If this sort of covetousness that arises from an inordinate desire of accumulating earthly treasures from a restless wish to possess more than is fairly allotted to us, is attended with such evident inconveniences to ourselves, and is so destructive of our happiness and peace of mind, it is much more so when accompanied by ambition, which is another branch of the same passion. Of this I shall treat more amply hereafter, making it the subject of another discourse. Let us, in the mean while, join in that short but cornprehensive prayer of Agar"Give me neither poverty nor riches, "feed me with food convenient for me, "lest I be: full and deny thee, and say, "who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and "steal, and take the name of my God "in vain.." But whatever situation the providence of God may have allotted us in this world, let us adopt the maxim of St. Paul, as the only foundation for true happiness" In whatever state we are, "therewith to be content." With this disposition of soul, let us now approach the altar of our Redeemer, devoutly beseeching Almighty God the Fountain of all wisdom, to have compassion upon our infirmities; and that those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, he would vouchsafe to give us for the worthyness of his Son, &c, SERMON XI. SECOND ON THE TENTH COMMANDMENT. EXODUS, CHAP. XX. VER. 17. HAVING confined my observations in a former discourse, chiefly to that sort of covetousness that proceeds from the love of money, I shall in this consider it in its different signification of ambition, a vice equally obnoxious to the possessor himself as it is injurious to the social rights of man. Ambition or covetousness, however dif ferent they may appear in sound, are in reality almost one and the same passion, differing only in their execution; but they originate from the same motives, and lead to the same ends; both arise from an eager desire to add to the present possessions, to accumulate wealth and honours. Among the lower class of people, this passion generally leads to the acquisition of worldly goods by the intermediate steps of fraud, robbery, and murder, and is called by the name of covetousness; in those of a higher station, it looks to the increase of riches and honours, through the avenues of fawning hypocrisy, concealed hatred, and every species of corruption, ending frequently in the murder of the life, or what is still dearer, the reputation of a fellow-creature; and this is dignified with the title of ambition. Though it too often succeeds in this world in the accomplishment of its wishes (it |