(Thomas Reade, "The Desire of More")

"You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or
 covetous person will inherit the Kingdom of
 Christ and of God. For a covetous person is
 really an idolater who worships the things
 of this world."  Ephesians 5:5

The love of money insinuates itself
into every heart, under every form.

A day is fast approaching, when it will be
clearly seen, whether Christ or Mammon
has swayed our affections.

Covetousness, in the language of Scripture,
is the desire of having more. If we are
habitually desirous of riches, for their own
sake, we are, in the estimation of God,
covetous people, idolaters, the servants of
mammon. Our station may be exalted;
our profession of religion may be outwardly
strict, but still our destruction is sure.

There are, perhaps, few sins which assume
so plausible an appearance; and for which
so many excuses are made as for that of
covetousness. And hence it is that we have
need to guard so much the citadel of the heart.

Covetousness, or the desire of more,
eating, like a canker, upon the vitals
of our religion, is the crying evil of
both the Church and of the world.

What advantage did Achan, Gehazi, Judas,
and Ananias and Sapphira, gain by their
desire for more? They reaped shame and
death; and now stand as beacons in the
word of God to warn us against their soul
destroying sin.

"And how do you benefit if you gain the
 whole world but lose or forfeit your own
 soul in the process?" Luke 9:25