2 56 The Nature of Gouetou f nefs. Ai oí. i. 3. Nor is every Degree of Love andAffe&ion to the Things of this World con- demned in Scripture, as any Branch, or Part of this Vice of Covetoufnefs ; but fuch a Love of the Thiiïgs of this World as is truly confttent with the Love of God, and a due and a furious Care of our Souls, is allowed both by Scripture and Reafon. St. yohn indeed feems to condemn all Love of the World, and of the Things ofit, as utterly inconfiftent with the Love of God; a yohn 2. 15. Love not the World, neither the Things that are in thé World ; if any Man love the World, the love ofthe Father is not in him : But this" is according to the Hebrew Phrafe and manner of fpeaking, to forbid Things Abfolutely, which are to be un- derftood only Comparatively. So Mat. 6. 19. Laynot upforyourfelves Treafures upon Earth ; but layup foryour felvesTreafures in Heaven; i. e. be not fo folici- tous' for thegood Things ofthis World, as for the Glory and Happinefs of thenext. And Luke 12. 4. Be not afraid ofthem that kill the Body; that is, fear themnot fomuch as him that can deffroyboth Body and Soul inHell : And Luke i4. 2. If any Man come unto me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and all that he bath ; that is, if he do not love me more than all thefe Things, he cannot be my Difciple And john 6. 27. Labour not for the Meat which perifheth, butfor that which endureth to Everlafling Life ; that is, labour not fo much for the one as for the other, be not fofolicitous about the Things of this Life, as about the great Concernments of Eternity. So likewife Colof. 3. 2. Set your Affeflions on things above, not on things on the Earth ; i. e. fet them more onThings above, than on Earthly Things. So here not the World, neither the Things of the World ; that is, do not over-value them, do not love them fo much as not to be a= ble to part with them for Chrift ; for if any Man thus love the World, he does not love God as he ought. So that when the Scripture commands us not to love the World, this is to be underftood comparatively, that we fhouldnot love thefeThings in Comparifon of God, and thegreat Concernments of another World : But it does not forbid us to love thefe Things in a due Degree, and with a due Subordination to thofe Things which are more excellent, and of Infinitely greater Concernment to us. For nothing can be more inconfiftent than to recommend to Men Diligence in their worldly Callings and Employments (as the Scripture frequently does) and that in order to theattaining ofthe good Things ofthis Life ;- and yet to forbid us to love thefe Things at all. For if Men have no degree ofLove to them, the belt Argument to Diligence for the obtaining of them would be taken away. Betides, that we are commandedin Scripture to be thankful to God for bellowing on us the Bleffings of this Life, and we are to love him upon this Account. Now can any Man love the Giver, for bellowing fuch Gifts upon him, which if he do as he ought, hemutt not love ? You fee then what thofeThingsare, which the Scripture does not condemn as any Branch or Degree of this Vice of Covetoufnefs ; a provident Care, and a regu- lar Induftry, and fuch a degree of Love to the Thingsof this World, as is incon- fiftent with the Love ofGod, and the Care of our Souls. Secondly;.- I come now to thew what is condemned in Scripture under the Name ofCovetoufnefs ; and by this we Ihall belt underftánd wherein the Nature of this Sin doth confrft. Now Covetoufnefs is aWord of a large Signification, and com- prehends in it molt of the Irregularities of Men'sMinds, either in defiring, or get- ting, or in Wing, and ufng an Efate. I (hall fpeak to each ofthefe feverally. I. Covetoufnefs in the Defireof Riches, confifts in an eager and unfatiable Delire after the Things of this World. This the Scripture condemns, tho' it be free from Injuftice, as it feldom happens to be. This infatiable defire ofWealth, God plain- ly condemus'by his Prophet, Ira. s. 8. Wo unto them that joyn boufe to houfe, and layfield to field, till there be noplace, that they may beplaced alone in the midfl of. the Earth. And this is that which our Saviour here in the Text feems to have a more particular refpeÉt to, when he cautions Men against the Sin of Covetoufnefs, as appears both from the Reafon which he gives of this Caution, and from the Pa- rable whereby he illuftrates it. From the Reafon which he gives of this Caution, Take heed and beware ofCovetoufnefs ; for the Life ofMan doth not tong in the abundance of the Things which hepofefeth. As if he had faid, take great Care fto er
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