Thy son and our Lord (O heavenly father, biddeth us take heed and beware of covetousness, for no mans life, sayeth he, standeth in the abundance ⟨image 136⟩of things which he possesseth. Thy holy Apostle also affirmeth covetousness to be the rote of all evils,1 and that they which study to be rich, fall into temptation and snares, & into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in temptation and destruction. And in another place he calleth covetousness the worshipping of Idols.2 Thus, in every place of the holy scripture this most damnable sin of covetousness is condemned and forbidden ▪ Notwithstanding. O lord through the subtle working of the Devil, we see how this most vile monster hath prevailed, and almost overcome the whole world and brought into his subjection not only the wicked and unfaithful, but them also that profess thy blessed name and holy religion. For from the first to the last, ⟨p. cxxi⟩from the hiest to the lowest, all give their mind to covetousness.3 Al seek their own & not Jesus Christs. They renounce the world in word but in deed no man embraceth it more desirously. They by mouth profess covetousness to be a line but in work they magnify it, not only as a virtue, but also as a God. In word they confess it to be their Lord,4 but in deed they serve Mammon. They make no end of joining house to house, land to land, Lordship to Lordship, farm to farm, pasture to pasture.5 Another sort which ought to be an example to thy flock, chaineth, coupleth, linketh, and joineth likewise dignity to dignity, promotion to promotion, benefice to benefice, prebend to prebend, deanery to deanery, office ro office, & office for a vantage, unto the great dishonour of thy holy name, the hindrance ⟨image 137⟩of thy blessed Gospel and the confusion of their conscience, if they had any.6 They be shameless dogs that have never enough nor be never satisfied.7 They go forth daily more and more, to heap up thick clay against them selves. Their covetousness knoweth nether end nor measure, so that if thou dost not shortly reform this outrageous desire of having, it is like to come to pass, that Mammon shall be honoured for a God, & thou utterly despised, few shall possess the whole fruits of the earth, the other shall miserably starve for hum ger. For there is no mercy on the earth,8 as thy Prophet complaineth. All seek their own and not Jesus Christs.9
THy sonne and oure Lord (O heauenly father, byddeth vs take hede and beware of couetousnes, for no mannes lyfe, sayeth he, standeth in the aboundaūce ⟨image 136⟩of thyngs which he posesseth. Thy holy Apostle also affirmeth couetousnes to be the rote of al euilles,1 and that they which study to be riche, fal into temptacion and snares, & into many folyshe and noysome lustes, which drowne men in temptacion and destrucciō. And in a nother place he calleth couetousnes the worshyppyng of Idolles.2 Thus, in euery place of the holye scrypture thys most damnable synne of couetousnes is cōdēpned and forbiddē ▪ Notwithstanding. O lord thorow the suttel working of the Deuill, we se how this most vyle monsture hath preuailed, and almost ouercome the whole world and brought into his subieccyon not onli the wicked and vnfaithful, but thē also that professe thy blessed name and holy religion. For frome the fyrste to the laste, ⟨p. cxxi⟩frō the hiest to the lowest, al gyue theyr mynde to couetousnesse.3 Al seke their own & not Iesu Christes. They renounce the world in word but in dede no mā ēbraceth it more desirousli. Thei bi mouth professe couetousnes to be a line but in worke they magnifi it, not onelye as a vertue, but also as a God. In word they confes yt to be theyr Lord,4 but in dede they serue Māmō. Thei make no end of ioynīg house to house, land to land, Lordshyp to Lordshyp, ferme to ferme, pastur to pasture.5 Another sorte which ought to be an exāple to thy flocke, cheyneth, coupleth, lynck•the, and ioyneth lykewyse dignyty to dignity, promocyon to promocion, benefice to benefyce, prebend to prebende, deanry to deanry, office ro office, & office for a vauntage, vnto the greate dishonoure of thy holy name, the hyndrance ⟨image 137⟩of thy blessed Gospell and the confusion of theyr cōsciēce, if they had any.6
- 1i. Tim. vi.
- 2Ephes•. v.
- 3Jere. vi. Phil. ii.Iere. vi. Phil. ii.
- 4Esay•. v.
- 5i. Peter. v.
- 6Esay•. lvi.
- 7Habakkuk. ii.Abacuc. ii.
- 8Os•. iiii.
- 9Philip. ii▪
