Neither let the covetous person think he shall speed any better: for God hates him wonderfully. And therefore the Prophet Ezekiel saith, that the Lord smites his fists fat the covetous: which is a borrowed phrase, to express most bitter and sharp threatenings. Now lest the people should object that those were but great words, the Lord would not do so, they would deal well enough with the Lord, he preventeth it, and saith, Can thy heart endure, 2or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall have to do with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it. Let covetous persons without further enquiry assure themselves that covetousness is a main cause of all the evils are upon them or theirs, and besides they may be ascertained that all the service they do to God is abhorred, and mere lost labour: It were to no purpose if they would bring him incense from Sheba, and sweet calamus from a far country; their burnt offerings would not be pleasant, nor their sacrifices sweet unto himg. Ob. But covetous persons are of most men so well furnished, that there is not that means to bring them to any great hurt. Sol. The Prophet shows that God can lay a stumbling block before them, and father and son together may fall upon it, and neighbour and friend may perish togetherh. The Lord hath means enough when men little think of it, to bring down rebellious sinners. Ob. But we see covetous persons and wealthy worldlings scape the best and longest of many others. Sol. The Prophet Amos saith,5 the Lord hath sworn by the excellency of ⟨p. 42⟩Jacob, will never forget any of their works. Though the Lord may defer, yet certainly he will never forget: and therefore they are not a jot the better for scaping so long. But howsoever they might escape outward judgements, yet they may be infallibly sure they have sinned against their own soulsk, and that they shall know in the day of their death: their riches shall not then profit them, when the Lord taketh away their soull: he that is a great oppressor shall not prolong his daysm; for he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fooln. How horrible then shall that voice be, Thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken from theeo? And thus far of these words as they concern the coherence with the former words.
Neither let the couetous person thinke hee shall speed any better: for God hates him wonderfully. And therefore the Prophet Ezechiel saith, that the Lord smites his fists fat the couetous: which is a borrowed phrase, to expresse most bitter and sharpe threatnings. Now lest the people should obiect that those were but great words, the Lord would not doe so, they would deale well enough with the Lord, he preuenteth it, and saith, Can thy heart endure, 2or can thine hands be strong in the dayes that I shall haue to doe with thee? I the Lord haue spoken it, and will doe it. Let couetous persons without further enquirie assure themselues that couetousnesse is a maine cause of all the euils are vpon them or theirs, and besides they may be assertained that all the seruice they doe to God is abhorred, and meere lost labour: It were to no purpose if they would bring him incense from Sheba, and sweet calamus from a farre countrey; their burnt offerings would not bee pleasant, nor their sacrifices sweet vnto himg. Ob. But couetous persons are of most men so well furnished, that there is not that meanes to bring them to any great hurt. Sol. The Prophet shewes that God can lay a stumbling blocke before them, and father and sonne together may fall vpon it, and neighbour and friend may perish togetherh. The Lord hath meanes enough when men little thinke of it, to bring downe rebellious sinners. Ob. But wee see couetous persons and wealthy worldlings scape the best and longest of many others. Sol. The Prophet Amos saith,5 the Lord hath sworne by the excellencie of ⟨p. 42⟩Iacob, will neuer forget any of their workes. Though the Lord may deferre, yet certainly hee will neuer forget: and therefore they are not a iot the better for scaping so long. But howsoeuer they might escape outward iudgements, yet they may be infallibly sure they haue sinned against their owne soulesk, and that they shall know in the day of their death: their riches shall not then profit them, when the Lord taketh away their soulel: he that is a great oppressor shall not prolong his dayes
- fEzech. 22.13.
- 2Vers. 14.
- gJer. 6.13.20.Ier. 6.13.20.
- hJer. 6.21.Ier. 6.21.
- 5Amos 8.5 6.7.
- kHab. 2.10.
- lJob 27.8.Iob 27.8.
- mPro. 18.16.
- nJer. 17.11.Ier. 17.11.
- oLuk. 12.16.
