These are the words of our Saviour Christ, uttered upon occasion of a certain accident related immediately before. Two brethren were at variance, about their fathers lands. It seems that one would have had all to himself, and left very little or nothing to his brother. Hereupon the party that thought himself wronged, entreats our Saviour by good counsel, to compose the controversy betwixt them, and to bring his brother ⟨p. 2⟩to some more equal course of division. Our Lord that always regarded the the soul more than the state, perceiving covetousness to be the cause of this contention, refuseth to intermeddle with the parting of their lands, and falls to cure that disease of their souls which procured all this distemper. This he begins to do in the verse present, and prosecutes more at large in the sequel of the Chapter. These words divide themselves into two parts: The first, Christs exhortation, Take heed, and beware of covetousness. The second, the reason wherewith he backs his exhortation taken from the ineffectualness of wealth, the object of covetousness, for though a man have abundance, &c. that is, if any man should heap up all superfluities, he shall find no more safety, quiet, or contentment of life, from this his copheaped plenty of outward things. The point of doctrine which our Saviour Christ aims at, Doctrine. in the discussing of which I purpose to spend the time allotted, is so manifest, that no man can choose but see it, whosoever will be ruled by Christ, must beware of Covetousness. All true Christians, that do hang at Christs mouth for ⟨p. 3⟩direction, and show their hope of salvation by practise of obedience, must shun and avoid with all diligence this hateful sin of worldliness; one word of Christ should be sufficient to a Christian soul, but he was not so scant of words as once only to warn us of such a capital evil. The same spirit spake in his Apostles, that in himself and by their mouths he hath given us many like advertisements, whereof some one or two it shall suffice to have mentioned. Colos. 3.5. The Apostle speaks to Christians in this manner. Mortify therefore your earthly members, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which, (to provoke our greater hatred) he calls by that hateful name of idolatry.
THese are the wordes of our Sauiour Christ, vttered vpon occasion of a certaine accident related immediatly before. Two brethren were at variance, about their fathers lands. It seemes that one would haue had all to himselfe, and left very little or nothing to his brother. Hereupon the party that thought himselfe wronged, entreats our Sauiour by good counsell, to compose the controuersie betwixt them, and to bring his brother ⟨p. 2⟩to some more equall course of diuision. Our Lord that alwaies regarded the the soule more than the state, perceiuing couetousnesse to be the cause of this contention, refuseth to intermeddle with the parting of their lands, and fals to cure that disease of their soules which procured all this distemper. This he begins to doe in the verse present, and prosecutes more at large in the sequel of the Chapter. These words diuide themselues into two parts: The first, Christs exhortation, Take heed, and beware of couetousnesse. The second, the reason wherewith he backs his exhortation taken from the ineffectualnesse of wealth, the obiect of couetousnesse, for though a man haue aboundance, &c. that is, if any man should heape vp all superfluities, hee shall finde no more safety, quiet, or contentment of life, from this his copheaped plenty of outward things. The point of doctrine which our Sauiour Christ aimes at, Doctrine. in the discussing of which I purpose to spend the time alotted, is so manifest, that no man can chuse but see it, whosoeuer will be ruled by Christ, must beware of Couetousnesse. All true Christians, that doe hang at Christs mouth for ⟨p. 3⟩direction, and shew their hope of saluation by practise of obedience, must shun and auoide with al diligence this hatefull sinne of worldlinesse; one word of Christ should be sufficient to a Christian soule, but he was not so scant of words as once onely to warne vs of such a capitall euill. The same spirit spake in his Apostles, that in himselfe and by their mouthes he hath giuen vs many like aduertisements, whereof some one or two it shall suffice to haue mentioned. Colos. 3.5. The Apostle speaks to Christians in this manner. Mortifie therefore your earthly members, fornication, vncleannesse, inordinate affection, euill concupiscence, and couetousnesse, which, (to prouoke our greater hatred) he cals by that hatefull name of idolatry.
