October 14 — On the Vice of Covetousness

Consider, first, that the vice of covetousness consists in having too great a love, desire or concern for money, or other worldly goods and possessions, so as to set one’s heart upon them, to be uneasy and solicitous about them, to covet them eagerly when absent, to take too great a complacency iw them when present, and to make them the darling of one’s affections. The malignity of this vice may easily be discovered, from its opposition td God and to his worship, and to every branch of divine charity; which is so great, that, in the language of the scripture, covetous ness is named the serving of idols and the covetous man is declared to be an idolater (Eph. v. 5. Colos. iit. 5,) because he worships and loves his money more than God; and what is idolatry, but worshipping and serving the creature rather them the Ore atorl Rom. i. Yes, the covetous man serves Mammon, the god of this world, more than the living God of heaven; for the love of Mammon he turns his back upon his Maker, neglects his love and service, and is ever ready to break through his heavenly law and commandments, rather than forego his worldly interest; to which he sacrifices his soul and all, and for the sake of which he hardens his heart against the necessities of his neighbours, and the cries of the poor, O, how evidently is here verified that of the wise man, (Ecclus. x. 10,) There is not a more wicked thing than to love money; for such a one setteth even his own soul to sale.

Consider, secondly, the malignity of this vice of loving money, From its unhappy offspring, that is, from the innuiitorable evSs wlicb k daily produces. It is the mother of theA and robberies, of fraud and deceit, of oppression of the poor, of usury and ea tortion, and of all manner of injustices; it employs innumerable lies and perjuries to support its darling idol. It is the parent of bribery and corruption, and of all the sad consequences this evil produces in the world. It even creeps into the sanctuary, and too often profanes it with manifold abuses and sacrileges. It has oAeii brought forth heresies and schisms too, Timothy vi. 10,) and with them a deluge of other crimes; it has pillaged and destroyed churches, bos{ls, and monasteries, and invaded and carried off the patrimony of the poor, &lc. It has even betrayed and seld the Son of God himself. O cursed love of money! hoA long alialt thou thus, like a second deluge, drown the whole world i When shall thy tyranny have an end? Wilt thou never cease to fiU the world with all sort of crimes, and hell with souls?

Consider, thirdly, that this vice of covetousness besides all this brood of evils, which it daily brings forth, produces many other ead effects in the soul of man, even than when it does not hurry him into those more scandalous excesses specified above, and when, in the eyes of the world, it appears more innocent. For where a person, though he covets not perhaps the goods of his neighbour, yet sets his affection too much upon riches or worldly possessions, and eagerly pursues after money, he quickly loses all relish for heavenly things, and all true sense of devotion; his heart is filled with the love of the world, and with many cares and anxious solicitudes about the things of the world, which, like thorns, choke up the seed of the word, and of the grace of God, and hinder k from bringing forth the fruits of faith, hope and charity, in their due time. The love of riches overpowers bis love of God and of his neighbour; the care of his eternal salvation is no longer his principal concern; he loses that confidence be ought to have in divine providence; he neglects religious duties; lie does not give alms according to his circumstances; in a word, he is continually in danger df breaking through the law of God, by commission or omission, for the love of money; so dreadful are the consequences of covetousness, even than when it pretends to keep itself within the bounds of justice!

Conclude to beware of this vice of covetousness, as of one of The worst of the enemies of thy soul, so much the more dangerous to thee, as k is too apt to impose upon persons with specious.pretexts of worldly prudence and of necessity; insomuch, that oftentimes they that are the most covetous, and whose heart is quite set upon this worldly mammon, are scarcely sensible of their disease, however grievous and mortal. O take care, my soul, not to deceive thyself, nor to suffer thyself to be deceived. Ex? imine well the bent of thy thoughts, and of the affections of thy heart, and thou wilt easily discover where thy treasure is.