Twenty-Six Sermons, Sermon 10
THE SECOND SERMON Preached at VVHITE-HALL
Upon ECCLES. 5.12, & 13.
There is an evil ſickneſs that I have ſeen under the Sun: Riches reſerved to the owners thereof, for their evill. And theſe riches periſh by evil travail: and he begetteth a ſon, and in his hand is nothing.
THat then which was intended in the former verſe, That Riches were hurtful even to the owners, St. Auguſtin hath well and fully expreſſed,Aug. in Pſal. 131. Eris proeda hominum, qui jam es diaboli; The devil hath preyed upon thee already, by knowing what thou wouldſt have, and great Men will prey upon thee hereafter, by knowing what thou haſt. But becauſe the rich man thinks himſelf hard enough for both, for the devil, and for great men, if he may keep his riches; therefore here is that, which ſeems to him a greater calamity inflicted; firſt, his riches ſhall periſh;Diviſio. and ſecondly thoſe riches, thoſe which he hath laboured and travailed for; And thirdly, they ſhall periſh in travail, and labor, and affliction. And then not onelyonly all his preſent comfort ſhall periſh, but that which was his future hope: The ſon, which he hath begot, ſhall have nothing in his hand.
2 Part. Periſh. Prov. 28.8.He that increaſeth his riches by uſury and intereſt, gathereth them for him that will be merciful to the poor, ſays Solomon. Is there a diſcomfort in this? There is. It is preſented there for an affliction, and vexation to a rich Man, to be told, that his money ſhall be imployed in any other way, not onelyonly then he gathered it for, but then he gathered it by. It would grieve him to know, that his heir would purchaſe land, or buy an office with his money; for all other means of profit then himſelf hath tried, he eſteems unthriftineſs, caſuall, and hazardous; difference of ſeaſons may change the value of his land, affections of Men may change the value of an office; but whether the year be good or bad, a year it muſt be, and nothing can lengthen, or ſhorten his two harveſts in the year, from ſix moneths to ſix. Always, but his own, diſpleaſe him in his heir; but if his heir will be giving to the poor (as Solomon ſays) then here are two miſchiefs met together, that he could never abide the poor, and giving; and therefore ſuch a contemplation is a double vexation to him; but much more muſt it be ſo, to hear that his riches ſhall periſh; that they ſhall come to nothing, for though, if we conſider it aright, it is truly all one, whether a covetous mans wealth do periſh, or no, for ſo much, as he hoards up, and hides, and puts to no uſe; it is all one whether that thouſand pound be in his cheſt or no, if he never ſee it, yet ſince he hath made his gold his God, he hath ſo much deviliſh Religion in him as to be loath that his God ſhould periſh. And this, that is threatned here is an abſolute periſhing, an abſolute annihilation; It is the ſame word, by which David expreſſes the abolition, and periſhing of the wicked. The way of the wicked ſhall periſh;Pſal. 1.6. and which Moſes repeats with vehemency twice together pereunao peribitis; I pronounce unto you this day you ſhall ſurly periſh. So Judas, Deut. 30.18and his mony periſhed. The mony that Judas had taken; he was weary of keeping it, and they who had given it, would none of it neither. Se primum mulctavit pecunia, deinde vita. Aug.Firſt he fin'd himſelfe, and then he hang'd himſelfe; firſt he caſt back the mony, and then he caſt himſelfe head-long and burſt: often times the mony periſhes, and the man too: yea it is not here only that they ſhall periſh, in the future; that were a repreive; it were a ſtalling of a debt; but (as both our Tranſlations have it) they do periſh, they are always melting; yea as the Original hath it, vadit et periit, They are already periſhed, they were born dead; ill gotten riches, bring with them from the beginning a Contagion that works upon themſelves, and their Maſters.
The riches ſhall periſh, though they be his, though his title to them be good, if he put his truſt in them; And thoſe riches, thoſe which he hath got by his travail, Thoſe which he hath reſerved by his parſimony, and frugallity. There is ſomtimes a greater reverence in us, towards our ancient inheritance towards thoſe goods, which are devolved upon us, by ſucceſſion; There is another affection expreſſed towards thoſe things, which dying friends have left us, for they preſerve their memories; another towards Jewells, or other Teſtimonies of an acceptation of our ſervices from the Prince: but ſtill we love thoſe things moſt, which we have got with our own labour, and induſtrey. When a man comes to ſay with Jacob, Gen. 32.10.with my ſtaffe came I over Iordan, & now have I gotten two bands, with this ſtaffe came I to London, with this ſtaffe came I to Court, and now am thus and thus increaſed, a man loves thoſe addiſions, which his owne Induſtry hath made to his fortune. There are ſome ungratefull Natures that love other men the worſe, for having bound them by benefits, and good turns to them: but that were a new ingratitude, not to be thankful to our ſelves, not to love thoſe things, which we our ſelves have compaſſed. We have our reaſon to do ſo, in our great example, Chriſt Jeſus, who loves us moſt, as we are his purchaſe, as he hath bought us with his bloud; And therefore, though he hath expreſſed a love too, to the Angels, in their confirmation, yet he cannot be ſaid to love the Angels, as he doth us, becauſe his death hath wrought nothing upon them, which were fallen before; and for us, ſo he came principally to ſave ſinners: the whole body and band of Angels, are not his purchaſe, as all mankind is. This affection is in worldly men too; they love their own gettings; and thoſe ſhall periſh. They have given their pleaſant things for meat, Chron. 1.11.to refreſh their ſouls: whatſoever they placed their heart upon, whatſoever they delighted in moſt, whatſoever they were loath to part withal, it ſhall periſh; and the meaſure of their love to it and the deſire of it ſhall be the meaſure of Gods judgement upon it; that which they love moſt, ſhall periſh firſt.
In occupatione.Thoſe riches then, thoſe beſt beloved riches ſhall periſh, and that, ſaith the text, by evil travail,; which is a word, that in the original ſignifies both Occupationem, Negotiationem, labour and Travail, and afflictionem, vexationem; affliction, and vexation: They ſhall periſh in occupatione, then when thou art labouring, and travailing in thy calling, then when thou art harkening after a purchaſe, and a bargain, then when thy neighbors can impute no negligence, thou waſt not negligent in gathering, nay no vice to thee, thou waſt not diſſolute in ſcattering, then when thou riſeſt early, lyeſt down late, and eateſt the bread of ſorrow, then ſhalt thou find, not onelyonly that that proſpers not, which thou goeſt about, and pretendeſt to, but that that which thou haddeſt before, decaies, and molders away. If we conſider well in what abundance God ſatisfied the children of Iſrael with Quails, and how that ended, we ſhall ſee example enough of this: You ſhall eat, ſaith God,Num. 11.19. not one nor two daies, nor five, nor ten, nor twenty, but a whole monethmonth, until it come out at your noſtrils, and be loathſome unto you; here was the promiſe, and it was performed for the plenty,ver. 31. that quailes fell a daies journey round about the Camp, and they were two cubits thick upon the earth; The people fell to their labour, and they aroſe, and gathered all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, ſaith the Text;32. and he that gathered leaſt, gathered ten Gomers full; But as the promiſe was performed in the plenty, ſo it was in the courſe too; whileſt the fleſh was yet between theïr teeth before it was chewed, even the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the people, and he ſmote them with an exceeding great plague. ver. 33.Even whileſt your money is under your fingers, whileſt it is in your purpoſes determined, and digeſted for ſuch, and ſuch a purpoſe, whileſt you have put it in a ſhip in Merchandice, to win more to it; whileſt you have ſow'd it in the land of borrowers, to multiply, and grow upon Mortgages, and uſury, even when you are in the mid'ſt of your travail, ſtormes at Sea, theeves at land, enviers at court, informations at Weſtminſter, whileſt the meat is in your mouthes, ſhall caſt the wrath of God upon your riches, and they ſhall periſh, In occupatione, then, when you travail to increaſe them. The Children of Iſrael are ſaid in that place, onelyonly to have wept to Moſes, out of a luſt, and a grief, for want of fleſh. God puniſhed not that weeping; it is a tenderneſs, a diſpoſition, that God loves; but a weeping for worldly things, and things not neceſſary to them (for Manna might have ſerved them) a weeping for not having, or for looſing ſuch things of this world, is alwaies accompanied with a murmuring; God ſhall cauſe thy riches to periſh in thy travail, not becauſe he denies thee riches, nor becauſe he would not have thee travail, but becauſe an inordinate love, an overſtudious, and an intemperate,, and overlaborious purſuite of riches, is alwaies accompanied with a diffidence, in Gods providence, and a confidence in our own riches.
To give the wicked a better ſenſe of this, God proceeds often the ſame way, with the righteous too; but with the wicked, becauſe they do with the righteous, leaſt they ſhould truſt in their own riches. We ſee in Iobs caſe, It was not onelyonly his Sons, and daughters, who were banquetting, nor onelyonly his aſſes, and ſheep, and camels that were feeding, that were deſtroyed; but upon his Oxen, that were ploughing, upon his ſervants, which were doing rheir particular duties, the Sabaeans came, and deſtruction in their ſword; His Oxen, and his ſervants periſhed, in occupatione, in their labour, in their travail, when they were doing that, which they ſhould do. And if God do thus to his children, to humble them beforehand, that they do not ſacrifice to their own nets, not truſt in their own induſtry, nor in their own riches, how much more vehemently ſhall his judgments burn upon them, whoſe purpoſe in gathering Riches, was pricipally, that they might ſtand of themſelves, and not need God. There are beaſts that labour not, but yet furniſh us, with their wool alive, and with their fleſh, when they are dead; as ſheep; there are men, that deſire riches, and though they do no other good, they are content to keep good houſes, and that their Heire ſhould do ſo, when they are dead; There are beaſts that labour, and are meat at their death, but yield no other help in their life, and theſe are Oxen; there are men that labour to be rich, and do no good with it, till their death; There are beaſts that onelyonly labour, and yield nothing elſe in life, nor death, as horſes: and there are ſome, that do neither, but onelyonly prey upon others, as Lyons, and others ſuch; we need not apply particularly; there are all beſtial natures in rich men; and God knows how to meet with them all; and much more will he puniſh them, which do no good, in life, nor death, nay that labor not for their riches, but ſurfet upon the ſweat of other men, ſince even the riches of thoſe, that truſt in riches, ſhall periſh in Occupatione, in the very labor, and in the very travail, which (if it were not done with a confidence in the riches, when they, are got,) were allowable, and acceptable to God.
You may have a good Embleme of ſuch a rich man, whoſe riches periſh in his travail, if you take into your memorie, and thoughts, a Spunge that is overfilled; If you preſſe it down with your little finger, the water comes out of it; Nay, if you lift it up, there comes water out of it; If you remove it out of his place, though to the right hand as well as to the left, it poures out water; Nay if it lye ſtill quiet in his place, yet it wets the place, and drops out his moiſture. Such is an overfull, and ſpungy covetous perſon: he muſt pour out, as well as he hath ſuck't in; if the leaſt weight of diſgrace, or danger lye upon him, he bleeds out his money; Nay, if he be raiſed up, if he be prefer'd, he hath no way to it, but by money, and he ſhall be raiſ'd, whether he will or no, for it. If he be ſtirr'd from one place to another, if he be ſuffered to ſettle where he is, and would be, ſtill theſe two incommodities lye upon him; that he is loatheſt to part with his money, of any thing, and yet he can do nothing without it. He labours for riches, and ſtill he is but a bagg, for other men: Pereunt in occupatione, as faſt as he gather by labour, God raiſes ſome occaſion of drawing them from him again, It is not then with Riches in a family, as it is with a nail in a wall, that the hard beating of it in, makes it the faſter. It is not the hard and laborious getting of money, the fixing of that in a ſtrong wall, the laying it upon lands, and ſuch things as are vulgarly diſtinguiſhed from moveables, (as though the world, and we were not moveables) nor the beating that nail hard, the binding it with Entailes, of Iron, and Adamant, and perpetuities of eternity, that makes riches permanent, and ſure; but it is the good purpoſe in the getting, and the good uſe in the having. And this good uſe is not, when thou makeſt good uſe of thy Money, but when the Common-wealth, where God hath given thee thy ſtation, makes uſe of it: The Common-wealth muſt ſuck upon it, by trade, not it upon the Common-wealth, by uſury. Nurſes that give ſuch to children, maintaint hemſelves by it too; but both muſt be done; thou muſt be enriched ſo, by thy money, as that the ſtate be not impoveriſhed. This is the good uſe in having it; and the good purpoſe in getting it, is, that God may be glorified in it; ſome errours in uſing of Riches, are not ſo dangerous; for ſome imploying of them in exceſſes, and ſuperfluities, this is a ruſt, without, it will be fill'd of with good counſel, or it will be worn of in time; in time we come to ſee the vanity of it: and when we leave looking at other mens cloaths, or thinking them the better men for their cloaths, why ſhould we think, that others like us the better for our cloaths; thoſe deſires will decay in us. But an ill purpoſe in getting of them, that we might ſtand of our ſelves, and rely upon our Riches, this is a ruſt, a cancer at the heart, and is incurable. And therefore, if as the courſe, and progreſs of money hath been in the world from the beginning. (The obſervation is St. Auguſtins, but it is obvious to every man acquainted with hiſtory.) That firſt the world uſed Iron money, and then Silver money, and laſt of all, Gold; If thy firſt purpoſe in getting, have been for Iron, (that thou have intended thy money to be thy ſtrength, and defence in all calamities.) And then for ſilver (to provide thee abundance, and ornaments, and exceſſes.) And then for gold, to hord, and treaſure up in a little room.Rom. 2.5. Theſauriſaſti iram. Thou haſt treaſured up the anger of God, againſt the day of anger.
Go the ſame way ſtill; account Riches Iron, (naturally apt to receive thoſe ruſts which we ſpoke of, in getting, and uſing) account them ſilver, (naturally intended to provide thee of things neceſſary) but at laſt come to account them gold, naturally diſpoſed to make thee a treaſure in heaven, in the right uſe of them.
This is the true value of them; and except thou value them thus, Niſi Dominus edificaverit inſi Dominius cuſtodierit. Pſal. 127.Except the Lord build, except the Lord watch, the houſe, and city periſh; ſo except the Lord and his glory, be in thy travail, it is not ſaid thou ſhalt not get by thy travail. Sed pereunt in occupatione. Even in the mid'ſt of thy travail, that which thou getteſt, ſhall periſh.
And then that which makes this loſs the more inſupportable is, (as we noted the words to ſignifie too) pereunt in afflictione, they ſhall periſh then, when thou art in affliction, and ſhouldſt have moſt uſe of them, moſt benefit by them, moſt content in them. If the disfavour of great perſons lye heavy upon me abroad, mihi plaudo domi, I may have health, and wealth, and I can enjoy thoſe at home, and make my ſelf happy in them; if I have not all that, but that ſickneſs lye heavy upon me, yet gold is cordial: that can provide all helps, that may be had, for my recovery, and it gives me that comfort to my mind, …hat I ſhall lack no attendance, no means of reparation. But if I ſuffer, under the judgement of the Law, under the anger of the Prince, under the vehemency of ſickneſs, and then hear, that I am begged for, ſome offence, hear of fines, and confiſcations, and extents, hear of tempeſts and ſhip-wracks, hear of Mens breaking, in whoſe hands my eſtate was, This is the wrath of Gods anger, in this ſignifigation o… the word, percunt in afflictione. Thoſe riches periſh then, when nothing, but they, could be of uſe to thee.
Mala.And all this hath one ſtep lower yet, They periſh in evill Travail, and in evil affliction. Now travail, did not begin in that curſe, In Sudore vultus; for Adam was appointed to dreſs paradiſe, and to keep paradiſe before; and that implied a travail. But then became his travail to be evil travail, when ſeeing that he could not get bread without travail; ſtill that refreſhed to him the guiltineſs of that ſin, which had dejected him, to that miſery. Then doth the rich Man ſee, That his riches periſh by evil travail, when he calls himſelfe to account, and findes that he truſted wholly to his own travail, and not to the bleſſings of God. So alſo every affliction is not evil: it is rather evil to have none; if ye be without correction, you are baſtards, and not ſons. Gods own and onelyonly eſſential Son, Chriſt Jeſus, ſuffered moſt; and his adopted ſons, muſt fulfill his ſufferings in their fleſh, we are born Gods ſons, and heirs, in his purpoſe at firſt; and we are declared to be ſo, in our ſecond birth of Baptiſme, but yet we are not come to years, not come to a tryal, how we can govern our ſelves, till we ſuffer afflictions, but then doth this affliction become evil, when that which God intended for phyſick, we turn into poyſon: when God hearkens after this affliction, to hear what voice it produces, and when he looks for repentance, he hears a murmuring, and repining, when he bends down his ear, for a Tibi peccavi, he hears a Quare non mortuus? Why dyed I not in my birth?Iob. 3.11. Act. 7. Jam. 3.64. When he hearkens after: a domine ne ſtatuas, Lord lay not this ſin to their charge, a prayer for our perſecutors, he hears a Redde eis vicem, Give them a recompence O Lord, according to their work, Give them a ſorrow of heart, thy curſe to them; as it is there,) (though there, not by way of murmuring, but by way of foreſight, and Propheſie, that God would do ſo.) But to end this part, then when the Rich man can make no good uſe of his affliction, when he finds, Nullam anſam, no handle in it, to take hold of God by, when he can find no comfort in the next world, he ſhall looſe all here too. And his Riches, Thoſe Riches, which his labour hath made dear unto him, ſhall not onelyonly be taken from him, and he put to his recovery, but they ſhall periſh, and they ſhall periſh in the midd'ſt of thoſe labours, which are evil, and eat him up, and macerate him. And they ſhall periſh in theſe afflictions which are evil too, which ſhall not work, nor conduce to his good.
We come now to the ſecond part:2. Part. which reſpects more the future; He begotteth a Son; firſt that may ſeem to give him ſome eaſe; every body deſires it. And ſecondly, It may ſeem to give him ſome excuſe of his gathering, becauſe having children, he was bound to provide for them. But ſuch is Gods indignation for the getting of Riches with a confidence in them, that he looſes all, all comfort in his Son, all excuſe in himſelf, for in the hands of his Son ſhall be nothing. Firſt then, for the having of children, and the teſtimony of Gods love in that bleſſing, this diminiſhes Nothing, the honour due to the firſt chaſtity, the chaſtity of virginity. There is a chaſtity in Marriage: But the chaſtity of virginity, is the proper, and principal chaſtity. Barcenus, amongſt the Iews was an ignominious thing; but it was conſidered onelyonly in them which did marry, and were barren: God hath given us Marriage for Phyſick; but it is an unwholſom wantonneſs to take Phyſick before we need it: Marriage, In Gods inſtitution at firſt, had but two ends; In prolem, and in adjutorium; After man was fallen ſick, then another was added, In remedium. Marriage is properly according to Gods inſtitution, when all theſe concurr: where none do it is ſcarce a Marriage. When we have taken the Phyſick, yet we are not come to the ſtate of ſtrength, and health, which is intended in Marriage,Pſal. 12.7.3. till we have Children to be the ſtaff of our age; Behold Children are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb his reward; He gives Marriage for Phyſick; but Children are a reall bleſſing, in it ſelf, and reſerved to him. And therefore, when God hath given us that uſe of Marriage, (we are married) he is at an end of his Phyſick; he doth not appoint us to take Phyſick again for children: he does not forbid us to take phiſick, to preſerve our bodyes in a good, and healthy coſtitution; but drugs, and broths, and baths, purpoſely for children, come not out of his ſhop; they are not his ingredien…s. It is his own work, the gift of children: And therefore when Rachel came to ſay to Jacob; Gen. 30.1.Give me children, or elſe I die, Jacobs anger was kindled againſt her, Anne ego pro Deo: Am I a God to do this. And therefore it is not inconveniently noted, that as the firſt man Cain, was called Acquiſitus a domino, he was poſſeſſed from the Lord; ſo after, ſo very many names in the Scriptures, held that way of teſtifying the guift to come from God, that as Samuel, wich is, poſtulatus a deo, ſo all the names that have that termination, El, have ſuch a ſignification in them; And ſo in the declining of the Jews ſtate, Matheus, is Domini Dei, and Johanes, is gratia Dei; and in the beginning of the Chriſtian Church, every where they abounded with, Deo date, Deus dedit, & quod vult Deus, and ſuch names, as were acknowledgments, that children were the immediate gift of God.Gen. 15.1. And therefore when God ſaid to Abraham; I will be thine exceeding great reward, and Abraham ſaid, O Lord God what wilt thou give me, ſeeing I am childleſſe? God comes to particulars with him firſt in that, that he would give him children: And therefore, as to all men, ſo to this rich man; in our text, it may be naturally admitted for a comfort, that he had a Son.
Now as it was a juſt comfort, to have children, ſo it was a juſt excuſe,1. Tim. 5.8. a juſt encouragement to provide for them; If there be any that provideth not for his own, he denieth the faith; (that is, in his actions, and works of faith,) and he is worſe then an Infidel; for Infidels do provide for their own. Chriſtianiſmi famam negligit, Chryſoſt.he betraies the honour, and dignity of the Chriſtian Religion; if he neglect his children, and he hath opened a large gate of Scandal to the Gentils. And therefore ſaith St. Auguſtin, quicunque vult: Whoſoever will disinherit his Sons,Augu. though it be upon pretext of doing good ſervice, by building, or endowing a Church, or making the Church his heir. Quaerat alterum qui ſuſcipiat, non Auguſtinum Immo, deo propitio, neminem inveniet: Let him find another that will accept his offer; for Auguſtin will not; nor, by Gods grace any other.Hier. epiſt. 47. The tye, the obligation of providing for our Children, binds us ſtrictly; for it is, ſecunda, poſt Deum faederatio; next to the band of Religion, next to our ſervice to God, our firſt duty is to provide for them.
Chryſoſt.But yet, Dic obſecro, cum liberos a Deo petiiſti; when thou did'ſt pray to God to give thee Children, did'ſt thou add this clauſe to thy prayer, Da liberos, give me Children, that I may thereby have an excuſe, of my covetouſneſs, of my breach of thy Commandement, of my prophaning thy Sabaths, of my uſu…y, of my perjury; was this in thy prayer, ſaith he. If it were, the Childe ſhall ſurely dye, as Nathan ſaid to David: God will paniſh thee, in taking thoſe children from thee, …hich were the colours of thy ſin:Eccleſ. 40.13. The children of the ungodly, ſhall not obtain many branches; not extend to many generations; If they do, if his children be in great number, the ſword ſhall deſtroy them; His remnant ſhall be buried in death, and his widows ſhall not weep. Howſoever, as the words of the text ſtand,Iob. 27.14. the Holy Ghoſt hath left us at our liberty, to obſerve one degree of miſery more in this corrupt man. That he is ſaid, to have begot his Son, after thoſe Riches are periſhed. He had a diſcomfort in evil travail, and in evil affliction before; he hath another now, that when all is gone, then he hath children, the foreſight of whoſe miſery muſt needs be a continual affliction unto him.Auguſtin. For St. Auguſtin reports it, not as a leading Caſe, likely to be followed, but as a ſingular Caſe, likely to ſtand alone; that when a rich man, who had no childe, nor hope of any, had given his Eſtate to Auretius Biſhop of Carthage, and after, beyond all expectation came to have children, that good Biſhop unconſtrained by any law, or intent in the donor, gave him back his Eſtate again. God, when he will puniſh ill getting, will take to himſelf that which was rob'd from him, and then, if he give Children, he will not be bound to reſtitution.
But if this rich man have his riches, and his Son together, the Son may have come from God, and the riches from the devil, and God will not joyn them together. Howſoever, he may in his mercy provide for the ſon otherwiſe, yet he will not make him heir of his fathers eſtate. The ſubſtance of the ungodly ſhall be dryed up like a river;Eccleſ. 40. and they ſhall make a ſound like a thunder, in rain. It ſhall periſh, and it ſhall be in Parabolam, it ſhall be the wonder, and the diſcourſe of the time. If they be not waſted in his own time, yet he ſhall be an ill, but a true prophet upon himſelf; he ſhall have impreſſions, and ſenſible apprehenſions of a future waſt, as ſoon, as he is gone: he ſhall hear, or he ſhall whiſper to himſelf that voice: O fool, This night they will fetch away thy ſoul; he muſt go under the imputation of a fool, where the wiſdome of this generation, (which was all the wiſdome he had,Luk. 12.20.) will do him no good; he muſt go like a fool. His ſoul muſt be fetch'd away; he hath not his, In manus tuas, his willing ſurrender of his ſoul ready; It muſt be fetch'd in the night of ignorance, when he knows not his own ſpiritual ſtate; It muſt be fetch'd in the night of darkneſs, in the night of ſolitude, no ſence of the aſſiſtance of the communion of Saints in the Triumphant, nor in the Militant Church; in the night of diſconſolatenes; no comfort in that ſea. Abſolution, which by by the power committed to them, Gods Miniſters came to the penitent, In the name of the Father, the Son, & the holy Ghoſt; and it muſt be fetched this night, the night is already upon him, before he thought of it. All this, that the ſoul of this fool, ſhall be fetched away this night, is preſented for certain, and inevitable; all this admits no queſtion; but the, Qua peraſti, cujus erunt, there's the doubt; Then, whoſe ſhall thoſe things be, which thou haſt provided? If he ſay, they ſhall be his Sons, God ſaith here, In his hand ſhall be nothing; for, though God may ſpare him, that his riches be not periſhed before his death, though God have not diſcovered his iniquity, by that manner of puniſhment, yet, Quod in radice celatur, in ramis declara…ur; God will ſhow that in the bough which was hid in the root, the iniquity of the father in the penury of the ſon. And therefore, To conclude all, ſince riches are naturally conditioned ſo, as that they are to the owners harm, either teſtimonies of his former hard dealing in the world, or tentation to future ſins, or provocations to other mens malice, ſince that though, thou may have repented the ill getting of thoſe riches, yet, thou maieſt have omitted reſtitution, and ſo there hovers an inviſible owner over thy riches, which may cary them away at laſt, ſince though, thou maieſt have repented, and reſtored, and poſſeſs thy riches, that are left, with a good Conſcience; yet as we ſaid before, from Nathans mouth, the Child may die, God, that hath many waies of expreſſing his mercies, may take this one way of expreſſing his judgment, that yet thy ſon ſhall have nothing of all that in his hand, put ſomething elſe into his hand; put a book, put a ſword, put a ſhip, put a plough, put a trade, put a courſe of life, a calling, into his hand; And put ſomething into his head, the wiſdome, and diſcretion, and underſtanding of a ſerpent, neceſſary for thoſe courſes, and callings. But principally, put ſomething into his heart, a religious fear, and reverence of his Maker; a religious apprehenſion, and application of his Saviour, a religious ſenſe, and acceptation of the comforts of the Holy Spirit; that ſo, if he feel, that for his fathers hard dealing, God hath removed the poſſeſſion from him, he doth not doubt therefore of Gods mercy to his father, nor diſhonor his fathers memory, but behave himſelf ſo in his courſe, as that the like judgment may not fall upon his ſon; but that his riches increaſing, by his good travail, they may ſtill remain in the hands of his ſon, whom he hath begotten.