(1.) It is a subtle 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 itself in the attire of vir- tue. It is called the ' cloak of covetous- ness,' 1 Thess. ii. 5. Covetousness is a sin that wears a cloak, it cloaks itself under the name of frugality and good husbandry. It hath many pleas and excuses for itself, more than any other sin ; as the providing for one's family. The more subtle 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 hedge-hog, in the fable, came to the cony-burrows, in stormy weather, and desired harbour ; but ivhen once he had gotten entertainment, he set up his prickles, and did never cease till he had thrust the poor conies out of their burrows ; so covetousness, by fair pretences, winds itself into the heart ; but, as soon as you have let it in, it will never leave till it hath choked all good begin- nings, 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 care of this life) choked the good seed. Mat. xiii. 7. : many sermons He dead, buri- ed 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 wo- man which Satan had bowed together, that she could not lift up hei'self, Luke xiii. 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- ed hand," Mark iii. 1. They have a wi- thered hand, and cannot stretch it out to the poor. It is impossible to be earthly- minded and charitably-minded. Thus co- vetousness 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 xvi. 14., The Pharisees, who were covetous, " derided him,"
(3.) Covetousness is a mother-sin, — a ra dical vice, 1 Tim. vi. 10., "The love of money is the root of all evil."
— Quid 7inn mortalia pectora. co(/it iinri s'trr i J'niirs ? — IIoii
He who hath an earthly itch, a greedy de- sire 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 me." The cove- tous man hath more gods than one; mammon is his god. He hath a god of gold, therefore he is called an idolater. Col. iii. 5. — 2. Cove- tousness breaks the second commandment, " Thou shall not make any graven image, thou shalt not bow doAvn thyself to them." A covetous man bows down, though not to the graven image in the church, yet to the graven image in his coin. — 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 father's crown, there was cove tousness ; but he talks of paj-ing his " vow- to God," there he took God's name vain. — 4. Covetousness is a breach of the fourth commandment, " Remember the sabbath-
OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
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