"For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him; I hid me and was wroth; and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart." - Isaiah 57:17.

God is love; and we were called into being that in our measure we might manifest forth this truth, by loving one another. But we are an apostate race; and each one, so far from seeking to be the servant of all, is bent upon serving himself of all. Men are consecrated first and foremost to the augmentation of their own gains. Ordinarily they understand by covetousness some extraordinary development of the passion for gain. But the question is not, what definition of it is given in man's code, but what in God's code? Now, God stigmatizes as covetousness all desire for gain that checks the exercise of faith in God and love to man; that is selfish in origin and in tendency; that is hostile to a spirit of humble contentment; that is inconsistent with perfect peace.

This age is intensely selfish, and yet finds it very difficult to become sensible of its selfishness. There are so many noble enterprises afoot; so many asylums built; so many colleges and schools established; missions for the heathen, home missions, city missions; patriotic funds, famine funds; in fine, mention if you can an evil that has lifted up its head in any part of the world, for which we have not made some benevolent arrangement. I do not shut my eyes to these generous schemes. It certainly looks as though the law of love were written on the forehead of the times. I would do all honor to the age, or rather to the Father of ages, the giver of every good and perfect gift. But ascribe it not to malevolence or envy, if I suggest that the age is simply giving of its abundance. With the one hand it gives its thousand, but with the other it grasps its tens of thousands. There is a spirit of profound calculation that has too much to do with these gifts. Almost all these noble benefactions have had their origin with the Church; but how few members of the Church give even tithes of all that they possess. Men think themselves benevolent because they look at what they give; God thinks them covetous, because he sees what they withhold.

The question is: How does God deal with his people when they become covetous? You will say, He chastises them and makes them poor in spirit. Nay, this is not his way. Were it such, then would his people wait for his providential correction and believe themselves justified in pressing forward in that evil path, until he should meet them. With an infinitely profounder wisdom God deals with them. He chastises them in deed, but it is by withdrawing himself. And they perceive it not. And now does their position become most dangerous. For being freed from many remonstrances addressed them by the Holy Spirit, they precipitate themselves faster and still faster along their chosen career. They become more and more worldly, more and more hardened. What shall hinder them from crossing that path beyond which the Spirit of God will never seek them?

What we need then to learn is this: To be on our guard against the earliest developments of this passion, and to hearken diligently to the reproof of the Spirit of God while his voice is yet distinctly audible: for let the evil inclination get but a little more strength and we shall make shipwreck of our faith.