the vail to the glories which are prepared for the servants and children of God, earthly objects would be deprived of their lustre, and we should lose our `ardour in pursuing them. We should not then be only and continually contriving how to keep earthly treasure. We should have other and nobler things to employ our thoughts, and feel so much attention to the groveling concerns of this world mortifying and painful.

II. I proceed to mention some of the bad effects and consequences of covetousness. Bad surely they must be, or the divine displeasure would never have been so strongly denounced against it, as it is in the following expressions of scripture: "The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. 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 evil." But among a multitude of ill effects, I will only mention the following:

First, it tempts men to unlawful ways of getting riches.

Scarcely any sin exposes to more snares than covetousness. "They who will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare; and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. The love of money is the root of all evil: which, while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Solomon assures us, that "he who maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent." And in confirmation of the truth of these words, how often do we see, that covetous men will hesitate

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at nothing for the sake of accomplishing their purpose! Hence we frequently hear of such an one's being detected in using false weights and measures; or of such a person's being guilty of actual thievery, or fraudulent and deceitful practices. They are impatient to be rich, and therefore cannot be content with ordinary and legal ways of getting, but they will go into the bye-paths of fraud, injustice, and oppression; though, by their eagerness, they generally defeat their own purposes, and die poorer than those who are content with honest profit.

Secondly, it also tempts men to base and sinful ways to keep what they have thus gotten. It sometimes makes a person criminally sparing towards himself, so that in "the fulness of his sufficiency, he is in straits." But his penuriousness more frequently appears in his conduct towards others. If the necessities of the poor, or the cause of Christ, call for his contributions, pride only hinders him from refusing to attend to the application. But he gives as little as he possibly can; and of whatever advantage it may be to the receiver, he loses all the benefit of it himself, by his reluctance, or the improper motives by which he is influenced. We are cautioned against this conduct in the following words: "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee."

Thirdly. Covetousness sometimes fills the soul with disquietude and distraction. "The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer

him to sleep." Either he is so delighted with his riches, thinking that he has so much in this place, and so much in that; and that he shall soon have more, if such or such a thing answers his expectation; that the joy of it keeps him wakeful: or, more probably, fear prevents him from sleeping. "What," thinks he, "if a fire should break out at dead of night, and consume my goods, my house, my writings, before I have time to secure them? What if thieves should break in and rob me of all that I have been so long collecting?" So he thinks himself into anxiety, and deprives himself of present enjoyment, by an imaginary apprehension that some accident may strip him of his beloved possessions. This the wise man calls "Vexation of heart;" and, indeed, the misery of such is sometimes so visible, that all the world take notice of it, and, with a mixture of contempt and pity, look down upon the wealthy wretch, who is too rich to be happy.

Fourthly. Covetousness prevents all good, and is an inlet and encouragement to evil. Nothing so soon, and so effectually, stops the ear, and shuts the heart, against religious impressions. Thus, when Christ began to come closely to the conscience of the young man in the gospel, and exhorted him to sell all that he had, and give to the poor, it is said, "He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." So, we are informed, that "the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard Christ, and derided him." In like manner, it is said, that "he that received seed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke

the word, and it becometh unfruitful." It exposes á man to the danger of making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience; like Demas, who forsook Christ, having loved this present world. It tends to nourish other sins. Sometimes a man is covetous from pride; he gets all he can in order to maintain his state, and to gratify the love of finery and parade. Sometimes. covetousness is a servant to the lusts of the flesh, which makes many greedy, even to over-reaching in their dealings, and close even to penuriousness in their families; that they may have the more to. squander in rioting and drunkenness, chambering and

wantonness.

But I wish you particularly to remember, that the covetous will be excluded from the kingdom of God. You know who once said, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich : man, or for one, as he afterwards explains it, who trusts in his riches, to enter into the kingdom of God. He cannot enter; for such a worldly soul is not fit for its spiritual entertainments. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him: and can that man be fit for heaven that has no love to God? No; the covetous shall never inherit the kingdom of God. I wish that you would think of this, who palliate your sin, and call it by the softer names of parsimony, thrift, prudence, economy or industry. But call it what you will, covetousness is a crime, for which every one that is found guilty of it, will lose his own soul, and be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, as certainly as for whoredom, drunkenness, murder or any of

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the most odious and enormous transgressions. Take care, therefore, of all approaches to it. It is of an insinuating and encroaching nature: it may steal into your hearts, and, before you are aware, inlist you among the servants of Mammon. He that will be a friend of the world, is an enemy of God.

III. I shall suggest a few considerations for the prevention or cure of covetousness. Endeavour then to be convinced of the vanity of all worldly possessions. They are insufficient and uncertain. They are not able to satisfy the wants and wishes of those who depend most upon them, and have them in the greatest abundance. Look where you will, you will see that he who loveth silver is not satisfied with silver. If you had all the wealth of the Indies, it could not give you a moment's peace of conscience; it could not purchase a pardon for the sins of yesterday only; it could not procure for you a smile from God, or the least hope of "an inheritance among them who are sanctified." These are the things which you need most, and these you must have, or be undone for ever: and yet, towards the acquirement of these, riches are rather a hindrance than an assistance. But they are not merely unsatisfying, but uncertain. They perish in the using. You cannot be sure of enjoying them a moment. There is a deceitfulness in riches: they may make to themselves wings and fly away, when you think yourselves most secure. It would be a great help against covetous thoughts, if you were to accustom yourselves to such meditations. Settle it therefore in your judgment, that what you have been so eagerly pursuing, is not wor