226 1) reEtionc fergetting and keepii'N And you Mull bethe more careful' in fearching after this fin, both becaufe it is certain that all menhave toomuch out,: and becaufe it is of fo dangerous a naturethat fliould it prevail it would deflroy : For covetoufnefs is Idolatry. And among all the hainous fins that the godly have fallén into, look into the Strpture, and tell mehow many of them you find charged with Covetoufnefs ? And alfo, becaufe it is a blinding befooling fin, rot only drawing old men,' and thofe that have no children; and rich men, that have no need. .to purfne thefe things as madlyas o- tbersibut allo-hiding it felf from their eyes,that moit that are guilty 'oft will not know it : .Though,alas,if theywere but willing, it were very eafie to know it. But the power of the fin doth fo fet awork their wits to find excufes and fair names and titles for to cloak it, that many delude others by it, and more delude themfelves, but none can delude God. The cafe of fome Proleffors of Godlinefs that I have known is very lamentable in this point : who being generally noted for a dangerous meafure of wOrldlinefs, by molt that know them, could yet ne- ver be brought to acknowledge it in themfelves Nay by the excellency of their outward duties and difcourfe, and the flrength of their wits (alas, ill imployed) and by their great ability of fpeech, to put a fair glofS on the foul& of their atiions, they have gone on fo fmoothly and plaufibly in their worlcllinefs, that though molt accufed them of it hehind their backs, yet no man knew how to fallen any thing on then-i. By which means they were hindred from repentance and recovery. In this fad ¿ale, though it be Gods courfe very often.
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