Sermon LVII.
[CVII. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. 15, “And he said unto them, take heed, and keep
yourselves from all covetousness.”3391
1. I doubt not but that ye who fear God, do hear His word with awe, and execute it with
cheerfulness; that what He hath promised, ye may at present hope for, hereafter receive. We
have just now heard the Lord Christ Jesus, the Son of God, giving us a precept. The Truth,
who neither deceiveth, nor is deceived, hath given us a precept; let us hear, fear, beware.
What is this precept then: “I say unto you, Beware of all covetousness”? 3392 What is, “of all
covetousness”? What is, “of all”? Why did He add, “of all”? For He might have spoken thus,
“Beware of covetousness.” It suited Him to add, “of all;” and to say, “Beware of all covetous-
ness.”
2. Why He said this, the occasion as it were out of which these words arose, is shown
to us in the holy Gospel. A certain man appealed to Him against his brother, who had taken
away all his patrimony, and gave not back his proper portion to his brother. Ye see then
how good a case this appellant had. For he was not seeking to take by violence another’s,
but was seeking only for his own which had been left him by his parents; these was he de-
manding back by his appeal to the judgment of the Lord. He had an unrighteous brother;
but against an unrighteous brother had he found a righteous Judge. Ought he then in so
good a cause to lose that opportunity? Or who would say to his brother, “Restore to thy
brother his portion,” if Christ would not say it? Would that judge be likely to say it, whom
perhaps his richer and extortionate brother might corrupt by a bribe? Forlorn then as he
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was, and despoiled of his father’s goods, when he had found such and so great a Judge he
goes up to Him, he appeals to, he beseeches Him, he lays his cause before Him in few words.
For what occasion was there to set forth his cause at length, when he was speaking to Him
who could even see the heart? “Master,” he says, “speak to my brother, that he divide the
inheritance with me.”3393 The Lord did not say to him, “Let thy brother come.” No, He
neither sent for him to be present, nor in his presence did He say to him who had appealed
to Him, “Prove what thou wast saying.” He asked for half an inheritance, he asked for half
an inheritance on earth; the Lord offered him a whole inheritance in heaven. The Lord gave
more than asked for.
3. “Speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.” Just case, short case.
But let us hear Him who at once gives judgment and instruction. “Man,” He saith. “O man;”
3391 πάσης, for τῆς, πλεονεξίας—A. B. D. K. L. M. Q. X., etc., Verss. ap. Scholz. Griesbach regards it as the
more probable reading. [Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort read πᾶσης with and B.]
3392 Luke xii. 15.
3393 Luke xii. 13.
On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. 15, ‘And he said unto them, take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness.’
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On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. 15, ‘And he said unto them, take heed,…