inspired Apostle speaks respecting the criminality and danger of such desires : " Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and tell you now even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, because they mind earthly things a." It is not every degree of attention to earthly things that he condemns ; but such a desire after them as is inordinate, and such a pursuit of them as militates against the welfare of the soul : and, whatever we may call it, God calls it covetousness, and declares it to be idolatry b.]
2. From the manner in which we enjoy them — [As all desire after them is not prohibited, so neither is all enjoyment of them ; for " God hath given us all things richly to enjoy." But what if we feel complacency in the idea of wealth, and place a confidence in it as a barrier against the calamities of life ; Is not this the very sin against which the Prophet Habakkuk denounces a most awful woe ? " Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil0." It is, in truth, to act the part of the Rich Fool in the Gospel, and to say, " Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, eat, drink, and be merry?" We are very apt to imagine that the satisfaction which we take in the con- templation of our wealth, is nothing but an expression of thankfulness to God : but it is, for the most part, a " glorying in riches" (which is expressly forbidden d) ; and a " saying to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence." The sentiments of Job on this head were far more correct than those of the generality even of enlightened Christians: " If," says he, " I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much, this were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge ; for then I should have denied the God that is above e." If it be asked, How such a construction can reasonably be put on a sensation of the soul, which appears both innocent and praiseworthy 1 I answer, That God is the true and only Rest of the soulf ; and that, in proportion as we look to the creature for comfort or support, our hearts of necessity depart from him s. To be the one source of happiness to his creatures, is his prerogative ; and his glory he will not give to another : for " the Lord our God is a jealous God."
3. From the manner in which we support the loss of them —
[Christianity is far from inculcating a stoical apathy, or rendering us strangers to the common feelings of mankind :
a Phil. iii. 18, 19. b Col. iii. 5. c Hab. ii. 9.
d Jer. ix. 23. e Job xxxi. 25, 28. f Ps. cxvi. 7.
b Jer. xvii. 5.