Covetousness
COTETOUSNESS.
Theol. Labour, abstinence, temperance, prayer, restraint of senses, shunning of women's company, and all occasions whatsoever.
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Phil. Well, sir, now you have waded deep enough in the second sign of damnation : I pray you let us proceed to the third, which is covetousness.
And, as you havelaid naked the two former, so I pray you, strip this stark naked also, that all men may see what an ugly monster it is, and therefore hate it and abhor it.
Theol. I would willingly satisfy your mind; but on this point I shall never do it sufficiently.
For no heart can conceive, or tongue sufficiently utter the loathsomeness of this vice.
For covetousness is the foulest fiend, and blackest devil of all the rest.
It is even great Beelzebub himself.
Therefore I shall never be able fully to describe it unto you ; but yet I will do what I can to strip it, and whip it stark naked.
And howsoever that men of this earth, and blind worldlings, take it, to be most sweet, beautiful, and sfeiiable, andtherefore do embrace it, entertain it; and welcome it, as though there were some haqb'^iness in it; yet I hope, when I have shewed them the face thereof in a glass (even the true glass of God's word) they will be no more in such love, but quite out of conceit with it.
I will therefore hold out this glass to them.
Paul to Timothy brandeth this sin in the forehead, and boreth it in the ear, that
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all men may know it, and avoid it, when he saith , " Covetousness is the root of all evil," 1 Tim. vi.
10.
Our Lord Jesus also giveth us a watch-word to take heed of it, saying, "Take heed and beware of covetousness," Luke xii.
15; as if he should say, touch it not, come not near it, it is the very breath of the devil: it is present death, and the very ratsbane of the soul.
The apostle layeth out the great danger of this sin, and doth exceedingly grime the face of it, when he saith, *' That the end of all such as mind earthly things, is damnation," Phil. iii. 19.
Let all carnal worldlings, and muckish-minded men lay this to heart, and consider well of it, lest they say one day, had I wist.* Phil. Good, sir, lay open to us the true nature of covetousness, and what it is, thab we may more perfectly discern it.
Theol. Covetousness is an immoderate desire of having.
Phil.
I hope you do not think frugality, thriftiness, and good husbandry to be covetousness.
Theol. Nothing less ;t for they be things commanded ; being done in the fear of God, and with a good conscience.
Phil. Do you not think it lawful also for men to do their worldly business, and to use faithfulness and diligence in their callings, that they may provide for themselves and their families?
Theol. Yes, no doubt.
And the rather, if they do these things with calling on God for a blessing upon the works of their hands; and use prayer and thanksgiving before and after their labour, taking heed all the day long of the common cor- * O had I known the conseipiences. t Certainly not.
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ruptions of the world, as swearing, cursing, lying, dissembling, deceiving, greedy getting, &c.
Phil. Wherein I pray you doth covetousness especially consist?
Theol. In the greedy desire of the mind.
For we may lawfully do the works of our calling, and play the good husbands and good housewives ; but we must take heed that distrustfulness, and inward greediness of the world do not catch our heart : for then are we set on fire, and utterly undone.
PMl.
Since covetouness is especially of the heart, how may we know certainly when the heart is infected?
Theol. There be four special signs of the heart's infection.
Fhil. Which be they?
Theol. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting.
Therefore the Holy Ghost saith, "He that hasteth to be rich, shall not be unpunished,"
Prov. xxviii.
20, 22.
And again, ''An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed," Prov.
XX. 21.
The heathen man also saith, " No man can be both justly and hastily rich."—The second is a pinching and niggardly keeping of our own, that is, when men, being able to give, will hardly part with any thing, though it be to never so holy and good use.
And when at last with much ado, for shame they give something, it Cometh heavily from them, God wot,* and scantily.—The third is, the neglect of holy duties: that is, when men's minds are so taken up with the love of earthly things, that they begin
* God kiiowetli.
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to slack and cool in matters of God's worship.— The fourth and last is, a trusting in riches, and staying upon them, as though our lives were maintained by them, or did consist only in them
; which thing our Lord Jesus flatly denies, saying, " Though a man have abundance, yet his life consisteth not in the things that he hath," Luke xii. 15.—These then are four evident signs and tokens, whereby we may certainly discern that men's hearts and entrails are infected with covetousness.
Phil. You have very well satisfied us in this point.
Now let us understand the original causes of covetousness.
Theol. There be two special causes of covetousness.
The one is the ignorance and distrust of God's providence; the other is the want of tasting and feeUng of heavenly things: for till men taste better things they will make much of these, till they feel heaven they wUl love earth, till they be religious they will be covetous.
Therefore the cause is soon espied why men are so sharp set upon these outwai-d things, and, do so admire riches, worldly pomp, pleasures, and treasures; because they know no better, they never had taste of feeling of those things which ai'e eternal.
Fkil. Now as you have shewed us the causes of covetousness, so let us also hear of the effects.
Theol.
If I once enter into this, I shall be entangled and woimd up in a maze, where I know not how to get out again.
For the evil effects of this vice are so many, and so great, that I know not almost where to begin, or where to end.
Notwithstanding, I will enter into it, get out how I can.
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Phil.
If you do but give us some taste of them it shall suffice.
Theol. Then will I briefly dispatch things in order.
And first of all, I reason from the words of the apostle before alleged, that if covetousness, and the love of money, be the root of all evil, then it is the root of idolatry, the root of murder, the root of theft, the root of lying, the root of swearing, the root of simony, the root of bribery, the root of usury, the root of lawing, the root of all contentions in the church, and the root of all brabbling and brawling in the commonwealth.
Moreover, it spreadeth far and near; it dwelleth in every house, in every town, in every city; it pryeth into every corner, it creepeth into every heart, it annoyeth our physicians, it infecteth our divines, it choketh our lawyers, it woundeth our farmers, it baneth our gentlemen, it raurdereth our tradesmen, it bewitcheth our merchants, it stingeth our mariners.
Oh! covetousness, covetousness! it is the poison of all things, the wound of Christianity, the bane of all goodness! For covetousness mars all; it marreth all, everywhere, in all places, in all degrees, amongst all persons.
It marreth marriages ; for it coupleth young to old, and old to young.
It marreth hospitality, it marreth all good housekeeping, it marreth alms-deeds, it marreth religion, it marreth professors, it marreth ministers, it marreth magistrates, it marreth all things.
And therefore what sin so grievous, what evil so odious, what vice so enormous as this?
For this cause it was prettily said of one, that all other vices are but factors to covetousness, and serve for porters to fetch and bring in her living.
She maketh simony her drudge, bribery her drudge, usury her drudge.
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deceit her drudge, swearing her drudge, lying her drudge.
Oh! what a devil incarnate is this, that setteth so many vices at work, and hath so many factors and underlings to serve her turn!
Are they not in a pretty case, think you, that are infected with this sin ?
Oh! they are in a most miserable case.
It had been good they had never been bom.
For being alive they are dead, dead I mean in their souls; for covetousness is soul's poison, and soul's bane.
Covetousness is the strongest poison to the soul that is.
It is a confection of all the spiders, toads, snakes, adders, scorpions, basihsks, and all other the most venomous vermin of the whole world.
If the devil can get us to take down but one pennyweight of it, it is enough, he desires no more; for presently we fall down stark dead.
Therefore the apostle saith, "They that will be rich (he meaneth in all haste, by hook or by crook) fall into temptations and snares, and into many foohsh and noisome lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition,"
1 Tim. vi. 9.
For as covetousness is rank poison to the soul, so the apostle compareth it to the deep gulf, wherein thousands are drowned ; and therefore he addeth, in the same place, v.
11, "But thou, O man of God, -flee these things;" in which words he doth most gravely advise all the ministers of the word of God to take heed of it.
For as it is dangerous to all men, so it is most dangerous and offensive in the preachers of the gospel.
Phil. Indeed it must needs be granted that covetousness is a very grievous sin; yea even a monster with seven heads.
Yet for all that, we see in this our iron age, how many of all sorts are infected with it; and how few will give any
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thing to any holy use.
Most men now-a-days have nothing to spare for Christ, nothing for his gospel, nothing for his church, nothing for the poor children of God, and needy members of Christ.
Christ is a little beholden unto them, for they will do nothing for him, no not so much as speak a good word in his cause, or the cause of his poor saints.
Every little thing with them is too much for God, and good men.
For when they come to giving unto holy and necessary uses then they will stick at a penny, and scotch at a groat, and every thing is too much.
But to bestow upon themselves, nothing is too much.
Nothing is too much for lust, for pleasure, for back, belly, and building; for cards and dice, for whores and harlots, for rioting and revelling, for taverns and brothel-houses; hundreds and thousands are little enough, and too little for their expenses this way.
It is lamentable to consider, what masses of money are spent and bestowed upon these things.
But, alas, alas! how heavy an account are they to make in the day of the
Lord, which so spend their lands, livings, and revenues!
I quake to think what shall become of them at last.
It were well for them, if they might be in no worse case than a crocodile, or a ] cur dog.
TJieol. It is most certain that you say, and we all have great cause to lament it, and to take up the old complaint of the prophet, Jer. vi.
13, " From the least of them even unto the saying, greatest of them, every one is given unto covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest, they all deal falsely."
And another prophet saith, "They buildup Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The heads thereofjudge for
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rewards, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof prophesy for money; yet will they lean upon the Lord and say, is not the Lord amongst us? no evil can come unto us,"
Micah iii. 10, 11.
But these holy prophets, and men of God, do fully describe unto us the state of our time; wherein, though all be corrupted, yet we bear ourselves stoutly upon God, we presume of his favour, because of our outward profession, and say in our hearts, no evil can come unto us.
Asun. You say very true, sir.
The world was never so set upon covetousness, and men were never sogreedily given to the world as now-a-days.
And yet, in truth, there is no cause why men should be so sharp set upon this world.
For this world is but vanity, and all is but pelf and trash.
Fie on this muck!
Fliil. Many such men as you are, can skill to give good words, and say, fie on this world; all is but vanity: and yet for all that, in your daily practice you are nevertheless set upon the world, nor never the more seek after God.
You hear the word of God no whit the more, you read no whit the more, pray never the more; which evidently sheweth, that all your fair speeches and protestations, are naught else but hypocrisy and leasing.
Your heart is not with God, for all this.
All is but words: there is no such feeling in the heart.
And, therefore, I may justly say to you, as God himself said unto his people, "This people have weU said all that they have spoken.
Oh ! that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments!"
Deut. V. 28, 29.
Theol. His. words, indeed, are good, if his
62:
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heart were according.
For, all things considered, there is no cause why men should be so given to this world; for they must leave it, when they have done all that they can.
As we say, "To-day a man, to-morrow none."
And as the " We brought nothing into this apostle saith, world, and, it is certain, we can carry nothing out," 1 Tim. vi. 7.
We must all die, we know not how soon: why therefore should men set their hearts upon such uncertain and deceivable things ? for all things in this world are more light than a feather, more brittle than glass, more fleeting than a shadow, more vanishing than smoke, more inconsistent than the wind.
"Doubtless," saith the prophet David, "man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them,"
Ps. xxxix. 6.
I wonder, therefore, that these moles and muckworms of this earth, should so mind these shadowy things, and so dote on them as they do.
If they were not altogether hardened and blinded by the devil, they would not be so nearly knit to the clod and the penny as they are: thinking, and always imagining, that there is no happiness but in these things, which are but dung and dross: and at last they will give us the slip, when we think ourselves most sure of them.
The wise king, who had the greatest experience of these things that ever man had, for he enjoyed whatsoever this world could afford, upward and downward, backward and forward, yet could find nothing in them but vanity and vexation of spirit.
Moreover, he flatly avoucheth, that all these things, riches, wealth, honour, pleasures, and treasures, will most notably deceive us in the
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end, give us the slip and be gone.
For he compareth riches, and all the glory of this world, to an e^le or hawk, which a man holdeth upon his fist, stroketh her, maketh much of her, taketh great delight and pleasure in her, and saith he will not take ten pounds for her: yet all on the sudden she taketh her flight, and flieth up ipto the air, and he never seeth her more, nor she him.
The words of the Holy Ghost are these, " Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly after them?
(meaning riches).
Thou may est but they will not be found.
For they will make themselves wings like to the eagle, which flieth up to heaven,"
Prov, xxiii.
From thence we may learn, that though we set our hearts never so much on any thing here below, yet at the last it shall be taken from us, or we from it.
Therefore, all worldly men do but weave the spider's web, and may fitly be compared to the silly spider, who toileth herself, and laboureth all the week long to finish up her web, that she may lodge herself in it, as in her own house and freehold.
But alas, at the week's end, a maid in a moment, with one brush of her broom, dispossesseth her of her inheritance which she had purchased with great labour and much ado.
Even so, when the men of this world have, with much care and trouble, purchased great lands and revenues, and gathered all that they can; yet on the sudden, death (with one stroke of his direful dart) will make them give up the ghost; and then where are they?
It was prettily, therefore, said of a man in the light of nature, " No man hath ever lived so happily in this life, but in his life-time many things have befallen him, for the which he had wished rather
b^i
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to die than to live."
And assuredly I think there was never any man lived any one day upon the face of this earth, but some grief or other either did, or justly might invade his mind ere night; either in the temptations of the world, the flesh or the devil : or in regard of soul, body, goods, or name; in regard of wife, children, friends, ojneighbours; in regard of dangers to prince, estate, church, or commonwealth; in regard of casualties and losses by water, by fire, by sea, or by land.
What a life therefore is this, that hath not one good day in it ?
Who would desire to dwell long in it ?
For it lieth open every day to manifold miseries, dangers, losses, casualties, reproaches, shame, infamy, poverty, sickness, diseases, colics, agues, tooth-ache, head-ache, back-ache, bone-ache, and a thousand calamities.
Phil. You have very well described unto us the vanity of this life, and that no day is free from one sorrow or other, one grief or other; which thing our Lord Jesus ratifieth, in the reason which he bringeth, why men should not distrustfully care for to-morrow.
"For (saith he) sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," Matt. vi.
; or, as some read it, " The day hath enough with his grief;" wherein he doth plainly shew, that every day hath his sorrow, his evil, his grief, and his thwart.
But I pray you proceed further in this point.
Theol. This I say further; that when men have swinked* and sweat, carked and cared, moiled and turmoiled, drudged and droiled,t by night and by day, by sea and by land, with much care and sorrow, much labour and grief, to rake together the * Laboured. t Slaved.
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things of this life: yet at last, all will away again, and we must end where we began.
For, as Job said, i. 21, " Naked we came into the world, and naked we must go out."
For even as a wind-mill beateth itself, maketh a great noise, whistleth and whisketh about from day to day, all the year long; yet at the year's end standeth still where it began, being not moved one foot backward or forward; so when men have blustered and blown aU that they can, and have even run themselves out of breath, to scrape up the commodities of the earth, yet at last they must, spite of their beards, end where they be^an; end with nothing, as they began with nothing; end vdth a winding sheet and began with swaddling clouts.
For what is become of the greatest monarchs, kings, princes, potentates, and magmficoes, that ever the world had?
Where is Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, Alexander, Caesar, Pompey, Scipio, and Hannibal?
Where are the valiant Henrys, and noble Edwards of England?
Are they not all gone down to the house of oblivion?
Are they not all returned to their dust, and all their thoughts perished?
Though they were as gods, yet have they died as a man, are fallen like others.
Who now careth for them ? who talketh ofthem? who feareththem ? who regardeth them ?
Do not beggars tread upon them?
Yet, whilethey hved, they werethelori of the world; theywere as terrible as lions ; fearful to all men ; full ofpomp and glory, dignity and majesty.
They plowed up all things, they bare all before them, and who but they?
But now they have given up the ghost, and are, as Job saith, xxx.
23, " Gone down to the house appointed for all the living."
Their pomp is descended with them, and all their glory
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is buried in the ashes.
They are now covered under a clod, cast out into a vault, made companions to toads, and the worms do eat them ; and what is become of their souls, is most of all to be feared.
Thiis we see how all flesh doth but make a vain show for a while upon this theatre of misery, fetcheth a compass about, and is presently gone.
For as the poet saith, " Serins aut citius sedem properamus ad unam:^^ first, or last, we must all to the grave.
Asun. You have made a very good speech.
It doth me good to hear it.
I wonder, all these things considered, that men should be so "wholly given to this world as they are.
I think the devil hath bewitched them.
For they shall carry nothing with them when they die, but their good deeds and their ill.
Theol. The grudges and snudges* of this world, may very fitly be compared to a king's sumpterhorse, which goeth laden all the day long, with as much gold and treasure, as he can bear; but at night his treasure is taken from him, he is turned into a sorry dirty stable, and hath nothing left him, but his galled back.
Even so the rich cormorants and caterpillars of the earth, which here have treasured and horded up great heaps of gold and silver, with the which they travel laden through this world, shall in the end be stript out of all, let down into their grave, and have nothing left them but their galled conscience, with the which they shall be tumbled down into the dungeon of eternal darkness.
Pliil. Wherein doth the sting and strength of the world especially consist ?
* Misers.
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Theol. Even as the great strength of Sampson lay in his hair, so the great strength of the world lieth in her two breasts: the one of pleasure, the other of profit.
For she, like a notable strumpet, bv laying out these her breasts, doth bewitch the sons of men, and allureth thousands to her lust.
For if she cannot wiu them with the one breast, yet she gaineth them with the other: if not with pleasure, then with profit ; if not with profit, then with pleasure.
He is an odd man of a thousand that sucketh not of the one breast or the other.
But sure it is, whichsoever he sucketh, he shall be poisoned.
For she giveth none other milk, but rank poison.
The world therefore, is like to an alluring Jael, which sitteth at her door, to entice us to come in and eat of the milk of her pleasures: butwhenshehath oncegotusin,she is ready, even while we afe eating, with her hammer and nail, to pierce through our brains, Judges iv. 21.
JPhil.
I see plainly, this world is a very strumpet, a strong bait, and a snarling net, wherein thousands are taken.
It is very bird lime, which doth so belime our affections that they cannot ascend upward.
It is like the weights of a clock, hanged upon our souls, which draweth them down to the earth: it naileth us fast down to the ground.
It mortifieth us into clay: it maketh us abominable unto God.
For I remember God made a law, that whatsoever goeth with his breast upon the ground, should be abominable unto us,
Levit. xi.
How much more these carnal worldUngs, which are fast soldered to the earth!
Theol. The apostle James, seeing into the deep wickedness of this world, and knowinor right well how odious it maketh us in the sight of God, crieth out against it, terming it adultery, and
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all worldlings adulterers; because they forsake Christ, their true husband, and whorishly give their hearts to this world, iv. 4, " ye adulterers and adulteresses, saith he, know ye not that the amity of this world, is the enmity of God ?
Whosoever therefore, will be a friend of this world, maketh himself the enemy of God."
And who dare stand forth and say, I will be the enemy of God?
Who therefore dare be a worldling? for every worlding is the enemy of God.
What then will become of you, O ye wicked worldlings?
FJiil.
It appeareth then plainly by the scriptures, that the excessive love of this world, and unsatiable desire of having, is a most dangerous thing; and men do not know what, in seeking so greedily after it.
Theol. The heathen man, Sophocles, will rise up in judgment against us: for he saith, "Unsatiableness is the foulest evil amongst mortal men ; but many of our seagulfs and whirlpools make no conscience of it."
They think it is no sin: they devour and swallow up all; and yet are never satisfied.
They will have all, and more than all, and the devil and all.
The whole world cannot satisfy their mind: but God must create new worlds to content them.
These men are sick of the golden dropsy : the more they have, the more they desire.
The love of money increaseth, as money itself increaseth.
But the scripture saith, " He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver,"
Eccles. v.
10.
Oh, therefore, that we would strive earnestly to get out of this gulf of hell, and tread the moon, that is, all worldly things, under our feet, as it is spoken of the church, and that we would set our affections on the things that are above, and not on the things
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that are beneath: that we would fly an high pitch, and soar aloft as the eagles, looking down at this world, and all things in it, as at ouifeet, contemning it, and treading the very glory of it under our feet, that it may never have more power over us! Rev. iii. 1.
Phil. O happy and twice happy are they that can do so!
And I beseech the Almighty God, give us his Holy Spirit, whereby we may be carried above this world, into the mountains of m\TTh, and the mountains of spices. Cant. iv. 6.
For how happy a thing is it to have our conversation in heaven, that is, to have an inward conversation with God, by much prayer, reading, meditation, and heavenly affections!
This, indeed, is to climb up above the world, and to converse in the chambers of peace.
Oh, therefore, that we could seriously and thoroughly conceive and consider of this world as it is, that we would well weigh the vanity of it, and the excellency of that which is to come, that we might loathe the one and, and love the other; despise the one, and embrace the other: love God more than ever we did, and this world less.
For what is this world but vanity of vanities ?
Asun. You do exceedingly abase that which some make their god.
You speak contemptuously of that which most men have in greatest price and admiration.
You disgrace that which multitudes would grace.
You make light of that which numbers make greatest account of.
Let us therefore hear your reasons: shew us more fully what it is ; describe it unto us.
Theol. The world is a sea of glass, a pageant of fond delights, a theatre of vanity, a labyrinth of error, a gulf of grief, a sty of filthiness, a vale
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of misery, a spectacle of woe, a river of tears, a stage of deceit, a cage full of owls, a den of scorpions, a wilderness of wolves, a cabin of bears, a whirlwind of passions, a feigned comedy, a delectable phrenzy; where is false delight, assured grief, certain sorrow, uncertain pleasure, lasting woe, fickle wealth, long heaviness, short joyPhil. Now, you have indeed described it to the full, and laid it out, as it were, in orient colours.
And a man would think, he were bewitched, or stark mad, which hereafter should set his mind on it.
But yet I am desirous to hear a little more of that, which I asked yon before, wherein the strength and poison of the world doth especially consist.
Theol. In this lieth a great strength of the world, that it draweth down the stars of heaven and maketh them fall to the earth, as it is said of the dragon's tail, (Eev. xii.
4.) which is ambition, covetousness, and the love of this world.
For we may wonder and lament, to see how the love of these things hath wounded and overborn many excellent servants of God, both preachers and professors of the gospel: which thing doth plainly argue the strength of it.
For it is the strongest and the very last engine, that Satan useth to im.pugn us withal, when none other will prevail.
For when no temptation could fasten upon Christ, he bringeth forth this last weapon which never faileth; " All these things will I give thee," Matt. iv. 9, shewing him the glory of the whole world.
So then he, having the experience of this, that it never faileth, thought to have overcome Christ himself with it.
Here, therefore, lieth the very sting and strength of the world and
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the devil.
For whom hath he not taken with " all these things will I give thee?" whom hath he not wounded? whom hath he not deceived? whom hath he not overthrown? With this he enticed Balaam; with this he beguiled Achau; with this he overthrew Judas; with this he bewitched Demas; with this, in these our days, he deceived many of excellent gifts.
For assuredly, he is a phoenix* amongst men, which is not overcome with this.
He is a wonderment in the world, that is not moved with money.
Phil.
I am now fully satisfied with this matter.
But one thing cometh often into my mind; to wit, that these miserable wordlings can have no sound comfort in their pleasures and profits: because they have no comfort in God, nor peace in their own consciences.
Theol. You say very true.
It is impossible, that men, loving this world, should have any sound comfort in God.
For no man can serve two masters, both God and riches.
Their case therefore, is very dangerous and fearful, though they never see it, nor feel it: as I will shew you by a plain example.
Put a case: one of these great rich wordlings should be clothed in velvet and cloth of gold, in most stately manner, and also should be set at his table, furnished with all the dainties of the world; should be attended and waited upon by many, in most lordly and pompous manner; should sit in his goodly dining-chamber, all glittering like gold; should have his first, second, and third service served in, with minstrels and instruments of music, in most royal sort; he sitteth in his chair, like a * A very rare bird, of which the ancients used to say there was but one at a time in beiusc.
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king in his throne: yet for all this, if a dagger should be held to his heart all this while, ready to stab him, what pleasure, what joy, what comfort can he have in all the rest ? Even so, whatsoever pomp or pleasures wicked wordlings have here below, yet tlieir guilty and hellish conscience is, as it were, a dagger, held always hard to their heart, so as they can have no sound comfort in any thing.
Or let me give it you thus : put this case, a man hath committed high treason, and were therefore apprehended, arraigned, and condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered: what then can comfort him in such a case? can mirth, can music, can gold, can silver, can lands, can livings?
No, no: none of all these can help him, or give him any comfort.
For the continual thoughts of death do so gripe him at the heart, that none of all these can do him any good or any
Avhit mitigate his grief.
What then is the thing that may comfort him in this case ?
Only a pardon, sealed with the king's broad seal, and subscribed with his own hand.
For as soon as he hath got this, his heavy heart reviveth, and he leaps for joy.
This then assuredly is the very ease of all profane atheists and worldlings, who are not assured of the king of heaven his pardon for their sin: and then, what joy can they have either in their meat, drink, goods, cattle, wines, children, lands, revenues, or any thing whatsoever ?
For the dreadful thoughts of hell, do eftsoones* cross them inwardly, and quite damp and dash all their mirth.
Their own consciences will not be stilled; but in most terrible manner, rise up and give evidence against them, telling them flatly * Speedily.
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they shall be damned, how merry and jocund soever they seem to be in this world ; setting a good face on the matter.
For sure it is, that inwardly they have many a cold pull, and many heart gripes.
And all their mirth and jollity, is but a giggling from the teeth outward: they can have no sound comfort within.
And therefore the wise king saith, " Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful: and the end of that mirth is heaviness,"
Prov. xiv.
13.
Likewise saith the holy man Job, xxvii. 20, " Terrors of conscience come upon the wicked man like waters: in the night a whirlwind carriethhim away secretly."
Eliphaz, the Temanite, avoucheth the same point, saying, " The wicked man is continually as one that travaileth of child ; a sound of fear is in his ears,"
&c. Job XV. 20, 21.
Thus then we see, that howsoever many carnal atheists, and ungodly persons, seem outwardly to float aloft in all mirth and jollity, bearing it out, as we say, at the breast : yet inwardly they are pinched with terrors, and most horrible convulsions of conscience.
Antil. You have spoken many things very sharply against covetousness: but in my mind, so long as a man covets nothing but his own, he cannot be said to be covetous.
TJieol.
Yes, that he may.
For not only is he covetous which greedily desireth other men's goods; but even he also which over-niggardly and pinchingly holdeth fast his own, and is such a miser, that he will part with nothing.
We see the world is full of such pinch-pennys, that will let nothing go, except it be wrung from them perforce, as a key out of Hercules'* hand.
These * A hero of heathen fiable of prodigious strength.
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gripple* muck-i-akers had as leave part with their blood as their goods.
They will pinch their own backs and bellies, to get their god into their chests.
And when they had once got him in there, will they easily part with him, trow ye?
No, no ; a man will not part with his god, for no man's pleasure.
He will eat pease-bread, and drink small drink, rather than he will diminish his god.
Therefore the scripture saith, " Eat not the meat of him that hath an evil eye; and desireth not his dainty dishes.
For as he grudgeth his own soul, so he will say unto thee; eat and drink, when his heart is not with thee.
Thou shalt vomit thy morsels which thou hast eaten and loose thy pleasant speeches," Prov. xxiii. 6-8.
The old saying is, the covetous man wanteth as well that which he hath, as that which he hath not; because he hath no use of that which he hath.
So then you see, there is a great strength of covetousness, in the niggardly keeping of our own.
Antil. Yet, for all this, men must follow their worldly business, and lay up to live.
For it is an hard world, and goods are not easy to come by.
Therefore men must ply their business, or else they may go to beg or starve.
Theol.
I deny not, but that you may follow the works of your calling dilligently: so it be in the fear of God, and with a good conscience, as I told you before ; but this greediness and gripleness God doth condemn, and also, his excessive love of money.
Phil.
Believe me, I know nobody that hateth it; I cannot see but that all men love gold and silver.
* Eager getters.
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Theol.
It is one thing to use these things, and another thing to love them and set our hearts upon them.
For the scripture saith, "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them," Psahn
Ixii. 10.
Saint John also saith, ii. 15, "Love not this world, nor the things that are in this world."
He saith not, use not this world; but love not this world.
For use it we may; love it we may not.
Therefore the apostle saith, "That they which use this world, should be as though they used it not," 1 Cor. vii.
31, where he aUoweth a sober and moderate use of the things of this life in the fear of God.
We must use this world for necessities' sake, as we use meat and drink.
For, no more of this world then needs must, for fear of surfeiting.
The Holy Ghost saith, "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with things present,"
Heb, xiii.
Happy is that man therefore, that is well content with his present estate whatsoever it may be, and carrieth himself moderately and comfortably therein.
For the Spirit saith, "There is no profit to a man under the sun: but that he eat and drink, and delight his soul with the profit of his labours.
I saw also this, that this is of the hand of God,"
Eccles. ii.
24.
In which words, the prudent king saith thus much, in efiect, "That this is all the good we can attain unto in this world, even to take sober and comfortable use of the things of this life, which God bestoweth upon us.
And further he avoueheth, "That thus to use them aright, and with sound comfort, is a very rare gift of God."
For as one saith, Gregorius Nazi, "He is a wise man, that is not grieved for the things which he hath not; but doth rejoice in the things that he hath; using them to
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God's glory, and his own comfort."
So then, I conclude this point, and return you an answer thus: that we may in sober and godly manner, use gold, silver, and the things of this life
; but at no hand to overlove them, or give our hearts unto them.
Antil.
Well, yet for all this, I cannot see but that these preachers and professors, these learned men, and precise fellows, are even as eager of the world, and as covetous as any other.
Theol. Now you show your venomous spirit, against better men than yourself:
And I have a fourfold answer for you.—First, I answer, that although godly men may be somewhat overtaken this way, and over-spirt* a little, yet they break not so grossly as others.—Secondly, if God leave them sometimes to be overcome of the world, yet he, in his great wisdom and mercy, turneth it to their good.
For thereby he first humbleth them and afterward raiseth them up again.
"And so all things work together for good, to them that love God," Rom. viii. 28.—Thirdly, I answer, that we live by rules, and not by examples.
For even the best of God's people have had their wants and weakness.
Therefore we may not frame rules to live by out of the infirmities of the most excellent servants of God.
Wicked, therefore, and impious is their allegation, which allege David's adultery. Lot's drunkenness, Peter's fallAbraham's slips, Solomon's sins, &c. for a shelter and defence of themselves in the like sins.—Lastly, I answer that you do greatly wound yourself, in your own speech: so far oif are you from mending your market any whit thereby.
For if preachers and * Overtaken.
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other godly men, after many prayers and tears, and much means used, cannot escape scot-free, but sometimes are wounded, and aLuost overthrown, by the world and the devil; what then shall become of you, which use no means at all, nor any gain striving, but willingly give place to the devil?
If the devil did over-master David, Lot, Sampson, Solomon, and other such excellent worthies, alas ! what shall become of mere worldlings and atheists?
If the most valiant men, and chief captains iu a battle go down, what shall become of the faint-hearted soldiers? and, as St.
Peter saith, 1 Epis. iv.
18, "If the righteous scarce be saved, where shall the wicked and ungodly appear?"
So then I take you at the rebound, and return your own weapon upon yourself, that since godly men cannot escape through this world, without blows, what shall become of them which know not what godhness meaneth?
Antil. Yet, I say once again, that men must live, men must lay up for this world: we cannot live by the scriptures.
And as for that which you call covetousness, it is but good husbandry.
Theol.
I thought, we should have it at last.
Now you have paid it home: you are come to the old bias, and as an hare to her old form, and her old covert.
For this is the very covert and thicket of the world, wherein they woiild hide covetousness: but I will do what I can to himt you out of it, by the scriptures.
First, Solomon saith, " He that spareth more than is right, shall surely come to poverty," Prov. xi. 24.
So then you see, that covetousness bringeth poverty.
Thus, therefore I reason: that which bringeth poverty is no good husbandry: but covetousness, and too much sparing, bringeth poverty; there-
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fore it is no good husbandry.
The same Solomon " He that is given to gain, troubleth his own house."
That is, the covetous man is an occasion of many evils, in his estate and family.
From this scripture I do thus reason : that which troubleth a man's house, is no good husbandry; but covetousness troubleth a man's house: theresaith, fore it is no good husbandry.
Last of all, the old proverb saith, " Covetousness bringeth nothing home;" and therefore it is no good husbandry.
For oftentimes we do see, that men, for covetousness of more, lose that which otherwise they might have had.
One of the wise heathens saith, (Hesiodus), " Evil gain is as bad as loss."
But the covetous man doth seek after wicked gain, and therefore seeketh loss: and consequently is no good husband.
Another saith, (Phocillides), "
Unjust gain bringeth both loss and misery."
And therefore it is far enough off from virtue, and all good husbandry.
Thus then, I hope, you are so hunted both by God and men, that this covert cannot hide you.
And therefore you must out of it, and seek some other shelter; for this will not serve your turn.
Phil. Now I must needs say, j'-ou have fully stopt his mouth, and thoroughly ferreted him out of his deep burrow.
And it is most certain that you say, that the wise heathen have condemned covetousness, and all unjust gains, which we both practice and defend; and therefore will rise up in judgment against us.
But now let us leave the caviller for the present.