A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 3 The third impediment arising from worldly cares.

The cares also of this world are a great impediment to a godly life. For first, they hinder us from performing religious duties, as we see in the ¹example of those, who being invited to the Marriage Supper of the Kings Son, refused to come; and of those, who being called to be Christs Disciples, were so taken up with the care of their worldly business, that they could find no present leisure to follow Christ. Yea of Martha her self, who though she were a good woman, yet was so cumbered with care, ⟨p. 796⟩in providing for Christs entertainment, that she could find no time to hear his heavenly Sermons, and envied her sister, for performing this high and holy duty. Or if we set our selves to perform any service unto God, these cares interpose themselves, and distract us with worldly and wandering thoughts, so as we cannot perform it with any fruit and benefit: as we see in the Parable of the Sower, where he that received seed among thorns, is (as our Saviour expoundeth it) he that heareth the Word, and the ²cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and he becometh ³unfruitful. In which regard, our Saviour giveth unto us a special caveat (whereby we may be fitted for his coming) that we should take heed to our selves, lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon us at unawares. For as the one surchargeth the stomach, and maketh us unfit for any bodily employment, so the other oppress and intoxicate the mind and heart (as it were) with a kind of spiritual gluttony and drunkenness, that they become altogether unprofitable for any religious exercise. Now the means to remove this impediment are first, to contemn these worldly things, as being of small value, in comparison of saving grace, and heavenly glory: For what we can despise, we will not pursue with over-much care. Secondly, let us learn to live the life of faith, and not resting upon our own provision, cast our selves upon Gods all-sufficient providence, and never-failing promises, who will assuredly provide for us, if we wholly depend upon him. And this means and motive the Scriptures offer unto us, to preserve us from covetousness and carking care, according to that of the Psalmist, Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and