and the meanest Judge in the world can arbitrate this It is not fit to leave the Word of God and to serve tables no not in a work of charity there are things of a higher nature but then 2. He contents not himselfe with this reproof but improves this unseasonable importunity and takes the opportunity of conveighing a very seasonable doctrine or exhortation upon this occasion that strikes at the very root of the disease which lurked in this man and so more generally dehorts from covetousnesse which he conceived was the spring of this mans disorder Now that is 1. Backed and replicated with a strong reason in those words for the life of man or the happinesse and content of man consists not in the abundance of that he possesseth the world is mistaken in it it is not that which makes a man happy or that which will give a man true content so I take the meaning of the word to be although the world promise much 2. As it is backed with a strong reason so it is edged and illustrated with a sweet Parable The great rich man he had a great crop and be thought himselfe what to do to pull downe his barnes and build them greater and sing a requiem to his soule the issue whereof was Thou foole and such are all they which set up their rest here and thinke that the life of man consists therein and that happinesse depends thereon 3. As our Saviour condemnes and reproves so he improves the unmannerly proceedings of this man and takes occasion to continue his heavenly Sermon wherin I shall distinguish but these two things I. Our Saviour goes on in the occasionall argument which this mans request concerns Secondly he intentionally adds somthing that was in his own minde to convey and that is added to the former occasion In the occasionall argument there be these two branches and I shall but onely mention them and desire you at leisure to peruse the place because in this place and that paralell to the 6. of Matthew is scarce the like argument handled in the whole book of God nor all the wit of man cannot have more excellent suggestions 1. He revokes his disciples from worldly-mindednesse by many excellent incomparable arguments Vers 22. 2. He provokes them to heavenly-mindednesse in the 31. Verse wishing them not to seeke these things but the kingdome of God II. He proceeds to his former intentionall thoughts wherein he commends especially two excellent vertues to all his disciples 1. Watchfulnesse in the 35. Verse that they would always keep a watchfull posture preparing for and expecting the comming of the Lord to be fitted for it whenever it should be sooner or later sudden or otherwise and this is Propounded and pressed and then iterated and inlarged It is propounded and pressed 1. From the condition of a duty which being discharged makes a man blessed in those words And if he come in the second or third watch and finde them so blessed are those servants 2. From the misery that will follow upon the neglect hereof in the following words If the good man of the house knew what houre the thiefe would come he would watch c. 2. It is pressed from the condition of their masters comming which is expressed to be sudden no man knowes the houre and thus farre our Saviour hath propounded and pressed this argument of watchfulnesse 2. Upon a particular occasion he doth reiterate and inlarge the prosecution of this very argument the occasion is expressed in the 41 Verse Peter steps in and puts the question not so unmannerly as before but proper enough for the Auditory Master speakest thou this parable unto us or to all This gives our Saviour occasion to re-inforce his former exhortation wherein are the same arguments I mentioned before partly from the felâ—city in the discharge of this duty how happy and blessed is that man that when his Lord commeth shall finde well doing preparing and fitting himselfe for that meeting and then the misery and the wofull condition of the evill servant who instead of giving a portion to his Lords servants shall presume his master will not yet come but delay and prolong the time and fall to beat and abuse his fellow-fellow-servants I conceive in this place and other places of Scripture where this evill servant is mentioned besides the generall notion of any that carrieth himselfe disorderly I say it hath a particular intention against that evill servant in particular that Antichrist whom the Lord shall destroy with the breath of his mouth and abandon with tâ—â— brightnesse of his comming finding him drunke wâ—â—â— the bloud of the Saints This evill servant I say will be in a very evill and sad condition Our Saviour farther expresseth this by adding one thing concerning the measure of this evill that will befall the unfaithfull servant and he propounds it as a rule of the misery the misery wil be great as this is done more out of knowledge he which knoweth his masters will which sinneth hypocritically against the light against conscience those will have a double share in the misery and it will be more fearefull to them it will be something mitigated to them which knowlesse yet bad enough as is expressed in the 47 and 48 Verse This was the first vertue that our Saviour exhorts unto watchfulnesse and carefulnesse to prepare that they may not be surprized with his sudden comming 2. The second vertue our Saviour exhorts unto is spirituall wisdome although there be some ambiguity in some interpreters either meeknesse or spirituall wisdome it is agreed upon There be two things wherein this is recommended in generall 1. In bearing unbrotherly oppositions and our Saviour tels them that this is that which must be expected and may be presaged and fore-seen 1. It must be expected Vers 49. for our Saviour tels them plainly that he came to send fire on the earth and not to make a carnall peace but to conveigh the light of the Gospell the events whereof would breed combustions wicked men opposing the preaching of thâ— Gospell and of the godly and this is made evâ—â— by those which are nearest to them in the same house Verse 52 53. Our Saviour prepares them with this before-hand that they may meekely and wisely beare unbrotherly oppositions 2. In which this meeknesse consists more particularly to forbeare brotherly contention Or as some interpret it it may rather be expressed thus to take care to make peace with God so much the more agree with thine adversary it may commend brotherly conjunction for those which are brethren they shall meet with oppositions in the world they had not need to devoure one another Or as many interpreters say that adversary is God which while we are in this world we should make our peace with since we can have so little peace in the world therefore our Saviour puts his servants in mind that it is a great point of wisdome at the least to make
his neighbour breaking the duty of love justice and charity and all for the love of money this is a cleare character of inordinatenesse after riches and worldly things LUKE Chap. 12. Ver. 15. And he said unto them take heed and beware of Covetousnesse THus of the description of the nature of covetousnesse I shall add a word concerning the second 2. The distribution of it and so it may receive a distribution or distinction three wayes 1. In regard of the subject 2. In regard of the state in which it may be 3. In regard of the degree I. In regard of the subject there is a double kinde of covetousnesse 1. It may be incident to the godly as a concomitant being the relick of originall sinne the seeds of all vices are in him and so there is a naturall propensity still remaining towards covetousnesse even in a godly man but it is but a concomitant it doth not beare sway at all in him for in some measure it is subdued and mortified although it may be somthing more or lesse towards predominancy It may be considered in a godly man as diligentâ—y opposed a godly man is upon his watch if there be any root of bitternesse in him which inclines him towards covetousnesse he will watch over it and oppose and set himselfe against it he will keep a narrow watch over his soule because he is conscious of his inclination thereunto 2. The other kind of covetousnesse is incident to a wicked man and it is in him predominant he is a servant and a slave he makâ—s it his calling he gives himselfe over and subjects himselfe to it it rules him for he is wholly bent that way but this admits of some differency viz. even in a wicked man it may be sometimes inraged like a flame with infinite fury so that it beares downe all before it sometimes also it may be restrained there may be restraining grace in a wicked man that keeps him from exorbitancie though there is no saving grace to mortifie it and so it retaine the same nature of covetousnesse herein he is like the Foxe the disposition of Foxe is to devoure when he is in the chaine yet he devoures not the Lambs because he is chained a wicked covetous man may have the same wild disposition in him which is naturall but God may bridle curb him from acting and keep him in faire termes that he is not so outragious as many are II. Another distinction of covetousnesse is in regard of the different state of covetousnesse in those persons where it is godly or wicked men there is no estate wherein it is but it is a crime be it in the lowest estate 1. Somtimes covetousnesse may be criminall as it may be subservient not the maine vice but a servant to other vices covetousnesse as a sin may serve some other lust although I cannot denominate covetousnesse to be the ruling sinne yet it is in a man and serves his turne as a side-wind to serve some other lust As for example Sometimes a mans principall sin is pride now because pride must have something to maintaine it and therefore a man must use his covetousnesse as a servant to his pride to furnish that to bring him in trappings for his pride which otherwise would be hungry pride would starve it selfe without it this is frequent men will scrape and rape and keep a foule adoe to oppresse grate and grinde the faces of men yet it is not done principally out of covetousnesse but rather as an act of pride covetousnesse being a servant to pride alas his sinne may not be covetousnesse he glorieth not in hoarding up money but he must live at such a rate in such a fashion he must have gay cloathes and he is necessitated to be covetous not because his inclination is thereunto but because he cannot else support his pride Another corruption that covetousnesse waits upon is lust a man which is given to lust he cannot feed his lust without meat and drink to stuffe the pot he cannot maintain his harlots or nourish himself in that sin nor furnish himself without covetousnesse and that makes him injurious to steal from parents or masters use any trick of covetousnesse but it is not out of love thereunto covetousnesse is not his sin but a servant to his lust so that in both these respects covetousnesse may be in a man but yet in the estate of a servant 2. Sometimes also covetousnesse is not onely the criminall but the capitall vice which doth apparently denominate a man to be a covetous man although he may have other vices yet this is the chiefe this is his grace and in this case covetousnesse is a friend to him it is instead of pride for he prides himselfe in his great estate and herein covetousnesse is not a servant to pride but the very throne of pride which makes his pride sit higher he is proud but upon conceipt of his great heape of money looking over the shoulder of his poore neighbour and thus a man is proud but it issues from his bags his great estate covetousnesse is the maine sinne so in many other kinds a man may instance wherein covetousnesse is the master-sinne when a man makes it his glory and his very trade to gather a great estate together not for any use of it but that he can get such an estate III. The last distinction of covetousnesse is in regard of the degrees as all vertues and vices they are capable of degrees It may be in some lesse in some more in some it may be hardly discerned in others so palpable that it may be felt there is a sordid base covetousnesse that all the world may see a man is covetous he beares it in his fore-head in every act that he doth in all his carriage and course Others slily dissemble covetousnesse are not so sordidly and so basely covetous but more slily carrie the businesse men that are inwardly covetous dissembling the businesse or at least carrying it a great deale better 2. Now to come briefly to the predicate or the thing we affirme concerning covetousnesse there be two things that I have propounded in the point concerning covetousnesse First something in regard of it selfe Secondly something in respect as it stands to us 1. In regard of it selfe there be these foure properties of covetousnesse that I shall note 1. It is a subtill and a slie sinne hardly discerned by every man neither in himselfe nor others a man may be in before he is aware and that ariseth partly from a generall ground of vice because all vices are subtill and slie they can borrow habits and dresse themselves in the attyre of vertues covetousnesse may claime kindred with and go under the habit of frugality partly upon a particular ground there is something in covetousnesse which makes it more hard to be discerned because there be more faire pleas for this than for any other sinne in the world as to
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