678 That worldly things' aretheeaufer ófiddistrie. and that feruice which they owe voto him,they are readie to make their getting ofriches their religion, gold their god, r.riim.6.5. and gaine their godlineffe, asthe Apofllefpeaketh. And this the Pfalmifl plainely aflîrmech, thatwhen the couetous man Pfalmso.3 hath gotten flore ofriches, heblefrithhimflfe in his abundance, .end conteeaneth the Lord. In which refpe&, the couetousper- Epf:eL q.s. fon is called an a idolater, and b couetoufneffe idolatrie. Yea k Co1.3.3. ofall otheridolatrie it is the moll contemptibleand bate: for whereas other men adore theSunne, Moone, and liuing crea- tures,or elfe fome glorious image, offome excellentman; they adorea dumb and fenfeleffecreature,which is their owne flaue, Na npulegÿodo_tobedifpofedofattheir command. And this idolatrie coue- r: Critonaaa. tous men commit,when they Pet their hearts vpon riches, more maedichtco then vponGod orthe riches ofhiskingdome;as when the statedecbaleo , loue thembetterthenhim,taking more pleafurein their wealth cumßlomacbies wlailel they haue it,then in the Lord whobath inriched them ; aegieur. andmore forrowwhen it is taken away, then for the Joffe of Luciliusapud Stoba:ueta. Gods loue and fauour: or whenthey repofe more confidence in it,eitherfor the procuringofthe good,theywant, or for de- liuering them from the euill theyfearc, then inGod omnipo- tentand al-fufficient:a finne which is moll commonlycommit - Pfalm 49.6. ted by carnallworldlings, as the Pfalmin alto obferued ; 7hey truff in theirgoedi(faith he) and baafithemfòluet in themultitn4e Prou.i8.x r. oftheir riches. So the Wife man faith, that the richmans riches arehidflrong catie ; andas an high wadi": his imagination. Voto which vaine confidence wee are fo prone naturally, that the Pfalm.6n.io. Pfalmillthought acaueat neceffarie, that ifriches did incrcafe, we fhould take heedahat we doe not trufi in them, and the A- r.Tim.a.i7. poflle thoughtit needful,that richmen fhould hauetbisevaigh- tie charge laid vpon them, thatthey fhouldnot truil riavncer- tame riches. Becaufe vnleffean extraord inariemeafureofgrace preferue them from falling into thisfinne, it is impollible for men to abound in wealth, and not to put confidence in it. Whereofit is, that lob in his great atfli&ion comfortethhim- felfe,in the affurance oflais integritieand faithfulnes,by calling Iob 3 t.:4. this tomind,that he had not madegold his hope, norPaid to the wedge ofgold, thou artmy confidence. And the foisne ofSyrach maketh ita noteof man fo bleffed and admirable, that hee is hardly to be found,but whenhe is found ,much tobe commen- Jed.
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