A remedy against private contentions A godly and fruitful sermon on James, 4.1. &c.…A remedy against priuat contentions A godly and fruitfull sermon on Iames, 4.1. &c.…

Objection. What if we do desire these things in those regards? is ⟨p. 6⟩Objection. that any such great fault? Answer. I will tell you (saith the holy ghost) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, &c. As if he should have said, you wretched and sinful men and women; do you imagine that God doth bestow these things upon you that you should abuse them to his dishonour, and to the satisfying of your own carnal desires? Your health to idleness and wantonness, your wealth to pride and excess: this is far from the Lords meaning. And the heinousness of this sin will appear evidently by the similitude here used: Put case a wife should be always whining for money and larger allowance, and would never let her husband be at peace, but night and day be at him for the granting of her request; and her husband should demand of her what she would do with it? if she should answer, I have an affection to such an adulterer, and I have maintained him thus long, & would fain have him to be in his bravery still; would this suit please her husband? Nay would he not abhor both her and her request? yet this is the case of all earthly minded men: they would fain have these outward things, and what would they do with them? even spend them upon their own lusts, and that is to commit spiritual fornication against the Lord: in which regard he is so round with them in this place; Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that the love of the world is the enmity of God? It is not only spiritual adultery, but enmity against God: in so much that he concludeth in the words immediately following: Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world: that is, live as worldly men do, for his diet, for his apparel, for his carriage, for his drifts and purposes, &c. such an one maketh himself the enemy of God: he is so indeed, whatsoever he conceive of Gods love towards him, and therefore will God show himself an enemy toward him.

Obiection. What if we doe desire these things in those regards? is ⟨p. 6⟩Obiection. that any such great fault? Answer. I will tell you (saith the holy ghost) Yee adulterers and adulteresses, &c. As if he should haue said, you wretched and sinfull men and women; doe you imagine that God doth bestow these things vpon you that you should abuse them to his dishonour, and to the satisfying of your owne carnall desires? Your health to idlenesse and wantonnesse, your wealth to pride and excesse: this is farre from the Lords meaning. And the haynousnesse of this sinne will appeare euidently by the similitude heere vsed: Put case a wife should bee alwaies whining for money and larger allowance, and would neuer let her husband bee at peace, but night and day be at him for the granting of her request; and her husband should demand of her what she would doe with it? if she should answere, I haue an affection to such an adulterer, and I haue maintained him thus long, & would faine haue him to be in his brauerie still; vvould this suit please her husband? Nay would hee not abhorre both her and her request? yet this is the case of all earthly minded men: they would faine haue these outward things, and what would they doe with them? euen spend them vpon their owne lusts, and that is to commit spirituall fornication against the Lord: in which regard he is so round with them in this place; Yee adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that the loue of the world is the enmitie of God? It is not onely spirituall adulterie, but enmitie against God: in so much that he concludeth in the words immediatly following: Whosoeuer therfore will be a friend of the world: that is, liue as vvordly men doe, for his diet, for his apparell, for his carriage, for his drifts and purposes, &c. such an one maketh himselfe the enemie of God: he is so indeed, whatsoeuer he conceiue of Gods loue towards him, and therefore will God shew himselfe an enemy toward him.