Serra. XXXVII. of Covetoufnefs. and the Cares of the World fo poffefs his Mind,' that he hath no room left in his Soul, for any other Guefis : Intas exens prohibet alienum, that which is full already, can receive no more. The Covetous Man's Heart is taken up with fuch Things as keep out God, and Chrift, and better Things. If anyMan love the World, and the Things of it to this Degree, St. john tells us that the Love of the Father is not in him. In the Parableof the Sower, Mat. 13. 7. Our Saviour reprefents to us the Cares of the World, which choak the Word of God, by Thorns which fprung up among the Seed, and ffifled the growth of it. The Cares of the World will not fuller the Word of God to take deep root inour Hearts, and to have any permanent effe& upon them : And Evek. 33. 31. God gives this as a Reafon why the People of Ifrael would not hearken to the Words of his Pro- phet, becaufe their Hearts were upon the World. They come unto thee, (lays God there to the Prophet) as the People cometh., and they fit before thee asmy Peo- ple, and they hear thy Words, but they will not do them : For with their Mouth they pro much love, but their heart goeth after their Covetoufnefr. A Heart that is deeply engaged in the World, will (land out againft all the Invitations, and Promifes, and Threatnings of God's Word. When the Word of God invites fuch Perlons, it is like making Love to thofe who have already fix'd their Hearts and Affeltions elfewhere ; the Promifes and Threatnings of the Gofpel fignifie but very little to fuch Men, becaufe their Hearts are let upon Worldly Things, and all their Affe&ions are bent that way ; all their Hopes and Delires are Worldly ; to be rich, and abound in Wealth ; and all their Fears are of Po- verty and Lofs. Now loch a Man can only be moved with the Promifes and Threatnings of Temporal Things; for no Promifes have any effe& upon us, but fuch as are of Tome Good, which we care for and value: Nor are any Threatnings apt to move us, but fuch as are of force Evil which we dread, and are afraid of. And therefore when Eternal Life, and the Happinefs of another World, are offered to a worldly-minded Man, he does not delire it, he is not at all fenfible of the value of it ; the Man's Heart is full already of other Hopes and Delires, and the full Soul loatheth the Honey-comb. Promife to fuch a Man the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Pleafures ofGod'sPretence, and the Joys of Eternity, this does not lignifie to fucha Man any Good or Happinefs that he is fenfible of, or knows how to relifh. And on the other Hand, threaten him with the Lofsof God, and Eternal Separation from that Fountain of Happi- nefs, and with the unfpeakable Anguilla and Torments ofa long Eternity ; thefe Things, tho' they be terrible, yet theyare at a diflance, and the Covetous Man is enured to Senfe, and is only to be moved with Things prefent and fenfible; he cannot extend his Fears fo far as another World, fo long as he finds himfelf well and at eafe, as to the Things of this prefent Life. If we would affe& fuch a Man, we mull offer to hisConfideration fomething that is fit to work upon him ; threaten him with breaking open his Houle, and rifling his Coffers, and carrying away his full Bags ; with queflioning his Ti- tle tohis Eflate, orflatting a precedent Mortgage, or fomething of the like Nature : Thefe Things indeed are dreadful and terrible to him ; now you fpeak intelligibly to him, and he underfands what youmean,; Tell him of a good Bargain, or an advantagious Purchafe, offer him decently a good Bribe, or give him notice ofa young Heir thatmay be circumvented, arid-drawn in, then you fay fomething to him that is worthy of his Regard and Attention ; the Man may be tempted by fuch Offersand Promifes as thefe : But difcourfe to him with the Tongue ofMen and Angels, of the Excellency of Virtue and Goodnefs, and of the Neceffìty of it, to the obtaining of a Glory and Happinefs that (hall neither have Bounds nor End ; and lo! thou art unto him ar a very lovely Song of one that bath a pleafant Voice, and can play well uponan Infirument ; for hehears thy Words, but he willnot do them ; as theProphet expreffeth it, Ezek. 33. 32. Such Difcourfes as thefe they look upon as fine Talk, or a melodious Sound, that vanitheth into Air, but leaves no Impreffron behind it. Perhaps even there LI dull 2.5ï
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=