Two sermons preached by Brune Ryves.

The Second SERMON.

AS God, doth punish the Covetous, in his E∣state, so, Secondly, he doth punish him in his Children; and in them, frustrates the end, and intentions, of all the fathers hoarding up: what makes the Covetous, thus to inlarge his desires as Hell, to snatch on the right hand, and on the left, to lade himself with thick clay? why! tis to raise a house, to advance a family; but how often doth Prodigality, become heir to Covetousnesse? The Love of Money, though it may bring, good materials, to build a House, yet, it seldom, or never, laies a sure Foundation: No! Job tels us right, Aedificat ut Ti∣nea domum suam, He builds his house, as a Moth, and as a Booth, that the keeper maketh, Job 27. 18. Builds his house as a Moth? and, as a Booth, that the keep∣er maketh? how is that? How doth the Moth, build his house? or the Keeper his Booth? The Moth, devours the house he builds, and then devours it, even when he builds it: The Keeper, builds but sightly, because he doth not intend it for perpetuity: Booths, you know, in the Law of Moses, were Em∣blems of a Transitory, unsetled condition: here to day, and gone to morrow; and yet, aedificat, sicut Tinea, &c. The Oppressour, and the Covetous,

(for it is he, of whom Job there speaks) builds his house as a Moth, and as a Booth that the Keeper ma∣keth.

You have a Proverb, and it is an Irreligious one, 'Tis happy for the Child, whose Father goes to the Devil: you know the meaning of it: But, as God said of that Proverb, The Fathers have eaten sowre grapes, and the Childrens teeth are set an edge: As I live saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this Proverb in Israel, Ezek. 18. 3. So, let me say, of this Proverb, as I live saith the Lord, as ye never had, so ye never shall have occasion, to use this Proverb in Israel, for, God, shall take away the father with hooks, and his posterity with fish-hooks, and they shall go out at the breaches, Amos 4. 2, 3. Let them build houses, and families, as strong, as they can, and (as the Psalmist speaks) Leave the rest of their substance for their babes; yet the Curse of God, like the whirl∣wind from the wildernesse, Job 1. 19. shall smite the house, aye, so smite it, that their Posterity shall go out at the breaches: Nay, their children, (as Zophar speaks) shall flatter the poor, Job 20. 10. They shall be re∣duced to that extream beggery, and want, that they shall flatter a mean man, for an alms, and fawne up∣on a poor man, for a crust of bread.

If therefore thou dost think to raise a house, or advance a family, lay not the foundation, in this sin, This Love of Money; This were to build, but up∣on the sand, and instead of consulting honour to thy posteritie, thou wilt as the Prophet speaks, but con∣sult shame to thy house, and sin against thine own soul,

Hab. 2. 10. But if thou wilt lay a sure foundation, whereon to raise a Family, if thou wilt leave thy posteritie, a secure, and durable estate, follow these directions, Purchase for them, by thine Alms, and Charitable works, the Prayers of the poor, and nee∣dy: Give Alms of all that ye possesse, and behold all things are clean unto you, Luke 11. 41. Revive, that antiquated, lost piece of Christianity, which our forefathers called Charity, but this present fanatical, Atheistical age, hath disgraced, with the name of Po∣pery, and Popish Merits: follow Daniels counsel to Nebuchadnezzar, Break off thy sins by righteousnesse, and thine iniquities, by shewing mercy to the poor, Dan. 4. 27. It may not only be a lengthning to thine own tranquillitie, but it may prove a reserve; a Treasure laid up in heaven for thy Posterity, these works may prove importunate Advocates with God for thee, and thine, after thee: Settle upon them, the durable Patrimony of a Religious, sober, and honest Educa∣tion: Bequeath them, the legacy of thine own good Example, in all vertuous, and godly conversation: And then, though the portion of Earthly riches, which thou leavest them, be but little, yet, it is a great deal better, to leave them a little, well gotten, with Gods blessing, then a great deal, ill gotten, with Gods curse, mingled amongst it.

Lastly, as God punish the Covetous in his estate, and in his children, so he doth punish him especially in his own Person; and that, as Caietan observes, First, in his body, Secondly, in his soul.

First, this sin, leads the sinner headlong to de∣struction,

and perdition, before at the 9^th verse: And the sinner pierceth himself thorow with many sor∣rows; at the later end of this verse: Nec cibus securus, somnusve contingit, (saith S. Cyprian) suspirat in con∣vivio, vigilat in pluma: He neither eats, nor sleeps in security, he sighs at a feast, nor do the temples of his head take any rest, though on his down-bed: for the abundance of the rich, will not suffer him to sleep, Eccles. 5. 22. And the wise son of Sirach tels us, That watching for riches doth consume the flesh, and the care thereof, driveth away sleep, Eccles. 31. 1.

Lastly, if none of these Punishments light upon this sin; yet in this, the sinner, sins against his own soul, Hab. 2. 10. And that First, by sealing it up un∣der impenitency, here; and Secondly, by sealing it up, under eternal torments hereafter.

First, this sin, seals up the soul of the sinner, un∣der impenitency here; for this sin, like that of lust, seldom finds the grace of Repentance; I will not say, that God, will not give him the grace of Repent∣ance, but if he do, I may boldly say, There's a Ca∣mel gone through the eye of an Needle: for in this, it is a state more dangerous, lesse recoverable, then lust: for while age, oftentimes, proves a remedy to this, and other sins, which grow old, and decrepid with the body of the sinner, This Love of Money, of all others, is Peccatum Senectutis, the Sin of old age, and is then strongest, when the sinner, is weakest, and in a preposterous manner of sinning, makes provision for the Viaticum of his life, in the very conclusion of it, as if he had set out, but yesterday: and therefore

Ghetius de Coma, in his cases of Conscience, thinks it is not impertinent, to move the question, whether the Natural pronenesse, that is in old men, to the sin of Covetousnesse, doth excuse them from the guilt? but he resolves it in the Negative: And the Reason, why this sin, cleaves so fast to old age, when other sins languish, and fall off; is, Because, the soul, not be∣ing set upon God, and his goodnesse, which alone, can satisfie that better part of man, and other lusts which did use to entertain, and court the soul, lan∣guishing with age, it finds the lust of Coveting mo∣ney, the fittest sin, wherein to exercise it self: So Simonides, in Plutarch, being upbraided, for being Covetous, made it his Apology; That whereas, the delight of other pleasures, was gone, he did foment, and nourish, his old age with that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that Profitable pleasure: Hence it is, that many, having escaped the danger of the high-way ground, having understood, the word of God preached, and pro∣fessed the same; And the danger of the stony gound, in undergoing some troubles, and persecutions, for the Truth, yet nourishing in themselves, too great a love, of worldly riches, they have shipwracked at this Rock, stifled all their graces, choaked all their hopeful beginnings, with the cares of the world, and the deceitfulnesse of Riches, as our Saviour speaks, Mat. 13. 22.

Secondly, as he sins against his own soul, by seal∣ing it up under Impenitency, here, so he sins against his own soul, by sealing it up, under eternal torments, hereafter: What is the hope of the Hypocrite, though

he have gained, (saith Job) when God takes away his soul? Job 27. 8. Certainly whatsoever he gaineth, he loseth heaven, the thought whereof (without doubt) is the greatest torment in Hell. The Cove∣tous hath no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God, (saith S. Paul) Ephes. 5. 5. and again, The Covetous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6. 9. If therefore, there be any which hear me this day, who are not resolved upon the question, which is best, to save your souls, or your estates, consider that of our Saviour, and let it sink down into your hearts, What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mat. 16. 16. A Text, most seasonable for these times of Tempta∣tion, to be admitted, into your bed-chambers, and closets, and counting houses, into your most retired, inmost thoughts, when ye deliberate what to do, or resolve on, in these times of danger, and distraction; For as this is Hora Tentationis, so this is Tentatio Horae; as this is the time of Temptation, so this is the Temptation of the Time.

Thus you see, as well as I could, I have made good, this Apostolical position, That, The love of Mo∣ney is the Root of all Evil, both of the evil of guilt, and, the evil of punishment: I shall now, in the last place, by way of Application, only offer you, some Mo∣tives, or Considerations to dehort, and some helps to preserve you, from so dangerous a sin.

And here First, that the Impetuousnesse of this Passion may not violently transport thee, stay a lit∣tle, and consider thy Saviours Poverty: Magna abu∣sio,

& nimis magna, quod dives fieri velit vermicu∣lus, pro quo, Deus majestatis, pauper esse voluit, saith S. Bernard: It is a foul abuse, and an abuse not to be indured, That, that worm should covet to be made rich, for whose sake, the Lord of glory, was content, to be made poor: He that laid the foundations of the earth, and spread out the heavens like a curtain over it, had not a place, where to lay his head: He that trea∣sured up the mines of Gold, and Silver, in the deep vaults, and bowels of the earth, was fain to Angle for silver to pay his Tribute: doth thy course garment trouble thee? Remember his swadling clothes: Is thy bead uneasie? yet it is not harder then his man∣ger: Is thy house poor, and mean? forget not, that he had not a house where to lay his head: If there∣fore God gives thee Poverty, he deals no worse with thee, then with his own Son: But for the Testimo∣nie of a good Conscience, hast thou lost All? thou art bound to rejoyce, and to glorifie God, in that behalf, that he hath vouchsafed thee the honour, and counted thee worthy, to suffer for his Truth: whatsoever flesh, and bloud may mutter, 'tis a Re∣galio, a favour, not vouchsafed to every one: but yet, withall remember, that losse of goods, is but the least, and the lowest of the sufferings of the Saints: if God call us to Martyrdome, to resistance unto bloud, and to the laying down of our lives, for the Testi∣mony of his Truth, the Justice of our cause will be Infularum Loco, as Seneca speaks, the Garland, and Ribonds, to the Sacrifice; These, are but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the after sufferings of Christ, which we his members are to fill up in our flesh, Col. 1. 24.

Secondly, Consider that in desiring Riches, thou dost desire things, that are extreamly dangerous; and contain in them, a possibility, whereby the owner may be made extreamly miserable: for, besides, that they are a condition, wherein, fortune hath a greater scope, and latitude, wherin to inflict crosses, so that often times, they prove a snare, and expose their owner to envy, and oppression, (for we live in those times, in which Poverty, is a protection, more secure then Innocency, a sanctuary, if not more sacred, yet more Inviolable) So on the other side, it is ma∣nifest, that riches, and plenty, have temptations, far greater, then poverty: It was the Observation of a Religious Votary, That the Devils of Consolation, as he cals them, are more dangerous, then those of Tribulation: certainly, of the Two extreams, the wise man, in that prayer, Prov. 30. plainly inti∣mates, that the Temptations of riches, are more dangerous, then those, of poverty: Give me (saith he) neither poverty, nor riches, feed me with food con∣venient for me, lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? or lest, I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. Verse 8, 9. Poverty, may drive a man to steal, to deal unjustly, and then to forswear it, and take the name of God in vain: but if a man be rich, and full, he is in danger, to deny God, and in pride of heart to say, with Pharaoh, who is the Lord? Certainly, it is very difficult, to be rich, and not to neglect God, and to trust in riches? up∣on this very ground, our Saviour sayes, That, it is easier for a Camel, to go thorow the eye of a needle,

then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of hea∣ven, Mat. 19. 24.

Thirdly, Consider, in what manner, thou camest into the world, and how thou shalt go out, we were born, Sine Integumento, and we depart, Sine viatico, as S. Ambrose speaks: Nature, doth furnish us, with provision, neither, at our coming into the world, nor at our going out: of all that which thou dost possesse, what shalt thou carry with thee, but a Winding-sheet, and a Coffin? perhaps neither: What a madnesse is it then, to wound thy soul, to get, what shortly thou must leave behind thee, and carry with thee, nothing else, but the guilt, of ill gotten wealth? Perhaps thou wilt answer, Though, I leave my wealth, yet I shall leave it to my Child, that shall be after me: Though, this cannot be eve∣ry Covetous mans Apologie, For there is one alone (as Solomon speaks) and there is not a Second; yea, he hath neither child, nor brother, yet is there no end of his la∣bour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he, for whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? Eccles. 4. 8. But suppose, thou hast children, and canst say, though, I leave my wealth, yet I shall leave it to my Child that shall be after me: yet let me tell thee, thou knowest not, whether that Child, will be a wise man, or a fool: This, Solomon cals vanity, and for this, very reason, he did even hate his labour, as himself speaketh: I hated all my labour, which I had taken under the Sun, because (saith he) I should leave it to a man that shall be after me, and who knows, whether he shall be a wise man or a fool, yet

he shall have rule over all my labours, wherein I have laboured, and wherein, I have shewed my self wise un∣der the Sun, this also is vanity, Eccles. 2. 19. Thy wealth, may prove to thy posterity, but an instru∣ment, to serve some lust, to commit, some sin: an Instrument of Gods dishonour, and their own damna∣tion: Nay, as thy wealth, was uselesse to thy self, so may thy Children, be useless to themselves, useless to the publick, to their Country, uselesse to the Church of Christ: They may be fools, or prodigals, or extreamly wicked, the very Curse, and Punish∣ment of their fathers Avarice.

Fourthly, Consider, that when by sordid, and dishonest courses, thou hast got a great estate, yet this great estate doth not fill thy Appetite: ••idem sunt termini Regni tui Alexander & mundi, as he spake in the Suasory: The same bounds, measured Alexanders Empire, and the world, and yet, inventus est, qui concupisceret aliquid post omnia: he would have more then all; in coveting a Second world be∣fore he was full master of the First: Habes A••rum, habes argentum, concupiscis aurum, & concupiscis Ar∣gentum, habes, & concupiscis, Plenus es & sitis, mor∣bus est, non Opulentia, sayes S. Austin: Thou hast gold, and thou hast silver, and yet thou dost covet gold and covet silver; Thou hast, and yet dost covet; Thou art full, but not satisfied; this is not a fulnesse but a disease: for Riches, were no more made, to fill the soul, then Learning, or Knowledge were to fill a bag: He that (as one speaks) shall shoot an Arrow, cut of a Plough, or hunt a Hare with an Elephant, cannot

be said to be unfortunate, for missing the prey, but foolish, in chusing such improper Instruments, to obtain it: so, he that shall seek for content in Riches, or the things of this life, is not so unhappy, in losing his desires, as vaine, and foolish, in the choice of such means, to obtain them. And therefore, it was not without mysterie, observed, amongst the Ancients, That they, who made Gods of gold, and silver, of hope, and fear, peace, and war, Garlick, and Oni∣ons; beasts, and serpents: nay, though they deisi∣ed, diseases, & quod dicere nolo: what, without breach of modesty I cannot name, yet, Funesta Pe∣cunia, templo, nondum habitas, They never deified money, nor erected any Temple to it: thereby meaning, that, though wealth was admired by com∣mon, or abused understandings, yet, from riches, (further then they served, and supplied the exigen∣cies, and necessities of nature) nothing conducing, to mans reall content, and happinesse, could be ex∣pected.

While therefore, these considerations, convince your judgements: let these means, and helps assist your wils, in the great work of mortifying, this powerful lust, The Love of Money, which is the Root of all Evil.

First, Labour, to anchor thy soul, with content, to say with the Apostle, I have learned, in whatsoe∣ver estute I am, therewith to be content, Phil. 4. 11. for content, is a nearer cut, to wealth, then Cove∣tousness: For, what matters it, whether thou be rich Tuo, & pationti•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉, beneficio, an fortun•…•…? as

Seneca speaks, by the benefit of thine own, modera∣tion, and contentation, or the bounty of fortune? for as he reasons on, Nihil interest utrum non desideres, an habeas? where is the difference, between having, and not desiring? There is content in both: for, as our life, doth not consist, in the abundance of the things which a man possesseth, so neither doth his content: there is a way, which S. Paul found out, of having nothing, and yet possessing all things, 2 Cor. 6. 10. Content, reconciles this seeming contradi∣ction of having nothing, and yet possessing all things: for, as he, that is master of a great estate, is still poor, if he think it to be too little: So he that is possessed of a mean estate, is rich, if he think it to be enough: He that seeks for Content, without himself, loseth both himself, and it: Quareigitur à Fortuna, potius impetrem, ut det, quàm à me, ne petam? sayes the same Seneca, why should Irather desire of God, to give me wealth, then to desire of my self, not to desire it? I conclude this, with the Epigrammatist, Fis fieri di∣ves, Pontice? nil cupias: He is abundantly rich, that desires nothing.

Secondly, Learn to compare, things Temporal, with things Spiritual, and see, how the scales will turne: Vilescunt temporalia, cum considerantur aeter∣na, saith S. Gregory: the Glo-worm, may seem, a glorious light, till the Sun, that eye of the world, be disclosed, and Temporal riches may seem, a great blessing, until they be weighed, with the Eternal, in the ballance of the Sanctuary; Raise thy meditations therefore, to the heavenly Jerusalem; walk about

her wals, mark all her bul warks, tell all her towers, and in comparison of that City that is above, thou wilt say, of all Earthly possessions, as Hyram did, of the Cities which Solomon gave him, they pleased him not, and he called them the land of Cabul unto this day; that is the dirty land, 1 Kings 9. 13. What were the pleasures and riches of Egypt, the pomp, and glory of Pharaohs Court in the eyes of Moses after he had once seen his God? what was the world, and the vanities thereof, in S. Peters thoughts, after he had a glimpse of the glory of heaven, & a ray of the hap∣pinesse thereof, in the Transfiguration of Christ? As some great Peer therefore, that hath been used to stately shews, & courtly magnificence, doth not vouch∣safe so much, as to cast an eye, or a glance, towards the mean, and worthlesse Gewgaws of a Pedlars pack, which yet silly children, and fools behold with won∣der, and greedinesse, their eyes dwelling long upon them; So, the soul, that by divine contemplation, hath its conversation in heaven, scorns to suffer its self to be transported, with the trash, and toyes, of this vain, and transitory world: I have read of a Spiritual person, who saw heaven but in a dream. dream, but 'twas such a dream, as made deep impressions in him: the glory, and happinesse of it, being pre∣sented, with vigorous, and pertinacious phantasms, not easily disbanding: So, that when he awaked, he knew not his own Cell: he remembred not him, that slept, in the same Dorter, with him; nor could he tell, how night, and day, were distinguished nor could he discern, oyl, from mine, but, passionately

cried out for his vision again, Redde mihi campos meos floridos, Colnmnam auream, Comitem Hierony∣mum, assistentes Angelos: Give me 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fields again, my most delicious fields: Give me my Pillar of a glori∣ous Light; my Companion S. Jerom, and my assistant Angels: And this lasted, until he was told of his duty, when the fear of a sin disincharmed him, and caused him to take care, lest he lost the substance, out of a transported greedinesse, to possesse the shadow: the same operation (at least in some proportion) which that vision, had on him, may meditation have on thee: Labour therefore, to get a piercing eye, in meditation, to see the Invi∣sible God, send out thy soul, in a devout extasie, contemplate, the glory, and beauty of heaven, weigh the happinesse of the Saints, and Angels, and of the Spirits of just men made perfect: Think upon those ravishing, unspeakable Consolations, that like a torrent of joy, shall swallowup those, that are redeemed from the earth; And these meditati∣ons, must needs kindle, and inflame thy affections, inseparably to be united to God, and work in thee an holy impatience of delay, and a staying here, a loathing of the things, of this world, and a weari∣somenesse, of the prolongation of thy pilgrimage here in this world, being wholly bent, upon that, which is to come; saying with the Psalmist, My soul is ••••••inst for God, even for the living God, when shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to appear before the pres••••ce of God, Psalm 4••. 2.

Thirdly, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all this inordinate 〈◊〉〈◊〉

proceeds from distrust, and diffidence of Gods pro∣tection, and providence, providing for our selves, because we do not believe, that God, will provide for us; have faith in God, knowing, that he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor for sake thee, Heb. 13. 5. Certainly our great cares, come from our, little faith. great faith would lessen our cares; for Faith, doth not only purifie, but satisfie, the heart: So, that whereas before, Covetousness, did make Gold, thy God, now quite contrary, this affiance, shall make God, thy Gold: for as Job speaks, if thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt then lay up gold, as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook; Erit{que} Om∣nipotens, Lectissimum aurum tuum, as Junius reads that place: And the Almighty shall be thy choice gold, and silver, and strength unto thee, Job 22. 23, 24, &c. So, undervaluing the world, the wealth, & glory, and pomp of it, thou wilt prefer God, in all thy desires, saying with the Psalmist, The Lord himself is the por∣tion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; Thou shalt maintain my lot; The lot is fallen unto me, in a fair ground, yea, I have a goodly heritage, Psal. 16. 6, 7.

Lastly, To all these considerations, and means, to prevent, or cast out this Love of Money which is the Root of all Evil: joyn, fervent prayer to God, that he would make these means, and thy endeavours, effectual unto thee: Pray with the Prophet David, in the place but now, alleadged, Incline my heart O Lord unto thy Testimonies, and not unto Covetous∣nesse: and he, that knowing the plague of his own

heart, shall thus pray against it, Then hear thou in heaven, O Lord, thy dwelling place, and do, according to all that thy servant calleth unto thee for, even for Jesus Christ his sake, to whom with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, all honour, and praise, dominion, and power, now and for ever.

AMEN.

FINIS.

Notes

• Psal. 17. 24.
• Ad Donat. Ep. 2.
• Mar. 19. 24.
• Lib. 1. verbo, Avaritia.
• Part. 3.
• Mat. 8. 20.
• Mat. 17.
• Ep. 44.
• Ser. 3. de verb. Apost.
• Ep. 119.