and put a man upon the practise of those Evils which would hardly enter into the heart of man that ever they should be practised by us They wound the Soul with many noysom Lusts as the Apostle sheweth and pierce us thorow with many Sorrows 1 Tim. 6.9 10. Who shall separate us from the Love of God saith the Apostle Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution c So saith the worldly covetous man saith Austin They say in their hearts albeit they say it not in their mouths Quis nos separabit cupiditate Auri Who shall separate us from the love of Gold shall Tribulation or Anguish or Persecution Rom. 8.35 36. or Life or Death Nay they say likewise to their Gold which they make their god Propter te occidimur quotidie For thy sake we are killed all the day long for the love of Riches they stick not to endanger daily both Soul and Body In which respect it is so far from wonder that a rich man should be wicked as that it is to be admired how a rich man should be good Seeing as Clemens Alexandrinus saith Clem. Alex. Padag l. 3. c. 6. It is a matter of as great difficulty to abound with Riches and not abuse them as to float upon the Water and not be ducked Let us now make some useful Application of this Point Vse 1 From what hath been delivered our Judgments may be informed that man's happiness doth not ly in the enjoyment of these nor any such like earthly things as the Heathens held and the World imagines David indeed in one place seemeth to place happiness in worldly prosperity as when our Garners are full affoarding all manner of store and our Sheep brings forth thousands and ten thousands in our Streets when our Oxen are strong to labour and there is no breaking in nor going out nor complaining nor shrieking at the violence of an Enemy Happy is that People saith he that is in such a case Bellar in loc Psal 144.15 But that Speech say some the Psalmist utters in the person of a worldly man who usually saies so therefore the Greek turneth it They count that People blessed which are so and is much like that of Solomon Eccles 2.24 There is nothing better for a man then to eat and drink and to make his Soul enjoy good in his Labour Therefo e he corrects that saying delivering his own judgment therein and opposeth true Happiness unto it yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord. Others take the words as spoken by David in his own person and in reference to the People that live under a peaceable and happy Government who are in some respect happy in the peace of the Kingdom and immunity from the misery of Wars by a Forraign or Domestick Enemy Such a People are happy but that happiness is but a deficient happiness a happiness that is defective albeit in some respect a man may call it happiness but it comes far short of true happiness and therefore David adds yea happy is that People which words are spoken by way of Retractation he seemeth to retract what went before lest worldly men should wrest it to a mis-interpretation 'T is as if he should say Did I say that those were happy who are in such a case Mistake me not for those that are only in such a case are nor compleatly happy whatever the World conceives for true Happiness lies not in outward things but in God no blessedness no happiness can be had without God who is essential Happiness That man's happiness doth not consist in any earthly thing as Riches Honor Pleasures c. might be confirmed by sundry Arguments The glorious Angels of Heaven have not them yet they are happy The end of man is better then man himself but these are worse then man for a man for his Life would give the whole World therefore his happiness does not ly in them Riches are not able to make a man good how then are they able to make a man happy They may denominate a man to be Great and Worshipful but not to be a vertuous or a godly man They are so far from making a man good that they often make him evil and possess the heart with vile affections and fill it full of carnal and sinful desires But I cannot stay upon these things only I desire you to rectify your judgments in this Point think not your selves nor any other ever a whit the more happy simply for Riches Happiness is the end you are to aym at but if all your ayms are at Wealth and think to be happy in the enjoying that you take your aym amiss Our blessed Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount treates of true Happiness Dr. Harris on the Beat. and he sets the Crown of true blessedness upon many things as there you read Matth. 5. he begins with Poverty Blessed are the poor in spirit and so proceeds But you read not there no nor any where else That he saith Blessed are the Rich Blessed are the Wealthy Blessed are the Mighty Blessed are the Witty c. Could you read that in any of his Sermons or in the whole Book of God you might have somewhat to confirm yourselvs in your opinion that you are Happy because Wealthy but that you do not If Gold and Silver be your happiness then your happiness lies in the Earth and so your happiness is nearer Hell then Heaven for Hell is placed in the Deep and Heaven is aloft as we all know and so happiness should be nearer to the Devil than to God Vse 2 From hence likewise the Error of those is to be reproved who think themselves any whit the more beloved of God for these worldly things Contrary to that of Solomon Eccles 9.1 No man can know God's love or hatred by these things Yet such there are who hold themselvs to be only Darlings of Heaven because they are Rich and increased in worldly Wealth Such was the folly of Ephraim as we read Hos 12.8 Yet said Ephraim I am become rich I have found me out substance in all my Labours they shall find none iniquity in me And they prospered wonderously in the increase of these worldly things and carried the matter so closely like crafty and deceitful Merchants as they are said to be ver 7. that in all their Contracts no man could accuse them of any unjust dealing whereupon they blessed themselves in their Estates as if they were the higher in God's favour for that But in so doing Ephraim fed himself with Wind as God saith ver 1. and pleased themselves with vain and idle imaginations of their own for they might get substance and by warrantable means too which they did not and yet be never the more in God's love and favour for that King John What a King of this Realm sometimes said of a Buck which he opened See how fat it is yet it never heard Mass So it
pede Herculem it wants about a Sheet of it's Completion yet let us in no wise call it altogether imperfect because God himself made a full Point or Period by the sudden Death of the Author and with his own hand inscribed FINIS Thine For thy Soul's advantage H Rogers Kelvdon-Hatch July 18. 1662. The Text. Luke 12.16 22. Ver. 16 AND he spake a Parable unto them saying The Ground of a certain Rich man brought forth plentifully Ver. 17. And he thought within himself saying What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Ver. 18. And he said This will I do I will pull down my Barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my Fruits and my Goods Ver. 19. And I will say to my Soul Soul Thou hast much Goods laid up for many years take thine ease Eat drink and be merry Ver. 20. But God said unto him Thou Fool this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee then Whose shall those things be that thou hast provided Ver. 21. So is he that layeth up Treasure for himself and is not Rich towards God A Summary of all the principal Doctrines both Literal and Mystical Collected and Illustrated this Commentary upon the Parable of The Rich Fool. With the several Uses and Applications thereof made Vers 16. And He spake a Parable unto them saying The Ground of a certain Rich man brought forth plentifully Doct. 1. GOd hath spoken to us by his own Son Pag. 6. Use 1. To admire the wonderful Love of God to us under the Gospel above those who lived under the Law ibid. Use 2. Not to despise him that speaks from Heaven 9 Use 3. To honour him above those that lived in those days ibid. Doct. 2. A Sermon against Covetousness is of general Concern 10 Reas Naturally every man iâ— earthly minded ibid. Use 1. To reprove those that think it concerns them not 13 Use 2. To require the Attention of every one 15 Use 3. None to be offended with God's Ministers for Pressing of it 16 Doct. 3. Doctrines delivered may be illustrated by Similitudes and Parables 18 Reas No Teaching conveys the Truth unto us with more delight 19 Use 1. Not to censure Ministers for using helps of Art ibid. Use 2. To bless God that we are taught in so delightfull and familiar a manner 21 Doct. 4. Ministers ought so to speak as that they may be understood ibid. Reas The End of Preaching is the People's profit 22 Use 1. To reprove those Ministers who have mouths but speak not and who speak but say not 23 Use 2. To condemn the Itching ear 25 And the Rustical ear of Hearers 26 Doct. 5. A Worldly man is a worthless man 30 Vse 1. To discover the Folly of those who think to gain Reputation by Riches 31 Vse 2. To tax those who bless the Covetous in their hearts 33 Vse 3. To teach us to look up and leave groveling here like Swine upon the Earth 34 Doct. 6. All men are not alike for outward Estate 36 Reas 1. God's Wisdom appears in this inequality 37 Reas 3. Confusion would follow upon equality 38 Vse 1. To praise God for this provident hand of his ibid. Vse 2. To beware of murmuring against God's Providence ibid. Doct. 7. A man may be very Wealthy and yet very Wicked 40 Reas 1. God is a bountiful and liberal Donor 42 Reas 2. Riches are not absolutely and immutably good 44 Reas 3. They become hinderances of much good and occasions of much evill 45 Vse 1. Of information That Man's Happiness lyes not in earthly enjoyments 46 Vse 2. To reprove those who take Riches for infallible tokens of God's Love 47 Vse 3. To restrain us from an over-eager pursuit of them 50 Doct. 8. The Wicked have a Right to Earthly things as well as the Godly 51 Reas 1. The Earth is the Lord's and he gives it to the Children of Men. 52 Vse 1. To overthrow the Anabaptistioal Community and that of the Family of Love 53 Vse 2. To convince that dangerous Tenet of holding no Tenure but of Grace 54 Vse 3. Of Admonition To take heed how we incroach on other mens Proprieties 55 Doct. 9. The Earth is a fruitful Mother 59 Reas God ordained it to be fruitful at the beginning 60 Vse 1. Of Information Where to lay the Blame of the Earth's Sterility 61 Vse 2. To acknowledge God's Goodnesse to us in the Earth's Encrease 62 Vse 3. To instruct us that we are Earth and stand in need of the Rain of Heaven 65 Doct. 10. Earthly Blessings are given to the Wicked out of a generall way of Providence 65 Vse 1. To learn to distinguish between Blessing and Blessing 66 Vse 2. To look to the Tenure of our Estates 67 Doct. 11. Goods ill-gotten may prove pernicious to the Soul in their Enjoyment 68 Reas The best things abused become evil to him that useth them much more things of an indifferent nature 69 Vse 1. To reprove the folly of those who think there is no danger in Riches well-gotten ibid. Vse 2. Not only to take care of what we have but how we hold what we do enjoy 70 Vers 17. And he thought within himself saying What shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Doct. 1. A Worldly man is a great Accomptant 72 Vse 1. To perswade the Godly to cast up their Accounts as well as the Wicked do theirs ibid. Vse 2. To perswade Worldlings to cast up their Accounts in good earnest 73 Doct. 2. Sin of Thoughts are displeasing unto God as well as Sins of Act. 74 Reas 1. God's Laws and Precepts are violated by them ibid. Reas 2. They were the first Evils that were committed against God both by Angel and Man 75 Reas 3. From the Thoughts of the Heart proceeds the mischief of the Hand ibid. Use 1. To blame the Doctrine of the Church of Rome who hold that Thoughts are veniall 76 Use 2. To convince the Opinion of free Thoughts ibid. Use 3. To cause us to repent of them and be humbled before God for them 79 Use 4. To reform our Thoughts otherwise our Lives cannot be reformed 82 Motives to stir up our Care about our Thoughts 83 84 c. Means whereby our Thoughts may be subdued 91 92. c. Use 5. Comfort for those that sincerely make Conscience of their thoughts 101 Doct. 3. Wicked men proceed with good Advice and mature Deliberation about their Actions 115 Reas They are Reasonable Creatures and have a Discoursive Faculty ibid. Vse 1. To reprove not onely the Worldling but the Children of the Light who come short in this business of the Children of the World 116 Vse 2. To learn Wisdom of the Worldling 117 Doct. 4. Self is a Worldly man's chiefest Counsellour 122 Reas The way of a Fool is right in his own Eyes ibid. Use 1. To reprove the Folly of the Self-conceited Person 123 Use 2. To beware of hearkning
this great Evil under the Sun in dreaming of a kind of Eternity ibid. Vse 2. To perswade us to amend this Folly and reckon not upon many dayes but upon few 240 Doct. 7. Worldly prosperity breeds Sloath and carnal Security 244 Reas It happens through the Abuse of man ibid. Use Of Caution that Rich men would beware of being rocked a-sleep in this Cradle of Security ibid. Doct. 8. A carnal Man delights in a voluptuous Life 248 Reas 1. The Soul is made a Slave to Sense 252 Reas 2. They have no hope of a better Life ibid. Use 1. To condemn the Ryot and Luxury of this Age. 254 Marks to know a voluptuous person by 257 Use 2. Not so suffer the delights and pleasures of the World to prevail over us 259 Motives to stir up this Care in us 260 Rules to direct us in the Use of God's Blessings 275 Vers 20. But God said unto him Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee then Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Doct. 1. Purposes of Sinners are oftentimes disappointed by God 283 Reas The way of Man is not in himself 285 Vse 1. To shew the Presumption of those who open their Mouths against Heaven 287 Vse 2. To convince the Practical Atheist 287 Vse 3. To take God with us in all our purposes ibid. Vse 4. To encourage the Godly against the rage of men 289 Doct. 2. They that place their Happiness in Riches are egregious Fools 291 Use 1. To convince the Worldling of his Folly 297 Use 2. To take heed of befooling our selves 298 Doct. 3. God will have a saying to Sinners 299 Doct. 4. God's Rods are speaking Rods. 300 Reas God's Works are a manifestation of his Will as well as his Word 301 Use 1. To discover unto us our stupidity ibid. Use 2. To perswade us to hear God speaking in his Judgments 302 Doct. 5. A Night of Sorrow succeeds the Day of Pleasure to a Sinner 305 Reas 1. In respect of the Cause of Night 306 Reas 2. In regard of the effects that are produced by Night viz. Error and Terror ibid. Use 1. Of consideration for voluptuous Livers 309 Use 2. To pray God that our flight be not in the Night 310 Use 3. To comfort the Godly 311 Doct. 6. Night comes suddenly upon a Sinner 312 Reas 1. God hath called and Man hath refused 314 Reas 2. He gives Evidence thereby of his implacable Wrath against impenitent Sinners ibid. Reas 3. God hath respect herein to the good of others ibid. Use 1. To inform our Judgments how far sudden Death may lawfully be deprecated 317 Use 2. To reprove those who run into ill Courses in their Health and allow unto themselvs a time of lingring Sickness 318 Use 3. Instruction to the Good 320 Doct. 7 The Loss of the Soul is the greatest Loss 322 Reas 1. In regard of the Worth of it which is unmatchable 323 Reas 2. The losing of it is an universal Loss 324 Reas 3. It is irrecoverable 325 Use 1. To reprove those who do little regard it ibid. Use 2. To endeavour the safety and preservation of it 336 Doct. 8. The Soul of a Sinner is a due Debt and must be paid 340 Use 1. To discover unto us the Carelessnesse of impenitent Sinners 341 Use 2. To advise us to make our Peace before we are arrested by Death 341 Doct. 9. Sinners part with their Souls unwillingly 342 Reas When a Wicked man dyeth his Expectations perish 344 Use 1. Information how the Godly and Wicked differ in Point of Dying 345 Use 2. As God hath made us unlike in the Issues of Death let us be careful that we be unlike them in the way to it 351 Means to be used 352 c. Doct. 10. The Soul of Man remaineth still in Being after its departure out of the Body 358 Reas 1. Because God is just 360 Reas 2. If the Soul dyed Religion were of no Effect ibid. Use 1. The Knowledg of this Point and Belief of it is a means to make a man a good Christian 361 Use 2. The Assurance of this will comfort us at the hour of Death 364 Use 3. Be we exhorted hence to be most careful of our Souls ibid. Doct. 11. Worldly things are Moveables 365 Reas The World it self is no other than a flitting Island 370 Use 1. Not to be deluded by Names and Titles ibid. Use 2. To set our hearts upon things truly immovable 371 Doct. 12. The things of this life are ours but during life 372 Reas Poverty is the Porter of a man's Life ibid. Use 1. To discover their blindness who deprive themselves of the comfortable Use of the things of this Life 373 Use 2. To advise us rightly to use those things which are truely Ours 374 Doct. 13. None knowes who shall enjoy what the Worldling provides 376 Reas It is not ours to dispose of ibid. Use To reprove the Worldly Miser ibid. Vers 21. So is he that layeth up Treasure for himself and is not Rich towards God Doct. 1. Doctrine and Use is the best Method of Preaching 378 Use 1. Why then should any be offended at this Method 379 Use 2. Ministers should be faithful in this part of their Ministeriall Function ibid. Use 3. To bless God for this plain and profitable Method 380 Doct. 2. We must not be Personall in applying of our Doctrines to our Auditory 382 Vse 1. To blame are those who turn their Sermons into Philippicks and so rather act the part of a Betrayer than of a Rebuker 384 Vse 2. To blame are those Auditors who do not apply or mis-apply because they are not named ibid. Doct. 3. Ministers are to reprove Sin impartially 385 Use To blame them who can see Sin in one and over-look it in another ibid. Doct. 4. The Worlding is a Treasurer and the World is his Treasure 387 Doct. 5. The Covetous are for themselvs altogether 390 Reas They are full of Self-Love ibid. Vse 1. To take heed how we trust a Worldling too far ibid. Vse 2. To admonish all to mind the Well-fare and good of others as well as they do their own 391 Doct. 6. A good man is a Rich man 392 Use 1. It makes against them who are of Opinion that Christianity is the way to Beggary 393 Use 2. Of Tryal whether we are truly Rich or no. 394 Use 3. To learn to know where are true Riches 396 Means to obtain true Riches 400 Use 4. Comfort to the Godly though they have not a Ragg to their back 401 Doct. 7. Folly may be argued by Worldliness 402 Reas Such have rejected the Word of God and cast off his fear 403 Use 1. Not to be offended if the whole World may be drawn within the Compass of a Fool 's Cap. 403 Use 2. Take heed how we hearken to their Counsel or regard their Censure 406 Use 3. To receive Instruction rather than Silver and to get Knowledge rather than
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Part propounding to Ver. 21. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 was 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 His 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 The 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 And 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. Vse 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.
may be said of many that abound in worldly things See how Rich they are and yet they contemn all Piety and Godliness To measure God's love by the Acre or by the depth of the Purse by how much Land or Metal Silver and Gold he gives this man more than another to thee above thy Neighbour is no other than as if thou shouldst weigh God with leaden or iron or stony weights and put those into the ballance of that Sanctuary that David speaks of Psal 73. Object Gen. 24.35 26 12. Job 42.12 Psal 112.2 Deut. 28.1 2. But me-thinks I hear some objects Is it nor said in Scripture that God blessed such and such and they became Rich Are not Riches promised as a part of that Recompence which God giveth his Servants who fear his Name and obey his Commandment And is it not made an argument of God's love to the Stranger that he giveth him Food and Rayment Deut. 10.18 Why then may not a man conclude that God loves him in that he bestoweth Wealth and Riches on him Resp Those Promises that God makes of these earthly things are made to those that are in Covenant with him that fear his Name and walk in the way of his Commandments and so such these common things are testimonies of God's special love and favour for that to all such they are spiritualized in causing them to love God the more to fear him and to walk before him in obedience Thus David reasoned Psal 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine Enemies do not triumph over me A very weak and sorry Argument one would think it was to prove God's love and favour by For God doth oftentimes as much as that comes to for his very Enemies But David relished God's love therein and was provoked to set forth God's praise thereby as follows ver 13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting Amen and Amen When we have a testimony of God's spiritual Blessings in the temporal then are these temporal Blessings good evidences of God's special love and favour Secondly These common and earthly Blessings are fruits of God's love and good-will that he beareth unto men and from them a man may safely conclude that God loveth him and beareth some good will unto him Yet this love that appeareth in any of these outward things is such that a man can take no sound comfort in if he be a wicked person for as much as it is but the fruit of a common love extended to the brute Creature as well as unto man Psal 36.6 but no sign of God's special and everlasting love of that love which he beâ—reth to them whom he means to make eternally happy They are Blessings of the left hand not of the right or upper hand Prov. 3.16 and conferred very often on those that shall be set at God's left hand at the last day If then thou wouldst have comfort in thy outward estate and gather from thence some assurance of God's special love and favour towards thee see that these Blessings are reached forth unto thee with God's right hand With that hand you know we shew all our courtesy And at that hand we place those whom we most honour which Custom it may be we first learned from God himself The main difference betwixt the Gifts of God's right hand and of his left is this The one are given in Christ Rom. 8.32 Rom. 8 32. In whom the Promises are Yea and Amen and in whom only we are accepted Eph. 1.3 6. The other in a general way of providence as you shall hear anon That man that is assured he is in Christ may take comfort even in these earthly Blessings and receive them as testimonies of his special love and favour but if thou art not in him and hast obtained remission of thy Sin by his precious Blood thou deceivest thy self in thinking God loves thee with a special love because of thy abundance and thou wilt in the end find thy self to be deceived as Haman was who apprehended the Queens invitation of him to the Banquet Est 5.12 as a matter of grace and favour which was but a preparative to his ruine Thy state being no other then that of a Traytor who hath a good Lodging and good Dyet prepared for him in his Prison till matters be ripe and he ready for his Arraignment and Execution Use 3 Lastly Seeing a rich man may be a wicked man notwithstanding his Wealth me-thinks this might serve as a curb to restrain us from an overe-ager seeking after it How absurd a thing is it saith Ambrose Amb. Ser. 10. Ut quem nudum mater genuit c. That whom the Mother brings forth naked the Church receiveth naked that is in Baptism he should strive to enter Rich that is with abundance of earthly Riches into Heaven Give me leave to say How absurd a thing is it to labour so earnestly after earthly Riches which are not able to make us better then we are neither more virtuous nor less vicious Could these things make us more accepted of God as they do of Men or more beloved of him it were indeed worth the while to seek so earnestly and eagerly after them but that they cannot It is only Faith Repentance and the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit that can do that Now Will a precious Diamond buy Faith or a Gold Ring Repentance or a Bag of Gold buy a Pardon from God for the least Sin that thou hast committed or a Sure of Silk obtain a Suit from God any whit the sooner You cannot but be convinced in your judgment that they will not Will Wealth mortify your Lusts subdue any inordinate Passion in you c You know and find by experience that it doth not How insufficient earthly Riches are for these purposes I doubt not but you are in your judgments sufficiently convinced And yet it is strange to see the royl and labour that men take for these things and the great flothful neglect in seeking after right-handed Blessings that must make us truly happy witness our labours on the week Dayes and our laziness on the Sabbath That Censure which Guevarra passeth upon the Duke of Veiar who in his life-time had heaped a great Mass of Wealth together and at his Death dyed very Rich may be passed upon some My judgment is saith he That he went about to seek Care for himself Envy for his Neighbours Spurrs for his Enemies a Prey for Theeves Travell for his Person Anguish for his Spirit Scruple for his Conscience Perill for his Soul Law for his Children and Curses for his Heirs Sure I am whilst our hearts are set to be Rich there is many a filthy slough and puddle that we must pass through nor can we escape the badge of our Travell with whatsoever delight you hunt after Wealth you will find but a dirty way of it as this rich man did And so enough hath been
Doctrine of the Church of Rome is in this Point very unsound they have this Conceit of Thoughts that they are but Venial Inward Lust and Concupiscence is either no Sin with them or so small that it needs no Reproof and yet themselvs confess it is the Cause of mortal Sin St. Paul as Chemnitius in his Examen observs in that sixth Chapter to the Romans calls it five times Sin in the seventh six times in the eighth thrice Hierom in 1 Amos thus distinguisheth of Pin the first degree is in Thought to think it the second is to yield to it the third to perform it in Act the fourth not to repent of it And upon the fifth of Matthew he distinguisheth betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pathos is Passion with Consent Propatheia is a tickling of Lust without Consent Yet saith Tollet Bellarmin and others They all speak unproperly yet Tollet confesseth plainly that it is not only St. Austin's Word but his perpetual Doctrine albeit the Papists now wholly depart from it Vide Cade Serm. on Roman 7.24 p. 7. Nor doth St. Paul all it only Sin but deadly Sin the Body of Death All Sin with him was mortal he knew not these venial trivial peccadilia trivial Sins with Papists to mince and make sleight of But I shall spend no more time with these having none to spare Vse 2 We have amongst our selves very many who are possessed with this Atheistical Opinion That Thoughts are free and that they pay no Tribute and that we shall never be called to any Account for them and from hence it is That so many play the Hypocrites in the Worship and Service of God thinking it sufficient that their Bodies are present but their Thoughts are suffered to run after Covetousness Ezek. 33.32 And others who forbear to act Sin and speak lewdly yet they give Liberty to Imagination to play with the Devil at what Game he will at Murther Theft Adultery c. And when the Mark is out of their mouths I mean they are out of date in respect of the act of some Sin yet they have still an unsatiable desire to it and can please themselvs in contemplative Wickedness calling to mind their former brutish and lustful practices with great delight making their own hearts to be their Brothel-house a House of Bawdery and Uncleanness and all upon this Delusion that their Thoughts are free and what is not lawful to act nor fit to speak is lawful so think without Controul Which Atheistical and damnable Opinion ariseth from these Grounds First Ignorance of the Law of God and the Spiritualness thereof which commands the Soul with the motions of it as well as the Body with the Actions thereof Heb. 4.12 It pierceth even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the heart saith the Apostle Now they being carnall and the Law spiritual it is no marvel if they cannot understand it for it must be spiritually understood They have a Veil over their eyes 2 Cor. 3.15 and which is yet more the god of this World hath further blinded them 2 Cor. 4.4 that they shall not discern the Spirituality of if So were the Pharisees blinded in their time and St. Paul all the while he was a Pharisee Rom 7.7 They rested only in the outward Rinde or Bark of the Law but discerned not the pith and marrow of it Secondly From the Defectiveness and Imperfection of Man's Law which although it binds the Hands and stops the Mouth yet it punisheth not for Thoughts Cogitationis poenam nemo patiatur The Projects of the Heart lye not within the walk of Humane Justice they are not liable to earthly Courts they pay no Tribute to Man's Custom-House where they cannot be searched but as they bewray themselvs by some outward Sign either by Word or Deed forgetting that God seeth not as Man seeth He hath an eye into our most secret Thoughts Psal 139.12 He sets our Thoughts in the Light of his Countenance Psal 90.8 And if men call so account and punish Words and Deeds because they see and know them Why then shall not God call to account and punish too our Thoughts which he knows far better than any man can our Actions That Man's Law punisheth not for our Thoughts proves rather a Defectiveness in Man's Law than this Diabolical and Atheistical Opinion that Thoughts are free A third Ground for this graceless Opinion is That they do no hurt to any by their thinking Why then may they not think what they please But indeed they do the greatest mischief they fight against the Soul yea thy own Soul as St. Peter shews 1 Pet. 2.11 they tend to the Destruction of it And from the Motions of thy mind proceeds all other Mischiefs which are wrought if the Prophet Michah is worthy to be believed Mich. 2.1 or the Apostle St. James to be credited James 4.1 or if Christ himself may be believed of us Math. 15.16 17. Indeed alwayes the Lusts of the Heart are not actually prejudicial to our Neighbour for here a man may be an Adulteret and the Woman chaste with whom Adultery is committed a man may be a Murtherer and yet the man alive whom he is the Murtherer of c. But many times these Thoughts come into Act What Wickedness is committed in Act that was not first in the Thought A fourth Ground for this Devilish and Hellish conceipt ariseth from the suddenness and unexpectedness of their coming and impossibility to avoid them No Reason many times can be given of them Therefore there is no Reason say some and more think why they should be called to any Account for them But all the Thoughts that are in the hearts of Sinners are either Suggestions by Inspiration from Satan or Vapours that fume out of corrupt Nature and from our sinful hearts How can it be otherwise then but that they should be offensive unto God Besides their suddenness and exorbitancy proves them evil All Good is from knowledg deliberation and direction Did they come in God's Name they would come a slower pace as they find by sad experience who set their minds so think of matters serious and spiritual And what though we cannot avoid those wandring and sinful Thoughts altogether Must we therefore set open the door and give them free liberty of Ingress Egress and Regress No man can keep the Birds from flying over his head but I hope he may keep them from making their Nests on that Tuft of haire which he wears Lastly Men imagine Thoughts to be free because of the common Opinion of the World and general Estimate of Religion which is not by the Heart and Thoughts but by our outward Performances wherein if we approve our selves before men it is all that is sought after forgetting what our Saviour saith You are they which approve your selves to men Luke 1◠11 but they