verfally experienced in all Ages, that the Heathens themselves, the ancient Poets and Philofophers, could not but take no tice of it. For Bion the Philofopher was wont to say that pinaplueia the Love of Money was nanías leonis the Metropolis of Wickedness. And Apollodorus, ἀλλὰ χεδόν Ἷς τὸ καφάλαιον 7 κακῶν εἴρηκας ἐν φιλαργυρία, η παι' ἔνι When thou fpeakeft of the Love of Money, thou mentioneft the Head of all Evils, for they are all contained in that. To the fame purpofe is that of the Poet Phocylides, à dé φιλοχρημοσμύη μήτηρ κακότη Θ. ἀπάσης, The Love of Riches is the Mother of all Wickedness. What thefe faw by the Light of Nature, hath here divine Authority ftamped upon it; God himfelf afferting the fame thing by his Apoftle, eia, milwr & κακῶν οὶν ἡ φιλαρτυρία, The Love of Money is the Root of all Evils, which, that we may the better understand, we must confider.

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I. WHAT is here meant by Money. 2. WHAT by the Love of Riches. 3. How the Love of Money is the Root of all Evils.

As for the first, I need not infift long upon it, all Men knowing well enough what Money is. But we must remember that by Money is here understood not only Silver

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Silver and Gold, but all earthly Comforts, Poffeffions, and Enjoyments whatsoever, whether Goods, Lands, Houfes, Wares, Wealth, or Riches of any fort or kind whatsoever.

2. By the Love of Money we are to understand that Sin which the Scriptures call Covetoufnefs, and the true nature and notion of it confifteth especially in three things.

I. IN having a real Efteem and Value for Wealth or Money, as if it was a thing that could make Men happy, or better than otherwise they would be; as it is plain all covetous Men have their Defire of Riches proceeding only from a groundlefs Fancy, that their Happiness confifts in having -much, which makes them fet a greater Value upon Riches, preferring them before other things, even before God himself. Hence the Love of Money is altogether inconfiftent with the Love of God, 1 Job. ii. 15. If any Man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. It being impoffible to love God as we ought," above all things, and yet to love the World too at the fame time.

2. HENCE the Love of Money fuppofeth alfo a Delight and Complacency in the having of it, proceeding from the forefaid Efteem they have for it: For being poffeffed with a fond Opinion, that the more

they

they have the better they are, they cannot but be pleased with the thoughts of their prefent Enjoyments, as the rich Man was in the Gofpel, Luk. xii. 16, 17, 18, 19. who because his Ground brought forth plentifully, refolv'd to enlarge his Barns, and lay up Stores for many Years, and bid his Soul take her Eafe. How many fuch Fools have we amongst us, who please and pride themselves with the thoughts of their being rich?

13. FROM this Efteem for, and Complacency in Money or Wealth, it follows that Men are still defirous of having more, placing their Happiness only in Riches, because they think they can never be happy enough, therefore they think too they are never rich enough. Hence how much foever they have, they ftill defire more, and therefore Covetoufnefs in Scripture is or+ dinarily expreffed by neovegia, which properly fignifies an inordinate Defire of ha ving more, which kind of Defires can never be fatisfyed, because they are able to defire more than all the World, and to raise themselves as high and as far as the infinite Good itself. Now fuch a Love of Money as this is, confifting in having a real Esteem for it, in taking Pleasure and Delight in it, and in longing and thirsting after it; this is that which the Apostle

here

here faith is the Root of all Evil, that is, it is the great and principal Cause of all forts of Evil that Men are guilty of, or obnoxious to which that I may clearly demonftrate to you, we must firft know in general that there are but two forts of Evil in the World, the Evil of Sin, and the Evil of Punishment or Mifery; and the Love of Money is the Cause of them both.

To begin with the Evil of Sin, which is the only Fountain from whence all other Evils flow, and itself doth certainly spring from the Love of Money, as much or more than from any thing else in the whole World. Infomuch that the greatest part of thofe Sins which any of us are guilty of, proceeds from this Mafter Sin, even the Love of Money, as might easily be fhewn from a particular Enumeration of thofe Sins which Men generally are addicted to. But that I may proceed more clearly and methodically in demonftrating this, fo as to convince Men of the Danger of this above moft other Sins, I defire it may be confider'd that there are two forts of Sins that we are all guilty of, Sins of Omiffion and Sins of Commiffion, under which two Heads all Sins whatfoever are comprehended.

FIRST for Sins of Omiffion. It is plain that our Love of Money is the chief and

principal

principal Cause that makes us neglect and omit our Duties to God and Man, as it is manifeft we moft of us do. In fpeaking unto which I must take leave to deal plainly, for it is a matter that concerns our eternal Salvation; and therefore how foever fome may refent it, I am bound in Duty and Confcience to mind Men of their Sins, and particularly of this great prevailing Sin of Covetoufnefs, or inordinate Love of Money, which moft Men give but too much reafon to fear they are guilty of, and therefore I may tell them of it without any breach of Charity. It is true, I cannot pretend to be a fearcher of Hearts, that is only God's Prerogative, and therefore I fhall not take upon me to judge or cenfure any particular Perfons; but I fhall speak to all in general, and leave every one to make the particular Application of it to himself. Neither fhall I fpeak of things at random, but I fhall inftance only in fuch Sins which I can affert upon my own Knowledge that moft Men allow themfelves, and that upon this account only, because they love Money.

FOR firft, what is the reafon that fo few, indeed scarce any of us, are at Prayers at Church upon the Week-Day, to perform our Devotion to him that made us? Is it because we think it impertinent to pray

unto