So pass'd my life's sad morning, Is dark and chearless found. Ah! why did nature give me At others ills thus wailing, Ah! what is nature's beauty Ere long, perhaps, my sorrow Nor distant far the morrow, Then cease my heart to languish, "It is undeniably plain, that there are great numbers that call themselves christians, who are in their conduct more like incarnate devils, than real saints. View them in their respective places of worship, and in the performance of devotional duties; you see them assume a serious air, as if they were greatly concerned about their everlasting welfare. See them in their families and in the common concerns of life, there they are full of levity! unsavory and loose in their conversation. You may see them vain and extravagant in dress and show, while their poor christian neighbours of the same religious community, with all their industry, are hardly able to acquire decent cloathing. Nor need we wonder if these sons of carnal pleasure put them off with a "Be ye warmed." They will be lavish enough at their own tables, while the poor are ready to famish by their side; and, such is their love to Christ and his members, they will think it an instance of great condescention if they vouchsafe to visit them and say, "Be ye filled." Or, if these pretenders to piety be naturally of a more grave and serious disposition, view them in their trade and business; there you will find them covetous, griping and oppressive; making it their chief aim to lay up fortunes for their dependants, and to raise their families in the world. These, like their fore fathers, for a pretence make long prayers; even when, by usury, extortion and oppression, they grind the faces of the poor, and devour widows houses. They lay up that in their coffers, which of right belongs to the needy who labour under them; the rust of which shall be a swift witness against them another day, and shall eat their flesh, as it were fire.* "Is not the Gospel dishonoured, by such professors, such sanctimonious wretches as these? Such persons, whether more light in their disposition and conduct, or more grave in their temper and behaviour, are alike the children of the devil and the slaves of sin; are on a level, in the sight of God, with the most profane. As to the covetous, those votaries of Mammon, whatever dislike they may have to their associates, they stand ranked in the book of God with no other company, than extortioners, and thieves, drunkards and adulterers. Yea, they are branded with the more detestable character, for they are called, idolaters. "The sin of covetousness, is, I fear, greatly misunderstood and much overlooked by many professors. Were it not, the remark would not be so often made; "Such a person is a good Christian, but a covetous man:” Whereas it might with as much propriety * James v. 3, 4. " be said; Such a woman is a virtuous lady, but an infamous prostitute." For the latter is not more contrary to sound sense, than the former is to the positive declarations of God, recorded in scripture.-When we hear people in common, talk about covetousness, we are tempted to look upon it, as a merely trifling fault: But, when we turn over the volume of heaven, we find it pronounced idolatry, and deemed a capital crime; while Jehovah denounces damnation against the wretch that is guilty of it.* "In what, then, does this aggravated sin consist? I answer, Covetousness, in the language of inspiration, is the desire of haring more; the desire of obtaining, or increasing in wealth. Whoever, therefore, is habitually desirous of riches, is, in the estimation of heaven, a covetous man; whateyer his station in life, or profession of religion may be. The language of the covetous heart is that of the horse leech's daughters, Give, give. The covetous man is always desirous of more, whether he has little or much and if a professor, he will always find some pretext, to hide the iniquity of his idolatrous heart. But, however such a professor may cover his crime under * 1 Cor. 6—9—10. Eph. 5-5. Col. 3-5. Psal. 10--3. plausible prétences of any kind; or however safe he may imagine himself, as being a member of a visible church, and free from censure; the time is coming when the mask shall be stripped off, and then it shall be fully known where his affections have been, and what God he has served. Then it shall plainly appear, whether JEHOVAH, or Mammon, swayed his affections and ruled in his heart. Perhaps, there are few sins for the practice of which, so many excuses are made and plausible pretences urged, as that of covetousness, or a love of the world: consequently, there are few sins against which professors have greater occasion to watch. It was not, therefore, without the greatest reason, that our Lord gave that solemn caution to all his followers; Take heed, and beware of covetousness. "It is remarkable, (says Mr. Venn) that the covetousness against which we are so earnestly warned in God's word, is not of the scandalous kind; but such as may govern the heart of a man, who is esteemed very virtuous and excellent by the world. In the tenth Psalm the covetous, whom the Lord is there said to abhor, are the very persons of whom the wicked speak well: which would never be the case, did their love of money, make them either villainous in their practices, or miserably penurious G g |