Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

Chap. 3 r. An. Expofitiost upon the Book of J o B. Verf. 24. are fo farfrom fatisfying delire, that they are but fewel to en- creafe the flame of it. And as they encreafe delre, fo they take away or rob us ofour refs (v: 12, ) Thefleepe of a labouring man is fweet,whether he eat lisle or much ; but the abundance ofthe rich will not froferhim t. : That is, he hath filch abundance of cares about his abundance of riches,that hecannot be quiet night nor day. And as they are a trouble to the body in hindring fleepe ; fo ( which is infinitely worfe) they area fnare to the foule, and calf that into a dead fleepe. How often doe they intangle the fpirits, . and weaken the gracesofgoodmen ? How often doe they ftreng- then their lofts, and furnifh their corruptions?They hinder many from believing and receiving the Gofpel ( Luke 14. 16,17, 18.) They choake the word in others who feeme to have received the Gofpel ( Math: t 3.22.-) How often doe riches lead to nedle& of duty, yea to adenyall of God? Hence that good man begg'd ( Prov: 30. 9.) Giveme not riches, left I be full and deny thee, and fay, tt'bo is the Lord ? 'selian the Apoflate, fpoyled the Chri- ftians, in thofe times, of their outward castes , and then fayd in fcorne, That he didit to make themmore expedite or readyfor the kingdome of heaven , eu their Mafter had taught them. Woe to fcorners, yet there is a ferious truth in that Atheiflicall fcorne ; We are made the more readie for heaven, by howmuch we are the leffe cumbred with earthly things. Laftly, as riches clogge many in thewayes ofGod; fo they caule fore totally to forfàke and Apoftatize from that profeffion which they once made of them. Thus Paul complained (2Tim. 4. so.) Domas hatbfor- fakenme, having loved thisprefent world. Well therefore might the Apoftle conclude (i Tim. 6. to.) The hveof money is the roote ofall evil, which whileforehave coveted after, they have er- red from thefaith, andpierced themfelves through with many for- raves. Adde to all this, that amazing fentenceof Chrift (Math. 19. 23, 24.) Then fayd?efus to his Diféiples , verily Ifay unto you, that a rich manJbal hardly enter into the Rngdome of heaven ; eAnd againe 1.14 untoyou, it is effterfor a camel togoe through the eye cf a needle, thenfor a rick man to enter into the kingdom of God. This Paying aftonifhed the Difciples, and therefore Chriít gives a twofold mollifying interpretation ofit; firft, in the 26th verle ofthe fame Chapter ; With men this is irpoñble, but with Y y' Y god 529 ..

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