those that delight in money, those that take pleasure in it, those that seek their happiness therein, that brood over their gold and silver, bills or bonds. Such was the man described by the fine Roman Painter, who broke out in that natural soliloquy,

66 -Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo

Ipse domi quoties nummos contemplor in arca."

If there are any vices which are not natural to man, I should imagine, this is one: as money of itself does not seem to gratify any natural desire or appetite of the human mind: and, as during an observation of sixty years, I do not remember one instance, of a man given up to the love of money, till he had neglected to employ this precious talent, according to the Will of his Master. After this, sin was punished by sin, and this evil spirit was permitted to enter into him.

7. But beside this gross sort of covetousness, the love of money, there is a more refined species of covetousness, mentioned by the great Apostle, whɛoveği: which literally means, a desire of having more, more than we have already. And those also come under the denomination of, they that will be rich. It is true that this desire, under proper restrictions, is innocent: nay, commendable. But when it exceeds the bounds, (and how difficult is it not to exceed them!) then it comes under the present censure.

8. But who is able to receive these hard sayings? Who can believe that they are the great truths of God? Not many wise; not many noble; not many famed for learning: none, indeed, who are not taught of God: and who are they, whom God teaches? Let our Lord answer, "If any man be willing to do his Will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." Those who are otherwise minded, will be so far from receiving it, that they will not be able to understand it. Two as sensible men as most in England, sat down together some time since, to read over and consider that plain discourse, on "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth." After much deep consideration, one of them broke out, "Positively, I cannot under

stand it. Pray do you understand it, Mr. L. ?" Mr. L. honestly replied, "Indeed, not I. I cannot conceive what Mr. W. means. I can make nothing at all of it." So utterly blind is our natural understanding, touching the truth of God!

9. Having explained the former part of the text, "They that will be rich," and pointed out, in the clearest manner I could, the persons spoken of: I will now endeavour, God being my helper, to explain what is spoken of them, "They fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

"They fall into temptation." This seems to mean much more than simply, they are tempted. They enter into the temptation: they fall plump down into it. The waves of it compass them about, and cover them all over. Of those who thus enter into temptation, very few escape out of it. And the few that do are sorely scorched by it, though not utterly consumed. If they escape at all, it is with the skin of their teeth, and with deep wounds that are not easily healed.

10. They fall, secondly, into a snare, the snare of the devil, which he hath purposely set in their way. I believe the Greek word properly means a gin, a steel trap, which shews no appearance of danger. But as soon as any creature touches the spring, it suddenly closes, and either crushes its bones in pieces, or consigns it to inevitable ruin.

11. They fall, thirdly, into many foolish and hurtful desires: avontous: silly, senseless, fantastic: as contrary to reason, to sound understanding, as they are to religion: hurtful, both to body and soul, tending to weaken, yea, destroy every gracious and heavenly temper; destructive of that faith which is of the operation of God; of that hope which is full of immortality; of love to God and to our neighbour, and of every good word and work.

12. But what desires are these? This is a most important question, and deserves the deepest consideration.

In general, they may all be summed up in one, The desiring happiness out of God. This includes, directly or remotely, every foolish and hurtful desire. St. Paul expresses it by "loving the creature more than the Creator:" and by being "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." In particular, they are (to use the exact and beautiful enumeration of St. John) "the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life:" all of which, the desire of riches naturally tends both to beget and to increase.

13. The desire of the flesh is generally understood in far too narrow a meaning. It does not, as is commonly supposed, refer to one of the senses only, but takes in all the pleasures of sense, the gratification of any of the outward senses. It has reference to the taste in particular. How many thousands do we find at this day, in whom the ruling principle is, the desire to enlarge the pleasure of tasting ? Perhaps they do not gratify this desire in a gross manner, so as to incur the imputation of intemperance: much less, so as to violate health, or impair their understanding, by gluttony or drunkenness. But they live in a genteel, regular sensuality, in an elegant epicurism, which does not hurt the body, but only destroys the soul, keeping it at a distance from all true religion.

14. Experience shews, that the imagination is gratified chiefly by means of the eye. Therefore, the desire of the eyes, in its natural sense, is, the desiring and seeking happiness in gratifying the imagination. Now the imagination is gratified either by grandeur, by beauty, or by novelty : chiefly by the last for neither grand nor beautiful objects please, any longer than they are new.

15. Seeking happiness in learning, of whatever kind, falls under "the desire of the eyes;" whether it be in history, languages, poetry, or any branch of natural or experimental philosophy: yea, we must include the several kinds of learning, such as Geometry, Algebra, and Metaphysics. For if our supreme delight be in any of these, we are herein gratifying "the desire of the eyes."

16. The pride of life, (whatever else that very uncommon expression naλa rou Biov, may mean,) seems to imply chiefly, the desire of honour, of the esteem, admiration, and applause of men as nothing more directly tends both to beget and cherish pride, than the honour that cometh of men. And as riches attract much admiration, and occasion much applause, they proportionably minister food for pride, and so may also be referred to this head.

17. Desire of ease, is another of these foolish and hurtful desires: desire of avoiding every cross, every degree of trouble, danger, difficulty; a desire of slumbering out life, and going to heaven (as the vulgar say,) upon a featherbed. Every one may observe, how riches first beget, and then confirm and increase this desire, making men more and more soft and delicate, more unwilling, and, indeed, more unable to "take up their cross daily," to "endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," and to "take the kingdom of heaven by violence."

18. Riches either desired or possessed, naturally lead to some or other of these foolish and hurtful desires; and by affording the means of gratifying them all, naturally tend to increase them. And there is a near connexion between unholy desires, and every unholy passion and temper. We easily pass from these to pride, anger, bitterness, envy, malice, revengefulness; to an headstrong, unadvisable, unreprovable spirit: indeed, to every temper, that is earthly, sensual, or devilish. All these, the desire or possession of riches naturally tends to create, strengthen, and increase.

19. And by so doing, in the same proportion as they prevail, they pierce men through with many sorrows: sorrows from remorse, from a guilty conscience: sorrows flowing from all the evil tempers which they inspire or increase: sorrows inseparable from those desires themselves, as every unholy desire is an uneasy desire; and sorrows from the contrariety of those desires to each other, whence it is impossible to gratify them all. And, in the end, they drown

the body in pain, disease, destruction, and the soul in everlasting perdition.

II. I. I am, in the Second place, to apply what has been said. And this is the principal point. For what avails the clearest knowledge, even of the most excellent things, even of the things of God, if it go no farther than speculation, if it be not reduced to practice? He that hath ears to hear, let him hear! And what he hears, let him instantly put in practice. O that God would give me the thing which I long for! That, before I go hence and am no more seen, I may see a people wholly devoted to God, crucified to the world, and the world crucified to them! A people truly given up to God, in body, soul, and substance! How cheerfully should I then say, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace!"

2. I ask then, in the name of God, who of you desire to be rich? Which of you, (ask your own hearts in the sight of God,) seriously and deliberately desire, (and perhaps applaud yourselves for so doing, as no small instance of your prudence,) to have more than food to eat, and raiment to put on, and a house to cover you? Who of you desires to have more than the plain necessaries and conveniences of life? Stop! Consider! What are you doing? Evil is before you? Will you rush upon the point of a sword? By the grace of God turn and live!

3. By the same authority I ask, who of you are endeavouring to be rich? To procure for yourselves more than the plain necessaries and conveniences of life? Lay, each of you, your hand to your heart, and seriously enquire, Am I of that number? Am I labouring, not only for what I want, but for more than I want? May the Spirit of God say to every one, whom it concerns, "Thou art the man !"

4. I ask, Thirdly, who of you are, in fact, laying up for yourselves treasures upon earth? Increasing in goods? Adding, as fast as you can, house to house, and field to field? As long as thou thus "dost well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee." They will call thee a wise, a