The crucifying of the world

and yet because they can carry it on smoothly, and not be noted for any palpable oppression or deceit, they wipe their lips, they bless themselves, and with gracious words would cloak their covetousness, as if men did but uncharitably censure them, because they cannot prove them to be such Deceivers; When yet the very bent and course of their lives proclaimeth them worldlings to almost all men but themselves; who by the just, but heavy judgement of God, are given over to that blindness, as not to see that damnable sin in themselves, that the enemies of Religion see with scorn, and their most impartial friends do see with lamentation: but seeing it, are not able to remedy; for worldliness is the commonest badge of an Hypocrite; and where there is a false heart at the bottom, and but an hypocritical faith, and an hypocritical love to God and the life to come, there will be no effectual resistance of the world; but all exhortations do come upon so great disadvantage with such souls, that usually they are lost, and leave them as they find them. If any covetous scraping earth-worm, whether he be Gentleman, Tradesman, or Husbandman, do feel his conscience at the reading of this begin to stir, I beseech him (if there be any hope of such hypocrites) to hearken to it in time, and regard a little more the warnings of his friends, and not to be so stiffly confident of his innocency; nor yet to think himself free from heinous, ⟨p. 167⟩gross and scandalous sin, as long as he is a covetous worldling! If covetousness be idolatry, and the sin of those with whom we may not so much as eat, and if the covetous shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven, and be such as the Holy Ghost doth join with thieves and the vilest sinners, who then but an Infidel can think that it is not a scandalous sin, and such as will be the damnation of all that be not throughly cured of it? See Eph. 5. 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. 5. 10, 11. Psal. 10. 3. 2 Tim. 3. 2. 2 Pet. 2. 14. Luke 16. 14