SERMON XLI. And not unto covetousness. — Ver. 36.
Doct. 2. That covetousness, or an inordinate desire of worldly things, is the great let or hindrance to complying with God's testi- monies.
By way of proof, I need to produce but that scripture, 1 John v. 3, 4, ' For this is [the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous ; for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.' The reason implies that if we had a greater conquest over worldly affections, it would not be so grievous to us to keep God's commandments; for the apostle's argument is built upon this supposition, that God's commands are only burdensome to them that lie under the power of carnal affections. All the difficulty in obedience Cometh from our temptations to the contrary. Now all or most temp- tations from Satan and our own flesh have their strength from the world, and its suitableness to our affections. Master your love to the world, and temptations lose their strength.
To make this moi-e clear, let us see —
1. What is covetousness.
VeR. 36.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 379
2. How it hinderetli from complying with God's testimonies.
First, What is covetousness ? I shall give the nature, the causes, the discoveries of it.
First, the nature of it. It is an inordinate desire of having more wealth than the Lord alloweth iu the fair course of his providence, and a delight in worldly things as our chiefest good.
1. There is an unsatisfied desire of having more. "We may desire temporal good things for necessity and service. We carry about earthly tabernacles, that must be supported with earthly things, and therefore God alloweth us to seek them in a moderate way. But now when these desires grow vehement and impatient of check, and by an immodest importunity are still craving for more, it is an evil disease, and it must be looked unto in time, or it will prove baneful to the soul. There is a vital heat necessar}" to our preservation, and there are un- natural predatorious heats which argue a distemper. See how this desire is expressed in scripture : 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10, ' He that will be rich falls into temptation and a snare,' &c. He doth not say, He that is rich, but. He that will be rich ; he that hath fixed that as his scope, and makes that his business ; for the will is known by fixedness of intention, and earnestness of prosecution : he that makes it his work to grow great in the world. So Pro v. xv. 27, ' He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house.' Desires are the vigorous motions of the will ; when they are eager, impatient, and immoderate, then they dis- cover this evil inclination of soul. So Eccles. v. 10, ' He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also vanity.' There is a spiritual dropsy, when our desires grow the more the more we receive and enjoy ; as tire by the addition of new fuel grows more fierce the more the flame increaseth. The contrary to this is expressed by Agur, and should be the temper of every gracious heart : Prov. xxx. 8, ' Give me neither poverty nor riches : feed me with food convenient for me.' As to worldly things we should be indifferent, and refer ourselves to the fair allowance of God's providence, that he might carve out our portion, and do by us according to his own pleasure.
2. Not only this greedy thirst discovereth covetousness, but a com- placency, delight, and acquiescency of soul in worldly enjoyments. So Christ Jesus in his parable against covetousness brings in a carnal wretch singing lullabys to his soul: Luke xii. 19, 'Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merr3\' He doth not Avisli for more, but pleaseth himself with what he had already, and yet in his language would Christ impersonate and set forth the dispositions of a covetous heart. So we are cautioned, Ps. Ixii. 10, 'If riches increase, set not your hearts upon them.' When we set up our rest here, and look no further, we are guilty of this sin.
But now, because we may delight in our portion, and take comfort in what God hath given us ; let us see when our delight in temporal things is a branch of covetousness. I answer — When we delight in them to the neglect of God, and the lessening of our joy in his service, and our hopes of eternal life are abated and grow less lively ; when we so delight in them as to neglect God and the sweet intercourse we should have in him. Therefore covetousness is called idolatry, Eph.
380 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SeR. XLI.
V. 5 ; Col. iii, 5, as it robs God of our trust, while we build upon un- certain riches as a stable happiness, and the best assurance of our felicity : Mark x. 23, 24, ' How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! ' And when the disciples wondered, our Saviour answered, 'How hard is it for them that trust in riches !' &c. ; that is, that set their confidence in them in that degree and mea- sure as is only due to God. Then it is called adultery, James iv. 4, because out of love to worldly things we can dispense with our love to God and delight in him, as the harlot draws away the affection from the lawful wife. In short, when we seek them and prize them, with the neglect of better, as spiritual and heavenly things are, Luke xii. 21 ; Mat. vi. 19-21, 33, Next to the love of God we must love our- selves, and there first our souls. Now we are besotted and enchanted with the love of the world, so as to slight the favour of God and the hopes of blessedness to come, this is adultery spiritual, and sets up another chief good.