The Godly Man's Picture

3 That sin which hath most power over us, and doth most easily lead us captive, that is the beloved of the soul; there •re some sins a man can make better resistance against; if they come for entertainment, he can more easily put them off; but there is one sin, if that comes to be a suitor, he cannot deny it, but is overcome by it, this is the bosom sin. The young man in the Gospel, had given a repulse to many sins, but there was one sin foiled him, that was covetousness: Christians, mark what sins you are soonest led captive by, that is the Harlot in your bosom. 'Tis a sad thing that a man should be so bewitched by lust, that if it ask to part with, not only half the Kingdom, ¹but the whole Kingdom of heaven, he must part with it, to gratify that lust.

3 That sin which hath most power over us, and doth most easily lead us captive, that is the beloved of the soul; there •re some sins a man can make better resistance against; if they come for entertainment, he can more easily put them off; but there is one sin, if that comes to be a suitor, hee cannot deny it, but is overcome by it, this is the bosome sin. The young man in the Gospel, had given a repulse to many sins, but there was one sin foiled him, that was covetousness: Christians, mark what sins you are soonest led captive by, that is the Harlot in your bosome. 'Tis a sad thing that a man should bee so bewitched by lust, that if it ask to part with, not only half the Kingdome, ¹but the whole Kingdome of heaven, hee must part with it, to gratifie that lust.

1. 1Esth. 7. 2.

4 That sin which men use arguments to defend, is the beloved sin; he that hath a jewel in his bosom, will defend it as his life; so when there is any sin in the bosom, men will defend it; the sin we are advocates and disputants for, is the complexion-sin; if the sin be passion, and we plead for it, Jo. 4. 9. I do well to be angry: if the sin be covetousness,