"wicked, fall from your own ftedfaftness. But grow " in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and "SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. To him be glory, "both now and for ever. Amen."

SERMON

XC.

The nature of covetoufnefs.

LUKE xii. 15.

And be faid unto them, take heed, and beware of covetoufnefs; for a man's life confifteth not in the abundance of the things which he poffeffetb.

Mong all the is none that is more common and unreafonable, and of a more univerfal bad influence upon the hearts and lives of men, than this of covetoufnefs; and therefore in fpeaking of this vice, I fhall ftrike at the root of a great many others; even of apoftacy from GOD's truth and religion, of which covetousness, and the love of this prefent world, is one of the most common caufes. So that if I can contribute any thing to the cure of this great distemper of mens minds, I fhall in fo doing remove that which is the caufe and occafion of a great part of the evils and mischiefs which are in the world. And to this end I have pitched upon these words of our bleffed SAVIOUR to his hearers; "and he faid unto "them, take heed and beware of covetoufnefs; for "a man's life confifteth not in the abundance of "the things which he poffeffeth."

irregular appetites of men, there S ER M.

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SERM.
XC.

In which words are these three things obfervable? First, the manner of the caution which our SAVIOUR here gives, " take heed and beware;" he doubles it, to fhew the great need and concernment of it.

Secondly, the matter of the caution, or the vice which our SAVIOUR here warns his hearers against, and that is covetoufnefs, "take heed and beware of "covetoufnefs."

Thirdly, the reafon of this caution, "because a "man's life confifteth not in the abundance of the

things which he poffeffeth." Human life is fuftained by a little, and therefore abundance is not "neceffary, either to the fupport or comfort of it. It is not a great estate and vaft poffeffions that make a man happy in this world; but a mind that is equal to its condition, whatever it be.

First, the manner of the caution which our SAVIOUR here gives, "take heed and beware." This is a peculiar kind of caution, and no where else, or upon any other occafion, that I know of, used in fcripture; in which, for the greater emphasis and weight, the words of caution are doubled, as if the matter were of fo much concernment, that no caution about it could be too much; to fignify to us both the great danger of this fin of covetousness, and the great care men ought to use to preferve themselves from it.

I. The great danger of this fin; how apt we are to fall into this vice, and of how pernicious a confequence it is to thofe in whom it reigns.

1. How apt we are to fall into this vice: and excepting thofe vices which are immediately founded

XC.

in a man's natural temper and conftitution, thereS ER M. is none that men have a more univerfal propension to, than this of covetoufnefs. For there are two things which human nature does more especially defire to be fecured against, which are want, and contempt and riches feem to be a certain remedy against both these evils. And because men think they can never be fufficiently fecured against thefe, therefore their defire of riches grows endless and infatiable; fo that unless men be very jealous and watchful over themselves, this defire will grow upon them, and enlarge itself beyond all bounds.

2. As men are very apt to fall into this vice, fo is it of very pernicious confequence to thofe in whom it reigns. The mischief of it is very great, and very extenfive So St. Paul tells us, 1 Tim. vi. 8, 9, 10. where he preffeth men to be contented with a fmall competency of the things of this life, because of the great danger and mifchief of a covetous mind

having food and raiment, let us be therewith con"tent. But they that will be rich (that is, they "that are bent and refolved upon being rich) fall "into temptation and a fnare, and into many foolish " and hurtful lufts, which drown men in deftruc

tion and perdition. For the love of money is the "root of all evil." But this I fhall fpeak more fully to, when I come to fhew the great evil and unreasonableness of this vice.

II. This earneft kind of caution, as it fignifies the great danger of this fin of covetoufnefs, fo likewife the great care that men ought to use to preserve themselves from it; for the greater the danger is in any kind, fo much the greater care fhould be used

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for

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SER M. for the avoiding of it. Men are not so folicitoufly concerned to defend themselves against a flight mischief; but when a terrible one threatens us, fhould be continually upon our guard against it, and fummon all our strength and force to refift it. Thus much for the manner of the caution.

we

I proceed to the fecond thing to be confidered in the text, viz. The matter of the caution, or the vice which our SAVIOUR here warns his hearers against, and that is covetousness; "take heed and beware of covetousness." And in speaking of this, I shall confider these two things.

I. Wherein the nature of this vice confifts.

II. I shall endeavour to fhew the great evil and unreasonableness of it. I fhall be large in both.

I. For the nature of this vice of covetoufnefs. The shortest description that I can give of it is this; "that it is an inordinate defire and love of riches;" but when this defire and love are inordinate, is not fo easy to be determined. And therefore that we may the better understand what this fin of covetoufnefs is, which our SAVIOUR doth fo earnestly caution againft, it will be requifite to confider more particularly wherein the vice and fault of it doth confift; that whilst we are fpeaking against covetoufnefs, we may not under that general word condemn any thing that is commendable or lawful. To the end then that we may the more clearly and distinctly understand wherein the nature of this vice doth confift, I fhall

First, endeavour to fhew what is not condemned under this name of covetoufnefs, either in fcripture, or according to right reafon: And,

Secondly,

Secondly, what is condemned by either of thefe SERM. as a plain inftance or branch of this fin.

First, what things are not condemned under the name of covetousness, either in fcripture, or accord-ing to right reason, which yet have fome appearance of it; namely these three things,

1. Not a provident care about the things of this present life.

2. Not a regular industry and diligence for the obtaining of them, Nor

3. Every degree of love and affection to them. I mention these three, because they may all seem to be condemned by fcripture, as parts or degrees of this vice, but really are not.

1. Not a provident care about the things of this prefent life. This indeed feems to be condemned in fcripture as a branch of covetoufnefs; namely, in our SAVIOUR'S fermon upon the mount, Mat. vi. 25. "Take no thought for your life, what ye fhall eat, "or what ye fhall drink; nor yet for your body "what ye fhall put on." Here our SAVIOUR feems to forbid all care, even about the neceffaries of life, meat, and drink, and clothing; much more about the delights and conveniencies of it. But this is not abfolutely, and in ordinary cafes intended by our SAVIOUR to be condemned, as I fhall fhew by and by under the next head.

2. Neither is a regular induftry and diligence for the obtaining of these things condemned in scripture; though this alfo feems to be prohibited by our SAVIOUR in the fame chapter, ver. 26. "Behold "the fowls of the air: for they fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your hea

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venly

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