pable of Satiety, as Paffions partly bodily are, but it is rather sharpned by enjoying, and increafed by Poffeffion.

And the fad Effects of it are almost incredible, had we not the Authority of the facred Story, to vouch the Truth of those woful Examples which it hath left to Pofterity.

There is none, I think, more amazing and dreadful than that of Judas, whofe Covetoufnefs first made him a Thief, nay, fo fhameless a Thief, that he was inclined thereby to rob the very poor. John 12. 6.

And fecondly it difpofed him to be a vile Hypocrite, and to pretend Care for the Poor, when he had none at all in his Heart, as you read there. ver. 5.

And thirdly, It made him a Traytor, nay, tempted him to betray the beft Mafter in the World, who had alfo particulary intrusted him with his Purse.

And fourthly, Being thus lewdly difpofed, it betrayed him to the Devil, who had Power and License given him to promote these base Inclinations in his Heart. John 18. 2.

My For it feems he was incenfed at our Saviour for Speaking against Covetoufnefs; (the hatching of this Treafon of his, being immediately recorded after our Saviour's coininending the Act of the Wo man, in fpending that Oyntment on his Body, which Judas would have converted into Money) which the Devil perceiving, he egg'd, his Indig nation and covetous Angerto proceed further, and conceive anIntent of betraying him, when he could

not have the Money for the Oyntment, he refolved to make Money of his Mafter, whom he not only fold, but, (Fifthly,) fuch was the Meanness of his Spirit, and his fordid Love of Money, he fold him for a very small Sum, for no more than the Price of a Slave, which was thirty Shekels of Silver. Exod. 21.32. The dirtieft, the moft contemptible Gain you fee by this is sweet and pleasant to a covetous Heart.

Nay, fixthly, he was very thankful to the High-Prieft for fo fmall a Sum; fo the Word 'Eğμgrón, Luke 22. 6. which we render, he promifed, fignifies in holy Scripture, he praised the Bargain and applauded his good Fortune; he chearfully accepted of the Offer, and confeffed, as I may exprefs it, that it was a great Gratuity for his Perfidiousness.

And feventhly, fo great was his Thirst after a little Money, that he could think of nothing elfe: But this Defire ftopt his Ears to the Admonition of our Saviour, who candidly reprefented to him the Danger of fuch Villany. Mark

14. 21,

And fo, laftly, this covetous Humour delivered him up intirely to the Power of the Devil. For it is faid, that after the Sop, the Devil entred into him, (when that good Counsel would not enter) who had put it before into his Heart to betray him. John 13: 27.

O how different was this Man's Spirit from that of the Father of the Faithful! Abraham, I mean, whofe Son if one would not have allowed him to be, he would have taken it very ill, and accounted

E e 2

1

accounted it a great Reproach; which is the Humour of all Hypocrites, who are much displeased if they be not thought to be the most godly People. This good Man, you may obferve, was fo far from the Greedinefs of these titular Children of his, that he could content himself without thofe Goods, which one Way he had a clear Right unto, in the Account of all the World, and which he might have had a further Right unto another Way, if he had pleased to accept of the Offer; the Goods, I mean, of the King of Sodom, he had taken in Fight, which became his Fure belli, by the Right of War; for the Law of Nations gives fuch Things to the Conqueror : And befides this, the King of Sodom, who was the former Proprietor, would have confirmed his Title, for he freely offered them all to him, that fo they might have been his fure donationis, by the Right of Gift, from him that before was their Owner.

But he would by no Means have any of thefe Goods, no, not the leaft Scrap of them remain in his Poffeffion: He had no covetous Defires of enriching himself by other Mens Misfortunes, or his own good Succefs in Arms. But tells him, as you read, Gen. 14. 22, 23. I have lifted up my Hand (i. e. fworn) to the most high God, the Poffeffor of Heaven and Earth; that I will not take from a Thread, even to a fhoe Latchet (a Phrafe to exprefs the fmalleft Matter) and that I will not take any Thing that is thine, leaft thou fhouldeft fay, I have made Abraham rich.

This was not a Piece of Pride, or a vain-glorious Humour in Abraham, to refufe the Present that wasmade him (tho' every prudent and grave Perfon, as he was, ought to have a great Care of his Fame and Reputation, and not give occafion to any to say, that he is greedy of Riches, and glad to have them any way, and to fnatch at ail advantageous Offers, or do any unhandfome Thing) but he did it, 1ft, That it might appear he undertook their War, not out of Defire of fpoil, and to fatisfie his covetous Appetite, but merely out of a pious Love that he bare to a Friend and Coufin, his Brother Lot. And, 2dly, that it might be apparent he depended, intirely on the Promife of God, and defired he might have the Honour, and not the King of Sodom, of giving him Riches; he had vowed it feems before, and that in the Prefence of the Lord of all, that he would not enjoy any of these Goods, and the Reafon feeins to be contained in thofe Words, Poffeffor of Heaven and Earth. God had faid he would bless him, and on his Word he refolved to truft for Increase and Multiplication of his Poffeffions; infomuch that he would not let any fhare with the great God, in this Honour of bleffing him. He knew very well in whom he trufted, even in him who had all Things, and needed nothing, who would not be fparing to give him as great Things as these, be-cause the World is his, and all that is therein; and would the rather beftow good Things on him, because he would receive them from none but himself.

A moft worthy and generous Example this is, to teach us not to be greedy of all we can get, if it be by mean, tho' not unlawful Ways; and above all things to feek the Honour of God, and to ftudy to do credit to our Religion, which we too much undervalue, when we pursue with too much Eagerness, and embrace with too much Paffion, all Occafions of making our felves great and wealthy.

But it is Time to leave this, and to pass to fome thing elfe. Let us then briefly confider,

V.

How reasonable that Command is, in every thing give Thanks. 1 Theff. 5. 18. For we have enough always, and that is a great deal more than we deferve to have; if a Man fhould think himself ill dealt withal, and be apt to be ungrateful, he need only ask himself, Where did I lie laft Night? Where did I make my laft Meal?

or,

Where did I work and labour the last Day? Who gave me thefe Hands and Feet? Who beftowed on me this Health and Strength? Bur efpecially he may ask himfelf, Have I not abuudant Means of being contented? Have I not the Promises of God, the Comfort of the holy Scriptures? &c. And, then he may tell himself, when he hath anfwered thefe Questions, what Reafon he hath to blefs God. And again, we fhould remember always, that we need no more than enough; and again, that no more than enough is beft for us: It is beft for our Souls, that our Thoughts may not be diftracted; it is

beft