True gain, opened in a sermon preached at Pauls, Nov. 9. 1656

But then as the Apostle saith, If a man strive for masteries, he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully; So, If a man contend for gain, he shall never overtake it, except he contend lawfully. Our Saviour here hath excluded one way, and that a broad one, where in multitudes weary themselves for this Prize, What shall it profit a man if he win the whole world? And secondly, intimateth the true though a more narrow and private way, viz. to prosecute the interest of our precious souls. Let us consider them both

But then as the Apostle saith, If a man strive for masteries, he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully; So, If a man contend for gain, he shall never overtake it, except he contend lawfully. Our Saviour here hath excluded one way, and that a broad one, where in multitudes weary themselves for this Prize, What shall it profit a man if he win the whole world? And secondly, intimateth the true though a more narrow and private way, viz. to prosecu•e the interest of our precious souls. Let us consider them both

First, worldly love is inconsistent with true Christian gain upon many accounts. 1. It is vast and insatiable, like the horseleech which cries, G•ve give ▪ like fire, and the grave, which never says it is enough, Prov 30.15.16. Lust is infinite, there is no end of its labour, Eccles. 4.8. ⟨p. 16⟩It reacheth at all, therefore the Apostle calleth it not only love of the things of the world, but love of the world; Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, 1 John. 2:15. A covetous heart grasps at the whole world;¹ would fain be master of all, and dwell alone, like a Wen in the body, which draws all to it self; let it have never so much, it will still reach after more, adds house to house, and field to field,