A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 81
EXOD. XX.17.
Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House, thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife, nor his Man-servant, nor his Maid-servant, nor his Ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is thy Neighbours.
This Commandment forbids, (1.) Covetousness in General, Thou shalt not covet. (2.) In Particular, Thy Neighbours House, thy Neighbours Wife, &c.
(1.) It forbids Covetousness in General, Thou shalt not covet. 'Tis lawful to use the World, yea, and to desire so much of it, as may, 1. Keep us from the Temptation of Poverty. Prov. 30.8. Give me not Poverty, lest I steal, and take the Name of my God in vain▪ 2. As may enable us to Honour God with Works of Mercy. Prov. 3.9. Honour the Lord with thy Substance. But all the Danger is, when the World gets into the Heart. The Water is useful for the Sailing of the Ship; all the Danger is, when the Water gets into the Ship: So the Fear is, when the World gets into the Heart. Thou shalt not covet.
Quest. What is it to covet?
Resp. There are two Words in the Greek which set forth the Nature of Covetousness. 1. foreign, which signifies an insatiable desire of getting the World. Covetousness is a dry Dropsie. Austin defines Covetousness, plus velle quam sat est; To desire more than enough: To aim at a great Estate: To be like the Daughters of the Horseleech, crying, Give, give, Prov. 30.15. Or like Behemoth, Job 40.23. He trusteth that he can draw up Iordan into his Mouth. 2. foreign, which signifies an inordinate Love of the World. The World is the Idol; it is so loved, that a Man will not part with it to any good Use. This is to come under the Inditement of Covetousness. He may be said to be covetous, not only who gets the World unrighteously, but who loves the World inordinately. But for a more full Answer to the Question, What is it to covet? I shall shew you in Six Particulars, when a Man may be said to be given to Covetousness.
1. When his Thoughts are wholly taken up about the World. As a good Man's Thoughts are still in Heaven: He is thinking of Christ's Love, and Eternal Recompences. Psal. 139.18. When I awake I am still with thee: That is,Ainsworth. by Divine Contemplation. So a covetous Man is still with the World: His Mind is wholly taken up about it; he can think of nothing but his Shop or Farm. The Fancy is a Mint-House, and most of the Thougts a covetous Man mints are Worldly. He is always plotting and projecting about the foreign, the things of this Life. Like a Virgin that hath all her Thoughts running upon her Suitor.
2. A Man may be said to be given to Covetousness, when he takes more pains for the getting of Earth, than for the getting of Heaven. He will turn every Stone, break his Sleep, take many a weary Step for the World, but will take no pains for Christ or Heaven. The Gauls, who were an ancient People of France, after they had tasted the sweet Wine of the Italian Grape, they enquired after the Countrey, and never rested till they had arrived at it. So a covetous Man, having had a Relish of the World, pursues after it, and never leaves till he hath got it; but he neglects the things of Eternity. He could be content if Salvation would drop into his Mouth, as a ripe Fig drops into the Mouth of the Eater, Nahum. 3.12. But he is loath to put himself to too much Sweat or Trouble to obtain Christ or Salvation. He hunts for the World, he wisheth only for Heaven.
3. A Man may be said to be given to Covetousness, when all his Discourse is about the World. Iohn 3.31. He that is of the Earth, speaketh of the Earth: As it is a sign of Godliness to be still speaking of Heaven, to have the Tongue tuned to the Language of Canaan. Eccles. 10.12. The Words of a wise Man's Mouth are gracious. He speaks as if he had been already in Heaven. So a sign of a Man given to Covetousness, he is speaking of Secular things, his Wares and Drugs. A covetous Man's Breath, like a Dying Man's, smells strong of the Earth. As they said to Peter, Thy Speech bewrayeth thee, Matth. 26.73. So a covetous Man's Speech bewrayeth him. He is like the Fish in the Gospel, which had a Piece of Money in the Mouth, Matth. 17.27. Verba sunt Speculum mentis. Bern. The Words are the Looking-glass of the Heart, they show what is within. Ex abundantia cordis.
4. A Man is given to Covetousness, when he doth so set his Heart upon worldly things, that for the love of them he will part with Heavenly. For the Wedge of Gold he will part with the Pearl of Price. The Young Man in the Gospel, when Christ said, Sell all, and come and follow me; Abiit trist is, He went away sorrowful, Matth. 19.22. He would rather part with Christ, than with his Earthly Possessions. Cardinal Burbon said, He would for go his part in Paradise, if he might keep his Cardinalship in Paris. When it comes to a critical point, that Men must either relinquish their Estate or Christ, and they will rather part with Christ and a good Conscience, than with their Estate, it is a clear Case they are possessed with the Devil of Covetousness.
5. A Man is given to Covetousness, when he over-loads himself with worldly Business. He hath many Irons in the Fire; he is in this Sence a Pluralist, he takes so much business upon him, that he cannot find time to serve God; he hath scarce time to eat his Meat, but no time to Pray. When a Man doth over-charge himself with the World, and as Martha, cumber himself about many things, that he cannot have time for his Soul, sure he is under the Power of Covetousness.
6. He is given to Covetousness, whose Heart is so set upon the World, that to get it he cares not what unlawful indirect means he useth; he will have the World per fas & nefas: He will wrong and defraud, and raise his Estate upon the Ruines of another. Hos. 12.7, 8. The Ballances of Deceit are in his Hand, he loveth to oppress. And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich. Pope Sylvester the Second did sell his Soul to the Devil for a Popedom.
Vse. Take heed and beware of Covetousness, Luke 12.15. It is a direct Breach of this Tenth Commandment. Covetousness is a Moral Vice, it infects and pollutes the whole Soul. The Sin,
(1.) It is a Subtile Sin, a Sin that many do not so well discern in themselves: As some have the Scurvy, yet do not know it. This Sin can dress it self in the Attire of Vertue. It is called the Cloak of Covetousness, 1 Thess. 2.5. Covetousness is a Sin that wears a Cloak, it cloaks it self under the Name of Frugality and good Husbandry. It hath many Pleas and Excuses for it self, more than any other Sin, as, the providing for ones Family. The more subtile the Sin is, the less discernable.
(2) Covetousness is a dangerous Sin, it checks all that is good. It is an Enemy to Grace, it damps good Affections, as the Earth puts out the Fire. The Hedgehog in the Fable came to the Cony-burroughs in stormy Weather, and desir'd Harbour; but when once he had gotten Entertainment, he set up his Prickles, and did never leave till he had thrust the poor Conies out of their Burroughs. So Covetousness by fair Pretences wins it self into the Heart, but as soon as you have let it in, it will never leave till it hath choked all good Beginnings, and thrust all Religion out of your Hearts. Covetousness hinders the Efficacy of the Word Preached. In the Parable the Thorns (which Christ expounded to be the Cares of this Life) choked the Good Seed, Matth. 13.7. Many Sermons lie dead, buried in Earthly Hearts. We preach to Men to get their Hearts in Heaven; but where Covetousness is predominant, it chains them to the Earth, and makes them like the Woman which Satan had bowed together, that she could not lift up her self, Luke 13.11. You may as well bid an Elephant fly in the Air, as a covetous Man live by Faith. We Preach to Men to give freely to Christ's Poor; but Covetousness makes them to be like him in the Gospel, who had a wither'd Hand, Mark 3.1. They have a wither'd Hand, and cannot stretch it out to the Poor. It is impossible to be Earthly-minded and charitable-minded. Thus Covetousness obstructs the Efficacy of the Word, and makes it prove Abortive. Such whose Hearts are rooted in the Earth, will be so far from profiting by the Word, that they will be ready rather to deride it. Luke 16.14. The Pharisees who were covetous derided him.
(3.) Covetousness is a Mother-Sin, a Radical Vice. 1 Tim. 6.10. The Love of Money is the root of all Evil.
—Quid non mortalia pectora cogit
Auri sacra fames—
Hor.
He who hath this Spiritual Itch, a greedy desire of getting the World, hath in him the Root of all Sin. Covetousness is a Mother-sin. I shall make it appear that Covetousness is a Breach of all the Ten Commandments.
1. It breaks the First Commandment, Thou shalt have no other Gods but one. The covetous Man hath more God's than one; Mammon is his God. He hath a God of Gold, therefore he is called an Idolater, Col. 3.5.
2. Covetousness breaks the Second Commandment: Thou shalt not make any graven Image, thou shalt not bow down thy self to them. A covetous Man bows down, tho not to the graven Image in the Church, yet to the Graven Image in his Coyn.
3. Covetousness is a Breach of the Third Commandment, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. Absalom's Design was to get his Fathers Crown, there was Covetousness; but he talks of paying his Vow to God, there he took God's Name in vain.
4. Covetousness is a Breach of the Fourth Commandment, Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. A Covetous Man doth not keep the Sabbath Holy: He will ride to Fairs on a Sabbath. Instead of reading in the Bible, he will cast up his Accounts.
5. Covetousness is a Breach of the Fifth Commandment, Honour thy Father and thy Mother. A covetous Person will not honour his Father, if he doth not feed him with Money: Nay, he will get his Father to make over his Estate to him in his Life-time, and so the Father shall be at the Sons Command.
6. Covetousness is a Breach of the Sixth Commandment, Thou shalt not kill. Covetous Ahab kill'd Naboth to get his Vineyard, 1 Kings 21.13. How many have swum to the Crown in Blood!
7. Covetousness is a Breach of the Seventh Commandment, Thou shalt not commit Adultery. Covetousness causeth Uncleanness. You read of the Hire of a Whore, Deut. 23.18. An Adulteress for Money sets both Conscience and Chastity to Sale.
8. Covetousness is a Breach of the Eighth Commandment, Thou shalt not steal. Covetousness is the Root of Theft. Covetous Achan stole the Wedge of Gold. Therefore Thieves and Covetous are put together, 1 Cor. 6.10.
9. Covetousness is a Breach of the Ninth Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness. What makes the Perjurer take a false Oath, but Covetousness? He hopes for a Dividend. And,
10. It is plainly a Breach of the Last Commandment, Thou shalt not covet. The Mammonist covets his Neighbours House and Goods, and endeavours to get them into his own Hands. Thus you see how vile a Sin Covetousness is: It is a Mother-sin, it is a plain Breach of every one of the Ten Commandments.
(4.) Covetousness is a Sin dishonourable to Religion. For such as say their Hopes are Above, yet their Hearts are below. For them who profess to be above the Stars, to lick the Dust of the Serpent: To be born of God, yet buried in the Earth: How dishonourable is this to Religion! The Lapwing wears a little Coronet on its Head, yet feeds on Dung. An Emblem of such as profess to be Crown'd Kings and Priests unto God, yet feed immoderately on these Terrene Dunghil Comforts. Ier. 45.5. And seekest thou great things for thy self, seek them not. What thou Baruk, who art enobled by thy New Birth, and art illustrious by thy Office, a Levite, dost thou seek earthly things? And seek them now? When the Ship is sinking, art thou trimming thy Cabin? O do not so degrade thy self, nor blot thy Scutcheon! Seekest thou great things? Seek them not. The higher Grace is, the less earthly should Christians be: The Higher the Sun is, the shorter always is the Shadow.
1. Covetousness exposeth us to God's Abhorrency. Psal. 10.3. The Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth. A King abhors to see his Statue abused. God abhors to see a Man made in his Image should have the Heart of a Beast given to him. Who would live in such a Sin as makes him abhorr'd of God? Whom God abhors he curseth, and God's Curse blasts where-ever it comes.
2. Covetousness precipitates Men to Ruine: It shuts them out of Heaven. Eph. 5.5. This ye know, that no covetous Man, who is an Idolater, hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. What should a covetous Man do in Heaven? God can no more converse with them, than a King can converse with a Swine. 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich fall into a Snare, and many hurtful Lusts, which drown Men in Perdition. A covetous Man is like a Bee that gets into a Barrel of Honey, and there drowns it self. He is like a Ferry-man that takes in so many Passengers to encrease his Fare, that he sinks his Boat. So a covetous Man takes in more Gold to the encreasing of his Estate, that he damns himself in Perdition. I have read of some Inhabitants near Athens, who lived in a very dry barren Island, and they took much pains to draw a River to this Island to water it, and make it fruitful; but when they had opened the Passages, and brought the River to it, the Water brake in with such a Force, that it drowned the Land, and all the People in it. An Emblem of a Covetous Man; he labours to draw Riches to him, and at last they come in in such abundance, that they drown him in Hell and Perdition. How many, to build up an Estate, pull down their Souls. Oh therefore fly from Covetousness. I shall next prescribe some Remedies against Covetousness.