it might to pursue after wealth and this is the originall of couetousnesse So is this foule euill begotten of the minde it is the darke and blind brood of an erronions and deluded iudgement And both these causes are laid open cleere enough before vs in the Scripture The first in Heb. 3. where hauing warned vs of couetousnes he saith for he hath said I will neuer leaue c. By this coherence sufficiently intimating that couetousnesse comes because one thinks God will not be sure enough to him but too quickly and lightly leaue him to himselfe And the second cause Christ notes in this Text saying for though a man haue much his life consists not in his wealth as if he had said you desire much wealth because you think it can make you liue more comfortably safely but indeed it cannot You see now the true causes of couetousnesse I know men are willing to make shew that this their desire of wealth is of better parentage but the truth is it is as I haue said the base brood of ignorance and errour Now come wee to shew the remedies of this sinne 2. The remedies 1 Apply the word to it in serious meditation and how it may be consumed out of vs First there are foure remedies in all The first is to meditate vpon the word of God that forbids it Applying the reproofes and threatnings and commaundements against any sin in the word of God to a mans owne soule by serious meditation is a common remedy against all sins and so also against this The word of God is the sword of the Spirit seruing to keep out all lusts from comming within vs and to cut wound and slay them to which purpose it is then effectuall when it is weelded as it ought by turning the precepts and reproofes of it into earnest complaints against our sins strong petitions for our selues before the Lord in secret Indeede lamentable experience driues vs to confesse that the word of God is of litle operation in most men for God whēce is this euen from their owne folly that out of their sinfull hollownes will not lay it as a plaister to the sores of the soule but bee this spoken in assurance of truth let the heart of euery godly man giue consent to it that whosoeuer hee be which takes the word of God in any perticular matter and alone betwixt God his own soule stands to consider saying Loe how plainly the Lord hath forbidden this sinne what sharp reproofes he hath vttered against it how great the danger is that he hath threatned shall arise from it why do I commit it why do I liue in it Doe I either not beleeue his word or not feare his displeasure And then turning himselfe vnto the Lord doth earnestly cry out against himselfe saying Ah Lord God how wicked haue I beene to break this thy law and to endanger my selfe to thine indignation and rush vpon thine anger so ouer-ventrously Now Lord giue more wisedome more grace strengthen me to do thy will which I see know but of my selfe cannot obey whosoeuer I say doth in this or the like manner spread the plaister of Gods word vpon his own heart let him count the promises of God but leasings if he finde it not able to heale any lust though neuer so cankered and inueterate to quell any corruption though neuer so strong and violent Doe thus therefore brethen for couetousnes we have shewed you sufficiently what an hurtfull and vnlawfull thing it is Enter into thy closet as Christ bids thee ponder of these things set downe your owne hearts with these reasons and conuince your selues of the wickednesse thereof and accuse your selues before God with indignation against your selues that are so basely enclining to this world when the Lord bids the contrary Yea and beseech him to strengthen and sanctifie your hearts now that seeing his will you may yeeld to it and that these reproofes may be present with your hearts to controll them and checke them sharply when they so offend that it would please him to encline your hearts to his testimonies and not vnto couetousnes and hee that thus doth constantly day by day or as often as occasion is let him be bold to promise to himselfe that the word will proue a word of life and power vnto him It will knock off these clogs of worldlines from his soule that his affections shal be no longer so fettered with them The second remedy against couetousnesse Get assurance of eternall life is to labour for more and more assurance of the fauour of God and euerlasting life through Iesus Christ his son and euery man must haue his happines and delight And if any mans hart be not set vpon the true felicitie it will be seduced by false one guilded vanitie or another will steale it away from him but let a christian endenour to make his calling and election sure and to be stedfastly resolute of this that God for his deare sonnes sake pardoning all his finnes wil beslow eternall happines vpon him cause him to raigne as a king with his Sonne in a throne of immortall glory where is no sin no sorrow no trouble nothing to grieue or vexe him but the fulnesse of ioy at Gods right hand for euermore and the sight and comfortable expectations of this estate will so rauish his heart and take vp his desires that this vile earth will appeare to be as it is and he shal be able out of his owne feeling to call it dung and ashes as the Apostle doth not suffering it to cary the name of a treasure in his estimation Yea and his soule from this maine ground will draw another conclusion of no lesse force to beat downe the rising of worldlines saying If God wil giue the flesh and bloud of his sonne to be the food of my soule wil not he giue me bread and drink to sustaine my body If his loue were so infinit that he spared not his most beloued and onely begotten sonne for my sake how shall he not with him giue mee all things He that will saue the soule will he not feed the body will he deny drosse that gaue gold will he say nay for a pibble that so liberally scattered pearls Nay sure if our Lord would giue Christ for vs and to vs for our saluation it were madnes to doubt whether he will giue earthly things for maintenance so farre as is good and further what Christian can wish them for God is alwayes suitable to himselfe in all his dealings Get good reasons to trust God with thy foule and thou wilt neuer feare thy body and thine estate Haue euidence strong enough for heauen and thine heart will not desire earth and much lesse doubt of hauing sufficient therein The third remedy against couetousnes is to consider aduisedly 3. Consider well Gods temporall promises of Gods gratious promises abundantly made and written in his
their lands and fals to cure that disease of their soules which procured all this distemper This he begins to doe in the verse present and prosecutes more at large in the sequel of the Chapter These words diuide themselues into two parts The first Christs exhortation Take heed and beware of couetousnesse The second the reason wherewith he backs his exhortation taken from the ineffectualnesse of wealth the obiect of couetousnesse for though a man haue aboundance c. that is if any man should heape vp all superfluities hee shall finde no more safety quiet or contentment of life from this his copheaped plenty of outward things The point of doctrine which our Sauiour Christ aimes at Doctrine in the discussing of which I purpose to spend the time alotted is so manifest that no man can chuse but see it whosoeuer will be ruled by Christ must beware of Couetousnesse All true Christians that doe hang at Christs mouth for direction and shew their hope of saluation by practise of obedience must shun and auoide with al diligence this hatefull sinne of worldlinesse one word of Christ should be sufficient to a Christian soule but he was not so scant of words as once onely to warne vs of such a capitall euill The same spirit spake in his Apostles that in himselfe and by their mouthes he hath giuen vs many like aduertisements whereof some one or two it shall suffice to haue mentioned Colos 3.5 The Apostle speaks to Christians in this manner Mortifie therefore your earthly members fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which to prouoke our greater hatred he cals by that hatefull name of idolatry And well might he so call it for it causeth a man to repose his hope of safetie vpon riches which should be wholy and onely fixed vpon the Lord of hoasts seeing it is impossible that any thing should secure a man from danger vnlesse it doe surpasse all other thinges in power and in greatnesse this sinne is you see a capitall enimie of our saluation which in our Christian warfare we should fight against and striue to slaughter in our selues The Apostle also Heb. 13.5 hath saide to the same purpose Let your conuersation be without couetousnes The word is in the originall without the loue of mony But all comes to one reckoning And it is obseruable that he saith your conuersation to meete with the deceitfull hollownesse of those that content themselues in some few actions to appeare not couetous whilst in other actions at other times they be wholly polluted with this sin Their counterfeit and maymed diligence answeres not the large extent of this commandement A good mans life if Gods counsell might be heard should not in one or two alone but in all the parts thereof bee free from the staines of this wickednesse More places might be produced for the proofe of the same truth if it were as needfull as easie so to doe But the chiefe difficultie in this thing will bee not so much to winne consent of iudgement to the point as conformitie of practise to the iudgement Wherfore to the intent that Christs speeches may bee more profitably regarded and this fault more carefully shunned by you all that heare me this day I will in few words set out some of the most harmful effects that ensue vpon this vicious disposition of minde that Christ cals couetousnesse First Reason 1 it vtterly hinders the sauing operation of the word of God and causeth the most powerfull instrument of regeneration and saluation to be altogether ineffectuall for the producing of these effects in that party in whom it beareth sway That our Sauiour plainely witnesseth when he compareth the word to seed the Preacher to the seedsman the heart to the ground this couetousnes to the thornes that choake the seede The Husbandman may cast away graine vpon a parcell of land ouer-runne with brambles but the seede so bestowed will neuer come in at haruest So the Minister may preach the word to worldly minded men but he shall spend his strength in vaine Let vs study neuer so painefully teach neuer so constantly proue neuer so strongly exhort neuer so powerfully this time and labour is but lost among our earthly affected hearers Eyther they come not to heare or attend not in hearing or meditate not after hearing And this you must marke brethren that euen attentiue hearing without meditation will not ingraffe the word into your hearts it will not profit the soule more than much getting when a man keeps nothing can benefit his estate Well may it increase swimming but not sauing knowledge it may furnish ones head with wordes and matter for honest discourse but not ones heart with vprightnesse and sinceritie for godly conuersation Thus then stands the case The Lord offers thee his word to enlighten thy mind to sanctifie thine heart to conuert thy soule and make thee a true Christian Couetousnes opposeth it selfe will not suffer the word to dwell in thine heart nor thine heart to ponder vpon the word and so causeth thee to be but an hypocrite at the best shouldest thou not auoide it Secondly Reason 2 another euill as bad as this comes vp together with this This sinne steales away the heart from heauen and those desirable graces of Gods spirit that fit a man for heauen Colos 3.2 The Apostle Paul wisheth vs to set our affections vpon the things that are aboue and not vpon the things that are below intimating an vtter impossibilitie to doe both as if hee had told vs that there be 2. sorts of obiects after which mens affections are carried some are of the earth earthly momentanie transitorie and vnable to giue any sound and lasting contentment Such are houses lands goods money in a word worldly things Others are from heauen heauenly substantiall constant immortall truely profitable to the whole man such are faith repentance the spirit of prayer the fauour of God in a word Christ and his benefites And wee must vnderstand this that the body may ascend and descend at the same time as well as the soule or affections goe earthward and heauen-ward both at once Where the treasure is there will be the heart bee it in heauen or in earth no man hath two hearts two treasures the one is but counterfait if any at all Nowe this couetousnesse as an arrow shot from hell doth nayle the heart to the very ground that it cannot bee lifted vpwards and as a lime-twig set by the Diuell so intangles the wings of the soule that it cannot possibly fly vpward toward its proper home The worldly man is so taken vp in courting and wooing his harlotry mistresse the world which hath taken him with her eyelids of gaine and inueigled him with her naked breasts of commoditie that the suite for heauen and things thereof is altogether neglected and forsaken Therefore the scripture cals the worldling an adulterer because as the whoremaister leaues a beautifull
not been at the least tainted and blemished with the same though not wholy polluted with it which exhortation is so much the more needfull by how much the practise of most men is more contrarie thereto we come for the most part very ill affected to the word of God When any sinne is there disgraced and shewed to bee dangerous we labour to post off those speeches to another man and sending the eyes of our mind abroad which might haue beene farre better busied at home wee seeke a fit man to bestow such a lesson vpon chusing rather to cast it vpon any man than to learne it our selues Wee are too full of curtesie at these spirituall banquets When such a dish as this is set before vs namely the discountenancing or discommending of a fault wee lay that liberally vpon euery mans trencher and no man almost will carue to himselfe because that meat is indeede lesse toothsome though nothing lesse wholesome than the rest I beseech you brethren that it may not bee so with you in this point Doe not say as it is an hundred to one that diuers of your hearts haue been busied in saying if couetousnesse be such a sinne how shall such a man and such and such a man doe for all the world knowes them to bee couetous Nay heare not so idlely the Lord spake to thee and intended the exhortation to thy soule and would haue thee say to thine owne lelfe is couetousnesse so vile a fin how carefull should I be to finde it and driue it out of mine heart and my conuersation Doe not I practise it do not I liue in it let me looke narrowly for as it is dangerous so it is craftie and will not appeare in it owne name but like a tray-tour that hath escaped out of prison will miscall and diguise it selfe and take twenty titles and names rather than that wherewith it should be called Men are willing to cloake their sins to shift their hands of seeming to be naught not being so And as when the plague is rife euery man desires though it be in his house yet to keep it close and say it is any other disease because it will be some hindrance to be shut vp for it So for this disease of filthy lucre which as an infectious pestilence hath spread it selfe ouer the world into all Cities townes and villages scarce any will be knowne to be diseased with it fearing the disgrace rather then the danger Some wold confine couetousnesse to rich mens houses onely as if it were not possible to be earthly minded vnlesse a man had much earth in possession But these men are exceedingly deceiued about the nature of this euill as themselues might well perceiue had they but consulted with the wise man that saith The sluggard lusteth and hath nothing A man may haue a strong lust to wealth albeit he haue none of it yea though he be frozen vp in the cold dregs of idlenes lazinesse so that he will not aduenture to set his foote vpon the cold ground for it Nay such men are most desperately couetous for because their sloth serues them not to take the ordinary paines for getting it therefore their lusts driues them to hunt and seeke for it in the secret and vnbeaten wayes of cousonage and villany I would to God there were not a great number of such slothfull lusters known in the world perhaps also present in this place whose couetousnesse is no lesse then other mens out it is ouer-borne by some other lust that is more then quarter maister with it For this you must know that this vice may be after a diuers manner in diuers men in some it is the chiefe Lord and soueraigne bearing rule and commaunding for it selfe in others it rules as an vnder officer to another lust and is as I may say the putueyer or take for idlenesse ambition or prodigalitie Sometimes it is whole maister sometimes halfe sometimes quarter maister with these sins before named somtimes as seruant to all or some of them for though these sinnes cannot well agree among themselues yet they can all agree well enough against godlinesse and pietie of life Some scrape to keepe and looke vpon it some scrape to scatter mispend it the one of these is as violent in his courses as the other and this sinne is as hurtfull yea and more hurtfull to the parties selfe to the Church and Common weale when it is kept as a retainer to an other sin than if he had the chiefe-dome and Lordship it selfe Let not the prodigall let not the ambitions let not the sluggard say that hee is not couetous I dare be bold to affirme that if he had the grace and wise dome to search into himselfe hee should finde this wicked vice as great a doer in his soule inwardly and in his carriage out wardly as in theirs whom with great scorn he disgraces by the name of absolute chuffes and meere misers Send therefore I pray you brethren each man his owne most serious considerations as it were searchers into his heart and life and take an oath of them to deale truly and vnpartially to see and obserue whether or no he haue the infection of this pestilent sicknesse which also the words of Christ doe import for hee saith looke and ward your selues against Couetousnesse as intimating that there is no escaping it if wee doe not looke to it Now to the intent you may not be deceiued through errour in this search I wil stand a while to giue you some directions which by following you shall be sure not to mistake in examining and iudging our selues as concerning this matter To this end it shall be needefull for me to declare vnto you both What couetousnesse is First What couetousnesse is And secondly What be the marks and tokens of it which being known it shall be easie for him that is not wilfully blinde to passe an vpright sentence of himselfe First therefore to shew what couetousnesse is It is the dropsie of the minde an horse-leach humour after wealth which euermore cryes giue giue It is that that makes the heart as a graue for money or a deuouring sepulchre or a hell for goods that will not be satisfied though you cast very much into it In few and plain terms It is the desire of hauing more than what a man hath already that being sufficient for necessary maintenance If the Lord hath bestowed vpon any man meanes enough to feede himselfe and those that belong to him with foode wholesome competent though perhaps somewhat course as also to cloath himselfe and his with warme clothing though neyther of the finest not in the fashion if his desires doe not here stay themselues but still cry more more this man is couetous this sinne is couetousnesse He that would haue more then hee hath hauing that which will suffice for his honest maintenance though not in such gay frolike manner as his flesh
desireth this is the couetous man and so the word that is vsed by Christ signifies vz an hauing disposition when a man so longeth for more then he hath that he is still ready to take which cannot but follow more then he should haue For couetousnesse true contentment are one opposite to the other as night and day white and blacke and therefore we may well know what couetousnesse is by the contrarietie which it hath with true contentment Now the Apostle doth describe true contentment in these tearmes 1. Tim. 6.6 saying If wee haue food and couering let vs be sufficed or satisfied with these that is let vs count that euen sufficient These be the bounds which the Holy ghost hath made to hem and keepe in the vnruly desires of men in respect of outward things as it were wilde Bucks within a pale or parke Now if the wishes will not be ranged within these lists and limits but breake through them or leape ouer them to finde a larger walke it cannot be denied that the sinne of couetousnesse is committed For the desire that is in ordinate is this that Christ forbids and it is then inordinate when it exceeds the rule order Heb. 13.5 and precincts that God hath set and appointed for it which are to thinke the present things enough and stop themselues from straying any further when they will afford meat drinke and cloth sufficient to content nature in it moderate vse to keepe ones selfe out of debt and so bring him well to heauen his iourneis end as it were enough money to beare his charges in his trauaile towards God Now if any man obiect against this and say if couetousnes be that which you haue described it to be where will you find a man that hath it not where can one be brought quite free from it To this question I must answere No where not vnder heauen not within the compasse of the whole earth for this sin as well as other is bred in our nature and cleaues as fast to the soule of euery sonne of Adam as his skin to his flesh Why but may some man further obiect is euery man then subiect to those enormious effects and hideous curses which you before shewed to follow vpon couetousnesse I anfwere in no sort but alone those men in whom this sinne is suffered to be with allowance is yeelded to and followed In some men as I shewed you before this vice is as a soueraign Lord in others it rules vnder ambition and prodigalitie in both these all the bad effects named before wil certainly follow all the curses denounced are to both these sorts of men certainely due In other some it is as an vnwelcome guest that intrudes himselfe it is like a bad tenant that is often warned to goe out and will take no warning it is not suffred to haue commaund but it is striuen against resisted complained off and hath many a supplication put vp and many a suit commenced against it in the court of heauen for vsurping in an other mans right To such it is exceeding cumbersome tedious and doth them meruailous much annoyance but yet it can neither produce those vile effects nor bring in those horrible curses In a word some haue it and doe beware and take heed of it as a disease that is applyed with medicines These it molests but kils not Others haue it and neuer suspect feare nor take heed of it as a disease that a man carelesly lets go without medicining to these it is not so toyle-some but more dangerous for it slayes their soule by bringing forth those bad stuits before named And thus as plainly as I could I haue shewed you what couetousnesse is in the very nature of it considered without respect of the degrees thereof Now I come to shew you the markes and tokens of it The signes of it which was the second thing I promised to the end men might knowe themselues by which a man may also see in what measure or degree this sin is in him for if these things be found in his life rarely and seldome then couetousnesse hath some secret and vnknowne allowance through the deceitfulnesse of his heart but it is not wittingly and wilfully maintained if they doe appeare often and ordinarily then couetousnes rules there and is by him fauoured loued yeelded vnto and obeyed it is Lord of his soule though perhaps he be so full of hypocrisie as not to see or confesse it And indeed it is a thing very needefull to shew these signes plainely because when out of our euill will we censure other men we call them extreamly couetous vpon these grounds which will beare no such accusation or action As namely if they bee painfull in their callings if they haue more dealings in the world than our selues if they will not giue at what time we would haue them or such like But when in our fond selfe-loue wee are to speake of our selues wee will not dare to conclude wee are very couetous no not vpon the soundest grounds and surest proofes To returne therfore to the point There be 4. sure and infallible signs and marks of this vice which do as certainly proue it to be in the soule as the yelow haire in the law did the leprosie and as the carbuncle doth the plague The first of these is carking caring 1. Carking which is a note most easily seen and selt in men of lower place for as some diseases haue their diuers signs in diuers constitutions so have also sins in diuers conditions and estates diuers marks to knowe them by Now this carking is for men of meaner estate principally to try themselus by He that doth grieue molest himselfe for the feare of want and misery to come hereafter for that is a proper description of carking it is sorrow conceiued vpon the doubt and suspition of that need that may come the man I say that doth so vexe and trouble himselfe is in that degree couetous that thus grieued For the affections of our heart are in their seuerall working so ioyned and linked together that the working of some will not appeare but vpon the precedent working of other No man can inordinately sorrow for feare of wanting that in the future time which hee doeth not inordinately desire for the present time And for this cause our Sauiour Christ where he intends to ouerthrow couetousnesse both in this Chapter in the sequell of his speech as also in Mat. 6. fals vpon the matter of carking and dwels much vpon that saying Care not what you shall eate what you shal drinke Matt. 6.25.34 and what you shal put on and after care not for to morrow bringing also many reasons to that purpose as wel seeing that this sin and couetousnes doe alwayes goe hand in hand in the poorer sort chiefely and sometimes also in the wealthy and that those arguments which are of force to beat down the one are
to liue here for a few dayes and then yeeld to the stroke of death and of corruption the other a soule incorporall spirituall immortall which cannot die nor suffer corruption And the Lords will is that a man liuing here in the body should make all carefull wise and godly prouision for his soule that that departing hence out of the body may not be cast into the torments of eternall vengeance which are prepared for such as in this life vse not all good diligence to escape them but may rather enioy its portion in that euerlasting and vnspeakable blisse which is also made ready for all them that doe constantly and with honest hearts vse the meanes to attaine the same And the meanes of attaining this happines are faith repentance and the continual encrease of these graces by praying reading and meditating in the word and good conference daily as also hearing the word preached when occasion is offered and sanctifying vnto the Lord for these vses euery seauenth day For the former of these are to the soule of him that hath a true liuing soule as I may so tearme them daily repasts and meales wherewith his inward man is strengthened and refreshed growing daily from grace to grace the latter that is the celebration of the sabboth is as I may say a solemne feast day and a great banquet for the soule wherein all bodily labours so farre as mercy necessitie and comelinesse will permit being set apart the soule should haue libertie after a more then ordinary manner to solace and delight it selfe in God and feede vpon Iesus Christ in the word and Sacraments other holy exercises that it may grow fat well liking in all graces and chiefely faith and repentance the two principall graces Now these being the meanes of Gods owne ordaining to attaine sound grace here and glory hereafter dayly to pray read and meditate and conferre of good things weekly to sanctifie the Sabboth hee that doth so surcharge himselfe or his family with outward busines that he hath not leisure daily to performe the daily duties and weekly that weekly dutie in such conscionable sort as God doth require at his hand for a purpose so profitable and most excellent cannot denie that he loues the world too much being that he seeketh not as Christ commands first the kingdome of heauen but first the worthlesse things that this earth can afford and leauing that which is the true and proper end of his being here that is to get grace and saluation employes himselfe too much about that which was but a secondary end and to be done onely by the way so farre as might be helpfull to the former and no further Euery man will yeeld that hee desires earthly things inordinately which desires them more than eternall life and it is as certaine that he rather wisheth wealth then eternall life which suffers the meanes of attaining that to shoulder out and exclude quite or else driue into a very narrow corner small roome the means of attaining this for the desires rule the actions and that a man longeth most for which hee most labours for As he that suffers hawkes hounds and vain though in themselues lawfull pastimes so to deuour his time that he hath little or no leisure for the performing of the fore-mentioned religious duties is conuicted before all vnpartiall Iudges to be a louer of pleasure more than a louer of God So hee that suffers buying selling bargaining reckoning trauailing and any such businesse lawfull in it selfe but vnlawfull in the immoderate vse of it to rob him of leisure for the same exercises must needs be condemned to loue wealth more than God by the verdict of any man that will speake the truth according to his conscience and therefore bee it noted as a sure rule that euery man is in that measure couetous that ouer-worke-some and laborious about worldly things and in that measure ouer-laborious that he suffers the plenty of these things to withdraw him from the conscionable constant and holy performing of better things tending more directly to a better life 4. Vniustice of which Now folfows the last note of couetousnes and that is vniustice or the vsing of iniurious and indirect meanes to get wealth For must it not needes be yeelded that hee desireth wealth too much which will dig to hell fall downe to the diuell for it And what else is it but a falling downe to the Diuell for it when a man doth put the regard of obedience to God of charitie to his neighbour of honestie in himselfe behinde the respect of enriching his estate to al which things doth he not manifestly prefer mony that wil do wrong to win it God forbids wrong charitie honestie and euery mans conscience forbids it onely the Diuell and lucre commaund it Is hee not worthy to be called a money-slaue and a slaue to the diuel that wil disobey all these to serue the desire of being rich for is not euery man his seruant to whom he doth obey And doth he not obey lucre abiectly that will rebell against the most high Lord and the conscience his officer for these things sake So then euery man is so farre forth couetous as vniust in his dealings 1 In generall Now all those practises are vniust and vnequall which be not conformable to two generall rules set downe in Scripture that by them we might square out al our particular actions The first is to do to euery man as we would haue him do vnto vs. Not as we out of our disordered distempered passions somtime be content to haue another deale with vs so we may deale with them but what in the true sentence of our iudgement Mat. 7.12 grounded vpon due and deliberate consideration of the things we would approue of being done to vs that wee must doe to our neighbours so that whatsoeuer thing a man would condemne in his iudgement not in his passions being offered to himselfe that is wrong and iniquitie if he offer it to another The second rule is Gal. 5.13 1 Cor. 13.6 to serue each other in loue for loue seekes not it owne thinges meaning only without regard of another but doth so equally and indifferently consider another with it selfe that it would not profite it selfe with this endammagement therefore whosoeuer is wholy possessed with selfe-regards and hath his eye so fixed vpon his owne aduantage that he cannot looke vpon another man with any euen regard of him this man in all such dealings walkes iniuriously because vncharitably and shal be condemned though not by the strict law of humane iustice yet by the perfect rule of Christian charitie for a wrong doer And by these 2. rules wisely applyed to each seuerall action it wil be easie to spie out vniustice though it hide it selfe vnder neuer so faire and colourable pretexts But wee shall not haue sufficiently pressed this sore if wee deale with it alone in
vniustice on such is Extortion 3. Extortion which also the lawes of the Land doe forbid when hee that hath his allowance alotted him for his paines in such mesure as is thought by the law competent which also hee may very lawfully and iustly take so that hee performe his dutie for it when such one I say wil doe nothing or as good as nothing vnles this fee bee doubled or perhaps trebbled or perhaps will take fees on both sides one to speake another to hold his peace or speake nothing to the purpose This is vile vniust dealing the eye of nature can see it the eye of grace can abhorre it this is to take that which is none of ones own If any present haue or doe offend in these or any of these points or any like to these be it knowne to him that hee liues vniustly and couetously and these actions shall stand vp before God and the world at the last day and witnes against him saying thou didst harbour this couetousnesse which Christ condemnes thou art the couetous man which the scripture saith cannot goe to heauen Now come wee to such vniustice as is found in ministers of the Gospel 2 In Ministers as a witnesse of their couetousnesse for God and man would cry shame vpon vs for partialitie if wee should not taxe this sinne in men of our owne coate as well as others seeing all the world can testifie that it findes harbour in them also Now the first sinfull and vniust course vsed by Cleargi-men is called Simony 1. Simony when a man buyes a Church-liuing he shewes himselfe to serue couetousnes in the summe not God because he comes in rather by the help of money than by the calling of God And not alone is this sinne then committed when men be such bunglers in managing their matters that the law will catch hold of them but then also when there is Art in sinning as we say craft in daubing when the man that is desirous of liuing doth not come with a downright bargaine for feare of law nor saith Sir if you will be my friend and helpe me to such a benefice or promotion I wil giue you so much mony or yeeld you or your yonger son or your seruant or friend so much commoditie out of it and so forth But eyther in great good wil to his own preferment I meane not to the patron will send him some goodly gift or else in good earnest will lay some wager with him purposing to loose the wager rather then not win the liuing or else we sell him too good a penniworth in some thing taking farre lesse than it is worth or buy something of him for much more then it is worth or vse any such like tricks to delude law and cousen equitie these deuices be also Simony as odious in truth as the most plaine kinde of bargaine that can be made vnder which rancke also comes for the most part that vsuall course of buying aduowsons for hee that buyes must sell that euery man knowes or else hee must liue by the losse which men of this stampe will seldome or neuer doe if they can chuse And in this fault the patron hath as great a share as the Minister yea and greater too because the fountaine of the fault is in him for if he would giue freely no man need to buy it he should be able to discerne that such a couetous harpie as is willing to pay for it were in no sort fit for the place therefore should in no sort bestow it vpon him much lesse set it to sale to him being that the lawes haue committed this care to his charge not that he should make a commoditie of it for then it had bin fitter to giue it vnto poorer men whose low ebbe did require to be filled vp by such helps and not as it is commonly to the Lords of the places whose reuenues if they were not grosly eyther couetous or prodigall might well suffice them the lawes I say haue laid the care of presenting a fit man vpon him not because he should passe it ouer to another for mony or himselfe make a gaine of it but because hee should doe faithfull and profitable seruice vnto the Church Common-weale in prouiding a man of good parts and competent gifts as being thought the most of abilitie to iudge of such an one to seeke him out Here therfore a couetous Patron and a couetous Minister must be content to diuide the fault betwixt them and endure to be called vniust and worldly for making bargaine and sale of the maintenance of Gods worship A second fault and that farre more notorious in men of this ranke is 2. To feed themselues and not the flocke when they doe feede themselues and not the flocke through idlenesse or carelesnesse doe seldome or neuer driue the sheepe of Christ vnto the greene pastures or the stil waters that the Lord hath prouided for them When I say such a thing as this is done it is of all the particular vniustices which I haue named or shall name the most abhominable to God ought to be so accounted also amongst men For the Church-liuings are as it were the reuenues of Iesus Christ and his endowments to be disposed by him and it is his order that those should liue of the Altar not which loyter but which labour at it and therfore those that labor not haue no interest from him to eate of the fruits if they presume to doe it they fill and fat themselues with stolne and ill gotten goods which though they tast sweet in the mouth shall prooue grauell yea worme-wood yea poyson in the bowels Now the labour that the holy Ghost requires at the hand of the Ministers of the Gospel is apparantly set down in Scripture that no man can without wilfulnes be ignorant of it Mat. 29.19.20 Go preach and baptise all nations teaching them to obserue all things that I haue commaunded you And againe woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor 9.16 2. Tim. 4.1.2 And againe I charge thee before God before the Lord Iesus who shall iudge the quick and dead at his appearance and in his kingdome preach the word in season and out of season Reproue exhort rebuke with all long suffering and doctrine An other part of his function is Tim. 2.15 to reade the word vnto them publikely as the Leuites did in former time for God forbid we should disallow this so profitable comfortable an ordinance Act. 8.31 because many content themselues with this alone And another part is to pray with them and be as it were their petitioner to God in publike Another is to administer the Sacraments of baptisme the Lords supper An other part of his dutie is in priuate to ouersee their waies comforting the weak strengthening the feeble admonishing the vnruly that so he may giue a good
account to God for them who will require them and their bloud at his hand Now he that feeds vpon the liuing doth not in some good measure set himselfe to do those things which God calleth vpon him to doe hee is a loyterer hee is an hireling To take Gods wages and not doe his worke at all or else negligently is a great and a cursed wrong and so much the more hurtfull then other wrongs by how much it doth more neerely dangerously touch the soules of men who must for any thank that is due to him perish for euer when the meanes of God appointed to saue men is not vsed by him the Minister whom God sets as a watchman and puts in trust with such a waightie imployment And all such men shal haue the bloud of the parties perishing through their default required at their hand It behoued me to haue my nostrils strangely stopt with a poze of preiudice if I had not smelt these practises to sauour rankly of couetousnes and to haue had my mouth basely musled with partialitie if I had not freely reprooued it and therfore if any in the ministery be present that vseth these courses to enrich himselfe by be it known to his face yea to his soule that these sins shall arise before God with the assent of his owne conscience and with a loud and shrill voyce proclaime in his eares to his shame and confusion if he repent not Thou hast harboured this couetousnesse that Christ bids beware of thou art the couetous man that canst not inherite the kingdome of God Now let vs proceed to Trades-men 3. Trades-men who are occupyed in buying selling shew how indirect courses are incident to their place as testimonies of a worldly heart The principall are these 1. False waights measures First to vse false waights and measures that is when the waights and measures by which they buy or sell eyther are not of the same content extent height that the law requires they should and they are by custome taken for or if they be yet there is cousonage vsed in applying of them by iogging shaking turning and swift conueyances that I cannot name but mens hearts can tell that vse them and so also can the Lord that seeth the heart Now such the light of nature Ioaths and God condemnes with a woe and saith Pro. 11.1 false waights and they be as bad as false that are falsely vsed are an abhomination to the Lord and hee would not abhorre them if they were not vniust The second is to sell corrupted false sophisticated and insufficient wares 2. Insufficient wares such as are not in qualitie as good or in substance the same that the seller would haue the buyer to take them for which sinne is most grieuous in Apothecaries because there it may also haue a spice of murther mixed with vniustice and for such dealing as this seeing euery man will exclaime and grudge against it being offred to himselfe we will seeke no other proofe but his own confession to condemne it in himselfe The third is to engrosse or forestall 3. Ingrosings that is to buy vp any commoditie before hand when it is or might be cheape to the foreseeing of a future dearth that so hee may make his gaine at his pleasure afterwards It is lawful to buy vp the ouer-plus of any cōmoditie I mean the residue when mens turnes are serued in the time of plentie as Ioseph did that a man may haue it to helpe the common weale in time of dearth with some good and moderate gaine to himselfe also but the ingrosser in stead of laying vp the superfluitie of plenty to preuent and helpe a dearth doth hoord vp the store of plentie to procure one which is to cut the throat of the common weale for his owne aduantage sake And therefore Salomon saith Pro. 11.26 Him that hoords vp corne the people shall curse And seeing the same reason is of all things in their degree I may say the same of all the ingroser shall be accursed he could not be so if he were not vniust A fourth thing iniurious in such men is 4 To abuse the simplicitie or necessitie of men play and prey vpon the necessitie or simplicitie of men eyther in thrusting a thing vpon them for much that a mans selfe knowes to be worth little or in getting a thing from them for little which he knows to be worth more because they know not the thing or else must needes haue it or part with it In a word any exacting of too much or giuing too little chiefly when we abuse the ignorance or the neede of our neighbour to this end is to serue ones selfe in selfe-loue and not his brother in loue and therefore is vniust Now if any aske how I can informe their consciences concerning the encreasing or diminishing of the price I will referre him to the first generall rule fore-named and wish him to aske as little offer as much as himself if he were in the same case wold willingly not by compulsion haue taken of him or giuen to him all things considered in due manner to deale otherwise then so is to deale iniuriously and vnrighteously The fift to this condition of people 5. To get away another mans custome or bargaine is to get away another mans custome by odd tricks as for example to offer and sell him a very cheape penny-worth yea cheaper than can be afforded for once or twice which a man purposeth to fetch out at some other time afterwards when he hath gotten him in and such like and so to take an other mans bargaine out of his hand is in the same kind for the buyer that this named for the seller for such dealing no man can take in good part when it is done to himselfe and therefore the law of nature and God both doe condemne it as naught and vnequall The last vniustice in men of this condition is to liue by wicked trades 6. Vsing vnlawfull trades or abusing lawfull which serue directly to the supporting of vice and wickednesse as for example by keeping dicing houses filthy houses bowling alleys such like places of hellish resort which are as it were the diuels houses of office the hote and vnsauory steames wherof do prouoke heauen and defile the world And such is also the abuse of lawful trades to the same purpose as in Painters or the like in making idolatrous or filthy pictures as fit instruments to prouoke spirituall or bodilie fornication So of Stationers in selling and dispercing filthy and lasciuious pamphlets and here the common sin of Vintners and Ale-hous-keepers be seuerely taxed in that they permit brutish creatures worse than swine to sit and swill wash away their reason discretion til the house be made a sink of filthy vomiting the basenes of which men loathsomenes of which practise no man wold suffer within his doores
successe must also take of the bad and the light of religion will not suffer him that hath any of it to deny this principall of charitie that Christians must serue one another in loue and not themselues alone in self-loue both which principals are directly contrary to the very trade of the vsurer for he makes sure for himselfe to haue a part onely and infallibly in the profit and therefore serues himselfe alone and also his brother and for this cause the vsurer is set among those that cannot come to dwell in the mountaine of God which bee should not be were hee not vniust So then the vsurer whether he doe it plainly or vnderhand as men haue a thousand policies to couer their sinne in this respect must vndergoe the imputation of liuing by wrong and iniurie A third vniustice in any man is to withhold dues from those to whom they belong as debts wages and the goods of orphanes and such things as haue been giuen for charitable vses and the like These be so openly euill that I see not how any man can open his mouth with any shew or colour to iustifie them When a man will pay his hireling nothing but keepe his owne from him by fraud or put him off with ill words and post him away from time to time or make him because he is his tenant c. take one or two pence in a day lesse than others giue or pay him very grumblingly who could brooke such dealing and not say fie vpon it it is starke staring wrong So when a man hath wherewithall to pay his debts in some measure at least and yet will breake and not discharge them so farre as it will goe or when being a rich man he sends away the creditor all to be rated and shaken with ill words and empty of money but laden with reuiling speeches yea though he haue to discharge it what man doth not loath to meete with such vsage to himselfe but chiefely when the fatherlesse childe or widdow haue not the portion bequeathed to them and committed in trust to a friend reasonably fully and readily paid in vnto them this euery man sees to be bad dealing In a word to retaine any part of anothers due is indignitie For Salomon hath sayd With-hold not the goods from the owners thereof Prou. 3.27 To liue vpōtenths chiefely not prouiding for the maintenance of Gods worship Another vniustice of this kind in lay-men is possessing of tenths or church-liuing specially without any care to haue the duety of the ministry faithfully and sufficiently discharged For not to stand vpon that question whether tenths be due by Gods law to the minister which yet I thinke might probably and sufficiently be defended euen against a cauilling and wittie obiector because the Apostle saying that he which is taught in the word must make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goods Gal. 6.6 doth thereby interest the minister into some portion of his peoples substance Now seeing none other part was euer assigned him either by the law of nature or the lawe of God but this doth not it probably at the least follow that euen vnder the Gospel this is his due but I say not to dispute this question we haue another reason to conuince apparantly that the tenthes cannot by that true right which will hold good in the courts of conscience and of heauen be detained from the ministrie without some full requitall other way for whatsoeuer hath once bin giuen consecrated to the maintenance of Gods worship and the true religion established by him that is inuested into the person of God or intangled vnto Iesus Christ as I may so speak who wil neuer acknowledge any fine and hath this royall prerogatiue that whatsoeuer is once his the same is alwaies his and whatsoeuer is giuen to him can neuer be taken from him neyther is there any prescribing against him seeing he hath neyther superiour nor law aboue him therfore can forfait no right Pro. 20.25 so that it is alwayes destruction to deuoure holy things and after the vow to require Now that these tithes were giuen deuoted by men well disposed to the maintenance of the true worship of God euen before grosse and heriticall popery had ouer-clouded the face of the world is a thing that I thinke no man will or can deny Wherefore the conclusion follows ineuitably that they be Gods stil and not to be bestowed any other way than in his seruice So many lay-men therefore as serue themselues with Church-goods deale vniustly with God and mens soules and cannot escape the blot of worldlinesse if knowing this they reforme it not The last vniustice that I wil name as common to all sorts of men is gaming in hope of gains Neither let the the gamester except that his riotous humour cannot come within the compasse of couetousnesse for hee doth therefore venture vnthriftily that hee may get more vnlawfully and his manner of gaining is most palpable wrongfull He takes that to which he hath no right at all that might make it his He pleads none other title but that he won it that is plaid better than another or perhaps not so but onely cast the lot more luckely and all the wit vnder heauen can neuer set a colour of lawfulnes vpon this plea. I must haue his money because I plaid better than hee or threw the dice more happily If he alleadge the couenant betwixt him the party that playeth with him that is nothing to the purpose Foreuery lawfull couenant is the expressing of some lawfull right that was in nature before the couenant as the ground thereof which hee cannot name any and therfore the couenant is vnlawfull cannot giue him lawfull possession of any thing If he flie to the mutual will of them that play let him not vrge that will but the ground of it which is to get another mans goods and therefore it is wicked cannot be the foundation of a iust couenant Indeede all will transferring right must eyther bee free-will and then the thing so passed ouer is free gift of which nature he will not acknowledge the thing that he wins neither can he call it so if hee would or else will grounded vpon some lawfull and equal consideration which the gamester cannot for his life make shift to name any and therefore this will that hee speakes of is either none or naught and so he plaies the theefe with another when he winnes as with himselfe when he looseth And whatsoeuer man hee may be in presence that accustomes to any of these last named things for his riches sake let it be certified to his heart that these things shall condemne him before the Lord and say Thou also dost yeeld to this sin of couetousnesse and thou art the couetous man that so continuing cannot enter into life eternal Thus haue we at the last brethren shewed you both what couetousnesse is and the notes
sufficient care to resist reforme this fault in themselues haue been shamefully foyled by Sathan and drawne somtimes to most vniust and discommendable courses such as the wicked world hath euen taken notice of and as I may so speake hath showted and howted at them glad to take any exception and therefore much more reioycing that so iust a cause of euill speaking hath been offered It is an outcry of the world that those which would be accounted most forward professors of religion those that doe seeme to make so much account of preaching and sermons and so forth euen these are as hard as vniust as couetous in their dealings as the worst of their neighbours And surely brethren though the world willing to report the worst of things doe vse a tricke of rethorique in aggrauating yet it cannot be denyed that your liues hath giuen matter inough to worke vpon It is a true complaint of many that make great shew of religion that though they bee not as couetous as the worst yet they be too notoriously couetous and the ouer-abundance of this euill weed doth dissauour all the graces and vertues which are or seeme to be in them Why wilt thou if thou fearest God suffer thy selfe to be so basely carried away with the desires of these things that here-hence thou shouldest run into courses of that nature as make thy profession euill spoken of as open the wicked mouthes of clamorous men against thee as renders thy name a white or marke for all those that are willing to cast out the venemous darts of oblequie and reproch against the same as giues wicked men occasion to shelter themselues from all reproofes by retorting thy bad actions in the face of the reproouer as make sinners to applaude themselues in their sinnes and thinke though I make not such a shew as such an one yet he is as couetous as I am otherwise faultie Yea as doe cause all good men and religion it self to receiue disgrace when they can say though lyingly yet badly enough hauing the example of some such to pretend as euidence against all that such are all the sort of you I beseech you brethren if any of you that feare God haue beene ouerled with these earthly things let him now see and consider of these many and grieuous inconueniences and see what the immoderate following of the world can yeelde him answerable to the losse of all those comforts that his heart should enioy if it were rid better of this sin and to those good affections and praises that he should haue from good men if he did ouer-come this sinne and to that freedome and safety from the scourge of the tougues of lewd men that might come to him had he not giuen them the aduantage against him by vnmuzling their mouthes with the too too grosse practising of this sinne Now then consider this with thy selfe whosoeuer thou maist be Disgrace thy selfe disgrace religion dishonor Gods holy name cause wicked men to exult thy friends Gods seruants to be grieued no more Do no more I say rush vpon all or any of these inconueniences through the too much dotage after these base and contemptible things If I cannot preuaile with them that haue beene wholy worldlings and altogether men of this earth yet with thee that hast some good things some sparkes of Gods spirit some truth of religion and hope of a better life let me yea let God and Gods ordinance preuaile to make thee reforme thine heart and life in this behalfe in comming to this place and lending your eare to Iesus Christ speaking in his owne ordinance you make a shew to intend obedience to his word who by his spirit stands in the midst of you searching euery mans hidden heart you make a shew of obedience the ende of hearing is doing Shew me that you were not hypocrits in comming to the sermon let your liues speake for you that you did in sinceritie present your selues before the Lord and were neither fooles to come hither to no end nor dissemblers to come for a wrong end I doubt not but euery one of your consciences which hath with any reasonable attention hearkned is I am sure it ought to haue beene sufficiently conuinced of the loathsomnesse and vilenesse of this sinne yea and of our owne faultinesse in it diuers wayes Shew forth the fruite of the word gaine a blessing be doers not hearers alone Now you haue looked in the glasse of the word and seene the spots and staines of earthlinesse discouered go home purge and cleanse your selues of them hereafter Be not like him that looks in a glasse but washeth not his face be not so but let the word of God be to you in power cast this monstrous euill and the dregs of it out of your likings and your liues But will some man say is sin so easily left or can wee so soon preuail against it indeed as you speak against it no but there must be some pains taken about it and then I doe not doubt nay dare promise to a christian soule the victory against this sin that it shall goe downe the winde and bee of the loosing hand And that you may the better amend your selues in this matter I will stand a while to shew you these two things First what be the causes of couetousnes Secondly The causes of couetousnesse are misconceiuing of God and of wealth what be the remedies against couetousnesse which if any man will apply wisely vnto himselfe hee shall finde a meruailous cure and that in a short space wrought vpon his heart First then the maine and principall procreant causes of couetousnesse are two errors in the vnderstanding or iudgement For indeed such is the nature of the affections that they doe seldome or neuer offend but through the former faultinesse of the mind Seldome doth the desire or loue or hatred ouer-shoote themselues but through the deceite of the vnderstanding part that being first disordered it selfe disorders those that are as seruants to it ouerhastie to the worst and ouer-slow in the best actions And in the perticular therefore the desire is inordinately and vnlawfully carryed after wealth because the eye of the minde mistaketh it marke in these two respects First it doth not apprehend in God such abundance of power and will to saue helpe and deliuer as indeed there is in him and euery man should acknowledge in him and so the mind being by this falshood driuen from the strong hold of Gods name is faine to cast about for some other place of defence and then wealth offers it selfe to helpe as the bramble to the king ouer the trees the mind still dazeled and iudging after the appearances of things not after the truth doth conceiue that riches are indeed able to helpe Now vpon these two grosse mistakings it followes that the desire which is ready prest to pursue that which is esteemed helpfull and profitable sets forward it selfe with all
or equall driues men of wealth shewes what big conceits they haue of themselues In a word let examples here make the case plaine Name a man almost that did not waxe proud by wealth vnles God so sauced his sweet meate with the sowre sauce of affliction that it was euen made vnsauory to him It bred this frenzy in Dauid Vzzia Asa Hezekiah the best kings that the Scripture speakes of and if such men could not beare it what are wee If any thinke though it made others worse it shall not make him so let him know that this very conceit shewes him to be proud when he hath it not and how would he be then if it were in his hands thou art now conceited when thou art in a lower estate will thy conceit of thy selfe diminish with the encrease of thy substance Doest thou thinke God is so ill a disposer of things that hee would not giue it thee if he knew thou couldest vse it most to his glory Giue God leaue to know what is in thee better than thy selfe as the Physition knoweth the state of the patients body when hee knowes it not What child doth not thinke hee could vse a knife well but the wise father knowes his conceit ariseth from ignorance so I say to thee that dreamest wealth should not make thee worse Art thou better than Dauid and Salomon his sonne To say as the thing is therefore God doth not giue so much of this wealth to his children because he knowes they would hurt themselues with it but giues a low estate to most of his seruants for if they had more wealth they would be so drunk with conceit that they would think themselues too good to serue him as many men doe that haue it And no wonder that riches bring a man to great pride for they make him vtterly distaste religious exercises which should weane the heart from conceit of it selfe Hee cannot haue while to pray reade meditate for following his pleasures or seeking to adde more to that he hath so that none doe seldomer visite God in their closet with true deuotion and feruent cryes than these vnlesse the Lord fetch them in by a sore crosse and then themselues can see what harme their prosperitie did vnto them Then from pride growes securitie 3. Security as a dead sleepe from drunkennesse Those that haue their barnes and houses full as the rich man after my text if they be not so wholy past sence as in words to take vp his note and say Soule soule eate and drinke and take thine ease yet indeede fall iust to this practise nuzling themselues in this world as an hogge in straw and giuing themselues to seeke their pleasures profits and promotions and are so possessed with their owne thoughts viz. how to get such a liuing such a faire house such a match for this daughter such a thing for this sonne that scarce once in a moneth or an yeare they can haue time seriously to thinke of getting heauen for themselues or for their children yea and though they haue some good thoughts put into their hearts by a good sermon or good exhortation they die all like a sparke of fire for want of blowing and adding too more fewell I would these things did neede any proofe and it were not so plaine that all can see it but those that feele it Yea sometimes wealth breeds that notable licentiousnesse where it is growne to a great floud that it makes men not to care what they do 4. Licentiousnesse but commit whoredome and other as foule sinnes euen openly because no man scarce their ministers whom they wil likely choose for their owne turne scorning to suffer the wholesome plainnesse of him that scornes to flatter scarce I say their ministers dare tell them they offend Yea they promise to themselues by money and friends to out-face Iustice it selfe and peruert righteous iudgment so that when none keeps them from sinne by reproofe nor drawes them to repentance by iust punishment they may goe to hell without rub as a bowle downe an hill in a smooth place the matter being referred to the last iudgment and the iudge of all flesh who will iudge them so much more seuerely by how much they boare out sinnes on earth with more quietnesse and safety And least men should thinke only the worst men fell to these sicknesses by fat pastures behold Dauid a man after Gods owne heart who in his abundance stood vpon his hill vaunting himselfe and saying He should neuer be mooued and sodainly fell to adultery to murther to such hardnesse in both as not to confesse them of a long time and had not God strangely turned him wealth would haue brought him to the diuell and this is the good it doth euen to good men except God doe chastise them euery morning and euery night and make them sober by many tribulations that a poorer man shall scape In one word therfore the richer any man is vnlesse he pray more and bewaile his sinnes more and think more of his latter end the worse he is and if God doe not crosse him more than others he will pray lesse than others Wherefore vnlesse his wealth be allayed by more pinching afflictions and then who would wish it 1 Hindering he cannot but be a greater sinner than other men And say hee be Gods childe yet hee growes farre slower in grace others profite more at one sermon than he at ten others make more feruent prayers and haue more holy meditations in a moneth than he in a year and thinke more of heauen in a day than hee in a moneth so that Christ may well call riches the thornes that do euen choke the word and therefore they doe also make the way to Heauen harder 1. Grace The same meanes that drawes poorer men to saluation will not doe him hardly can a rich man goe to heauen it is as thicke clay in his iourney that makes a man goe softly Not many rich men are saued saith Paul And how hard it is for him that hath riches to enter into heauen saith he that cannot lye or be deceiued Now let them goe and boast of their happinesse that makes them more proud secure and licentious than other men and makes the way of grace and the way of life to bee much more difficult and tedious to them than other men and who would bee so greedy of that which the more hee hath the lesse vertuous hee shall be if hee bee not more afflicted and shall finde it more difficult to be saued wherefore if any of you haue doated on wealth heretofore let him seriously consider and ponder vpon this how fickle it is how little good it can doe how much hurt it will doe and I assure my selfe and him too hee shall soone grow lesse in loue with it if hee will be led by reason and truth not by fashion and opinion Conclusion of all And thus Brethren I haue according as I was able shewed you what couetousnesse is the causes effects signes and remedies Try your selues by this description and these signes fright your selues from it by these causes and effects and heale your selues of it by these remedyes Suffer your soules to be wrought vpon and let the successe of your hearing be good you are neerer damnation by this Sermon if you mend not the fault reproued neerer saluation if you will take warning let not the word be a sauour of death to any of you It comes to my minde what is saide in the Gospell when Christ had spoken against couetousnesse the Pharises that were couetous heard these things and they laughed him to scorne as if hee had disgraced couetousnesse onely because hee wanted wealth If these speeches finde no better effects how ill haue wee bestowed our time Be not as bad as Pharises I beseech you contemne not the speaker deride not the word of God but heare it beleeue it practise it condemne the sinne leaue the fault beware of couetousnesse and be that which no couetous man can be true Christians and true blessed men which God graunt for his Sonnes sake Christ Iesus to whom with the Father the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS