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An Admonition (therefore) to resist the beginnings of this worlds loue:* 1.1 not to heare it speake, and to breake off in our first conference with it, that vvee be not circumvented. For, the world is a great Absalom, and heart-stealer, 2 Sam. 15.6. If wee lend but one eare to it, it will haue both. If wee giue it an Inch by a little consent, it will haue the vvhole
Ell by large couetousnesse. If we follow it in a little, it will make vs seruants to it in much: from seeing and praysing, wee shall with Heue come to eating. Gen. 3 6. D••mas first liked the world, then imbra∣ced it, 2 Tim. 4.10. Iudas first held it, for he bore that that was giuen, Iohn 12.6. then, it held him: for he said; What will yee giue mee, and I will deliuer him vnto you? him, that is, Christ his Sauiour, and the bloud of Christ, his saluation, for mo∣ney? Mat. 26.15. In our owne dayes, doe not men, as in stealing•• so in coueting proceede from a pinne to a point; from small couetousnesse to large couetous∣nesse?
Some that haue beene liberall before they entred into the world haue they not when it once entred into them, turned (passingly) miserable and couetous? And what maruell, seeing no man can serue God and Riches, Luke 16.13. If loue of riches take place, God must giue place; and, if the World enter, that vvhich is contrary to it, Godlinesse, which is great gaine, 1 Tim. 6.6. must be gone.
But may not a man haue these outward things,* 1.2 in some good measure, & be god∣ly?* 1.3 Answere, Yes: a man may haue them, as Abraham, Isaac, Iob, and Salomon had, and be religious; but not set his heart vpon them, and be so: or, one may vse them, and loue God; but not loue them, ••nd loue him. Therefore S. Iohn sayth, Loue not the world, 1 Iohn 2.15. as if hee should haue sayd, Set not your affections vpon it, and send not your desires after it, to make the God of it your God; and the pleasures that are in it, your chiefe happi∣nesse. For, worldlinesse and Christiani∣tie are two ends that can neuer meete, and hee that greedily pursueth after earthly things, will coldly seeke heauenly. The Apostle S. Paul saith, they that will be rich, that is vvho by any couetousnesse will be so, fall into tentations and snares; that is•• are sure to be greatly tempted, and as sure to fall, being so tempted, into the net of the Deuill, and those foolish and noysome lusts, as it vvere Seas, that drowne men in per∣dition, and destruction, 1 Tim. 6.9. Then, in the 17. verse, he directeth his precept or charge to Timothie, concerning such
rich men in the world, that they be not high minded; that is, that they swel not by wealth, and the poyson of riches; which he calleth vncertaine; because they taste of the soyle, out of vvhich they come, and so are vn∣certaine, as all things else vnder the Sunne; but that they depend, and put trust in the liuing God for all their increase, who gi∣ueth them richly to enioy all things.
But, if this, vvhich hath beene spoken, be not sufficient to wea••e vs from the brest of the world; for our better and fur∣ther abstinence, let it bee considered that the world (couetously loued) maketh God our enemie, and (consequently) the Deuill our friend, Iam. 4.4. And, is it not a fearefull thing, for the creature to stand in check, or to stand foe to God his Crea∣tour? or, can they hope to be spared, and to prosper that so rebell against him? Doth he not destroy all those who goe a whoring from him, vvhether after the commodities, preferments, or pleasures of life? And if so: then it should bee our wisedome (as it is our dutie) to holde in our affections, and not to giue them head at any desire that tendeth to worldlinesse,
and that base couetousnesse, which is Ido∣latrie, lest that commaund vs, that, in Christ, should bee commaunded by vs, and put vnder our feet, to wit, the world, and the lusts thereof.
This exhortation is needfull at all times: for, the world is a dangerous baite. Most men runne a whoring after it, and the godly haue too wanton an eye, and desire to be looking after it. Some neuer suspect their eyes, till they haue taken pos∣session (as did Ahab, 1 King. 21.1.16.) where they haue no title: and some, in a couetous heart inclose that, as with a quicke-hedge, or stone-wall, that should lie open in their goodnesse to the Saints, as common prouision. But let vs not straiten in a time of shewing mercie, the bowles of mercy, that should be enlarged: and let vs (betimes) resist the world, to wit, in the couetous desire, before it come to couetousnes indeed; bringing it to shame, before it make vs ashamed, and casting it off, before it make God to cast vs off, as hard-harted and mercilesse to his poore.
Againe,* 1.4 here we see vvhat is to be ex∣pected by the children of God, & poore
Disciples of Christ, at the hands of chur∣lish vvordlings: for, what could Iacob ex∣pect at the hands of Laban? Dauid at the hands of Nabal? and this miserable man, of this mercilesse Citizen? Laban vvas a churlish Vncle, & hard master to Iacob; and he changed his wages ten times, and his countenance toward him, I know not how many times, Gen. 31.2.41. Naball was cruell to Dauid, and, instead of relee∣uing him, railed on those whom he sent to him for something in his great neces∣sitie, though he had beene a wall of assu∣rance about Him, and His, 1 Sam, 25.10.11.16. And this Churle sent this poore man, that depended on him, to the Hogs∣troffe, to feed Swine, or rather with Swine. When Labans sonnes are greedie after the portion that they looke for in their Fa∣thers house, the soule of Iacob shall bee cast downe in him, by their grudgings at whatso∣euer he hath: for, will they not say, Iacob hath taken away that that was ours, Gen. 31.1. And, doe not our Labans, sonnes say, at least, thinke as much now? had they not rather part vvith the person of Ia∣cob, then with the portion of their Father
Laban? Had not worldly Gadarens rather part vvith Christ, Mark. 5.17. and coue∣tous Gospellers with the Supper of Christ, Luke 14.18. then with their Swine or Farmes? for, they who are at the com∣mand of gaine, though their eares go af∣ter the Word, their heart goeth after their couetousnes, Eze. 33.31. But, to end this point: where the World filleth the Inne, there can be no roome for Christ, Luke 2.7. and, if none for him, then as little for those that come to vs, from him. Therefore, vvhen they become once griple of the world, that haue beene zea∣lous of God, I meane seemingly so; let no man promise any thing to himselfe from such broken Christians. So much for this lost Sonnes sinne: his entry-dore to Repentance followeth.
Vse 1.
Quest.
Answer.
Vse. 2.