An edited extract from Watson’s The Ten Commandments.
(1.) Faith.
“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 Jn 5:4). The root of covetousness is distrust of God’s providence. Faith believes that God will provide, that He who feeds the birds will feed His children, that He who clothes the lilies will clothe His lambs; and thus faith overcomes the world. Faith is the cure of care. It not only purifies the heart, but satisfies it; it makes God our portion, and in Him we have enough. “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance . . . the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Ps 16:5,6). Faith, by a divine chemistry, extracts comfort out of God. A little with God is sweet. Thus faith is a remedy against covetousness; it overcomes, not only the fear of the world, but the love of the world.
(2.) Judicious considerations.
What poor things are these things below that we should covet them! They are far below the worth of the soul, which carries in it an idea and resemblance of God. The world is but the workmanship of God; the soul is His image. We covet what will not satisfy us. “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver” (Ecc 5:10). Solomon put all the created things in a retort and distilled out their essence, and behold, “All was vanity” (Ecc 2:11). Covetousness is a dry dropsy – the more a man has the more he thirsts. The more water is drunk, the more is craved. Worldly things cannot remove trouble of mind. When King Saul was perplexed in conscience, his crown jewels could not comfort him (1 Sam 28:15). The things of the world can no more ease a troubled spirit than a gold cap can cure a headache. The things of the world cannot continue with you. The creature has a little honey in its mouth, but it has wings to fly away. These things either go from us, or we from them. What poor things are they to covet!
Ovid, an ancient Roman poet.
(3.) To covet spiritual things more.
Covet grace, for it is the best blessing; it is the seed of God (1 Jn 3:9). Covet heaven, which is the region of happiness – the most pleasant climate. If we covet heaven more, we shall covet earth less. To those who stand on the top of the Alps, the great cities of Campania seem but as small villages; so if our hearts were more fixed upon the Jerusalem above, all worldly things would disappear, would diminish and be as nothing in our eyes.
We read of an angel coming down from heaven and setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the earth (Rev 10:2). Had we been in heaven, and viewed its superlative glory, how should we, with holy scorn, trample with one foot on the earth and with the other foot on the sea! O covet after heavenly things! There is the tree of life, the mountains of spices, the rivers of pleasure, the honeycomb of God’s love dropping, the delights of angels, and the flower of joy fully ripe and blown. There is the pure air to breathe in; no fogs or vapours of sin arise to infect that air, but the Sun of Righteousness enlightens the whole horizon continually with its glorious beams. O let your thoughts and delights be always taken up with the city of pearls, the paradise of God! It is reported of Lazarus that, after he was raised from the grave, he was never seen to take delight in the world. Were our hearts raised by the power of the Holy Ghost up to heaven we should not be much taken with earthly things.
(4.) To pray for a heavenly mind.
Lord, let the magnet of Thy Spirit draw my heart upward. Lord, dig the earth out of my heart; teach me how to possess the world and not love it, how to hold it in my hand and not let it get into my heart.