A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Of the danger of Covetousness, as being the root of all evil.
ANother singular duty incumbent upon the Regenerate is, To beware of Covetousness and over-loving the World, as being the root of all evil. I do not say, that our hearts being changed and renewed, we ought thereupon wholy to abandon the World, and give over all Worldly businesses and imployments. For grace and a worldly calling may very well stand together: yea a man may be a sincere, holy Christian, and yet a great dealer in the World: nay grace ingageth a man to be a good husband, to improve the estate God hath bestowed on him. But yet we ought not insatiably to desire, and inordinately to hunt after riches, as if they were the only things, or the great things to be sought after; this is Covetousness. It is not the having of riches, but the immoderate desiring and loving of them, and overvaluing them, which denominates a man Covetous. A man may have much of this Worlds goods, and yet be no Worldling. And another may have little, and yet be covetous. This sin is especially in the heart.
Q. May not a Godly man desire riches, seeing they are often in Scripture termed blessings, which God hath promised as a reward of his Service?
A. There is a moderate desire of riches, which is lawfull: and an immoderate, or inordinate desire, which is unlawfull. Then is our desire of riches moderate, when we desire no more than is needfull, and can be content to want that, when God will have it so.
Q. What may be accounted needfull?
A. 1. That which is meet for the state and calling wherein God hath set us.
2. That which is requisite for the charge committed to us. As if a man have Wife, and Children, and Servants, or Kindred lying upon his charge, what is needfull and sufficient for them, may be desired and sought after.
3. That which is needfull for the future livelihood and maintenance of Wife and Children, may lawfully be desired and sought after. The Apostle layeth it down as a duty,2 Cor. 12.14. that Parents ought to lay up for their Children.
Besides this moderate desiring and seeking after riches, there is an immoderate desiring, and inordinate seeking after them. As when a man is not content with that portion which God by his Providence doth afford unto him, but insatiably thirsts after more. And rather than fail of his desire, will both neglect his God and his soul; and also venture on the use of any unlawfull means, as lying, swearing, false weights and measures, with the like, for accomplishing the same; which is wickedness in any, but especially in such as make a profession of Religion.
Yet how many professors are there in our dayes, who though they pretend much love to Christ, yet by their practice it appears, that their love of riches is greater and stronger than their love of him?
1. For how are their thoughts more upon the World, and the things thereof, than on Christ? No sooner are they awake from their sleep, but the World presently takes possession of their hearts: and their thoughts are upon their estate, how they may encrease the same, and that with unwearied care and labour; when every little that is done for Christ is a weariness to them.
2. How do their discourses run out more upon their riches, than on Christ? Yea with what freedom and delight do they talk of their wealth, and of the means of getting and increasing the same? And scarce a word of Christ all the day long. Which doth clearly discover the covetousness which lyeth in their hearts: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Mat. 12.34. Mat. 26.69.As the door-keeper said unto Peter, Thou art surely of Galilee, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. So whosoever shall make the World the whole matter, and subject of his discourse, it may be truly said of him, He is a Citizen of the World, for his speech bewrayeth him.
3. How eager and keen are their desires after the riches of this World? or at least after a further portion, and provision for themselves, Wives, and Children?
4. How do they toyle and labour, spending their sweat and strength in seeking after riches? thinking no care and study too much, nor pains too great for encreasing their wealth and store. How do they rise earlyer for their Worldly businesses, than for their Prayers, or any spiritual exercises?
5. How do they suffer the World to take up so much of their precious time, that they can scarce find any leisure either for closet devotions, or family Prayers? but make their Religion give place to their Worldly businesses. And when at any time they fall upon the performance of holy duties, how are their hearts in that very time taken up with Worldly thoughts, and imaginations? So that insteed of conversing with God in his holy Ordinances, and enjoying communion with him therein, they converse with the World, and hold communion with the Devil.
O what a shame is it for such as are brought out of darkness into marvelous light, having their understandings inlightned with the knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and are able to discern the mysteries of Godliness that they should set their hearts and affections upon base and transitory things! that they should lay out themselves so much in the pursuit of them! and never think they have laid up sufficient of these earthly treasures! What a shame is it for such as profess themselves the Sons of God, to live like Sons of men! as if their portion and happiness were only in this life. That they who profess themselves Heirs to an Heavenly inheritance, should so much dote upon earthly things! what a shame is it for such as have reasonable souls, capable of an everlasting life, and of communion with God both here and hereafter, should so far debase their natures, as to live like Moles and Worms in the Earth, and to root like Swine in mudd and dung!
Oh how doth it concern you, daily to humble your selves for this sin, and to loath and abhorr it, and watch against it for the time to come! For as every evill is to be abhorred, so especially such as are disgracefull to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to the Religion which you profess. Let us all therefore who have given our names unto Christ, labour to mortifie this sin in us. Let us use this World, and the things thereof, as if we used them not; neither in our judgements esteeming, nor in our hearts affecting, nor in our practice seeking them before spiritual grace and Heavenly glory.
That we may be the better quickned up thereunto, let us oft consider the manifold mischiefs that do usually follow and accompany this sin of covetousness,
1 Tim. 6.10.I. It is the Root of all Evil. There is no evil which a covetous man will forbear: his covetousness will put him upon the acting and committing all manner of sin, that will serve his greedy design. It will make a man turn the day of Sacred rest into a day of bodily labour. It will make him use wicked ballances, and deceitfull weights.Mich. 6.11, 12. For this they are full of violence and lyes, saith the Prophet Micah. It ofttimes raiseth Warrs, and sets the World together by the ears. It occasioneth the neglect both of our own and others souls. It enticeth us into Hell for the sake of living plentifully on earth. It causeth Parents to neglect the souls of their Children; and Children to wish the death of their Parents. It maketh people to hate their Ministers, and Ministers to neglect their People.
II. Covetousness alienates the soul of man from God, and that several wayes, as
Psal. 10.4.1. From the thought of God. For God is not in all his thoughts. When he awakes in the night, his mind is wholly taken up with worldly matters, without a thought of God, or of any good thing. When he is following the works of his calling, how is he wholly drowned, and swallowed up therein!
2. It alienates the soul of man from the love of God: For if any man love the World, 1 Joh. 2.15.the love of the Father is not in him.
3. It alienates the soul of man from attending upon God in his Ordinances. As you may see in the invited guests in the Parable,Luk. 14.18. whose eager desire after the things of this World, kept them from coming to the wedding feast.
III. Covetousness makes a man unthankfull for his present state and condition, though in it self an estate very full and comfortable. His mind is so much upon what he hath not, that he neither takes notice, nor tastes the sweetness of what he hath. His full vessel in his own apprehension is an empty bottle. Finding no contentment in what he hath, he is full of murmuring and repining, that he hath not what he would have. Many a gracious poor man, that hath little of this Worlds goods, hath oftentimes more satisfaction and contentment in his little, than he that hath the greatest earthly revenews, in all his abundance.
IV. Covetousness works the heart to a mean and low esteem of things spiritual and heavenly. From such as love the World, and the things thereof over-much, Christ to be sure hath love little enough. Their eyes are so blinded, that they see not his beauty: and their pallat so distempered, that they taste not his sweetness. And therefore, with Esau, preferr a mess of pottage before a birth-right: and with the men of Shechem preferr the bramble before the Vine, the Olive, and the Figg-tree. Worldly men preferr these poor empty things, the Brambles of the World before Jesus Christ the true and living Vine; yea and above the blessed birth-right of Gods new-born Children.
Covetousness depriveth a man of the comfort of what he hath, and possesseth. For the having of all is as nothing to him, that hath an immoderate desire after more. Ahabs Crown and Kingdom yielded him no comfort after he had set his heart upon poor Naboths Vineyard. The want of this did more molest and vex him, than the enjoyment of his whole Kingdom did solace and comfort him.1 King. 21.4. For this he came heavy and displeased to his house, laid him down upon his bed, turned away his face and would eat no bread.
V. Covetousness exposeth men to manifold temptations, making them ready to yield to Satans wicked suggestions. They that will be rich, 1 Tim. 6.9.fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which draw me… into perdition. As if he had said, They who set their hearts upon their riches, whose hearts run after their covetousness, are fit for any temptation, ready to yield to any of Satans wicked suggestions, for the satisfying their covetous humour. Iudas (as Tertullian thinks) was pretty honest till he carryed the bag, and that gave him occasion to discover the rottenness that was in his heart.