowance. Wherein was it that Satan ouercame Lot? was it first Incest with his two daughters? No, that was hainous, but first hee foyled him in that which was lawfull: he first abused himselfe in wine, and then his daughters in Incest.

3. Whereas our nature spider-like, turnes our best and sweetest things to poyson, Satan to our corruption adds his waight, putting vsus forward to abuse good things, and lawfull; because this both hinders God of his glory in the meanes of our good, and our selues in the end for which God alloweth them. God hath giuen vsus all our lawfull liberties, as helpes to heauen: we vsus them as hinderances. His grace puts them into our hands as staues, to support vsus in our way and wearinesse: we, by the abuse, make them burthens and clogs to cast vsus backe. Hee allowes vsus p. 171them as spurres, to prouoke vsus to cheerfulnes in his seruice: we peruert them, and they become as thornes to choke vsus, and hinder vsus in his seruice.

Well knowes Satan, that the best things abused, become euill to him that so vseth them. Christ himselfe shall be a Rocke of offence. The Word,1. Pet. 2.8.1 Pet 2:8 if it kill not vices, it killeth soules. And the Sacraments are ranke poyson to the vnworthy receiuer. He cares not how many gifts of nature, no nor of grace a man hath, so as out of them arise pride, ambition, enuie, &c. which are as a Canker consuming them. And much lesse cares he how many gifts of Fortune, (as they call them) that is, wealth and honour, a man hath, so as they make him swell with disdaine, or vainly confident in his wealth, or secure in his course, or licentious in the bold committing of sin. Let wealth flow in, as waters from a full fountaine, so they drowne the soule in perdition. Thus Gods glory is impaired, which he expects for his goodnesse, and mans sinne inlarged, which hath made himselfe so miserable by so great mercy.

Vse 1. To let many a man see his sinne and errour, who neuer suspects hurt and danger in such lawfull things, as riches, and pleasures, and cares of the world: They wonder they should bee thornes, who neuer felt the pricking, but hauehave tasted much sweetnesse in them, and in nothing more. But our Sauiour well knew the nature of them, through the malice and infirmity of men abusing them. Hee well saw, that no thornes doe so choke the seed, as these the Word: and that many, who found such sweetnesse in them, hauehave falne short of saluation by them. p. 172If thou haddest neuer eaten forbidden fruit, nor fed vponupon stolne bread, the abuse of lawfull and allowed profits and pleasures, will keepe thee out of heauen. The Farme lawfully gotten, but vnlawfully affected, may make thee neuer to taste of the Supper: And the hauing and inioying the wife thou hast married, may make thee say flatly, I cannot come. Thinkest thou the diuell hath no baits but in his hellish tentations?Luk. 14.20.Luke 14:20 Yes, his baytes lye eueryevery where. If thou beest a rich man, hee hath deceitfulnesse of riches: If a poore man, he hath the cares of this life: If any other thing affect thee, he hath lusts of other things, to make thee fall short of saluation. Say not with thy selfe, I am no adulterer, no murtherer, no theefe, and therefore am in a good way to saluation; vnlesse also thou hast watched Satan, and carried thy selfe cleere and faire in thy calling, in thy wealth, marriage, recreation, company, meate, drinke, and apparell. Neither say, I thanke God I am no Recusant, I come to Church, I heare good Sermons, and if any could tell me a better way to heauen, I would surely take it: But bewaile thy abuse of lawfull liberties. Here were many that heard Christ himselfe, and yet were damned for nourishing at the same time these thornes that choked all. Neither say, I am a Professor of the Gospell, and am zealous against sinne eueryevery where, and louelove them that feare God: For when Professors reuolt to the world, and giuegive themselues to an vniustifiable liberty, in following the profits and pleasures of this life, they shall see grace thriue as corne among thornes; which as they eate the seede, so our hearts and liues are eaten vp p. 173with the cares and delights of this life.

Vse 2. If such lawfull things as these proue sharp and piercing thornes, what sharpnesse must we imagine in vnlawfull? What an euill thing and bitter is it, to venture vponupon sinne expressely prohibited, to reach out the hand for bread of deceit, to drinke in with greedinesse stolne waters, and with delight to feede vponupon forbidden fruit? What is this but to walke vponupon snares and thornes, which will sting the conscience, and wound the soule to certaine and speedy death? Luk. 17.28. As in the dayes of Lot they ate and dranke, bought, and sold, planted and built, &c. Heere one askes, why our Sauiour makes no mention, nor chargeth the Sodomites with those far greater sinnes, of which we reade in the story, Gen. 19. as the contempt of the Word, their violence against Lot, their horrible and crying sinne of Sodomie; but onelyonly those which seeme light, or no sinnes in comparison. And the answere is; that wee might conceiue what a fearfull plague belonged to such fearefull enormious courses, when as euen lawfull things, and such as without which life cannot bee maintained, immoderately vsed, were punished with fire and brimstone.

Thinke it too much to offend in thy lawfull liberties, although thou venture not vponupon vnlawfull. For if he that offends in the former, cannot but breake thorow a thorne hedge, not without pricking and tearing himselfe: How much more shall hee wound himselfe, that dares venture ouer that sharpe hedge of curses, wherwith God hath mounded & hedged his Law! Oh that bold sinners, shamelesse harlots, p. 174debosht drunkards, blasphemous swearers, and profane Sabbath-breakers, would thinke on this!

Vse 3. Learne we to moderate our lawfull and naturall desires, as wherein so many snares doe lye: Desire no outward fauours, without inward grace to vse them; without which, Gods mercy proues but thy iudgement.5. Rules of moderation in naturall and lawfull desires. And for thy better direction in the right vse of lawfull things, take these Rules.

1. Consider, that lawfull liberty vsed to the full, is exceeding dangerous, and restraint is necessary. Hee 1that will take all the liberty he may, will sometimes take that he may not. Hence it was, that the Iewes in punishing malefactors, were wont to giuegive but 39. blowes,Deut. 25.3.Deut 25:3 whereas they might giuegive forty: 2. Cor. 11.24. Of the Iewes fiue times receiued I forty stripes saue one. Let this be thy care also, to cut thy selfe somewhat short, euen in that which is lawfull: for, the more flesh is pampered, the more is the Spirit weakened and foyled.

2. Consider the Author of all thy liberties: that 2while thou hast the sweetnesse and comfort of them, hee may hauehave the glory of them; of whom, and by whom, and for whom are all things, by Iesus Christ, Rom. 11. vlt.

33. With the vse of naturall things, labour to ioyne a spirituall vse; and so while we cherish our bodies with them, we shall also refresh our soules. As for example: In the vse of meate and drinke, stirre wee vp our selues to labour for the bread and water of life. In putting on our clothes, labour to put on Christ as a garment. In marriage, see thou meditate much and often on that sweet contract betweene Christ and p. 175the soule, and so in the rest. This one calls an holy Alchemy, to draw gold out of lead, heauen out of earth, grace out of nature.

4. Consider, that the right vse of peace and plenty, 4is, to grow vp in the feare of God, in peace of conscience, and the comforts of the holy Ghost: so the Church vsed her rest and peace, Act. 9.31. And that the more outward blessings the Lord affoordeth, and in them more time and meanes to serue him, the more seruice he lookes for. And how absurd is it, that while thou takest the Lords wages, thou shouldest doe the worlds worke, or thine owne businesse altogether?

5. In our freer and more ioyfull vse of the creatures 5of God, let vsus carry an holy ielousie and suspition ouer our selues, lest sinne creepe in, and so wee dishonour God. Iob, when his sonnes feasted together, sanctified them, and sacrificed according to the number of them all, saying, It may be that my sons hauehave offended. Do thou the like for thy selfe:Iob 1.5.Job 1:5 mingle none of thy ioy with sinne; for then it must end in woe. Are choked with cares.]

Now wee come in speciall to treate of the three kindes of thornes, which choke the Word, and make it fruitlesse, as they are laid downe in the Text.

The first of them are cares, called by Matthew, The first sort of thornes are worldly cares.cares of this world; And this is to distinguish them from the cares of heauen, and of that better world, which are eueryevery where commended to vsus: Mat. 6.33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse. 1. Cor. 7.32. The vnmarried careth for the things of the p. 176Lord, and how he may please the Lord. And for a man thus to place his cares and desires, is, to walke with God, and begin his heauen before-hand; eueryevery where commanded, as the following and pursuing of his true felicity. Our Parable speaketh of another sort, of noysome and thorny cares for the things of this world, which are not allowed vsus.

Heere sundry pertinent questions come to be resolued.

Quest. 1. Whether no worldly care bee allowed vsus; seeing the Apostle saith, Phil. 4.6. foreign, Be carefull for nothing?

Answ. The Apostle doth not command vsus to bee idle, or carelesse in the doing of our callings, wherein eueryevery one must carefully abide. Adam in innocency must hauehave a care of dressing the Garden: and all the sonnes of Adam after the fall, must eate their bread in the sweat of their browes. Else a man liues inordinately, and ought not to eate. Yea the Apostle himselfe confesseth, 2. Cor. 11.28. that hee was cumbred daily, and had the care of all the Churches.

Non dicit, foreign, sed foreign.Neither doth hee forbid a necessary care for the things of this life, to the sustentation both of our selues, and others belonging to vsus. For it is not onelyonly lawfull, but necessary for eueryevery Christian to hauehave a care, not onelyonly of his vocation, but of his condition and state of life in this world, how hee and his may comfortably, and with the honour of God and the Gospell, passe thorow the world. And hee that hath not a prouident care for his family, hath denyed the faith, 1. Tim. 5.8. Such are a generation of debosht and vile persons, who cast all care away, and let the p. 177world slide; let wife and children shift for themselues; let debts and charge come on them; worse than the most vnnaturall brutes, they cast off all calling and cares, and with them, all piety, honesty, and humanity it selfe.

Thus we see both a diligent and a prouident care commanded: As a man in a iourney takes gold, siluer, meate and drinke, to set him forward in his way; his care is not for these chiefly, but to finish his iourney: so we that are Christians, may take with vsus the things of earth by the way, but must not set our care or affection on them, onelyonly so farre as they serue for heauen.

Quest. 2. How farre are these cares lawfull?

Answ. Cares of the world are twofold. The one,Sollicitudo diligentiae & diffidentiae. a care of diligence, called foreign, that is, an honest study, and warrantable care, well confined, and kept within bounds of moderation. The other, a care of diffidence, called foreign, a doubtfull and diffident care, arising out of distrustfulnesse of God, and feare of wants, and so suffers not it selfe to be bounded within the rules of Piety and Christian moderation. That is commendable, this damnable.

Quest. 3. How shall I know these vnbounded and distrustfull cares?

Answ. 1. They are cutting and distracting cares:5. Markes of distrustfull cares. foreign, the cares of a mans vocation or condition, or both, diuide and distract his minde, torment him, make him vnquiet, within himselfe and with others, at boord, in bed, eueryevery where: so Salomon describeth this man, Eccles. 2.23. All his dayes are sorrowes, and his trauell griefe; hee taketh no rest in the night. And p. 178chap. 4.8. There is a man, and there is not a second, there is no end of his trauell, &c.

22. He loads himselfe with vnnecessary and impertinent cares.Cura interdicta, non officii, sed euentus. For in the duties of vocation are two things: 1. The care and labour of the worke of the calling. 2. The care of the successe and euent. The former is ours, the latter is Gods. A sober and moderate care doth the duty, but leaues the care of successe vntounto God. But this care enters vponupon Gods right, and troubles it selfe about the euent of his businesse, and successe of his labours, and cannot rest in Gods issue, neither before nor after it is manifested.

33 There is a distrustfull feare of future need, which by carking and cutting care they would preuent. Though they hauehave food and raiment, yet are they not content, but repine and vexe themselues, because they know not how themselues, their wiues, and children shall be maintained heereafter: yea, and toyle themselues out of their skinnes, and bring vntimely gray haires on their heads, for the next age, and next generation. Obiect. May we not lay vp for our selues, and our children? Answ. 1. Not with distrustfull care, nor with choking thorny care, which eates out better cares. 2. Though a Christian may enioy abundance, if God cast it vponupon him, yet may hee not seeke abundance, aboue that which is necessary for his person, nature, and estate. Hee must bee content with daily bread, and pray for no more: nay, the King himselfe must not seeke superfluities, Deut. 17.16. Obiect. May we not care for the morrow, as our Sauiour implies, Math. 6. vlt? Answ. Christ had a bag for his prouision, and for his Disciples. Ioseph prouided p. 179for the seuen yeeres of famine: and the Church for the great dearth, Act. 11.28, 29. So may men in their youth prouide for age, while strength lasteth, and sight and sences are good: alwayes remembring, not diffidently, not distrustfully, or to crosse the practice of faith, whereby we should daily depend on his hand and prouidence, who renewes our dayes and times vponupon vsus. For to this care our Sauiour opposeth trust and confidence in God, vers. 30.

4. If a man by indirect and vnlawfull meanes gather 4these worldly things together, let him bee sure these distrustfull cares hauehave stuffed his heart. Ordinary and warrantable care rests on good and allowable meanes: But he that by lying, swearing, fraud, iniustice, deceit in measures or waights, by vsurie, or the like meanes, can helpe himselfe, his care and course is wicked and damnable.

5. It is a choking care, if a man neglect the seruice 5of God, prosper not in grace, profit not by Gods Word, thrust the worship of God out of dores, or seldome, or slightly, or coldly, or formally performe these duties: or if a man fall backe from good motions, good purposes, good beginnings, he may iustly suspect himselfe, that inordinate and inferiour cares hauehave seazed on his heart, and waged warre, and preuailed against the cares of heauen and a better life. In a word: when a man more imployes himselfe about them, than will stand with keeping his heart vntounto God, now they are chokers.

These are the cares heere called thornes: Doct. Worldly cares great chokers of Gods Word.The effect of them is, to choke the seed of the Word. Where consider two things: 1. How they choke the Word. p. 1802. The vse that is to bee made thereof.

For the first. They choke the Word, 1. Before: 2. In: 3. After hearing.

1. Before hearing, 2▪ wayes.Before hearing, two wayes: 1. In that they hold men away, and keepe them from the preaching of Gods Word. Luk. 10.40. While Mary was set at 1the feet of Christ, hearing his gracious words, Martha incumbred her selfe about many things, &c. Her care and louelove in entertaining our Lord Iesus himselfe, was excessiue and immoderate, and hindred her from hearing his Word out of his owne mouth. The same was the cause why those vnthankfull ghests, inuited to the Kings Supper, Luk. 14.18. they all made excuses; their inordinate care about Farmes, Oxen, and Families suffered them not to come when they were called. So now, especially on a weeke-day, numbers keepe away from this Exercise; because the desires after the world hauehave eaten out the desires and care of Gods Word: They cannot let their businesse, and seruants would bee idle, and I know not what. Whereas a man might name some places of idle resort, where they let ten times so much in a 2weeke. 2. If they doe come, yet these cares hinder their prayers, and preparation, and therefore their profitable hearing. They that cannot pray well, cannot heare well. Now, prayer is a lifting vp of the hart vntounto God: but these presse it downe, and are as so many heauie stones hanged on the wings of our prayers.

2. Jn hearing, two wayes.In hearing, they hinder two wayes also: 1. When men bring their businesse in their brests with them; 1they are casting and tossing with themselues, and p. 181plotting their owne imployments: and this hinders both attention, and vnderstanding, and affection; without all which, the Word heard is vnprofitable. 2. These inordinate cares keepe out, and barre out 2the chiefe duties of a Christian, that there can hardly bee entrance for them, or at least, very shallow rooting. As we shall see in some instances.

1. The Word, in the daily preaching of it,Three instances. labours to confirme and increase faith and confidence in God: it bids vsus beleeue, and trust in the Lord for all 1supplyes, Psalm. 37.3, 5, 7. But these cares lodged in the heart, choke all these precepts, will not suffer vsus to trust God with our selues, but will take his care into our owne hands, and will beleeue and trust him no further than wee see him, or hauehave a pawne from him.

2. The vse of Gods Word, as it is from heauen, 2so it is to draw vsus to heauen, and lift vp the minde to heauenly things;Col. 3.1, 2.Col 3:1Col 3:2 when it vrgeth vsus to seeke things aboue where Christ is, and perswades vsus to pull our thoughts from things below, and set them on things within the Vaile. But these cares nourished in the heart, choke all such exhortations: for they wedge downe, and stake downe the soule into earth, and earthly things: they will care for heauen when they come there, but for earth while they are here.

3. Gods Word, in the powerfull preaching of it, 3opposeth and beateth downe the vnlawfull and vnconscionable seeking, and meanes of getting the things of this life: It condemnes to hell all vniustice, and fraudulent dealing, and all heaping and holding the least piece of wicked Mammon. But where these duplicate page p. 180duplicate page p. 181p. 182thornes are nourished, all these denunciations are choked, they will set the tongue on lying and swearing, the hands on coozening and deceiuing, the whole course on vsurie, oppression; and all is fish that comes to net.

Thus where the world is taken in, the Word is shut out, or choked.

3. After hearing.After hearing also, these thornes choke the Word: so the Text saith, and afterward, or after they are gone, the cares of the world enter in againe, and as a wedge driues out all before it. Many come from their earthly businesse, and heare with affection, and may hold it for a while; but at last, the throng of their businesse and cares of the world conquer the Word, and driueth it both out of their memory and practice.

For the memory: see Exo. 16.3. When Israel was without food in the Wildernesse, and knew not how they should sustain thēselues, their wiues & children, they begin to scorne and take on against Moses and Aaron; Num. 14.2Num 14:2Oh that we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in Egypt: Why? What was the reason? Had they not many promises from the Lord, of his care and prouidence for them? Nay, did they not see the hand of the Lord for them in that mighty deliuerance thorow the sea, in the pillar of a cloud by day, and of fire by night, in that extraordinary sweetening of the waters of Marah, not many dayes before, chap. 15.25? Did not that promise yet sound in their eares, vers. 26? But these distrustfull and distracting cares choked presently the remembrance of Gods promises, and of his great blessings bestowed on them.

p. 183For the practice: we see it euidently in the young man, who presently lost Christ, and all,Mat. 19.22Matt 19:22 because he had great possessions, both in his hand and heart.

Vse. Seeing these worldly cares doe thus choke the Word in vsus, let vsus alwayes remember the counsell of our Sauiour, Luk. 21.34. Take heed, lest your hearts be oppressed with surfetting, and drunkennesse, and the cares of this life, and that Day take you vnawares. Then the cares oppresse vsus, when they dul the mind, and make it heauie and vntoward to the louelove and consideration of heauenly things. We must striue in casting off these cares, which our naturall louelove of the world inuites and pulls vponupon vsus.

Motiues to rid our selues of them.5. Motiues to rid our selues of worldly cares.

1. Because they are the cares of the world, that is, of worldly things, and worldly men, and Christians must hauehave another care. This is our Sauiours reason, Math 6.32. After all these things doe the Gentiles seeke. 1Now there ought to be a great difference betweene the cares, studies, indeuours, and delights of Christians and Heathens. For we hauehave not receiued the spirit of the world, but of God, to sauour the things of God; And it is sufficient that we hauehave liued in such lusts; but now let vsus walke no more after the will of man, but of God, 1. Pet. 4.3. Shall our Profession bee Christian, and our practice Heathen? What doe such a number of Heathens in a visible Church, whose heads, hearts, and hands are more stuft with cares, feares, and distractions, than the most Heathenish Heathens? For men to follow the world with a full spirit, to place their felicity heere, and make it their chiefe ioy to increase their estate heere, is to liue p. 184like an Heathen: For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke.

22. Because the things of this life are not worth such distracting care, in the due estimate of them. For first, they are but for this present world, which is indeed a world of vanity, and a mappe of misery. Secondly, they are but for a mortall and changeable life, which passeth as a vapour: though men that entertaine them, vainely suppose they shall not dye, at least not yet. They are for a life common with vsus to the brute beasts, which want vnderstanding and reason, and yet their life is passed without any such cares or distractions, by that generall prouidence that feedeth Sparrowes, who neither spinne, nor carry into the Barne.

But there are cares for a better world, which as it is a Kingdome of glory and happinesse, so it is vnshaken, of perpetuity and eternity. There are cares for the life of the soule, which as it is more excellent than the body, so are all the good things belonging to it: And these cares are worthy of roome and place in a Christian heart. There is a life not common with beasts, but with the Angels, to bee cared for; nay, common with Iesus Christ: the care of which, our Sauiour hath commended to vsus aboue all other cares in the world, when reprouing Martha for her too sollicitous and busie care in entertaining his own blessed Person; he told her, and vsus in her, One thing is necessary; and, this care is of the good part which shall neuer be taken from vsus.

33. These distrustfull cares argue both impiety, and folly. The former, in that they would fasten vponupon p. 185God, want of knowledge, power, or will, to relieue our wants. For if God take knowledge, and bee able, and willing to supply them, what need I vexe my selfe further? For his knowledge: Math. 6.32. Your heauenly Father knoweth, that you hauehave need of all these things. For his power: Goe into the Wildernesse, behold him feeding Israel forty yeeres without all earthly meanes, giuing them bread from heauen, which ordinarily comes out of the earth, and water out of hard Rocks, than which nothing is dryer; preseruing their clothes from wearing, while they were worne forty yeeres together. For his Will: Psa. 37.28. The Lord forsaketh not his Saints, they shall bee preserued for euermore. But these distractfull cares deny the Lord the honour of wisedome, power, and mercy, and so are expresse signes of an vngodly heart.

Secondly, they argue a foolish mind, two wayes: 1. That when a little will serue a man in his way homeward, thorow a strange Countrey, he will lode himselfe with needlesse burthens. Nature is content with little, Grace with lesse. Iacob craues no more of God, but food and rayment. And wee are commanded, If we hauehave food and raiment, to bee therewith content, 1. Tim. 6.8. 2. What an extreme folly is it, when a man hath enough for the present, nay, and for his time, if he were to liue ouer two liues, yet to spend his dayes in scraping and gathering, not so much for himselfe, as hee knowes not for whome? It may be for a foole, Eccles. 4.8. It may bee for a waster and spend-thrift; it may be for a stranger, chap. 2.19. nay, it may be for an enemy, as Haman for Mordecai.

p. 18644. We professe our selues children of God: and therefore these distracting cares are most vnbeseeming vsus. We must rather imitate children, who because they depend vponupon their father, and rest on his allowance, they put off all care and thought, what they shall eate, drinke, put on, or what portion they shall stand to hereafter. And if we see a man drudge and droyle in the world, and making shift for himselfe, we will say, Surely such a man hath no father to care for him.

55. God often doth, alwayes might reuenge these great cares with great vvants, and the more carefull men be, the more needfull often they are; God most righteously punishing the vnbeliefe of their hearts, and paying them vvith their ovvne coyne: They vvithdravv their confidence from him, and he vvithdravves his blessing from them: Then they labour, and thriue not, earne money, and put it into a broken bagge: Hag 1.6.Hag 1:6and God ouerthrovves their conceits; they thinke their care must doe all: but the more they care, the lesse they hauehave; to teach them, that if they vvould care lesse, they should neede lesse.

4. Meanes to rid our selues of th…se …arking cares.Meanes to thrust off these carking cares.

1. Labour to get assurance of thy adoption: For, if a man be persvvaded of this, he can easily stay himselfe vponupon God for all needfull things. The prayer is, 1first, Our Father, and then, GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread. No maruell if men be vnquiet in their hearts, vvho hauehave neither care nor assurance of their adoption. Math. 6.30. Christ makes them a signe of incredulity, O ye of little faith.

22. Learne the lesson of contentation, as Paul, p. 187Phil. 4.11. I hauehave learned in whatsoeuer state I am, to bee content, I know how to want, and to abound: Where? in what schoole? Not in the schoole of nature, for that teacheth impatience and discontentment in wants; but in the Schoole of Christ, through Christ inabling me. A man comming out of this Schoole, is as comfortable and cheerfull, as if his small portion were the whole world.

3. Because these cares will euer bee incroching and thrusting in, we must know vponupon whom to turne 3them off: 1. Pet. 5.7. Cast all your care on him; for hee careth for you. Cast them off farre away from thee, as a man pressed with a burthen, or somthing that hurts him. But with this difference: hee casts his burthen on the earth, thou must cast vp thine into heauen. Psalm. 55.22. Cast thy burthen vponupon the Lord, and hee will nourish thee: as an Anchor is cast to stay the Ship, against all waues and billowes of diffidence and distrust.

Quest. How should I cast my care vponupon God?

Answ. 1. By faith beleeue his gracious promises,To cast our care vponupon God, siue helpes. and apply them to thy selfe. 2. In nothing be carefull, but let your requests be shewed, Phil. 4.6. Prayer is a casting of our care on the Lord: therefore call vponupon 1on him, and commend thy wants vntounto him. 3. Keepe 2him in sight, and set him still before thee: Phil. 4.3, 34. The Lord is at hand, in nothing be carefull: there is no cause of these choking cares and distractions, seeing we hauehave the Lord so neere, and may with confidence call on his Name:Psal. 145.18.Ps 145:18 for the Lord is neere to all that call vponupon him, to all that call vponupon him faithfully. Therefore hold his presence in thine eye, who is with p. 188his in sixe troubles, and in seuen. A child vnderunder his fathers eye & wing cannot be neglected. 4. Walke religiously and holily: bee such a one as ouer whom his care extends: Bee a fearer of God, for no good thing shall be wanting to him that feares the Lord, Psal. 34.9, 10. The Lord is neere to fulfill the desire of them that feare him.Tertull. contra Esau So Tertullian obserues, that there was more in the blessing of Iacob, then of Esau, a profane man; namely, the dew of heauen, as well as the fatnesse of the earth, and first that, then this, 5Genes. 27.28, 39. 5. Looke vponupon all examples of the Saints in former ages, and see if at length they lost by casting their care on God; see and say if God did forget them for euer; but if they graued his feare in their hearts, hee hath grauen them on the palmes of his hands, Esa. 49.16. I hauehave graued thee on the palmes of my hands: and what is a more present helpe than the hand of a man? All thy walles are euer in my sight. God doth euer behold the defences and meanes of protecting them, who cast their care vponupon him. Goe along with me to Mount Moriah, and consider the businesse of Abraham, which would hauehave rent asunder any worldly heart with worldly cares: But casting the whole care of it vponupon the Lord, the very name of the place tells thee, Iehouah prouidebit, God will prouide, he will be seene in the Mount; if not afore, yet then at furthest.

44. The last meanes to be rid of earthly cares, is, to change them into better. For the heart will be caring for something. And because the defect in necessary duties,Instances of needfull cares consuming vnneedfull. makes a man abound in vnnecessary; therefore let vsus take vp such lawfull and warrantable cares, p. 189as may consume and eate vp the other. The Scripture commending many vntounto vsus, I will note some.

1. Seeke the Kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse, and then other things shall bee cast vponupon you.Mat. 6.33.Matt 6:33 The 1way to obtaine earthly things, is, to bee lesse carefull and distracted for them, and more carefull and diligent for heauenly. Esa. 1.18. If ye consent and obey, ye shall eate the good things of the Land. If a great Prince be in chase of a Kingdom, will he spend his thoughts on a Copy-hold?

2. Be carefull about our sinnes; both to get pardon 2of them, and get out of the power and bondage of them. 2. Cor. 7.11. For this thing, that ye have been godly sorry, what great care hath it wrought in you! what clearing of yourselues, &c! This is a thoughtfull consultation, as in the Conuerts being pricked for their sinnes, Act. 2.37. What shall we doe to be saued? A care to mortifie the sinne remaining. A care to preuent sinne to come, and a carefull watch against the first motions of sinne. A care to keepe on our weapons, and to hold the sword of the Spirit in our hands, to cut off the heads of tentation.

3. Vse great care about thy soule: Prou. 4.23. 3Keepe thy heart with all diligence: as a City besieged is continually watched, day and night. Ciuill honesty makes many carefull, that murther, adultery, and grosse filthinesse breake not forth of their bodies and hands: but Religion hath speciall care to keepe these out of the heart, as well as the life. And as Nature doth instinct a care for prouiding bodily food and necessaries: so Grace quickeneth the care for the food and refreshings of the soule, in good meanes p. 190ordained for that purpose.

44. A speciall care must be taken to walke awfully before God: Mic. 6.8. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth at thy hands; euen to humble thy selfe, and walke with thy God. A care to obserue and doe all that is written in the Booke of the Law of Moses, not to turne therefrom, either to the right hand or to the left, Iosh. 23.6. A care of eueryevery good worke, both of the generall and speciall calling: both for watching and apprehending all occasions of good, that are offered: and of cheerfull doing all duties, which are laid in our power: and to doe them in such manner as God requires, with sincerity of heart: and to doe them to those ends which beseeme vprightnesse, Gods glory, mans edification, our owne discharge: and to doe them to the end, with constancy and perseuerance.

55. A care must be had to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Peace, if it run from vsus, to bee followed, Heb. 12.14Heb 12:14Ephes. 4.3. In one word; Let thy cares be for God, for thy soule, for thy neighbour: All other things either hate, or care not for. And the deceitfulnesse of riches.]

The second sort of thornes, is deceitfulnesse of riches.The second sort of thornes, which the Parable mentioneth, are riches: to which the Text ascribes two qualities, both preiudiciall to the Word, and saluation: 1. They are choking thornes: 2. They are deceiuing thornes. Of both which I may say with Gregory, Greg. Mag. in Lucae 8.Quis mihi crederet, si spinas diuitias interpretari vellem, cùm illae pugnant, istae delectent? Who would beleeue mee, if I should interpret these thornes to bee riches, seeing thornes doe pricke and vexe a man, but riches delight a man? Yet our p. 191Sauiour Christ, who is the eternall Wisedome of his Father, giues vsus this interpretation: and that most aptly.

1. Wealth is spina pungens, pricking thornes,Riches aptly compared to thornes, in 4. things. full of molestation. For as thornes pierce mens bodies, so, they that will be rich, pierce themselues thorow with many sorrowes, 1. Tim. 6.10. And as a man walking vponupon thornes, is prickt on eueryevery side; so is a man greedy 1of gaine: before him, is cogitatio comparandi, round about him, labor augendi, behinde him, timor amittendi, dolor relinquendi, periculum iudicandi: The crauing thoughts of getting, the labour and toyle of increasing, the feare of losing, the sorrow in forsaking, the danger of reckoning, pricke him on eueryevery side.

2. Wealth is spina vulnerans & cruentans, it woundeth 2and fetcheth blood; riches would the soule, and bring many bloody sinnes vponupon it. Ahab brings the blood of Naboth vponupon his soule and family, for Naboths Vineyard. And Iudas brought the blood of Iesus Christ vponupon his owne soule for euer, for thirtie pieces of siluer.

3. Wealth is spina spolians, a worldling in seeking his wealth, loseth his soule, as Shimei seeking his seruant, 3lost his life. And what doth it profit a man to winne the world, and lose his soule? Nay, the godly sometimes are spoyled by wealth: for as the sheepe loseth her wooll among thornes; so euen good men lose (not their soules, as the former, but) many graces by meanes of riches.

4. Wealth is spina suffocans, choking the Word, 4and choking grace in the heart, as thornes doe the p. 192seede cast into the ground.

Doctr. There is great danger in riches, to choke a mans Religion,Doct. Riches, great enemies to Religion and saluation. and disappoynt his soule of saluation. For as thornes are to a ground sowne, so are riches to the soule, or the soyle where the seed of Gods Word hath been cast. As corne can hardly prosper where the one growes, as hardly can the Word where the other growes vp with it. 1. Tim. 6.17. Timothy must charge rich men concerning the dangers of riches: so vehement a charge needed not, if they were without danger. Math. 19.23. Verily I say vntounto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of God: which our Sauiour would not hauehave so asseuered, if the way to heauen had layne so open and smooth for riches, as their Masters thinke. And he obserued in his preaching, that the poore receiued the Gospell, Math. 11.6. Rich men had other matters to doe, and greater things in their eyes. 1. Cor. 1.26. Brethren, you see your calling, Not many mighty, not many rich are called; but God hath chosen the poore and base things, &c.

Quest. Cannot a man be rich and godly? or may not riches sort with saluation? If a rich man cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen, who then can be saued, say the Disciples?

Riches, good blessings in themselues. 3. Reasons.Answ. 1. Riches are good blessings in themselues, and of themselues hinder not. For the promises of them are made to those that feare God, Psal. 112.2. Riches and treasure shall be in their house. And, as simplicity, basenesse, pouerty, saues none; so wealth, power, wisdome condemne none, in themselues. 2. The prophesie is, that the rich shall come to the people p. 193of God, and ioyne with the Church, Esa. 60.11. Psal. 22.29. 3. The Lord acknowledgeth of many rich men, that their riches are a crowne on their heads, by the many good workes they doe thereby, Prou. 14.24. Some there are, whose wealth lifts them not vp in pride, but exalts them in workes of mercy. As a crowne is an ornament to the head: so riches commend the wisedome, and piety, and faith, and charity of a godly man. They cannot make a man good or euill, wise, or foolish, but onelyonly manifest a wise man or a foole. So in Eccles. 7.11. Wisedome is good with an inheritance: it is good without it, but more eminent with it, more conspicuous, more vsefull.

Therefore for resolution of the doubt, note, 1. That our Sauiour saith not, It is impossible for a rich man to bee saued, but very hard. And the Apostle saith not, Not any, but, Not many. 2. Christ speakes not so in respect of the possession or vse of riches, but only of the abuse, as it is expounded, Mark. 10.24. when a man trusteth in riches. 3. With God (saith our Sauiour) this is possible, who made Iob exceeding rich, and fenced all about him that hee had; yet so godly withall, that there was not another so godly vponupon earth as he, chap. 1.8, 10. And it is Augustines obseruation: Seruatur pauper Lazarus, August. in Psal. 51.Ps 51sed in sinu Abrahami diuitis: Poore Lazarus was saued in the bosome of rich Abraham. 4. Riches choke not, and condemne not as a cause, but as an occasion. The cause is not in them, that wee are choked by them; but in our selues, in our corruption and weaknesse, who abuse a good thing, by which wee might further our saluation: not watching against the neglect or contempt p. 194of the doctrine of saluation, which vsually attends them. Now they are as a sword in a mad mans hand; and must not be reiected themselues, but onelyonly their abuse.

Quest. How doe riches choke the Word?

Answ. Three waies: Before hearing, In hearing, After hearing.

Riches choke the Word 1. before …, 3. waies.I. Before hearing they choke and hinder from receiuing the Word, three wayes: 1. Great men hauehave great employments in their hands, and cannot bee at leisure for preaching: they may not let their businesse one houre in a weeke. Felix hath no leisure now 1to heare Paul, but will take another time. And Martha cannot let the time, to heare Christ himselfe. And hence are those many obiections against weekes Lectures, as altogether vnseasonable, and indeed needlesse. But was not Martha reproued for so slighting the preaching of Christ? And what? Is not this losse of time (as some call it) the best redeeming of time? When Paul preached to the Gentiles at Antioch,foreign. the Gentiles desired him to preach the same words the next Sabbath betweene, Act. 13.42. Was this commendable in them, and is it reproouable in vsus Christians?

22. Great men hauehave great spirits. What? great men, and rich men stoupe to so base a thing as preaching, and to so base persons as Preachers, all whose power is in their tongue? Therefore the Apostle will hauehave rich men charged, 1. Tim. 6.17.1 Tim 6:17that they bee not high-minded. Riches commonly breede pride, and high mindes. Pride in a mans selfe breeds contempt of God, and his Word: as Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? p. 195and the Prophet saith, Heare, and giuegive eare, and bee not proud, Ier. 13.15.

3. Great men hauehave a great happinesse in their 3hands already, and hardly see any want in their condition: And, as he comes not to the Physician that feeles not himselfe sicke; so hee desires no supply of good, that feeles not in himselfe the want of it. Abundance of outward wealth, suffers not the heart to see his want of inward. And the good things of Gods Kingdome are not giuen but to them that want them, and can prize them: To the thirsty, Esa. 55.1.

II. Riches choke the Word in hearing. As thornes spread themselues, and occupy the roome where the seed should grow:2. In hearing. So the inordinate louelove of the world stuffes the heart with worldly desires and motions, and takes vp the roome from all spirituall. Iudas his heart once taken vp for couetousnesse, there is no roome left for the gracious admonitions of Christ himselfe. The Lord obserues and forewarnes Ezekiel of this choke-weed in his Hearers, chap. 33.31. They shall come as people vse to come, and sit before thee, and heare thy words, but they will not doe them; nay, they will make iests with their mouthes, because their hearts goe after couetousnesse. Can your thoughts bee carried to heauen and earth at one time? When you bring your businesse to Church, and suffer your thoughts to range vponupon your worke, and worke-men, wares and returnes, Farmes and profits, can you carry away any good lesson? While you come with a purpose to hold your vsurie, iniustice, or deceit in word or trading, p. 196doe you not make a iest of Gods Word condemning these things, and you for them? Doe wee not reade in the Gospell, that whereas Christ was often opposed in his Doctrine, he was not mocked but of the couetous, Luk. 16.14?

3. After hearing.III. Riches taken into the heart, choke the Word after hearing, both in the profession, and in the practice of it.1. Hinder profession. 1. They hinder the Word in the profession and confession of it. It is thought good policy for him to follow Christ, that hath nothing to lose for him. But take heed none of the Rulers beleeue in him: or if they doe with him well, let them come with Nicodemus, Mat. 11.6.Matt 11:6in the night. Let the poore receiue the Gospell, and be forward Professors; but you are a rich man, soone espyed, and if you come once to be noted, you may be no small loser by it. So rich men wil say, Your doctrine is good, and I would the times would beare it, and wee might bee allowed to follow it,2. Hinder practice, as in sixe instances. but I hauehave many eyes vponupon me, &c. 2. They hinder the practice and obedience of the Word: as we shall see in some instances.

1. The Word perswades to humility, and lowe conceit of our selues: But riches doe swell vp the heart with lothsome pride, and make a man thinke of himselfe so much better than of another, as he hath gotten wealth (perhaps by wicked meanes) aboue others: wheras wealth well gotten, makes no man better; but ill gotten, farre worse. How contumeliously did Nabal vse Dauid, 1. Sam. 25? Because hee was wealthy, he was proud and haughty.

2. Gods Word perswades to trust and confidence in God, who is our life, and the length of our p. 197dayes, onelyonly of power to doe vsus good. But wealth easily perswades the heart to make gold the hope. Holy Iob disclaimes this practice of a wicked man, Chap. 31.24. If I said to the wedge of gold, Thou art my confidence; If I reioyced, because my substance was great, or because my hand had gotten much, &c. it had been iniquity: for I had denyed God aboue. The rich mans riches is his strong Tower in his conceit, hee thinkes himselfe well-walled and intrenched within his wealth, and rests vnderunder the shadow of the wing of his wealth; which hee is not content to hauehave, vnlesse it hauehave him, his heart and trust.

3. Gods Word perswades to workes of charity and mercy, and to be rich in good workes. But louelove of riches choketh this Word, shuts vp the bowels of compassion against his brother, shrinkes vp the hand that should open and stretch it selfe to the necessity of the Saints, suffers not to honour God with our riches, nor to prouide for our selues any other wealth but that in earth. Thus the miserable man hath riches while he liues, and when he dies, they are goods, neuer doe good before.

4. Gods Word teacheth to leaue our riches for Christ, and that naked Christ is wealth enough. But louelove of the world chokes that Word, and makes vsus, for an handfull of the world, to forsake Christ, and the holy profession: as we see in the young man, who went away heauily, because hee had great possessions. Iudas must hauehave thirty pieces more than hee could gaine by his Master. The like of Demas.

5. Gods Word teacheth, to restore ill-gotten p. 198goods, as by vsury, deceit, oppression, lies, &c. Zacheus, so soone as he was conuerted, restored foure-fold. But the louelove of the world choketh this Word, and hindreth obedience: worldly men part with vnlawfull profits, as with their ioynts, nay, will rather part with their soules.

6. Gods Word teacheth, that eueryevery man should maintaine himselfe and his family in a lawfull and honest course of life, and not to esteeme that penny his, for which he may not praise God as the giuer. But this Word is choked in a number, both Ministers of iustice, and Ministers of the Gospell, and Trades-men, that receiue a great deale of wealth from the diuell, and not from God; in a number of vnconscionable courses: And especially they that liue by wicked and vnlawful Trades, Dicing-houses, filthy houses, Play-houses, and such places of idle and hellish resort; which one not vnfitly calls, The diuels house of Office. And such Victuallers, Vintners, and Ale-sellers as suffer brutish creatures to wash away their reason and discretion, so they may licke away their money: as if it were not a foule sinne, to liue on the foule sinnes of others. Thus riches choke the obedience of the Word, and suffer not a man to serue God, or obey his Word, further than serues his owne commodity.

Vse 1. Take notice of that vanity with Salomon, Eccles. 5.13. who obserued riches reserued to the hurt of the owners. Men hauehave giuen them the name of goods, as if there were no danger in them, or euill to the possessor by them; who yet (we see) may easily dispossesse himselfe of Christ, and saluation by them. p. 199How many hauehave we seene, while they were in lowe estate in the world, humble, gentle, meeke, forward and zealous; who now in prosperity are growne fat, proud, disdainfull, and slothfull in spirituall things? How many in their lowe estate were diligent Hearers, profitable conferrers of the Word, carefull obseruers in sanctifying the Sabbath, fruitfull instructers of their families? But now the world is come in vponupon them, and the businesse of it thrusts in, and the poore man that cannot serue two Masters at once, is gone backe, and growne lazie, yea and at length lothing that good Word, the sweetnesse of which he hath tasted, and decreased in the Spirit, as fast as he increased in the flesh. As the Moone neuer suffers Eclypse, but in the full; So these in their fulnesse suffer the earth to come betweene them and their Sunne, who in their wane were safe enough.

Heere for our further instruction, we will consider two things: 1. The Markes of a man, in whom the world choketh the Word. 2. The Remedies.

I. The Markes are fiue.

1. In his whole desires hee is more earnest after goods, than after grace. Psalm. 4.6.5. Markes of a man in whom the Word is choked by wealth. Who will shew vsus any good? This is the speech of many. But a few say, Lord, lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus. The blessing of Esau, the fat of the earth, most men desire most: But the blessed dewes of heauen, and sauing grace in the meanes, are as refuse wares not asked after. Tell a man of a good bargaine, or a good purchase, he will giuegive you both his eares, he will bestirre himselfe, and his onelyonly feare is, to bee preuented: Tell him of the bargaine of heauen, and of the p. 200purchase of that inheritance among the sanctified;Act. 26.18.Acts 26:18 yea, (saith he) God send vsus that inheritance aboue all; but if God send it not, he will neither bee at paines nor cost for it. If God should put many of vsus to our choyce, whether we would hauehave wisdome, or wealth, or long life, or power ouer enemies; wee would scarce, with Salomon, chuse wisedome in the first place; but would either hauehave wisedome vvith an inheritance, or an inheritance vvithout vvisedome.

2. His speeches vvill bevvray him, in vvhom the vvorld choketh the Word. For as he chiefly sauours the things of the vvorld, and affects them; so out of the abundance of the heart his tongue runnes chiefly on them. 1. Ioh. 4.5. They are of the world, therefore speake they of the world. Follovv this man from a Sermon, you shall marke, that presently being out of the Church, he falls into discourse of vvorldly matters, and earthly things, as if the Word heard, vvere not vvorth speaking of: his earthly heart is carried naturally to his center: Follovv him from a Play, or from the Market, you shall heare him tell the vvhole story accurately, and articulately, from poynt to poynt; or discourse as he comes home, of his penny-vvorths, of the chiefe commodities and prizes. But alasse! vvhen God sets open his Market, that all might buy vvithout money, or money-vvorth, things of such high price, no man speakes of them, or for them, because they see no need of any such commodities.

3. In his calling, knovv him by clogging himselfe vvith too much businesse: an euident signe of an earthly heart, in vvhichwhich the Word cannot thriue. Martha troubles and distracts her selfe vvith many p. 201things, and so slippes the opportunity of hearing Christ: so, when men surcharge themselues, and in hope of gaine, grapple in so much businesse, as they leaue from their affaires no conuenient time and leisure for the seruice of God, in publike or priuate, but God offers the meanes of saluation in publike, they cannot intend it, hauing mo irons in the fire; the instruction and prayers of the family are interrupted, and no time is left for Gods Worship in the family: or the world affoords no time to meditate on what they hauehave heard; all the thoughts put into their hearts by a good Sermon, dye as a sparke for want of blowing. Heere is a sure note of the Word choked: Choke the worship of God at home, it is choked also in Gods House, and in publike.

4. Vniust getting or sparing of riches argue the choking of the Word: when men can dig downe to hell, or fall downe before the diuell for wealth. For, had the Word any place in mens hearts, they would not vse iniustice, or any vnlawfull meanes to get riches: knowing that the Lord will auenge all such things. So are they as wickedly couetous in sauing and sparing, when iust and reasonable causes in the Common-wealth, or God and good causes call for it: as numbers are prodigall enough, when the diuell or their lusts call for pounds, that grudge at a penny parting for God, or any good purpose.

5. When a man, by reason of his wealth, growes either secure in his course, or licentious in his sinne, or scornefull of admonition, or hatefull of reproofe, or puts off duties wherein the Word is cleare euen to his conscience, that either hee will not vndertake p. 202all, or not yet, or not at all: This cleares to such a mā, that many thornes lye on his heart, and hauehave beset him to hinder obedience.Sincerum est, nisi vas, …uodoun que infundis, acessit. Put a drop of honey into a bottle of vineger, it is as sharpe as before: So, drop in the sweet Word of God into such an heart sowred with the world, the taste is not changed, the Word is ouer-mastered.

II. Now follow the Remedies against these choking thornes.

4. Remedies against choking thorns.1. Consideration: that aboue all men, rich men should embrace the Word, and goe on cheerfully to heauen. For to whom God hath been more bountifull, they are bound to bee more dutifull.Luk. 12.48.Luke 12:48 To whom much is giuen, of them much is required and expected. Besides, they are more free to good duties, not so straitly tyed to bodily labour for their present maintenance, are not burthened with so many distractions how to liue, as poorer men. And further, they must giuegive account for more time, more opportunities of well-doing, more ability to further the duties of piety, and workes of mercy, than others. How then will they answere it, if they seldomer heare, know lesse, obey lesse, and sinne more than others? Therefore in the first place consider seriously of the large reckoning thou art to make for all thy large both receits and expences.

Psal. 62.10Ps 62:102. Circumspection is another helpe: If riches increase, set not thy heart on them. Thou mayest hauehave riches in thy hand, not in thy heart: In thy hand, as a Steward in trusted to distribute; not in thy heart, as a Treasurer to hoord vp: In thy hand, to saue by disposing, what thou losest by reposing in thy heart: In p. 203thy hand and power, so as the world be thine; not in thy heart, whereby thou becommest his: and yet the world so in thy hand thine, as still the euill of it bee his owne. Account it thine to dispose of, others to partake of.

3. Moderation of minde in hauing and inioying the profits of this life: 1. Cor. 7.30.—They that possesse, as if they possessed not, and they that vse this world, as if they vsed it not. Motiues hereunto. 1. Consider how much of all thou hast, thou hast deserued or art worthy of. Iacob confessed, O Lord, Gen. 32.10Gen 32:10I am lesse than the least of thy mercies: and thou art lesse than Iacob. 2. Consider how little will serue nature, if a mans minde were not more crauing than his backe or belly. And yet grace is content with lesse. 3. He that desires but a little, cannot want much; and hee that wants not, is wealthy enough: as he is great enough that is his owne master, and can command his owne desires. Consider Agurs request, Prou. 30.8. 4. If God giuegive thee not much, but scant thee in the things of this life, and it make it precious and comfortable, it is all one. A little box of Diamonds is more precious than a Mountaine of lead.Pro. 17.1.Prov 17:1 Better is a dry morsell with peace, that is, of mind and conscience, than a stalled Oxe with contention. And if hee hauehave giuen this little as a pledge of a better inheritance, bee contented, yea thankfull, that thou art an heire in right, though not in possession. 5. Consider that it is an high poynt of Christian wisdome, if the estate and condition be not to a mans minde, to bring his minde to his estate:Phil. 4.11.Phil 4:11 as Paul had learned in all estates to be content.

p. 2044. Christian couetousnesse is a forcible meanes to draw out these thornes out of the heart: and hath these properties. 1. It makes God the portion, and accounts not him happy that hath wealth enough; but as Dauid, Psalm. 144. vlt. Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. 2. It couets that which he may hauehave both heere and hereafter. It is best coueting of that, which a man may hauehave heere, and carry away with him. 3. Because it knowes it must leaue these things behinde, and cannot carry them away, it will bee sure to carry the comfort of them out of the world, by wise and prouident disposing of them to God, his Church, and seruants. 4. It is assured it shall be countable for all; and therfore is more carefull to giuegive a good account of a little, than to make it more. There is greater praise in managing a little well, than in getting much together, though neuer so well.

Vse 2. To checke the foolish conceit of carnall rich men: who thinke themselues the onelyonly happy men, because of their wealth. To whom I say, (yet not I, but the Lord) If thy conscience can charge thee of deceitfull getting thy wealth, God is greater than thy conscience: and, as Iudas now thinkes his thirty pieces dearely earned; so shalt thou one day, which will marre all thy mirth. But if thou hast gotten them neuer so fairely, if thou hast stucke thy selfe fast in this thicke clay, and hast laid for thy selfe of them a log in the way to heauen, goe and boast of thy happinesse, which hath made thee most vnhappy, proud, secure, licentious, and choked the good Word in thy heart. I say to thee, it had beene p. 205good for thee thou hadst neuer seene penny of thy wealth, and that thou haddest liued in beggery all thy dayes. For that might hauehave drawne thee neere God, at least not hauehave driuen thee so farre from him. Thou shalt curse the day that euer thou haddest a penny in thy hand, or heart: that euer thou dotedst vponupon so base pelfe, to make thee forget thy selfe and thy God so farre: that euer thou didst so ouerload thy selfe with wealth and wrath. For all thy present ioy in thy wealth, because it keepes the Word out of thy heart, will be as bitter to thee as wormewood, when thou shalt see the same wealth keepe thy soule out of heauen, which in earth kept the Word out of thy soule: and thou shalt bewaile thy lost estate euerlastingly, when thou shalt see, that had it not been for thy wealth, thou mightest hauehave been saued.

Vse 3. Obserue carefully these few rules against these thornes. 1. If we must seeke them,How to carry our selues to these thornes: 6. Rules. doe it not for themselues, but to stop a gap. 2. If we must meddle with them, be afraid in touching them, as Agur. 3. If we must hold them, gripe them not, nor clutch them hard; for then they wound. Thornes slightly held, or laid in the open hand, are harmelesse. 4. Fence we our selues from them, with louelove of God, feare of God, louelove of his Word, and watchfulnesse ouer our corrupt desires. 5. If wee bee beset with them, let vsus warily get out of this thicket, and lighten our selues of them, by glad and cheerfull imparting them, when godly vses offer themselues. 6. Let vsus of these thornes gather figs, by doing good with them, and distributing:Heb. 13.16Heb 13:16 for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Or rather turne them into sweet flowres, p. 206of which make emplasters to supply the wants of the needy, and delight the neighbours with the sweet smell of them.

We see how riches are chokers.

Now see how they are deceiuers.

Doct. Riches, full of deceitfulnesse.Doct. The danger of riches is not more in choking goodnesse, than in deceiuing and bewitching the heart that addicteth it selfe vntounto them. And therfore the Prophet calls them deceitfull vanities, Psalm. 31.6. For indeed they neuer choke, till they hauehave first deceiued vsus.

They deceiue men of,This will better appeare, by considering,

1. Whereof they deceiue vsus.

2. Whereby, or how.

I. They are such deceiuers as pilfer not trifles, or base things, but (without grace in the heart) the best things we hauehave, and might least spare. 1. They deceiue vsus of Gods Word:1. Gods Word. this is in the Text, and was proued before. So in Ier. 2.31. O generation, take heed to the Word of the Lord: but the people say, We are Lords, we will come no more to thee. And Chap. 22.21. I spake vntounto thee when thou wast in prosperity, but thou saidst, I will not heare. And in the Parable, Math. 22.5. the Farme, and the Oxen, and Merchandise made the ghests make light of the inuitation to the Kings supper. And is it a small thing to be robbed of this heauenly wisedome, to which no treasure is comparable? Prou. 3.14. which is more precious than all Pearles, and all thou canst desire is not to be compared to her. Yet prosperity makes men grow, first, lazy, then, lothers of the wisedome of God.

2. Their Religion.2. Riches deceiue vsus of our Religion: 1. To erre p. 207from the faith, 1. Tim. 6.10. 2. To forget God, Deut. 8.10. Beware when thou art full, lest thou forget the Lord thy God. Hos. 13.6. As in their pastures, so were they filled; and their heart was exalted: therefore hauehave they forgotten me. 3. To forsake God, Deut. 32.15. He that should hauehave been vpright, when he waxed fat, spurned with his heele: Thou art fat, thou art grosse; therefore he forsooke God that made him. 4. They easily vnfit men for the seruice of God. Heere many doe fondly delude themselues, saying in their hearts, Thus much wealth I will attaine vntounto, and when I hauehave done that, I will addict my selfe to the seruice of God. For commonly the effect of affluence and abundance, is, to say with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord? As in Ierem. 5.7. When I fed them to the full, they rose vp like fed horses, eueryevery one neighed after his neighbours wife, and committed most brutish sinnes.

3. Riches deceiue vsus of our hearts:3. Their hearts. as great a deceit as any of the former: while they draw our trust, louelove, ioy, and principall affections from God to them. The rich man, Luk. 12.16. is not charged that he got his goods wickedly, but of trusting in them, and putting too much hope in them. Whence the charge is, If riches increase, set not your hearts vponupon them, Psalm. 62.10. And thus, with our hearts, they deceiue vsus of our time, our labour, our thoughts, and indeuours; all which they engrosse from God, and from our selues.

4. Riches deceiue vsus of sound iudgement,4. Sound iudgement. in three respects: 1. In regard of themselues, to thinke of them better than they bee; yea, to thinke basely of grace and the things of heauen, in respect of the profits of p. 208this life. This was a brand of profanenesse in Esau, Gen. 25.32. What is this birth-right in comparison of the pottage? So of all profane men, who despise the blessing for the backe and belly, and things of this present life, and set more by an Oxe or two, than by the Kings Supper. A generall disease of most men, esteeming riches the greatest blessing that is to be attained on earth, and finding the sweetest contentment in them. 2. In regard of our selues, and our owne estate. They commonly make a man thinke himselfe better than he is: Hee can perswade himselfe he is highly in Gods fauour, because hee is rich, and hold himselfe contented with a false felicity, which hinders him from seeking to better his estate. Whereas not being of themselues good in their nature, they cannot make him better that hath them: and Salomon tels vsus, that these outward things befall alike to all, Eccles. 9.2. How many delude themselues, while they say, If I were not a good man, God would not blesse my labours, so blessing themselues in their riches? And many thinke they hauehave receiued their wealth of God,Zech. 11.5Zech 11:5 and thanke God for all, when God gaue them little or none of them, but a great part of it is the diuels wages, or the worlds wages for some seruice of iniquity. And, were not his iudgement blinded, hee could not looke on his wealth, but withall on his sinne and wretchednesse in getting and holding it: and so indeed esteeme himselfe so much the worse by his wealth, as he is indeed, but not any whit the better. 3. In regard of others, they deceiue vsus of true iudgement and discerning. They make vsus thinke, such as inioy most p. 209wealth, to be the happyest men, and they most miserable that most want it: Whereas wee cannot giuegive instance of more happy men, than those that wanted it: as Lazarus an happy Saint, which wanted crums; and the Apostles happy men, when they said, Siluer and gold hauehave we none: Act. 3.6.Acts 3:6and none more miserable than they that had most of them; as Nimrod, Ismael, Esau, Saul, Ahab, Baltazer, Herod; And the greatest at this day against the Church, The Turke, and the Pope, with their adherents, hauehave the greatest part of the world in their possession. And surely if these things made men most happy, God would not cast them so liberally on the worst men. For wise men giuegive to swine but draffe, and swill, and huskes, but prouide better for their children and seruants.

5. Riches deceiue vsus of our saluation:5 Of saluation. according to that of Salomon, Prou. 10.16. The reuenues of the wicked tend vntounto sinne. 1. While our corruptions make them snares to take and hold vsus in manifold lusts: To transgresse for a morsell of bread, Prou. 28.21. To become instruments of cruelty, pride, iniustice, security, licentiousnesse, couering sinne with money. To catch at shadowes, and lose the things of the life to come: as our Sauiour implies in that speech, What shall it profit a man to win the whole world, Mat. 16.26Matt 16:26and lose his owne soule? Lastly, while they take vp the heart so, as the Word shall bee no further taken in, than shall serue for their commodities. 2. While they rob vsus of many graces, they must needs also rob vsus of glory: as 1. Of faith: they make men say to the wedge of gold, Thou art my hope, the staffe of my life, and the stay of my posterity. 2. Of humility: before p. 210wealth came, they were humble, meeke, and gentle; now they are proud, disdainfull, scornfull. 3. Of zeale: wealth in many hath beene as cold water to quench their zeale, who formerly were most carefull and forward. 4. Of patience: they make the minde soft, delicate, effeminate, that it cannot constantly beare any thing for Gods cause. 5. Of faithfull expecting Christs comming to Iudgement: they make the remembrance of death terrible and bitter. 6. Of perseuerance: Demas will forsake the truth rather than his wealth. And most Apostates hauehave been rich men.

II. The other generall poynt proposed, is, Whereby, or wherein riches without grace doe thus eueryevery way deceiue vsus. And that is by false promises, and false performances.

Riches deceiue by false promises of 6. things.1. They promise contentment, and saciety, but performe nothing but vexation and discontent. As a man hauing the Dropsie, drinkes still, but is not satisfied by drinking, but the more he drinkes, the more he thirsts: so the worldly minde, the more superfluity, the lesse saciety. And needs must that desire be infinite, which is not satiate with God, who onelyonly is infinite: thinking none in worse estate than himselfe, if any bee better. The heart is larger than the barnes, or chests.

2. They promise peace and security, which indeed they neuer bring nor allow him that doth not proclaime warre against them. For they lay men open to all Satans snares, 1. Tim. 6.9. and to all the violence of men: make them obnoxious to malice, enuy, and theeuery: and as his largenesse and thicknesse p. 211of boughes makes eueryevery one desire to lop him, so oftentimes hee falls downe by his owne waight; whereas without his wealth, hee might hauehave stood longer. 2. King. 25.5. The wealthinesse and statelinesse of Ierusalem, did but toll on Nebuchadnezzar to spoyle it: and when it was taken, the King, and the rich men were led away captiue, but the poore were left in the Land, and liued better than euer. Abundance of wealth proues oftentimes but an halter, or a weapon of death for the owner.

3. They promise freedome and liberty, but make men drudges to the world, and slaues to wealth, yea, to sinne and Satan for wealth.

4. They promise fitnesse and forwardnesse to doe good, that they will fit a man to duties of piety and charity. Many say, If they had wherewithall, they would relieue the poore, maintaine the Ministery, and doe more good with their goods, than they see others doe. But as the Mountaines, in the bowels of which is most gold, or siluer, are most barren: So they that abound in wealth, for most part are most fruitlesse and vnprofitable, in respect of fruits of grace or charity.

5. They promise good wages for faithfull seruice of the world; but deceiue many with false wages. They pay Achan for his seruice, with losse of his Wedge, and life. Gehezi, in stead of wealth, for his lye, is paid with a Leprosie, that stucke to him and his posterity for euer. Saul with losse of all, for sauing a few beasts against Gods Commandement. Ahab, in stead of accesse to his Kingdome, for a small plat of Naboths, lost the whole Kingdome.

p. 2126. They promise continuance, but are vncertaine riches, 1. Tim. 6.17. and hauehave wings to fly away, when a man hath most need of comfort. Men thinke they hauehave got a Fee-simple, and made sure for perpetuity: but it is but a mouable, thou must leaue it where thou gotst it. No man can assure himselfe to hold his wealth till night: though the foole thinkes he layes vp for many yeeres. One sparke of fire may suddenly ouermaster a mans whole substance. One vnaduised word or action may confiscate his whole estate, and of an happy man in his owne eyes make him a begger, a prisoner, without hold of wealth or life. Prou. 23.5. Wilt thou cast thine eyes vponupon wealth which is nothing? for riches taketh her to her wings, and flyeth away. What are these wings of wealth? Answ. Rust, moth, theeues, vsurers, fire, sword, oppressors, Lawyers, sicknesse and death: Other Eagles hauehave but two wings, this hath an hundred. And oftentimes it goes into the hand of strangers, yea very enemies: as a lost Hawke, hauing lost his Master, is taken vp by them whom he thought not of: Iob 27.17. Hee may prepare it, but the iust shall put it on, and the innocent shall diuide the siluer.

Thus let a man serue an hard Apprentiship to the world, he shall be deceiued in his wages; as Iacob by Laban; and being deceiued of his expectation, must content himselfe, in stead of faire Rachel, with Leah for his labour.

5. Rules to preserue vsus from the deceitfulnesse of riches.Vse That riches may not deceiue vsus of so precious things with so faire promises, consider these Rules.

First, esteeme them as they are, and as God and p. 213his Word esteemes them, and not as the world doth.1. Esteeme them as they are indeed, not as in mens esteeme. Worldly men put faire titles vponupon them: as first, they call them goods, whereas indeed they are nothing lesse to most that enioy them. Secondly, they call them substance, and those that hauehave them, Men of good substance, or Substantiall men: whereas Gods Word calls them shadowes, and the pursuit of them, the running after a shadow, Psal. 39.6. It calls them vanity, Eccles. 1.2. that is, not onelyonly subiect to vanity, as all creatures be, Rom. 8. but make a vaine shew of much good, which they doe not performe. Hence also are they called lyes, and nothing, without substance, Prou. 23.5. Psal. 62.9. Either take these things on our Fathers iudgement, or bee deceiued with toyes still. The iudgement of the world is cleane contrary to the iudgement of Gods Spirit, who is so farre from calling them substance, as that they are made non-ens, a meere nothing. Thirdly, men call them profits: but how vnprofitable are they! 1. They profit not in grace, but are step-mothers vntounto it: and therefore the poorest men are chosen to be richest in grace: And generally, are not the richest in wealth, poorest in good workes, poorest Christians? 2. They profit not in the day of sicknesse: Prou. 11.4. Riches auaile not in the day of wrath. No money will buy the fauour of a wrathfull King; nor buy out the paine of one tooth. 3. They profit not in the day of death: cannot buy one houre for repentance, not a quarter of an houre to set the house in order. 4. They profit not in the Day of Iudgement: a whole world cannot buy out one sinne vnrepented of. Lastly, men call wealth, gaine, as if all were gaine that is gotten: p. 214But 1. What is the gaine of an handfull of earth, perhaps with the losse of the soule, and heauen? 2. Our Sauiour Christ, who best knew what riches are, oppos…th them to the true gaine, Luk. 16.11, 12.

Indeed, if they could buy pardon of sin, or merit eternall life, or make a purchase of heauen, as Papists teach vsus, then were they goods indeed, and substance, and profits, and gaine: but these titles which the Scriptures affoord them, shew vsus plainely how farre they be from such effects.

2. Take them from God.2. Rule. Take them from God in the right ends, for which God hath reached them to thee: Not to riot on lusts, or imploy them as a furtherance to sin; Not to lay them in thy heart, a roome reserued for better purposes; Not to make thee proud, and swell thy heart, to insult against others that hauehave not thy measure:For foure good ends. But for foure maine ends, which the Lord intendeth: 1. To exalt and aduance Gods mercy, who hath giuen thee more than others, being in thy selfe lesse than the least mercy, and in way of thankfulnesse to honour God with thy wealth, Prou. 39.in vpholding his seruice and glory. 2. For the necessary and honest sustentation of thy selfe; and thy family, in sobriety, humility, and moderation. Thus Parents may lay vp for their children. 3. For the common good: to vphold the good estate of the Common-wealth, in publike payments, tributes, taxes, &c. Rom. 13.6. 4. For the reliefe of the poore members of Iesus Christ: to bee rich in good workes, to doe good and distribute, 1. Timoth. 6.18. And thus to become (as Iob) fathers to the poore, eyes to the blinde, feet to p. 215the lame: that the loynes of the poore may blesse vsus.

3. Rule. 3. Looke on them as receits.Consider seriously with thy selfe these three things: Who thou art that hast receiued wealth: What thou hast receiued: And on what condition thou hast receiued.

First, Who art thou that hast receiued wealth? 1. Thou art not an Owner, but a Steward: the money and wealth is thy Masters: thou must not hold it to thy selfe, nor lay it out but at his appoyntment. 2. Thou art not a Free-holder, but a Tenant at will: thou sittest not in thine owne, but owest homage, rent, suit and seruice. 3. Thou art not a Citizen, but a stranger here, in a strange Countrey. If thy wealth were thy owne, and might stay with thee, yet canst not thou stay with it.

Secondly, what hast thou receiued? Goods, thou sayest. But I say, Thy wealth is not good in it nature, (as not euill) but in it selfe at the best, indifferent, and onelyonly good in a good vse. A worldlings goods are neuer goods, till he come to dye: for then they are set at liberty to doe others good, though not himselfe. They are not good to all men, but to good men onelyonly: nor good, further than they are seruants to a further good, and helps to the chiefe Good, euen God himselfe.

Thirdly, on what condition hast thou receiued them? Namely, to be countable for them. And what account can hee giuegive, that hath defrauded both his Master, and his fellow-seruants? How dares a seruant bring that into accounts, which hee hath spent on whores, gaming, drunkennesse, Dice and Cards, p. 216bolles and bowles, contentions, and friuolous suites of Law, &c? Hence when at some time God calls the conscience to reckoning afore-hand, that which was so sweet a morsell, vpbraids him, and is ready to choke him, as Iudas; and as the Prophet saith, Ezek. 7.19. They shall cast their siluer into the streets, and their gold shall be cast a farre off. A worldly and wicked conscience once awaked, shall wish the Master cast into the sea, or vnderunder the bottome of the Mountaines, so it might escape the account and reckoning.

4. Looke beyond them on true and substantiall riches.4. Rule. Cast thine eye vponupon true and substantiall riches. First, God in Christ is true riches: what can be wanting to make a man fully happy, who inioyes God as his portion? Secondly, Christ himselfe is the true Treasure, in whom all treasures are hid; and the Pearle, for which the wise Merchant selleth all, and Paul counts all but drosse and dung. What a world of wealth is in the blood of Christ, one drop of which redeemed a whole world? How rich is his prayer and intercession?1. Tim. 6.61 Tim 6:6 Thirdly, Godlinesse is the chiefe gaine; that is, the knowledge and profession of the Gospell: this hath the possession of the rich graces of God, Faith, LoueLove, Hope, Patience, Righteousnesse; in comparison of which, gold and pearles are but drosse. Fourthly, the Treasure of heauen is worth looking after: Col. 3.1. To hauehave the conuersation in heauen, Phil. 3.20. Sell all thou hast (saith Christ) and thou shalt hauehave treasure in heauen.

Now this wealth is vndeceiueable, performes all that it promiseth, contentment, perfect freedome, sound and stable peace, fitnesse to doe good, abundant p. 217and sure wages; with continuance, being a durable riches, not left in earth, but carried with vsus to heauen; not consumed with vse, but increased. And therefore was it so sought by the Saints, Heb. 10.34. They ioyfully indured the spoyling of their goods, because they knew they had in heauen a better, and an induring substance.

The eager pursuit of these riches would soone and easily bring the other out of request.

5. Rule. 5. Pray for wisedome well to vse them.Pray first for wisedome and vnderstanding to vse these things, before thou prayest for the things themselues. Pray first for goodnesse, and then for goods. For first, they neuer become truly goods, till grace make them so. Secondly, they are like wild beasts, not more dangerous in keeping, than in taking: and must be well watched, that we be not spoyled by them. Thirdly, this wisedome is promised to them that are good in Gods sight, Eccles. 2.26. wisdome to prouide, knowledge to vse, and ioy in fruition or right vse.

To conclude this poynt: If wee, being to deale with a man in great matters, were aduertised by a friend to looke well to ourselues, because wee deale with a Cheater, and one that hath deceiued almost all that euer dealt with him, wee would thanke him heartily, and looke to our selues carefully. Now the Lord in this Text telleth vsus of a great deceiuer, that aimes to spoyle vsus of great things: Why then should we not be thankfull to him, and take warning? Why should we not beleeue him, but be willingly, cōtinually, and senselesly deceiued, not so much by the craft of the Aduersary, as our own simplicity & corruptiō? p. 218And voluptuous liuing, or pleasures.]

The third sort of thornes are worldly pleasures.The third sort of thornes which choke the Word, are pleasures and delights. Where two questions offer themselues to our consideration, for the opening of the matter.

Quest. 1. Whether are all pleasures condemned or no?

Answ. Pleasures are of two kinds: some heauenly, others earthly. In the former there is no danger, but we are eueryevery where in Scripture called to them: as we shall see hereafter. Our Text speakes of the latter.

Quest. 2. Whether are all earthly pleasures condemned?

All worldly pleasures not condemned: 6. Reasons.Answ. No: for 1. Adam in innocency was furnished aboue all men now liuing, with pleasures and delights in that Garden of pleasure. 2. Since the Fall, the Lord hath still deckt the earth with most delectable flowres, in their seuerall beauties, and varieties of colours and smells, to delight the senses of man: And he hath filled the aire with sweet and melodious birds. 3. The Lord that could now feed vsus with one kinde of meate, as Israel in the Wildernesse, allowes vsus much variety of the creatures for our honest delight: And though hee could preserue vsus with water, yet he allowes vsus more pleasant drink, and in our feasts giues vsus wine in varieties. Yea, himselfe hath giuen skill to workemen, to make curious musicall Instruments, to delight men with their sweet musike and harmony. 4. Hee hath allowed men, according to their estate and place, to inioy many worldly pleasures. It was the blessing p. 219of Assur, Gen. 49.20. that hee should giuegive pleasures for a King: that is, his Countrey should abound with delicate fruits, acceptable and fit for Kings. In which phrase we see, that Kings hauehave more right to inioy pleasures, than ordinary men: and Deut. 33.24. He shall dip his foot in oyle. 5. The Lord himselfe appointeth some festiuities and solemne feasts, in which a more liberall and delightfull vse of the creatures is requisite: as Nehem. 8.10. Goe, and eate of the fat, and drinke of the sweet: for this is a day holy vntounto the Lord. 6. The Spirit of God concludeth, (though some learned otherwise expound it, as the Atheists speech brought in by a Prosopopoeia:) Eccles. 3. vlt. that nothing is better, than that a man should reioyce in his affaires; for that is his portion. And who is worthy to enioy Gods blessings about him, in wife, children, family, calling and estate, that doth not reioyce in the same?

So as the thing, which our Text, and this whole ensuing treatise condemneth, is not any lawfull and allowed pleasure, of any kinde, but that pleasure which choketh the Word of God, as thornes doe seed; whether vnlawfull pleasures, or lawfull pleasures vnlawfully vsed.

Which I would hauehave obserued by the way, to remoue a scandall cast vponupon Religion and godly life, that it is altogether vnpleasant, and heauie, and strips a man of all delight. This is not so. But first, All the wayes of wisedome are wayes of pleasure, Prou. 3.17. Secondly, godlinesse takes not away any earthly pleasure, nor the vse of Gods mercies, but orders, and moderates, and sweetens them.

p. 220Doct. Earthly ioyes, shrewd enemies to the Word, and saluation.Doctr. The preuailing of earthly ioyes, and carnall pleasures, choketh the Word, and hindreth saluation. An example we hauehave in Eue, whose pleasure of the eye choked all that Word of God which shee had learned, and repeated but euen then to the Serpent. And in Herod: he heard Iohn gladly, reuerenced him, and did many things, Mark. 6.20. but the pleasure of his brothers wife made him cast Iohn in prison, yea and behead him too: which he added aboue all his sinnes. Iudg. 16.17. Samson had vndertaken a most sacred profession, of the Nazarites, in which he was a most eminent type of Christ. While hee kept the law of his profession, not cutting his haire, the mighty power of God was with him, and for him. But that impotent and base lust, and sottish attending his pleasure in Delilahs lap, how did it make him forget the Law of God, and so inslaue him, as hee must needs tell her all that was in his heart, till God was gone from him! 1. Tim. 5.6, 11. What made the widowes to breake their faith giuen to Christ, but wantonnesse, and liuing in pleasures?

Obiect. These are dishonest and vnlawfull pleasures and lusts: these must needs choke the Word. But doe lawfull pleasures doe so too?

Answ. Yes, wee shall see euen in those that had …ound godlinesse, how euen lawfull pleasures choked the Word, and cast them backe in the way of God. How the louelove of pleasant meate set the louelove of good Isaac vponupon him whom God hated, see Genes. 25.28. And Salomon tells vsus the danger of prouing the heart with pleasures, Eccles. 2.2. they brought him to bee mad with them: these were honest and lawfull pleasures: p. 221but himselfe tells vsus, that as they entred into the heart, so godlinesse decayed. For as theeues set vponupon true men to rob and bind them: so pleasures assaulting good men, binde them, and rob them, yea often wound them, onelyonly kill them not. And hence it is, that in the profession of Religion, some are found louers of pleasure more than of God, 2. Tim. 3.4. and holding a forme of godlinesse, and proclaiming a defiance of vain pleasure, are yet so moyled and intangled with them, as they grow heauie in good duties, and drawne on with the perswasions of these pleasing Orators. Had not the Disciples renounced all for Christ? Yes; Master, wee hauehave forsaken all, and followed thee. But yet doe wee not see them long, who should be superiour, and contend for greatnesse one with another, and affect pompe and high place euen in the Kingdome of God, where the smallest is the greatest?

Reasons. 1. Pleasures make,Reasons 7. that men cannot attend the Word. Some are so carried away with sports, that neither weeke-day, nor scarce the Sabbath can draw them away to any better duty. Their delights are so fastened in their hearts, as nothing can fasten on them. Their thoughts doe so attend vponupon pleasures, that all other thoughts, tending to the bettering of their estate, are vnpleasing.

2. They make, that men cannot conceiue the Word aright. The Word offereth pleasures at Gods right hand, which is an obiect of faith: But the man trampled on by pleasures, becomes sensuall, and iudgeth of all things spoken, by his corrupt sense, and carnall reason: For his desire is to heare, not p. 222what is best, Non quae optima, sed quae suauissima.but what is sweetest.

3. Pleasures, where they doe preuaile, make men securely contemne the Word. They cast the heart on sleepe, and make it vnwatchfull against the threats of God, Amos 6.1, 3. Woe to them that are at ease in Sion: that put farre off the euill day, and approch to the seat of iniquity. Whence our Sauiour exhorts, to take heed lest the heart bee oppressed with these excessiue pleasures, and so that day come vnawares: as it did on the old world. And no maruell, seeing they can brawne the heart, and make it senselesse against the iudgements and scourges of God. Esa. 5.12. The Harpe, the Violl, and Fluit, and wine are in their feasts: but they regard not the worke of the Lord, nor consider the operation of his hands. Famous in this kinde is the example of Nebuchadnezzar: the Lord sent him his Prophet Daniel to expound his dreame, that he must be a beast for seuen yeeres together: yet within one twelue moneths hee forgot all, and said, Is not this great Babel, &c? Dan. 4.25, 26.

4. Pleasures preuailing in the heart, doe make men hate the Word, as a bitter and deadly enemy. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, to cut off these lusts which are as deare to them as their eyes or hands: And therefore it is so despised and hated.

5. They thrust out the Word, which reuealeth and offereth the pleasures of a better world. The heart of the foole is in the house of mirth, Eccles. 7.6. Yea, though God call to mourning, and fasting, or any occasion (whatsoeuer) come; hee hath set himselfe p. 223on a merry pin, hee cannot abide to heare of change, so he may hold his pleasure heere still. Babylon will be a Lady for euer, and set her minde on no other things besides, nor remember the end: Gods Phisicians would hauehave healed her, but she would not be healed; she laid none of those things to heart, Esa. 47.7, 8. therefore her end was vtter desolation.

6. These pleasures are seldome procured without sinne, being the ordinary baits of Satan cast before men; which while they play withall, and nibble at them, they are catcht in his snare: as Eue by the Apple, which seemed pleasant to the eye and taste. Balaam knew there was nothing of so much force to allure the Israelites to Idolatry, and to make a breach among them, and so set God against them, as to besot them with vnlawfull pleasures with the daughters of Moab: then was Israel presently coupled to Baal Peor, Numb. 25.1, 2, 3. Thus Satan (as a cunning Fisher) baytes his hooke with pleasure, and catcheth innumerable.

7. These pleasures are of great strength to hold men in sinne, against all the threatenings of the Word, and inuitations to repentance: will not suffer the heart to thinke of death, and iudgement, and accounts to be giuen: yea, they make him maintaine a continuall warre in himselfe, Iam. 4.1.Jas 4:1against his owne conscience, being carried headlong to such things as seeme pleasant, delectable, glorious, and profitable. And against others also: This man will hate his Preacher to the death, because hee condemnes his vnlawfull pleasure. If Iohn dare say to Herod, It is not lawfull for thee to hauehave her, it shall cost him p. 224deare. As for his poore neighbours: hee will maintaine his pleasure by oppression, cruelty, iniury, any thing: he cares not how sorrowfull and vnhappy hee make many other mens liues, so hee may enioy his supposed pleasure. Iudas must hauehave his thirty siluer pieces, though it cost Christ his life, and himselfe his soule, and fill all his fellow-Disciples with much heauinesse. Lastly, such a man is well content to indure any vassalage and slauery vnderunder Satan, so he may inioy a present pleasure: and Satan is well content on that condition to allow it him; dealing heerein as Cyrus with the Lydians,Justi. lib 1 who hauing ouercome them, (to gratifie and gaine them sure to himselfe:) allowes them to eate, and drinke, to feast and play, with all kinds of sports, games, and gambals; but in the meane time takes away their horses, and armour, so as they are vnable euer to thinke of recouering their former liberty.

And therefore, seeing these pleasures hinder men from attending and vnderstanding the Word, make them securely contemne and hate the Word, thrust out the pleasures of the world to come, are seldome procured without sinne, and are of such strength to hold them in sinne: we may well conclude with the Apostle, 1. Pet. 2.11. that they fight against the soule.

Vse.And seeing they doe so, wee must abstaine from them. The seruice of lust and diuers pleasures, is noted for a course of the vnregenerate, Tit. 3.3. And these two goe hand in hand, disobedient, seruing pleasures. Therefore beware of the preuailing of pleasures, and as thou meanest the Word should profit in thy hart, p. 225and tendrest thy owne saluation, weed out this voluptuousnesse, a meere choke-weede of grace.

Heere for thy further helpe in so necessary, and withall so difficult a duty, I will set downe three things: 1. Motiues, to resist these pleasures. 2. Markes of a man, in whom they preuaile aboue the Word. 3. Meanes, or Rules how we may inioy them, without choking goodnesse.

I. Motiues, or reasons to disswade from the pursuit of pleasures, are sixe.

1. Consider where thou art.6. Motiues disswading the pursuit of pleasures. We are now banished out of the Garden of pleasure: we are in this world, kept out of Paradise with the shaking of a sword: and doe we expect another Paradise in this Wildernesse of Baca, and valley of teares? Wast thou not borne weeping, into the valley of weeping? Shalt thou not dye, and go forth weeping? and canst thou liue in laughing and merriment? While thou art heere obnoxious to so many miseries, laden, and daily loding thy selfe with so many sinnes, conflicting with so many tentations, beset with so many enemies: canst thou bee so senslesse, or mad rather, to giuegive vp thy selfe to carnall pleasures and delights? Remember thou art now in Babylon, and sittest by the water-side of afflictions. A member of the Church, that now remembers Sion, and his owne Countrey, whence he is for the time banished, will rather sit downe and weepe, and mourne in the Countrey where they be strangers,The vigill must goe before the holy-day: the fast, before the feast. and cannot sing the songs of God, rather than addict himselfe to carnall pleasures, and profane delights. This seemes to be the Apostles argument, 1. Pet. 2.11. As strangers p. 226and pilgrims, abstaine from fleshly lusts. Now a stranger lookes for no great matters in his iourney, nor expects pleasure till he commeth home.

2. Consider what little content or saciety there is in these pleasures. Let him try this conclusion who will, after Salomon: he shall finde hee shall sooner surfet of pleasures, than fill himselfe with them. One sweet morsell driues downe another, and still is the carnall heart vnsatiable. And it is with a man drunke with pleasures, as a man drunke with wine: his drunkennesse increaseth his thirst, but quencheth it not. Let a man compasse his pleasure in any kinde, he may thinke, the attaining of his desire will quench his desire: but it prooues but as water which the Smith casts on his coles; it seemes to abate and quench the fire, but it makes the inward heate and concupiscence more burning and raging than before.