Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things, death ...

Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things, death ... Mr. Boltons last and learned worke of the foure last things, death ...

digitalpuritan.net
from digitalpuritan.net More from this publisher
13.07.2015 Views

23© A SERMON.CovetoUjTieJfeinjat table.Covetoufne^ein bafefi hearts,Cavetoiifneffewalies an heUon earth.Coveteufnejfemafies men neg'kSl themfelveswhatfeares,jealou{ies,cares,infidiations, &c. itthick fet,if we found it before us in the way wcwould not take it up. I fay then^how eager fliouldwe be after the glory of Heaven c*2.. If coirnpt affedion fail in love with riches,and the wedge ofgold,it begets covetoufne/Te^ thevileft and bafeft ofall the infedion ofthe foule.As ambition haunteth the haughtieft fpirits,covetoufnelTe lodgeth in the moft dunghill difpoiition,it turncs the foule of man,that noble and immortallfpirit into earth and mudrwhereasit mightlive in Heaven upon earth, and by holy meditation,by a fweet familiarity and acquaintance ( as itwere)with G o D,and converfing abovejand in thatcverlafting Heaven ofendlelTe happinefTe hereafter.It lies in Hell upon earth,and by reftlefle tortureof unfatiable greedinefTe, makes way by itrooting to dekend into the hell of wicked Divelsin the world to come. This devouring gangrene ofgreedineire,to get riches^doth not onely by a moftincompatible antipathy,keep out grace and God sfeare sbut alfo by it venomous heat waft and confumeall honeft and naturall afFe(5lion, both to manand beafts,to parents^kindredjfriendsjand acquaintance,Nay^it makes a man contemne himfelfe bodyand]foule, wilfully to abandon both the comfortableenjoyment ofthis fhort time of this prefentmortality, and all hope of the length of that bleffedEternity to come, for a little tranfitoryisfopelfe,which he doth never enjoy or ufe; except it be forufe,which enlargeth his covetous thirftas mighti-

A SERMONly,as it brings forth mony monftrouflyBeiidcs,covetournes picrccth thorow the foulewith a thoufand tormencs,and the riches of iniqui-ty ingender in the heart ofman many tortures, enviesand moleftations^as their proper thunder-boltand blading.And ofall other vile affeaions it is moft fottifli-ly and fenflefly unfatiable, Ecclef^,2,Torjhow isk polTible that earth lliould feed or fill the immaterial!and heaven-borne fpirit of a man ^ It cannotbc:and the Spirit of Go d hath faid it fliall not bejEcclef,$ .9. He that loveth JilverJI^aH not befat is fedwitfjfilverjScc. Hence it is, that the deeplier thedrowfie heart of this covetous nian doth drinke ofthis golden ftreame^the more furioufly it is inflamedwith fpirituall thirft.2;jicovetoufneft^"xatlT''^'^'c[°infh'"* '"Nay, it is moftccrtaine, that if the covetous ^^^fo^rncj^g,man could purchafe a monopoly of all the fiiSdeftreswealth in the world 3 were he able Co empty the »'

23© A SERMON.CovetoUjTieJfeinjat table.Covetoufne^ein bafefi hearts,Cavetoiifneffewalies an heUon earth.Coveteufnejfemafies men neg'kSl <strong>the</strong>mfelveswhatfeares,jealou{ies,cares,infidiations, &c. itthick fet,if we found it before us in <strong>the</strong> way wcwould not take it up. I fay <strong>the</strong>n^how eager fliouldwe be after <strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> Heaven c*2.. If coirnpt affedion fail in love with riches,<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> wedge <strong>of</strong>gold,it begets covetoufne/Te^ <strong>the</strong>vileft <strong>and</strong> bafeft <strong>of</strong>all <strong>the</strong> infedion <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> foule.As ambition haunteth <strong>the</strong> haughtieft fpirits,covetoufnelTe lodgeth in <strong>the</strong> m<strong>of</strong>t dunghill difpoiition,it turncs <strong>the</strong> foule <strong>of</strong> man,that noble <strong>and</strong> immortallfpirit into earth <strong>and</strong> mudrwhereasit mightlive in Heaven upon earth, <strong>and</strong> by holy meditation,by a fweet familiarity <strong>and</strong> acquaintance ( as itwere)with G o D,<strong>and</strong> converfing abovej<strong>and</strong> in thatcverlafting Heaven <strong>of</strong>endlelTe happinefTe hereafter.It lies in Hell upon earth,<strong>and</strong> by reftlefle torture<strong>of</strong> unfatiable greedinefTe, makes way by itrooting to dekend into <strong>the</strong> hell <strong>of</strong> wicked Divelsin <strong>the</strong> world to come. This devouring gangrene <strong>of</strong>greedineire,to get riches^doth not onely by a m<strong>of</strong>tincompatible antipathy,keep out grace <strong>and</strong> God sfeare sbut alfo by it venomous heat waft <strong>and</strong> confumeall honeft <strong>and</strong> naturall afFe(5lion, both to man<strong>and</strong> beafts,to parents^kindredjfriendsj<strong>and</strong> acquaintance,Nay^it makes a man contemne himfelfe body<strong>and</strong>]foule, wilfully to ab<strong>and</strong>on both <strong>the</strong> comfortableenjoyment <strong>of</strong>this fhort time <strong>of</strong> this prefentmortality, <strong>and</strong> all hope <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> length <strong>of</strong> that bleffedEternity to come, for a little tranfitoryisfopelfe,which he doth never enjoy or ufe; except it be forufe,which enlargeth his covetous thirftas mighti-

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!