§. 6. IV. The signs of Covetousness are these: 1. Not preferring God and our everlasting Happiness1 before the Prosperity and Pleasure of the flesh; but valuing and loving fleshly prosperity above its worth. 2. Esteeming and loving the creatures of God as provision for the flesh, and not to further2 us in the service of God. 3. Desiring more than is needful or useful to further us in our duty. 4. An inordinate eagerness in our desires after earthly things. 5. Distrustfulness, and carking cares, and contrivances for time to come. 6. Discontent, and trouble, and repining at a poor condition, when we have no more than our daily bread. 7. When the world taketh up our thoughts inordinately: when our thoughts will easilier run out upon the world, than upon better things: And when our thoughts of worldly plenty are more pleasant and sweet to us, than our thoughts of Christ, and Grace, and Heaven: And our thoughts of want and poverty are more bitter and grievous to us, than our thoughts of sin and Gods displeasure. 8. When our speech is freer and sweeter about prosperity in the world, than about the concernments of God and our souls. 9. When the world beareth sway3 in our families and converse, and shutteth out all serious eade•vours in the service of God, and for our own and others souls: Or at least doth out short Religious duties, and is preferred before them, and thrusteth them into a corner, and maketh us slightly huddle them over. 10. When we are dejected over much, and impatient under losses, and crosses, and worldly injuries from m•n. 11 When worldly matters seem sufficient to engage us in contentions, and to make us break peace: and we will by Law-suits seek our right, when greater hurt is liker to follow to our brothers soul, or greater wrong to the cause of Religion, or the honour of God, than our Right is worth. 12. When in our trouble and distress we fetch our comfort more from the thoughts of our provisions in the world, or our hopes of supply, than from our trust in God, and our hopes of Heaven. 13. When we are more4 thankful to God or man, for outward riches, or any gift for the provision of the flesh, than for hopes, or helps in order to salvation: for a powerful Ministry, good Books, or seasonable instructions for the s••l. 14.
§. 6. IV. The signs of Covetousness are these: 1. Not preferring God and our everlasting Happiness1 before the Prosperity and Pleasure of the flesh; but valuing and loving fleshly prosperity above its worth. 2. Esteeming and loving the creatures of God as provision for the flesh, and not to further2 us in the service of God. 3. Desiring more than is needful or useful to further us in our duty. 4. An inordinate eagerness in our desires after earthly things. 5. Distrustfulness, and carking cares, and c•ntrivances for time to come. 6. Discontent, and trouble, and repining at a poor condition, when we have no more than our daily bread. 7. When the world taketh up our thoughts inordinately: when our thoughts will easilier run out upon the world, than upon better things: And when our thoughts of worldly plenty are more pleasant and sweet to us, than our thoughts of Christ, and Grace, and Heaven: And our thoughts of want and poverty are more bitter and grievous to us, than our thoughts of sin and Gods displeasure. 8. When our speech is freer and sweeter about prosperity in the world, than about the concernments of God and our souls. 9. When the world beareth sway3 in our families and converse, and shutteth out all serious eade•vours in the service of God, and for our own and others souls: Or at least doth out short Religious duties, and is preferred before them, and thrusteth them into a corner, and maketh us slightly huddle them over. 10. When we are dejected over much, and impatient under losses, and crosses, and worldly injuries from m•n. 11 When worldly matters seem sufficient to engage us in contentions, and to make us break peace: and we will by Law-suits seek our right, when greater hurt is liker to follow to our brothers soul, or greater wrong to the cause of Religion, or the honour of God, than our Right is worth. 12. When in our trouble and distress we fetch our comfort more from the thoughts of our provisions in the world, or our hopes of supply, than from our trust in God, and our hopes of Heaven. 13. When we are more4 thankful to God or man, for outward riches, or any gift for the provision of the flesh, than for hopes, or helps in order to salvation: for a powerful Ministry, good Books, or seasonable instructions for the s••l. 14.
- 1Signs of Worldliness.
- 2Rom. 13. 14. Matth. 6. 19. 1 Tim. 3. 8. Phil. 3. 18. Ezek. 3•. 31. Jer. 9. 23.
- 3Mark 7. 22.
- 4Job 1. 21.
