II. And first, of desiring, or coveting of unlawful things: it is expressly forbidden by God himself, in the law He delivered to Moses upon Mount Sinai, for a rule to his people the Jews to walk by: "Thou shalt not covet," said God, "thy neighbour's house: thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's." (Exodus, xx.) This God confirmed by thundering and lightnings, and other sensible solemnities, to strike the people with more awe in receiving and keeping of it, and to make the breach of these moral precepts more terrible to them. Micah complains in his time, "They covet fields, and take them by violence;" (Mic. ii. 2;) but their end was misery. Therefore was it said of old, "Woe to them that covet an evil covetousness:" this is to our point. We have many remarkable instances of this in Scripture; two of which I will briefly report. III. David, though otherwise a good man, by unwatchfulness is taken; the beauty of Uriah's wife was too hard for him, being disarmed, and off from his spiritual watch. There was no dissuasive would do; Uriah must be put upon a desperate service, where it was great odds if he survived it. This was to hasten the unlawful satisfaction of his desires, by a way that looked not like direct murder. The contrivance took; Uriah is killed, and his wife is quickly David's. This interpreted David's covetousness. But went it off so? No, his pleasure soon turned to anguish and bitterness of spirit: his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow: the waves went over his head: (Psalm li. lxxvii. xlii. 7:) he was consumed within him: he was stuck in the mire and clay; he cried, he wept: yea, his eyes were as a fountain of tears. (Ibid. lxix. 2, 14.) Guiltiness was upon him, and he must be purged; his sins washed white as snow, that were as red as crimson, or he is undone for ever. His repentance prevailed: behold, what work this part of covetousness makes! What evil! What sorrow! O that the people of this covetousness would let the sense of David's sorrow sink deep into their souls, that they might come to David's salvation! Restore me, saith that good man: it seems he once knew a better state: yes, and this may teach the better sort to fear, and stand in awe too, lest they sin and fall. For David was taken at a disadvantage; he was off his watch, and gone from the cross; the law was not his lamp and light, at that instant; he was a wanderer from his safety, his strong tower, and so surprised: then and there it was the enemy met him, and vanquished him.