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have not thus wifely Husbanded all Things, fo that they may do you good hereafter, when you fhall be turn'd out of all here, you will be in a very miferable condition. Therefore, Make to to your felves, &c.

Mammon is a Syriack word fignifying Gain or Riches, and is obferved to be used fometimes for the Idol which fome Heathens worshipped as the God of Riches. To which ufe of the word our Saviour feems to have Refpect. Mat. 6. 24. faying, No Man can ferve two Mafters. Te cannot ferve God and Mammon. By fhewing what use he would have us make of our Riches, he fheweth us alfo how to use all the other things which here we enjoy.

Riches are called the Mammon of unrighteoufnefs, or the unrighteous Mammon, either first, because they are too often gotten or improved by unrighteoufnefs; or Secondly, because they are as often made the Inftruments of unrighteousness. An Inftance of both in one, may be what is common enough, the bribing of Men in power to do Injuftice; and fuch an Inftance is that of the unjuft Steward in the Parable, corrupting his Lord's Debtors with his Lord's Money. Or fourthly, they both tempt, and help Men to do wickedly, whence the Love of Money is called the Root of all Evil. 1 Tim. 6. 10. Or Laftly, which feems moft probable, because in comparifon of Spiritual and Heavenly Things, they are falfe and vain, and because of that unrighteous and wicked Men have often the greatest fhare of them, which could not be, were they indeed the true Riches. And thus the unrighteous Mammon, y. 11. is used in oppofition to the true Riches in the fame Verfe. If therefore, ye have not been faithful

in

in the unrighteous Mammon, that is, in the things of this World; they are but falfe and deceitful, very certain things, uncertain Riches as they are called. 1 Tim. 6. 15. Who will commit to your Trust the true Riches? That is, thofe Spiritual Gifts, which make the poffeffors of them good and bleffed, making them rich towards God, and happy for ever.

What more in the Words needs to be explained, it fhall be done as there is occafion for it. Now we obferve in them, for our Inftruction, divers things, which we shall not now speak largely of, neither need we, feeing they cannot be called in Question by any one. They fhall be therefore little more than mentioned, and only the main thing here intended a little more largely infifted

on.

1. Obferve, that Worldly Riches are here called the Mammon of unrighteousness, or the unrighteous Mammon. Men indeed, are too generally apt to idolize them, and to offer up not only their Time, their Strength, their Quiet, but their Confcience and Religion, all Honefly and Juftice, their Neighbours Rights, and the publick Good, and even their own Souls unto them. Therefore is Covetousness called Idolatry. Col. 3. 5. But our Bleffed Saviour here teacheth us how little we ought to esteem them; for they are indeed no better, but the unrighteous Mammon. They are not fo called, either because they are always unrighteously gotten, or because they always make or witnefs the Owners of them to be unrighteous Perfons, or because one cannot be rich and righteous too. For many have been at once very rich, and very juft and good, and have both gorten, and encreased their Wealth by righteous

ways

ways, and done abundance of good, and wrought much righteoufnefs with them in the World. But for fome of these Reasons doth our Saviour thus call them. Either,

First, Because they are too often got, and improved by unrighteoufnefs; a thing fo common, that it hath occafioned a Proverbial Saying, That a rich Man is either an unjuft Man, or an unjust Man's Heir. And Solomon hath this among his Proverbs. He that maketh hafte to be Rich fhall not be Innocent, Prov. 28. 20. This fhould mightily leffen the value of Riches in our Efteem of Things, that they may be often, and poffibly it may be truly faid, are for the moft part gotten by fuch Arts and Means as are difpleafing to God; and therefore cannot be reckoned among the beft things, feeing God ufeth not to crown unrighteous doings, with his best Gifts. But fuch mean things are Riches in God's Account, that he seems to caft them out for the Wicked of the World to scramble for, and let's them take most of them that can by any means get them, fo that the Tabernacles of the Robbers profper, and they that provoke God are fecure, into whofe Hand God bringeth abundantly. Job. 12. 6. Or,

Secondly, Because they very often are the Inftruments, and always are ftrong Temptations to unrighteoufnefs. They help Men to act a great deal of Wickednefs, which without them, how much foever inclined unto it, they could not act; and by them Men are tempted to do the Evils, which had they not been rich, they might probably never have thought of. The deceitfulness of Riches chokes the Word of God, which fhould make us fruitful in goodnefs. Mat. 13. 22. And they that will be rich, fall into Temptation, and a

Snare,

Snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lufts. 1 Tim. 6.9. Wherefore our Saviour hath faid, that tho' it be not a thing impoffible with God, who can give grace fufficient to ufe Riches well; yet is it a very hard thing for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Mat. 19. 23And this again fhould abate our eager defire of them, and make us regard them as things which are more to be feared than defired. Or,

Thirdly, Because they are but at beft uncertain things, and of short continuance and profit, but are-rich in comparison of the Treasures of righteousness, the true and permanent Riches, which will never fail us. Wilt thou Jet thine Eyes upon that which is not? For Riches certainly make themfelves Wings, they flie away as an Eagle towards Heaven. Prov. 23.5. No Man can be fure to get them, none can be fure to keep them when he hath got them. And this is enough to teach us how to prize them; even as perifhing Things. Therefore if Riches encreafe, 'tis a madness to fer our Hearts upon them, or to truft in them, feeing we never have any fure hold of them.

2. Obferve, That our blessed Saviour sayingthat when ye fail, would have us to conclude upon it, That fail we muft, fooner or later, that is, one time or other we must forfake and take our laft Leave of all our Earthly Enjoyments, when we can make no more use of them, nor will be any longer, as they have been ferviceable to us. If we be not deprived of all our Wealth before we die, yet when Death comes, we must leave all behind us. We brought nothing into this World, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1. Tim. 6.7. As we came forth of our Mother's Womb, naked shall we return to go as we came, and fhall take nothing of

Qur

they

our Labour, which we may carry away in our Hand Ecclef. 5.15. As we may be deprived of them before we come moft to need them; fo tho' they fhould continue with us as long as we live, yet may we out-live the ufe of them, we may be fick, and in fuch a condition, as we can reap no good of all that we poffefs. However, tho' one be made rich, and the Glory of his Houfe encreafeth; yet when he dieth, he fhall carry nothing away; his Glory fhall not defcend after him. Pfal. 49. 16. 17.

'This we all know well enough, howsoever we are affected with it. And truly, when this is well thought on, one would think it should have this effe&t upon us.

First, To abate that Pride which we are too apt to take in our Wealth. If we be rich, we expect that our poorer Neighbours fhould adore, and idolize us, as much as we do our Riches. And they must call us their betters, tho' for no other reafon, but that we are funk deeper into the Mire, or have a greater Load of thick Clay upon our Shoulders than they have. And all the VVorld muft honour and refpect us, tho' all the good we do in it is to draw away the Nourishment it affords from thofe who would make better ule of it. But a time is coming, when we shall have as little of it as they who have leaft, we shall go to the Generation of our Fathers, as well as the meanest Begger, and shall never fee Light. Pfal. 49. 19.

Secondly, To cool our ardent defire of growing rich. For why should we fo eagerly hunt after that, which when found, muft fo quickly be loft again? It must needs be a great Folly in any one impatiently to thirst after that, which he knows not whether he may live another Day to enjoy.

Let

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