base drudge and the longer he is in it the more beast-like he is the better he likes it and whereas age cures many distempers time when it comes to end frees a man being wearie and having runne themselves out of breath with their foolish waies but covetousnes growes upon a man in his age the nearer a man growes to the earth the greedier he is after the earth his mouth will be full of earth one day and yet quo minor via eo plus viaticum the lesse way he hath to goe the more tenacious he is 4. Which is the principall thing it is a most dangerous sinne a sinne of a dangerous and a hidious consequence I thought now to have demonstrated it by some places of Scripture wherein I should set downe the black stampe and fearefull name that this sinne hath so fearefull that it should make every man shie of it and abhorre it yea the very thoughts of it for there is not a blacker sinn in all the booke of God in some respects of an ordinary morall sinne then this sinne of covetousnesse Some examples I should give I shall briefly touch some of them besides many negative examples which Divines doe observe there is not any one man in Scripture which was noted for a godly man which hath ever beene tainted with this sinne of covetousnesse not any one example though you may meet with examples of many sins yet with none of this Noah was touched with drunkennesse David with murder and adulterie Peter denyed his master we shall not meet with any one instance that the Scripture approves for a godly man that was ever tainted with this sinne it is so little kin to godlinesse not that I will say that there never was any yet it shewes it is very farre from pietie and Christianitie from the way thereof and those affirmative examples that we have of any that were covetous we shall see they are set downe unto us to shew that they are most contemptible persons as the most vile and odious persons to be abhorred I had thought also to have shewed it by ground of reason briefly in generall to touch it but in a word referring the main of this the application to the next time There be two things by which a man may see the danger and follie of this sinne of covetousnesse 1. It opposeth all the good of nature and all the good of grace it checks all graces and the wayes thereof and the whole Spirit of grace it casts a dampe and chokes a man from hearing the Word from doing the worke of the Lord and thriving by the meanes of grace it stifles every grace in the soule the groweth of it it chokes all the good of nature so that a man that is tainted with this sinne hath not commâ—â— humanity no bowels of compassion as though he were made of flint it doth so farre estrange him from the power of the excellency of grace that it degrades him of all the sweetnesse of nature 2. The second generall thing is that it exposeth him to all kinds of wickednesse there is no evill whether of sin or punishment but covetousnesse exposeth a man to 1. It leads a man into a thousand snares hee which is once set on with a greedy desire after the world will not sticke to commit any sinne in the world to run upon the swords point hee is drawn into the trap by the baite suppose a man hold a peece of gold at the end of a sack the Divell hee doth so a covetous man he will creepe into the sack to be catched by the Divell and cast into hell while he goeth into the sack after the gold It exposeth a man to all kind of punishments both because it takes away all that watchfulnesse that men observe not the season of danger hence it is that our Saviour wisheth them to take heed of being overcome with surfeting and drunkennes and the cares of this life lest that day come on them unawares a man which is laden not only with drinke but with luxury he grows wanton and so minds not when evill approacheth to avoid the storme this is the drie drunkennesse the cares of this life if a man be overburdened busie plodding after the world it makes him forgetfull of himselfe I remember a Story of a City in Sicilia being beseiged by the Romanes the maine experienced and most artificiall man in the City was one Archimedes he used many devices and did many wonders but at last for all his stratagems the City was surprized the Souldiers brake in and great meanes was made to finde out Archimedes at last the Souldiers hearing where he was brake into his house and he was in his Studie he never tooke any notice that the Citie was taken when the Souldiers opened his Study doore they found him busie drawing lines in the dust like some Mathematician the Souldiers stood still looking on him at last in scorne and disdaine one of the Souldiers seeing him so barbarous and inhumane drew his sword and killed him much against the Generals minde Although God beseige us round about though the Church be taken and surprized though a mans owne house bee in danger yet if a man be busie drawing lines in the dust after worldly things he will take no notice of any thing nor use any meanes to prevent it see no danger and so not be able to avoid danger LUKE Chap. 12. Ver. 15. SERM. III. And he said unto them take heed and beware of Covetousnesse THere was one point of Doctrine that we propounded out of these words and it was this that covetousnesse was a sinne subtile universall tenacious and dangerous cautiously to be avoided by all and carefully to be watched and warded against Two things wee propounded in the handling of it First to shew what was meant by covetousnes which we have already done Secondly to speake something concerning the predicate what we affirme concerning it which we came to the last time briefly to give you the heades In respect of it self covetousnesse foure things we affirmed First that it was a subtile sinne not easily discerned Second a universall sinne scarce any more or SERM. III. lesse but are covetous all are tainted with it Thirdly that it was a tenacious sin that sticks fast and cleaves close unto us c. Covetousnesse is so revitted into men that we can hardly get it out Fourthly it is a sin of dangerous consequence and great importance I shall only a little inlarge upon that it being the maine thing in the point I will illustrate that partly by Scripture partly by reason I mentioned then though I shall not name all that there were many pregnant Texts of Scripture which represent unto us the dangerous nature and condition of this sinne Colossians 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry marke there how covetousnesse is
I beseech you stand not upon points with God to avoide covetousnesse be generous be farre from covetousnesse shun all apparances of covetousnes be noble and generous minded keep a broad difference and a vast latitude from covetousnesse if you would bee cleare make it appeare be not obnoxious to suspicion with hinching and pinching and such basenesse which makes others and upon probable reason and good ground thinke that indeed you are so but if you would not be tainted with this dangerous sinne doe the contrary be so farre from covetousnesse that you will rather bee generously magnificent according to the proportion of your estate and the nature of the thing but this is not that I intend this is the first branch of the exhortation that men would examine themselves 2. I desire that men would humble themselves and see their corruption and bee affected truly with sorrow for it even such sorrow as becommeth Christians in that humility of spirit which should bee in us upon every taking our selvs napping in every sinne dost thou upon examination find thou art not free from covetousnesse do not thou stand on thy pantables as they say but make amends humble thy selfe before God acknowledge the basenesse and vilenesse of thy spirit that thou art guiltie of that sinne which is abominable to God hatefull to men being a scorne and derision to them and 3. I desire that men would reform themselvs stay not heere but take out a new lesson make progresse to reformation recover thy self or if thou be already free labour to prevent it in the whole latitude in all the three species which I mentioned in the application in our judgements understanding not thinking too high of riches in our affections not cleaving inordinately to them in our actions bee not too thoughtfull and carefull for worldly things to be talking and breathing of earth continually having nothing at all to speak of but riches There is a part of the mouth which the naturalists call the coelum heaven it is the upper roofe of the mouth there be many men which have no heaven at all in their mouths no upper part but all lower talking still of those base and lower things avoid it therefore in your talke in your actions and in your deeds be not covetous in scraping in riches having nor saving especially let it not carry thee inordinately either to impious courses to trample upon God or unjust or uncharitable towards thy neighbour or thy self thy bodie to pinch that or thy soul to starve that or to those about thee to carry thy self injuriously towards them in one word set thy selfe upon reformation against all the spices of covetousnesse For the further prosecution of this to cut off all other things I shall only propound those things that may be antidotes against this sinne and remedies to cure this sinne both to recover those which have been touched with this dangerous sinne and to prevent it for the future I take them both and for them both there be two sorts of helpes 1. Something habituall to take care to furnish thy soule with that may lock it up and take up the roome that there be no roome for covetousnesse in the heart 2. Something that is actuall to be done by a renewed act and continually used for the prevention and the recovering a man from it I shall but mention the former for those things which are habituall 1. In generall labour to establish thy heart with grace for vice and sinne is never cast out kindly nor certainly but by the introduction of that which is contrary and that is grace therefore if you would emptie your hearts of sinne we must clavum clavo pellere as they say drive out sinne with driving in of grace as one wedge if wee would get it out of a hard peece of wood we must drive in another so nothing can free us from sinne but the introduction of grace what can take off darknesse from the face of the earth nothing in the world but light so what can drive out sinne it must bee grace brought into the soule otherwise a man may do as when a man reproves a fault to amend his brother sometimes hee casts out one Divell with another so the only true way of driving out sinne in generall and so this sin of covetousnesse in particular must be by grace brought into the soule to have a heart established full of gracious thoughts inclinations and affections I shall mention some more especially There bee foure paire of graces in particular which are wonderfull conducing and effectuall for the dispossessing of this Divell of covetousnesse The first paire for I shall joyne two together are Humilitie and Temperance or sobrietie it may bee some will thinke those two bee farre off but I tould you in the explication that covetousnesse is sometimes in an estate of â—egencie it is master sometimes also it is in the estate of a servant it waires upon some other sinne there are two other sinnes that covetousnesse doth frequently wait upon when a man is not overmastered with covetousnesse that is not his direct sinne there may be other sinnes that will use the service of covetousnesse have it as a servant to instance covetousnesse is a servant to pride and lust and to intemperancie now if a man be of an humble spirit it will kill these lusts a man would not aime at a high estate for the most part men aime at great things rather for pride because hee would beare a high port in the world he would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is said of him in the Acts some great one in the world out of pride that makes them scrape from this man and from the other it makes them set upon any injurious course to advance his pride therfore if any one would keep prided own let him learn humility and if a man would keep pride under that would be a good means to suppresse his covetousnesse 2. Temperance and sobrietie is another excellent meanes to keepe under covetousnesse if I bee a temperate sober man and doe not affect either excesse in diet or apparell but am content with ordinary dyet and cloaths and to go in a sober way what need I tumble so much in the world a little will serve for necessitie all is for the back and the bellie covetousnesse plunges a man into a thousand inconveniences it makes them lay about them infinitely in the world because they must live at a luxurious rate they must goe so fine in cloaths and have such diet whereas it might bee as advantagious every other way a man might drive a trade within a lesser compasse so contract it it would turne to more advantage and to his greater glory if he made his pride exceed in nothing but in intemperancie or greedinesse after the best things this would cleane turne the channell another way 2. The second paire of graces which I would have you to fix increase and
some yet most men fall foule on covetousnesse the world spits in his face hee is jeered at by all men it exposeth to all kind of judgements which come either from the wrath of God or from the hatred of man I mentioned one thing the last time and I will but only mention it now to take up where we left and make some addition where it is necessary It makes a man unfit to observe Gods judgements and so to avoid them and take care to shun them A covetous man in the most dangerous time is so choaked with the cares of the world that hee mindes not any danger but plods on till he is taken in the very snare And thus much concerning covetousnesse the predicate that is affirmed of it in regard of it selfe the other thing I shall mention in a word and so come to the application 2. In respect of us it is a sinne to be avoided by all men and by all meanes 1. By all men common men that have but any sparke of ingenuitie must of necessity abstaine from this and preserve themselves that they bee not foiled with this sinne But Christian men which pretend to be the Disciples of Christ must shunne it especially it being a thing furthest off from pietie and Christianitie there is nothing so unsuitable to nor so incompatible with Religion and therefore fugiat hoc opprobrium a nobis it is a shame that a Christian man should be liable to bee upbraided with covetousnesse and not to have a faire answer for it because it is scandalous to Religion and dishonourable to God nay it hinders the progresse of Religion therefore it is to be avoided by all men 2. By all meanes our Saviour useth two words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looke well to thy selfe as if he had said watch and take notice of thy self lest thou doe slip looke narrowly to your courses and wayes lest you be overtaken with this sinne and this is not enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a place of danger danger lyeth therein as you would in times of danger redouble your watch in the Citie so here should be a strong ward kept to arme and fortifie antidote and strengthen your selves with all the strength you can against the danger of this sinne and this ariseth naturally from the former for if covetousnesse be so dangerous in it self then it concernes all men by all meanes to watch and ward themselves against it Vse But I shall passe to the application If covetousnesse be so dangerous a sinne it concernes all men then by all meanes to watch and ward themselves against it many things might be spoken by way of application but I passe briefe over many as Vse 1 For Conviction many men may bee arraigned that stand convicted of this vice if men would well waigh it and draw out the description of it it would fall point blancke upon a great many men which thinke themselves free 2. For reproofe of them as being in a foule fault it may be fouler then they are aware of men are readie to please themselves in it and plead not guiltie if they be free from other sinnes that they can say I am not like such a man they take no notice of this this subtile sinne moves them not if they come not within the verge of other sinnes they slight spirituall sinnes and as they take no notice of them so neither doe others for this sinn as some other sinnes comes not within the lash of the Churches censure the covetous man is not found fault withall no neither is the proud man found faultie there is no man censured for his pride or his covetousnesse the world takes no notice of this sinne yet if it be a thing so dangerous here is a just reproofe for them But I passe over these 3. It serves for exhortation partly that every one would 1. Examine himselfe I gave sufficient hints by which a man may try himself in my apprehension in the description by which any man may receive comfort by applying them to his own heart and wayes and seeing whether in some more or all of them he comes not to be obnoxious to this sinne I shall only give you two or three cautions in which others may examine themselves 1. Be jealous and suspicious of thy selfe it is a subtile sinne very generall and universally spread I know it is reported of Luther that though hee found the roote almost of all sinnes in him yet he SERM. III never found any inclination to covetousnesse hee was free from that But for our selves and our better examination let us not be secure but be a little suspicious and jealous that there bee no such propension in us towards it for there may be although we are not aware of it And therefore for your better consideration take this along with you upon your examination be not confident bee a little jealous and suspicious that there may be a propension in thee towards it upon tryals take not up foolish conceits upon frugalitie but be jealous to scan thy heart in this kinde whether it be inordinate in its propension towards the world I have given sufficient directions for this already 2. What you do in this kinde do it conscienciously not to cosen thy selfe but as in the presence of God and as you will answer him I have told you that rule alreadie I would have no man lightly to charge another nor easily to justifie himself and therefore examine your selvs conscienciously not as you can stand with the judgement of men by outward appearance but judge as conscience judges and as you think you may stand and beare out at the day of judgement at that strict account you must then give 3. Labour to bring your mindes and heart to be ingenuous not to studie shifts and devices to beare up thy reputation and credit and so to free thy selfe from it O it is a rare thing to have an ingenuous spirit such as that if a man be not free from a fault yet he will not be readie to defend it but sweetly and ingenuously to acknowledge it it is impossible but he that stands upon his points may be guiltie I could give you divers touches thereof Many men pretend it is not covetousnesse but frugalitie providing for posterity this is no ingenuous spirit nor plainnesse of heart Why then dost thou neglect thy child and bestowes not good breeding on her or him but spare a penie and spoile the soule of thy child and the bodie also Why art thou so base if all be for thy child as to marrie her and not to give a portion with her when all comes to tryall thou hast no ingenuous spirit be ingenuous therefore I say doe not foolishly cosen thy selfe but bee willing to see what thou dost see and baffle not thy selfe with foolish pretences 4. Suppose the matter be a thing doubtfull