Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Chap. 21. vim expp ilion upon the Tookof f o s. Vero. 11. prophane men thould no be quite drowned andTwallowed up in temporals, ; ho did never fo much as feem to have any thing in fpiritualls. Therefore ( faith Chrif}, Jv!attb. 19 24.) ft is eager for a Carrell to gre through the eje ifa needle, thenfor a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Geol. Manmoil calls for the whole man, and !lands in the way both ofgcaceand glory. Thepore have theÇcfÿel preached to them. (Matth.l i.5.)But is not the Gofpel preached alfo to therich ? yes, The rich heare the Gofpel, but the poore receive it, or as the word imports are Gofpelifed, they receive the love ofit, and impreffions from it ; they receive the ftampe of the Gofpel,and feele the power of it. Whereas ufuálly the rich heare onely a found ofwprds, and have onely a forme ofknowledge, but have noknowledge ofthe power. Riches fill with cares ; a multitude ofriches with a multitude ofcares ; And they who have many cares about thofe things which are but àcceffories, take little care about that one thing neceffary, the due hearingof andbelee- ving application of the Gofpel They who are very diligent eyther about affuring or imploying worldly wealth about laying upor layingout the treafures of the earth, feldome give any diligence about making their calling and election lure, or about laying up treafure in heaven. They are, indeed, rich in grace, whole graces are not hindred by riches, whole foules profper when their bodies profper ; as the Apoflle Non (peaks in his thirdEpiftle. Or who (as 'cisprophecied Tfal. 45. 12.) being full of worldly bleflìngs, are yet hungry &eager in their purfuite after Chrift. The daughterof Tire /hall be there with a gift(faith the Pfalmift) The rich among the people(hall intrdat thy favour ; that is, eyther the favour ofChrift himfelfe, or the fa- vour of the Church, by reafonof that fpirituall excellency and inward glory which the bath received from Chrift. Now, to fee the rich bring theirOs, and which is the thing chiefly aymed at there, giving up themfelves to Chrift, this is a rare fight,and a retnarkeable worke ofGrace. And becaufe there is fo much danger that they who have wealth (liould fpend their dayes in it, or give themfelves up to it, and not to Chrift ; take two orthree rulesofcautionor ad- monition about this thing. Firtt, When Godputs wealth into your hand, fufpe& your R rrr2 owns 675

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