shall not be blessed," Prov. 20:21. The heathen man also says, "No man can be
Theol. Yes, no doubt. And the rather, if they do these things with calling on God for a blessing on the works of their hands; and use prayer and thanksgiving before and after their labour, taking heed all the day long of the common corruptions of the world, as swearing, cursing, lying, dissembling, deceiving, greedy getting, &c.
Phil. What does covetousness especially consist of?
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.
Phil. Since covetousness is especially of the heart, how may we know certainly when the heart is infected?
Theol. There are four special signs of the heart's infection.
Phil. Which are they?
Theol. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting. Therefore the Holy Spirit says, "He that hastes to be rich, shall not be unpunished," Prov. 28: 20, 22. And again, ''A heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning; but the end of it shall not be blessed," Prov. 20:21. The heathen man also says, "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 comes heavily from them, God knows 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 to slack and cool in matters of God's worship. The fourth and last is, trusting in riches, and relying on them, as though our lives were maintained by them, or consisted only in them; which our Lord Jesus flatly denies, saying, "Though a man have abundance, yet his life consists not in the things that he has," Luke 12:15. 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 are two special causes of covetousness. The one is the ignorance and distrust of God's providence; the other is the want of tasting and feeling of heavenly things: for till men taste better things they will make much of these, till they feel heaven they will love earth, till they are religious they will be covetous. Therefore the cause is soon espied why men are so sharp set on these outward things, and, so admire riches, worldly pomp, pleasures, and treasures; because they know no better, they never had taste of feeling of those things which are eternal.
Phil. Now as you have showed 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 wound 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. despite, I will enter into it, get out how I can.
Phil. If you 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 I spoke before, 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 all contentions in the church, and the root of all brabbling and brawling in the commonwealth. Moreover, it spreads far and near; it dwells in every house, in every town, in every city; it pries into every corner, it creeps into every heart, it annoys our physicians, it infects our divines, it chokes our lawyers, it wounds our farmers, it harms our gentlemen, it murders our tradesmen, it bewitches our merchants, it stings 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 mars all, everywhere, in all places, in all degrees, amongst all persons. It mars marriages; for it couples young to old, and old to young. It mars hospitality, it mars all good housekeeping, it mars alms-deeds, it mars religion, it mars professors, it mars ministers, it mars magistrates, it mars all things. And so what sin so grievous, what evil so odious, what vice so enormous as this? For this cause it was wisely said of one, that all other vices are but factors to covetousness, and serve for porters to fetch and bring in her living. She makes simony her drudge, bribery her drudge, usury her drudge. deceit her drudge, swearing her drudge, lying her drudge. Oh! what a devil incarnate is this, that setts so many vices at work, and has 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 born. 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, basilisks, 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 says, "They that will be rich (he means in all haste, by hook or by crook) fall into temptations and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition," 1 Tim. 6:9. For as covetousness is rank poison to the soul, so the apostle compares it to the deep gulf, wherein thousands are drowned; and therefore he adds, in the same place, 5:11, "But you, O man of God, flee these things;" in which words he most gravely advises 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; yes 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 thing to any holy use. Most men nowadays 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 to 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 to holy and necessary uses then they will stick at a penny, and scotch at a groat, and every thing is too much. But to give on 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 sad to consider, what masses of money are spent and spent on these things. But, alas, alas! how heavy an account are they to make in the day of the Lord, who so spend their lands, livings, and revenues! I tremble 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.
Theol. 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. 6:13, saying, "From the least of them even to the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness;
and from the prophet even to the priest, they all deal falsely." And another prophet says, "They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with sin. The heads of it judge for rewards, and the priests of it teach for hire, and the prophets of it prophesy for money; yet will they lean on the Lord and say, is not the Lord amongst us? no evil can come to us," Micah 3:10, 11. But these holy prophets, and men of God, fully describe to us the state of our time; wherein, though all be corrupted, yet we bear ourselves stoutly on God, we presume of his favour, because of our outward profession, and say in our hearts, no evil can come to us.
Asun. You say very true, sir. The world was never so set on covetousness, and men were never so greedily given to the world as nowadays. And yet, in truth, there is no cause why men should be so sharp set on this world. For this world is but vanity, and all is but pelf and trash. Fie on this muck!
Phil. Many such men as you are, can give good words, and say, fie on this world; all is but vanity: and yet for all that, in your daily practice you are still set on the world, nor never the more seek after God. You hear the word of God no the more, you read no more, pray no more; which evidently shows that all your fair speeches and protestations, are nothing but hypocrisy. 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 said to his people, "This people have well said all that they have spoken. Oh! that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments!" Deut. 5:28, 29.
Theol. His. words, indeed, are good, if his 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, "Today a man, to-morrow none." And as the apostle says, "We brought nothing into this world, and, it is certain, we can carry nothing out," 1 Tim. 6:7:We must all die, we know not how soon: why therefore should men set their hearts on such uncertain and deceptive 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," says the prophet David, "man walks in a shadow, and disquiets himself in vain: he heaps up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them," Ps. 39:6. I wonder, therefore, that these moles and worms 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 whatso ever 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 asserts, that all these things, riches, wealth, honour, pleasures, and treasures, will most notably deceive us in the end, give us the slip and be gone. For he compares riches, and all the glory of this world, to an eagle or hawk, which a man holds on his fist, strokes her, makes much of her, takes great delight and pleasure in her, and says he will not take ten pounds for her: yet all on the sudden she takes her flight, and flies up into the air, and he never sees her more, nor she him. The words of the Holy Spirit are these, "will you cause your eyes to fly after them? (meaning riches). You may est but they will not be found. For they will make themselves wings like the eagle, which flies up to heaven," Prov. 23:5. 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 toils herself, and labours all the week long to finish up her web, that she may lodge herself in it, as in her own house and free hold. But alas, at the week's end, a maid in a moment, with one brush of her broom, dispossesses 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 spirit; and then where are they? It was prettily, therefore, said of a man in the light of nature, "No man has ever lived so happily in this life, but in his life-time many things have be fallen him, for the which he had wished rather to die than to live." And assuredly I think there was never any man lived any one day on 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, oj neighbours; 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 has not one good day in it? Who would desire to dwell long in it? For it lies open every day to manifold miseries, dangers, losses, casualties, reproaches, shame, infamy, poverty, sickness, diseases, colics, agues, toothache, headache, backache, boneache, and a thousand calamities.
Phil. You have very well described to us the vanity of this life, and that no day is free from one sorrow or other, one grief or other; which our Lord Jesus ratifies, in the reason which he brings, why men should not distrust
fully care for to-morrow. "For (says he) sufficient to the day is the evil of it," Matt. 6:34; or, as some read it, "The day has enough with his grief;" wherein he plainly shows, that every day has 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, by night and by day, by sea and by land, with much care and sorrow, much labour and grief, to rake together the things of this life: yet at last, all will away again, and we must end where we began. For, as Job said, 1:21, "Naked we came into the world, and naked we must go out." For even as a windmill beats itself, makes a great noise, whistles and whisks about from day to day, all the year long; yet at the year's end stands still where it began, being not moved one foot backward or for ward; so when men have blustered and blown all 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 began; end with nothing, as they began with nothing; end with a winding sheet and began with swaddling clouts. For what is become of the greatest monarchs, kings, princes, potentates, and magnificoes, 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 cares for them? who talks of them? who fears them? who regards them? Do not beggars tread on them? Yet, while they lived, they were the lords of the world; they were as terrible as lions; fearful to all men; full of pomp and glory, dignity and majesty. They ploughed up all things, they bare all before them, and who but they? But now they have given up the spirit, and are, as Job says, 30:23, "Gone down to the house appointed for all the living." Their pomp is descended with them, and all their glory is buried in the ashes. They are now covered under a clod, cast out into a vault, made companions to toads, and the worms eat them; and what is become of their souls, is most of all to be feared. Thus we see how all flesh only makes a vain show for a while on this theatre of misery, fetches a compass about, and is presently gone. For as the poet says, first, or last, we must all to the grave.
Asun. You have made a very good speech. It does 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 has 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 goes 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 has nothing left him, but his galled back. Even so the rich cormorants and caterpillars of the earth, which here have treasured and hoarded 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 does the sting and strength of the world especially consist?
Theol. Even as the great strength of Sampson lay in his hair, so the great strength of the world lies in her two breasts: the one of pleasure, the other of profit. For she, like a notable strumpet, by laying out these her breasts, bewitches the sons of men, and allures thousands to her lust. For if she cannot win them with the one breast, yet she gains 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 sucks not of the one breast or the other. But sure it is, whichever he sucks, he shall be poisoned. For she gives none other milk, but rank poison. The world therefore, is like an alluring Jael, who sits at her door, to entice us to come in and eat of the milk of her pleasures: but when she has once got us in,she is ready, even while we are eating, with her hammer and nail, to pierce through our brains, Judges 4:21.
JPhil. I see plainly, this world is a very strum pet, a strong bait, and a snarling net, wherein thousands are taken. It is very bird lime, which so limes our affections that they cannot ascend upward. It is like the weights of a clock, hanged on our souls, which draws them down to the earth: it nails us fast down to the ground. It mortifies us into clay: it makes us abominable to God. For I remember God made a law, that whatever goes with his breast on the ground, should be abominable to us, Lev. 11: How much more these carnal worldlings, who are fast soldered to the earth!
Theol. The apostle James, seeing into the deep wickedness of this world, and knowing well how odious it makes us in the sight of God, cries out against it, terming it adultery, and all worldlings adulterers; because they forsake Christ, their true husband, and whorishly give their hearts to this world, 4:4, "you adulterers and adulteresses, says he, know you not that the amity of this world, is the enmity of God? Who soever therefore, will be a friend of this world,
makes 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 worldling is the enemy of God. What then will become of you, O you wicked worldlings?
FJiil. It appears then plainly by the scriptures, that the excessive love of this world, and insatiable 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 judgement against us: for he says, "Insatiableness is the foulest evil amongst mortal men; but many of our seagulfs and whirlpools think nothing 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 with the golden dropsy: the more they have, the more they desire. The love of money increases, as money itself increases. But the scripture says, "He that loves silver, shall not be satisfied with silver," Eccles. 5:10. 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 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 our feet, despising it, and treading the very glory of it under our feet, that it may never have more power over us! Rev. 3:1.
Phil. O happy and twice happy are they that can do so! And I ask the Almighty God, give us his Holy Spirit, whereby we may be carried above this world, into the mountains of myrrh, and the mountains of spices. Cant. 4:6. 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, in deed, 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 what 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 exceedingly abase what some make their god. You speak contemptuously of what most men have in greatest price and admiration. You disgrace what multitudes would grace. You make light of what
numbers make greatest account of. Let us therefore hear your reasons: show us more fully what it is; describe it to us.
Theol. The world is a sea of glass, a pageant of foolish delights, a theatre of vanity, a labyrinth of error, a gulf of grief, a sty of filthiness, a vale 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 frenzy; where is false delight, assured grief, certain sorrow, uncertain pleasure, lasting woe, fickle wealth, long heaviness, short joy
Phil. Now, you have indeed described it to the full, and laid it out, as it were, in bright colours. And a man must be bewitched, or stark mad, who hereafter should set his mind on it. But yet I want to hear a little more of that, which I asked you before, wherein the strength and poison of the world especially consists.
Theol. In this lies a great strength of the world, that it draws down the stars of heaven and makes them fall to the earth, as it is said of the dragon's tail, (Rev. 12:4.) which is ambition, covetousness, and the love of this world. For we may wonder and lament, to see how the love of these things has wounded and overborn many excellent servants of God, both preachers and professors of the gospel: which plainly indicates the strength of it. For it is the strongest and the very last engine, that Satan uses to attack us with, when none other will prevail. For when no temptation could fasten on Christ, he brings forth this last weapon which never fails; "All these things will I give you," Matt. 4:9, showing him the glory of the whole world. So then he, having the experience of this, that it never fails, thought to have overcome Christ himself with it. Here, therefore, lies the very sting and strength of the world and the devil. For whom has he not taken with "all these things will I give you?" whom has he not wounded? whom has he not deceived? whom has he not overthrown? With this he enticed Balaam; with this he beguiled Achau; with this he overthrew Judas; with this he is witched Demas; with this, in these our days, he deceived many of excellent gifts. For assuredly, he is a phoenix amongst men, who 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 comes often into my mind; that is, that these miserable worldlings 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 show you by a plain example. Put a case: one of these great rich worldlings 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 on by many, in most lordly and pompous manner; should sit in his pleasant 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 sits in his chair, like a 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, whatever pomp or pleasures wicked worldlings have here below, yet their 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 has committed high treason, and were therefore apprehended, tried, 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 so gripe him at the heart, that none of all these can do him any good or 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 has got this, his heavy heart revives, 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 anything at all? For the dreadful thoughts of hell, soon 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 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 says, "Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful: and the end of that mirth is heaviness," Prov. 14:13. Likewise says the holy man Job, 27:20, "Terrors of conscience come on the wicked man like waters: in the night a whirlwind carries him away secretly." Eliphaz, the Temanite, makes the same point, saying, "The wicked man is continually as one that travails of child; a sound of fear is in his ears," &c. Job
15:20, 21. Thus then we see, that how soever 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 who greedily desires other men's goods; but even he also who over-niggardly and pinchingly holds 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 gripple muckrakers 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 you? 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 says, "Eat not the meat of him that has an evil eye; and de sires not his dainty dishes. For as he grudges his own soul, so he will say to you; eat and drink, when his heart is not with you. You shall vomit your morsels which you have eaten and loose your pleasant speeches," Prov. 23:6-8. The old saying is, the covetous man wants as well what he has, as what he has not; because he has no use of what he has. 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 diligently: so it be in the fear of God, and with a good conscience, as I told you before; but this greediness and gripleness God condemns, and also, his excessive love of money.
Phil. Believe me, I know nobody that hates it; I cannot see but that all men love gold and silver.
Theol. It is one thing to use these things, and another thing to love them and set our hearts on them. For the scripture says, "If riches increase, set not your
heart on them," Psalm 62:10. Saint John also says, 2:15, "Love not this world, nor the things that are in this world." He says not, use not this world; but love not this world. For use it we may; love it we may not. Therefore the apostle says, "That those who use this world, should be as though they used it not," 1 Cor. 7:31, where he allows 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 Spirit says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with things present," Heb. 13:5. Happy is that man therefore, that is well content with his present estate whatever it may be, and carries himself moderately and comfortably in it. For the Spirit says, "There is no pro fit 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. 2:24. In which words, the prudent king says thus much, in effect, "That this is all the good we can attain to in this world, even to take sober and comfortable use of the things of this life, which God bestows on us. And further he asserts, "That thus to use them aright, and with sound comfort, is a very rare gift of God." For as one says, Gregory Nazianzus, "He is a wise man, that is not grieved for the things he has not; but rejoices in the things that he has; using them to 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 to 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, 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, turns it to their good. For by it he first humbles them and afterward raises them up again. "And so all things work together for good, to those who love God," Rom. 13:28. 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 weaknesses of the most excel lent servants of God. Wicked, therefore, and impious is their allegation, which put David's adultery. Lot's drunkenness, Peter's fall Abraham's slips, Solomon's sins, &c. for a shelter and defence of themselves in the like sins.
Lastly, I answer that you greatly wound yourself, in your own speech: so far off are you from mending your market any whit by it. For if preachers and other godly men, after many prayers and tears, and much means used, cannot escape scot-free, but sometimes are wounded, and almost over thrown, by the world and the devil; what then shall become of you, who 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 says, 1 Jn. 4:18, "If the righteous scarce be saved, where shall the wicked and ungodly appear?" So then I take you at the re bound, and return your own weapon on your self, that since godly men cannot escape through this world, without blows, what shall become of those who know not what godliness means?
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 what 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 a hare to her old form, and her old covert. For this is the covert and thicket of the world, where they would hide covetousness: but I will do what I can to hunt you out of it, by the scriptures. First, Solomon says, "He that spares more than is right, shall surely come to poverty," Prov. 11:24. So then you see, that covetousness brings poverty. Thus, therefore I reason: what brings poverty is no good husbandry: but covetousness, and too much sparing, brings poverty; therefore it is no good husbandry. The same Solomon says, "He that is given to gain, troubles 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: what troubles a man's house, is no good husbandry; but covetousness troubles a man's house: therefore it is no good husbandry. Last of all, the old proverb says, "Covetousness brings nothing home;" and therefore it is no good husbandry. For often we see, that men, for covetousness of more, lose what otherwise they might have had. One of the wise heathens says, (Hesiodus), "evil gain is as bad as loss." But the covetous man seeks wicked gain, and therefore seeks loss: and consequently is no good husband. Another says, (Phocillides), "Unjust gain brings 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, you have fully stopped 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 judgement against us. But now let us leave the critic for the present.
Phil. I must confess, Theologus, that you have fully entered into the matter of covetousness, yet there is one thing remaining wherein I desire to be satisfied.
Theol. What is that?
Phil. I would gladly know Which are the special remedies against covetousness.
Theol. There are two special remedies against covetousness; that is, contentment, and the meditation of God's providence.
Phil. Let us hear somewhat of contentment out of the scriptures.
Theol. The apostle says, 1 Tim. 6:7, 8, "Having food and raiment, we must therewith be content; for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we shall carry nothing out." The Spirit also says, "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with your present estate," Heb. 13:5. Again, the apostle says, "He had learned in what estate soever he was, therewith to be content," Phil. 4:11. Note that he says, he had learned; for he had it not of himself. For contentment is the singular gift of God: as it is written; "The righteous eats to the contentment of his soul, but the belly of the wicked shall want," Prov. 13:25. An ancient father says, (Cyril) "We ought to accustom ourselves to live of a little, and to be content; that we may do no wicked or filthy thing for lucres' sake." Another says, (Chrysostom) "He is not poor that has nothing; but the one who desires much. Neither is he rich that has much but the one who wants nothing; for contentment never wants. There is no grief in lacking, but where there is immoderate desire in having. If we will live after nature, we shall never be poor; if after our own appetite, we shall never be rich." Well therefore, said the poet, (Euripedes,) "Wax not rich unjustly, but justly; be content with your own things; abstain from other men's," Thus then we see, that both God himself, the fountain of all wisdom, and men also, both in the state of nature and grace, all jointly advise us to strive for contentment; and then shall we have a sovereign remedy against covetousness.