(The TENTH Commandment)
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"You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour." Exodus 20:17
This commandment forbids covetousness in general, "You shall not covet;" and in particular, "Your neighbour's house, your neighbour's wife, etc.
I. It forbids covetousness in GENERAL. "You shall not covet." It is lawful to use the world, yes, and to desire so much of it as may keep us from the temptation of poverty: "Give me not poverty, lest I steal, and take the name of my God in vain" (Proverbs 30:8, 9); and as may enable us to honour God with works of mercy. "Honour the Lord with your substance." Proverbs 3:9. But all the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. Water is useful for the sailing of the ship: all the danger is when the water gets into the ship. So the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. "You shall not covet."
[1] What is it to covet?
There are two words in the Greek which set forth the nature of covetousness. Pleonexia, which signifies an "insatiable desire of getting the world." Covetousness is a dry dropsy. Augustine defines covetousness, "to desire more than enough;" to aim at a great estate; to be like the daughter of the horse-leech, crying, "Give, give." Proverbs 30:15. The other word is Philarguria, which signifies an "inordinate love of the world." The world is the idol. It is so loved, that a man will not part with it for any price. He may be said to be covetous not only who gets the world unrighteously—but who loves it inordinately.
For a more full answer to the question, "What is it to covet?" I shall show in six particulars, when a man may be said to be given to covetousness:
(1) A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when his thoughts are wholly taken up with the world. A godly man's thoughts are in heaven; he is thinking of Christ's love and eternal recompense. "When I awake I am still with you," that is, in divine contemplation. Psalm 139:18. A covetous man's thoughts are in the world; his mind is wholly taken up with it; he can think of nothing but his shop or farm. The imagination is a mint-house, and most of the thoughts in a covetous man's mint are worldly. He is always plotting and projecting about worldly things; like a virgin whose thoughts all centre upon her suitor. "Their mind is on earthly things." Philippians 3:19
(2) A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when he takes more pains for getting earth than for getting heaven. He will turn every stone, break his sleep, take many a weary step for the world; but will take no pains for Christ or heaven. After the Gauls, who were an ancient people of France, had tasted the sweet wine of the Italian grape, they inquired after the country, and never rested until they had arrived at it; so a covetous man, having had a relish of the world, pursues after it, and never ceases until he has got it; but he neglects the things of eternity. He would be content if salvation were to drop into his mouth, as a ripe fig into the mouth of the eater (Nahum 3:12); but he is loath to put himself to too much sweat or trouble to obtain Christ or salvation. He hunts for the world—but he only wishes for heaven.
(3) A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when all his discourse is about the world. "He who is of the earth, speaks of the earth." John 3:31. It is a sign of godliness to be speaking of heaven, to have the tongue tuned to the language of Canaan. "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious;" he speaks as if he had been already in heaven. Eccl. 10:12. So it is a sign of a man given to covetousness to speak always of secular things, of his wares and business. A covetous man's breath, like a dying man's, smells strong of the earth. As it was said to Peter, "Your speech betrays you;" so a covetous man's speech betrays him. Matt 26:73. He is like the fish in the gospel, which had a piece of money in its mouth. Matt 17:27. "The words are the looking-glass of the heart," they show what is within. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45
(4) A man is given to covetousness when he so sets his heart upon worldly things, that for the love of them, he will part with heaven. For the "wedge of gold," he will part with the "pearl of great price." When Christ said to the young man in the gospel, "Sell all, and come and follow me." "He went away sorrowful." Matt 19:22. He would rather part with Christ than with all his earthly possessions. Cardinal Bourbon said, he would forego his part in paradise, if he might keep his cardinalship in Paris. When it comes to the critical point that men must either relinquish their estate or Christ, and they will rather part with Christ and a good conscience than with their estate, it is a clear case that they are possessed with the demon of covetousness! "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world." 2 Timothy 4:10
(5) A man is given to covetousness, when he overloads himself with worldly business. He has many irons in the fire; he takes so much business upon him, that he cannot find time to serve God; he has scarcely time to eat his food—but no time to pray. When a man overcharges himself with the world, and as Martha, cumbers himself about many things, that he cannot have time for his soul, he is under the power of covetousness.
(6) He is given to covetousness whose heart is so set upon the world, that, to get it, he cares not what unlawful means he uses. He will have the world by fair means or foul; he will wrong and defraud, and raise his estate upon the ruins of another. "The balances of deceit are in his hand, he loves to oppress. . . . Ephraim said, "Yet I am become rich." Hos 12:7, 8. Pope Sylvester II sold his soul to the devil for a popedom.
Use. "Take heed and beware of covetousness." Luke 12:15. It is a direct breach of the tenth commandment. It is a moral vice, it infects and pollutes the whole soul.
(1) Covetousness is a SUBTLE sin. It is a sin that many cannot so well discern in themselves. This sin can dress itself in the attire of virtue. It is called the "cloak of covetousness." 1 Thess 2:5. It is a sin which wears a cloak, it cloaks itself under the name of frugality and good taste. It has many pleas and excuses for itself; more than any other sin—such as providing for one's family. The more subtle the sin is, the less discernible it is.
(2) Covetousness is a DANGEROUS sin. It checks all that is good. It is an enemy to grace; it damps holy affections, as the earth puts out the fire. The hedgehog, in the fable, came to the cony-burrows, in stormy weather, and desired harbor; but when once he had got admission, he set up his prickles, and never ceased until he had thrust the poor conies out of their burrows! Just so, covetousness, by fair pretenses, winds itself into the heart; but as soon as you have let it in, it will never leave until it has choked all good beginnings, and thrust all piety out of your hearts. "Covetousness hinders the efficacy of the Word preached."
In the parable of the sower, the thorns, which Christ expounded to be the cares of this life—choked the good seed. Matt 13:22. Many sermons lie dead and buried in earthly hearts. We preach to men to get their hearts in heaven; but where covetousness is predominant, it chains them to earth, and makes them like the woman which Satan had bent down for eighteen years, so that she was unable to stand up straight. Luke 13:11. You may as well bid an elephant fly in the air—as a covetous man live by faith. We preach to men to give freely to Christ's poor; but covetousness makes them like the man in the gospel, who had "a withered hand." Mark 3:1. They have a withered hand, and cannot stretch it out to the poor. It is impossible to be earthly-minded and charitably-minded. Covetousness obstructs the efficacy of the Word, and makes it prove abortive. Those whose hearts are rooted in the earth, will be so far from profiting by the Word, that they will be ready rather to deride it. The Pharisees, who were covetous, "derided him." Luke 16:14.
(3) Covetousness is a MOTHER sin. It is a radical vice. "The love of money is the root of all evil." 1 Tim 6:10. "O accursed lust for gold! what crimes do you not urge upon the human heart!" Virgil. He who has an earthly itch, a greedy desire of getting the world, has in him the root of all sin. Covetousness is a mother sin. Covetousness is a breach of all the ten commandments.
It breaks the first commandment; "You shall have no other gods but one." The covetous man has more gods than one; Mammon is his God. He has a god of gold, therefore he is called an idolater. Col 3:5.
Covetousness breaks the second commandment: "You shall not make any graven image, you shall not bow yourself to them." A covetous man bows down, though not to the graven image in the church—yet to the graven image on his coin.
Covetousness is a breach of the third commandment; "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." Absalom's design was to get his father's crown, which was covetousness; but he talked of paying his "vow to God," which was to take God's name in vain.
Covetousness is a breach of the fourth commandment; "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy." A covetous man does not keep the Sabbath holy; he will do his business on a Sabbath; instead of reading in the Bible, he will cast up his accounts.
Covetousness is a breach of the fifth commandment; "Honor your father and your mother." A covetous person does not honor his father, if he does not help him in his necessities. Nay; he will get his father to make over his estate to him in his lifetime, so that the father may be at his son's command.
Covetousness is a breach of the sixth commandment; "You shall not kill." Covetous Ahab killed Naboth to get his vineyard. 1 Kings 21:13. How many have swum to the crown—in blood?
Covetousness is a breach of the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery." It causes immorality; you read of the "hire of a whore." Deut 23:18. An adulteress for money, sets both conscience and chastity to sale.
Covetousness is a breach of the eighth commandment "You shall not steal." It is the root of theft: covetous Achan stole the wedge of gold. Thieves and covetous are put together. 1 Cor 6:10.
Covetousness is a breach of the ninth commandment; "You shall not bear false witness." What makes the perjurer take a false oath but covetousness? He hopes for a reward.
It is plainly a breach of the tenth commandment; "You shall not covet." The mammonist covets his neighbour's house and goods, and endeavours to get them into his own hands. Thus you see how vile a sin covetousness is! It is a mother sin! It is a plain breach of every one of the ten commandments.
(4) Covetousness is a DISHONORABLE sin to religion. For men to say their hopes are above—while their hearts are below; to profess to be above the stars—while they "lick the dust" of the serpent; to be born of God—while they are buried in the earth; how dishonourable is this to religion! The lapwing, which wears a little coronet on its head, and yet feeds on dung, is an emblem of such as profess to be crowned kings and priests unto God, and yet feed immoderately on earthly dunghill comforts. "Do you seek you great things for yourself? seek them not!" Jer 45:5. What, you Baruch, who are ennobled by the new birth, and are illustrious by your office, a Levite, do you seek earthly things, and seek them now? When the ship is sinking, are you trimming your cabin? O do not so degrade yourself, nor blot your escutcheon! "Do you seek you great things for yourself? seek them not!" The higher grace is, the less earthly should Christians be; as the higher the sun is, the shorter is the shadow.
(5) Covetousness is a DAMNING sin. It exposes us to God's abhorrence. "The covetous, whom the Lord abhors." Psalm 10:3. A king abhors to see his statue abused, so God abhors to see man, made in his image, having the heart of a beast. Who would live in such a sin—as makes him abhorred of God? Whom God abhors he curses, and his curse blasts wherever it comes!
Covetousness brings men to eternal ruin, and shuts them out of heaven. "This you know, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Eph 5:5. What could a covetous man do in heaven? God can no more converse with him—than a king can converse with a swine! "Those who will be rich fall into a snare, and many hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition." 1 Tim 6:9. A covetous man is like a bee that gets into a barrel of honey, and there drowns itself. As a ferry—man, to increase his fare, takes in too many passengers, that he sinks his boat; so a covetous man takes in so much gold to increase his estate, that he drowns himself in perdition! I have read of some inhabitants near Athens, who, living in a very dry and barren island, took much pains to draw a river to the island to water it and make it fruitful; but when they had opened the passages, and brought the river to it, the water broke in with such force, that it drowned the land, and all the people in it. This is an emblem of a covetous man, who labours to draw riches to him, and at last they come in such abundance, that they drown him in perdition! How many, to build up an estate, pull down their souls! Oh, then, flee from covetousness! I shall next prescribe some remedies against covetousness.
[2] I am, in the next place, to solve the question, What is the CURE for this covetousness?"
Next Part 2 (The TENTH Commandment)