THE RICHES OF GRACE A TREATISE Shewing the value and Excellency of a gracious Spirit by comparing it with the Nature and Spirits of wicked and ungodly men which desire not the wayes of the Lord Jesus By that Reverend and faithfull Minister of Gods Word WILLIAM FENNER B. D. sometimes fellow of Pembrook Hall in Cambridge and late of Rochford in Essex finished by himselfe LONDON Printed by R. Cotes for I. Sweeting at the Angell in Popes head Ally 1641. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER GRACE MERCY AND PEACE THere was never any age or time Christian Reader since the beginning of the world how corrupt soever that was comparable to this our thrice unhappy age in all kindes of corruption wickednesse and sinne with griefe of Conscience I speake it with weeping I behold it and with sorrowfull heart I lament it and therefore seeing wickednesse doth so abound the Lord lest his Children frozen in the dregs of their sinnes should perish with the wicked raiseth up in his mercy good men as we see the Author of this Treatise a man of Rare parts to plucke off the Visard of sinne from their faces and to lay it open to the view of the whole world to the end that every one may see the vilenesse of his wicked wayes and the filthy dregs of sinne throwne in their face may blush at the same be ashamed repent amend and turne to the Lord Jesus and so eternally be saved In this Treatise is drawne to the life the sinnes and wickednesse of Ungodly men which desire not the way of the Lord Jesus together with the Excellencies riches great value of a blessed and gracious spirit The Author of this Treatise was a man of a Pretious spirit as may appeare by this and other workes of his in Print A Reverent and worthy Divine gives this Testimony in his Commendations that he was a Minister very Conscientious one that had a great ability given him of God to Preach Unto and worke Upon the hearts and consciences of men to awaken the sleepie to informe the erronious to settle the doubtfull to confirme the wounded also that he was a worthy Divine both in regard of his unwearisome paines in Preaching consuming his owne body to save the soules of others as also of his learning and Exemplary Piety They that knew him did love and reverence him and if any did dis-esteeme him it was because they did not fully know him He is now a shining star in the firmament of heaven also that there were hundreds of people that will blesse God to all Eternity for his paines he needs not our prayses but our imitation It is true that this birth is Posthumum opus and commeth out after the death of the Author but I hope it will be the more pleasing to revive the memory of him whose life and labours were deservedly pretious in the esteeme of Gods people This Treatise is one of the Sparkes of the zealous dead yet living Author finished by himselfe which might have laine covered in the ashes of forgetfulnesse had it not beene blowne up by one well minded which received it from the Authors owne hand it hath beene viewed by a Reverend Divine to prevent Errours and to make it compleate for the Presse which is here presented to thy view Therefore Christian Reader let me obtaine this much at thy hand as to except of his labours as precious well-wishing towards the truth and the professour thereof The subject of this ensuing discourse is published for thy benefit reade it the Lord give thee understanding to conserve and practice it in thy life and Conversation Amen THE RICHES OF GRACE JOB 21. 14. Therefore say they unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes JObs Friends disputing against Job that he was a wicked man because the wrath of God in so grievous a manner lay so long upon him Job returnes answer againe If this be true Doctrine you speake that God scourgeth none but wicked men how is it then that wicked men so oft and so much prosper in the world abounding in all worldly pleasures and delights Now Job shewes that wicked men may prosper in five things First in life and health as the Raven may live five times longer than cleaner birds verse 7. Secondly In their multitude of Children verse 8. A foule Sow hath more young than an Ewe hath Lambes Thirdly In Tranquillity and safety verse 9. Fourthly In successe and increase of their substance verse 10. as the wicked men have a Proverb the worse man the better lucke Fifth In wealth security and pleasure Hearts ease say they is the best flower in the garden vers. 11. 12. 13. The Job sets down two things First the sinne in the verse read unto you They say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes The punishment in the 13. verse In a moment they goe downe into the grave and verse 〈◊〉 The wicked are reserved for the day of destruction every wicked man God hath layd up and purposed him to hell hee gives him of prosperity to fat him up that his damnation may bee greater The verse read containes in it three things First wicked mens contempt of grace in these words We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Secondly Their contempt of the meanes of grace in these words Depart from us they could be content that the Lord should depart from them in his Ordinance if no Preaching no praying no Sabbath no signe of God amongst them they would not much care not much lay it to heart nay they also desire it they say unto God Depart from us Thirdly the prophanenesse of their lives They say unto God Depart from us though few say so with their mouthes yet by their lives so they live so they behave themselves From the first of these viz. a wicked mans contempt of grace wee observe this Doctrine That a wicked man doth not so much as desire saving grace For the clearing of the point wee will define the true desire of grace A true desire of grace is a super-naturall appetite to grace not had for the goodnesse of it There are foure things in the true desire of grace First it is an appetite of the soule to grace when the heart doth even goe out of it selfe for the attaining of grace there are words in the 107. Psalme 3. v. which sets it downe expresly by the longing soule the word signifieth a running soule a soule that not onely goes to grace and the meanes of grace but runnes to it with an eager desire and speede An hungry appetite which signifies an hunger unfained which is First Unsupportable without meate so that he that truely desires grace cannot bee without grace As one sayd Take away heaven and you take away all from me so it is with the poore soule take away grace if it be out of hope of grace it can never rest it can never beare the
desire is not true grace Object You will say men come to Church they pray they come to the Sacraments for grace they professe they would have grace and will you say that they doe not desire it Answ I answer with Solomon The soule of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soule of the diligent shall be made fat As it is with a sluggish man that desires his ground should be tilled but yet will take no paines to plough it who desires that his busines should goe forward that hee might have the harvest yet will not be at the cost and charges needfull for it he may wish and desire a harvest but shall have nothing So the soule of a sluggish Christian of a lukewarme professor desires faith and repentance but gets neither but the soule of a diligent Christian shall have enough to justifie him grace enough eternally to save him But the soule of a carnall Christian desires faith but gets but a lazie faith a faith that will not justifie him a leane or perhaps a lazie repentance that will not save him a dead performance and profession together Rom. 11. 7. Israel saith the Apostle hath not obtained that which he sought for but the Election hath obtained it first carnall Israel sought for the promises of Christ but they got it not but the Election hath obtained it Object 2 O but our Saviour saith Seeke and yee shall finde Answ 2 I answere true if you seeke well this word is of few letters but of great force it is the very forme of all Arts for Rhetoricke is the Art of pleading well and Logicke of disputing well so is Divinity the Art of seeking well of living well it is nothing to desire grace unlesse you seeke it well the truth is a wicked man desires not true grace but something that seemes to him to bee true grace Now suppose a man were sicke and five pills would cure him he thinketh foure will doe it and therefore neglects the fifth and dyes for want of it So a man having his conscience convinced from the Word of God that unlesse hee have such and such faith such and such graces of the spirit of God such knowledge such holinesse he shall be damned Hee thinkes if I can bee but thus and thus if I can doe but thus much I shall bee saved whereupon hee will heare the Word of God he will pray he will keepe the Sabbath give over this and that sinne leave his drunkennesse his swearing and yet when all comes to all he goes to hell Why because true grace which was commanded and which he should have had hee accounted and called Puritanisme and precisnesse and rejected as a superfluous thing hee thinkes if he can attaine to such a pitch as to live justly and quietly and to be well governed and to follow his particular calling and keepe the Church and performe some good duties though he bee not zealous for God nor in the worship of God will not endure reproach for Christ and for his strict profession Such a one shall be damned though he have all the grace he lookes for A crimson shooe cannot cure the Goute so fine comelinesse of carriage in a naturall man cannot heale the infection and poyson of corrupt nature An Asse is an Asse still though he be never so well trapped so a naturall man is a naturall man still though never so well qualified Hath he love hath hee knowledge meekenesse gentlenesse and a kind of humility and liberality comes hee to the Church heares the Word receives the Sacraments yet unlesse he be mortified and converted changed and renewed by the Spirit of God it is impossible he should bee saved Tit. 2. 11. 12. The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men and teacheth us that we should deny ungodlines c. as if the Apostle would give us to understand that there is a grace that bringeth not Salvation but that which bringeth Salvation teacheth us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world if then that grace thou desirest and hast attained to teach not thee to cast away all sinfull corruptions and doe not make thee live holily it cannot bring thee to heaven This grace which saith the Apostle teacheth us to deny ungodly lusts as if he had sayd I know it hath appeared to all all the world hath it offered to them it hath appeared to them but they will not learne of it to deny ungodlinesse worldly lusts and therefore in stead of Salvation it bringeth damnation to them but it teacheth us and brings Salvation to us But now because men are apt to say every one boasting that they desire grace therefore for the third Use Vse 3 Come examine thy selfe or thy soule and we will lay it bare before the Lord that if thou hast grace thou mayst know of it if not thou mayest bee convinced of it and so perswaded in time to seeke truely for it Now if thou hast a true desire of grace than it purifieth the conscience from all dead workes If thy Conscience now tell thee that thou hast any sinne and corruption that thou art not willing to lay off it is an evident demonstration that thou hast no true desire of grace A man that hath his hands full of base luggage if a pearle should bee at his feete unlesse he empty his hands hee cannot take it up and therefore if he will not cast away that base stuffe we would say hee hath no minde to the Pearle Now thy hands and thy heart are full of corruptiō so that though grace lye even at thy feete yet thou canst not receive it up unlesse thou empty thy hands and thy heart Mark 1 1. Wherefore if there be any lust though never so deare any bosome sinne which thou wilt not part with it is an evident signe that thou hast not a true desire of grace Heb. 3. 18. Willingnesse and desire to live honestly and a good conscience are joyned together noting that so a man cannot have a desire to live piously according to Gods will but hee must have a good conscience in all things If then thy conscience tell thee that thou wilt sweare now and then thou wilt tell a lye upon occasion and bee scandalous to others now and then and wilt reserve some passage for thy lusts know that thou canst not thou dost not desire grace For true grace animates the soule to lay off all hinderances of the grace desired Mark 2 2. It is a vehement desire if true a lukewarme desire is not true desire As a man hath a desire to a peece of cloth and goes to the Drapers shop to buy it he judgeth it to bee worth twenty or forty shillings now if the Draper should hold it at three or foure pound he scornes the motion and slings away with detestation of it he desired it but his desire was stinted upon such
a condition at such a price above which hee loatheth it This is the reason why the Mininisters of Christ are so unwelcome to men and their Ministery too Because they would bring men beyond the price which they would bid for Christ and grace they would willingly have Christ have faith have heaven but they are loath to take so much paines to bee at so much cost as they must be at if they ever have it suppose thou give over thy whoring thy swearing for grace yet if not thy company keeping thy lying thou hast no true desire of grace though thou give over all thy grosse sinnes yet if thou retainest thy deadnesse thy luke-warmenesse though thou give over all thy sinnes save one though but in a corner or a nook of thy heart though I say thou come to this price yet unlesse thou wilt give all thou hast no true desire of grace For the man that truly desires grace his desires are vehement such as will part with all things for it 2 Cor. 7. 11. Yea what vehement desires the word signifies desire upon desire one desire upon the backe of another and all for grace Gen. 30. Give me children or else I dye saith Rachel unto Jacob So the heart cryeth unto the Lord for grace as for a thing without which it perisheth Augustine saith that the desire of grace is the thirst of the soule it is a burning and gnawing desire that will consume a man with desiring Here therefore the whole world is convinced of their unprofitable desires For what dead prayer what dead hearing what dead receiving as if men would teach God how to deny them or as if they would bid the Lord keepe his graces They will come and say prayers and give an eare but they have no burning nor thirsting desire Mark 3 3 Delight in the means of grace though delight be an effect of true desire yet it is a signe of grace because grace in potentia is in the Ordinance of God therefore the man that desires grace hee will delight in the Ordinances of grace hee that desires learning delights in reading and studying the meanes of it so hee that desires mortification delights in the powerfull preaching whereby hee may have all the corruptions of his heart layd open hee that desires grace delights in all the meanes of it Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall give thee the desire of thine heart Doest not thou onely pray but doest thou delight in prayer doest not thou onely heare the Word but delightest in hearing the Word doest thou not onely come to the Sacraments but delight in the receiving Then thy desire is true desire when the heart hath this delight there is an inward drawing the heart to it Canst thou finde a forcible tugging and moving of thy heart and soule to all holy duties that thou canst not but must at them but if thou art aukward and untoward unto holy duties to the worship of God thy desires are counterfeit Mark 4 The more delayes the greater desire delayes are as Oyle cast into the fire which makes the flame the greater As a stone the further it is from its center the faster it goes to it so if thou dost truely desire grace the longer thy soule is before it can attaine it the more thou art affected after it The Comicke hath a pretty Proverb When a man is athirst it is a miserable thing to goe digge a Well to quench it for every shovelfull will but aggravate his drought So it is with men that desire grace Prov. 13. 12. Hope desired maketh the heart sicke when a mans desires are held off and still deferred that yet he cannot have it it doth even make the heart sicke with griefe a man that wants health is sicke because he cannot get it he tumbleth and tosseth and turneth from this side to that side cannot be at rest So the soule that truely desireth grace is even sicke for it it cannot have content in this nor in that it is never where it would be it is as a stone cast up from its owne center till it have gotten Christ and his graces every delay though never so small seemes tedious to a man at such a time But on the contrary thou hast beene without grace it may bee these 20. 30. 40. 50. or 60. yeares what are thy desires are they more than before No but as before so they are still as thou didst pray before so thou prayest still as thou heardst before so thou hearest still and as thou was faint in thy desires so thou art still and such are thy endeavours it is an evident argument that thou didst never truly desire grace true desire the longer the more earnest Therfore the Prophet begins his prayer Psal. 13. with a How long Lord shall I have this proud heart shall I never be humble How long Lord shall I have this unbeleeving and impenitent heart shall I never have faith to rest upon thee and repent of my sinnes cōmitted against thee How long Lord shall I have such a dead heart such earthly affections in thy worship and service shall my heart never bee quickned and my affections never drawne to thee and fastned neerer to thy service How long Lord shall my heart bee under these corruptions shall I never get victory over them how long shall I serve the devil shall I never serve my God how long ere I shall bee a factor for heaven as I have beene for earth Mark 5 If thy desires be true then thou hast gotten some grace As it is in the veines of a mans body the more they are opened the more they are filled with blood and as the bellowes the more they are opened the more they are filled with wind so it is with the heart the more it is opened with enlarged desires unto God the more it is filled by God with grace the Psalmist hath a sweet passage Psal. 37. 4. Thou hast given him his hearts desire there is no desire on mans part but there is a hath given on Gods part Psal. 145. 16. there is no living thing in the world that can desire but the Lord satisfieth the desire of it Examine therefore thy selfe hast thou desired faith and yet doest thou distrust God hast thou desired repentance and doest thou live in thy sinne never the humbler never the lowlyer for all thy desires but as thou wast yesterday so thou art to day as the last weeke so this as the last yeare so this certainely thy desires are not true For then thou shouldest finde God satisfying of them as thou desirest so thou speedest little desiring little speeding great desire great speeding Alamentable thing it is that the desire of grace so great a thing should be so little esteemed in the world men say they have good desires but they are like wicked God-fathers and Godmothers at the Font who if the Minister asketh them Doe you forsake the Devill and all his
shall seeke for me and that grace which was offered you but you shall not finde me Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would have purged you and thou wast not purged thou shalt not bee purged from thy filthinesse any more till I haue caused my fury to rest upon thee even so the Lord saith to every soule to whom hee offers the meanes of grace Because I would have converted thee and plucked thee from thy sinnes but thou wouldst not I would have purged thee from thy drunkennesse and whoredomes and from the foule filthinesse of your corrupt heart but yee have neglected and contemned al those meanes of purging whereby I would have purged you Therefore now marke Gods finall sentence upon thy destruction thou shalt never be purged thou shalt cry and call for mercy yet thou shalt never have it marke it now yee that have grace preached unto you and will not take it now accept it God will not let you have it hereafter if you would never so faine but they that neglect grace now grace will neglect them hereafter Object But how shall we get our hearts truely to desire grace Answ I answere first learne to know it grace is such an admirable thing that if men knew it they could not but desire it All men desire good though it be but a seeming good this is that reason that drunkards desire drunkennesse and the angry men revenge because they conceive a good in it But if the drunkard did but know and consider that his drunkennes would lead him to hell if the angry man knew that the end of his lust was damnation they could have but a small if any desire to them or comfort in them but if you 'ld desire grace then labour to know it Teach me the way of thy Statutes and I shall keepe them saith the Prophet Psal. 119. 33. Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee That man that knowes and is acquainted with God that knowes what it is to bee patient humble holy lowly meeke and despised for Christs sake that man will put his trust in God and seeketh after such excellent ornaments let come what will come of it that which all men know to be good all men desire and therefore few men desire the true good because few men know it knowledge of Salvation in the Scripture is put for salvation a man cannot have his sinnes pardoned his heart subdued and all his corruptions mortified but he must know what it is God never knowes any but they know it themselves those that bragge of their knowledge and yet live in their sinne know not God they have perhaps an intellectuall and carnall knowledge of him but no saving knowledge of him 1 Pet. 2. 9. Therefore one sayd if all the learning in the world were put together in one man yet it is not so much as in the most ignorant child of God though never so dull and weak in apprehension of other things yet if hee be truely acquainted with Christ he hath more knowledge than all the Doctors in the world have by their humane learning Answ 2 The taste of grace is sweete and dainty that if we could but once taste it our hearts would ever water after it and we should have little lust to the contrary evill Luke 5. 39. Thou that tastest of pride of covetousnesse of worldly-mindednesse thou tastest of very ranke poyson but if once thou tastest of the pure liquor and of the good things of faith repentance holinesse purity and the like things of God thou wouldst never desire the other againe The Prophet David knew not how to bring men to trust in God but by wishing them to taste how good the Lord is Psal. 34. 8. Hath there any man had the least relish of grace though now they mocke at it and reproach it and their consciences tell them as much Before the Israelites tasted of the Manna they cryed out What manner of meate is this here is stuffe indeede but when once they had tasted of it they adventured the breach of the Sabbath to get it So men cry out at the Preaching of the Word what Preaching is this here is thundring indeede of wrath and revenge hell and damnation and the like what can wee not goe to heaven without all this pudder and stirre Alas men know not the power of the Word men superficially know God and his wayes like a foole hearing of a Lemmon tasteth the pill and because the pill is bitter hee casteth away the Lemmon So thou hearest of this and that Commandement to mortifie thy lusts to kill thy corruption or else of opening hell for thee thy lippes sticke in these bitter pills and therefore thou rejectest the saving sweetenesse of the Word of God But I have given over my drunkennesse my swearing and the like will some say yet I feele no such sweetenesse by it they say it is a glorious thing to be a professor to doe thus and thus but I see no such matter Thou foole thou tastest but the paring and the rinde only of Religion and dost thou therefore conclude that there is no more sweetenesse in the heart of it know thou whatsoever thou conceivest yet Gods people that have tasted the sweetenesse of it account it otherwise so did David Psa. 119. 103. How sweete are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Answ 2 If you would desire grace then purge out the ill humors of sinne out of thy soule Suppose a man hath attained to some knowledge of grace and taste of it yet if sinne be not purged out it will dead his desires Barzillay refused to sit at the Kings table and eate of the Kings meate because of the evill humors of his body So so long as the old man is not cast off though the soule stand in never so much neede of grace though it seeth and judgeth of it selfe damned without it yet sinne puts the soule out of taste it cannot desire it Sinne is like grease to the horses teeth it takes away his stomach though there be never so much meate in the racke hee hath no minde to eate Wherefore when the Apostle exhorts men to desire the sincere milke of the word 1 Pet. 2. 2. he first exhorts them to lay aside all malice guile hypocrisie envy and evill speaking for except a man first lay aside these corruptiōs he cannot desire grace for thereby the devill greaseth thy teeth and taketh away the edge of thy soule from the desire of grace When a man desires to sleepe he desires to heare no noyse so when a man doth desire to sleepe in sinne he desires not to heare the voyce of grace disturbing him and the Devill like a diligent Chamberlaine draweth the curtaines of darknesse and security about him David professeth to God Psal. 119. 18. that his eyes fayled for his promise When wilt thou comfort me he had no comfort in his crowne or Kingdome
or any other thing and therefore he prayes Oh when wilt thou comfort me but alas men suffer themselves to be filled with this and that lust with some corruptions or other Now when a mans purse is full of stones there is no roome for silver so when the heart is full of sinne there is no roome for grace Joh. 8. 37. My Words saith Christ to the Jewes have no place in you As a great Inne filled with guests all the roome is taken up so as there is no roome for others and by reason of the noyse they cannot heare what others call for so it is when the soule is filled with sinne continually bawling for tendance and accomplishment there is no roome for the Word of God to enter all the roomes are taken up there are guests in every corner all the faculties are filled Therefore the Apostle James Jam. 1. 21. exhorts them Wherefore lay aside all malice and superfluity of naughtinesse and receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save your soules all superfluity of wickednesse sinne and evill though it be never so small or little it is superfluity and therefore if ever you would take physick take it fasting if you desire it should doe you most good so there is no taking of the Word of God or any meanes of Salvation to have any profit by them upon a full stomach as when the heart is filled with sinne with pride envy malice hypocrisie earthlinesse deadnesse untowardnesse to godly duties If thou wouldst desire grace consider the want of it wert thou never so gracelesse yet if thou didst but know the want of it thou wouldst desire it without grace thou art childe of hell a brat of the devill and an heire to the curse of the great God better had it beene for thee that thou hadst beene borne a dogge or a toade a serpent or any thing else than to be borne to live and dye without Grace Art thou proud and hast not grace to bee humbled know God will know thee a farre off and then woe woe damnation is thy end Livest thou in any sinne and hast not grace to mortifie and in time to kill it better had it beene for thee that thy cradle had beene thy Coffin and thy mothers womb thy grave than that thou shouldst live to sinne and dye without repentance O cursed art thou there are not so many letters in Gods booke as thou hast curses for thy portion it would burst thy heart with griefe if it were sensible of the 100000. part of that woefull griefe My heart breaketh for the longing for thy judgement the Prophet considering what a fearefull thing it was to bee without the comfort of Gods word it breakes his very soule True desire of grace is sensible of the want of it I say not therefore that it is without grace for there is difference betweene being in want of a thing and being without a thing a man may be in want of full health and strength and yet not without health and strength so a Christian seeing in himselfe not to have attained to the full degree of grace desiring after it is sensible of the want of it A dead man yee may carry to London or whither you will he never desires to baite in the way hee feeles no hunger nor thirst whereas a living man cannot travaile long but necessity of nature calls for refreshment a fearefull signe that men are dead in sinne and in the state of eternall death seeing they can travaile up and downe their whole lives and yet feele no want of grace Answ 5 Lastly feare to offend God the feare of evill is the desire of good feare to transgresse against Gods Commandements feare to pray coldly feare to have a by thought at any of the Ordinances of God feare to bee proud feare to carry malice and thoughts of revenge feare to do any evill to displease thy heavenly Father This feare is a marke of true repentance 2 Cor. 7. 11. Where there is most feare there is most desire What is the reason that women are most subject to desire but because they are most fearfull What is the reason that Stags and Harts as King James excellently noteth are so thirsty after revenge but because they are timerous and fearefull by nature Who desire most to be exalted to this and that honour place and office of credit and preferment but such as feare they shall never have honour enough Who are more covetous than they that feare they shall never have riches enough Would I urge you to the desire of grace I thinke I can bring such motives out of the Word of God as will either leave you in the gall of bitternesse or else make you to desire grace Mot. 1 Grace is like the poore man Solomon speakes of in Eccles. 9. 15. who when a King had besieged a City yet he by his wisdome delivered it but no man remembred this poore man though they had beene all dead men had not he by his wisdome delivered them yet no man accounted or esteemed of him So it is with grace were it not for grace we should all be damned and albeit that grace doth bring Salvation among us yet where is the man that truely accounts of it even so as to desire it Mot. 2 Consider that there is no good indeede good to thee but onely in grace What is it that men desire is it not good Psal. 4. Many say who will shew us any good some good or other all seeme to ayme at but it is a wonder what wide aymes men take some think it is in pleasure and therefore ayme onely how they may spend the time merrily in eating and drinking in hawking and hunting in carding and dicing and the like some thinke it in honour and some in riches some in learning some in one thing and some in another but alas thou mayst eate and drinke and yet be damned when thou hast done thou mayst desire much gold and silver and yet perish in hell after thou hast got it thou mayst desire honour and promotion and yet bee damned when thou hast attained it these are true but vaine goods outward and temporary good onely in reference to a further good so that if a man should rest on them he should lose all his good Our Saviour Christ puts a base Pronoune upon them calling them these things as if they were not worthy the naming Mat. 6. 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shall be added unto you Where our Saviour forbids his Disciples the seeking of earthly things In the first place talke not of these things neither let your thoughts bee troubled about them for they are not what they seeme or as many judge them to be but if you would have the true good first secke the Kingdome of heaven So in James 5. 1 2 3. Goe too now ye rich men weepe and howle for the