others; or in parsimony or stinginess in holding it, when
there are rightful claims upon it.

James 5:1-6: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries
that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments
are moth eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them
shall be witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were
fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days.

"Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields,
which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them
which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

"Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have
nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and
killed the just, and he doth not resist you."

Covetousness may also be shown in undue respect for wealth when in the
hands of others. This is reproved in James 2:1-7. "My brethren, have
not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with
respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a
gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come also a poor man in vile
raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor
man, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then
partial in yourselves, and become the judges of evil thoughts?
Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this
world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised
them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men
oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they
blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?"

Covetousness was a secret sin often indulged when the outward forms of
righteousness were observed. Usurers were the open representatives of
flagrant covetousness in all the ages. Usury was not named among them
as becometh saints.

(4) The early disciples kept out of debt. The early Christians were
not borrowers. In both dispensations borrowing was only resorted to in
hard necessity. The borrower was second to the beggar. The borrowing
was but for a short time, and the loan was returned as soon as
absolute wants were supplied.

The doctrine and practice of the early church was to owe no man
anything. Rom. 13:8: "Owe no man anything, but to love one another:
for he that loveth another hath fulf