The Insufficiency; it can never content us. They that have most, crave most: the richest usurers are the poorest beggars.s He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. As the poor man cryes, Quid faciam, quia non habeo, what shall I do because I have nothing? so the covetous cries as fast, Quid faciam, quia habeo, what shall I do because I have so much?t What shall I do because I have no room to bestow my fruits? But whats this? have we any hope to cast out worldliness? No: indeed ⟨p. 96⟩your judgements here can make no resistance, but your affections cannot be brought to it. Most men desire Esau's blessing, the fatness of the earth: they care, not for Jacobs, yet he went away with the Covenant. Cains outlawed stock were yet excellent in worldly things; Jabal in cattle, Jubal in music, Tubal in brass and iron; they were the fathers of those professions. What worldly thing is there, but some reprobates have had it? For beauty, Absalom was very fair; and the daughters of men by beauty ensnared the sons of God, Gen. 6.2. For strength, Goliath was very potent; for swiftness, Hazael was a swift runner; for wealth, Nabal was very rich; for honour, Saul was a King: In man one dram of grace, from God one drop of mercy, had been better than all these.u There appeared a woman clothed with the Sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars. The Sun is Christ, the twelve Stars the twelve Apostles, the Moon is the world, and that is under the Churches feet. We that have the earnest of the Spirit, and the first-fruits of salvation, while we are awake, know and acknowledge this to be the best of all. Yet if a little rest of quiet, or ease of health, or luggage of wealth be missing, we mutter as if God had done nothing for us, and are often ready to leave, the music of Zion, and to run back to the world. Strabo hath a tale of a Musician, that had got together many delighted hearers, whom with sweet charms he held by the ears; they praised his music, he was well pleased with their company. On a sudden the market-bell rung, away they ran all, and stayed not so much as to give him thanks: only one somewhat deaf stayed behind. The Musician heartily thanked him that he would tarry with him, when all the rest went away at the ringing of the market-bell:
The Insufficiencie; it can never content us. They that have most, crave most: the richest usurers are the poorest beggars.s He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. As the poore man cryes, Quid faciam, quia non habeo, what shall I doe because I have nothing? so the covetous cryes as fast, Quid faciam, quia habeo, what shall I do because I have so much?t What shall I doe because I have no roome to bestow my fruits? But whats this? have we any hope to cast out worldlynesse? No: indeed ⟨p. 96⟩your judgements here can make no resistance, but your affections cannot bee brought to it. Most men desire Esaus blessing, the fatnesse of the earth: they care, not for Iacobs, yet hee went away with the Covenant. Cains outlawed stocke were yet excellent in worldly things; Iabal in cattell, Iubal in musicke, Tubal in brasse and iron; they were the fathers of those professions. What worldly thing is there, but some reprobates have had it? For beauty, Absalom was very faire; and the daughters of men by beauty ensnared the sons of God, Gen. 6.2. For strength, Goliah was very potent; for swiftnesse, Hazael was a swift runner; for wealth, Nabal was very rich; for honour, Saul was a King: In man one dramme of grace, from God one drop of mercy, had beene better than all these.u There appeared a woman clothed with the Sunne, and the moone under her feet, and upon her head a crowne of twelve Starres. The Sunne is Christ, the twelve Starres the twelve Apostles, the Moone is the world, and that is under the Churches feet. We that have the earnest of the Spirit, and the first-fruits of salvation, while we are awake, know and acknowledge this to be the best of all. Yet if a little rest of quiet, or ease of health, or luggage of wealth be missing, we mutter as if God had done nothing for us, and are often readie to leave, the musicke of Sion, and to runne backe to the world. Strabo hath a tale of a Musician, that had got together many delighted hearers, whom with sweet charmes he held by the eares; they praised his musicke, he was well pleased with their company. On a sudden the market-bell rung, away they ranne all, and stayed not so much as to give him thankes: onely one somewhat deafe stayed behinde. The Musician heartily thanked him that he would tarry with him, when all the rest went away at the ringing of the market-bell:
- sEccl. 5.10.
- tLuke 12.17.
- uRevel. 12.1.
