Falje Jigm of one uot Cowtom. much ado in the world for richts, taking too much upon us, or {hiving for preferment, and flattering great ones, and envying any chat are preferred before us) or get that which we expeCted. 20. When we hold our mmey fafkr than our innocency, and cannot pare with it for the fake of Chrifi, when he rcquircth it; but will lhetch our confcienccs and fin againfi him or forfakc his caufe, ro fave our eftatcs: Or will 110t part with it for the fer vice of his Church, or of our cotrntry, when we ;Jre called to it. 2 I• When the Riches which we have are ufcd but for the pampering of our flefh,· and fuperfluous provilion for our poftcrity, and nothing but fame inconfiderable crums or driblets are im– ployed for God and his fcrvants, nor ufcd to funher us in his fervice, and cowards the laying up of a neafu,e inHeaven. Thefe are thejign.r of a worldly covtto1u wretch. I . 9· 7· V. The comtterfeits of liberality ,or freedom from coveloufnefs which deceive the worldling are fuch as thefe. J, He thinks he is not Covctou.r becaufe he hath a ntceffity of doing what he doth fOr more: Either he is in debt or he is poor, and fcarcely harh whcreon w live ; And thepoor think that none are .worldlings and covetous but the Ricb. But 11e may love riches that w.:mtttb rhem, as much as he that hath them : If yOu have a ncceffity of labouring in your callings, you have no neceffity of loving the world, or of caring inordinately, or of being difcontented with your db.te: lmpar.ience under your wants, fiu!Ws a love of the world and fldh, as much as other mens bravery that polfefs it. 9· 8. 2· An01hcr thinks be is not a worldling, becaufe if he could but have necdfarics even food and rayment and cmweniencies for himfelf and family, he would be content; and it is not riches or great It w:l"Sone o! matters that he defireth. But i( your hearts are more fet upon the geuing of thefc 'lttctffaries or ·– cbi/o1u fay· tle tbings, than upon the preparing for death, and making fure of the Heavenly treafure, you are mi– ing~, l:lpideis ferablc worldlings flill: And the poor man that will fet his heart more upon a poor and miferable life, ;~::!;::1:~~~~~ than upon hea~en_ is more unexcufable than he that fetteth his heart more upon Lordfhips and Ho– ro .:mrcm bo- nours than upon Heaven: Though both of them are but the fiaves of the world, and have as yet no norum maiotreafure in Heaven. Math. 6. 19, 20,2 I· And moreover, you that are 110w fo coveteus for a 11crle rumquchomi- more, if you had that, would be as covetous for a little more fiill; and when you had that, for a nu!~'t~r·efi little more yet. You would next wear better: cloatbi;Jg, and have better fare ; and next you would CUJU m b;ri ~~ have your fJou[e repaired, and then yoU would have your land enlarged, and then you would have f,0t~~; rbe fomething more for your children; and you would·never be fatisfied: You tbinJt otherwife now ; but toucbftone your hearts deceive you: You do not know them. If you believe me not, judge by the cafe of other cryerh Gold, men that have been aS confident as you, tha.t if they had but fo much or [o much they would be con– i<\ Gold tr:ytent ; bur when they havt ir, they would fiill have more. And this which is your pretenfe is thecom– ~inds:"!ht- mon pretence of allrnofi all the covetous: for Lords and Princes think thcmfelves fiill in as great ther they be 1teceffity as you think your felves : As they have more, fo they have more to do with it ; and utnally good . 0 ' ~.td. arc tl:ill wantiug as much as the poor. The quel):ion is not How much you defire, but to rvbat ufe? ~rt'111r. And to "«hat end, and in what order l 1 p. " 3" 9· 9· 3· Another thinks he is not covttoM becaufe he covetcthnot any thing that is his mighbour.r: They think that covetoufnefs is only a ddiring that which is not our own. Bur if you love the world, and worldlj plenty inordiiJately, and covet more, you are covetous worldlings, though you wiih ir •oc from another. 1t is chc worldly mind and love of wealth that is the fin at the root: The ways of getting it ~re but the branches. 9· 10· 4· Another thinlis he is no worldling becaufe he ufeth no unlawful means, but the labour of his calling, to grow rich. The fame anfwer ferves to this. The love of we-alth for the farisfy– ing of the fh:fh is unlawful, whatever the meanS be: And is it not alfo an unlawful me.:zm of gtc– ting, to neglect God and your fouls, and the poor, and !hut cut other duties for the world, as you often do? . 9· J 1. 5· Another thinks he is no wor/dling bccaufe he is contented with what he bath, ar1d cove– teth no more. When that which he hath is a full provifion for his flefhly defires. But if you over– love the wvrld, and delight more in it than God, you are worldling.r though you defire no more. He is defcribed by Chrifi as a miferable worldly fool, Luke 12. 19, 20. that faith, [So11l takJ thy raft, eat, drinJt and be merry, thol_! haft mHcb goods laid up for many year~. J To overlove whar you have is worldlinefs as well as to dellre more. 9. 12. 6. Another thinks he is no worldling, bccaufe he gives God thanks for what he hath, and asked it of God in prayer. But if thou be a Lover of the world, and make provilion for the defirt:S of the fl<fh, it is but an aggravation of thy fin, to defire God to be a fervant to thy flefhly lufis, and to thank him for fatisfying lhy finful d<fires: Thy prayers and thanks are prophane and cunal : They were no fcrvice to God but to thy flefl1: As if a drunkard or a glutton fhould b,g of God pro– vifion for their greedy throats, and thank him for it when they have it : Or a fornicaror (hould pray God to be a pandor to his tufts, and then thank him for it : Or a wanton gallant !hould make fine clothes and gallantry, the matter of his prayer and thanrgiving. , 9. 13· 7• Another thinks he is no wcrldling becaufe he hath fome thoughts of Heaven, and is loth to be d~mned when he can keep the world no longer, and prayeth often, and perhaps fatleth with Luke ·ts. Jt. the Pharifee twi-ce a week, and giveth alms often, and paycth tythes, and wrongeth 110 man. Bur 12, 1J· the Pharifees W'l:rC cove1o1u for all thefc: Lu~ 16. I4· The qucftion is not whether you think of M;1t. 6 • 16 ) 18 ' Heaven, and do [omething for it? But whether it be Heaven or Earth which you foe/{ firjf, and make the end of all things elfe, which all arc refcned to: Every worldling knoweth that he muft die, and therefore he woold have Heavetrat !all for a referve, rather than Hell. But where is it that you are laying up your treafure, and that you place all your Happinefs and hopes? And where are ymlr hearts? On
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