Quefrions and Anfwers 7.Command. ueft. I take your anfwcre,ard therefore now foRoweyour owne court agame "W. It is nowe time to draw to an ende, and there yet remaineth to bee fom_ hat touched the theft ofthc heart through greedy couetoufneffe, & thc theft of the tongue by falfe and filthy flattery,wherefore a little oftilde alfo as of the other. That this commandment then cloth reach vnto the thoughts and inward conceipts of the hcart,it is firft prooued by that reafon,that often before bath beene alleadged, name- 1y becaufe the laweiuer is fpirituall, and therefore his )awes not telling oncly in out- ward at-bons , as mens lawes doe. Secondly , by that fpeech concerning adultery, Mark 7.23. which is true in all the commandements, Heethrelooketh , and lufleth,oréouereth,bath finned. And by the teftimonieof our Sauiour Chita , who reckoneth couetoufneffe amon ft click thinges that proceedingout, & not going in defile a man.To all which In Thcil ChryJftomefubfcribeth , and faith, Auarue far &latroeft. Acoueteue man itatheefe, burnt. rt. Now,i,vhai couetoufnes is albeit euery man for the acquaintance that he bath with it, mayknow, yet do I thus define it, to be a damnable vice ofthe minde , pricking and prouoking vs to foliowe after filthy lucre. Which thing without the nanie,and enen Chap 2, 5. vnder the narne,is maruetloufly inueighed againfl in the Scripture. The Prophet Ha- bacac cryeth out againft the heart that inlargeth his delire as the hell, and is as death, and cannot be fàtisfied , but gathereth voto him all nations, and heapeth vnco him all people, He, I,e that coueteth an euill couetoufneffe to his houfe, that he may fet nett on high to efcape from thepower of mill. Thou hatfi confulted ihame to thine ovine houlé by deflroying many people, and haft finned againft chine ovine foule. The. !tone Aid! crye out of the mafl,and the beame of the timberfhall anfwer it,moeto him that builder's atcmnebyblonde ,andere5ferhacitiebyiniquitie, and fo foorth. It is cried out Luke t 2, againft in the Gofpell, called the roote of all euill,idolatrie,and aching not to be na- ri I. im.s. medamougllChrifl :ans.Thereisnofpeciall calling amongfl men , whereunto by Ephef r. name this vice is not forbidden as avenomeofatvertue ,intuerie degree inPrinces,in Coioif.3. Judges, in Minifters , in all it is forbidden , and Purely this is no (mall argument to a Chriftian man again)) it. Fearefully punifhed was it in Gehezi the Prophets man, in lob. 31. Acham, and a number moc. And to conclude our Scriptures, fob the (enfant ofthe Pfaf 119- Lorde moll notablic iheweth,how hee fhunned it,and Dauid with alltheheate ofhis Deus. 24.59. heart prayeth again/lit : O Lorde let my heart bee neuer inclired to couetoufnef e. I might recite the law es of God againfi raking their lands to cleane in the timeofharucft,and again(' gathering fo clean their grapes in the time ofvintage,as that nothing was left for the ;more. All which dire&iic (hoot aube fliame of this finne in a profeffour of godlineffc. And I might alfo heape vphcreunto a thoufand reflimonies ofinen, hea- then,and Chriflian , vttc red in deteflation of this foule finne. But whose the word (cares not, men fhallhardly moone.Onely a fpeach or two I can not paffe ouer, which De breuitate pretily defcribe the corruption of our nature. Omniatanquam mortales timcmut,omnia 511z. senquam immortals: concupigimue, (faith Seneca) That is, Welland infeareofdiners things as though we houghs wecouldebe,butwecouet Çoou rho ugh we thought weíhouldoesoer die.Fortune ( faith another) bath giuen too much to many, but enough to none. And Au a(f, agai ne,Non plum atrartaa' eft qui rapit alien, fed qui cupide ferztat fua. He is not °Holy co. g stews' which greedilieca chcthatmore, but bee elfowhich pinching fparetb that which he Ecclef. 6.5, bath. Whereofverie excellently ipeaketh both Salomon and Szrech , painting out the Sirac 1 44. filth of this folly to haue the bleffìngs ofGod,and yet to want nothingmorethrough a miferable minde,than the blefEngs of God. But I will follow no further this com- mon place:this little which I haue (poke: ,I hatte done it to giue vs a tall of this fubtil finne,which with griefe we may marke,thofe men and women very greuoufly alfaul- ted withal) and fearefully ouercome after their profeffion made of Gods trueth , and his glorious Gofpcll,who in the daies of their vanitie beforetheir calling, neuer felt anyfuch temptation. So feekethSathantoflaunt-teethe worde, and to hinder the credite ofthe Gofpell. When he cannot longer detaine vs in (wearing , in exceffe of dyer, or apparell, in adulterie and vncleanneffe, infpoyling andfpending wailfully Gods giuen graces , and in other finites of ignorance and of an vnreformed foule, then creepeth he in,and draweth vs fubtillie, ere eues we efpie him to theother exert - mitie
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