Such good sayings as these, "Be ready to teach; answer with meekness: let every man speak as of the gift of God, that is in him: if any thing be revealed to him that sits by, let the first hold his peace; be not lords over God's heritage, but meek and lowly; washing the feet of the people, as Jesus did those of his poor disciples;" are unreasonable and antiquated instructions with some clergy; and it is little less than heresy to remember them of these things: to be sure a mark of great disaffection to the church, in their opinion. For by this time their pride has made them the church, and the people but the porch at best; a cipher that signifies nothing, unless they clap their figure before it; forgetting, that if they were as good as they should be, they could be but ministers, stewards, and under-shepherds; that is, servants to the church, family, flock, and heritage of God; and not that they are that church, family, flock, and heritage, which they are only servants unto. Remember the words of Christ, "Let him that would be greatest be your servant."

Sect. 9. There is but one place to be found in the holy scripture, where the word clerus (xxñgos) can properly be applied to the church, and they have got it to themselves; from whence they call themselves the clergy, that is, the inheritance or heritage of God. Whereas Peter exhorts the ministers of the gospel, "not to be lords over God's heritage, nor to feed them for filthy lucre." Peter (belike) foresaw pride and avarice. to be the ministers temptations; and, indeed, they have often proved their fall: and, to say true, they could hardly fall by worse. Nor is there any excuse to be made for them in these two respects, which is not worse than their sin. For if they have not been lords over God's heritage, it is because they have made themselves that heritage, and disinherited the people: so that now they may be the people's lords, with a salvo to good old Pe. ter's exhortation.

2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. Tit. iii. 1 Cor. xiv. 30. <1 Pet, v. 2, 3.

Matt. xx: 26.

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And for the other sin of avarice, they can only avoid it, and speak truth, thus, "that never feeding the flock, they cannot be said to feed it for lucre:" that is, they get the people's money for nothing. An example of which is given us, by the complaint of God himself, from the practice of the proud, covetous, false prophets of old," "that the people gave their money for that which was not bread, and their labour for that which did not profit them :" and why? Because then the priest had no vision; and too many now despise it.

Sect. 10. But alas! when all is done, what folly, as well as irreligion, is there in pride? It cannot add one cubit to any man's stature: What crosses can it hinder? What disappointments help, or harm frustrate? It delivers not from the common stroke; sickness disfigures; pain mishapes; and death ends the proud man's fabric. Six feet of cold earth bound his big thoughts; and his person, that was too good for any place, must at last lodge within the strait limits of so little and so dark a cave: and who thought nothing well enough for him, is quickly the entertainment of the lowest of all animals, even worms themselves. Thus pride and pomp come to the common end; but with this dif ference, less pity from the living, and more pain to the dying. The proud man's antiquity cannot secure him from death, nor his heraldry from judgment. Titles of honour vanish at this extremity; and no power or wealth, no distance or respect can rescue or insure them as the tree falls, it lies; and as death leaves men, judgment finds them.

Sect. 11. O, what can prevent this ill conclusion? and what can remedy this woful declension from ancient meekness, humility, and piety, and that godly life and power which were so conspicuous in the authority of the preachings, and examples of the living, of the first and purest ages of Christianity! truly, nothing but an

d Isa. lv. 2.

inward and sincere examination, by the testimony of the holy Light and Spirit of Jesus, of the condition of their souls and minds toward Christ, and a better inquiry into the matter and examples of holy record. It was his complaint of old, "that light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." If thou wouldest be a child of God, and a believer in Christ, thou must be a child of light. O man! thou must bring thy deeds to it, and examine them by that holy lamp in thy soul, which is the candle of the Lord, that shews thee thy pride and arrogancy, and reproves thy delight in the vain fashions of this world. Religion is a denial of self; yea, of self-religion too. It is a firm tie or bond upon the soul to holiness, whose end is happiness: for by it men come to see the Lord. "The pure in heart (says Jesus) see God:" he that once comes to bear Christ's yoke, is not carried away by the devil's allurements; he finds excelling joys in his watchfulness and obedience. If men loved the cross of Christ, his precepts and doctrine, they would cross their own wills, which lead them to break Christ's holy will, and lose their own souls in doing the devil's, Had Adam minded that holy light in paradise more than the serpent's bait, and stayed his mind upon his Creator, the rewarder of fidelity, he had seen the snare of the enemy, and resisted him. O do not delight in that which is forbidden! look not upon it, if thou wouldest not be captivated by it. Bring not the guilt of sins of know, ledge upon thy own soul. Did Christ submit his will to his Father's, and, for the joy that was set before him, endure the cross, and despise the shame of a new and untrodden way to glory? Thou also must submit thy will to Christ's holy law and light in thy heart, and for the reward he sets before thee, to wit, eternal life, endure his cross, and despise the shame of it. All desire to rejoice with him, but few will suffer with him, or for him. Many are the companions of his table; not many of his absti The loaves they follow, but the cup of his

nence.

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* John iii, 19. .

'Matt. v.8.

* Heb. i, 2.

ago

ny they leave. It is too bitter: they like not to drink thereof. And divers will magnify his miracles, that are offended at the ignominy of his cross. But, O man! as he for thy salvation, so thou for the love of him must humble thyself, and be contented to be of no reputation, that thou mayest follow him; not in a carnal, formal way, of vain man's tradition and prescription, but as the Holy Ghost by the apostle doth express it, "In the new and living way," which Jesus hath consecrated, that brings all that walk in it to the eternal rest of God: whereinto he himself is entered, who is the holy and only blessed Redeemer.

h

CHAP. XIII.

9.

SECT. 1. Avarice, (the second capital lust) its definition and distinction. 2. It consists in a desire of unlawful things. 3. As in David's case about Uriah's wife. 4. Also Ahab's about Naboth's vineyard. 5. Next, in unlawful desires of lawful things. 6. Covetousness is a mark of false prophets. 7. A reproach to religion. 8. An enemy to government. Treacherous. 10. Oppressive. 11. Judas an example. 12. So Simon Magus. 13. Lastly, in unprofitable hoarding of money. 14. The covetous man a common evil. 15. His hypocrisy. 16. Gold his god. 17. He is sparing to death. 18. Is reproved by Christ and his followers. 19. Ananias and Sapphira's sin and judgment. 20. William Tindal's discourse on that subject referred unto. 21. Peter Charron's testimony against it. 22. Abraham Cowley's witty and sharp satire upon it.

SECT. 1. I AM come to the second part of this discourse, which is avarice, or covetousness, an epidemical and a raging distemper in the world, attended with all the mischiefs that can make men miserable in themselves, and in society: so near a-kin to the foregoing evil, pride, that they are seldom apart: liberality being almost as hateful to the proud as to the covetous. I shall define

it thus Covetousness is the love of money or riches: "which (as the apostle hath it) is the root of all evil.” It brancheth itself into these three parts: First, Desiring of unlawful things. Secondly, Unlawfully desiring of lawful things. And lastly, Hoarding up, or unprofitably withholding the benefit of them from the relief