The Rich Fool Set Forth, Text (1 of 3)

The Rich Fool Set Forth · Text (1 of 3)

p. 1THE PARABLE OF THE Rich Fool.

LUKE 12.16,—22.

And he ſpake a Parable unto them, ſaying, The Ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, &c.

THis Parable was propounded to a very great Audience, as appears, ver. 1. When there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of People, he began to ſay unto his Diſciples. And the occaſion of propounding it unto that multitude, was this;

Two Brethren were at Variance about their Fathers Lands:The Occaſion. Ver. 13. one (as it ſeems) who had the Poſſeſſion would have all, and part with nothing, or very little, to the other. He, who thought himſelf wronged, (but whether he were or no, is very queſtionable) applies himſelf unto our Saviour, whom he conceived to be a wiſe and underſtanding man, intreating him to compoſe and take up that difference which was betwixt them, that an equal diviſion being made, Law-Suits might be ſtayed, and expence of mony p. 2ſpared, which otherwayes in all likelihood could not be avoided.

An honeſt motion in it ſelf, and commendable, had it been as ſeaſonable.1 Cor. 6▪4 5.1 Cor 6:4 St. Paul was of the Opinion, That it is better to refer differences concerning the things of this Life to the Judgment of wiſe and underſtanding men than to the Lawyer; for if the Tide of Contention be up, thoſe ſtirring Winds do oftentimes make the Waves more rough and raging.

But his mind at this time ſhould have been taken up with better matters. Chriſt was diſcourſing on matters of a higher nature; and was it fit that he who came to hear the Word preached, ſhould have his heart run after worldly things? and poſſeſſed with carnall thoughts? Much more unfitting was it, and unbeſeeming him, to take the Liberty to interrupt our Saviour, whileſt he was Preaching to the People, with ſo bold and ſawcy a Requeſt as this, Master, Speak to my Brother that he divide the Inheritance with me.

Ver. 14 Our Saviour refuſeth to gratify him in this his unſeaſonable and unſavoury Suit, telling him plainly, that he was no Judg in ſuch Caſes: His Calling and Function was to divide the Word, and not Inheritances; that belonged to the Judges of the Earth, and not to him; nor was it ſit to leave the Work of the Miniſtry to ſerve Tables: And yet there are thoſe who are of the Opinion, that a Miniſter may do God better Service in compoſing differences betwixt Neighbour and Neighbour at the Tap-houſe or Tavern, than by all the pains they take in preaching out of a Pulpit.

The Scope. Ver. 15 And whereas the Quick-eye of our bleſſed Saviour well perceived, that Covetouſneſs was the Cauſe both of that Contention which was betwixt theſe two Brethren, and of the preſent Interruption; like a wiſe Phyſitian he ſtrikes at the very Root of the Diſeaſe, commending (upon this occaſion) a very ſerious and ſeaſonable Admonition to all the Company, that they would take heed and beware of Covetouſneſs; improving the fault reproved in that one, to the good of all his Auditory, making a Treacle of his Poyſon to prevent the like Infection, backing his Admonition with this Reaſon; For that a Man's Life conſiſteth not in the Abundance of the things which he poſſeſſeth; albeit Wealth abounds, and Riches encreaſe, yet all that will not make a Man happy, nor bring true Content; he can live neither the longer nor the merrier Life, for that abundance. p. 3And this he illuſtrates by this (Parabolical Narration▪ There was a very Rich man, the richeſt in the Country; for the whole Country was his, and that Country did bear and bring forth unto him a very great Crop of Corn, inſomuch that this Rich man did take great care where to beſtow it; he enters into a Conſultation with himſelf, what to do in that Caſe, and thus determines, To pull down his old Barns, and build others far more large and ſpacious, and in them he will beſtow his Goods for their ſecurity; which being done, he ſits down and ſings a Lullaby to his own Soul, (as if he were) ſufficiently provided for many years after. But the Iſſue was, that the ſame very Night wherein he did thus ſolace himſelf, his Soul was taken from him, and he ſuddenly ſnatcht away from the Fruition of all thoſe worldly things, and they beſtowed on thoſe that would give him ſmall thanks for them. Lo, even ſuch a Fool as this Rich man was, and ſo ſure of the revenging hand of God, is that man, whoſoever he be, that ſets his heart upon earthly Riches, having no care of procuring true Grace, which only is able to enrich his Soul, and make him happy. Now, that we may not loſe our ſelvs for want of Method, let us come to the Parts.

The Parts. In this Parable we have conſiderable; The Introduction or Preface to it: and the Narration or Body of it.

The Introduction in theſe words, He ſpake a Parable unto them, ſaying, Ver. 16. Where we have, 1. The Perſons. 2. The Doctrine to take notice of.

The Perſons are, ſpeaking, and ſpoken unto; ſpeaking [He], ſpoken unto [them]; He ſpake unto them.

The kind of Doctrine: He ſpake a Parable, ſaying: Where 1. The Matter. 2. The Manner, is obſervable. The Matter, A Parable: The Manner of Delivery, He ſpake, ſaying.

The Narration follows, Ver. 16, —22. The Ground of a certain Rich man, &c. Where we have the foreign or Part propounding, to Ver. 21. and the foreign or Part applying, Ver. 21.

In the propounding Parts we have the Perſon ſpoken of, and the Relation that is made of him.

The Perſon is ſet forth, 1. By his Titles, Common, A certain man; proper, A Rich man. 2. By his Poſſeſſions, or outward Eſtate, he had Ground which brought forth plentifully. And there we have, Firſt the Intereſt or Propriety that he had, The Land p. 4was His. 2. The Fertility of the Soil, It brought forth Fruit plentifully. He was a landed Man, and had a great Crop, a whole Region of Corn, Ver. 16.

That which is related of him, follows Ver. 17, &c. and it reſpects his Life, Ver. 17,—20. and Death, Ver. 20. In the former we have his Comick, in the latter his Tragick parr.

In his Life-time we find him, Firſt, caſting up of his Eſtate, Ver. 17, 18. And he thought within himſelf, ſaying, &c. Secondly, diſpoſing of Himſelf and Goods, And I will ſay unto my Soul, &c. Ver. 19.

In the former we have him; Firſt, Conſulting, He thought within himſelf, ſaying, &c. In which Conſultation is made known unto us, his Thoughts and Cogitations which were very ſecret; for, He thought within himſelf, and was much perplexed, What ſhall I do? And then the Ground or Reaſon of that Anxiety of Spirit, Becauſe I have no room where to beſtow my fruits; intimating unto us both his Indigence, in that he wanted Room; and his Abundance, for his Crop was ſo great that he knew not where to lay it.

Secondly, We have him reſolving and determining of the Courſe which he would take, Ver. 18. And he ſaid, This will I do, &c. This his Determination is generally notified, This I will do. And more particularly ſpecified, I will pull down my Barns, &c. expreſſing his Method, which was firſt to undo and then to do, he would pull down and then build bigger. And then his Meaning, There will I beſtow all my Fruits and my Goods, diſcovering thereby much Confidence in the Creature, he promiſeth all to the Barns; and Pride in himſelf, which appears by the manner of his ſpeaking, All my Fruits and my Goods.

Thus having caſt up his Eſtate, he proceeds to diſpoſe of his Goods by Will-Paroll; And I will ſay to my Soul; Soul, thou haſt much goods laid up for many years, &c. Ver. 19. I will ſay, there is the Preface; Soul, there is the Solace; ſo that this Will is Prefaced with a Soliloquium▪ and Perfected with a Stulti-loquium; and there we may take notice,

1. Of the Legated▪ Soul. 2. Of the Legacy, I will ſay, Soul, thou haſt▪ &c. Where,

Firſt, The Matter bequeathed, which was both Stock and Store.

His Stock: for Quality, [Goods]; for Security, [laid up].

p. 5His Store: much Goods, for many years; there, the Quantity, much; the Continuance, many years.

The Manner of drawing up his Will, I will ſay, Soul take thine eaſe. There,

A Gratification of his Soul; and

A Ratification of his Will, I will ſay to my Soul, Soul take thine eaſe, Eat, drink, and be merry; manifeſting therein his Security and Senſuality, as in the Enlargement of theſe things we ſhall hereafter more largely ſhew you.

His Death and Tragick part, But God ſaid unto him, Thou Fool, this Night thy Soul ſhall be required of thee, &c. Ver. 20. And here we find, 1. His Wit queſtioned; 2. His Will diſapproved and diſanulled.

His Wit, that is queſtioned; But God ſaid unto him, Thou Fool: Where we ſee, 1. Who queſtions him, God, who beſt might. 2. How he questions him, He ſaid unto him, Thou Fool: Plainly and Poſitively.

His Will is diſapproved; This Night thy Soul ſhall be required of thee. Where we have,

Firſt, A Revocation of his Gift given to his Soul. This Night, thy Soul; there the Time is fixed, it ſhall be this Night, before the Morning, required of thee; noting both the Sadneſs and the Suddenneſs of the Judgment. Repetunt, they ſhall fetch it away; who, we are not told, but we may imagine, and that is the means whereby it ſhall be effected; Where, 1. The Judgment inflicted. 2. The Manner of it.

Secondly, An Adminiſtration granted to others of his Goods. Then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be which thou haſt provided? Where we have the Goods ſpecified which ſhall be adminiſtred upon, Thoſe things which thou haſt provided for the ſatisfying of thy Soul. And the Parties to whom the Adminiſtration is granted; Whoſe ſhall thoſe things be? As if he ſhould ſay, They ſhall enjoy them whom thou little thinkeſt of.

The Apodoſis, or Applying Part of the Parable, follows, Ver. 21. So is he that layeth up Treaſure for himſelf, and is not rich towards God. Where conſider we, Firſt, The Perſons whom this Parablc doth eſpecially concern: Secondly, Their Condition.

p. 6The Perſons are Indefinitely propounded, [He] be he what he will be. And then more Particularly deſcribed, and that Affirmatively, ſhewing what they are, they are rich in themſelvs: And then Negatively, ſhewing what they are not, they are not rich towards God.

The Condition and State of ſuch men is ſet forth; Firſt, As it is for the preſent, which is expreſſed: So it is, that is, as it was with that Fool before ſpoken of. Secondly, As it ſhall be for the future, even ſo as that Man went out of the World with a loſt Name, and a loſt Soul; ſo ſhall he: And theſe are the Parts and Branches of this Parable; of which we ſhall, God aſſiſting, ſpeak in Order: We begin with the Preface or Introduction, wherein we ſhall be brief.

Text. And he ſpake a Parable unto them, ſaying]

The Perſon propounding this Parable was Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God, as is evident from the words precedent in the beginning of the Chapter: So that which the Authour to the Hebrews tells us is a Truth,

Doct. God hath ſpoken unto us in theſe laſt times by his own Son. Heb. 1.2.Heb 1:2And ſo fulfilled that Promiſe long ſince made of raiſing up a Prophet amongſt our ſelvs, whom we are to hear, Deut. 18.15, 18. Act. 3.22. Mat. 17.5. confirmed Act. 4.18, 19. and by that Parable, Mat. 21.33, — 39. And no better Reaſon can be rendred of this than that of our Saviour, Mat. 11.25, 26.

Ʋſe 1 Behold then, and admire the wonderful Love of God ſhewed towards us who live under the Goſpel, above thoſe of old times who lived under the Law. He ſpake indeed to them as well as unto us; and the ſame God is the Author of the Old Teſtament, and likewiſe of the New; but there is great difference in his Teaching of the one and of the other, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Heb. 1.1, 2. God, who at ſundry times, and in divers manners, ſpake in times paſt unto the Fathers, hath in theſe laſt dayes ſpoken unto us by his Son. In the old time God revealed his mind to our Fore-Fathers,foreign, u… ſi dicas, mul…ipartuè. Eſtins. D…. Jones Comment. in loc. multis vicibus, as Beza renders the words, at many or ſundry times, as our Tranſlation hath it's It was divided into many parts, and given them by piece-meal, how a part and then a part; it was parcelled out unto them, as the Capacity of People in ſundry times did require. One part they had in Adam's time, another in Noah's; one in Abraham's time, another p. 7in Moſes time; one part in David's time, another in the Prophets: Iſay had one part of it revealed concerning Chriſt's Conception and Birth: Jonah another, concerning his Reſurrection: Daniel another, of his coming to Judgment. But we have the Doctrine of Salvation at one Lump, propounded to us in one whole and entire Sum: St. Jude ſpeaking of the Chriſtian Faith, ſaith, that it was once given to the Saints; once for all, ſo perfectly, that we need not another Goſpel. The whole Magazine of God Almighty is now opened unto us which was not unto them; the Lord was in the way only of revealing his whole mind to them before Chriſt came, letting forth Light by little and little, before the Sun of Righteouſneſſ, Jeſus Chriſt, aroſe with Healing under his Wings.

And as he ſpake to them at ſundry times, ſo in divers manners or forms; either by Angels, as he ſpake to Abraham; foreign, Multiformiter.or by Viſion, as he made known his mind to Ezekiel; or by Dreams, as to Samuel; or by Urim and Thummim, as to the Prieſt; or by Signs from Heaven, by Types and ſhadowing Ceremonies, and ſuch like. But the Doctrine of Salvation is taught after one ſort, even by the Preaching of the Goſpel, which is the Power of Salvation to every one that believeth; which one manner of ſpeaking far ſurpaſſeth all thoſe manners of ſpeaking, whereby God ſpake to them, and worketh more powerfully, and pierceth into the heart of Man more deeply than any other manner of Perſwaſion, yea though one ſhould riſe from the dead and ſpeak to us.

Then he ſpake only to the Fathers, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and their Poſterity; to ſome few, and but one Nation. He ſhewed his word unto Jacob, his Statutes and his Judgments unto Iſrael; He hath not dealt ſo with any Nation, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 147.19, 20. and as for his Judgments, they have not known them. But now in theſe laſt dayes, God by his Son hath ſpoken to all indefinitely, to Jew and Gentile, to Male and Female, to bond and free, all being one in Chriſt, Gal. 3.28. and through Faith hath one entrance unto the Throne of Grace. So that, as one ſpeaketh upon that Text, We need not ſay, Now O Lord, remember David and the Covenant made with Abraham; but, O Lord, remember me, and the Covenant which thou haſt made with my Father's Houſe: For, unto all, both thoſe that are nigh, and thoſe that are far off, there p. 8is but one Covenant in Chriſt Jeſus, Epheſ. 2.13, 17.

Laſtly, Then God ſpake to the Fathers by the Patriarchs and Prophets; that is, the continual Succeſſion of the Prophets in all Ages, not by one alone but by all; from the beginning God uſed the Miniſtry of the Patriarchs to inſtruct their Families, but that did not ſatisfy him. By the Miniſtry of Moſes he inſtructed his People under the Law; yet that did not content him▪ He uſed the Miniſtry of Prieſts and Prophets, yea, of one greater than a Prophet, John the Baptiſt, to teach and inſtruct his Church; yet he reſted not therewith ſatisfied: But laſt of all, he ſent his Son, that eternall Word which is God, whom he hath made Heir of all things, by whom alſo he made the World. Rare and ſingular men were thoſe by whom God inſtructed and taught his Church in elder times; yet not worthy ſo be named with Chriſt, by whom he ſpeaketh unto us: They were men, Chriſt is God and Man; they had excellent Gifts of Wiſdom and Knowledge, yet all their Wiſdom and Knowledge was but borrowed; Chriſt was wiſe of himſelf, the Fountain of all Wiſdom and Knowledg, and of his fulneſs we receive Grace for Grace: They were mortal, and ſaw Corruption; nor was any Prophet, when he was taken away by Death, able to give Grace to others that ſhould come after, or of his fulneſs to make other learned in the Myſteries of Salvation; but Chriſt abideth for ever, he ſtill liveth to appoint us Teachers, and of his fulneſs he giveth all others their continual encreaſe of Grace: By all which you ſee how wonderfully God hath honoured us above thoſe who lived in the time of the Law: Many Prophets and Kings have deſired to ſee thoſe things which we ſee, and have not ſeen them; and to hear thoſe things which we hear, and have not heard them, Luke 10.24. The Goſpel is a Myſtery, and a great Myſtery too, which was hidden in the ſecret Cloſet of God's own Breaſt; not poſſible to enter into the heart of Man, till Chriſt brought it out of the Boſom of his Father and diſcovered it unto Man-kind. Nor could Men or Angels do that: he only had Power to open the Book, who was both God and Man in Union; by vertue of which Union thoſe divine Truths and heavenly Myſteries which were,Joh. 1 18. Mat. 1….27.John 1:18Matt 1:27 and could live no where but in the Divine Nature, were drawn out of the depth of it into the Humane, and in that Nature diſcovered unto us. No ſpiritual Diſcovery of thoſe high Myſteries could be, or can be, but in Chriſt and p. 9by Chriſt, becauſe in him alone is the Divine and Humane Nature united.

Now the greater Love that God hath ſhewed us,Mat. 21.33, 41.Matt 21:33Matt 21:41 the ſoarer Vengeance in caſe of Contempt and Diſobedience. See then that you deſpiſe not him that ſpeaks from Heaven, ſaith the Apoſtle Heb. 12.25. For if they eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpake on Earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape if we turn from him that ſpeaks from Heaven to us. He that deſpiſed Moſes Law dyed without Mercy, under two or three Witneſſes (that is, being Legally convicted), Heb. 10.28. now of how much ſoarer Puniſhment ſhall he be worthy, who deſpiſeth the Goſpel whereof the Son of God is the Miniſter? Chriſt is far greater than Moſes; in deſpiſing him, they did but deſpiſe the Servant; in deſpiſing Chriſt, you deſpiſe the Son: foreign, Look to it therefore, ſaith the Apoſtle, that you do it not; for it is as much as your Souls are worth.

And yet how little is God's Speaking to us by this his Son regarded? Many of the Phariſees knew him to be the Son of God; This is the Heir (ſay they), come let us kill him Mat. 21.38. They were not altogether ignorant that he was the Lord of Life whom they ſlew. Were Chriſt now living upon the Earth, Do you not think that there are ſome ſo maliciouſly bent againſt the Goſpel and the ſincere Preaching of it, as that they could find in their hearts to kill Chriſt himſelf? You (it may be) will ſay, as they did who heard Chriſt propounding that Parable unto them, and fore-telling them of that Cruelty which they would ſhew in putting him to Death, God forbid Luke 20.16. We cannot perſwade men that their hearts are half ſo bad, or their wayes ſo dangerous, as Preachers would make them; but when men will perſecute the Miniſters of the Goſpel for their Fidelity in diſpenſing of the Word, and murder the Servants, they will never ſtick to murder the Maſter; he that heareth you heareth me, ſaith Chriſt,Mat. 10.40Matt 10:40 and he that deſpiſeth you deſpiſeth me, &c. So they who perſecute them, impriſon them, put them to death, as Herod did John Baptiſt, Jol. 13.20.will not ſpare Chriſt himſelf if they had Power.

Laſtly, If God have ſo honoured us that live in the time of the Goſpel, above them in the time of the Law; Should it not be our care to honour him, love him, fear him, and obey him, above thoſe who lived in thoſe dayes? He ſpake to them in old time, in the p. 10eldeſt Age of the World, he ſpeaks to us in a new time, when all things are made new by Chriſt. It was ſaid to them old, but I ſay unto you, ſaith our Saviour Math. 5.21, 27. Oh, how happy were it for us if we did not come far behind them in Faith, Obedience, &c. They believe, and had leſs means than we; they obeyed, yet had leſs Encouragements than we. The Lord pardon our failings, and quicken us to holy Duties! But thus much of the Perſon ſpeaking: now of the Perſons ſpoken unto, foreign

Text. Unto them.]

Not to the Diſciples alone, as Ver. 1. but to the whole Multitude: One of the Company occaſioned the Text, Take heed and beware of Covetouſneſs; but all the reſt heard the Sermon, He ſaid to them, amplifying, enlarging, and applying his Doctrine to all and every one. You may learn from hence,

Doct. A Sermon againſt Covetouſneſs and Earthly-mindedneſs is of general Concernment: It concerns the whole Auditory; All as well as any, that are within the hearing.

We need not ſpend time in the further Proof of this. It was a very great Audience that Chriſt now ſpake unto, as appears Ver. 1. and a mixt Company; it was of all ſorts and conditions, rich and poor, old and young, men and women; and he ſpeaks to them all, one as well as another; and applies his Doctrine, to every one as well as any one, as we find in the Cloſe of the Parable, as hereafter you ſhall hear more fully. Thoſe Dehortations given in Scripture againſt Worldlineſs and Earthly-mindedneſs are of general Concernment, they concern all profeſſed Chriſtians, and are not to be reſtrained to any one Rank or Calling, Eph. 5.3. Col. 3.5. Heb. 13.5. Jam. 4.4. 1 Joh. 2.15.

Reaſon. Naturally every one is addicted in a ſpecial manner to be worldly and earthly-minded: As we are prone to all Sins in general, ſo more eſpecially unto this; we are of the Earth, earthy, Joh. 3.31. 1 Cor. 15.47. Not only duſty and ſlimy, but like Ducklings we have alwayes our Bills in the Mud; and ſo ſoon as ever we can underſtand, we begin to grovel in the Earth (as we ſee it experimentally in little Children: And in ſo doing, we ſeem wilfully to draw on our ſelvs that Curſe which God never laid upon us. It was the Serpent's Doom to crawl on her Belly and eat Duſt; yet, that we may have Earth for our Food, we crawl on all four, if p. 11not in Body yet in Deſire,Amb. Hexam. l. 6. c. 3 as Ambroſe ſpeaks on this Subject.

Nor are we only addicted to it, but generally infected with it: Covetouſneſs (ſaith one) is an Epidemical Diſeaſe, an univerſal Plague, from which no ſort is free: And, Saith not the Scripture the ſame alſo? From the leaſt of them even unto the greateſt of them, every one is given to Covetouſneſs. Jer. 6.13. Some Sins are peculiar to ſome Vocations and Callings; as, for the Judg to pervert Judgment for Fear, Favour, or Reward: The Miniſter to ſooth up men in their Sins, and to forbear Reproof for fear of Man's Face, &c. Other, to ſome Eſtates and Condition; as, for the Rich to oppreſs the Poor, and the Poor to envy the Rich, and to be diſcontented with their Eſtates: And other-ſome, to mens Complexions and natural Conſtitutions, as to the Melancholy, Cholerick, &c. But this Poyſon hath infected all Callings and Conditions, Sorts and Rancks of Perſons; Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Gentlemen, Yeomen, Citizens, and Countrymen; Rich and Poor, Old and Young, Male and Female. Therefore we may conclude, It is a Doctrine of great concernment to dehort you from this Sin of Worldlineſs and Covetouſneſs.

Object. But good men have been free from it; Mat. 19.27 Act. 20.33.Matt 19:27Acts 20:33We have forſaken all and followed thee, ſaid Peter: I have coveted no man's Silver, nor Gold, nor Apparell, ſaith Paul. Luther ſometimes ſaid, that he never found himſelf tempted to Covetouſneſs; and his very Adverſaries,Germana illa Beſtia non curat Aurum. who would have tempted him with Gold, teſtified for him, that he cared not for it. Beſides, many Philoſophers and Heathens Natural and Civil Perſons, have contemned Riches; How then can it be ſaid that all are infected with that Vice?

Anſw. Common Grace hath done much in repreſſing and reſtraining Man's greedy Appetite, even for the common Good of Man-kind, and the up-holding of humane Society; Saving Grace hath done more in ſtubbing at the Root of this bitter Fruit; this doth not only cover that ſore as common Grace doth, but it kills the Diſeaſe: And yet neither common Grace, nor ſanctifying Grace, doth ſo ſubdue and mortify it, but that ſtill ſome Relique and Remainder abides in the beſt; and will, ſome way or other, diſcover it ſelf in them.

p. 12And yet though it be in all, yet it is not in the like manner, nor in the like degree in all. In the wicked Worldling it rules and reigns, he is a Servant and Slave to it; In ſome of the wicked it is the chief Lord and Soveraign, bearing Rule and commanding for it ſelf; many other Vices are in them, but that is the Capital Vice, other Vices are ſubſervient to it; his Pride and his unjuſt Practices, all are but Servants to this his Covetouſneſs. Thus this Rich Fool the Parable ſpeaks of, prided himſelf in his great Eſtate, and made it his Glory; His Pride iſſued from the great Crop that he had, and this doth apparantly denominate a man to be a Worldling.

Sometimes it is ſubſervient, being under the Command and Service of ſome other Luſt, like an under-Officer; and is (as one terms it) the Purveyor or Taker for Ambition, Prodigality, Idleneſs, without the Service of which their Luſts could not be maintained. But whether it be in a wicked man whole Maſter or Quarter-Maſter, it rules in him and brings him into Bondage: Nor is there a wicked man under Heaven, but either in Predominancy or Subſerviency he is a Slave to the World; and albeit there may be reſtraining Grace in him to keep him from exorbitancy, yet Covetouſneſs retains it's own Nature ſtill, as a Lyon doth the Nature of a Lyon although he be chained.

In a godly Chriſtian, albeit there be a natural propenſity remaining in him towards worldly and earthly things, yet the Love of the World is not ſuch as that it doth bear ſway in his heart, (albeit it may diſcover it ſelf in ſome Acts more or leſs towards predominancy.) It is a bad Tenant,Mr. Wheatly's Sermon on Covetouſneſs. often warned to be gone (ſaith a Reverend Divine) but will not out; yet it is reſiſted, oppoſed, complained of, and hath many a Suit commenced againſt it in the Court of Heaven for Uſurpation. In a word, ſome give this Vice Phyſick, but no Suſtenance; thus doth the Godly: Others give it Suſtenance but no Phyſick, thus do the Wicked. One would deſtroy it, theſe it moleſts but kills not; The other maintain it, theſe it kills but moleſts not. Thus it is in all, but yet in a different State and Degree: As for that Saying of Luther before-mentioned, it is probable that his meaning was, That of all Sins he found himſelf leaſt addicted to that of Covetouſneſs, (if otherwiſe, it may be queſtioned, whether it were adviſedly ſpoken;) if ſo, it were to be wiſhed (ſaith a learned p. 13Doctor of our own) that there were more Lutherans in that Point than there are.Dr. Bois in his Remains on Hab. 2.9.Hab 2:9

Ʋſe. 1 This being a Doctrine that concerns all both good and bad, one as well as another; then ſuch are to blame and juſtly may be reproved, who ſo hear it as nothing at all concerning them. The poor man that hath no Barn, nor Corn to put into a Barn, thinks himſelf nothing at all concerned in it; when yet notwithſtanding, his deſires may be as large as the great Barns this rich man builded, nay enlarged as Hell it ſelf. The Soul of the Sluggard luſteth (ſaith Solomon) and hath nothing. Prov. 13.4. They have ſtrong Affections to Wealth and Riches, and all things elſe which are in Requeſt, and Eſtimation with men; but yet they are poor enough, they are kept faſting from Wealth albeit they covet it, and that evermore greedilp, as the wiſe man hath it Prov. 21.26. Such men are moſt deſperately covetous; for, in that their Sloth will not ſuffer them to take the pains ſo get it, therefore their Luſts drive them to hunt and ſeek for it in the wayes of Couzenage and Villany. The beſt Bee in the Hive is not more deſirous of Hony than the idle Drone. Confine not thou this Sin to rich mens Houſes; it may find Harbour under the Roof of thy thatcht and ſmoaky Cottage: A barren Turf may yield as much ſmoother as the Oaken Logg; and a rotten piece of Timber as much Saw-duſt, yea more than a ſounder piece: Thou mayeſt be earthly-minded, albeit thou haſt none of it in thy Poſſeſſion.

The Prodigal and Unthrift, that ſpends waſtfully upon his Luſts, he thinks himſelf ſhot-free and unconcerned in this Story; for all the World (ſaith he) knows that I am far enough from Covetouſneſs and Earthly-mindedneſs; he hath caſt away many of thoſe Chips which the Covetous adore, in one Night, at one Caſt with Bones, and indeed ſpent himſelf into Poverty; but how? by Pride and Luxury. And will this prove you to be a Freeman? Sometimes indeed Covetouſneſs preys upon Unthriftineſs, God giving one Sin leave to laſh another to Death; but how often do they meet together in the ſame Perſon, and beget the one the other? Some ſcrape to keep and look upon; others, ſo ſcatter and miſpend: Some deſire Riches that they may have them; others are covetous that they may maintain prodigal Expences with them. So St. James telleth us, You covet and luſt, that you may conſume upon your pleaſures, Jam. p. 144.2, 3. Men as well as Women being with Child of Riot and Exceſs in Diet and Apparel, and other worldly Vanities, long for Riches to nouriſh the Child they go withall; without which (ſaith one) they are in danger to caſt their Calf.Robinſ. Eſſay of Liberality Obſ. 31. It was ſaid of Catiline, that he was prodigal of his own and covetous of other mens; ſo the greateſt Miſpenders for the moſt part are conſtrained to be as great Miſ-getters, to feed one Vice by another; and their end is this commonly, A young Spend-thrift, an old Cheater: Little Cauſe then have ſuch to laugh in their Sleeve upon the hearing of this Doctrine; for if thou hadſt the Grace to examine thine own heart, thou wouldſt find this wicked Vice of Covetouſneſs to be as great a Doer in thy Soul inwardly, and as buſy in thy Carriage outwardly, as in theirs whom with greateſt Scorn thou termeſt, Miſerable Miſers.

Rich men, they are apt to think that they are no ſuch manner of Perſons as this Rich Fool was; their Crops are not ſo great, nor their Barns ſo ſmall, but they know well enough what to do with that they have, and how to diſpoſe of it had they more: And yet you may be worldly and Covetous, and have your hearts upon the Earth, and ſo this Doctrine concerns you. Avarice breeds with Wealth, as they ſay of Toads that have been found in the midſt of great Stones; The having of much encreaſeth commonly a deſire of having more, as I ſhall hereafter ſhew you: In ſhort, let not any preſent think that what is delivered, or that ſhall be delivered, concerning this Vice of Worldlineſs and Earthly-mindedneſs, concerns not them; Chriſt ſpake to all that heard him, and in his Name I ſpeak to all you that hear me this day; for it much concerns you.

You that are young, hear it; for, albeit it may be thought that this Vice is not ſo proper to Youth; yet Prodigality is, and Worldlineſs muſt be, ſubſervient to it, as you have heard. Kites and other ravenous Birds are ever watching for a Prey, and yet remain ſtill Cartion-like; the Reaſon is, for that they convert the greateſt of their Nouriſhment into long Feathers. So is it with Youth, their Earnings and their Wages turn (if they be Servants) into Points and Laces; and then they covet ſtill for greater Wages, a better place for profit: If not Servants, yet there is not enough (they think) to maintain the Luſts of Youth;Preſton on Covetouſneſs. p. 47. It is therefore a ſeaſonable Doctrine for you to attend unto,

p. 15Old men attend you hereunto; for this is eſpecially the Sin of Old Age; Worldlineſs loves to dwell in an old ruinous Cottage, and when all other Vices are old, than Couetouſneſs waxeth young.Hall. Med. Cent. 3.… Med. 7 4. Lop off all the Branches from a Tree but one, and that one will ſhoot up the faſter; for the Nouriſhment that ſhould ſeed the reſt, runs into that. Many other Vices are cut off by Age, but the Strength of Corruption augments this: And Old Age ſeeing it is likely to loſe the World, ſpits on the hand and takes better hold. Therefore this Doctrine calls on you for Attention.

But what have Women to do to attend? As much as Men for, as they are more Impotent, ſo uſually their Affections are more inordinate to earthly things: Therefore I ſpeak to all.

Ʋſe 2 Wherefore I require Attention of you all,Pſa. 49.12.Ps 49:12 and call upon you with the words of the Pſalmiſt, Hear this all ye People, and give Ear all ye Inhabitants of the World; both low and high, rich and poor together, hear what our Saviour ſaith of this Rich man, what he did, and what he ſaid to his own Soul, out of a Conceit of his great Abundance, and what was the Iſſue of it, and how our Saviour applies it. Hear, ſo as to hear for thy ſelf; not to accuſe another nor judg another, but to accuſe thy ſelf and judg thy ſelf for it, and to be humbled under a ſight and ſenſe of thy own Guilt; and what thou doſt in this way, do it conſcienciouſly as in the preſence of God, and not as you ſtand with the Judgment of men by outward appearance. Worldlineſſe and Covetouſneſs is a ſly and ſubtile Sin, hardly diſcerned by every man, neither in himſelf nor others: All Vices can dreſs themſelvs in the habit of Vertue; Pride ſhall be Handſomneſs; Drunkenneſs, Good-Fellowſhip; Riotouſneſs, Liberality; and Covetouſneſs comes not behind any of them all, in her Diſguiſes: That ſhall be Frugality and Good-Husbandry in providing for Poſterity; it hath more Pleas than any other Sin in the World hath, more Colours put upon it, more Cloaks to cover it. The diſcovery whereof I ſhall (I hope) make unto you in our opening of the Parable. There is indeed a ſordid baſe Covetouſneſs in many men of this World, which is written as it were in great Characters in their forehead, ſo that he who runs may read it in every Act they do; in their whole courſe and carriage they diſcover it, and yet they cannot endure to be accounted worldly and covetous; and therefore that Vice is aptly reſembled to the Plague, which, if a man's Houſe be p. 16infected with, yet he deſires to keep it cloſe and have it accounted any other Diſeaſe than that; but we ſhould deal more ingenuouſly with God and our own Souls, and finding the Marks and Tokens to be upon us (which, what they are, you may hereafter hear) begg heartily, that he would have Mercy on us, and incline our hearts unto his Teſtimonies and not to Covetouſneſs:Pſal. 119.36.Ps 119:36 Queſtionleſs Chriſt would not have ſpoken thus to all, both to Diſciples and others, if all were not ſubject unto it; and if we be ſubject to it, what can we do leſs then than take notice of the ſinful Corruption of our Nature and be humbled for it.

Ʋſe 3 And being a Doctrine of general Concernment, let none take Offence at any of God's Miniſters at any time for preſſing of it: This I conceive to be a neceſſary Caution conſidering the divers tempers and humours of our People, no Miniſter can please all; they will be finding fault either with the choice of his Text, or manner of handling it. St. Auſtine ſeemed to be at a Non-plus once, about the choice of his Text, not knowing what Text to chooſe or what ſubject to preach upon; For when I did behold (ſaith he) the Lovers of the World, I knew not how to preach to them; for the Rich diſdained what I ſaid, and the Poor had rather have Bread than Manna that I brought. Such is the humour of People in this our Age:Neh. 8.10. Mat. 25.27.Neh 8:10Matt 25:27 The Epicure likes that Text well, Go eat of the Fat and drink of the Sweet: The Uſurer likes that better, Thou oughteſt to have put my Mony out to the Exchangers, &c. The Lawyer would willingly hear that Text preſſed,1 Tim. 1.8. 1 Cor. 6.7.1 Tim 1:81 Cor 6:7 The Law is good, if a man uſe it lawfully: The Poor Client, that, There is utterly a fault amongſt you, that you go to Law one with another: The Rich Creditor makes choice of that Text, Owe no man any thing but Love. Rom. 13.8 Luke. 6.35Rom 13:8Luke 6:35And the Poor Debtor, that, Lend, looking for nothing again. Some would have long Texts: Some would have ſhort: In the very choice of our Text we can hardly pleaſe; but die Sermon made upon that Text is uſually more offenſive; great fault ſhall be found with Matter or Form: Sometimes the Matter is too high, and at other times too low; Some would have us climb up the Mountains, or launch out into the deeps of Election, Reprobation, Free-Will, &c. Others adviſe to keep below in the Valley, and beat conſtantly upon thoſe High-way Points (as they pleaſe to term them) of Faith, Repentance, and Obedience, which indeed are moſt neceſſary. Some would that the p. 17common places of Scripture ſhould be decided: Others would have the Sins of the Times rebuked; and yet they are not agreed how that ſhould be done: Some like it beſt when it is done generally and coldly; others, particularly and zealouſly: Some would have the Vices of Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and other Superiours, diſcovered; others, only the faults and failings of common People and Inferiours, leſt Superiours ſhould be contemned and deſpiſed: All men, other mens Vices; but few or none, their own. Theſe diſagree in Matter very ill, but in form much worſe: Some like well that a Text ſhould be Logically handled; Others cry out upon it, as being Man's Wiſdom: Some would have the Sermon adorned with Rhetorical ſtrains; Others call that Perſwaſibleneſs of words: Some would have all confirmed by the Teſtimony of Councils, Fathers, and Doctors of the Church; Others eſteem that but Man's Doctrine, and would not that they ſhould be once named in a Pulpit: Some would have all ſaid without Book; Others think that Miniſter tempts God that truſts to his Memory and uſeth no Notes: Some love Geſture and Action; Others like none: Some are for ſhort Sermons; Others for long, and it will be long enough ere we pleaſe all. But it is not for us ſo feed every ones humour: It is Chriſt's Example that a Miniſter muſt follow; He ſpake ſo all, and ſo muſt we as near as we can. Sometimes indeed what he ſpake was not intended to all, but ſo ſome particular Perſons, as Matth. 23. Luke 11.45, &c. But uſually what he ſaid unto one was ſpoken to all, as Mark 13.37. What I ſay unto one, I ſay unto all, Watch. Thus, upon ſome Occaſion, a Text may be ſo choſen, and the Sermon preached thereon ſo intended by him that preacheth it, as that the main Paſſages thereof concern not every one: But this Text which we have now in hand concerns the whole Auditory, and therefore there is no Cauſe for any one to take offence thereat. And ſo we paſs from he Perſons teaching and taught, to the kind of Doctrine delivered,

A Parable.]

How the word is taken and uſed I have elſe-where ſhewed; now, in ſhort: It is ſometimes taken in a more large ſenſe for any Similitude or Compariſon, fetched from things earthly and in common Uſe, to help our Underſtanding in things ſpiritual and divine, ſo Math. 13.31, 33, 34. Sometimes a dark Speech and obſcure Saying p. 18is termed a Parable, as Pſal. 49.4. yea, every grave, pithy, and ſhort Sentence hath that Name given to it: The Proverbs of Solomon are called Parables, Prov. 1.1.

More ſtrictly: It is a Figurative Uttering of the Intention of the mind, whoſe proper Nature is to make ſhew of one thing and aim at another; and uſually the Compariſon is taken from men actions and manners, as Luke 8.5, &c.

St. Luke calls this a Parable; otherwiſe we might take it for a bare Narration of ſomething done; However, it is ſo feigned, as that daily and experimentally in the World we have it verified. Nor is it of the Nature of ſome other Parables, whoſe Shell was ſo hard as that Chriſt himſelf was enforced to break it before the Kernell could be taſted; and ſhew the meaning, before his Hearers could underſtand it. It ſeems to have no Shell at all, being one of thoſe that Gregory ſpeaks of, which requires rather a good Practitioner than Expoſitor: Yet being a Parable, and brought by Chriſt for the Illuſtration of his Doctrine, we may thence learn: That

Doctr. Doctrine delivered may lawfully be illuſtrated by Similitudes, Parables, Allegories, and other Helps of Art and Humane Learning.

How abundant Chriſt was in this Parabolical and Similitudinary way of Teaching,See my Expoſition on the Parable of the Figgleſs Figg-Tree. Luke 13.6.Luke 13:6 I have ſhewed you in my Expoſition on the Parable of the Figg-Tree. Had it not been profitable, Chriſt (without Queſtion) would not have uſed them ſo frequently: Nor would the Prophets and Apoſtles have illuſtrated their Sermons therewith. But this they were directed by the Spirit of God to do, Ezek. 17.2. & 24.3. And it is reckoned as a great Favour from God to teach us by his Prophets and Miniſters, after ſuch a way and in ſuch a manner, Hoſ. 12.10.

Object. But do we not find in Scripture that it was in Judgment that Chriſt ſpake by Parables unto the People, Mat. 13.13. How then can this be ſaid to be a profitable way of Teaching?

Anſw. To the Wicked it was ſo; and the Reaſon why it was ſo, our Saviour ſhews:

Firſt, to puniſh them for their wilfull Blindneſs; They ſeeing ſaw not, and hearing heard not, that is, They would not ſee, they would not hear; and ſo they wilfully brought this Judgment on themſelvs, inſomuch that plain Doctrines were to them as Parables.

p. 19Secondly, That the Scriptures might be fulfilled which had ſo fore-told, Iſa. 6.9. Hear ye indeed, but underſtand not; and ſee ye indeed, but perceive not: And in them, the ſaying of the Prophet Iſaiah was fulfilled.

But to the Godly, and ſuch as are deſirous to learn, it is otherwiſe: To you it is given (ſaith Chriſt) to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom, but to others it is not given, Matth. 13.11. As if He ſhould have ſaid, Albeit I ſpeak in Parables unto you, yet the Illumination of the Spirit is given to you, whereby thoſe things ſhall be ſufficiently cleared, and the Veil taken away; which being done,

Reaſon. No kind of Teaching conveighs the Truth with more delight to the Underſtanding, works more upon the Affections, ſooner ſtrikes the Will, better helps the Memory: And, if it be perſonal, the Iſſue of it is to touch the Quick; and in a ſort to extort that from us which otherwiſe would not be granted, 2 Sam. 12.7. 1 King. 20.39. Mat. 21.26, & 33.

Ʋſe. Therefore ſuch Miniſters ought not to be cenſured, who, not contenting themſelvs with a bare and naked propounding of Divine Truths, do, by the Help of Invention and Art, illuſtrate their Doctrines by Compariſons and Similitudes, Proverbs, Parables, and the like, ſeeing they are able to produce a good Preſident for this their Practice.

Object. But what makes this (ſay ſome) to the building up of the ſpirituall Man in Knowledg and in Holineſs? Is it not the Scripture that is only profitable for that end and purpoſe? 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.

Anſw. To derogate from the Perfection of Scripture is no better than Sacriledg and Blaſphemy: And on the other ſide, to detract from the Worth and Credit of Arts and Sciences, is an Anabaptiſticall Phrenzy. This we lay down for a divine Aphoriſm (ſaith one), that Scripture is of it ſelf abundantly ſufficient for us; but we are not ſufficient for it, without the help of Arts and humane Learning: We are not able to interpret the Text without Grammar, nor to divide without Logick, nor profitably preſs and apply it without the help of Rhetorick: Sundry Paſſages in Scripture depend upon propriety of Words and Idioms, which without the help of humane Learning cannot be opened: and for want of Learning much Scripture p. 20is perverted, to mens Deſtruction, 2 Pet. 5.16.

Again, although Divinity be Lady and Miſtreſs, yet Humane Arts and Sciences are as Hand-maids that attend upon her; and by the Help of theſe Maids the Miſtreſs is many times the better courted and ſooner wooed. It was Ambroſe his Eloquence that cauſed Auſtin to be ſo much affected with his Preaching, and under that Bait was hid the Hook that caught him.See the life of Gall. Carac. written in Engliſh by Mr. Will. Craſhaw, p. 5. c. 3. So Galleacius Caracciolus was taken by a Similitude which he heard Peter Martyr uſe; by which if his Converſion were not wrought, yet his Sanctification was furthered thereby: And who ſees not, that plain People are better taught by Similitudes than by Syllogiſms?

Such ſacred Parables and Similitudes as we find in Scripture are not only Ornaments, but ſpecial Arguments of a Diſcourſe, if rightly uſed; for they may not be preſſed beyond the Scope of the Holy Ghoſt in uſing and applying them; nor may any Point of Faith be gathered from them, it not being backed with ſome plainer Proof from other Scripture; yet may a Point of Doctrine be as ſubſtantially confirmed, and Errour as ſtrongly reproved and convinced by thoſe Scriptures which are ſet down in Similitudes and borrowed Speeches, as by any other Scripture; ſo far forth as the Scope reacheth.

As for thoſe that are humane, being woven out of Man's Brain and Bowels (as the Spider doth her Web) by the help of Art, care muſt be therein had that they be not uſed for Oſtentation of Wit, but for Edification and Profit; theſe Hand-maids to Divinity may not flaunt it out in their Dreſs, but keep their diſtance: Should we make our Scripture-Texts (ſaith one) verve to vent our ſecular Learning, we do not apply our Art to Divinity, but our Divinity to Art,Baſil Epiſt. 62. and ſo compell the Miſtreſs to attend upon the Maid; and in ſo doing we deſervedly incurr that ſharp Cenſure which Baſil paſt upon ſome Preachers in his dayes, that they preached Art, and Wit, and not Chriſt crucified. But moderately and modeſtly to make uſe of Secular Learning, for the explicating and illuſtrating of Divine Doctrine by Allegoricall Alluſions, Compariſons, and Similitudes, &c. is not onelyonly lawfull, but very expedient, and profitable, for the benefit of them that hear us.

p. 21Ʋſe 2 And for this we ought to bleſs God, in that by the mouth of his Miniſters he ſtoopeth ſo low unto us as to teach us by Parables and Similitudes, and in ſo delightful and familiar a manner to reveal unto us the Myſteries of his Kingdom; that Speech of our Saviour to Nicodemus would be remembred, Joh. 3.12. If have told you Earthly, and ye believe not; how ſhall you believe if I tell you of Heavenly? that is, If having diſcourſed unto thee of theſe ſpiritual Matters, and illuſtrated and explained them by earthly Similitudes of Wind and Water, thou yet findeſt ſuch difficulty both in Apprehenſion and Aſſent; What likelyhood is there that thou wouldeſt believe me, if I ſhould tell thee of the greateſt Myſteries of Salvation and the deep things of God, of thoſe high and incomprehenſible Matters of another World? This was a high Aggravation of Ephraim's blockiſhneſs and ſtupidity, that God uſed Similitudes unto them by the Miniſtry of his Prophets, and yet they would not be inſtructed, Hoſ. 12.10. And thus much of the Doctrine taught; now of the Manner of Teaching,

Text. He ſpake, O…otoris eſt dicere, Vulgi loqui.ſaying]

There is a difference to be made betwixt Speaking and Saying: Speaking comes by Nature and Cuſtom; Saying, by Art and Study: Children ſpeak, but the Learned ſay. Our bleſſed Saviour did ſo ſpeak as that he ſaid, which implies a diſtinct, audible, and teachable kind of Speaking unto his Auditory: So that all that heard him might underſtand both Words and Meaning. And herein may God's Miniſters be taught after the Example of their Lord and Maſter,

Doct. So to ſpeak unto their People, as that they may be underſtood of them.

God commanded Habakkuc to write the Viſion, that is, what God was about now to declare unto him, and to make it plain upon Tables, ſo that he who might read, Hab. 2.2. It is ſtoried of that Tyrant Caligula, that upon Suit of the People to have the Law written and ſet up, that it might be known, and ſo none enſnared through the Ignorance thereof (which was a thing very ordinary under his Tyrannical Government); he condiſcended to their Requeſt, but withall he cauſed it to be written in ſo ſmall a hand, that none could read it. But this is not God's way; It was his Command to his Prophet ſo to declare his mind unto the People, and after ſuch a p. 22manner, that every one might receive Information thereof; he muſt not only write it, but ſo write it, and in ſo fair and legible a hand, that although a man were upon the ſpeed, and did run by, yet he might read as he runned; intimating thereby after what manner he would that his Servants, the Miniſters of his Word and Goſpel, ſhould deliver their Meſſage to whom they are ſent. And thus the Levites in the dayes of Nehemiah did ſo read the Law unto the People, as that they cauſed the People to underſtand it, Neh. 8.7. So it was propheſied of John the Baptiſt, that he ſhould go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way, Luke 1.76. and how he ſhould do that, is further declared, by giving Knowledg of Salvation unto the People, Ver. 77. which was done, not by Infuſion, (as thoſe four Children had their Knowledg and Skill in all Learning and Wiſdom, Dan. 1.17. for that is proper to God alone); but by Inſtruction, publiſhing the Doctrine of Salvation in ſo plain and familiar a manner, that all that heard him might underſtand the meaning. And thus Philip preached Chriſt unto the Eunuch, he cauſed him to underſtand the meaning of that which he was reading out of the Prophet Iſay, Acts 8.28. So all faithful Paſtors which are after God's own heart, and of his giving and ſending, they feed their People with Knowledg and Underſtanding,Cavea for Archippus by Jer. Dike. Jer. 3.15. How with Knowledg (ſaith a noted Divine) unleſs with Underſtanding? and how with Underſtanding unleſs they could be underſtood?

The End of our Preaching is our People's Profit, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh 1 Cor. 7.35. This I ſpeak for your own Profit: Yea, and thus too, For if I come unto you ſpeaking with Tongues, ſuch as you underſtand not, What ſhall I profit you? 1 Cor. 14.6, It is no other than to ſpeak in the Aire, in reſpect of any Fruit or Profit that can follow thereupon to the Hearer, as the Apoſtle there ſhews at large by many excellent Similitudes. For the Will follows the Act of Underſtanding: Without Underſtanding there can be no Aſſenting; without Aſſenting, no Believing. To believe a thing further than we know it, is impoſſible; to love it, is Leightneſs; to hate it, is Injuſtice (foraſmuch as it may deſerve the contrary, for ought that we know); therefore, as the Apoſtle concludes in that Chapter, 1 Cor. 14.19. Five words ſpoken to the Underſtanding, do more good in the Church of God than ten thouſand ſpoken in a ſtrange Tongue, ſuch as you underſtand not without an Interpreter; or in that Language p. 23which you well enough underſtand, but yet it is ſpoken in ſuch a manner, and the Phraſe ſo ſublime, that plain Engliſh-men cannot underſtand it.

Ʋſe 1 From hence it follows, that not only thoſe Miniſters are failing in their Duties, and come under Check, who have mouths and ſpeak not; although they have a Treaſury of Learning and other excelent Abilities, yet they will (ſaith Syneſius) as ſoon part with their Hearts as with their Meditations: But they alſo deſerve Reproof who ſpeak but ſay not, no way applying themſelves to their People's Capacities; ſeeking rather to ſhew themſelves Schollars unto their People, then to make their People the Schollars of Chriſt.

This we never learned of our Lord and Maſter; He hath ſet us a better Copy by his own Example, He ſpake the Word unto his Hearers, as they were able to hear, ſaith St. Mark, Chap. 4.33. not as He was able to have ſpoken unto them. And ſo Chriſt tells his Diſciples, I have many things to ſa, ??y but you cannot bear them now, Joh. 16.12. He had reſpect to the Capacity of his Auditory.

Nor did we ever learn this of his faithful Servants who have been before us. Who can ſay that be is better gifted than St. Paul? He was not inferiour to the very chief of the Apoſtles for Tongues,1 Cor. 15.18. 2 Cor. 11. 5▪ 6.1 Cor 15:182 Cor 11:52 Cor 11:6 Learning, and Eloquence. Indeed he ſpeaketh of himſelf, as rude in Speech though not in Knowledg, 2 Cor. 11.6. not that he was ſo indeed: But admit I be ſuch a one as ſome falſe Apoſtles in the Church of Corinth ſay of me, an Idiot, a plain, down-right, homely-ſpoken Perſon; or ſay, that I be not ſo eloquent in my Speech as ſome of them, my words not ſo pickt, my Phraſe ſo choiſe, my Compoſitions ſo ſmooth, my Cadences ſo ſweet, my Style ſo flouriſhing as theirs, for want whereof they condemn me; yet, ſaith he, my Knowledg is not ſhort of theirs, who are rude in Knowledge though not in Speech, the Truth is, St. Paul was able to play the Oratour when need required as excellently as any of thoſe that did oppoſe him; as appears by ſundry paſſages in the Acts, as Chap. 24.10. & 26.2. He was a Maſter of Speech, inſomuch that the Lycaonians called him Mercury, Acts 14.12. And undoubtedly they deal very injuriouſly with the Apoſtle, who cenſure him for rude Elocution, and Unskilfulneſs in Grammar-Learning. He was p. 24indeed a down-right Miniſter;Heir. Epiſt. ad Ageſ. Perer. Diſput. 2. in Epiſt. ad Roman. Orig. adver. Cellius. lib. 3. he preached plainly as well as powerfully; his Matter was lofty; his Language low and ordinary. He that reads the Apoſtle well (ſaith Origen) will wonder that ſuch excellent matter is found in ſuch plainneſs; or, if he wonder not he will ſhew himſelf ridiculous. The Reaſon why he uſed ſuch plainneſs in Preaching, he himſelf gives, 1 Cor. 1.17. Chriſt ſent me to peach the Goſpel, not with Wiſdom of words; that is, not in the Pomp and vain Oſtentation of eloquent Speech, which falſe Teachers ſo much affect, leſt the Croſs of Chriſt ſhould be of none effect; that is, leſt thereby he ſhould obſcure the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and ſeem rather to gain that way than by the plain Simplicity of the laying forth of the Sufferings of Chriſt: And this was St. Paul's manner of Preaching; which Auſtin wiſhed, that he had lived to have heared.

And now that we have mentioned that ancient Father, let us hear what his Judgment was in reference to the Point in hand, of a Miniſter's applying himſelf to the Capacity of the Hearer; for he affirmeth, That for the avoiding of Ambiguities, and the better Underſtanding of the People; vulgar Speech is more profitable than an eloquent Style:Aug. de Gen. ad Manich. For that the uſual and common Phraſe of Speech learned men underſtand; but the other, unlearned men many times underſtand not. In regard whereof it was, that he himſelf uſed ſometimes barbarous Latine,Aug. de Doct. Chr. lib. 2. c. 11. Aug. in Pſal. 138. M…lius eſt ut nos reprehendant Grammatici, &c. Aug. de Doct. Chr. l. 4. c. 14. Vives l. 2. & …. de tra. Diſcip.Ps 138 and ſometimes words not Latine, to the end that thoſe to whom he ſpake or wrote, might underſtand him; as where the Text is, Non eſt abſconditum a te Os meum, he had rather ſay Oſſum meum than Os, deſiring his People's Profit more than his own Credit: And it repented him much, for that when he was young he had preached more, ut placeret quam ut doceret, to pleaſe than profit; and adviſeth that it might be the work of an eloquent man, ſo to preach that he may be heard with Underſtanding, Willingneſs, and Obedience.

Hierom is much commended, quod ubi que non ſit aeque Latinus, that he is not alwayes alike choiſe of his words. Bernard ſaith, that it is better apta than alta ſapere: And Luther was wont to ſay, that he is the beſt Preacher that preacheth vulgariter, trivialiter, maxime que ad populi captum, vulgarly, plainly, and deſcends chiefly to the Capacity of his Auditory; otherwiſe, if the Hearer believe not, the fault is to be laid more on the Preacher's Tongue, than on the Hearer's Ear.

p. 25Yet his may not ſo be underſtood, as if Miniſters were to be careleſs how they deliver their Maſter's meſſage; for as they may not dote on Curioſities, ſo Barbariſm is to be deteſted: Eloquente well becomes a Preacher, ſo it be maternal, and ſuch as becomes the Gravity of the Word: Who was more eloquent than Job. Solomon, Iſay? as appears by their Writings: And what Writings are more ſublimely elegant than the Sacred Scriptures?Acts and Monum. fol. 1782. Mr. Fox ſpeaking of Rogers and Bradford (thoſe bleſſed Martyrs) ſaith, that it was hard to ſay whether there were more force of Eloquence and Utterance in their Preaching, or more Holineſs in their Life and Converſation. And yet we may not put too high an Eſtimate on humane Eloquence, or make any ſhew thereof, to the obſcuring of the Goſpel. It is a good Art to hide Art (as one ſpeaketh), and ſo to deliver deep Points in a holy plainneſs;Artis eſt celare Artem. and plain Points in a holy Delightfulneſs; that the weakeſt Underſtanding may comprehend the higheſt Points, and gain ſome Knowledg; and the higheſt Underſtanding may not be weary to hear ordinary Doctrines, nor think their time ill-beſtowed that is ſo ſpent. Thus the Tongue of the Wiſe ſhall uſe Knowledg aright, as Solomon ſpeaketh, Prov. 15.2. and the whole Audience ſhall be ſerved, as were Joſeph's Brethren in Pharoah's Houſe, the Eldeſt according to his Age, and the Youngeſt according to his Youth, Gen. 43.33. And thus you have heard ſomething of what concerns us: Now hear a little of what concerns you.

Ʋſe 2 There is utterly a Fault amongſt you, 1 Cor. 6.7. Herod in Melpon.1 Cor 6:7as the Apoſtle ſaith in another Caſe, ſo ſay I in this; for ſome of you, when you come to the hearing of the Word, bring with you ſo curious and delicate an Ear, that if the Preacher fill not the Pulpit with fine words, gariſh and gawdy Paintings, if he enter-lace not every Sentence in his Sermon, with other Tongues than plain Engliſh-men can underſtand, and ſtuff them not with extraordinary conceipts and tricks of Wit, then is that man it their eſteem an unlearned Man, a homely Teacher, an Engliſh Doctor: No Sermons are eſteemed Sermons with them, but thoſe that are indeed no Sermons; for, of ſuch Sermons that are ſo ſtuffed with ſoaring Phraſes, and numerous Poets, and Fathers Greek and Latine, we may ſay, as Herodotus doth of the head of Oneſilus, that it is empty of Brains, and ſound ſolid matter which makes to the Edification of the People, and inſtead thereof, p. 26of, it is filled with Hony-combs to pleaſe a wanton Palate. Theſe think themſelvs no ſmall Babes; yet like Children, they take more delight in the gilded out-ſide of a Book, and to look upon the Gayes and Pictures that are therein, than to learn the good Leſſons and wholſome Inſtructions thereof: They are childiſh, like Children, who reſpect more the Lace on the Goat than the Cloth which muſt hide their Nakedneſs, and keep them warm. But, as to the one, the Coat is no Coat without Lace upon it; ſo to the other a Sermon is no Sermon without Inventions of delectation, being more deſirous to have their Ears tickled than their Souls edified.

We read, that when Jacob's Sons returned with their Sacks full of Corn from Aegypt, as they emptied their Sacks, every man's Mony wa found in the mouth of their Sacks, and when both they and their Father ſaw the Bundles of Mony, they were afraid, Gen. 42.35. Queſtionleſs, they would have been better pleaſed and leſs aſtoniſhed, if they had not found theſe Bundles amongſt their Corn; not would Jacob diſliked that Corn which his Sons brought any whit the more, had not Silver been in the Mouth of the Sacks: Why then ſhould any Hearer diſlike wholeſome Doctrine that is brought to feed hungry Souls, albeit there be not Gold in the Miniſter's mouth, to feed the humour of a wanton Auditor? I could wiſh that you would be more in Love with plain Song, and leſs with Crotchets.

There are others amongſt us in the other Extream, who bring to the hearing of the Word a rude Ruſtical Ear; no Preaching ſhall be liked by them, wherein there is any thing ſmelling of the Lamp; no Preacher approved that makes any Shew of Wit and Art in any of his Labours, thinking it impoſſible for the Miſtreſs and the Hand-maid to agree together: All muſt come without Study or Meditation. A Sermon premeditated, is, in their Judgments, to tye the Holy Ghoſt unto an Ink-horn, and to confine it within the bounds of a ſandy Hour-glaſs; Let them hear a Sermon of God's own making, and not of Man's compoſing; Turn the Cock and let it run: Such as ſo preach (they ſay) preach in the Evidence of the Spirit and Demonſtration of Power. But will you call thoſe, Sermons, that come forth like untimely Births, from rude and uncircumciſed Lips? Every Sound is not Muſick; nor all Speaking p. 27Preaching, (as thoſe ſeem to hold, who will ask of their Nighbour, Who ſpake to day?) Chriſt ſpake, and ſaid: It is one thing to ſpeak (as was ſhewed you), and another thing to ſay. As there is a difference betwixt ſaying a Prayer and praying a Prayer; a wicked man may do the one, but not the other: So there is a difference betwixt Speaking a Sermon and ſaying of it; he that preacheth rudely and rawly, ſpeaks; but he that delivers his Meſſage plainly and gravely, and explicates his Doctrine profitably and perſpicuouſly and applies all wiſely and ſolidly to the Capacity & Underſtanding of his Auditory, as our Saviour did here, he both ſpeaks and ſayes.

Solomon, who was the wiſeſt and learnedeſt Preacher of all Mortals, confeſſeth (and that without diſgrace unto himſelf), that he ſtudied for his Sermons, and ſought out acceptable words, or words delight (as the Hebrew hath it); and that becauſe the Preacher was wiſe, Eccleſ. 12.9, 10. He ſaith not, The wiſe Preacher ſought out acceptable and pleaſing words; but, in his Wiſdom he ſought them out, becauſe he was wiſe: As who would ſay, he had been, and others would ſhew themſelvs to be, no other than fooliſh Preachers, if they imagined that any other would be words of Salvation, beſides thoſe which were words of delight; that is, ſuch words as may procure an Underſtanding, and beget a willing and obedient Attention; otherwiſe no delight can be taken in them: And ſuch words muſt be ſought out by Study, Meditation, and Prayer. Daniel was a great Prophet, and one of the Worthies of the World; yet he deſired ſome time for the Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, Dan. 2.16. Is the Scripture leighter than a Dream, that it ſhould be interpreted without Meditation and Study? John Baptiſt went before Chriſt, to prepare His wayes: ſo muſt our Heart go before our Tongue, to prepare our words: And yet with theſe men, every ſudden, confuſed, and undigeſted Diſcourſe, is the down-right and ſimple Preaching of the Goſpel, when it may be rather termed, down-right Profaneſs. To preach ſimply, in St. Paul's ſenſe, is not to preach raſhly, and unlearndly, but plainly and perſpicuouſly, which cannot be without Study.

Object. But did not the ancient Fathers (ſay ſome), and thoſe in the Primitive times, preach frequently, divers dayes together without Intermiſſion? p. 28as appears by their Homilies and Sermons extant: Yeſterday you heard this or that; ſo Chryſoſtom begins many of his Homilies upon Geneſis: And Bernard ends many of his Sermons with Cras, To morrow we ſhall proceed, &c. Auſtin preached thrice in one day,Aug. Tom. 10. Part. 2. ad fratres in Eremo. Ser. 33. Baſil Hom. 2. de Baptiſmo. and one of thoſe Sermons which he then preached was preached upon a ſudden Occaſion, an heavy Accident, which that day had hapned. Baſil preached his two Sermons upon the ſix dayes Work, and had but that Morning for Meditation; and ſometime he preached extemporally: What time then had theſe men for Meditation?

Reaſon. That theſe ancient Fathers were very frequent in preaching we deny not, by which frequency they attained ſuch a happy readineſs (ſaith a very Godly and Reverend Divine),Bolton his Saints ſure and perpetual Guide p. 210. and ſo enriched themſelvs with a heavenly Store, that they were able to bring out of their Treaſury things both new and old, upon very ſhort warning, upon any Occaſion. Yet there is ſomewhat more to be taken notice of; for as the Perſons were very able that then preached the Word, and could ſay much; ſo the People in thoſe times were very ignorant, and were capable but of little:Dr. Donn, 1 Vol. Ser. 33. oun Whi…ond. But in theſe dayes the Capacity of the Hearer requires matter of more Labour and Study. Then the Sermon that were preached were ordinarily very ſhort and the Texts which they made choice of, were many times very long: Sometimes the Epiſtle for the day, ſomtimes the Goſpel, and ſomtimes the Pſalm before the Sermon, was made choice of for the Text; ſo that a Paraphraſe upon the Text would make a Sermon, and that required not much Study. No man (ſaid a learned Doctor of our own) will think that we have abler Preachers than they had in thoſe times; yet no man will doubt but that we have learneder and more capable Auditories and Congregations than theirs were: Nor will our Auditories and Congregations reſt ſatisfied with ſuch Preaching, as Hearers in thoſe times were well-contented with; ſo that their practice is no preſident nor pattern, for our times to do the like: And ſo we paſs from the Introduction to the Parable it ſelf.

Text. The Ground of a certain Rich Man brought forth fruit plentifully, &c.]

In this Parabolical Narration (for ſo we may conceive it to be), we have, the part Propounding, and the pare Applying, conſiderable.

p. 29In the Propounding part we have, the Perſon ſpoken of, and the Relation that is made of him.

The Perſon is ſet forth, 1. By his Style or Titles. 2. By his Lands and Poſſeſſions.

His Title are, 1. Common, A certain Man. 2. More proper, and belonging to him; He was a Rich Man, as all other were not: Of theſe firſt.

A certain Man,]

Man, is an Appellative common to all, both of better ſort and inferiour Rank. In put Engliſh Tongue, we have but that one Name for both ſorts; but in other Languages, as in Hebrew, Greek, and Latine, we have two. The Hebrews ſtyle Man, ſometimes Adam, and ſometimes Iſhi, and Iſh is more than Adam; Adam ſignifieth a Man of Earth, but Iſh importeth ſuch a one as hath in him Fire, Life, and Spirit. The Greeks ſtyle Man, ſometimes Anthropos, and ſometimes Anir, and they differ much; for Anthropos ſignifieth, an ordinary man, and one of no Account; but Anir notes one of more than ordinary Place and Worth. The Latines likewiſe have two words, whereby they diſtinguiſh between one and another, Vir and Homo; and Vir is more than Homo, it notes one of Vertue und Proweſs; but Homo, a man of mean diſcent and Parentage one of low Condition. Now the word here uſed in the Greek is not foreign, but foreign, as if he were a man of the Vulgar ſort, and one of no eſteem or account: A Style,foreign. however it may be thought too far beneath him, being ſo very Rich, yet it is better than he deſerved; for his words and carriage diſcovered more of the Beaſt than Man in him (as hereafter you may hear). What other particular Name this man had is not diſcovered unto us, nor yet his habitation and place of Dwelling. A Worldling he was; and the World is reſembled to the Moon, Revel. 12.1. and, Why may we not imagine him then to be the Man in the Moon? Sure it is, that he was over Head and Eats in Love with it.

Queſt. But, Why is he not named, and his Dwelling particularly mentioned?

Anſw. It is a Parable ſaith our Evangeliſt, and in that ſenſe it is a Story feigned by our Saviour: As if he ſhould ſay unto his Hearers, Imagine that a man were very Rich, and had great Crops; ſo that he had not Room enough where to bellow that he had, and he ſhould do p. 30thus and thus, &c. And thus underſtanding it, it would make little or nothing to our Saviour's drift and purpoſe, to tell his Name of place of Dwelling.

If we take it as a Real, Hiſtorical Parable, as we ſafely may, that ſuch a one there was indeed, a notable Worldling, who did bleſs himſelf in the Multitude of his Riches; and, in the midſt of his abundance, whileſt he cryed, Peace, Peace, unto his Soul, had that Soul taken from him by ſudden Death: then we may conceive, he is not named; for that, being a wretched Worldling, Chriſt holds him not worth the naming. Putting all together that hath been ſaid, this will be the Reſult.

Doctr. A Worldling is a Man worthleſs, and of no eſteem with God.

There is an obſervable Paſſage to this purpoſe, Ruth. 4 2. Ruth had a very near Kinſman, who was moved by Boaz concerning the Redemption of Elimelech's Land (who was Naomi's deceaſed Husband), and he, according to the Law, in redeeming of the Land was to take Ruth to Wife, who was the Widdow of one of Naomi's Sons. The Land indeed did belong to Naomi, and whom the Kinſman by the Law of God ſhould have married,Deut. 25.6, 7.Deut 25:6Deut 25:7 to preſerve the Name of the dead; but Naomi being too old to marry, and to bear Children, Ruth her Daughter in Law, being young, was to ſupply the defect of Naomi; and ſhe, when the Land was to be redeemed, muſt alſo be married to the Kinſman; The buſineſs is propounded by Boaz (who was another of Naomi's Kinſman, but farther off) unto him; but obſerve how the Holy Ghoſt expreſſeth it, The Kinſman of Boaz came by, as he was ſitting at the Gate, unto whom he ſaid, Hoc, Such a one, turn aſide, ſit down here. It cannot be thought but that Boaz gave him his Name and Title, when he called him; but, whatever Boaz, did, the Spirit of God will not mention his Name; for that he was a covetous Worldling, and loved his own Inheritance better than God's Command; refuſing to redeem the Land which he was able enough to do (yea, and willing too, ſo that he might not marry the young Woman, leſt his Charge ſhould be encreaſed): Therefore the Scripture onelyonly makes this mention of him, Hoe, Such a one. God would not that his Sacred Leavs ſhould be blotted with the Name of ſuch a Covetous Wretch.

p. 31And our Saviour in that Parable which he propounded of the rich Glutton and poor Beggar, (which was not a Parable only, but a Narration or Story of a thing real, albeit ſomething therein is Parabolical); in ſpeaking of the Epicure, he name him not; home quidam is his ſtyle, albeit he was cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared ſumptuouſly every day? When the Beggar mentioned, albeit he was full of Soares and Botches, hath his Name recorded in words at length; he is named Lazarus, Luke 16.19, 20. intimating thereby, the high reſpect that God hath of a godly Beggar, above a rich Worldling, be he never ſo great.

Dedignation and Indignation, Scorn and Anger, we know will not give a man his Name: The Son of Jemini, ſaith David of Shemei, in contempt and ſcorn. The Son of Jeſſe, ſaid Saul of David, 2 Sam. 16.11. 1 Sam. 20.27. Gen. 37.19 Matth. 12.24, & 26, 61. Joh. 7.11. Luke 6.22. Acts and Mon▪ fol. 82….2 Sam 16:111 Sam 20:27Gen 37:19Matt 12:24Matt 26:61John 7:11Luke 6:22in anger and indignation. See this Dreamer cometh, ſaid Joeph's Brethren of him; ſuch was their ſpite and ſpleen towards him, that they could not call him by his name. The Phariſees termed Chriſt, This Fellow: And the Jews ſeeking Chriſt at the Feaſt, ask, Where is He? they could not find in their hearts to ſay, Where is Jeſus: So Chriſt tells his Diſciples, That men ſhall, in hatred of them, caſt out their Names for evil for his ſake. Thus the Perſecutors of Stephen Brune, Martyr, after his Death made Proclamation, that none ſhould make any mention of him under pain of Hereſy: And ſo do the Papiſts at this day deal with the Name of Calvin. Now God doth abhorr and hate the Covetous, Pſal. 10.3. And is angry with him, every day he ſmites his hands at him, Ezek 22.13.ubicun que invenitur nomen. Calvini, deleatur. Index Expurg. alluding to mens practice, who uſe to ſmite their hands together when they are much incenſed and provoked; nay, he ſmites him with his hands, Eſay 57.17. For the iniquity of his Covetouſneſs, I was wroth and ſmote him. Thus God being angry with them, and ſcorning of them, it is no marvail if he vouchſafe not once to name them.

Ʋſe 1 It is a great folly (then) in any, to imagine that in being rich and wealthy, they ſhall attain to repute and credit amongſt men: This is that which puts on many ſo eagerly and greedily to ſeek after the World, (for I am perſwaded, that few worldlings can propound to themſelves any well grounded expectation of good to their Souls, or help to their Bodies, by their heaping up of earthly Treaſures; only in this, Nomen potius quàm omen quaeritur (ſaith one), by their wealth and riches they think to advance their Names, and heighthen p. 32their Reputation, which is the greateſt comfort and content that they can take in their ſuperfluous abundance, or hope to have. And hence it is, That many will ſeem to the World to have them that have them not: They will be ſure to make a fair outſide, and appear to be rich, albeit they be nothing leſſe; according to that of Solomon, Prov. 13.7. there is that maketh himſelf rich, yet hath nothing.

Hence it is, that they will be fiſhing in all Waters with a golden hook, and try all Baits: And with the expert Fiſher (that fiſheth with the fly) have flyes of all ſorts, that may ſuit with every ſeaſon; Nabal's flye ſhall be the great Feaſt he makes at his Sheep-Shearing, that he may be reputed bountiful and liberal; Abſolom's ſly ſhall be the flattering of his Fathers Subjects, that all might extol the young Prince, and wiſh him in his Fathers Throne. Jeſabel fiſheth with a painted fly,Acts 12.21, 22.Acts 12:21Acts 12:22 to allure her Lovers: Herod with a gay golden flye, royal Apparrel Cloth, of Silver, ſaith Joſephus; which being beaten upon by the Sun beams, ſo dazled the Beholders eyes, that it drew from them that blaſphemous Acclamation; It is the Voice of a God, and not of a Man. And when they have taken with theſe Baits, and have beſt ſport; may we not truly ſay, They have fiſhed and caught a fool? for, wiſe men cannot be taken with ſuch flyes as theſe.

There are indeed a company of Sycophants and Flatterers in the World, who will fawn upon the wealthy, and follow after with cap and knee, and crouch and crindge before ſuch, as the Spaniel doth unto his Maſter for a bone, &c. But will you count this Credit, to be licked with a Sycophants rankling Tongue, ſaith One? and to be followed by a company of Hangbyes, that run after you with cap in hand crying out, Good your Worſhip, &c? If you call this Credit, and if this be the repute you ſpeak of and ſeek after, it may indeed be obtained by wealth. But yet know, that the Flame that is derived from Fools, is in Fancy; Nor is that Pageant of crindges and faces which is acted by them, intended to thee; but to thy gay Coat, and ſtuffed or well-lined Pouch: which is a Credit and Honour, much like to that which the Egyptians ſhewed to the Aſs, that carried their gods upon his Back, which when the ſilly Aſs grew proud of, he was told, That it was to Us, not to Thee, that this Honour was given;Non ti…i ſed Iſidi. when theſe trinkets are taken off, thou muſt p. 33look to be turned into a dirty Stable with a kick in ſcorn;Jer. 22.18, 19.Jer 22:18Jer 22:19 when death comes, all thy wealth muſt be left behind, and thou buried with the burial of an Aſs, without any lamentation made for thee; thy Name ſhall rot, and be no more had in rememberance; o… if it be mentioned, it ſhall be with loathing and deteſtation: yea, and of thoſe thou thinkeſt thy ſelf now to be had in Honour, thou wilt in the end be eſteemed vile; none will be more ready to blaze thy faults to thy diſgrace, and to deride and ſcorn thee, than thoſe who now ſlatter thee. And this is all that thy wealth can procure to thy Name; Neither God, nor good Men, will eſteem ever the better of thee, ſimply for thy riches.

Ʋſe 2 And as the folly of thoſe is to be reproved, who hope, by heaping up wealth, to gain themſelves Credit, being otherwiſe graceleſs: So they are no leſs to be taxed, who bleſs the covetous in their hearts; whom the Lord abhorreth. It is ſtrange to ſee how apt men are,Pſal. 10.3. Exod. 32.Ps 10:3Exod 32 with the Idolatrous, to fall down and worſhip a golden Calf; Let a man be as very a Churl, as Nabal of mount Carmel; As fooliſh as Rehoboam, who was the fooliſhneſs of the People; As vain-glorious as Haman; As baſely covetous as Veſpaſian, who laid an Impoſt upon the Excrements of the People of Rome: Let him be as full of ill qualities, as Naaman was of the Leprous ſpots; yet if he be rich and wealthy, him we Idolize as a god, him we bleſs, him we magnify and extol; nay, are ready to ſay, with thoſe to Chriſt, Bleſſed is the Womb that bare thee, and the Papes that gave thee ſuck. Albeit the Eye of Heaven ſcorns them, and eſteems them vile, preferring the pooreſt Beggar full of Boyls and Botches, having Grace in his heart, before ſuch worldlings with their Golden Fleeces.

Say no more of a wicked worldling, He is a man of great worth and worſhip, his Rents, Revenews, and Commings-in, are ſo much by the year; He is a great monied man, a landed man, one of the beſt of his Rank and Quality in the whole Country; A Gentleman's, or an Alderman's Fellow, a Knight's Companion, &c. All this may be, yet if he be graceleſs, he is worthleſs in God's eſteem, and in the eſteem of all good men: And the Scriptures which put a juſt Valuation upon things, eſteem of all theſe things but as droſs, and puteth ſuch men in loweſt form, and amongſt the meaneſt rank of men, and tell us whoſe Fellows they are, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. There you have them placed, that are worldly and covetous, in the midſt p. 34of a damned Crew, and crowded upon both ſides with Fornicators, Idolators, Adulterers, Abuſers of themſelves with Mankind, Theeves, Drunkards, Revilers, Extortioners, and ſuch Companions as the World cryes ſhame upon, and with whom we are charged to keep no Company, 1 Cor. 5.11. Covetouſneſneſs is ſuch a Vice, that it ſhould not be once named amongſt us, ſaith the Apoſtle, without deteſtation, Eph. 5.3. When we ſpeak of filthy and uncomly things (ſaith a judicious and grave Divine of our Time);Dr. Jones Com. in Heb. p. 616. we uſe to do it with a Preface, ſaving your Reverence, &c. So in ſpeaking of theſe earthly muck-worms, and worldly-minded perſons, be they never ſo great in the World's Eye; it will not be amiſs to uſe the like Preface, ſuch a one is a very rich man: yet, ſaving your reverence, he is a very Earth-worm, and a covetous Miſer. Being graceleſs, they are worthleſs in God's eſteem, ſo let them be in thine.

Ʋſe 3 And let me leave a word or two with you, whoſe minds are wholly ſet upon the Earth (and that by way of Exhortation). My Text here ſtyles thee Man, (albeit one of the meaneſt and loweſt ranck); Now there is ſomething in this name Man, that bids thee to look up, and leave groveling here like the Swine upon the Earth: Thou art called foreign, Man, from looking up on high, ſaith Plato: foreign à ſur ſum aſpiciendo. Os homini ſublime dedit caelum que tueri. O vid.and there are four Cauſes as he ſhews of man's upright Poſture. The Efficient is God, The Formal is the power of the Soul, The Material is the ſtraitneſs of the backbone, The Final is to contemplate high and holy things. The very aſpect of Man being made and fitted to look upwards towards Heaven, doth demonſtrate to what end the Soul was given; Every animated Creature bea…s, in the Figure of the Body, the mark of the value of its Soul: Amongſt Beaſts, they that are made of moiſt matter, and are moſt earthly, hang their heads moſt downward; the Soul of a Hogg is earthieſt, being extended in the Body, not to fit him for any handſome action, but only ſerves as brine ſo keep him from putrefaction: and his look alſo is moſt debaſed and dejected, having his eyes under his belly, as it were, and his Noſe is alwayes rooting in the Ground. So that, as Plutarch ſaith, If he ſhould be turned upon his back, and conſtrained to ſee the Sky, he would be amazed at the novelty of the ſight: If there be any ſparke of ingenuity left in thee, this conſideration ſhould move thee to mind Heaven more, and the Earth leſs: Is it not a ſhame, that whilſt the eyes of thy Body ſurvey and peruſe the Sky p. 35and glorious Lamps of Heaven, the eyes of thy Soul ſhould ſee nothing but dirt and dung: Like the Kite, which whilſt ſhe ſoares aloft, hath her eye ſtill upon Carrion, that is caſt out upon the Dunghill: Or as Bernard ſpeaks, To have a crook-backt Soul in a ſtraitbackt Body? Lo this only have I found ſaith Solomon, that God made man upright (or ſtrait both in body and mind),Eccleſ. 7.29. Is qui ficlitus eſt homo differt ab eo quem Deus f…cit. Philo l. 1. legis Allegor.Eccl 7:29 but he hath ſought out many inventions (or fictions of his own). That man which is fained, differeth from him which God made, ſaith Philo; Man is made of himſelf a fained man, it conſiſting in the fained invention of his own wayes: And amongſt all imaginary fictions, there is none that doth diſcover more Beaſt in Man, then this baſe ſordid and covetous fiction, Pſal. 49.6, 11, 12, 17, 20. 2 Pet. 2, 12, 14. Beaſts they are that exerciſe themſelves in covetous practiſes; and ſuch Beaſts as are to be taken and deſtroyed, whoſe throats are for the knife, as the Hogg and Swine, which Beaſt of all other the Worldling doth moſt reſemble, both for his feeding, rooting, and unprofitable living; It is never good, we ſay, till the knife comes to the throat. But we ſhall ſay no more at preſent of that: Come we now to the more proper title belonging to this Man.

A Rich Man.]

There are two ſorts of rich men; ſome rich in this World, rich in Goods, yet poor in Grace: Others rich in reference to another World, that are poor in this. This the Apoſtle intimates, 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this World: which the Apoſtle would not have ſaid (as Auſtin ſheweth),Aug. Serm. de temp. if there were not ſome truly Rich that are not Rich in this World. And our Saviour thu… diſtinguiſheth of them in the Reddition of this Parable, ver. 21. (of which we ſhall ſpeak more in due place). This Rich man here ſpoken of, was a worldly Rich man: And of theſe that are worldly Rich, there are ſeveral degrees.

Some are Rich in Superfluity, theſe are called in Scripture mighty men of Wealth, as 2 Kings 15.20. and ſaid to be men of great Eſtate, Eccleſ. 1.16. and to poſſeſſe multitude of Riches, Pſal. 49.6. and to have abundance of them, Pſal. 52.7. and great Revenues Prov. 16.8. Of this rank of rich men were thoſe mentioned, Luke 21.1, 4. who out of their abundance caſt in Gifts into the Treaſury.

Others are Rich in Competency, having enough, not only for p. 36neceſſities of Nature, but likewiſe to maintain their Place, and State, Quality, and Calling; a ſufficiency they have of all Temporal Bleſſings, albeit not that infinite and overflowing ſuperabundance which the other have. And of this rank, thoſe wealthy men may be thought to be, who in the Goſpel are called Rich Neighbours, Luke 14.12. who being invited to a Feaſt, are able to invite again.

And others there are who are rich in Mediocrity, living in a golden mean, between plenty and penury, being neither eminently rich, nor miſerably poor (the eſtate that Augur deſired of God, Prov. 30.8, 9.) Theſe have a ſufficiency whereby to ſubſiſt, and to ſupport themſelves in regard of neceſſity of Life; but ſometimes in reſpect of the neceſſity and exigence of their ſtate, they may ſtand in need of their wealthy Neighbour, who hath abundance and ſuperfluity; and borrow aſſiſtance and ſupportation from him at a pinch,1 Joh. 3.17. foreign.1 John 3:17 whereby they may be upheld in their honeſt Courſe and Calling. And to this rank may be referred thoſe who have ſome ſmall Cottage and Tenement of their own, and a little Stock, and an honeſt Calling to live by; theſe enjoy the World's Good, though not in ſuch abundance as either of the former ſorts, and may be truly ſaid to be rich; for that they have wherewith to maintain themſelves and theirs comfortably, in that Calling and State of Life in which God hath ſet them: This ſaith Seneca, Pauper e…im non eſt cui rerum ſuppetit uſus.is the firſt degree of Riches, To have what is neceſſary: The next is, To have what is enough: The laſt, To have ſuperfluity, and more then enough; and of this rank was this rich man here mentioned. Give me leave to ſtop a little, and commend hence unto you this general Obſervation.

Doct. All men are not alike for outward eſtate.

Mens outward eſtates are ſo ordered by God's providence, that ſome are rich and ſome poor: And amongſt the rich, ſome are wealthier than other, and of greater eſtate than others.

It is a Point that needs not much confirmation; yet we ſhall produce a Text or two to back it, 1 Sam. 2.7, 8. The Lord maketh Poor and maketh Rich (ſaith Hannah); he bringeth low, and raiſeth up; he raiſeth up the Poor out of the Duſt, and lifteth up the Beggar from the Dunghill, to ſet him amongst Princes, and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory. All this He doth; So Prov. 22.2. The Rich and the Poor meet together, The Lord is the Maker of them alt. A p. 37difference in Eſtate there is betwixt men in this World; yet the diſparity is not ſuch, but that in many things they meet and are alike; as, in the Womb they meet, being alike conceived, formed, and brought forth; in Nature they meet, being both reaſonable Creatures, conſiſting of Soul and Body; in Life they meet, both breathing the ſame Aire, and nouriſhed in the ſame manner; they meet, ſometimes in the Church, ſometimes in the Street, ſometimes about this buſineſs, ſometimes about that; and in God they meet, He being the ſame Lord who giveth them both that Form and Shape, that Nature and Life they have; for he is the Maker of them all: It is He, and not their care and pains, that hath made the Rich: It is he, and not their hard Fortune, that hath made the Poor; and that God, who hath made all men, can make any, though never ſo diſtant in Condition, yet to meet in the ſame Eſtate.

This Variety of Eſtates and Conditions David mentions, Pſal. 49.1, 2. Hear this all ye People, give ear all ye Inhabitants of the World; both low and high, rich and poor together. And that Parable propounded by our Saviour, Luke 14.8. confirms the Point, When thou art bidden of any man to a Feaſt, ſit not down in the higheſt place, leſt a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him, &c. that is, one of higher Ranck and Quality; ſo then, there are degrees amongſt men, and amongſt Rich men too; ſome in higher place than others, and had in more honourable eſteem than others, in reſpect of their outward State and Condition.

Reaſ. 1 In this Inequality much of God's Wiſdom appears to the Sons of men, for as he ſhews himſelf herein to be a free Donor (giving to whom he liſts, and as he liſts), ſo a wiſe diſpoſer of theſe earthly things: For, as there is a great variety in the inward abilities of mens minds, and outward ſtatures of mens bodies; ſo accordingly, he thinks it fit that there ſhould be a difference in mens outward Eſtates, ſuitable to their abilities;Mat. 25.Matt 25 not dealing herein as the Tyrant Procruſtes did, who made but one Bed to fit all Paſſengers (for if they were too long for his Bed he would cue them ſhorter; and if they were too ſhort for it, he would lengthen them out with their own Fleſh): But He ſuits each one with a Bed according to his ſtature, diſpoſing of theſe outward things after ſuch a manner, and in ſuch a proportion, that men maybe enabled to do good to others, and receive good from others; and that the Rich (as p. 38Ambroſe ſaith) might have Praemium Benignitatis, the Recompence of their Bounty, in ſupplying the Wants of the Poor; and that he might crown the Poor Merce de Patientiae, with the Reward of their Patience.

Reaſ. 2 Again, Were there not an Inequality, What would follow but Diſorder and Confuſion, both in Church and State? and every man would do what he liſt: You may find this daily amongſt us; when men of Equality meet, and have very leight Occaſions offered, How ſcornfully do they carry themſelvs each towards other? I am as good as you; as well bred and born: I care not for you; no more beholding to you than you to me,See my Expoſition on that Parable of Luke 7.40. p. 38.Luke 7:40 &c. Were all the Strings of an Inſtrument of the ſame bigneſs, and wound up to the ſame height, you can expect but ſorry Muſick. God is the God of Order, and not of Confuſion, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 14.33.

Uſe 1 Let us therefore praiſe God for this provident hand of His, it tending to the Preſervation of Peace amongſt us; and let our Prayers be put up to Heaven, for the preſerving and upholding of this Inequality both of Perſons and Eſtates: God could, if he would, either have made mens Eſtates more equall, as having plenty of Spirit, ſo plenty of Wealth; or elſe have given every one ſufficient of his own, ſo that he ſhould not ſtand in need of another: But it is his good Will and Pleaſure to have it otherwiſe, as the Apoſtle ſhews at large, 1 Cor. 12. As for thoſe Rhymes, ſo uſuall in the Mouths of many, When Adam digg'd and Eve ſpan, Who was then the Gentleman? They were in all likelihood (ſaith one) made in Watt Tyler's Camp;Dr. John White, at the Croſs on 1 T…m. 2.1. and there wants not ſome of the ſame Camp at this day amongſt us, who like no Tune ſo well as that. The Lord keep us from coming under their Oak of Reformation, and falling into Leveller's handling; who, when they have done all that they can, yet neither they, nor all men in the World, ſhall be able to make all equal, unleſs they can make all men of like Stature in Body; A tall Saul, to be equal with little Paul.

Uſe 2 And let us be further admoniſhed from hence, That we take heed of murmuring againſt God's Providence, in diſpoſing thus unequally of our outward Eſtates, or of evnying and repining at any that are above us in ſtate or place; a thing that we are very prone unto, and therefore the greater care ought to be had, leſt any of us become guilty of ſo foul a fault.

p. 39We read in the Goſpel of ſome Labourers, who having received their full pay for their day's Work, yet murmured againſt the Maſter of the Houſe; for that he had given unto ſome who laboured but one hour in his Vineyard, as he had given unto them, who had born the burthen and heat of the day, Mat. 20.11. And ſuch there are amongſt us, who g…udg to ſee their Neighbours thrive and proſper in Wealth, when they themſelvs, who take more pains, riſing up early; and going to Bed late, eating the Bread of Sorrow, and drinking the Wine of Care; yet go ſlowly on, and can hardly ſubſiſt and maintain themſelves and Families by their Labours. But for the quieting of the Spirits of theſe, and ſuppreſſing of all ſuch murmuring and repining thoughts, let theſe things be pondered on.