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A setled and resolued purpose to bee rich, is the fountaine of infinite euils. For this resolution once being fixed, presently the eyes, and the eares are tur∣ned into meere intelligen∣cers and suruaiors. They are wholly imployed to Page  335 seeke & search whatsoeuer lyeth fit, and whatsoeuer is profitable; And withall the heart greedily stands ga∣ping to deuoure whatsoe∣uer of this fit and profitable comes within reach. The difference of things (as law∣fulnesse & vnlawfulnesse) is takē away; for the strēgth & eagernesse of the desire digests all alike into nou∣rishment, as a mightie Ap∣petite doth meates both raw and rosted. It is a heart-breaking, not to adde som∣what continually; and if Nabothes Vineyard come not, being called for, it is death to looke vpon it. What though the getting of it cost the death of the owner, yet the couetous Page  336 man must saue the life of his lust; and indeede his owne life, which he saies, profiteth him not, except he satisfie his lust. Hence it is so many widdowes grone toward heauen for the help which they cannot haue on earth, so many father∣lesse children are ready to die in the streetes for want of bread; and so many vn∣dermined, sacked, and ran∣sacked families, being dri∣uen from their own homes wander vp and downe to seeke a couering for their heads from raine and tem∣pest. Iustly therefore that holy Apostle and out of diuine inspiratiō pronoun∣ced this as an infallible and neuer failing positiō: They Page  337 that will be rich, fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and noi∣some lusts which drowne men in perdition and de∣struction. And how can it be otherwise? The end and marke being fixed, the eye is still ayming, & the hands are still working toward that end: And this end be∣ing riches, and not God (for a man cannot serue two masters) thither tend the whole endeauours of the hungry & couetous soule. If an vniust profit bee offe∣red, or rather vnoffered may bee hooked; the eye lookes on riches, and not on God: and accordingly God & his will being neg∣lected, riches are taken Page  338 howsoeuer displeasing vn∣to God. God must beare with him; for hee must bee rich. That plot must go for∣ward, the resolution is fix∣ed; God must giue place, he doth not see it, or will per∣chance forgiue it. But whiles thou not seeing, or at least not regarding God, thinkest God therefore see∣eth not thee; he sees thee verily, and will bring forth thy workes of darkenesse into light euen starke na∣ked, and they shall bee thy perdition and destruction. But rather breake in pieces this thy resolution, O man of earth, whosoeuer thou art. Fasten not thy soule to riches which are not wor∣thie of thy soule; neither Page  339 make them thy marke and end, which were made for thee: know thou that God alone is thy end, and thou art made to serue him on∣ly, that God is thy happi∣nesse, and it is thy only feli∣city to enioy him: that God is thy chiefest treasure, ther∣fore fixe thy heart resolued∣ly on him, remoouing it from riches. Change thy couetous, and be strongly couetous after God, and by godlines, euen faith and a good cōscience draw him more and more into thee: and so godlinesse shall be to thee the greatest gaine, for it shal get thee the best trea∣sure. As for riches, make no couenant with them, fasten not thy heart on them, lest Page  340 withall thou fasten thy hart to many noisome lusts, to many cares, and finally, to perdition it selfe. The holy and most quiet way is to put contentednesse in the place of couetousnesse, and then godlines will appeare that which it is, euen the greatest gaine. This thou shalt the better doe, if thou consider the ende of thy creation, that man was cre∣ated not to be rich, neither is that the busines appoin∣ted him by his Creator: But the Creator himselfe is the end of man; neither hath the Creator made any ne∣cessitie, that a man should be rich: for foode and rai∣ment, and satisfaction of naturall necessities, is his Page  341 chiefest drift and purpose of worldly things. There∣fore in the last iudgement when it shall be demanded of thee, how thou hast spent thy time in the world, and what thou hast done there; shalt thou not bee a∣shamed then to say, I haue there done all that I could doe to bee rich? For then shall that plainly appeare, which now is true, though not appearing: The man hath mistaken his busines, that onely studieth riches; for then it shall bee said to the couetous, That man was not made to bee a ga∣therer of mettall, nor a filler of bags, nor a ioyner of hedge to hedge; much lesse to be a prowling vermine, a Page  342 rauening wolfe, or a roa∣ring Lyon to deuoure the weake, the distressed and the helpelesse. The im∣ployment of our naturall a∣bilities, as vnderstanding, or strength, in lawfull acti∣ons to procure mainte∣nance for our selues and our families, shal then be allow∣ed. For this maintenance is the supportation of Gods Church in this vale of ne∣cessities, and so tendeth to God. But a desire of riches for themselues, or for the outward glory of them, and that setled purpose to be rich, shall be condemned in the great and terrible day of the Lord; and then chie∣fest in condemnation, and of any of their ranke next Page  343 the diuell in torment shall they bee, that haue made a prey of miserie; and where∣as miserie is to goodnesse a ground of mercy and re∣liefe, these haue made it a ground of oppression, so adding sorrow to afflicti∣on, making miserie be∣cause it was somewhat wretched, perfectly misera∣ble. To these shall also the perfection of miserie be ap∣pointed for a portion, euen pure and cleare iudgement, without the mixture of any mercy; and so their owne measure for qualitie being returned to them, (but in a farre greater quantitie) they shall then taste how bitter the cup is, which they haue giuen others to drinke; and Page  344 they shall by experience, but helpelesse and remedi∣lesse, know the grieuousnes of their owne workes. And because this day is by such put farre from them, and they comfort themselues in the delay of it, let them know also, that some sinnes are partly iudged afore∣hand, euen in this world: And among them, very commonly, the sinne of op∣pression. For often is it seene, that the fathers op∣pression, hath been powred out on his owne sonne; and riches gotten wrongfully for posteritie, haue beene wrongfully taken from them, for whom they were wrongfully gotten. Wher∣fore euē for feare of present Page  345 iudgement, and in meere good husbandrie, leaue not the goods of wrong and robberie to your children. For vengeance and they are inseparably tied toge∣ther; they will hardly bee quiet till they bee gone a∣gaine, and the beame will crie to therafter, the hedge to the field, This is not our place, let vs euery one re∣turne to our owne home.