The Epicure feeds on fowl a hundred times, that it may feed him but once: the Covetous feeds his purse a thousand times, and starves himself. He cares not to destroy his soul, to please his lust; yet for the salvation of his soul, will not hold his purse short of the smallest gain. To conclude, the God whom he serves, cannot help him; the God, whom he should serve, will not help him, because he hath forsaken him. There is no other help or hope to reclaim the avarous: but Lord have mercy on them, 1for they are lunatic and sore vexed; as that Father spake of his possessed son, Math. 17. Lunatic they are perpetually, and not at some fits by the Moon, as that word seems to intimate: Sore vexed, with the implacable, ⟨p. 58⟩insatiable, turbulent distraction of their own spirits; not without accession of all those solicitations, which the infernal spirits can suggest; all for gain. Oft-times they fell into the fire, and oft into the water. Their Epileptic courses now drive them into the fire of malice & dissension; now plunge and drown them in the floods of oppression: till the inundation of their cruelty have spoiled the whole Country; and themselves at last suffocated in their own deluge. They may be brought to the cDisciples, the Ministers of Christ, but they cannot cure them. Alas! this frenzy is hard to heal. Though they be neitherd faithless, nor perverse, negatively: though they strive bye fasting and prayer, affirmatively: avoid they evil impediments, or use they good means; this kind of devil will not out, Covetousness will not be expelled. Only Lord have mercy on them; convince them, convert them; for they are mad-men.
The Epicure feedes on fowle a hundred times, that it may feede him but once: the Couetous feedes his purse a thousand times, and starues himselfe. He cares not to destroy his soule, to please his lust; yet for the saluation of his soule, will not holde his purse short of the smallest gaine. To conclude, the God whom hee serues, cannot helpe him; the God, whom hee should serue, will not helpe him, because hee hath forsaken him. There is no other helpe or hope to reclayme the auarous: but Lord haue mercy on them, 1for they are lunatike and sore vexed; as that Father spake of his possessed sonne, Math. 17. Lunatike they are perpetually, and not at some fittes by the Moone, as that word seemes to intimate: Sore vexed, with the implacable, ⟨p. 58⟩insatiable, turbulent distraction of their owne spirites; not without accession of all those solicitations, which the infernall spirits can suggest; all for gaine. Oft-times they faell into the fire, and oft into the water. Their Epilepticke courses now driue them into the fire of malice & dissention; now plunge and drown them in the floudes of oppression: till the inundation of their cruelty haue spoyled the whole Country; and themselues at last suffocated in their owne deluge. They may bee brought to the cDisciples, the Ministers of Christ, but they cannot cure them. Alas! this frenzy is harde to heale. Though they bee neytherd faithlesse, nor peruerse, negatiuely: though they striue bye fasting and prayer, affirmatiuely: auoide they euill impediments, or vse they good meanes; this kind of deuill will not out, Couetousnesse will not be expelled. Onely Lord haue mercy on them; conuince them, conuert them; for they are mad-men.
- 1Math. 17. 15.
- cVer. 16.
- dVer. 17.
- eVer. 21.
