296 The Evil and Folly of Covetoufnefs. S ERM. the reftraints of ftri& honefty, and then the XI. mind inventing plaufible pretences, where - by to deceive itfelf, is brought by degrees to form defigns of acquiring its beloved ob- j.et even by the violation of right ; at leaft men by indulging themfelves in a very eager delire of riches, lay fnares for their own fouls, and are brought under vehement temptations to tranfgrefs the bounds of juftice ;. fo that upon the whole, the only fure prefervative of innocence, I mean with refpe± to the rights of our neighbours, is to be moderate in our love of the world, and contented with fuch things as we have. It is in this laft and molt comprehenfive fenfe I underhand our Saviour's exhortation in the text, to take heed and beware of covet - oufnefs, becaufe the argument he ufeth pro- perly relateth to it in its full extent ; for that the life of man doth not confz,/l in the abundance of his pofefons, is a very good reafon why we thould not inordinately de- lire and purfue fuch poffeffions whatever the method of acquiring them be, even though altogether free from the imputation of un- righteoufnefs. I cannot help wifhing, that chriftians, in confidering the difcourfes of our Saviour, would not only regard his au- thority as binding their confciences, but de- liberately
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