Serm. XXXVII. '[be Nature of Covetoufnefs. [25 91 (pare, chufeth rather to keep it, than to do good with 'it, and to life it to one of the principal ends for whichGod gives an Eftate. Thirdly, They likewife are Covetoùs, who place their chief Trúff and Happi- nefs in Riches, who ( as the Expreflìon is, Job 3 i. 24. ) make Gold their hope, andfay to thefine Gold, thou art my confidence. And this is the Reafon why Co vetczfiefis fo often in Scripture call'd Idolatry ; becaufe the Covetous Man fets up his Richesin the place of God, putting his Truft and Confidence in them, and fetting his whole Heart upon them, loving them as he Ihould love God only, with all his Heart, and Soul, and Strength : And therefore Mammon, which fignifies Riches, is in Scripture reprefented as a Deity, and the Covetous Man, as a Servant, or Worfhipper of Mammon. So that in Scripture he is a Covetous Man who placeth his chief Felicity in a great Fortune, and will venture to lofe any thing, rather than to part with that; Who will quit his Religion, and violate his Confcience, and run the hazard of his Soul, rather than forfeit his Eftate, or the hopes of advancing it to his Mind. And this in times of Trial and Difficulty, is the great Temptation to which the 'Covetous Man is expofed. When a' Man may not only fave himfelf, but get con- fderable advantage by departing from the Truth ; and in changing his Religion, may have a good Sutnm of Money to boot, or which is equal to it, a good Place; This to a Covetous Mind is a very ftrong Temptation, and altno. t irrefiftible, When Error and Delufion can bid fo high, and offer fo good Terms, no wonder if it gain fotne Profelytes among theCovetous and Ambitious part of Mankind. This the Apoftle gives warning of; asa great Temptation to Rich Men in Times of Suf- fering, r Tim. 6. g, rO. They that will be Rich, fall into Temptation; and a Snare: for the love of Money is the root ofall Evil ; which while forie have lulledafter; they have erredfrom the Faith. The young Man in the Gofpel is a fad Inftance of this kind, who chofe rather to leave Chrift, than to part with his great Poffeffi ons. And fucha one was Demas, who forfook the Apoftles, and Chrlianity it fell, to cleave to this prefent World. Thus I have done with the Firfl Thing I propofed to fpeak to, the Nature of this Vice, which our Saviour in the Text cautions Men fo earneftly againft ; Take heed and beware of Covetoufnefs. I fhould now proceed in the Second place to thew the Evil and UnreafortableneGof this Vice. But that (hall be the Subjelt of another Difcourfe. SERMON XXXVII. The Evil and Unreafonablenefs of Covetoufnefss The óñ° this reti: LUKE Xil. 15e And he faid unto them, Take heed and beware of Covetoufnefs ; for a Man's Life confffeth not in the abundance of the things which he toffeffeth. IHave made entrance into a Dtfcourfé upòn thefe Words, in which I told yòù there are Three Things Obfervable. Fir/l, The Manner ofthe Caution which our Saviour here gives, Take heed and beware. Secondly, TheMatter ofthe Caution, or the Sin which our Saaioùr here warns his Hearers againft, Take heed andbeware ofCovetoufnefs : And Thirdly, TheReafon ofthis Caution, becaufe a Man's Life confifeth not in the abundance ofthe Things which he pogeeth: Itt
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