A CAVEAT AGAINST Covetousness OCCASIONED By some scandalous and pernicious Fruit of it in one amongst us whose heart went after it Written for Admonition to others BY CHARLES PHELPES 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of Money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows Joh. 8. 7. He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her LONDON Printed in the Year 1668. TO THE READER In General And especially to such as have heard the Father and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus and know that he is indeed the Christ the Savior of the World THe ensuing Treatise was at first intended onely for mine own private use and the helpfulness of such as by the providence of God are committed to me to bring up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and though I was urged by the perswasion of some to make it publique yet it prevailed not with me considering mine own great weakness and unmeetness and that another had intended if God preserved him and gave opportunity to have a blow at this root of all evil to wit Covetousness who was more abundantly sitted of God and prepared to every good word and work and faithful in the Lord But now I consented and was willing to do that which formerly I knew not how to think of The Reasons which swayed me at last hereto were 1. And principally because the Person before referred to who in the latter end of the Preface to his Treatise Entituled Fornication condemned signified his intention to discover the sinfulness of this Sin I mean my dearest Brother and most faithful Helper in the Lord Thomas Moor Junior was removed and taken from the earth and died in the Lord before he had accomplished or begun to accomplish what as to this particular was upon his heart His dayes are past his purposes broken off even the thoughts of his heart as Job 17. 11. he rests from his labours and his works follow him and shall be remembred and recompensed in the resurrection of the Just For the iniquity of our Covetousness God was wroth and smote us in taking away that merciful man that man of kindness and godliness from amongst us See and compare Isaiah 57. 1. with Verse 17. To him to live was Christ and to die gain and it is far better with him that he is departed and is with Christ than to have continued longer in the flesh nevertheless to have abidden in the flesh had been more needful for us that our rejoycing might have been more abundant in Christ Jesus and this mercy we might have enjoyed had our Conversation been as becometh the Gospel of Christ as Phil. 1. 21-27 He might have been restored to us again had our Conversation been without Covetousness See Heb. 13. 5. 19. Our wayes and our doings have procured this severe testimony of displeasure to our selves this is our wickedness because it is bitter it reacheth even to the very heart My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart my heart maketh a noise in me I cannot hold my peace because thou hast heard O my Soul in this stroke the sound of the Trumpet the Alarm of War Compare Jer. 4. 18-21 with Chapter 6. 13-15 Wo unto us that we have sinned that though we have sitten before God as his people and heard his words yea have been hearers made a trade of it and this his servant hath been unto us as a very lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant Voice and could play well on an Instrument for we heard his words yet have not done them our heart hath not been estranged from its lust but hath gone after its Covetousness and therefore God hath begun to make us desolate and to know by his deprivation that a Prophet hath been amongst us Ezek. 33. 29-33 He is now taken from the evil and there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave where he is and whither we are going He hath no more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun nor shall he return to perfect any thing left undone Now then that I might execute the Will of the Deceased though most unworthy I have done what I have done 2. Upon the former account and in concurrence with him that is now removed I have committed this to publick view because I judge that the evil herein warned of is not onely very hurtful and pernicious in it self and provoking to the eyes of Gods glory as I have endeavored to demonstrate but also as I fear very much enclined to and entertained not onely by such as have a form of godliness upon them and deny the power thereof but by such also as have known and believed the love that God hath manifested to us in sending his Son to be the Savior of the World Oh that their hearts were not too generally inclined to it yea that this spot which is not the spot of Gods children were not in its fruits so easily discernable upon them that it may be found without secret search so as that they teach the wicked ones their ways and strengthen the hands of evil doers I have a little observed of late and seen somewhat of it if I be not deceived Oh that I may be mistaken in it some grievous and sadning evidences of it in Gods pleasant plant not only in the great miscarriages of one which occasioned the considering this place of Scripture but in others also in some leading them in stead of taking wrong and suffering themselves to be defrauded to do wrong and defraud and that their brethren and others also and that before the unbelievers even in their view and presence causing them to open their mouthes wide against the Name of God and his Doctrine and stumbling and offending the weak 1 Cor. 6. 1-9 In others hindring them from such a promoting the things of Christ and endeavoring the good of their brethren in their word as their hearts have been set for and inclined unto because their expectations have not been answered in the conveniences and accommodations of the things of this present world In others in shutting up the bowels of their compassions when opened and not remembring to shew mercy but even adding sorrow to sorrow and increasing affliction to the afflicted Psal 109. 16. Job 6. 14-27 and 24. 21. In others intangling them so with the affairs of this life that they cannot wait upon the Lord with his people without distraction and so not please him who hath chosen them to be soldiers 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. I might add more and have spoken more particularly but that I love not on this subject to speak so openly Oh tell it
Lord Christ's and the fulness thereof Psal 24. 1. with 1 Cor. 10. 21-26 All power is given to him in Heaven and in Earth Math. 28. 18. Indeed this is not gloriously manifested now as it shall be hereafter but we by faith may know that God hath put all things under his feet Eph. 1. 21 22. All that the Father hath is his Joh. 16. 15. and he as thus furnished hath given us assurance in his promises that in seeking him we shall have of these things what he sees needful and good for us which promises are so ratified and sealed by his blood that there is no reason or room left for us while walking in the light of the Lord to call into question his faithfulness in performing see how the Holy Ghost sets this before us to preserve from covetousness and from the practise of those that exercise themselves thereto Our Savior when he warns his disciples of taking thought for their life or body he gives this instruction and promise to them seek ye first in and unto all things the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things namely what you shall eat what you shall drink and wherewith you shall be cloathed shall be added to you Math. 6. 24-34 so the Apostle saith Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have namely as you have prepared in Christ in whom all things are yours even the world life things present c. 1 Cor. 3. 21-23 and which you have assured to you in his promises and he is giving to you in his way For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper c. Heb. 13. 5 6. Psal 34 8-10 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keeps them alive in famine Psal 33. 18 19. see also Psal 37. 3 4 19. and 84. 10 11. He hath not promised us meat for our lust or that he will give unto us such accommodations as our naturall spirit is desiring and craving that may be hurtful for us but what ever he sees we need to our seeking him he will not withhold Yea he may bring his people into many straits so that they may be in hunger and thirst in fastings in cold and nakedness for the trial of their faith and that they may learn to live the life they live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us But he will cause all things to work together for good to them that love God who are the called according to purpose Rom. 8. 28-32-37 39. Yea and he that gave his Son in due time to dye for us ungodly ones while without strength will in due time and seasonably be mindful of his covenant in giving meat to them that fear him till they have finished their course Psal 111. 4 5. Oh what powerful arguments are contain'd and what compleat incouragement is given to us in this word of the beginning of Christ to strengthen us to receive this admonition viz To take heed and beware of covetousness 2. That men may take heed and beware of covetousness while called to day is manifest in what Jesus Christ is now doing in his present work and office whereto the Father hath appointed him and that both in what he doth to us from Heaven in the name of the Father and in what he doth for us in Heaven with the Father in both which he is the Savior of all men especially of them that believe And so 1. Jesus Christ who hath made peace for us by his blood and is our peace in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily is appointed and hereby fitted to be and is the great Apostle by whom God hath spoken to us in these last days and by whom he still speaketh in his Testimony by his Spirit to our spirits that we might know the things freely prepared for us and given us in himself that through the knowledge of it we might be redeemed from the Earth he is the great peace-preacher preventing every man in due time with some discoveries of his goodness and especially us amongst whom the Scriptures in the records thereof are preserved He is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and more advantage doth he give to us upon whom his name is called in opening our blind eyes in due time and turning us to God from Idols and so saving us from our sins For to this end hath God appointed him to be the light that he might save us for thus he saith I have given thee for a light of the Gentiles that by this means thou maâ—st be for salvation to the ends of the Earth Act. 13. 47. The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly c. Tit. 2. 11 12. it brings salvation to all men in due season not finds it in men beforehand and it is saving not onely it hath such a tendency in it but also there is saving strength accompanying it to strengthen men to receive it in it's appearance and therewith to deny worldly lusts c. Otherwise how glorious soever the things be which Christ hath wrought and obtained into himself for us men cannot take heed and beware of any thing reproved For man is born like a wild Asses colt the way of peace they know not they have no wisdom in them they cannot know those things which belong to their peace for they are spiritually discerned nor can they see the iniquity of covetousness but may think it to be godliness every man by his knowledge is bruitish and thence they have no freedom of will to chuse life and refuse death no affection to or desire after things that are above But God hath put his spirit upon his Son and hath given him for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes c. Isa 42. 1-6 7. and 49. 6-9 and good and upright faithful to him that appointed him is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way Psal 25. 8. so that when men are walking in the iniquity of their covetousness to the provoking God to wrath and to smite them c. he to recover them therefrom creates the fruits of his lips peace peace to him that is far off Isa 57. 17-19 he makes known his words to the worst of sinners and particularly to those that are greedy of gain and therewith reproving them Pro. 1. 19-23 upon whom doth not his light arise Job 25. 3. The Holy Spirit doth convince the world of sin because they believe not on Christ that is he doth both reprove and fault them and not onely so but convince them and evidence to them that this is their
not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce Now to this end that I may be some way instrumental to to the awakening my self and others to search and try our hearts and ways even to search them as with a candle in the light of Gods testimony diligently and narrowly to search into them that we may if this iniquity be in our hearts and hands put it away I have therefore been willing to become a fool Oh that I could truly say for Christs sake 3. Because as the consequent of the former I am even afraid lest Gods judgements should be further poured forth upon us even such and of such a nature as in which he will turn the Songs of the Temple into howlings and send a famine of hearing the words of the Lord as is after said I am perswaded this iniquity retained and served and the fruit thereof in saying to those that prophesie Prophesie not to us right things speak smooth things c. hath already provoked God to make breaches amongst us and to order it in his providences that some of these faithful ones shall no more prophesie that others shall not take shame and it seems to me as if God were still threatning to take away his tabernacle as of a Garden and to destroy his places of the assembly for the iniquity of our covetousness he is still hiding himself and is wroth Micah 2. 2. 6-11 Oh that we may consider it so as to flee it before the decree bring forth and the day pass as the chaff that yet he may turn away his displeasure and comfort us according to the days wherein he hath afflicted us Or however we may be hid in the day of the Lords anger and he may be a light to us when we sit in darkness As to my own weakness I acknowledge that the shame of my face doth cover me and I have cause to cry out My leanness my leanness but yet there is mercy and grace with him to whom I should study to shew my self approved it should be a small thing with me to be judged of men or of mans day it s not he whom man commends is therefore approved and no matter though men curse if God bless Oh that I may have to do with him with whom is forgiveness that he may be feared and that he would pardoning and healing whatsoever he sees amiss in me prosper this work is the desire of him who is April 30. 1668. The most unworthy of the least of Gods mercies and unskilful in the word of his righteousness Charles Phelpes A Caveat against Covetousness LUKE 12. 15. And he said unto them Take beed and beware of Covetousness For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth WHile our Savior in the foregoing part of the Chapter was as we may see instructing and encouraging his disciples not to be ashamed of the Testimony of the Lord but to be partakers of the sufferings of the Gospel according to the power of God as 2. Tim. 1. 7 8. One of the company said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the inheritance with me Vers 13. It seemes the person thus speaking had some good esteem of our Savior by the Title he gives him and matter he commits to him To which request our Savior answers 1. Particularly to the man himself And he said unto him Man who made me a Judge or a divider over you He would not own or exercise any such authority as he was a Peace-preacher and while in a mortal body he would not take upon him to divide the difference or determine what appertain'd to one or to the other though requested by one party For his Kingdom was not of this world Joh. 18 36. Nor did he seek for nor would accept of any worldly greatness while here Yea when they would have come by force and have made him king he departed again into a mountain alone Joh. 6. 15. and instructed his disciples that they should not seek for such worldly greatness as the Kings of the earth may lawfully have and exercise Math. 20. 25 26. Luk. 22. 24. 26. How unlike to our Savior is he that pretends to be his Vicar and would be accounted the Head of the Church on earth who not only judges of private matters when desired by one party and divides to others equally their rights but converts the revenues of others to himself deposes Kings and acquits their Subjects of their obedience to them and disposes their kingdoms to others Yea and causes their lives to be taken away and so exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worship't And how unsutable to the instructions of our Savior to his disciples is the exercise of the Synagogue of Satan the Mother of harlots and her Daughters who inflict mulcts and outward punishments on those that transgress their law and are more strict in punishing the breach of them then of his who is the onely head and husband of his body the Church 2. Our Savior gives answer to this mans desire more generally and for instruction to others in this 15. verse And he said unto them c. And in this he includes his disciples as directly spoken to or however speaks in their hearing and that for their admonition also From the occasion of the words we may note 1. In that this man now makes this request to our Savior it may teach us That while men sit before Christ as his people and are among those that hear his word yet their heart may be far removed from him and from his teachings Isay 29. 13. it may be wandring after it's covetousness Ezek. 33. 31. 33. While the outward man is presented before the Lord and therewith a man professedly waits upon him Yet the heart and desire may be set upon and wandring after other things it may be led away with divers lusts from the mindfulness of what is declared and thereby advantage is given to Satan to steal away the word of the Lord Yea he now especially watches for such an advantage and is very busy that he may take away that which was sown in the heart lest they should believe and be saved For the Gospel is the word of faith which would were it retained worke faith and so save them faith cometh by hearing and bearing of the word of God Luk. 8. 12. Great need have we therefore to take heed how we hear to keep our hearts with all keeping when such a price is put into our hands lest what we have heard slip away or be taken from us 2. In that this man adds this desire after those instructions and admonitions given by our Savior to his disciples we may learn That such is the deceitfulness of that sin that dwelleth in us that it will lead us to pervert what is right and so it becomes unprofitable to us It appeares
We shall first shew what it is not 1. It is not a serving God in those works of his providence he gives us to be exercised in here under the Sun and diligence therein though in so doing we may be serving our Covetous inclination Yet we are not forbidden to exercise our selves in any honest Trade Way or Imployment though in all our conversations to beware of this iniquity God appointed to man some exercise to be exercised in while he was in the state of innocency namely to dress and to keep the Garden Gen. 2. 15. And hath since given a travel to men to be exercised in Exod. 20. 9. Eccl. 3. 10. And warnes of idleness and slothfulness and shews the evil nature and fruit of it Yea and there are commandments given by the Lord Jesus to the believers that if any would not work neither should they cat c. Rom. 12. 11. 2 Thes 3. 10. Tit. 3. 14. Yea and the Apostles and their fellow-laborers did worke and so make themselves an ensample to the beleivers to follow them 1 Cor. 4. 11. 12. 2 Thess 3. 7-9 And not onely is such instruction and example given to the believers in general but to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus how that so labouring as the apostle had done they ought to support the weak c. Acts 20. 28-25 Yea our blessed Savior hath given us an example who was not onely the reputed Son of a Carpenter but a Carpenter also Mark 6. 3. Luk. 2. 51. 2. Nor is it a desiring of him those things that are needful for our chearful seeking after and glorifying him in order thereto we may desire such meat drink cloaths and such a prospering the work of our hands as may conduce to our hallowing of his name and to such an end he hath instructed us in that doctrine of right prayer to say Give us day by day our daily bread Phil. 4. 6. Though yet in such desire also Covetousness is to be watcht against in the light of the Lord and we to be submitted to God and his infinite wisdome and faithfulness who knows what is most conducible to such an end better than we do and therefore are we willed by the mercies of God to present our bodies to him to be ordered by him as he sees good and taught to pray Thy will be done c. Give us this day our daily bread Math. 6. 10 11. Phil. 4. 5 6 7. Pro. 30. 8 9. 3. Nor is it all coveting that we are admonished of or of all that which is so called we are instructed to Covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. and 14. 39. There are also the lusts of the spirit effected by spirit in the Testimony of Jesus in the spirit of the believer and so the spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. The new spirit and heart of the hearty believer from the discovery and beholding of the excellency and comliness of Christ his love and loveliness and having tasted of his graciousness as a new born babe desires the sincere milk of the word it earnestly desires more to know Christ win him and be found in him to be conformed to him and clothed on with the fruit of his righteousness it pants after and thirsteth for God even the living God and longs and lusts for him to see further his glory and power in the Sanctuary in his Son and in the assemblies of his hidden ones even as those that cannot be satisfied without wisdom they while walking in the spirit seek it as men seek silver this the one thing they desire and for which they have counted and do count all other things as loss and dung in comparison thereof and in persuing after it and to the promoting of it nothing they suffer moves them nor count they their lives dear to themselves that they may more know and be made partakers of Christ Oh that we were filled more with these lusts of the spirit and were more coveting those excellent things that durable riches and righteousness in Christ Psal 27. 4. and 42. 1 2. and 63. 1-8 Pro. 2. 2-6 and 8. 18. Gal. 5. 16 17. Phil. 3. 8-10 But the Covetousness here admonished of is An affection and lust of the flesh in which a man doth love this world and the things thereof and not content with Gods provision allowance and gift doth greedily desire after more of it that he may be rich in or toward himself 1. I say it is an affection and lust of the flesh as distinguished from and opposed to the lusts of the spirit as before and so to shew unto us whence it springs namely from the flesh the carnal minde or wisdom of the flesh which is sometimes called Covetousness and so opposed to Gods testimonies which is the wisdom from above to shew the nature of it and that it is the source and fountain of this corrupt affection and lust Psal 119. 36. For from this corrupt fountain this iniquity proceeds even from that wisdom which is not from above it descends not or comes not down from the Father of light but ascends out of our hearts and is earthly affecting and lusting after and leading us to love minde and savour earthly things sensual leading us to judge according to outward appearance and to look upon and mind seen things which are temporal and to live by sight or sense as opposed to the living by faith and Devilish as being that which we received from him and are therein like to him leading us to aspire after an equality with God and to have a selfe-sufficiency in our own hands and to that end to worship and serve Satan the god of this world who beautifies and commends the things thereof Jam. 3. 15. Thus our Savior saith From within out of the heart of men namely out of that corrupt understanding and judgment that is in him as of him received from and poisoned by Satan and strengthened by the principles and spirit of this world proceed evil thoughts of God and of our selves and of the things of this world as if blessedness did consist in them and in our possessing abundance of them and thence proceeds Covetousness Mark 7. 21 22. This carnal mind is enmity against God he saith not it hath enmity in it nor onely that it is an enemy to him for then there might possibly be a reconciling of it that notwithstanding but it is enmity it self made up and composed of nothing else so as it can never be reconciled it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be it may be purged out and destroyed but can never be reformed Rom. 8. 7. It would perswade us there is no God Psal 14. 1. Or that he is not able or faithful to give unto us in his way what we stand in need of and that though he hath manifested his love to us in Christ and given him for a standing witness of it that we might when we
they turn not at his reproofs he will still and further smite with his hand or order great testimonies of displeasure and that in laying afflictions upon men yea and upon nations for being given to and serving this iniquity and still it is more provoking in his peculiar people his pleasant plant that they should defile themselves herewith hence believers are admonished with such an one as is called a brother and is covetous not to eat and yet they might eat with a covetous one of this world 1 Cor. 5. 10 11. on such still his wrath comes in laying afflictions upon their loyns and even withdrawing or withholding his manifested nighness and the light of his countenance from them and so ordering still and further to them wrath with their sickness Eccl. 5. 17. and so he hides him and is wroth and this is a great aggravation of mens afflictions of theirs especially who know how satisfying and reviving the light of his countenance is Isa 57. 17. Psal 10. 1. Yea by continuing herein he may be provok't to order and send furious rebukes upon those nations on whom his name is called such as sword famine pestilence c. so the Prophet saith I am full of the fury of the Lord I am weary with holding it in I will poure it upon the children abroad c. and their houses shall be turned to others with their fields c. For I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land saith the Lord Why so for from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness Jer. 6. 11-13 c. and 8. 10-13 He would recompense their way upon their heads in those judgements As they had been keeping all for themselves so he would give it all into the hand of their enemies and as they had not served the Lord in the abundance of all things so now they should serve their enemies in the want of all things Deut. 28. 47 48. Yea for this and the direct fruits of it he permits and orders them to be oppressed by those that are over them Mica 2. 1-4 and 3. 1-4 Yea for this he may be provok't and will take away his Prophets righteous and merciful ones and turn the songs of the Temple into howlings send a famine even of hearing the words of the Lord and though men fast and pray not hear but cover himself with a cloud that their prayer should not pass through Isa 57. 1 17. with c. 58. 3 4. c. and 59. 1 2 3. Ezek. 33. 31-33 Amos. 8 3-12 Mica 2. 1 2-6 and therein write mens sin upon their punishment that as they have not dealt their bread to the hungry nor given drink to the thirsty so he will withhold the bread of life from them the fair Virgins yong men shall faint for thirst Am. 8. 11-13 Yea in following after this he may permit some to fall into such fruits of it as to be cut off untimely and be punished by the Judges and dye shameful deaths in the open sight of others for their admonition Josh 7. 21-25 and yet be so punished in this world as to have all their punishment here that they may not be condemned hereafter Yea his wrath may so come upon men for persisting herein against the light and admonitions of his grace as to give them up to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient because they have been filled with all unrighteousness covetousness Rom. 1. 28 29. to worship the beast who opens his mouth in blasphemies against God Rev. 13. 8. to finish iniquity and so fall into desperation Act. 1. 18. And however the day of the Lord shall come on all them that dwell on the earth as a snare eitheir in particularly taking them away by death as it did upon this man who assured himself of much rest happiness and that he was laid in many years thou fool saith God this night shall thy soul be taken from thee Luk. 12. 20-21 or however generally when God shall send us Jesus again to destroy them that destroy the Earth then the inhabiters of the Earth shall be taken in the snare and they shall not escape Isa 24. 17 18. Luk. 21. 34 35. 1 Thes 5. 3. 3. And further and for ever the wrath of God shall come and cometh upon such as abide herein and are not washed in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God no covetous man who is an idolater â—ath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Eph. 5. 5. no such an one as such and unless his name be changed in Heaven shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 10. But they drink of the wrath of God which will be poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and of the Lamb Rev. 14. 6-11 they are now numbred with and reckon'd amongst Idolaters Adulterers effeminate c. yea covetousness is the root of these as is in part shewn and they shall have their portion with them in Hell fire where their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched Oh that we may not deceive our selves but know that now God abhorres the covetous Psal 10. 3. and will hereafter in flaming fire take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus now consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Having thus according to my weakness spoken to the instruction I shall adde somewhat by way of usefulness And so 1 From what hath been said in shewing the evil and deceitfull nature and bitter fruit of this iniquity I have in some measure been made sensible of my need of crying to God with the Prophet who after he had said O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall perish and they that depart from me shall be written in the Earth where their hearts have been because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountaine of living waters adds Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed c. Jer. 17. 13 14. it may seem he was made sensible of his own miscarriage and that he needed Gods mercy in forgiving and cleansing him or otherwise he might have been reputed guilty of the like transgression which procures such wrath or as the Prophet David when he had been imprecating and prophesying that such should be ashamed which transgress without cause cryes out to God Remember O Lord thy tender mercies c. remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions but according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake Psal 25 3-7 as signifying that if God had markt iniquities against him he could not stand as justified before him so may I say also For thy names sake pardon mine iniquity of this nature
judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. inherit the earth Psal 37. 9-11 have power over the nations and rule them with a rod of iron Rev. 2. 26 27. and then compleatly bear the Image of the Heavenly in their bodies which shall be fashioned into the likeness of his glorious body In their spirits injoying the harvest of all blessing of which they have now but a first fruits In that dominion and rule that shall be given them when he shall make new heavens and a new earth 1 Cor. 15. 49. in being Christ's they are Abraham's seed and heires according to promise and so heyres of the world to come Rom. 4. 13. Heb. 2. 5. and shall injoy the heavenly Canaan which was given to Abraham and his seed by an everlasting covenant the which he hath not yet possessed God gave him none inheritance in it no not so much as to set his foot on yet he promised he would give it to him for a possession and to his seed after him Act. 7 5. and faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it This everlasting covenant being confirmed by the blood of Jesus who is brought again from the dead and alive for evermore being the great shepherd of the sheep and Mediator of the new Testament that the called may recieve the promise of the eternal inheritance Heb. 9. 14. and 13. 20. and blessed is he that believeth for there shall be a performance of the things that are spoken Christ himself as raised from the dead being the foundation and ground of it and he as given to us in the Gospel and by faith received is that in which God makes with us and gives us assureance of the everlasting covenant Isa 55. 3. with Act. 13. â—4 Now this blessed hope which is declared to us in the word of the truth of the Gospel is very powerful as viewed in the Cross of Christ to deliver us from this present evil world we are saved by hope from our sins and so from loving and lusting after this World Hence frequently the Holy Ghost sets this before us to take off our hearts from the things here below and that we might be without carefulness and covetousness Thus our Savior in this Luk. 12. takes occasion from the miscarriages of this man who desired him to speak to his brother to divide the inheritance with him to warn his disciples of taking thought for their life what they shall eat c. And to seal home that admonition saith Feare not little flock For it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom therefore sell that you have and give almes c. Luk. 12. 22-32-35 so the Apostle saith When Christ our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Mortifie therefore your members that are upon the earth covetousness which is idolatry Col. 3. 4 5. He that hath his hope in Christ that when he shall appear we shall be like him c. purifieth himself as he is pure As Christ is pure in his work washing and cleansing from desires of being now manifested and from minding and affecting the things of the world so such an one purifieth himself daily and continually he goes on so to do 1 Joh. 3. 1-3 how forcible was this blessed hope with the holy men in former times to redeem them from the earth they saw the promises afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them kissed and closed with them as very desireable and lovely and as the effect and consequent thereof confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth c. Heb. 11. 13. 16. And by faith Moses preferred the reproach of Christ before the treasures of Egypt and refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter For he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11 24-26 and if this had such efficacy on them when they saw the promises afar off would it not now rather crucifie us to the world and the World to us were we looking to those things not seen considering that the promise God made to the Fathers he hath fulfilled in that he hath raised Christ from the dead in whom all the promises of God are yea amen Act. 13. 32 33. 2 Cor. 1. 20. would it not make us willing to go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach For we have here no continuing City but have good reason to seek one to come Heb. 13. 13 14. Yea and especially now the grace of God doth instruct and move us to have our conversation without covetousness For the end of all things is at hand 1 Pet 4. 7. the time is short it remaineth that both they that have wives be as if they bad none as with respect to covetousness and carefulness in laying up for themselves and theirs here on earth and they that weep for any loss deprivation or disappointment in God's providences ordered to them as though they wept not and they that rejoyce for any gain advantage or increase as though they rejoyced not and they that buy that they may have some visible maintenance secured to them as though they possessed not c. For the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29-32 Wherefore gird we up the loynes of our mind from wandring in our desires after the things on the earth or setting our hearts upon them be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry now the just shall live by faith 1 Pet. 1. 13. Heb. 10. 37. 38 2 Per. 3. 11-14 2. And that we may take heed and beware of covetousness consider the terror of the Lord against those that continue therein as declared in the Gospel The Lord will be terrible unto them such as such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God let no man deceive us with vain words for because of this the wrath of God cometh continually upon the children of disobedience to the glorious Gospel which comes to redeem and deliver from the earth and from having fellowship with men in this unfruitful work 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. Eph. 5. 5-7 Col. 3. 5 6. The day of the Lord will come as a snare on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Luk. 21. 34 35. The Lord will be very terrible to such in that day of wrath in that day shall a man cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the Moles and to the Batts to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Isa 2. 16. 21. Oh let us not by following lying vanities forsake our own mercies what will it profit a man to gain the whole