The main Consectary and use from this, is;1 To keep you from hasting after worldly things: men are never weary of seeking them, but spend their whole time in getting of them; and this is the reason, why the things that belong to salvation are so much neglected: men spend so much time in a thousand other things and trifles, that they have no time at all to serve God in: they are busy about riches, honours, credit, or the things whereon their pleasures ⟨p. 9⟩do pitch: but if this be digested, it will teach you to seek all from God, who disposeth all things, and to whom the issues of life and death, 2of good or evil▪ do belong. Consider with your selves and you shall find; that the reason wherefore ye seek for outward content and comfort, is because you think it will do you good if you have it, or hurt if you have it not. But herein you err, giving that to the creature which only belongs to God. Isaiah, 41.23. If the Idols be God, saith the Lord, let them do good or evil; The scope of this place, is to cut off the whorish and adulterish affection of those, who have an eager and unweaned desire after earthly things, by showing, that they can do us neither good nor hurt. Therefore God punished David exceedingly for numbering the people;3 because he thought that they could strengthen him against his enemies without Gods help. Wherefore, Jeremiah, 9.23.24. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this; that he understandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord, which execute loving kindness, Judgement and Righteousness in the earth. As if he should have said: If these things could do you good or hurt, there were some reason that you might seek them: but there is nothing in them that you should desire ⟨p. 10⟩them; For it is I only that execute Mercy and Judgement, all good and evil is from me. Therefore Psalm, 62. we have this caveat given us. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them, magnify not your selves in them or for them, for all good and comfort is only from God; else you might set your hearts on them; but now all power and kindness is from him, therefore your wealth can never do it.
The maine Consectarie and use from this, is;1 To keepe you from hasting after worldly things: men are never weary of seeking them, but spend their whole time in getting of them; and this is the reason, why the things that belong to salvation are so much neglected: men spend so much time in a thousand other things and trifles, that they have no time at all to serve God in: they are busie about riches, honours, credit, or the things whereon their pleasures ⟨p. 9⟩doe pitch: but if this be digested, it will teach you to seeke all from God, who disposeth all things, and to whom the issues of life and death, 2of good or evill▪ doe belong. Consider with your selves and you shall finde; that the reason wherefore yee seeke for outward content and comfort, is because you thinke it will doe you good if you have it, or hurt if you have it not. But herein you erre, giving that to the creature which onely belongs to God. Esay, 41.23. If the Idols bee God, saith the Lord, let them doe good or evill; The scope of this place, is to cut off the whorish and adulterish affection of those, who have an eager and unweaned desire after earthly things, by shewing, that they can doe us neither good nor hurt. Therefore God punished David exceedingly for numbring the people;3 because he thought that they could strengthen him against his enemies without Gods helpe. Wherefore, Ieremie, 9.23.24. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisedome, neither let the mightie man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this; that hee understandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord, which execute loving kindnesse, Iudgement and Righteousnesse in the earth. As if hee should have said: If these things could doe you good or hurt, there were some reason that you might seeke them: but there is nothing in them that you should desire ⟨p. 10⟩them; For it is I onely that execute Mercy and Iudgement, all good and evill is from mee. Therefore Psalme, 62. we have this caveat given us. If riches increase set not your hearts vpon them, magnifie not your selves in them or for them, for all good and comfort is onely from God; else you might set your hearts on them; but now all power and kindnesse is from him, therefore your wealth can never doe it.
- 1Use. 1.Vse. 1.
- 2Psal. 68.20.
- 32 Sam. 24.
