A Counterpoison Against Covetousness, Text

A Counterpoison Against Covetousness · Text

A COVNTERPOISON AGAINST COVETOVSNES: In a Sermon preached at Pauls-Croſſe, May 23. 1619.

By IER. DYKE Miniſter of Gods word at Epping in Eſſex.

PSAL. 119. 36. Incline mine heart vntounto thy teſtimonies, and not vntounto couetouſneſſe.

Auguſt. in Pſal. 128. Auaritia opus eſt mali hominis, homo ipſe opus Dei. Et quid vult Deus? Occidere in te quod ipſe feciſti, & ſaluare te quem ipſe fecit.

ANCHORA SPEI

LONDON, Printed for ROBERT MYLBOVRNE, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the great South doore of Pauls.

1619.

p. 1A COVNTERPOYSON AGAINST COVETOVSNES:

LVKE 12. 15.

And he ſaid vntounto them, Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe.

NO better fared it ſometimes with our Lord himſelfe in his miniſtery, then it now dayly doth with vsus his ſeruants the miniſters of the Goſpell: and no better with vsus then it did with the Prophet, Ezek. 33. 31. His auditors ſate before him as the Lords people, they heard his words, they would not do them, their hearts ran after their couetouſneſſe. Such is the dunghilly diſpoſition of many hearers, that euen then their hearts are moſt eagerly bent vponupon their earthly intentions, when Gods miniſters labour moſt of all to call them off, and to raiſe them vp to heauenly contemplations. It was iuſt thus with an auditour of our Sauiours in this preſent chapter; whileſt this bleſſed ſeeds-man, euen the Lord of the field himſelfe was committing his ſeed to the earth, behold ſome falles vponupon thornie ground. Whileſt our Sauiour was labouring to prepare men for an eternall, here was one whoſe heart ran after a temporall inheritance, and amidſt our Sauiours heauenly, his thoughts are taken vp with an earthly buſineſſe. Nay p. 2he cannot reſt there neither; he doth not onelyonly mind earthly things, as they, Philip. 3, but this ſore breakes out in his lips: for, verſe 13. One of the company ſaid, Maiſter ſpeake to my brother that he diuide the inheritance with me. This earthly minded man cannot be content with thoſe, Ezechiel 33. 31. to hauehave his heart runne, but that which is worſe, his tongue muſt runne too; and that which is yet the ſore of all, euen then when our Sauiour is employed in the diſpenſation of the word, euen then is he thus bold with a ſawcie importunity to trouble and interrupt our Lord in this ſacred ſeruice. How iump and iuſt is this fellowes faith and religion with thouſands of our times, who will vphold it for a truth, that a miniſter may do God better ſeruice in taking vp quarrels betweene neighbours, and compoſing differences betweene pariſhioners, then with all his paines in preaching. This is right to call Chriſt from diuiding the word to the diuiding of an inheritance. Oh maiſter, you might do well to ceaſſe this trouble to your ſelfe and this great multitude, to make an end of your Sermon, and to come and end a difference betweene me and my brother; you ſhall do a worke of charitie, and a neighbourly good office betweene vsus, you may ſaue a great deale that may otherwiſe be idlely ſpent in law. Ridiculous follie! As if ſo be the ſauing of the purſe were to be preferred, were to be regarded, before the ſauing of ſoules.

Well, but what is our Sauiours anſwer? His anſwer is:

Firſt particular, verſe 14. He ſaid vntounto him.

Secondly more ſeuerall, verſe 15. He ſaid vntounto thē.

p. 31. His particular anſwer is a perſonall checke to this mans importunity and demand both: He ſaid vntounto him, Man, who hath made me a Iudge & a diuider ouer you? And ſo he anſwers not the foole according to his follie, refuſeth to gratifie him in this his vnſeaſonable and vnlawfull requeſt.

2. His ſeuerall anſwer is to the whole multitude: And he ſaid vntounto them, Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe, verſe 15. And thus our Sauiour doth anſwer the foole according to his follie, and takes occaſion by his folly to teach the whole multitude wiſedome. The roote of this mans folly was couetouſneſſe: the ſtrong ſauour where of our Lord ſented in this his vnſeaſonable requeſt. Chriſt therefore layeth the axe to the roote of the tree, and ſmiteth at the maine radicall corruption of his heart. And ſo anſwers him not according to his Deſire, but according to his Neede. Therein following Gods owne rule, Ezech. 14. 4. that he that comes to the Prophet with a queſtion, what euer his queſtion be, ſhould be anſwered not according to his curioſities, but according to his neceſſities; he muſt be anſwered according to his Idols, he muſt heare roundly and plainly of that ſin whereof he was chiefly guiltie. Thus deales the Lord here. And not onelyonly ſo, but of his poyſon makes triacle, & preſcribes a bleſſed preſeruatiue againſt that peſtilence wherewith this mans heart was infected. Such was his happie handineſſe and dexterity, to make euill the riſe and hint of good, and to extract heauenly light out of the darkneſſe of an earthly heart.

And thus we ſee in briefe how theſe words frame and fall in with the body of the text.

p. 4The words themſelues are a Caution againſt Couetouſneſſe. In the which we hauehave three things conſiderable.

1. The manner of the caution. Take heed and beware.

2. The obiect of it. Of couetouſneſſe.

3. The perſons warned to beware. And he ſaid vntounto them.

1. The manner of this caution lieth in the Duplication thereof. Take heede and beware. Not take heede alone, nor beware alone, but both take heede, and beware. Now what meanes this double fence? might not a ſingle item hauehave ſerued the turne? Certainly he that telleth vsus that we muſt be accountant for eueryevery idle word, would not himſelfe be guiltie therof. Somewhat therfore there is in it that the cautiō is doubled; yea not onelyonly doubled, but in a manner trebled, in as much as the ſecond word ſeemeth to hauehave a double weight aboue the firſt. foreign. The firſt word implying an ocular warineſſe, an eye watch; the ſecond, an hand watch, a kind of manuall, if not a martiall and preſidiary guarding of a mans ſelfe. Mark, 8. 15. Chriſt giuing his diſciples warning of the leauen of the Phariſes, vſeth two words alſo, but yet the latter there ſeemeth to be of no greater force then the former. It is but foreign. But here not onelyonly the word, but the weight is doubled, foreign, Take heede and beware. As if he had ſaid, to paraphraſe the text, not to mend the tranſlation, Watch and ward, nay watch and guard, and defend your ſelues from the ſinne of couetouſneſſe. Well. What may all this meane now? It ſeemes to argue theſe particulars.

p. 51. A wondrous ſtrong inclination in our corrupt natures to this ſinne. If our affections were not violent and headſtrong, a ſingle reyne would hauehave ſerued to hauehave courbed and bridled vsus in. If we were not eagerly bent thereon, what ſhould neede pikes and halbards to keepe vsus off?

2. A wondrous great danger in the ſinne. If it were not a deepe and a dangerous bog, a ſlighter fence might hauehave ſerued, this double pale might hauehave bene ſpared. Prou. 4. 14. 15, you hauehave an whole heape of prohibitions againſt the wayes of wicked men: Enter not into the path of the wicked, go not in the way of euill men; auoyde it, paſſe not by it, turne from it, paſſe away. What meanes this frequent and vehement iteration, and inculcation of one and the ſame thing? It ſerues to teach both our proneneſſe vntounto, and the perill in thoſe wayes. Iuſt ſo it is here. Our Sauiours vehemencie in forewarning vsus, argues the more then ordinary perill of this ſinne. This double caueat argues more then a ſingle danger therein.

3. A wondrous carefull watch that we ſhould keepe ouer our owne hearts, that at no time they be ouercharged with the couetous cares of this life. Since our inclination is ſo great, and the danger no leſſe then it, our watch ſhould be proportionable to both, double and double. Some dangers are auoyded by the bare eſpiall, it is enough foreign to ſee them. But here not onelyonly eyes, but weapons are required; here we muſt foreign, not onelyonly hauehave our eyes in our heads, but our weapons in our hands. The danger of the ſinne and inclination of our hearts thereto being ſo great, here it is true, that Abundans cautela non nocet. p. 6If this which is double in precept, were quadruple in practiſe, it were all little and little enough.

2. Point; the obiect of the caution. What it is wherof we muſt take heed & beware: take heed & beware of couetouſneſſe. Couetouſneſſe is the ſin then, of which our Sauiour here forewarnes vsus. A ſinne, I make no queſtion but hath often bene witneſſed againſt in this place. GiueGive me leaue alſo to adde my teſtimony, that ſo in the mouth of many witneſſes, yea of a cloud of witneſſes, this truth may ſtand.

We hauehave here then a watchword againſt couetouſneſſe: Take heede and beware of couetouſneſſe. A ſin indeed that ill beſeemes, and in no wiſe will ſuite with the profeſſion of the name of Chriſt. Let eueryevery one that calles vponupon the name of the Lord, & vponupon whom the name of the Lord is called, depart from iniquity, 2. Tim. 2. 19. but eſpecially from that iniquitie which hath caſt vponupon riches, otherwiſe Gods good bleſſings, the reprochfull title of the riches of iniquitie, Luk. 16.

Our conuerſation muſt be as becomes the Goſpell, Phil. 1. 27. But how may that be done? Heb. 13. 5. ye hauehave a comment to that text. Let your conuerſation be without couetouſneſſe. When our conuerſation is without couetouſneſſe, then is our conuerſation as becometh the Goſpell.

Our conuerſation? nay our very communication muſt be free from it. Epheſ. 5. 3. Fornication and all vncleanneſſe, and couetouſneſſe, let it not be once named amongſt you, as becomes Saints. It becomes Saints to walke as becomes the Goſpell; they then walke as becomes the Goſpell, when both conuerſation and communication are free from couetouſneſſe. So ſpeakes p. 7Paul of couetouſneſſe as Dauid of idols, Pſal. 16. 4. I will not make mention of their names with my lips. If the name, how much more ſhould the thing be odious? Our conuerſation? our communication? yea our very cogitations ſhould be free from it. It is the brand of thoſe brute beaſts that are made to be taken and deſtroyed, of curſed children, 2. Pet. 2. 14: that they hauehave their hearts, and ſo their thoughts exerciſed to couetouſneſſe.

Take we a view of all the Saints and ſeruants of God, whoſe memories, whoſe graces, yea and whoſe ſinnes are recorded in holy writ; ſee if you can finde me one of all that bleſſed company, that was euer blemiſhed with this filth, that was euer defiled with this mire. Indeed once Noah was ouertaken with the louelove of wine, neuer with the louelove of the world. Once Lot was twice inceſtuous, neuer couetous. Once Dauid was beſotted with the fleſh, neuer bewitched with the world, but euen in the top of the worlds happineſſe acknowledgeth himſelfe a ſtranger and a pilgrime, 1. Chron. 29. 15. Once Peter denyed his maiſter, but yet it was not the louelove of the world (for he had denyed that before he denyed his maiſter, in forſaking all,) but the feare of the world that cauſed him to ſlip into that ſin. Zaecheus indeed before his conuerſion had bene a couetous pinching prolling publican; but no ſooner doth he take Chriſt by the hand, but the firſt thing he doth is to ſhake hands with his couetouſneſſe. Chriſt that hath bid vsus beware of it, will much more himſelfe take heed and beware of dwelling in that heart, where that ſinne dwels. If he whip not this money merchant out of the temple of our heart, p. 8it will keepe and barre out him for taking any poſſeſſion there.

Now what, thinke we, may be the reaſon that theſe forenamed Scripture-ſaints, though they had their other both infirmities and groſſe ſinnes, yet were ſtill free from this? Seemes it not to aduiſe thus much? That grace and religion may better ſtand with once-acted adulterie, inceſt, and drunkenneſſe, then it can with that habituall iniquity of couetouſneſſe? Dauids adulterie, Noahs drunkenneſſe, Lots inceſt, theſe were actuall ſinnes but once acted, they were no habituall euils in them. A man may fall into theſe ſinnes, and yet not be an habituated ſinner. But a man cannot properly be couetous without an habitual continued euill diſpoſition of the ſoule. Now this is a ſure rule, that grace may ſtand with ſome actual though groſſe ſinne, being but once ſlipt into (though but one actuall ſinne doth ſhrewdly wound and weaken grace:) but whether grace and a good heart can ſtand with a continued habituall wickedneſſe, there is the queſtion, if ſo be a queſtion.

Hence haply therefore hath it bene, that diuerſe of the Saints of God when they hauehave bene to iuſtifie their integritie, and make good their reputation, hauehave euermore bene eſpecially carefull to free themſelues from the imputation of this ſinne, and hauehave ſhaken off not this duſt, but dirt and filth from off their hands and feete. Thus Samuel in his apologie, 1. Sam. 12. 3. So Ieremie, Ier. 15. 10. Wo is me my mother, thou haſt borne me a contentious man that ſtriueth with the whole earth; I hauehave neither lent on vſurie, nor men hauehave lent to me on vſurie, yet eueryevery one doth curſe me. Well he p. 9thought they might hauehave curſed him, had he bene guilty of that curſed ſinne; but he ſhewes the worlds iniquitie by his owne honeſty, and his owne honeſty in being free from the fruits of that ſinne of couetouſneſſe. So Paule Acts 20. 33. I hauehave coueted no mans ſiluer, nor gold, nor apparell. Now why purge theſe men rather from this then from other ſinnes? why purge they not from adultery, whoredome, drunkenneſſe? but ſpecially, and in a manner from couetouſneſſe? Surely becauſe full well they knew, that of all other ſinnes this is that which moſt ſtaynes and blemiſheth good report and honeſt reputation, and ſtandeth in greateſt oppoſition to the life and truth of grace.

For where this ſinne getteth head, it eateth out the heart of grace, by eating all grace out of the heart. While ſome hauehave luſted after money they hauehave erred from the faith. 1. Tim. 6. 10. Nay they hauehave not ſtayd there, but hauehave fallen from the faith. 2. Tim. 4. 10, Demas hath forſaken me, and hath embraced this preſent world. It ſo fares with earthly minds as with the earth in which are the mines of ſiluer and gold; of all earths they are obſerued to be the moſt barren; and of all hearts ſuch are the moſt fruitleſſe, the moſt graceleſſe. Therefore in the parable the cares of this life are compared to thornes; thornes choke the good ſeed. As well may a man looke for an harueſt in an hedge, as for grace in a couetous heart. Theſe couetous deſires are the ſeuen ill-fauoured empty eares that eate vp the full and good eares. Theſe are the caterpillers, and graſhoppers, the canker and palmer wormes that conſume the greene herbe of grace in the field of the p. 10duplicate page p. 11duplicate page p. 10heart. The dampes of the earth do not more quench fire, then the louelove of the earth dampes grace. And indeed no wonder that this ſinne is ſuch an enemy vntounto grace; for it is an enemy vntounto, and a ſcorner of the meanes of grace, the preaching of the word. Ezek. 33. 31. They ſit before thee, and they heare thy words, but they will not do them. What was the reaſon? Their heart runneth after their couetouſneſſe. But that is not all, behold yet a greater abomination then this. It teacheth men not only to diſobey, but to deſpiſe, and mocke at the word. Luke 16. 14. And the Phariſes alſo who were couetous heard theſe things, namely our Sauiours Sermon againſt the ſeruice of Mammon, and what was the ſucceſſe? And they derided him. Couetouſneſſe is a profane ſinne that ſeateth a man in the chaire of peſtilence, in the ſcorners pew.

We find a prohibition, Pro. 23. 6. not to eate of a couetous mans bread. A reaſon is ſecretly couched in that epithete there giuen him: Eate not the bread of him that hath an euill eye. He hath an euil eye, which makes him wiſh a man choakt, when he bids, much good may it do him. Such euill and counterfeit welcome ſhould make a man take little pleaſure in table-friendſhip and familiarity with him. But yet there is a greater reaſon then this, that ſhould make vsus ſhy of his conuerſe, namely the feare of the defilement of his pitch. Couetouſneſſe is a defiling ſinne, Marke 7. 21. 22. Thefts, couetouſneſſe, theſe come from within, and defile the man. Yea it ſo defiles, as that in that regard we ſhould auoyd ouer familiar conuerſe with him. And vponupon this ground doth Paul forbid eating his bread; 1. Corint. 5. 11. If any man that is called a brother be p. 11couetous, with ſuch an one no not to eate.

The world would faine hold that doctrine of veniall ſinnes ſtill; and though Popery it ſelfe which firſt hatcht that diſtinction, do ranke this amongſt their mortall ſinnes, yet would men hauehave it but a veniall triuiall offence. For a man to be an adulterer, a fornicator, I hope the world is not growne to that deſperate paſſe yet; but I may adde, to be a ſwearer, and a drunkard, theſe are counted, and indeed they are heynous abominations. But for a man to be couetous, this is ſlighted ouer as a matter of nothing. I he ordinarie language of the world is, He is a man ſomewhat with the hardeſt, a little with the neareſt, a little too much for the world, but yet a maruellous honeſt, a wondrous good man. Now in good truth were it not ridiculous to ſay ſo of a thiefe? of an adulterer? Why not then as ridiculous to ſay ſo of the couetous? For as honeſt a man as the world makes him, yet God ſtill rankes him amongſt the moſt heynous and tranſcendent tranſgreſſors. Beſides thoſe places, Marke 7. 21. 22, and Epheſ. 5. 3. 5, conſider theſe two places, 1. Cor. 5. 11. 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. In both which places ye ſhall find the couetous in the middeſt of the throng crowded vp on both ſides with fornicators, idolaters, ſodomites, theeues, drunkards, reuilers, and extortioners. God would let vsus ſee by his companions with whom he ſorts him, what to thinke of his honeſty. Nay yet to helpe the matter, and to let you ſee the full honeſty of this ſinne, note it, and with horrour note it you that are guiltie, that the Apoſtle makes it a Symptome, and ſigne of a reprobate ſenſe. Twentie and two of them are there in all, and this is ſet in the fourth p. 12place, Rom. 1. 29. Wherefore God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde. But how appeared it? Being filled with all vnrighteouſneſſe, fornication, wickedneſſe, couetouſneſſe. Thus how light and ſlight ſoeuer this ſinne be in the worlds eſteeme, yet behold how weightie and ponderous it is in the ballance and ſcales of the Sanctuary.

I doubt not but moſt mens iudgements will ſubſcribe to this truth, but conſcience is not ſo ſoone wrought to obedience, and the truth will ſooner be confeſſed then practiſed; therefore to bring men to the practiſe of this confeſſed truth, I will commend to your Chriſtian conſiderations theſe three particulars.

1. What couetouſneſſe is.

2. The Danger of it.

3. The Remedies againſt it.

1. What couetouſneſſe is. This is a point ſo much the rather to be enquired after, becauſe though a couetous man will acknowledge couetouſneſſe to be a ſinne, yet by no meanes will he acknowledge himſelfe to be couetous. So that a man may ſay of the couetous man as Luther ſpeakes of an hypocrite, that he is tale monſtrum quod eſt ſimpliciter impeceabile, a ſinleſſe kind of monſter that by no meanes will be borne downe to be guiltie. An adulterer, a drunkard, a ſwearer, theſe ſinners and ſinnes are eaſily diſcouered, eaſily conuinced, theſe openly weare Satans cogniſance, theſe are palpable impieties. But this, it is a ſculking iniquitie, it will needs be a vertuous vice, a gracious ſinne. Paul hath a phraſe, 1. Theſſal. 2. 5. foreign, coloured couetouſneſſe, or as our new p. 13tranſlators, the cloke of couetouſneſſe. It is a colouring, and a cloking ſinne. It is a ſinne that weares the cloke and liuery of thrift, prouidence, good husbandrie, honeſt care for a mans owne, without which a man is worſe then an infidell. It is fit therefore that this falſe colour and complexion be waſhed off, and that this monſter be vncloked and vncaſed, that his euill fauoured, but naturall lineaments, may appeare.

There be two words then in Scripture which ſeeme to expreſſe the full nature of this ſinne.

1. This word in my text, foreign.

2. That word of Paul, 1. Tim. 6. 10, foreign. LoueLove of money.

1. Some define it by the firſt, to be a deſire of hauing more. But yet with their good leaues I deſire to hauehave ſomewhat more in the definition thereof; for eueryevery deſire of hauing more is not couetouſneſſe. A man may pray Agurs prayer without couetouſneſſe. A man in a low and meane condition may deſire of God with condition to hauehave his eſtate bettered, and yet not be couetous. Others therefore adde, and make it to be an inordinate deſire of hauing more, by vniuſt and vnlawfull meanes. But that is too fauourable, for then ſhould none be couetous but vniuſt getters of goods. A man may be couetous, and yet get his goods without fraud, oppreſſion, and coſinage. Therefore not to trouble you with many, me thinkes that of Auguſtine hits the nayle on the head aboue all Auaritia eſt plus velle quàm ſat eſt. Aug. de lib. arb. l. 3. c. 17. Quid eſt auarū eſſe? Progredi vltra quàm ſufficit.others: Couetouſneſſe is the deſire of more then enough. To deſire beyond the bounds of ſufficiencie, to ſeeke for more then a man may pray for, GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread, to ſeeke and labour for ſuperfluities, p. 14this is couetouſneſſe. A man, I take it, may be ſaid to hauehave enough, when he hath ſuch a portion Tantum autem ſat eſt quantum ſibi exigit naturae in ſuo genere conſeruandae modus. Auguſt.and ſufficiencie of theſe outward things, as that he hath wherewith to liue plentifully, as alſo both to traine vp his liberally for the beſt imployments, and to leaue his liberally according to their callings and conditions. I thinke ſuch a man may be ſaid to hauehave enough, and what is more is of ſinne. No ſooner doth a man ſteppe ouer the hedge and pale of ſufficiencie, but he is preſently in the wide, wilde, and boundleſſe champian of couetouſneſſe.

2. The ſecond word is foreign, the louelove of money. And thus a man may be couetous in the inordinate louelove of that which he hath, though he go not beyond the limits of ſufficiencie. There is a couetouſneſſe in ſcraping, that may be foreign, and there is a couetouſneſſe in holding, that may be foreign. There is a couetouſneſſe in rapacitie, that comes from a deſire of more then enough. There is a couetouſneſſe in tenacitie, that comes from an immoderate louelove of that we hauehave. foreign hath a large paw to get and gather more then enough. foreign that is like the man in the Goſpell with the withered hand, whoſe ſinewes are ſo ſhrunke vp that he is not able to reach forth his hand to any worke of pietie or pitty. The firſt is more properly the rich mans couetouſneſſe; with the ſecond may a poore man be couetous. I am not ſo preciſe in my diſtinction, but that theſe two may be confounded; for indeed the firſt cannot be without the laſt, though it be poſſible the laſt may be without the firſt. So that lay both theſe together, and we hauehave the nature of this ſinne. It is an inordinate louelove of, and p. 15a deſire after theſe outward things beyond the bounds of ſufficiencie. Now beſides the inward, peſtilent, and venomous nature thereof, there be certaine outward ſymptomes, in which as in ſo many plague-ſores it breakes forth and diſcouers it ſelfe. They among many others are theſe:

1. That Ioh. 3. 31. He that is of the earth, is of the earth, and he ſpeakes of the earth. His breath like a dying mans is euer of a ſtrong earthy ſauour. His language is, Pſal. 4. Who will ſhew vsus any good? Corne and wine, ſheepe and oxen, marketable and merchantable commodities are euermore the ſubiect of his diſcourſe. It is euer market, and exchange time with him. Seldome or neuer with the vertuous woman, Pro. 31. doth he open his mouth with wiſedome, neither is the law of grace in his lips. That looke as it is ſaid of the righteous man, Pſal. 37. 30. 31. The mouth of the righteous will ſpeake of wiſedome, and his tongue will talke of iudgement, for the law of his God is in his heart; ſo may it be ſaid of the couetous, His mouth will ſpeake of worldlineſſe, and his tongue will talke of earthlineſſe, for the louelove of his god is in his heart. There is earth at his heart, and his very breath ſmels of it. Their Egyptian garlicke which they hauehave ſwallowed riſeth in their ſtomackes, and makes them to belch, and to bring vp a filthy ſtinking vnſauourie Nam ſi ſacrificem ſummo Ioui, Atque in manibus extateneam vt po…riciam: interea loci, Si lucri quid detur, potius rem diuinā deſeram. Plaut. in Pſeudol.breath.

2. He keepes a court of Faculties in his conſcience, he can giuegive himſelfe a Diſpenſation to be free from any dutie of Gods worſhip and ſeruice, if it be to ſerue his owne turne. He is none of your preciſe Sabbatarians. He ſcruples not to loſe Sermons, to trauell to p. 16ſhew and ſell his wares as well on the Sabboth as other dayes. It is no trouble to his conſcience to bargaine and barter vponupon the Sabboth as familiarly as vponupon any other day. He eſteemes his country Church eueryevery whit as great a conuenience as the Citie Exchange, where he may meete many of his neighbors, and diſpatch many buſineſſes at once without a further trouble of going to their ſeuerall houſes.

3. He is ſometimes homo omnium artium, a man of many callings and profeſſions, he will hauehave an iron in eueryevery fire, an hand in eueryevery buſineſſe, and euen ouerloades himſelfe with a multitude of employments. He will needs be a temporall pluraliſt, will hauehave as many farmes as he hath fingers, will be a Miniſter and a Phyſition, a citie merchant, and a countrey farmer; and ſo peſters and clogs himſelfe with a multitude of buſineſſe, that he hath but a little time for ſleepe, and none at all for God, but what his couetouſneſſe to ſaue a tweluepenny mulct will affoord him.

4. He is ſometimes againe a man nullius artis, a man of no calling. He giues ouer his multitude of farmes and employments, not out of conſcience, but out of a deſire of greater eaſe and ſecurity. For conſcience though it forbid encombrance, yet it requires employment. But he flies from one extreame to another, from many callings and employments to none at all, and betakes himſelfe to a courſe wherein he may liue with leſſe faith and greater ſecurity. From hyring of farmes he falles to letting of money, and ſo comes to be of the number of thoſe men, of whom if ten in an hundred chance to go to heauen, yet an hundred to ten are ſure to go to hell.

p. 172. Thing the danger of couetouſneſſe. We hauehave here a double caution againſt this ſinne. As is the caution, ſo is the danger, double. Yea this double caution implies the danger, if not the double danger. This ſinne therefore is doubly dangerous.

1. In the ſinnes it breedes.

2. In the puniſhments it brings.

1. For the ſinnes it breeds. It is a mother iniquitie that giues life to many a foule ſinne. Ten Commandements hath almighty God giuen vsus, and this is an vniuerſall breach, and breaker of them all. Indeed there is no ſinne but it may be ſaid to breake them all, for he that breakes one is guiltie of the breach of the whole Law, Iames 2. 10. becauſe one ſinne doth prepare and habitually diſpoſe the mind to any ſinne. But this doth actually tranſgreſſe them all. Pleaſe you in briefe to runne them ouer, and ſee how.

1. Commandement, Thou ſhalt hauehave none other gods before me. But the couetous Mammoniſt he hath Non adoro, inquit. Quare? quia teipſum non inflectis, & incuruas? multo magis adoras per facta, & res ipſas. Haec enim eſt maior adoratio, & vt diſcas vide in Deo. Quinam enim eum magis adorant, ijne qui ſolum ſtant in precibus, an qui faciunt eius voluntatem? Chryſ. ad Epheſ. hom. 18other, and he ſerues other gods then the God of heauen, euen gods of the earth, gods of mettall, idols of ſiluer, and idols of gold. That as the Prophet complaines of the Iewes, Ier. 2. 28. According to the number of thy cities are thy gods ô Iudah, ſo may we complaine of the couetous: According to the number of his bags, nay of his pence, is the number of his idols. And therefore no maruell that the Apoſtle, Coloſ. 3. 5. calls couetouſneſſe idolatrie, and Epheſ. 5. 5. the couetous an idolater. For though he ſacrifice not beaſts to his idoll, yet that which is worſe, he ſacrifices his ſoule and himſelfe; and though he fall not downe vponupon his knees and pray not to his ſiluer, yet as the p. 18profane Atheiſt hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God, Pſal. 14. 1: ſo the couetous Mammoniſt ſayeth in his heart, This is my god; he ſayeth to his wedge, Thou art my confidence, Iob 31. 24. And howſoeuer his couetouſneſſe enioyne him ſorer and ſharper labor, more dangerous and deſperate aduentures then euer God requires in his ſeruice, yet is it willingly and cherefully obeyed, and obedience is better then ſacrifice, 1. Sam. 15. 22: yea it hath both obedience and ſacrifice. Hab. 1. 16 They ſacrifice vntounto their net. His golden idoll hath the louelove, confidence, truſt, affiance, and obedience of Et inter alia eius nomina quod Pecuma vocaretur. Et Pecunia, inquiunt, vocatur eo quòd eius ſint omnia. O magnam rationem diuini nomims? Sed nimirum hoc auaritia Ioui nomen impoſuit, vt quiſquis amat pecuniam, non quemlibet Deum, ſed ipſum regem omnium ſibi amare videatur. Qualis ergo iſta theologia debet eſſe ſapienti, vbi rex deorum eius rei nomen accepit quam nemo ſapiens concupiuit. Auguſt. de Ciuit. Dei. l. 7. c. 12.his heart; which are the things the firſt Commandement claimes for Gods part. The goddeſſe Pecunia was one of the idols of old heathen Rome, and Money (as Auguſtine reports) was one of the many names their Iupiter had. EueryEvery Mammoniſt is a profeſſor of this paganiſh religion: if at leaſt it be not worſe to giuegive vntounto money the worſhip of God, then vntounto God the name of money. The fond Iſraelites made them an idoll of the Egyptians iewels, and then dance about it, (one calfe about another) and ſacrifice vntounto it, and ſay, Theſe be thy gods ô Iſrael. Such a calfe, ſuch a ſot is the couetous; when he hath ſcraped together the worlds iewels, he makes them his idols, & ſayeth in his heart, Theſe be thy gods, ô my ſoule, to whom thou oweſt thy louelove, ſeruice and affectionate obedience. And ſo makes himſelfe a groſſe and notorious tranſgreſſor of this firſt Law.

2. Commandement, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelfe any grauen image, &c. A commandement that enioynes the puritie of Gods outward worſhip, commands maintenance, and forbideth the corruption p. 19thereof. But in this is he as foule as in the former. This corruption of the heart hath euer bene that which hath vſhered corruptions into Gods Church & worſhip. Therefore are theſe two ioyned together. Eſay 2. 6. 7: Their land was full of ſiluer and gold, and there was none end of their treaſures: Their land alſo was full of idols, they worſhipped the worke of their owne hands. It is no wonder that couetouſneſſe in the breach of the firſt, ſhould prepare and make way for the breach of the ſecond Commandement in groſſe idolatrie. What made Demetrius runne roaring and rauing about the ſtreets of Epheſus, and crying, Great is Diana of the Epheſians, but meerly the louelove of his purſe? Sirs, ye know that by this craft we get our goods, and that craft brought in great gaines vntounto the craftſmen It was the great gaine that made Diana ſo great, and made him make ſo great noiſe for her. What brought in the deuice of the hooke with the three teeth, 1. Sam. 2. 13. but this hooking and catching ſinne of couetouſneſſe?

What made the Temple in our Sauiour time a den of theeues? Euen that ſinne that made the Prieſts theeues, the ſame ſinne that made Iudas a theefe. It was the couetouſneſſe of the Prieſts that admitted the money-changers and the oxen into the Temple. They cared not with what corruption they filled Gods houſe, ſo that they might thereby fill their owne houſes and purſes. But this is moſt cleare in the Romiſh Synagogue, which hath hewne out the principall pillars of her ſuperſtition out of this rocke of couetouſnes. Purgatory, Iubilees, Indulgences, all theſe came out of Iudas his bag, all coffer and kitchin doctrines. p. 20The doctrine of the Church treaſure in the merits of ſupererogating Saints, a meere deuice to bring treaſure into their Church. Maſſes for the dead, an inuentiō to bring in maſſes of wealth to the liuing. Praying for the dead a very tricke to prey vponupon the liuing. And what turned the keyes of the Church into picklockes, or picke-purſes rather, but their abominable couetouſneſſe? Egges of the ſame cockatrice, brats of the ſame hag, are ſteeple and temple brokerage, abſolution for ſolutions, impropriations, tenpound reading ſtipendaries that hauehave leſſe learning then they hauehave liuing, ſacrilegious detention, and fraudulent purloyning of the Church ſalary. Couetouſneſſe brought in, and couetouſneſſe holds in theſe plague-ſores and botches of the Church.

It was not for nothing therefore that when the diuell would hauehave wrought our Sauiour to idolatrie, that he firſt of all laboured to poyſon him with couetouſneſſe, thinking to make couetouſneſſe his ſhooinghorne to idolatrie. He takes him vp into an high mountaine, from thence ſheweth him all the kingdoms of the world with the glory of them, & all theſe will he giuegive him if he will fall down and worſhip him. The diuell knowes it is eaſie to draw on an heart corrupted with couetouſnes, to the moſt corrupt worſhip that may be. And though the diuel ſped not with our Sauiour, yet with Demas he did, who, if Dorotheus be Doroth. de vitis, &c.of any credit, turned from the faith of Chriſt to be an Idoll Prieſt of Theſſalonica. A foule, a fearefull fall. But whence might he take it? Paul tels vsus, 2. Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forſaken me, and hath embraced this preſent world. How eaſie is it to make him the diuels Prieſt, that is once Mammons Chaplaine? What religion or p. 21falſe worſhip will not that man embrace, that hath once embraced this world? The world is like the whores of Midian, with whom no ſooner an Iſraelite can be familiar, but he ſhall be entiſed to the ſacrifices of the dead, to the ſacrifices of Baal-Peor. To marrie the daughter of a ſtrange god is a groſſe tranſgreſſion of this Law. And yet how many ſticke not to wed to the Canaanites, & ſo get not thornes in their ſides, but in their conſciences, and all becauſe their hearts are firſt wedded to the world?

3 Commandement, Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine. Alas, the couetous man thinkes this a very vaine Commandement. Now fie vponupon ſuch preciſeneſſe. What! may not a man for his aduantage, to put off his commodity, helpe him ſelfe now and then with an oath? He thinketh this needleſſe ſcupuloſitie. Nay and yet behold a worſe abomination then this. Paul calleth couetouſneſſe, coloured couetouſneſſe, or the cloke of couetouſneſſe, 1. Theſſ. 2. 5. Now though in the former Commandement it ſticketh not for gaine to corrupt religion, yet here for aduantage it will paint with religion, and put on a religious cloke or habite. Thus did the couetous Phariſes prophane Gods holy name, while they deuoured widdowes houſes vnderunder the colour of long prayer, Math. 23. 14. There was couetouſneſſe coloured with religion. Certainly Gods holy name is not more abuſed by profane couetouſneſſe, when it muſt be made a broker to helpe off baſe commodities, then it is by ſeeming-religious couetouſneſſe, when men vſe religion for a ſiluer hook, & profeſſe it as the Shecemites receiued circumciſion, Gen. 34. 23. Shall not their flockes, and their ſubſtance, and all their cattell be p. 22ours? So, ſhall not their cuſtome and their countenance be ours? OnelyOnly let vsus make a ſhew of their religion, for this is a maine principle in a couetous mans Catechiſme, that gaine is godlineſſe, 1. Tim. 6. 5. and therefore cares not to make a ſhew of godlineſſe to bring in gaine: that ſo in a profane ſence he may ſay with himſelfe, Godlineſſe (pretended) is great gaine. But ſuch with the Phariſes ſhall receiue the greater damnation.

4. Commandement, Remember thou keepe holy the Sabboth day. The couetous man is of Pharaohs religion. He thinkes religion maketh men idle. The people are idle, therefore they crie, Let vsus go ſacrifice, ſaith Pharaoh, Exod. 5. The couetous man thinketh the reſt of the Sabboth to be but idleneſſe. It is a day loſt in a weeke, ſeuen weekes and an halfe in a yeare. Oh how it grudges the wretch to ſpare God ſo much time! Therefore they crie, Amos 8. 5. When will the Sabboth be gone that we may ſell corne? Nay he hath not the patience now to ſtay ſo long. He cries not now, When will the Sabboth, but when will the Sermon be done? Couetouſneſſe was modeſt in Amos his dayes, it would then ſtay marketting till the Sabboth were done. It is now growne more profligate and impudent, and dares impropriate as Gods tenthes in the ſecond, ſo Gods ſeauenths in the fourth Commandement. What makes many keepe their Sabboths in their ſaddles, and not ſo much as to keepe Sabbatum aſinorum in the bare reſt from labour, but their couetouſneſſe? What is the reaſon that many Lawyers chambers are in Sabboth afternoones better filled with Clients, then many countrie Churches are with p. 23people, but couetouſneſſe? This, this is that ſinne that turneth Gods Sabboths into Sabbatum Tyri, the Sabboth of Tyrus, Nehe. 13. 16. that brought fiſh and all wares, and ſold on the Sabboth. Ieruſalem was troubled with fiſh-merchants on the Sabboth. And many townes and cities in this kingdome are troubled with fleſh-merchants, wine-merchants, ale and beere-merchants, cup and tap-merchants; and what breedeth theſe trouble-townes but couetouſneſſe? He that is greedie of gaine troubles not onelyonly his owne houſe, but a whole towne, a whole citie. And was it better in this your honourable Citie till your worthy Nehemiahs oppoſed theſe Tyrian Sabbatarians, & ſet themſelues religiouſly and zealouſly to the ſuppreſſion of Mammons ſolemne ſeruice in the publike ſhambles, and priuate temples of Bacchus? Now honoured be their memories that firſt begun that good worke, and no leſſe theirs that do and ſhall continue it. What greater honour can this renowned See, and famous Citie hauehave, then in their ioynt care and zeale to preſerue Gods holy Sabboths from thoſe foule profanations which couetouſneſſe and the louelove of filthy lucre hath inuented? Thoſe Iewes, Amos 8. cryed, When will the Sabboth be gone that we may ſell? there was ſome kinde of honeſty yet in their couetouſneſſe. But there is a broode now that crie, When will the Sabboth come, that we may ſell ale, beere, and tipling commodities? They long for the Sabboth, not that they might enioy God in the publike aſſemblies of his Saints, but that the ſonnes of Belial may hauehave their aſſemblies, and guzzeling Randevous in their houſes and cellars. Now compare the ſinne of Amos his times with the p. 24ſinne of ours, and it is but light in compariſon of ours. They broke the Sabboth but in thought and deſire, in word at moſt; but our men groſly profane it by making it both Sabbatum Tyri, and Sabbatum Bacchi at once, a marketting and a iunketting, a ſelling and a ſwilling day both. And yet as light as their ſin was, ſee what an heauie threatning is denounced againſt them, Am. 8. 8. Shall not the land tremble for this, and eueryevery one mourne that dwells therein? And ſhall the land tremble for the lighter, and not much more for the heauier ſinne? How great cauſe hauehave we to beg of God to giuegive all ſuch whom it concerneth (whether gouernours of the Church, or commonwealth) zeale and reſolution to maintaine Gods honour in this point? that in ſtead of trembling and mourning there may be ioy and reioycing to all good hearts in the flouriſhing of Gods ordinances. Let me adde one thing that may adde encouragemēt to this work. Nehemiah after the report of his care for the Sabboths reformation, prayeth on this maner, verſe 22. Remember me ô God concerning this. Lay Nehemiahs Memento to Gods Memento, lay Gods commandement & Nehemiahs prayer together: Remember thou keepe holy the Sabboth, ſaith God; Nehemiah remembers it, and then prayeth, Remember me ô God. They with comfort and confidence may pray to God to Remember them, who with courage and conſcience Remember him and his Sabboths. But if we forget his Sabboths, then God hath ſworne by the excellencie of Iaacob, Surely he will neuer forget any of theſe workes, Amos 8. 7.

5. Commandement, Honour thy father and thy mother. That which Moſes ſpeaketh of Leui in a good p. 25ſence, Deut. 33. 9. He ſaid to his father and mother, I hauehave not ſeene him, may be ſaid of him in an ill ſence: He hath an euill, a blinde eye, that will not ſee, and a deafe eare that will not heare, when parents neceſſities craue reliefe and ſuccour. He thinketh it no tranſgreſſion to rob father and mother, Pro. 28. 24. Nay, he thinketh it no tranſgreſſion to ſterue father and mother. It was the Phariſes diuinitie, Matth. 15. 4. 5. 6. It was no matter how empty the parents bellies were, ſo their Corban were filled. As if ſo be the ſmell and ſmoke of the ſacrifice were ſufficient to fat them. This ſinne was before noted to be a ſigne of a reprobate ſence, Rom. 1. 29. and well it may, for verſe 30. another ſigne is, Without naturall affection. Euen this ſinne ſtupifies the bowels of nature, and maketh men deny that debt which God, and euen corrupt nature doth call for. This is that ſinne that made the heathen long ſince complaine of thoſe vngracious births that Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos. Ouid.thought their liues too long from whom they had their liues. Oh, ſaith good Abraham, that Iſmael might liue in thy ſight. But many a couetous Iſmael ſpeaketh like a profane Eſau, Oh that the dayes of my fathers mourning were come; not that he would mourne, but onelyonly as heires vſe to do whoſe teares we Haeredis lachrymae.know are growne prouerbiall.

6. Commandement, Thou ſhalt not kill. But couetouſneſſe is a cut-throate, a bloud-ſucking horſeleech. To that height often groweth the thirſt after gold, that it maketh men thirſt after bloud. One of the Prophets calleth Babel, gold-thirſtie Babel. And all that know Babel, know her to hauehave bene no leſſe blood-thirſtie then gold-thirſty. Yea ſhe is taxed for both, Hab. 2. p. 268. 9. This Salomon noteth, Pro. 1. 11. 12. 13. Come with vsus, we will lay waite for bloud, and lie priuily for the innocent without a cauſe, we will ſwallow them vp aliue like a graue, euen whole as thoſe that go downe into the pit; we ſhall finde all precious riches and fill our houſes with ſpoile. And verſe 19. Such are the wayes of eueryevery one that is greedie of gaine, he would take away the life of the owners thereof. Therefore, Ezek. 22. 13. Couetouſneſſe and bloud are ioyned together. Ahab will hauehave Naboths vineyard, or he will hauehave his bloud. Iudas was both couetous and a murtherer, and therefore a murtherer becauſe couetous. He ſold not his maiſter ſo much out of an hatred of him, as originally out of the louelove of the thirtie peeces. Couetouſneſſe is a bloudy ſinne, and if the hands be not defiled with bloud, it is the law and not conſcience that keepeth them cleane.

7. Commandement, Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie. What licenſeth the publicke ſtewes at Rome, and thoſe ſtyes of Curtezans but the Popes Corban, and the huge reuenew of crownes they bring to the Popes purſe? It is the inordinate deſire after gaine that foundeth that beſtiall abomination of brothelry. It is not ſo much the luſt of the fleſh, as the luſt of the eyes, that cauſeth ſuch to be giuen ouer to that brutiſhneſſe. How many violate their matrimoniall faith and chaſtitie, and the couenant of their God, allured more with the adulterers purſe, then with his perſon? How many a chaſt Danaë admitteth an adulterous Iupiter deſcending in a golden ſhowre? How many vnchaſt perſons force themſelues to a ſingle life meerly to auoyde the charges of married condition, and lie p. 27frying in the flames of their owne ſcorching concupiſcence, and ſo do offer vp themſelues vntounto Moloch, in the fire of their burning luſts?

8. Commandement, Thou ſhalt not ſteale. But as the world hath ſtolen his heart from God, ſo ſticks he not to ſteale from men. This Commandement makes him an arrant theefe. Iudas is called a theefe, Ioh. 12 6. and why a theefe, but becauſe he was couetous? Therefore our Sauiour (Mark. 7. 22.) ioynes thefts and couetouſnes; and Paul, 1. Cor. 6. 10. ioynes theeues and couetous perſons together, as neare and neighbouring ſinners. Falſe dealing, it is a breach of this commandement, it is a fruite of this ſin. Ier. 6. 13. EueryEvery one is giuen to couetouſnes: they all deale falſly. Oppreſſion, it is a breach of this commandement, it is a fruite of this ſin. Prou. 28. 16. A Prince deſtitute of vnderſtanding is a great oppreſſor, but he that hates couetouſneſſe ſhall prolong his dayes. See how oppreſſion and the hatred of couetouſneſſe are oppoſed.

We hauehave here a whole crowd of abominations all forbidden in this law, as defrauding, ouerreaching, coſining one another in mutuall commerce, in buying and ſelling, extortion, incloſures, depopulations, ſacriledge, impropriations, detention of the labourers wages, engroſſers, corne-hoorders, thoſe Mercatores humanarum calamitatum, together with that foule-fangd ſin of vſury, that indeed now bites no longer, but is turned Euening wolfe, that ſwalloweth the bones, and leaues not till the morrow. And whence, thinke ye, come theſe litters of ſnakes and vipers? Lo, this is the dunghill in which they breed: A couetous heart is the wombe that conceiues p. 28them, the mother that giues breath and being to them all.

9. Commandement, Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witneſſe againſt thy neighbour. But as in the former he ſcrupled not at falſe dealing, ſo neither in this ſtickes he at falſe accuſing. Therfore Luk. 3. Iohn ioynes theſe two together, Accuſe no man falſly, and be content with your wages. Not to be content, is a fruite of couetouſneſſe; and he that is couetouſly inclined, will not ſticke, in hope of gaine, to ſtraine ſo farre as a falſe accuſation comes to. Flatterers they ſin againſt this commandement, and couetouſneſſe teacheth men to flatter. Iude 16. Whoſe mouthes ſpeake proud things, hauing mens perſons in admiration for aduantage. Couetouſneſſe makes men flatter in hope of gaine, as dogs fawne for cruſts. Knights of the Poſt with their hackney conſciences, what breeds thoſe helliſh monſters but this monſter of couetouſneſſe? What makes many Lawyers make ſo little conſcience of pleading for a naughtie, or againſt a good cauſe, manifeſt tranſgreſſions of this law, but becauſe they ſee their Clients come to them, as Balaks meſſengers to Balaam, with the reward of diuination in their hands? The deceit of Balaams wages makes them they care not to what Balak they do retaine.

10. Commandement, Thou ſhalt not couet thy neighbours houſe, &c. What may a man hauehave that he couets not? Were his hands as nimble as his thoughts, he muſt liue like another Adam in the world by himſelfe, no man neare him, no man with him. He hath a chymicall heart of his owne. In his wiſhes he turneth all into gold. He wiſheth the whole earth had p. 29bene mines and Indies. He cannot looke vponupon heauen, Non aſpicit coelum tanquam coelum, ſed omnia putat eſſe pecunias. Chryſ. ad 1. Cor. hom. 9.which yet one would thinke might put him by his earthly thoughts, but with a wiſh it were gold too. He is iuſt like the Cardinals of Pope Benedict the 12. who being thereunto moued, refuſed to make more Cardinals, vnleſſe he could withall make another world; for this was ſcarce ſufficient (ſaid he) for his Cardinals in preſent being. He could find in his heart with Alexander to weepe heartily that there are not, and that he enioyes not more worlds.

But eſpecially if we take the affirmatiue of this commandement as ſome, to be Contentment with a mans condition, then is there no man a more direct tranſgreſſor then is the couetous, who out of a diſcō tent with his owne eſtate as not ſufficient, enlargeth his deſires as hell, to couet his neighbours houſe, oxe, aſſe, ſeruant, ſubſtance, goods, lands, or whatſoeuer elſe is his.

Thus we ſee the firſt part of this danger, and hauehave found the couetous a tranſgreſſor of eueryevery of Gods lawes. Go now, go ſilly ſoules, and fondly bleſſe your ſelues, and thinke your caſe good becauſe you are free from the blacke crimes and foule ſinnes of the world, and that you hauehave no other ſinne, you hope, but onelyonly you are a little couetous. None other? Thou needeſt not, that art guiltie of it. This is a ſeminary of all ſins, this breakes all Gods lawes▪ There is no villanie, no impietie, no iniquitie to which this may not diſpoſe thine heart and hand. It is eaſie to make a couetous man an Atheiſt, a Papiſt, a periurer, a profaner of Gods Sabboths, an iron-boweld wretch, a murtherer, an adulterer, a theefe, a falſe p. 30witneſſe, or whatſoeuer elſe the diuell will.

2. The ſecond danger followes, and that is in the puniſhments which it brings.

Heauie and wofull are thoſe iudgements which Gods threatens againſt this ſinne. Wo vntounto them that ioyne houſe vntounto houſe, Iſa. 5. 8. We vntounto him that increaſes that which is not his, Hab. 2. 6. Wo vntounto him that couets an euill couetouſneſſe vntounto his houſe, Hab. 2. 9. See how God thunders out woes thicke and threefold againſt this ſin. Indeed the couetous bleſſeth himſelfe, Pſal. 10. 3. but in the ſame Pſalme and verſe, the Lord abhorres him. Yea he ſo abhorres him, that he euen ſmites his hands at him, Ezek. 22. 13. I hauehave ſmitten mine hands at thy diſhoneſt gaine. Yea he ſo abhorres him, that he not onelyonly ſmites his hands at him, but ſmites at him with his hands, Iſa. 57. 17. For his wicked couetouſneſſe I am angry with him, and hauehave ſmitten him. But ſee we a little in particular what thoſe puniſhments are wherewith God ſmites him.

1. God often ſmites him in his body. That hunger, and hardſhip, and reſtleſneſſe wherewith he wearies and weares out his poore carkaſſe, is but a whip of his owne making, but God alſo laſhes and ſcourges him with his ſcorpions: Iob 20. 20. Surely he ſhall find no quietneſſe in his belly. What got Gehezi by his rich bootie? The plague of leproſie vponupon his bodie, 2. Kin. 5. 27. What got Achan by his great prize? A great heape of ſtones vponupon his bodie, Ioſh. 7. 26. So Balaam got a ſword in his bowels, and Iudas an halter about his necke, the gaines of many a corne-hoorder, and the iuſt end of many a wretched oppreſſor. And what got Ananias and Sapphira by their proiect, but p. 31a miſerable and ſudden end? He that hates couetouſneſſe, ſhall prolong his dayes, Prou. 28. 16. but theſe had their dayes ſhortened for this ſinne. Many a faire day might they hauehave liued, if they had kept themſelues free from this foule ſinne. Now let Iudas while he ſwings in his halter, boaſt of his thirtie peeces. Now let Balaam boaſt of his wages. The reward of diuination was ſweete in his eye, but let him tell vsus how ſweete is the Iſraelites ſword in his bowels. Now Gehezi go bleſſe thy ſelfe with thy talent of ſiluer, and thy two changes of raiment, but yet tell vsus whether is better the body or raiment? So iuſt it is, that he that will couet Naamans ſiluer, Naamans raiment, ſhould be clothed, ſhould be plagued with Naamans leproſie.

2. God ſmites him in his goods. And that which is his god, his heauen, his happineſſe, God makes a curſe, a croſſe, a plague vntounto him. God plagues him in his goods, either in denying him the vſe, or in depriuing him of the poſſeſſion of them.

1. In denying him the vſe of them, Eccleſ. 6. 2. God giues him not power to eate thereof. All the vſe he hath of his riches, is but to behold them with his eyes, Eccl. 5. 10. The plague of the Prince of Samaria is vponupon him, who ſaw great plentie and abundance, but might not taſte of it. All the good he hath of his riches, is but for his eye. His backe and his belly are oft in his greateſt abundance pinched and pined; and that pleaſure which his eye hath, is but a miſerable pleaſure too; for the eye is not ſatisfied with ſiluer, Eccleſ. 4. 8. They are but Homines ad metalla damnati, no better then the miſerable Indians, worne out in the p. 32mines vnderunder Spaniſh tyranny. Their drinke increaſes Et maior acquiſitio fit ei maior acceſſio paupertatis. Nā quo plura acceſſerit, eo plura concupiſcit. Quo ergo plura contupiſcit, eo magis fit pauper. Qui enim plura concupiſcit pauperior eſt. Quum ergo centum talenta habeat non eſt valde mendicus, mille enim cupit. Quum autē mille acceperit tum magis fit pauper. Non amplius mille vt prius, ſed decem millium ſe dicit egere. vide plura Chryſ. ad 1. Cor. hom. 14. foreign. Chryſoſt. ad 1. Cor. hom. 15 Etiam ſi cellae penatiae impofueris clauem, ſi oſtium, ſi vectem, fruſtra facis omnia qui auaritiam peſſimum latronem intus incluſeris, & qui poteſt omnia expor…are. Id, ibid.their thirſt, their riches their pouertie, their abundance their want. Iob 20. 22. In the fulneſſe of his ſufficiencie he ſhall be in ſtraits, euen in ſtraits of want in the midſt of his fulneſſe. And herein is the couetous the moſt miſerable of ſinners. For other ſinners yet, though they loſe the pleaſures of the life to come, yet do they enioy ſome kind of pleaſure in this life: but the couetous, as God will depriue him of the future, ſo he depriues himſelfe of the preſent world, and ſo enioyes neither.

2. But it may be, the foole thinkes this no miſery; God therefore depriues him of the poſſeſſion, and ſtrips him cleane of all his goods. God hath a worme to ſmite their gourds, he hath vermine to conſume their Manna gathered and hoorded vp againſt his commandement. This ſin leaues a mans whole ſubſtance with Gods curſe, which ſhall make his bagges like his deſires, bottomleſſe, and ſo ſhall all run out. Iob 20. 20. 21. He ſhall not ſaue of that which he deſired, there ſhall none of his meate be left, therefore ſhall no man looke for his goods. The couetous man hath many a one that gapes after his goods, but God often deceiues and diſappoints them all; his goods are often gone before himſelfe. He hath ſwallowed downe riches, he ſhall vomite them vp againe, God ſhall cast them out of his belly, Iob 20. 15. Greedy gourmandizing trenchermen, that ſwallow their meate downe whole, and as neuer knowing when they hauehave enough, do ſtill lay in and lay on, do ſo oppreſſe their ſtomackes, that nature is faine to ſeeke its owne eaſe by vomiting. When men will be rich, and cannot waite Gods p. 33leiſurely diſtribution, and neuer know when they hauehave enough, but with Behemoth thinke to draw vp all Iordan into their iawes; they do ſo oppreſſe themſelues, that God giueth their eſtate a vomit, and cauſeth theſe greedy guts to regurgitate thoſe morſels ſo rauenouſly deuoured. Excellent is that place, Ier. 17. 11. He ſhall leaue his riches in the middest of his dayes. It is an hell to him to leaue his riches in the end of his dayes, but God will bring him early to his hell, He ſhall leaue them in the middeſt of his dayes. But what ſhall become of him then in the end of his dayes? The words following tell vsus, And at his end he ſhall be a foole. God will make him a poore man, and a foole both. He ſhall loſe both his wealth and his wits; for whoſe wits would not cracke to loſe his god? God is iuſt, and therefore maketh them a prey vntounto others who hauehave preyed vponupon others. See Hab. 2. 6. 7. 8. Wo vntounto him that increaſeth that which is not his: how long? and to him that loadeth himſelfe with thicke clay. Shall they not riſe vp ſuddenly that ſhall bite thee? and awake that ſhall vexe thee? and thou ſhalt be their prey. Becauſe thou haſt ſpoyled many nations, all the remnant of the people ſhall ſpoyle thee. God will ſpoyle theſe ſpoylers, and he which hath bene praedo minoris, ſhall himſelfe be praeda maioris, as Auguſtine ſpeaketh.In Pſal. 38.Ps 38

3. God ſmiteth him in his poſterity and children. He cares not to depriue himſelfe of an inheritance in heauen, and all to leaue his children an inheritance on earth. What maketh him lay about him? what maketh him thus take on? He is deſirous to raiſe his houſe, to make his children gentlemen, men of place and regard. But alas he deceiueth himſelfe, and the p. 34iſſue befooleth him. As the father was a rich begger, ſo the children proue poore gentlemen. Couetouſneſſe raiſeth not, but ruines houſes, Hab. 2. 9. 10. Wo vntounto him that couets an euill couetouſneſſe to his houſe. For he that is greedy of gaine raiſeth not, but troubleth his houſe. He coueteth an euill couetouſneſſe to his houſe, that is, by his couetouſneſſe he bringeth euill vponupon his houſe. But what euill? verſe 10. Thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thine owne houſe; not honor, not greatneſſe, but ſhame, euen the ſhame of beggery, and the ſhame of ruine, and a diſhonourable downfall. Couetouſneſſe leaueth the children heires of a curſe as well as of goods, for his goods are an execrable thing, accurſed goods. The leproſie of Naaman claue not onelyonly to Gehezi, but to him and to his ſeed for euer, 2. King. 3. 27. What got Gehezies ſeed and poſterity by their fathers couetouſneſſe? What other hereditaments they got I wot not, ſure I am they got a filthy hereditary leproſie. For Gehezies couetouſneſſe is his ſeed plagued with leproſie. For many a couetous fathers ſinne is his poſterity plagued with beggery. He hath not power to eate of his owne goods, Eccl. 6. 2. I but the more he ſpareth, the more his child heires. So would one thinke indeed, but yet it proues otherwiſe; for not his childe, but a ſtranger eateth thereof. I but what becomes of his children then? Either taken away with fiſh-hookes, Amos 4. 2. a fit plague for the fathers ſinne; or elſe, Iob 20. 10. His children ſhall flatter the poore. See what his gentlemen come to. To that miſerable baſe beggery ſhall they come, that they ſhall be glad to flatter a meane man for an almes, and faune vponupon a poore man for a cruſt. How ordinarily p. 35is prodigality heire to couetouſneſſe? and the prodigall heire ſcattering that in a few dayes that the couetous father was gathering many yeares, how quickly is he brought to the trough? how ſoone brought to flatter and faune for huskes and hogs meate? Oh conſider this you that colour this iniquity with the complexion Noli parcere theſauris caducis, theſauris vanis. Noli ſub imagine pietatis augere pecuniā. Filijs inquis meis ſeruo. Palliare ſe volunt, & dealbare vt quaſi propter filios videantur ſeruare homines quod propter auaritiam ſeruant. Auguſt. de dec. Chord. c. 12. Filijs meis ſeruo. Haec eſt vox pietatis, excuſatio iniquitatis. Id. in Pſal. 38. Habeo filios quibus laborem. Nō eſt hoc filios amare ſed porius necare. Nolo te talem patrem ſentiant filij tui, nolo ſic prouideas. Id. hom. 48.Ps 38of honeſt care for your children, I intreate you as Iob did his wife, Iob 19. 17. euen for the childrens ſake of your owne bodies to take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe. As you feare the leproſie of Gods curſe, and the canker of his vengeance vponupon your children, ſo take heede of leauing them heires of ſuch goods as couetouſneſſe hath ſcraped together. Leaue them heires of ſuch goods as withall they may be heires of Gods bleſſing. Take heed of tranſmitting ouer to them ſuch a cankred inheritance as may diſinherit them of all. Were it not that couetouſneſſe maketh men without naturall affection, I ſhould hope this argument might preuaile.

4. But yet the worſt danger of all is yet behind. If God in his patience do forbeare in theſe, yet in the fourth place without faile will God plague him in his ſoule. It is a ſoule-plaguing ſinne, not onelyonly in regard of the inward tortures and cares wherewithall his ſoule is ſo diſtracted, that the abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleepe, Eccl. 5. 12: Nor yet in regard of the continuall torment his inſatiable deſires put him to, whereby he is like a man ſicke of the dogged appetite, euer in hunger and thirſt without ſatisfaction; and his vexation little eaſier then the rich gluttons in hell; who was euer in a burning deſire after that drop of water which ſhould neuer be granted p. 36him. Not onelyonly in theſe, but in a farre worſe reſpect is it a ſoule-plaguing ſinne, in that it excludeth the ſoule from God and heauen. Hab. 2. 10. Thou haſt ſinned againſt thine owne ſoule. Wherein? In diſinheriting it of heauen. Epheſ. 5. 5. The couetous man hath no inheritance in the kingdome of Chriſt, and of God. He that is thus greedie of inheritance on earth, yet loſeth all Vis eſſe haeres terrae, ſed non habes in coelo haereditatem. Studium ponis vt alijs relinquas haereditatem, teipſum autem priues? Chryſoſt. ad Eph. hom. 18.inheritance in heauen. 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. Know ye not that the vnrighteous ſhall not inherit the kingdome? Be not deceiued; neither theeues, nor couetous ſhall inherit the kingdome of God. Indeed the couetous bleſſeth himſelfe, Pſal. 10. 3. and with no leſſe then the hopes of heauen, but he is deceiued. For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained, when God takes away his ſoule? Iob 27. 8. How ſhould this awaken men to take heed and beware? What though thou gaine the whole world by thy couetous courſes, yet what ſhall it aduantage thee to gaine the whole world, and to loſe thine owne ſoule? He that purchaſeth the whole world with the price and loſſe of his ſoule, will find but a biting & a ſmarting bargaine of it. He muſt needs be a loſer by the bargaine, for he loſeth God, heauen, happineſſe, his ſoule and himſelfe. Among all thy gaines thou art ſure to hauehave hell into the bargaine. What euer thou gaineſt, Satan will be ſure to gaine thy foule.

Now then, ô thou couetous man, be pleaſed a little to looke ouer theſe Items, and ſumme vp thy gaines. Auarus ſemper in rationibus: A couetous man is much in his counting houſe. Among other thine accounts be ſo good as to looke ouer this. Inprimis by thine oppreſſion, fraudulent and falſe dealing, thou haſt gotten ſo many pounds. Item by thine vſury and p. 37extortion ſo many hundreds. Item by thy bribery ſo many thouſands. Well, what is the whole ſumme? The totall ſumme is, the curſe of God vponupon thy body, the curſe of God vponupon thy goods, the curſe of God vponupon thy children, the curſe of Gods eternall vengeance vponupon thy ſoule. Now in good ſooth, and are not theſe goodly gaines? would they not ſet any mans teeth on watering? Yea but it may be theſe are but idle ſcarcrowes, the figments of Preachers idle braines. No, no. God hath ſworne twice in one prophecy, Amos 4. 2. Amos 8. 7. to make them good. God can no more be forſworne then he can ceaſſe to be God. If he do forbeare the infliction of the temporall plagues, yet ſhall it be abundantly recompenced in the heauy weight of eternall torment.

And thus hauehave we ſeene the double danger of this ſinne, which may both ſerue to verifie the Apoſtles ſaying, 1. Tim. 6. 10. That the deſire of money is the roote of all euill, of all euill both of ſinne and puniſhment; as alſo to terrifie our dead hearts, and make them awake to take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe.

The third thing followeth. The remedies and preſeruatiues. What are we the better to know our diſeaſe 3and the danger thereof, vnleſſe we know the remedies withall? The remedies therefore are theſe.

1. That which we find, 1. Ioh. 5. 4. This is the victory that ouercometh the world, euen our faith. Faith ouercometh not onelyonly the feare of the world in threatning, but the louelove of the world in entiſing. The roote of this roote of all euill is commonly diffidence and diſtruſt in Gods all-ſufficient prouidence. This maketh p. 38men ſo greedily and eagerly prouide for themſelues, becauſe diſtruſtfully they imagine that they are left to the wide world, as ſhiftleſſe and fatherleſſe children. So much implieth our Sauiours ſpeech, verſe 28. of this Chapter: How much more will he cloath you ô ye of little faith? Our great cares come from our little faith. Greater faith would leſſen our cares. This remedie Paul teacheth Timothie, 1. Tim. 6. 11. O man of God flie theſe things, namely thoſe fooliſh and noyſome luſts which drowne men in deſtruction and perdition riſing from the louelove of money. But how may we flie them? Follow after righteouſneſſe, godlineſſe, faith. The ſoule in which this grace hath reſidence, ſhall find it an heauenly amulet or plague-cake to defend it from the poyſon of this ſinne. For faith not onelyonly purifies the heart, and ſo purgeth out this droſſe, but it alſo ſatisfieth the heart, by making God its portion whereby the infinite deſire of the ſoule is filled, which nothing can ſatisfie but the fruition of the infinite God. He alone that filleth heauen and earth and all things therein, he alone can fill the boundleſſe deſires of the ſoule. OnelyOnly faith maketh him ours. And the ſoule hauing made God hers by faith, ſhe ceaſſeth to ſeeke ſatisfaction from the temporall, and finite creatures. Faith is a chymicall grace. As couetouſneſſe is an earthly Alchymiſt that turneth gold into God, ſo is faith a diuine Chymicke that turneth God into gold, ſiluer, and whateuer the heart wanteth and deſireth, Iob 22. 23. Eritue omnipotens lectiſſimum aurum tuum, & argentum vireſue tibi. Sic Iun.24. 25. If thou returne to the Almightie, then ſhalt thou lay vp gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the brookes, yea the Almighty ſhall be thy choyce gold p. 39and ſiluer, and ſtrength vntounto thee. Would we hauehave our fill of gold and ſiluer, ſo as we would hauehave our thirſt quenched? Let vsus make God our portion by faith. He that by faith hath made God his gold, ſhall neuer through couetouſnes made gold his god. Temporall things can no more fill the heart, then ſpirituall things a cheſt. The world can no more fill the heart, Mundus circularis eſt, cor quadratum; circulus quadraturam implere non poteſt.then a circle can a ſquare. God alone is he that can ſatisfie the ſoule, on whom the ſoule hauing layed hold, it then holds it ſelfe well apaid, and then, and neuer till then ſings with Dauid, Pſal. 16. 5. 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. The lines are fallen to me in pleaſant places, yea I hauehave a goodly heritage.

2. Sobrietie and temperance, ſober affections in the vſe of theſe earthly things. For though couetouſnes and prodigalitie be two extremes, yet oftentimes couetouſneſſe is but ſubordinate to prodigalitie; and mens prodigall and intemperate courſes, makes them couetouſly ſcrape that together which may be ſeruiceable to their luſts. Many hauehave braue, or baſe minds rather, they muſt flaunt, and cut it out in apparell, furniture, houſhold, attendance. Pride muſt hauehave this thing, & delicacie muſt hauehave that; pleaſure cals for this, and luſt for that. Which inordinacies of theirs being coſtlier then their own eſtates can beare, then couetouſneſſe inſtructs them to lay the burden vponupon others. Theſe intemperate affections crying like horſe-leeches GiueGive, giuegive, they teach couetouſnes to crie Take, take; and ſo by iniuſtice, exaction and oppreſſion do ſeeke maintenance and exhibition for their pride and luxury out of other mens eſtates, and p. 40other mens maintenance which is for their bare neceſſities, muſt be rauened vp to ſerue their inordinate and helliſh voluptuouſneſſe. Hence comes it that the poore Tenant is racked to maintaine the Landlords dogs, hawkes, and coaches; the poore Tenants backe ſtripped, that their dead walls may be richly clothed; the poore Tenant can ſcarce go in good ruſſet on high dayes, becauſe the Landlord, like the rich glutton, muſt fare deliciouſly, and go in purple eueryevery day. Moderation breeds contentation: contentation preſerues from couetouſneſſe. He that is content with his owne, will neuer put forth his hand to wrong another.

3. Set bounds and a ſtint to thine eſtate, and learne to know when thou haſt enough. Couetouſnes is a deſire of more then enough. Therefore do men ſtill deſire more, becauſe they thinke they hauehave not yet enough. He that would be relieued againſt couetouſneſſe, muſt firſt ſeeke to ſtint his deſires; a man ſhall neuer ſtint his deſires, till his eſtate be ſtinted. Mens eſtates are not ſo much increaſed by their deſires, as their deſires are made endleſſe by their eſtates boundleſſe. If Eſau had bene as honeſt in other things as in this, he ſhould neuer hauehave deſerued the brand of a profane perſō. As profane as he was, I could wiſh this leſſon were learned of him. As profane as he was, he was an honeſter man in this, then thouſands that now liue. Wil ye heare how like an honeſt man he ſpeakes? Gen. 33. 9. I hauehave enough my brother, keepe that which thou haſt to thy ſelfe. Behold how farre he is beyond the honeſtie of the Harpyes and cormorants of our times, that neuer knowing when they hauehave enough, p. 41are euer fixing their kites clawes and their gryphons talants vponupon their poore brother Iacobs goods. Foure things are ſpecified, Pro. 30. 15, 16. that neuer ſay, It is enough: to which we may adde a fift, namely a couetous heart that knoweth no ſtint of its owne deſires and endeuours. The way to preuent this immoderatiō, is to ſee when we are well, when we hauehave enough. A point being determinable, why make not men conſcience to determine it? God forbids the King, Deut. 17. 16, 17. to multiply horſes to himſelfe, and greatly to multiply his ſiluer and gold; and yet who hath greater vſes of, and fairer pretences for theſe things then Princes hauehave? If a King may not multiply aboue that which is enough for a King, what prerogatiue hauehave inferiour ſubiects to hauehave eſtates boundleſſe? We can ſay of others, They hauehave enough, if they can ſee. If we can ſee when others hauehave enough, why do we ouerlooke our owne eſtates? This is an euill couetouſneſſe, when men are euer lading themſelues with thicke clay, and hauehave neither the hearts nor the grace to ſet downe an Hucuſque to anſwer Gods Quouſque, Hab. 2. 6. an Hitherto to Gods How long. For this very ſin were the Iewes threatned, Iſa. 2. 6. 7. Therefore thou haſt forſaken thy people, &c. becauſe their land is full of ſiluer and gold, neither is there any end of their treaſures, any end of their chariots. Enough, we ſay, is as good as a feaſt. And what ſhould a man do feaſting or feeding when his belly is full? The purſe muſt know a meaſure as well as the belly. And then it will be as eaſie to fill mens eyes as their bellies. Not that men hauing enough, ſhould giuegive vp their honeſt callings, and receiue in no more; but hauing enough, p. 42ſhould lay vp no more, but make the ouerfloate of their cup ſeruiceable to the maintenance of Gods worſhip, and the reliefe of his poore Saints. Take this courſe, and be couetous if thou canſt. Let your conuerſation be without couetouſneſſe, Heb. 13. 5. What helpe may we hauehave hereunto? And be content with things preſent. Contentation preſerueth from couetouſnes. Then, and neuer till then, will a mans heart be contented when he hath enough, and knoweth he hath enough, and is reſolued not to go further then enough.

4. Free thy ſelfe from a falſe opinion of riches. The conceit which men hauehave of riches, is falſe. They think riches lieth in Hauing much. They are deceiued. Anim' hominis diues, non arca appellari ſolet, quamuis illa ſit plena, dum te inanem video, diuitem non putabo. Cicer. Parad. 6.God is called Rich in Scripture, not for money, but for merciemercy; not for hauing goods, but for doing good, Rom 10. 12. He that is Lord ouer all, is rich vntounto all that call vponupon him. Wherein is God rich? Not in being Lord ouer all, but in doing good vntounto all that call vponupon him. So that I would not forbid men to be couetous of riches, ſo they would be couetous of true and durable riches. Couet true riches, and ſpare not. Couet to be Rich in God, Rich in faith, Rich in good works. The more couetous of theſe riches, the happier is thy ſoule. This was the fooles error next my text, that conceiued Riches to be all in Hauing, and not in Doing good. Therefore it is added in the cloſure of that parable, So is eueryevery one that gathereth riches to himſelfe, and is not rich in God. So, that is, as very a foole as was he.

5. Climbe vp mount Nebo, and from thence take a view of Canaan, and little liſt and louelove ſhalt thou p. 43hauehave to the wilderneſſe of the world. Get a piercing eye in meditation to ſee the inuiſible God, the glorie and beautie of heauen; and therewithall ſhall we find our affections ſo inflamed, that they ſhall eaſily ſlake and coole in regard of earthly things. Oh ſhame that we that profeſſe the hope of an inheritance with the Saints in light, ſhould lauiſh out ſo much of our precious time, of our precious life, and the ſtrength of our affections in the ſo eager purſuite of the traſh of the earth. View well that heauenly Ieruſalem on high, that Citie which is of pure gold, Apoc. 21. 18. whoſe ſtreete is alſo pure gold, verſe 21. and in compariſon of that Citie, thou ſhalt ſay of all earthly felicities as Hiram ſaid of the cities which Salomon gaue him, 1. King. 9. 13. They pleaſed him not: and he ſaid, What cities are theſe which thou hast giuen me, my brother? And he called them, viz. in indignation, the land of Cabul vntounto this day, that is, a dirtie, a mirie land. Heauen is our land of Canaan; fixe we our eye and heart thereon, and the earth will not pleaſe vsus, it will be a very land of Cabul, a dirtie, droſſie land in our eie. Oh fond thing for vsus that hope for the milke and honey of Canaan, to long and luſt after the ſtinking garlicke and onions of Aegypt. Oh fond thing for vsus that hope for a crowne and kingdome, thus to abaſe our ſelues to lie raking in the kennels of the earth. Thus if men would but ſeriouſly meditate, and work vp their thoughts and hearts to the louelove of the treaſures of heauen, it would ſoone breed in them an holy neglect, if not a contempt of this preſent world. This remedy our Sauiour teacheth, Matth. 6. 19, 20, 21. Lay not vp treaſures for your ſelues on earth, &c. p. 44as if he had ſaid, Take heed and beware of couetouſnes; and then followes, But lay vp treaſures for your ſelues Nemo enim poteſt niſi cogitare de theſauro ſuo, & quodam cordis itinere diuitias ſuas ſequi. Et ſicut eccleſiam praeceſſit caput eius, ſic Chriſtianum praecedat cor eius. Eamus ergo hinc ex qua parte poſſumus, ſequetur totum noſtrum quo praeceſſerit aliquid noſtrū. Aug. ſerm. de diuerſ. 44.in heauen; and then, Where our treaſure is, there will our heart be. Our Head is in heauen, what do our hearts on earth then? Let Head and heart be together. The ſame remedy Paul teacheth Timothy among many others, 1. Tim. 6. 11, 12. O man of God flie theſe things, namely the couetous deſires of the world. But how ſhall that be done? Lay hold of eternall life. The faſter hold we take of the world to come, the looſer hold ſhall we hauehave of this world, and the leſſe hold ſhall this world hauehave of vsus. For this makes men hold ſo faſt on, and in this life, becauſe they hauehave ſo ſlacke an hold of the life to come. This made Abraham dwell in tents in the land of promiſe, not raiſing cities or making great buildings, becauſe he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whoſe builder and maker was God, Heb. 11. 9. 10. And thus Dauid ſeemeth to weane his heart from the louelove of the earth, Pſal. 17. 14. 15: hauing before ſpoken of the men of this world who hauehave their portion in this life, he ſubioynes, I will behold thy face in righteouſneſſe, and when I awake I ſhall be ſatisfied with thine image. As if he had ſaid, I neither enuie nor deſire their happineſſe, my teeth water not after their delicates, I long alone after that ſweet ſatietie which I ſhall hauehave in the ſocietie of the glorious Trinitie at the day of my bleſſed reſurrection. And ſo much for the remedies; and ſo much for the obiect of the caution.

3. Third point remaines. The Perſons warned to beware. And he ſaid vntounto them. VntoUnto them? VntoUnto whom? See the firſt verſe of the Chapter, There was p. 45an innumerable multitude of people, in ſo much that they trode one vponupon another. And he ſaid vntounto them, euen to this whole and huge multitude, to them all, one and another, Take ye heed and beware.

Couetouſneſſe is an Epidemicall diſeaſe, an vniuerſall plague from which no ſort is free. He ſaid to them, euen to them all. Ier. 6. 13. For from the leaſt of them, euen to the greateſt of them eueryevery one is giuen to couetouſneſſe. There is no ſort or condition of perſons free from this peſtilence. Some ſinnes are particular to ſome callings, as to the Miniſtery, to the Magiſtracy alone; ſome peculiar to ſome conditions, as to the rich or to the poore alone: but this poyſon infecteth all ages, callings, conditions, ſexes, perſons. Therefore now Chriſt ſpeakes not as verſe 1. to his diſciples, but preaching againſt couetouſneſſe he ſpeaketh to them all, He ſaid vntounto them, Take heed and beware. I conceiue our Sauiours auditory to be much of the nature of this preſent aſſembly; and I conceiue this preſent aſſembly to be a mixt company of all ſorts and conditions: and therefore as Christ ſaid to them, ſo I ſay to you, euen to all, and eueryevery of you, Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe. But becauſe hearers commonly are like ouer baſhfull gueſts, that either faſt, or feed not ſo liberally as they ſhould for want of a caruer, giuegive me leaue therefore to take this office vponupon me, and to lay vponupon eueryevery mans trencher what may beſt ſuite, though not with his tooth, yet with his neceſſitie.

1. And firſt, according to the rule of well ordered charity, to begin at home; and as our Sauiour began his ſermon in this Chapter, He began to ſay to his diſciples p. 46firſt of all; and as the Prophet in taxing this ſinne, Ier. 6. 13. to begin with the Prieſt and the Prophet; let me aduiſe you of the tribe of Leui, who are to teach others the contempt of the world, to take heed of the louelove of the world your ſelues. Aboue al men take you heed, and beware you of couetouſneſſe. It is an irregularitie, and an offence againſt Saint Pauls and Saint Peters Canons, 1. Tim. 3. 3. Not giuen to filthy lucre, not couetous, and 1. Pet. 5. 2 Not caring for the flocke for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. Ye are the light and the eyes of the world: If our light proue darkneſſe, how great will that darkneſſe be. This ſinne will put out our eye, and eclipſe our light. Zach. 11. 17. The fooliſh ſheepheards right eye is threatened to be darkened. This is one ſinne that will bring that plague vponupon vsus. This is a beſotting, blinding, and infatuating ſinne. Iſay 56. 11. Theſe greedy dogs can neuer hauehave enough, and theſe ſheepheards cannot vnderſtand, for they all looke to their owne way, eueryevery one for his aduantage, and for his owne purpoſe. In the verſe before he had complained that they were dumbe dogs, that they could not barke. What made them dumbe dogs? They were greedy dogs that could neuer hauehave enough. Dogs that are euer feeding and gnawing their bones, hauehave neither liſt nor leiſure to be barking, and keeping the houſe. What was the reaſon theſe ſheepheards could not vnderſtand? They all looked after their owne way, and for their owne aduantage. Ye cannot ſerue God and Mammon. They are two contrary Cures ſo infinitely diſtant each from other, as no court of Faculties can giuegive a diſpenſation to ſerue both. We cannot be Gods Miniſters, and p. 47Mammons chaplaines. I will vſe no other argument to vrge this caution vponupon you, then of Paul to Timothie, 1. Tim. 6. 11. O thou man of God flie theſe things. Which very phraſe ſeemeth to hauehave a ſtrong argument couched vnderunder it, in that he calleth him the man of God. Why ſaith he not as at other times, ô Timotheus, but ô thou man of God, but that his calling might be a monitour to him to make him wary and heedfull? We find mention, Pſal. 17. 14. of the men of this world, and Luk. 12. 30. of the people of this world. Now this phraſe, Thou man of God, me thinkes it ſtandeth in oppoſition vntounto thoſe. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Thou art not a man of the world, but a man of God, and ſeekeſt thou great things for thy ſelfe? Seeke them not, Ier. 45. 5. O man of God flie theſe things, for after all theſe things ſeeke the people of the world. Luke 12. 30. It becometh not the men of God to be men of the world. Indeed, I confeſſe, the men of the world hauehave put an Egyptian tricke vponupon the men of God; hauehave taken away, I would but the ſtraw alone, and yet ſtill call for the full tale of bricke both in preaching and hoſpitalitie: and hauing by their ſacriledge made the Miniſterie bare and penurious, and forced many to ſuch ſhifts for their liuelihood as carry an appearance of this ſinne, then they crie vsus downe to be inhoſpitall, illiberall, and couetous. But yet for all this I could wiſh that the men of God, by ioyning not houſe to houſe, but pariſh to pariſh, did not giuegive the men of the world too iuſt cauſe to clamour againſt them for their couetouſneſſe. Pluralities, multitudes of Cures, multiplicity of Benefices, Abſence from our flockes for our owne ends and aduantages, Citie Lectures with the p. 48neglect of countrey charges, all theſe hauehave a ſhrewd ſuſpitious appearance of this euill, and maketh the men of the world ſpeake broadly, and ſay that none are more couetous then clergie men. Wherefore ô ye men of God flie theſe things, Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe.

2. Ye honourable and reuerend Magiſtrates and Iudges, who are not onelyonly men of God, but vponupon whom God hath put his owne name, I hauehave ſaid ye are Gods. Pſal. 82. take ye heed alſo and beware of couetouſneſſe. So Iethro would hauehave Moſes his Iudges to be qualified, Exod. 18. 21. Men fearing God, dealing truly, hating couetouſneſſe. Theſe are well ioyned together, for it is not poſſible they ſhould deale truly in the place of iuſtice, that do not hate couetouſneſſe. I neither do nor can accuſe any of our reuerend Iudges as guilty of this ſinne, or any ſuch as commonly attend it when it ſetteth foote into the iudgment ſeate, ſuch as are iniuſtice, bribery, corruption, rayſing fauourites vponupon the ruines of honeſt cauſes and men, &c. But onelyonly as one this day in Gods roome, I am bold to beſeech and aduiſe your wiſedomes to take heed and beware thereof. And that ſo much the rather, becauſe this ſinne will make you ſuch as I dare not name. But the Prophet Iſay dares, and doth, Iſay 1. 23. Thy Princes are companions of theeues. Why ſo? Not for taking of purſes on the high way, but for taking bribes in their chambers: For eueryevery one loueth gifts, and followeth after rewards; they iudge not the fatherleſſe, neither doth the widowes cauſe come before them. That is true of the iudgement ſeate, which Auguſtine ſpeaketh of kingdomes, that magna regna ſine p. 49De Ciuit. Dei. l. 4. cap. 4.iuſtitia, are but magna latrocinia. This ſinne will turne Guild-hall into a Shooters hill, and Weſtminſter-hall into a Sariſ-bury plaine. Her rulers louelove to ſay with ſhame, GiueGive ye, Hoſ. 4. 18. And what difference betweene giuegive ye, and deliuer ye? Indeed giuegive ye is not ſo dangerous by the law as deliuer ye; and giuegive ye goeth oft in chaines of gold, while deliuer ye lyeth in fetters of iron: but in the Court of conſcience, & before Gods tribunall, there is no difference betweene theeuery and bribery. For the ſame commandement that forbiddeth theeuery forbiddeth bribery, yea and forbiddeth it vnderunder the name of theeuery. That word Hoſ. 4. 18. tranſlated rulers, Iunius and the margent of our new Tranſlation reade ſhields. Such indeed ſhould men be that are in place of iuſtice; they ſhould be ſhields to ſhelter and defend their poore brethren in their right and innocency. But if once theſe ſhields ſhall louelove and deſire to be gilt, theſe ſhields will be turned into ſpoyling ſwords. God ſhield you therefore ye reuerend Iudges from couetouſneſſe. Walke in iuſtice, ſpeake righteous things, refuſe the gaine of oppreſſion, Iſay 33.Isa 33ſhake your hands from taking of gifts, ſhake them as Paul ſhooke off the viper, thinke them no leſſe dangerous, let them do no more hurt then the viper did him, ſtop your eares, and ſhut your eyes from ſeeing euill. There be three ſinnes in Scripture which are called peccata ingentia, huge or mighty ſins. You ſhall find them all three together, Amos 5. 12. and the middlemoſt of them is, They take a bribe; And well is it placed betweene the other two, as that which indeed giueth life to both the other. For why do they afflict or oppreſſe the iuſt? They take a bribe. And p. 50what miſchiefe followeth vponupon it? They turne aſide the poore …n the gate from their right. Take heede of this ſinne as of a mighty ſinne, yea as of a burning ſinne that will conſume all, for fire ſhall conſume the tabernacles of bribery, Iob 15. 34. Let therefore neither gaine nor rewards be the remora to the ſhip of iuſtice, let it ſaile ſpeedily; Currat lex, let iuſtice hauehave a quick courſe. Iethro was not pleaſed to ſee cauſes hang from morning to euening, it would hauehave grudged him farre more to hauehave ſeene them hang from yeare to yeare: worſt of all it would hauehave angred him to hauehave ſeene cauſes vſed as vnconſcionable Chyrurgions vſe ſore legs, hold them long in hand not for the difficulty of, but for the gaine of the cure. Oh that your wiſdomes would thinke of ſome courſe no leſſe for ſpeede then integrity in iuſtice, that a good cauſe might not be tired and wearied out with long ſuite, and that a mans right recouered by law might not be as coſtly as what is bought by purchaſe.

3. It will not be an vnſeaſonable caueat to all inferiour Lawyers, to aduiſe them alſo to beware and take heede of couetouſneſſe. I may ſpeake to you as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh to the Corinthians with a little change of his words. 1. Cor. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Now there is vtterly a fault amongſt you, euen amongſt you Lawyers, not becauſe ye go to law one with another, but becauſe many of you out of a couetous deſire of gaine, do encourage men that hauehave bad cauſes to go to law with others. Why rather ſuffer ye not wrong? why rather ſuſtaine ye not the loſſe of a little diſhoneſt gaine? Nay ye your ſelues do wrong, and do harme, and that to your brethren, whileſt out of a ſquint reſpect to your owne p. 51gaine, you ſticke not to pleade ſuch cauſes as you know to be weake and vniuſt. Know ye not that the vnrighteous ſhal not inherite the kingdom of God? Be not deceiued. Neither couetous nor extortioners ſhal inherite the kingdom of God. The Apoſtle addes, And ſuch were ſome of you. I would I might not ſpeake in the preſent tenſe, and ſay, And ſuch are ſome of you. I ſpeake not this as if I came hither to maintaine a fooliſh faction between Colledges and Innes of Court; God forbid that we ſhould ſtand vponupon this holy ground with ſuch filthy ſhooes; but I ſpeake it out of a deſire of the peace of your owne hearts: to the which I dare referre my ſelfe, and make them the iudges, whether ye be guiltie of this ſinne, yea or no.

For while with Abſalom ye ſay to eueryevery man, his cauſe is good, 2. Sam. 15. 3. See, thy matters (ſaith he) are good and righteous; and this, ſaith the text, he did to eueryevery man, and ſo ſtole away the hearts of the people: whileſt, I ſay, with Abſalom ye tell eueryevery man, his cauſe is good; and ſo ſteale away, not the hearts, for them ye loſe at laſt, but the goods of the people, are ye not couetous?

Whileſt with Tertullus for your ſees, you care not to pleade againſt Paul, againſt an honeſt mans cauſe, Clientes ſibi omnes volunt eſſe multos. Bonine an mali ſint, id haud quaeritant. Res magis queritur quàm clientium Fides, cuiuſmodi clueat. Plaut. in Menaec.are ye not couetous?

Whileſt with the men of Abiezer, Iudg. 6. ye will pleade for Baal, will for your gaines pleade in publicke Courts of Iuſtice for baſe debauched adulterous drunkards preſented and indicted for their notorious irregularities, and pleade for their honeſtie too; I will not ſay, Are ye your ſelues honeſt? but I dare ſay, Are ye not groſly couetous? Oh take heed p. 50duplicate page p. 51duplicate page p. 50duplicate page p. 51duplicate page p. 52of this couetouſneſſe; and aboue all fees and incomes in the world, tender your peace with God. In whoſe name and feare, I beſeech you to make a conſcience of pleading eueryevery cauſe. When an ill cauſe cometh to you for counſell, ſay that of it plainly, which the buyer of his commoditie ſpeaketh diſſemblingly, Prou. 20. 14. It is naught, it is naught. It is not ſo great a ſinne for a chapman to ſay of a good commoditie, It is naught, it is naught, as for a Lawyer to ſay of a naughtie cauſe, It is good, it is good. Make a conſcience of pleading againſt a good cauſe. Let not couetouſneſſe make your wits, skill, learning and tongues, inſtrumentall to iniuſtice. Neither be Tertulliſts to pleade againſt Paul, nor Abiezrites to pleade for Baal. Will ye pleade for Baal? Let Baal and Belial pleade for themſelues. How thinke ye to hauehave the Lord Ieſus for your Aduocate, that dare be pleading aduocates for Baal and Belial? Therefore all Lawyers, Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe.

4. I commend this caueat to all Church-patrons: Take ye heed alſo and beware of couetouſneſſe. What is the reaſon that our Church groanes vnderunder the heauie burden of ſo many inſufficient miniſters? Nothing more then the couetouſnes of Church-patrons, who while they looke more at the gifts and gratuities in the hand, then gifts and graces of the heart, ſticke not to bring into Gods Sanctuary thoſe for Leuites to diuide the word, who in good truth, giuegive them their due, are not worthy the place of Gibeonites to cleaue and diuide wood, and draw water, vnfit for the meaneſt ſeruice of the Sanctuary. Me thinks Iudas his halter ſhould make you afraid of Iudas p. 53his queſtion, Quid dabitis? What will ye giuegive? God gaue him an halter. Take heed leſt while you ask the ſame queſtion, God do not giuegive you the ſame anſwer. For certainly this ſinne makes you as very theeues as euer was Iudas: and what can a theefe looke for, but the halter? You are eueryevery whit as bad as Iudas. He ſold the Head, you ſell the members; he the ſhepheard, you the ſheepe; and the ſame ſinne that ſet him, ſets you on worke too, the ſinne of couetouſneſſe. As bad as Iudas? Nay in ſome reſpect ye are worſe then he. Not that I am of that heretical opinion of the old Cainites, of whom Auguſtiné maketh Lib. de Haereſ. ad Quodvultd.mention, who held that Iudas betrayed Chriſt out of a good and an honeſt mind, as foreſeeing that infinite good which his paſſion & death ſhould bring to mankind. No, I know he was a murtherer and a theefe; and yet I ſay, that you are worſe then he. He ſold but the body, but you ſell ſoules, and ſo make your ſelues guilty of the ſin of that execrable filth of Babylon, whoſe merchandize (Apoc. 18. 13.) is not onelyonly pearles, linnen, ſcarlet, &c. but alſo the ſoules of men. Iudas by his barter made but the potters field, you by yours make Chriſts field, Chriſts Church, an Aceldema, a field of bloud, while for your wicked pecuniary reſpects, in ſtead of barking dogs to keepe, you put in rauening wolues and ſleepie greedy dogs to kill Chriſts ſheepe. Now as you feare to hauehave your hands beſmeared with the gore of ſoules, and as you dread that heauie account which muſt be giuen for ſoule-bloud, ſo all Church-patrons take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe.

5. Me thinkes, in the next place, whileſt this ſinne p. 54is thus complained of, I ſhould heare Landlords, and men that liue on Offices, ſaying to me as the Publicans to Iohn, Luk, 3. 12. What ſhall we do? If couetouſnes be thus foule a ſinne, how then, and what then ſhall we do? To whom I giuegive the ſame anſwer that Iohn did to the Publicans and the ſouldiers both, Exact no more then is appointed to you, and Do no man violence, be content with your wages. Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe, Take heed of exaction, Take heed of oppreſſion, Take heed of racking your rents, Take heed of tentring your poore Tenants. Grinde not the faces of the poore; vncloathe not their loines to cloathe your dead walls. Many Landlords are like Darius, Dan. 6. 16. he prayes God to helpe Daniel, but in the meane time ſends him to the Lions den: ſo many oppreſſing Landlords, they crie, God helpe, but in the mean time play the Lions. God hath ſworn by his Holineſſe, that he will takeaway ſuch oppreſſors with thornes, and their poſteritie with fiſh-hookes, Am. 4. 2. God will ſerue them as Gideon ſerued the men of Succoth, Iudg. 8. 16. whom he did teare with the briers and thornes of the wilderneſſe. It is but iuſtice that their fleſh ſhould be torne off with briers, who were thornes and briers to teare off the fleſh of others. Tantum ergo natum eſt vt loca non ſufficerent quae ſolebant, & quaerebat conſilium miſer, non quomodo erogaret quod plus natum erat, ſed quomodo reſeruaret. Aug. ſerm. de diuit. 28.Ye find a rich man immediatly after my text, whom the Lord calleth Foole: Foole this night ſhall thy ſoule be taken from thee. Wherein lay this mans folly? In that he tooke care not to lay vp for good vſes, but to lay vp for voluptuous vſes that ſurpluſage of eſtate which God had giuen him. Now marke what Auguſtine inferreth hereupon: If he be a foole which layes but vp his owne goods, Vos inuenite ei p. 55nomen qui tollit aliena, find you out a fit name for him that takes away another mans. What name then may we find out? Salomon fits them with a name, Eccleſ. 3. 18. Viderem hos eſſe illis beſtias; ſo Iunius; not fooles, but beaſts. And what beaſts may they be? Kine of Baſhan, Amos 4. 1. that is with the eaſieſt. Therefore Zephanie and Nahum make them wolues, euening wolues, Lions, Lions whelpes, roaring and ramping Lions, Zeph. 3. 3. Nah. 2. 11. 12. Beaſts they are, beaſts of prey, that liue ex rapto. Not onelyonly kine of Baſhan, that by oppreſſion trample vnderunder foote, but deuouring wolues, not onelyonly trampling but tearing beaſts. How fairely were this Iland bleſt, if it were as cleare rid of theſe as it is of other wolues? How happie were it if theſe Cannibals were amongſt the ſauage Indians? How well, if theſe man-eating beaſts might be vſed as was Nebuchadnezzar, turned to graſſe? Dan. 4. 30. He was Volunt nunc comparcere micas in alendo miſero Lazaro, cum prius effuderint in epulonem omnes opes ſuas. Dederunt enim epiſcopis arces & ciuitates, ac nimis ſplendide, ac laute habuerunt eos. Nunc cum iſti alendi ſunt qui vere & fideliter docent, vix micas alioqui perituras eis concedunt. Luther. in Gen. 21.Gen 21driuen from men, and did eate graſſe as the oxen.

6. I may not here let paſſe ſuch as are guiltie of ſacriledge, impropriators of Church liuings, together with cloſe and cunning defrauders of the Miniſterie, Take ye heed and beware of couetouſneſſe. There is nothing ſo ſacred and inuiolable which this Harpy dareth not ſeize vponupon. The patrimony of the Church is exhauſted, and they that hauehave enough otherwiſe will not let go their Church liuings. They whoſe forefathers fed and fatted the rich gluttons of Rome, think now the crums that fall vnderunder their tables too much for the poore Lazarus of the Goſpell. They muſt needs hauehave this one feather in their peacockes taile. How ſhould they maintaine that port and pompe in table, apparel, idle and prodigall expences, if this borrowed, p. 56what if I had ſaid this ſtolne feather, were repayd the Church againe? Couetouſneſſe pluckt this feather, and couetouſneſſe holdeth this feather, and telleth couetous Impropriators, that it is fitter that Gods Miniſters ſhould want maintenance, then that their horſe heeles ſhould want litter. To all ſuch perſons may that be ſpoken innocently which the vnprofitable ſeruant to his maiſter ſpake wickedly: Maiſter, I knew that thou wert an hard man, and reapedſt where thou ſowedſt not. Is not this the caſe of Impropriators? Are they not hard men that reape where they ſow not? If we ſow ſpirituall things, what right, what reaſon hath Couetouſneſſe to thruſt her ſickle into our harueſt, and to reape our temporall things? The world is wondrous buſie about the diſquiſition of the tenure of Tithes by what right they are due, and many are cunninger in this, then in the maine fundamentall articles of their religion; but neuertheleſſe in the meane time there is a more neceſſarie Quaere forgotten, to wit, by what right Impropriators detaine Church maintenance. Let that caſe be canuaſed in the Court of conſcience, and if God ſhall there determine on their ſides, we hauehave done; much good do it them. I know I do but beate the ayre, but yet Iſrael muſt know his tranſgreſſions, and Iaacob his iniquities, and couetous ones heare of their impropriations.

There is alſo another ſort of ſacriledge in the cloſe purloyning and filching miniſteriall dues, which couetouſneſſe hath taught falſe fingers to vſe. The Phariſes are taxed in the Goſpell for couetouſneſſe, and yet it were happy the world had but the Phariſes honeſtie. p. 57Except your righteouſneſſe exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdome of God. Alas, how many thinke to go to heauen, that yet come farre ſhort of a Phariſees righteouſneſſe? Luk. 18. 12. I, ſaith the Phariſee, pay tithe of all that euer I poſſeſſe. In which ſpeech I ſhould hauehave feared he had lied, had not our Sauiour elſewhere acknowledged ſo much of their preciſeneſſe in tithing euen vntounto mint and cummin. The couetouſneſſe of the Phariſees was an honeſt couetouſnes vntounto the Church-robbing and Church-pilling couetouſneſſe of our dayes.

7. It were endleſſe to follow couetouſneſſe into eueryevery ſhop and profeſſion: therefore laſt of all, All, of all ſorts, one and another, high and low, rich and poore, old and yong, take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe. Take heed of it in your mutuall dealings in buying and ſelling: abuſe no mans ſimplicitie, abuſe no mans credulitie, take not the aduantage of any mans neceſſitie, but remember the ſpeech of an heathen, Gen. 23. 15. The land is worth foure hundred ſhekels of ſiluer. Take no more for a commoditie then it is worth. VVe vſe to ſay in another caſe, Caueat emptor, let the buyer beware; but here I ſay, caueat venditor, let the ſeller beware and take heed of couetouſneſſe. Take heed of falſe ballances, of a weight and a weight, Prou. 20. 10: of a weight for the hall, and a weight for the ſtall; of a weight to ſell with, and a weight to ſeale with; of a weight to ſell with, and a weight to buy with. Let no man go beyond his brother, 1. Theſſ. 4. 6. with ſwearing, proteſting, and with termes of kindnes, for God is the auenger of all theſe things. EueryEvery p. 58trade is called a myſtery. It were to be wiſhed that in eueryevery myſtery, there were not a myſtery of iniquitie found out and practiſed by the iniquitie of couetouſneſſe. It were a ſhame to ſend Chriſtians to ſchoole to learne honeſt dealing of Turks, and yet they boaſt that we are a fourme beneath them for honeſt and ſquare dealing. I will rather ſend you to that rule of nature and equitie, the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets, Math. 7. 12. Whatſoeuer ye would that men ſhould do to you, euen ſo do ye to them. Buy a… ye would ſell, ſell as ye would buy, and in all you dealings take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe. A… you louelove God, and would be loath to breake his holy commandements; and as you feare God, and would be loath to ſuffer his heauy iudgements, the curſe of God vponupon your bodies, the curſe of God vponupon your goods, the curſe of God vponupon the fruite of your loynes, the curſe of his euerlaſting vengeance vponupon your ſoules, ſo Take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe.

FINIS.

End of the text · Jeremiah Dyke, A Counterpoison Against Covetousness (1619)