30l The eighth Comm4ndemtlll. ·. For it Aayeth men from thechiefemeanes of{aluation · and hindefeth the workingofthefemeancs in them.How k keepsmerl from theWordand Sacrament, Chrifi lhewes in the parable,Luk•T4•IS.Somehadoxenandcouldnot come, - fome had farmes and mull beeexcufed; in generalJ, cuery . c?uetous man .hath fome pul-back from religion: or if,hap.. ptly, he fomet1mes ouercomc that let by much adooe, and . flep in at the Church doore, and fet him downe before the Preac~er, yet the holy Gho!l fhcweth how he is occupied; Bzec,Jl•31· (peaking to EZJechitl, he faith that they fate downe before him indeed: but though he was a man ofrare gifts and very cloqueAt, yet their hearrs went after their cowetoufncflr. So . that acouetous n1ans heart is in condnuall trauaile, though his body fit fHll ; for hismeditations and t·houghts are euer moyling and rooting in the earth; fo that he can giue no at..- tention to the Word, nor marke anything that is fpoken. . But yeeld,that fometimes a paffion ofattention con1evp– oil hiru,admit that he can frame togiue eare to that which is fpoken vntohitn,yet all is fruitlef.fe,hc gets no good; for the cares ofthis world,like thcrnes,choakethe good feed ofthe lukeB.t 4 • W~rdj·tbat no fruit can co.me vp. Agd thus we fee whatmif– chtdea couetous heart brmgs, that no meanes ofGod can · · worke any good vpon fuch a man. Thefc things therefore · being wel weighed and pondered,,wil flay Ys from the vaine de fires ofthefe vanities,and foolilh doating vpon thefe idle trifles;that aworldly man with fo great paine doth hunt af– ter. And thus much ofthe .inward breach ofthis Comman.;. dement. Now followes th·eoutward~which is either pnbhke or priuate. Poblike,as church-rob'bery,which God himfelfe Church finds fault vvithall in Malac.3.8. Where he chargeth them to robbery. haue robbedhim; wherein? (fay they)rn tithnandofferiNgs, faith God.So thar,to take to ones felfchofe things that God hath appointed to religious vfes, and for his feruice, thatis to rob and fpoilc God himfeJfe, ofthat which he hath chall'rou.~o.~s lenged tohimfdfe. And in the Prouerbs, SalDmon faith, It ii AIH;min'ation to deuoN'~'e thing1 fonff_ified : that is, .eo conuert · things fanClHie<l and ·appointed for holyvfes, vuto a rna!iJ · P,I,itJatc (Omm.odity j this is _that V:Yhich Godabhors. s~ fq_i thmg~
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