2. As it doth dispose and incline the soul to evil, so it incapa- citates us for God's service, both in our general and particular calling.
In our general calling, it makes us incapable of serving God. Why ? It destroys the principle of obedience, is contrary to the matter of obedience, and it slights the rewards of obedience.
[1.] It destroys the principle of obedience, which is the love of God. This is that which constrains us, which carrieth us out with life and sweetness in God's service. Now, 1 John ii. 5, * If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' It destroys the principle that should act us in obedience.
[2.] It is contrary to the matter of obedience, which are the com- mands of God. Tho commands of God and mammon are contrary,
384 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XLI.
Mat. vi. 24. What are his commands ? God saith, Pity the afflicted, relieve the miserable, venture all for a good conscience, seek heaven in the first place, seek it with your choicest affection, your earnest dili- gence. What saith mammon ? Be sparing of your substance, follow the world as hard as you can, stick at nothing, lie, steal, swear, for- swear, comply with the lusts of men, then you shall be rich. Well, now you see he that is ruled by mammon, or swayed by the inordinate love of worldly good, can never serve God ; he is enslaved to another master ; he loves wealth above all, he trusts it more than God's provi- dence, he serves it more than God himself. Though his tongue dares not say that the earth is better than heaven, that the things of this life are better than the favour of God, yet his life saith it ; for more of his heart and care runs out upon these matters. In short, it unfits you not only for one duty, but for all duties required of us. God's laws you know require respect to God, your neighbour, and to yourselves. Now he that is a slave to mammon, overcome by the love of worldly things, denies that which is due to God, his trust, his love, his choice affection. He denies what is necessary for his neighbour, and he denies what is comfortable for himself. He is unthankful to God, unmerciful to his neighbour, and cruel to himself.
[3.] It slights the encouragements of obedience, which are the rewards of God, as it weakens our future hopes, and depresseth the heart from looking after spiritual and heavenly things. They despise their birth- right for a mess of pottage ; and when they are invited to the wedding, tiie choice things God hath provided for us in the gospel, they prefer their farm, oxen, merchandise before it. As it unfits us for the duty of our general, so for our particular callings and relations.' The love of the world will make him altogether unfit for magistracy, ministry, the master of a family, or any such relation. In magistracy, who are the men that are qualified for that office ? Exod. xviii. 21, ' Such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.' Let covetousness possess the heart a little, and it will make a man act unworthily, timorously, with a base heart. Nay, for a piece of bread will that man transgress. Take a minister, and what a poor meal-mouthed minister will he make if his heart be carried out with love to worldly things ? Therefore it is the qualification of his person : 1 Tim. iii. 3, ' Not greedy of filthy lucre.'' Let a minister be greedy of gain, it makes him sordid, low- spirited, flattering and daubing, to curry favour with men, more intent upon his gain and profit than the saving of souls. So for his work : 1 Peter v. 2, ' Feed the flock of God which is among you ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.' What a low flat ministry will that be, that is inspired with no other aim and impulsion but the sense of his own profit ! If that be his great inducement to undertake that calling, and his great encouragement in discharging the duty of that calling, how will men strain themselves to please men, especially great ones, and writhe themselves into all postures and shapes that they may soothe the humours and lusts of others ! He will curse where God hath blessed, if he be such as Balaam, who * loved the wages of un- righteousness.' It is a powerful imperious lust, saith God, ' Will you pollute me for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live ? '
VeR. 36.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 385
Then you shall have them declaiminj^ against the good, hardening the evil, complying with the fashions of the world. So in other callings. If a man he called to be a master of a family: Prov. xv. 27, ' He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house/ What a trouble and burden will this man be to his servants and all about him ! and how little will he glorify God in that relation ! Nay, in all other stations this will make him an oppressing landlord, a false tradesman, an ill neighbour ; and therefore it is the very pest and bane of human societies. Thus you see how it unfits us for the service of God, both in our general and particular calling.