ness" is this active principle within-opposing the workings of the renewed man, and assuming a thousand shapes and forms of gratifying self at the expense of love to God. Few but are ready to decry and condemn it in others, while perhaps it may be cleaving When the mind to themselves as their besetting sin. is suffered to grasp after the world, as if we were seeking our whole portion in it, we have the greatest reason to "take heed" to our Lord's admonition, and beware of covetousness." 1 When we invest earthly gratifications with any inherent excellency, we put them in the place of God, and (for the time at least) are under the influence of "covetousness.' Whenever therefore we feel an undue balance to our own interest or indulgences; then will be a season for special application, that the bent of our heart may be "inclined unto the testimonies of our God." The question therefore is of primary moment-Has any advance been made in the subjugation of this baneful inclination? Are we willing to part with our substance at the Lord's will ?-not only with our superfluities, or the refuse of what we possess, but with that which seems to be necessary to us? Do we desire to sit loose to our earthly comforts, and to restrain that "inordinate concupiscence within," which in the sight of God is " idolatry?" Are we enabled to check our natural discontent with the Lord's dealings with us, and our eagerness to "seek great things for ourselves," when he hath said-" Seek them not ?" 3 What the world calls a generous and noble spirit is often a cloke for this selfish principle, which will part with much, if but the darling object-the idol-be retained. There is probably no propensity more 1 Luke xii, 15. 2 Col. iii. 5. Comp. Eph. v. 5. Job xxxi. 24. 3 Jeremiah xlv. 5. opposed to the influence of the gospel, or which more cripples the soul in "going in the path of God's commandments." How much of the good seed of the kingdom, that was springing up with the promise of a plentiful harvest, has this weed of rank luxuriance "choked, that it has become unfruitful! " 1 Our Lord's parables therefore-his precepts-his terms of discipleship his own example of poverty and renunciation of this world's comforts 5-all are directed to detect the working, and even to forbid the existence, of "covetousness." The sight and love of Christ delivered Matthew 6 and Zaccheus7 from this destructive principle, and "inclined their hearts to the testimonies of God." And has not faith still the same power to turn the heart from the world, from sin, from self, to Christ? Oh! let it be exercised in daily contemplation of Him, and a continual access to God by Him, Then shall we learn to rest upon the promise of his love and to delight in his testimonies. Earthly cares will be cast upon him, and earthly prospects will lose their splendour.9 But let us not forget, that the desire, the inclination, the principle of "covetousness,” even if it is not brought into active and perceptible motion, is destructive of the life of religion, and, unless subdued by grace, is most fatal in its effects-" They that will be rich 10 fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish 1 Mark iv. 19.-The example of the rich young man, Matt. xix. 21, 22.-Ananias and Sapphira, Acts v. 1, 2.-Demas, 2 Tim. iv. 10. 2 Luke xii. 16-21; xvi. 14, 19, &c. 3 Matt. vi. 25-33. 4 Matt. xvi. 24; xix. 27—29. Luke xiv. 33. 5 Matt. viii. 20. 7 Luke xix. 1-10. 6 Matt. ix. 9. 8 Heb. xiii. 5. 9 Luke xii. 15. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth"-illustrated by the parable, verses 16-21. 10 Οι βουλομενοι πλουτειν. 1 Tim. vi. 9. The very desire or inclination to be rich bears the stamp of a heart seeking to divide "1 and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." Awful warning to professors !—“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. A most important exhortation to the people of God! “but thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness." If the Lord loves you, he will not indeed lose you; but unless you "take heed and beware of covetousness," he will not spare you. In the midst therefore, of temptation without, and a world of sin within, go on your pilgrimage to heaven, with this prayer indelibly fixed on your heart-" Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to coveteousness.” 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. How hard, nay-how impossible-is it, without the continued exercise of watchfulness and prayer, to detain the heart in the service and ways of God! Naturally inclined to evil, and hankering after forbidden paths, a thousand vanities steal it away in a moment, and every object around furnishes fuel for temptation. What need have we then to cry to God our Saviour all the way to heaven-" Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity!" Vanity is sin, because it is not of the Father, but of the world; " and it includes "all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." its services between God and Mammon, and therefore unfaithful to him, who by just right claims the supreme-undisputed whole -"My son, give me thine heart." 31 John ii. 16. 1 1 Tim, vi. 10. 2 Ibid. 11. " Detail is unnecessary in reckoning all the sum of vanity, or in enlarging on any particular items. The preacher, the son of David, has done it for us; standing on the vantage ground, and taking within his view the furthest horizon of earthly excellency, he pronounces his judgment—" Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities: all is vanity." 1 That many a promising profession has been blasted by the choking lusts of other things," we have just had occasion to mention; and that many a sincere profession has been exposed to hurt by the same deadly influence, is evident from the solemn caution given by Christ to his own disciples-" Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares." 2 Some indeed seem to walk as if they were proof against temptation. They venture to the very edge of the precipice, under a vain assurance that no danger is to be apprehended. But such a confidence is upon the brink of a grievous fall. The tender-hearted child of God, like David, while he trusts in the promise, that "Sin shall not have dominion over him," knows that he can only enjoy the comfort of it, or live in the assurance of it, while he is shrinking from every thing that is likely to hurt and endanger him. He hates even the garment spotted by the flesh." 5 and, remembering how often his outward senses have ministered to the workings of his weak and treacherous heart, he prays with fervency and with perseverance-" Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity," 1 Eccl. i. 2; also ii. 1-12. 3 Prov. xvi. 18. 4 Rom. vi. 14. 6 See Numb. xv. 39 2 Luke xxi. 34. 5 Jude 23. Joshua vii. 21. Probably David might feel, that he had especial need for this prayer, from the recollection of the circumstances of his own sin. Yet none that know that they carry about with them a heart prone to wander from God, will find this prayer unsuitable to their circumstances of daily temptation. But we must watch as well as pray. For as watchfulness without prayer is presumption, so prayer without watchfulness is self-delusion. То pray that " our eyes" may be "turned from vanity," without "making a covenant with our eyes,' ,"2 that they should not behold it; is like " taking fire in our bosoms," and expecting "not to be burnt," because we have 994 prayed that we might not be burnt. If we desire not to be "led into temptation," we must "watch that we enter not into it." Unless we wish to be ensnared, we must keep at a proper distance from the danger. The sincerity of our prayer-" Lead us not into temptation"-will be proved by the watchfulness of our conduct in avoiding the circumstances and occasions of temptation. So also the fear of sin will manifest itself by a fear of temptation to sin. "The knife will be put to the throat, if we be given to appetite." 5 We shall be afraid of the wine sparkling in the glass.6 an inlet to sin ? Who has not found the eye When Eve beheld the forbidden fruit, perhaps she did not think of taking it; and when she took it, did not think of eating it: but "the beginning of" sin "is as the letting out of water," whose progress once opened may beat down all before it. When Bunyan's pilgrims were obliged to pass through Vanity Fair, assailed by temptations and 1 2 Sam. xi. 2. 2 Job xxxi. 1. 3 Prov. vi. 27, 28. 5 Prov. xxiii. 2. Prov. xvii. 14. |