The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 39
MEDITAT. XXXIX. Of Covetouſneſs: or foreign.
I Will now conſider of Covetouſneſs, which is an undue deſire of worldly wealth. This deſire is undue, by the kind of the wealth, or by the degree of the deſire: And ſo we are covetous, either when we luſt after that which is another mans, or intemperately deſire worldly wealth of our own, though we uſe no indirect means to obtain it.
The firſt of theſe, is that Covetouſneſs directly aimed at in the Tenth Commandment, called in Greek foreign; and it is a ſort of invading of another Mans Right.
There is a good Covetouſneſs, a coveting earneſtly the beſt Gifts; but this improperly called Covetouſneſs: For to ſpeak properly, we are not to covet the Gifts and Graces that are in other men, although in themſelves they are covetable; yet as they are other mens, they are not the object of our deſires. There may be a bad deſire of a good thing.
Evil Covetouſneſs is of earthly things, and it ſuppoſes an impotent and worldly mind, and an over-high valuation of earthly things; it argues us to be led by our Senſes, and not by right Reaſon.
This Covetouſneſs is a kind of ſpiritual Adultery: Not only he that looks upon his Neighbors Wife, but he that looks upon his Neighbors Houſe, or Land, or Goods, to covet them, is guilty of worldly Love, and that is ſpiritual Adultery: A ſin little regarded, I doubt, but certainly very dreadful.
The firſt unchaſte glances of the Eye towards any thing that is our Neighbors, is forbidden; and it becomes us to be offended at them, to make haſte to ſuppreſs them, to repent of them: But if we allow them to grow up into wilful and ſteddy deſires, they are that predominant Love of the World that the Apoſtle tells us is ſo pernicious.
See what ſevere notice God takes of this kind of Covetouſneſs; how he viſited it in Eve, who coveted an evil Covetouſneſs to her Poſterity; in Achan and Ahab, who coveted an evil Covetouſneſs to their own Houſes.
There is no Man that is over-greedy of having, but will ſometimes deſire to have what is none of his own. If this be the ſtanding Maxim, Oportet habere, We muſt have; it will follow, Unde habeat quaerit nemo, It is no matter how he comes by it.
They deceive themſelves, that excuſe their Covetouſneſs, by ſaying, I covet nothing of yours, I deſire nothing but mine own. This cannot be, every worldly-minded man is guilty of this Covetouſneſs; for the ſame nature and principle that prompts men ſo greedily to gripe their own, will certainly put them upon a deſire to finger other mens.
This kind of Covetouſneſs has a great deal of injuſtice in it, it is a kind of ſtealing. He that luſts after a Woman, is a Whoremaſter; he that hates his Brother, is a Murderer; and by a parity of reaſon, he that covets, is a Thief.
Lord, who knows how oft he is guilty in one degree or other! Help me to make a Covenant with my eyes, leſt they betray me in looking upon my Neighbor's Houſe, as well as his Wife!
There may be Covetouſneſs, in too vehement deſiring of what is another mans, though one be willing to give a ſufficient price for it. I do not think it will excuſe Ahab from Covetouſneſs, that he offered a full price, or a good exchange for Naboth's Vineyard. Nay, the very over-buying of a thing, (if it be judicious) is an argument of Covetouſneſs; if ſome preſent neceſſity, or unſeen convenience do not excuſe it. And what can one make of them that cry, I wiſh ſuch a thing were mine to beſtow upon you; or, I wiſh it were mine ſo, that no body were the worſe for it: What, I ſay, can any man make of theſe, but Fools and covetous?
To heal us of this Diſeaſe, let us learn not to overvalue earthly things. They are all lovely onelyonly in God. In him we may enjoy the ſweetneſs of all theſe things, without poſſeſſing the things themſelves; ſo far as we are ſpiritualiz'd; we live upon God, and enjoy all things in him, and cannot be covetous.
The ſin of Eve was, that ſhe coveted to be like unto God in his incommunicable Properties: If ſhe had been omniſcient as God, then God had not been omniſcient; for there cannot be two Omniſcietns. But the onelyonly laudable Covetouſneſs is; to covet to be like unto God in his communicable Perfections.