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too bitter, they like not to drink thereof. And divers will magnify his miracles, that are offended at the ignominy of his crofs. But, O man, as he, for thy falvation, fo thou, for the love of him, must humble thyself, and be contented to be of no reputation, that thou mayst follow him, not in a carnal, formal way, of vain man's tradition and prefcription, but as the Holy Ghoft, by the apoftle, doth exprefs it, in the new and living way, which Jefus had confecrated, that brings all that walk in it, to the eternal rest of God: whereunto he himself is entered, who is the holy and only bleffed Redeemer.

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§. 1. Avarice, the fecond capital luft, its definition and diftinction. §. 2. It confifts in a defire of unlawful things. §. 3. As in David's cafe about Uriah's wife. §. 4. Alfo Ahab's about Naboth's vineyard. §. 5. Next, in unlawful defires of lawful things. §. 6. Covetousness is a mark of false prophets. §. 7. A reproach to religion. §. 8. An enemy to government. §. 9. Treacherous. $. 10. Oppreffive. §. 11. Judas an example. §. 12. "So Simon Magus. §. 13. Lastly, in unprofitable boarding of money. §. 14. The covetous man a common evil. §. 15. His hypocrify. §.16. Gold his god. §. 17. He is fparing, to deat

18. Is reproved by Chrift and his followers. §. 19. Annanias' and Sapphira's fin and judgment. §. 20. William Tindall's difcourfe on that fubject referred unto. §. 21. Peter Charron's teftimony against it. §. 22. Abraham Cowley's witty and fharp fatire upon it.

§. I. I AM come to the fecond part of this discourse, which is avarice, or covetousness, an epidemical and a raging diftemper in the world, attended with all the mifchiefs that can make men miferable in themselves, and in fociety: fo near a-kin to the foregoing evil, pride, that they are feldom apart: Liberality being almoft as hateful to the proud, as to the covetous, I fhall define it thus: Covetoufnefs is the love of money or riches; which, as the apostle hath it, is the root of all evil. It branches itfelf into these three parts: first, defiring of unlawful things; fecondly, unlawfully defiring of lawful things; and lastly, hoarding up, or unprofitably with-holding the benefit of them from the relief of private perfons, or the public. I fhall first deliver the fenfe of fcripture, and what examples are therein afforded against this impiety: and next, my own reafons, with fome authorities from authors of credit. By which it will appear, that the working of the love of riches out of the hearts of people, is as much the business of the crofs of Chrift, as the rooting out of any one fin that man is fallen into.

§. II. And first, of defiring, or coveting of

Ephef. v. 3.5. 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.

unlawful things: it is exprefsly forbidden by God himself, in the law he delivered to Mofes upon Mount Sinai, for a rule to his people the Jews to walk by: Thou shalt not covet, faid God, thy neighbour's house: thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his afs, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. This God confirmed by thundering and lightnings, and other fenfible folemnities, to ftrike the people with more awe in receiving and keeping of it, and to make the breach of these moral precepts more terrible to them. Micah complains full-mouthed in his time, They covet fields, and take them by violence; but their end was mifery. Therefore was it faid of old, Woe to them that covet an evil covetousness: this is to our point. We have many remarkable inftances of this in fcripture; two of which I will briefly report.

§. III. David, though otherwise a good man, by unwatchfulness is taken; the beauty of Uriah's wife was too hard for him, being difarmed, and off from his fpiritual watch. There was no diffuafive would do: Uriah must be put upon a defperate fervice, where it was great odds if he furvived it. This was to haften the unlawful fatisfaction of his defires, by a way that looked not like direct murder. The contrivance took; Uriah is killed, and his wife is quickly David's. This interpreted David's covetoufnefs. But went it off fo? No, David had fharp fauce with his meat. His

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pleasure foon turned to anguifh and bitterness of fpirit: his foul was overwhelmed with forrow the waves went over his head: he was confumed within him: he was ftuck in the mire and clay; he cried, he wept: yea, his eyes were as a fountain of tears. Guiltinefs was upon him, and he must be purged; his fins washed white as fnow, that were as red as crimson, or he is undone for ever. His repentance prevailed: behold, what work this part of covetoufnefs makes! What evil! What forrow! O that the people of this covetousness would let the fenfe of David's forrows fink deep into their fouls, that they might come to David's falvation! Reftore me, faith that good man: it seems he once knew a better ftate: yes, and this may teach the better fort to fear, and ftand in awe too, left they fin and fall. For David was taken at a disadvantage; he was off his watch, and gone from the cross; the law was not his lamp and light, at that inftant; he was a wanderer from his fafety, his ftrong tower, and fo furprised: then and there it was the enemy met him, and vanquished him.

§. IV. The fecond inftance is that of Naboth's vineyard: it was coveted by Ahab and Jezebel that, which led them to fuch an unlawful defire, found means to accomplish it. Naboth muft die, for he would not fell it. To do it, they accuse the innocent man of blafphemy, and find two knights of the poft, fons • Pfalm li. Ixxvii. xlii. 7. #Ibid. lxix. 2. 14. vi. 6. 7.

6. 1 Kings xxi

of Belial, to evidence against him. Thus, in the name of God, and in fhew of pure zeal to his glory, Naboth muft die; and accordingly was ftoned to death. The news of which coming to Jezebel, fhe bid Ahab arise and take poffeffion, for Naboth was dead. But God followed both of them with his fierce vengeance. In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, faith Elijah, in the name of the Lord, fhall dogs lick thy blood, even thine; and I will bring evil upon thee, and take away thy pofterity: and of Jezebel, his wife and partner in his covetousness and murder, he adds, The dogs fhall eat her flesh by the walls of Jezreel. Here is the infamy and punishment due to this part of covetousness. Let this deter those that desire unlawful things, the rights of others: for God, that is juft, will certainly repay fuch with interest in the end. But perhaps these are few; either that they do not, or dare not fhew it, because the law will bite if they do. But the next part hath company enough, that will yet exclaim against the iniquity of this part of covetoufness; and by their feeming abhorrence of it, would excuse themselves of all guilt in the reft: let us confider that.

§. V. The next, and moft common part of covetousness is, the unlawful defire of lawful things; efpecially of riches. Money is law-. ful, but the love of it is the root of all evil, if the man of God fay true. So riches are lawful, but they that purfue them, fall into divers temptations, fnares, and lufts; if the fame good

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