contempt of those who contemn God'? You should rather account it your honour to be so treated1". But whatever be the cross you are called to bear, God has provided abundant consolation under itn. Only submit to your trials with meek- ness and patience0, and you may defy the confederate hosts of earth and hellp. Think how your Saviour suffered, not only " enduring the cross, but despising the shame ;" and arm your- selves with the same mindq, " rejoicing that you are counted worthy to suffer for his sake." If you are tempted at any time to obey man rather than God, then look to the eternal world, and consider whether temporal joys or sorrows deserve a thought in comparison of those that are eternal. Think of the noble army of martyrs who are gone before, sent by men, as it were, in a fiery chariot to heaven : do they regret that they loved not their lives unto death ? Thus, setting eternity before you, implore help from your God and Saviour : then shall you be found " faithful unto death, and finally obtain a crown of life."]
m 1 Pet. iv. 14. n 2 Cor. i. 5. Matt. v. 10—12.
0 What dignity was there in that conduct of Jeremiah! Jer.xxvi. 14.
p Isai. li. 5 — 9. i 1 Pet. iv. 1. Heb. xii. 3.
Luke xii. 15. And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware
of covetousness.
THE instructions which our Lord conveyed to his Disciples almost always arose out of something that was immediately before him ; so attentive was he to improve every occasion for their good. This was fraught with many advantages ; for it tended to im- press every truth more forcibly on their minds, and to shew them how to render all events subservient to their own spiritual welfare. It was a trifling cir- cumstance, which of itself did not seem to afford any particular occasion for remark, that gave rise to the discourse before us. A man who had been listening to him for some time, apprehending that, as he spake with such authority, he could easily prevail to settle a point in dispute between his brother and himself, requested his interposition ; " Master, speak to my
1520.] CAUTION AGAINST COVETOUSNESS. 4(jJ
brother, that he divide the inheritance with me." But our Lord, seeing that the man was more intent on his temporal than on his spiritual advancement, not only declined the office, as not being within his commission, but began to caution his Disciples against that covetousness, of which they now saw so striking an example.
A caution so solemnly given to them, cannot but deserve the attention of his followers in every age ; and I pray God that the importance of it may be felt by every one of us, whilst we shew,
I. How we may know whether we are under the in- fluence of this evil principle —
It is not by overt acts of dishonesty merely that we are to judge of this, but by the workings of our hearts in reference to the things of this world. We may judge of it,
1. From the manner in which we seek them —
[Earthly things may certainly be desired, provided that desire be regulated by the necessities of our nature, and sub- ordinated to the will of our heavenly Father. But if we desire them for themselves, or in an undue degree, then immediately are we guilty of that very sin which is reproved in our text. If we desire them for themselves, we shew that we think there is some inherent good in them : whereas they are altogether worthless, except as far as they are necessary for our support, and for the strengthening of our bodies to serve the Lord. All beyond mere food and raiment is an empty bubble. To invest earthly things with any inherent excellency, is to put them in the place of God, and to make idols of them : moreover, if our thoughts run out after them more than after God and heavenly things, if the pursuit of them be more delightful to us than the exercises of devotion, and, above all, if we will violate the dic- tates of conscience, or neglect spiritual duties in order to advance our temporal interest, what is this but covetousness? Can any one doubt whether such a preference to earthly things be sinful? Suppose, for instance, that any man follows an unlawful trade, or a lawful trade in an unlawful way, acquiring his gains from sources which he would be ashamed to confess, and afraid to have discovered ; is he not under the influence of covetousness ? Does he not prefer money before a good con- science, and the acquisition of wealth before the ajrprobation of his God? Is this a "setting of his affections on things above, and not on the things on the earth?" Hear what an