A Body of Practical Divinity

10. It is plainly a Breach of the Last Commandment, Thou shalt not covet. The Mammonist covets his Neighbours House and Goods, and endeavours to get them ⟨p. 385⟩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 Sin dishonourable to Religion. For such as say their Hopes are Above, yet their Hearts are below. For them who profess to be above the Stars, to lick the Dust of the Serpent: To be born of God, yet buried in the Earth: How dishonourable is this to Religion! The Lapwing wears a little Coronet on its Head, yet feeds on Dung. An Emblem of such as profess to be Crowned Kings and Priests unto God, yet feed immoderately on these Terrene Dunghill Comforts. Jer. 45.5. And seekest thou great things for thy self, seek them not. What thou Baruch, who art ennobled by thy New Birth, and art illustrious by thy Office, a Levite, dost thou seek earthly things? And seek them now? When the Ship is sinking, art thou trimming thy Cabin? O do not so degrade thy self, nor blot thy Scutcheon! Seekest thou great things? Seek them not. The higher Grace is, the less earthly should Christians be: The Higher the Sun is, the shorter always is the Shadow.

(4.) Covetousness is a Sin dishonourable to Religion. For such as say their Hopes are Above, yet their Hearts are below. For them who profess to be above the Stars, to lick the Dust of the Serpent: To be born of God, yet buried in the Earth: How dishonourable is this to Religion! The Lapwing wears a little Coronet on its Head, yet feeds on Dung. An Emblem of such as profess to be Crown'd Kings and Priests unto God, yet feed immoderately on these Terrene Dunghil Comforts. Ier. 45.5. And seekest thou great things for thy self, seek them not. What thou Baruk, who art enobled by thy New Birth, and art illustrious by thy Office, a Levite, dost thou seek earthly things? And seek them now? When the Ship is sinking, art thou trimming thy Cabin? O do not so degrade thy self, nor blot thy Scutcheon! Seekest thou great things? Seek them not. The higher Grace is, the less earthly should Christians be: The Higher the Sun is, the shorter always is the Shadow.