A caveat for the covetousA caveat for the couetous

Nay, hear not so idly, the Lord spake to thee, and intended the exhortation to thy soul, and would have thee say to thine own lelfe, is covetousness so vile a fin, how careful should I be to find it, and drive it out of mine heart, and my conversation? Do not I practise it, do not I live in it? let me look narrowly, for as it is dangerous, so it is crafty, and will not appear in it own name, but (like a tray-tour that hath escaped out of prison) will miscall and disguise it self, and take twenty titles, and names, rather than that wherewith it should be called. Men are willing to cloak their sins, & to shift their hands of seeming to be naught, not being so. And as when the plague is rife, every man desires, though it be in his house, yet to keep it close, and say it is any other disease because it will be some hindrance to be shut up for it: So for this disease of filthy lucre, ⟨p. 22⟩which as an infectious pestilence hath spread it self over the world, into all Cities, towns, and villages, scarce any will be known to be diseased with it, fearing the disgrace rather then the danger. Some would confine covetousness to rich mens houses only, as if it were not possible to be earthly minded, unless a man had much earth in possession. But these men are exceedingly deceived about the nature of this evil, as themselves might well perceive had they but consulted with the wise man, that saith, The sluggard lusteth and hath nothing. A man may have a strong lust to wealth, albeit he have none of it. yea, though he be frozen up in the cold dregs of idleness, & laziness, so that he will not adventure to set his foot upon the cold ground for it. Nay, such men are most desperately covetous, for because their sloth serves them not to take the ordinary pains for getting it, therefore their lusts drives them to hunt and seek for it, in the secret and unbeaten ways of cozenage and villainy. I would to God there were not a great number of such slothful lustres known in the world, perhaps also present in this place, whose ⟨p. 23⟩covetousness is no less then other mens, out it is over-borne by some other lust that is more then quarter master with it. For this you must know, that this vice may be after a divers manner in divers men; in some it is the chief Lord and sovereign, bearing rule and commanding for it self;

Nay, heare not so idlely, the Lord spake to thee, and intended the exhortation to thy soule, and would haue thee say to thine owne lelfe, is couetousnesse so vile a fin, how carefull should I be to finde it, and driue it out of mine heart, and my conuersation? Doe not I practise it, do not I liue in it? let me looke narrowly, for as it is dangerous, so it is craftie, and will not appeare in it owne name, but (like a tray-tour that hath escaped out of prison) will miscall and diguise it selfe, and take twenty titles, and names, rather than that wherewith it should be called. Men are willing to cloake their sins, & to shift their hands of seeming to be naught, not being so. And as when the plague is rife, euery man desires, though it be in his house, yet to keep it close, and say it is any other disease because it will be some hindrance to be shut vp for it: So for this disease of filthy lucre,