The temple A sermon preached at Pauls Cross the fifth of August. 1624. By…The temple A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the fifth of August. 1624. By…

Ye cannot serve God and Mammon; you may dispute for it, you shall never compound it. Gehezi cannot run after the forbidden talents, but he must leave his master. Some indeed here, have so finely distinguished of the business, that though they serve God, they will serve him more thriftily, and please him as good cheap as they can. They have resolved not to do evil, though they may gain by it: yet for gain, they will venture as near evil, as possibly they can and miss it. But when it comes to push, it will be found, that for one scruple of gold, they will make no scruple of conscience. But as those Inhabitants of Judea, that served both God & Idols, did indeed neither serve God nor Idols: so these higglers, while they would have two masters, have indeed never a one. For in the evil day, their master the world will renounce them, & then their master Christ will not receive them: so highly doth he scorn such a competition. Man was made to serve God, and the world to serve man: so the world at best is but Gods servants servant. Now if we plead our selves Gods servants, what an indign & preposterous thing is it, to take our ⟨p. 54⟩own servant, and make him competitor with our Master? God says, lend, give, clothe, feed, harbour: Mammon says, Take, gather, extort, oppress, spoil: whether of these is our God? Even he that is most obeyed. No less might be said for pleasures and honours, or whatsoever is delectable to flesh and blood. The love of this world is enmity to God; and the East & West shall sooner unite their forces, than these be reconciled.

Ye cannot serue God and Mammon; you may dispute for it, you shall neuer compound it. Gehezi cannot run after the forbidden talents, but hee must leaue his master. Some indeed here, haue so finely distinguished of the busines, that though they serue God, they wil serue him more thriftily, and please him as good cheape as they can. They haue resolued not to do euill, though they may gaine by it: yet for gaine, they will venture as neere euill, as possibly they can and misse it. But when it comes to push, it wil be found, that for one scruple of gold, they will make no scruple of conscience. But as those Inhabitants of Iudea, that serued both God & Idols, did indeed neither serue God nor Idols: so these higlers, while they would haue two masters, haue indeed neuer a one. For in the euill day, their master the world will renounce them, & then their master Christ will not receiue them: so highly doth hee scorne such a competition. Man was made to serue God, and the world to serue man: so the world at best is but Gods seruants seruant. Now if we plead our selues Gods seruāts, what an indign & preposterous thing is it, to take our