Chap. 24 ,i9n Exp,ftion upon the Boot of ( O B. Verf. 9. 53 t porefor a pledge, namely, their raiment, nor oneiy [ht. cloaths which they have by them to fpare, (a poore man may have a 1:r.- tie change)but the cloaths which they actually weare, Ho'.;- cor=. trary this pra&lice was to the Law, path been (hewed berore, which forbad ro rake a pledge of Inch things, as without which the poore cannot conveniently fubf ft. There is a third r eiding, which faith not as we, they take x pledge of the poore, bat, theytake the poor fora pledge: Ofwhich cruelty we read (2 Kings.(. t.) where the poorewiddow com- plained to theProphet,that her husband beingdead,the creditors were come, and had taken her twofops to bebond men. Thus here when theyhad gotten their cattle (as was (hewed befòre) and theircloaths from their backs, then they mull have their bodies too, to be Haves and drudges. Here firft, I might note, That the fin ofoppre(fion is aggravated in reference to theperfons upon whom it is exercifed. Butbecaufe it bath beenoblerved from o.; ther paffages both ofthis and former Chapters,how Units! iris to opprefle thofe, whomwe are bound to relieve, and to vex rho Pe, whom we ought to comfort ; I that] not infilt upon it in this place. But Obferve, Secondly. That c.vetoufnefe knows no bounds. As it bath been laid of envy, fo we may fay ofcovetoufneffe, Covetoujreffe whether wilt thou? whether wilt thou lead, or ra- ther hurryand force worldly men ? covetoufneffe carr} es thofe who are under the power of it no man knows whether : who can tell where he (hall flop or tray whenhe is once under the power of the fpirit ofcovetoufneffe ? fuch will not fpareeither the fa- therleffe,or the widdow, not the cloaths upon their backs,no nor their backs nor bodyes. If a covetous eye canbut difcerneany advantage tobe made, it will have body and all. There is no fin fo hainous, none to bale, and fordid, but covetoufnefîe may be both the mother, and nurfe of Acovetous man will nor for- beare tither for the crueltyof the finne, or for the fordidneffe of it Covetoufneffe is a fordid tuft ; Covetoufneffe is earthy, and muds our fpirics in eartbly.things. When the fpirit of a man is once embafed by covetoufneffe, he is ready to do any bale thing, There is nothing bete below, lower then that Spirit. And hence Y Y Y 2 the
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