Sermon 34: Upon Ephesians Chapter 5

3. And as for fornication, and all manner of uncleanness, or covetousness, let them not once be named among you, as becomes Saints. 4. Neither ribaldry, nor foolish talk, nor jesting, which are not convenient things: but rather thanksgiving. 5. For, this you know, that no whoremonger, or unclean person, or covetous body, which is an Idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Forasmuch as we see our life is subject to many miseries, and as soon as we have escaped one danger, another comes in the neck of it: we ought to take the better heed to ourselves. Then if a man has a care of his life: he will bethink him how to fence himself both against cold and against heat, and against all other inconveniences: and again, he will take heed that no mischance happen to his house by making fire in it, and as he goes abroad, he is always thinking upon the adversities that are wont to befall men. But we should begin at the other end: namely, that there are a hundred times more dangers within us, than we see without us. For the devil has many wiles to wind us in, and a number of vices do make war against us. Therefore it stands us on hand to watch, or else when we have overcome one vice, it will be easy for another to steal upon us, and to take us unawares. For he that shall have abstained from open force, shall be tempted to defraud his neighbor by covert policy: and he that despises the goods of this world, shall have some other infirmity in him. For some be given to whoredom, some to gluttony and superfluity, and others to gaming and play. To be short, besides that every one of us is disposed (naturally) to wickedness and sin: there is not that man which has not an infinite sort of enemies to fight against. For (as I said) we be not only inclined to some one evil by nature: but to so great a number, that even they which are most virtuous, shall find themselves surprised at all hands. And therefore it stands us so much the more on hand to mark the exhortations that are contained here. Saint Paul has told us of many vices already, and showed us the means to encounter them and to put them to flight. Now he adds whoredom on the one side, covetousness on the other, and foolish talk that is full of vain bibble-babble. We would think it were enough for us to have been warned in one word, to walk godly. But (as I have touched already) let us consider a little, on which side the devil is wont to assault men. For when he has once laid his battery, if he cannot compass his purpose, he begins new again: and when he has given a skirmish on the right side, he comes again to the left, and one while before, and another while behind, and always he finds some gap open into us. That is one thing which we have to mark upon the exhortations that are made here.

Now let us come to Saint Paul's speaking of fornication and all uncleanness. Forasmuch as it is a vice that all men do over easily bear with in themselves: therefore he warns us, that it is not enough for every one of us to abstain from actual whoredom: but we must also consider, that God in commanding us to be chaste and undefiled, means that we should be well fenced against all the enticements whereby Satan might beguile us. There are then some kinds of whoredom or whorishness, which are not made account of among men: but yet shall they not fail to be condemned before God. For this cause Saint Paul thought it not enough to tell us, that we must be chaste in respect of our bodies: but he adds, that all uncleanness or filthiness ought to be far from us: and likewise he matches covetousness with it. It is true that they be two far diverse vices for a whoremonger will commonly be prodigal: and whereas he had been well and thrifty before, he will forget himself, so as he will waste away all. Saint Paul's intent was not to make articles of difference between vice and vice, neither was it needful. Therefore it was enough for him to show after how many sorts the devil might beguile us, if we keep not good watch, and shut the gate against him, and also prevent him, and descry the dangers wherein we be, to the end that practice what he can, he may always find us so guarded under the fear of God, as he may have no entrance to us.

Moreover he adds afterward, filthiness or uncomeliness. For when men take leave to be wanton, surely all ribaldry will have full scope. (As for example,) if wantonness and other foolish things be permitted, as dancing and such other things, men will say at the first, that that may well be borne with, so there be no worse. But let men once bear and suffer dancing, masking, mummeries, and such other like dung: and out of doubt the devil will have a fling at them, and it cannot by any means be hindered, but that all will be marred. That is the cause why Saint Paul in forbidding whoredom, adds also all manner of ribaldry or dishonesty: And by and by withal fond talk. For a body would take it to be no great harm, if a man should jest and dally with a maid or a wife, and prattle of a number of things. But (as I said) they be all of them allurements of Satan: and if it be suffered, it cannot be but the maid must be made a harlot, though she were the honestest woman in the world. That in effect is the thing which we have to bear in mind.

And he thinks it not enough to say, that God's children must abstain from covetousness and whoredom, and from the things that come near to them: but to the intent we may abhor them all the more, he says, Let them not be once named among you. It is not without cause that he says so, for (as I have said already, and as shall be declared more fully hereafter) as touching covetousness, it will be thought to be a virtue when a man works and scrapes together on all sides: O that is a good thrifty fellow: men clap their hands at him, men flatter him: and although they count him but as a thief, and a robber, and a cutthroat: yet notwithstanding so he have goods, every body will think he does well to maintain himself with such as be in credit. Lo how men are flattered in their covetousness. And again, as concerning whoredom, we see that if God's word cried not out upon that vice continually without ceasing, it would be set at liberty, and every man would dispense with himself, so as there would be no more honesty among men. Saint Paul therefore perceiving it to be so hard a thing to keep men from them, says, that not so much as the very names of them ought to be suffered to have their course, but that they ought to be driven from among us. And indeed if there be any plague in a town, every man will keep himself close in his house, and be afraid to go abroad where any peril is. To be short, men will be wary enough to keep themselves close, that the disease catch them not. Indeed a general commandment also shall be given to keep the streets clean, that the air be not infected by them, and to take away the things that may feed or increase the mischief. But in the meantime, these deadly plagues assail us: and yet notwithstanding every man holds on his way still, and it should seem that we would fain be poisoned with them. However, this warning ought not to be unprofitable for us, where Saint Paul forbids us to name whoredom. True it is that that word must needs be in use still: for Saint Paul stands not upon that ceremony. And indeed God says expressly in his law, you shall not commit adultery. He thinks it not enough to forbid whoredom: but to the intent we should abhor it the more, he shows us what an enormity the breaking of the faith between man and wife is. God then names whoredom in that text, and so does Saint Paul name it here also: and that is not to contradict one another: but to make us understand, that we should not talk of it in jest or sport, as men are accustomed to do: for that is but a further steeping of men with that vice, so as they might not dislike it any more. We see that when there is talking of all ungodliness, and leave is given to use loose speech, every man will give himself to it, so as custom will go for law, and men will take whoredom to be lawful. Finally we have to mark that Saint Paul's intent was not to speak of the bare names of whoredom and covetousness: for if a man say to a whoremonger, What? you play the whoremaster: he will deny it, and say, I did but dally, and act wantonly. As much will these wicked persons do which give themselves to it. But there is neither whoremonger nor harlot, which abhors not the name of whoredom. And why? For they see it is a filthy thing, and that it is as much as if a man should set them upon a scaffold to be a shame to all the world. Saint Paul therefore spoke not of the bare name of whoredom. As much is to be said of the name of covetousness. What do you talk of covetousness? It sounds ill-favoredly, and no man will be acknowledged that he is tainted with covetousness.

They will rather make such excuses as these: I have a charge of wife and children, and why is it not lawful for me to seek sustenance for them? Again, should I not have a care for hereafter, that I may set them in some good stay? Covetousness has such a store of excuses, that it is colored and varnished with them, and the term has such visors put upon it, that it is taken wellnigh for a virtue. But Saint Paul meant not that men should only forbear the bare names, which might make the vices themselves abhorred and hated: but he would rather that whoredom should be named as a villainous thing, and that men should understand that a whoremonger cuts himself off from the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, banishes himself from the kingdom of heaven, and is cursed before God and his Angels. Those are things that must be known. And again, that a covetous person is an idolater and forsakes God, that he is as a damned soul and a confounder of all right and equity, that he is possessed of the devil, and a tormentor to himself. Those are the things which it stands us in hand to know, and of which we cannot speak too much. But we know what the manner of them is, who are desirous to take all liberty: for all their delight is to sharpen their wits to tell merry tales, (saying:) I remember such a thing and such a thing that was done in my time. Indeed they will not stick to report what they have heard of their grandfathers, before they themselves were born into the world. And if there were any ribaldry or unthriftiness in their doings, that will they lay open. And to what end? To the end that everybody should be desirous to inquire of such filthiness. Thus are snares laid to catch us withal, whenever the devil shall have won so much at our hands. You see then that the things which Saint Paul meant, are the pleasant tales that are told to make men merry, to the intent not only that every man should delight in whoredom, and be no more ashamed to give themselves over to all lewdness: but also take it as a lawful thing, so as there may be common speeches of it, and it may be made a table talk at all feasts, and an ordinary communication in the streets and everywhere else. Indeed we see that such as have any journey or travel, I mean even the poor people, cannot solace themselves in their labor without offending God, by intermixing always some fond tales. And to what end do they serve? Even to harden men's hearts, that they may think with themselves, Every man is at the same point: no marvel though lechery be made so heinous a matter: behold how such a man behaves himself, and such a one also. And when vices can once be made common, then to their seeming the goal is won on their side. Now for that cause Saint Paul says, that they must not once be named among us. And likewise does he say of covetousness. For every man takes it for a virtue, if he can pill and poll all his life long, and never leave raking of other men's goods to him by fraud and extortion. Indeed men have a delight to follow them, and to say, O, such a man of my acquaintance could well skill to use such a practice and such a trick. True it is that covetous folks will not speak so of them whom they malign. For they will say, that villain? he does nothing else but catch and scrape on all sides, there is no trust in him, he is cruel and churlish: and to be short, every one of them spites at his fellow. And so you see how the covetous sort do rail one upon another. But when a covetous person intends to confirm himself in his naughtiness, and to harden himself in it, and to cover his faults: he will say, It is fitting that a man should be forecasting: I knew such a one and such a one that came forward by that means: he was a poor fellow, and had nothing: but he has behaved himself in such wise that he has hoarded up well. And how? Why, he had good policy, and if any man fell into his hands, he left his hair behind him, if he left not skin and all. Thus do covetous folks shroud themselves in spoiling men, under pretense of good thriftiness, as they term it, that is to say, under pilling and polling, and such other like things. Therefore we see how needful this exhortation of Saint Paul's is, where he says, that all vices must be shut out of the doors, and that if any man speak of them we must abhor him, and not make a jesting matter of them among us, for fear lest we be tainted with them.

And we must also note what he adds about all wantonness and foolish (or fond) talk. For (as I said before) it is certain that whoredom must needs grow lawful among men, when they suffer such provocations and occasions of naughtiness: for it is all one as if a man would willfully give himself over to Satan. Therefore let us take heed to ourselves, and drive the enemy far from us, and let us be sure that where such lightness and lewdness have full scope, by and by there must needs be a brothel — not in some one corner of a city or town, but everywhere, so that no place shall be clean, as experience shows too well. But yet men would not be willing to see it so. Every man complains nowadays that there is no more chastity in the world. And is it any wonder? For the time has been that there was some honesty and soberness to be seen in married women: but now they count it a virtue to be more than mannish, and to be brazen-faced and utterly shameless. And why? Will men say that a woman is chaste, if she is not well tried? No, no, no. Come who will (says she): if these roisters fall to dallying with me, I can tell well enough how to send them away — they shall well find to whom they speak, for I know how to answer them. Thus will a harlot play the chaste wife, as though she were a mirror of all honesty: and yet in the meantime she will stand at the barriers like a man of arms, against all comers that will hold talk with her of lewdness and ribaldry. Now therefore let us note well what Saint Paul tells us here. For women have been suffered a long time to be so unmeasurably bold: and besides wanton talk, there are also very garish attires, so that it is very hard to discern whether they are men or women: they must have every day new dressings and trimmings, and every day some new disguised fashion or other. They make themselves great cart wheels like peacock tails, so that a man cannot pass within three feet of them, but he shall feel as it were a windmill sail flashing by him. Again, they have their ribaldry songs mingled with it. Now what chastity can there be where it is so driven away and banished by force, and on the contrary part, the trumpets sound on all sides, that every body should give themselves over to superfluity and garishness, and seek nothing else but to plunge themselves over head and ears in it? So then, let us note well, that when there is such disorder both in gestures, and in countenances, and in talk, and in dancing, and in all like foolishness, and in all vanities and looseness: it is all one as if a man should cut trenches from a river to convey the water to him. For whereas a river runs its ordinary course, if a man cuts the stream off, and draws it to the other side, must it not needs have its course that way? Then if men fall to corrupting the world after that fashion, (as indeed it is one of the cunning tricks that the devil has used a long time:) must not all needs go to havoc, and be utterly past recovery? Yes: and therefore let us note well what is said to us here. For when we hear these jesters say, What in God's name: men shall shortly be at the point that they may not laugh and be merry: dancing is forbidden: it shall not be lawful for folk to talk together: a good fellow may not be so bold as to come in company with a man's daughter, to talk to her of love matters: if a man does but speak to a wife, though it be but in sport, by and by it shall be turned to a crime: and in the end what will come of it, when there shall be such sternness in the world? When men speak after that manner, it is all one as if they proclaimed themselves to be the Devil's proctors and advocates, to infect and poison the whole world, that there might be nothing but looseness, and that whoredom and ribaldry might reign in such liberty, as men might no more think it to be sin. That in effect is the thing that we have to bear in mind.

Herewithal Saint Paul says, that it becomes well the saints: and that is to show, that there ought to be no disputing nor replying: but that vices should be condemned sharply. For to what end does God call us? To that point must we come. Truly if any man say, men are frail, and alas if they might not be so bold as to cast their eye aside to give a pleasant look, but they should be condemned for it: I say if man's frailty might be construed so, truly that vice would either be utterly lessened, or else made half excusable. But let us come to our own state. God knows our infirmities: but he will not have us to wallow in them: for he has vouchsafed to dedicate us to his service. Now let us see if we can make these loose behaviors and all these follies, which are but Satan's allurements (as I said before), agree with the word holiness. What is meant by holiness? It is as much to say, as we must be [reconstructed: set apart] to offer ourselves to God, that he may enjoy us and wield us, so as we may be wholly his, and (to be short) be no more stained and sullied with the filthiness of the world. If holiness imports all this, and that it must be in us or else we shall not be God's children: it is not for us to plead any more in defense of ribaldry, that it might be taken but for a light fault. Saint Paul therefore brings us back to the honor that God does us: as if he should say, that if it seem overly strange and hard to us to refrain from the vanities wherein the world delights so much, and wherein men think even their life to consist, insomuch that the unbelievers think not themselves to be alive, unless they may delight themselves with foolish and wanton dalliance, but that they do but linger and pine away: when we be provoked to the like things: we must consider what honor God has done us in vouchsafing to dedicate us to his obedience. For what are we by nature? What is there in us? Even from our mother's womb we bring nothing but disorder, we be cursed, we be steeped in sin, and to be short, from top to toe there is not any piece in us which is not given to evil: all our members are instruments of sin: neither eyes nor ears, neither mouth, feet, nor hands are exempted. Forasmuch then as we be full of all uncleanness through sin, and yet for all that, God has now plucked us back from it: is it not reason that we should be dedicated to him, seeing he calls us to holiness? And ought not this honorable title to restrain us, from taking such unbridled liberty as every one of us could find in his heart to take in following his own lusts? To be short, Saint Paul meant to show us here, how we may fight against our wicked lusts. For if we follow our own nature, surely though some man be not inclined to lechery, yet shall he have other vices: indeed we have all vices in us, but that we be restrained by God's bridle: and yet does every man deceive himself on his own behalf. Now what is to be done? We must not spare ourselves, but rather fight against ourselves. Let us not be dismayed though the Devil be so subtle, and we so tender and so easy to be soon shaken down: but let us consider how God calls us to the contrary. And what is that? To be holy in him. The thing therefore that Saint Paul meant to say in the first place, is that he arms us by setting before us the state to which God has vouchsafed to call us through his goodness, to the intent that every man should gather strength, and not give any way to Satan: but that although we be sorely laid at, yet we should not yield him the victory, because God has chosen us to all cleanness. And after he has drawn us so by gentleness, he does also set down a horrible menace, and which ought to make the hairs stand up upon our heads: and thereby we see how God endeavors to win us to him by all means. When he says, 'You be saints or holy ones': therein God uses sweetness and gentleness, as if he should say, 'My children, bethink yourselves, for I have not created you to live at random in this world, but I have therewithal adopted you, to the intent to call you to the heavenly heritage. Now then, seeing I have redeemed you with the blood of my son, and given you my spirit to dwell in you, to the end you should be my temples, and I be worshipped there: will you now go and give yourselves to all lewdness again, and in stead of being my temples, become sties for swine, and suffer your affections to be as dirt and dung to defile you withal, and fall to wallowing again in the mire, after you have been washed and made clean? If you will be my children, hold yourselves in the condition that I have set you.' After this manner does God proceed with us, to draw us to him, as though he did (as you would say) half flatter us. And on the other side, because he sees us cold, and that we abuse his patience, and are not touched to the quick with his grace when he utters it, but follow still our own lusts: he threatens us like a father who perceiving his child to be unruly, and not of so free disposition as to be won at the first: says thus to him: 'Do you know what? Though I have pampered you and suffered much at your hand, yet must you behave yourself otherwise, and play the good child towards me, or else go to the devil. If you will needs continue still in your naughtiness, get yourself to the gallows: for I am not a father that will suffer myself to be so mocked without redressing of it.' After this manner will a father endeavor to keep his child in his good favor if it be possible: but if he see that it avails not, he falls to threatening and chiding of him, and all to break that stubborn heart of his, if he can. Even so deals God with us: and therein we see what care he has of our welfare, as I said before.

Saint Paul therefore, after he has told us that we be saints: adds, that no covetous person, no lecher, nor any unclean man shall enter into the kingdom of God, nor have any part of the heritage that is purchased for us. This threatening (as I said) ought to scare us all, or else we be too blockish. What a thing is it that we should be bereft of God's kingdom? And by the way we must mark well the words that he uses: for he says, that we shall not possess the kingdom of God and of Christ. Not that they be two different kingdoms: but to express the better how that inheritance belongs to us, namely not by birthright, nor yet by our own purchase, but by free gift. The kingdom of God then is the heavenly life, and all our whole happiness. For out of God what can we have but all unhappiness? Therefore if we be banished out of God's kingdom, we must needs be plunged in all misery. But it is expressly said, to be the kingdom of Christ: and why? Because it was purchased for us by his blood, and also because we be now restored again to the state from where we were fallen in our father Adam. Again, we know that the inheritance is given us in our Lord Jesus Christ, to the intent that we being his members, and adopted of God by his means, should also be partakers of that which is peculiar to him. In the first chapter to the Hebrews he is called the heir of all things: and is that to shut us utterly out? No: but because we cannot otherwise be taken for God's children, but by being incorporated into the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all belongs. Now then, if we should be rejected of God, if we should be cut off from all the benefits which have been purchased for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that this should come to pass through our own unthankfulness. Alas, should we not be too too blockish? Indeed, and for the better expressing thereof Saint Paul uses the word Heritage or Inheritance. As if he should say, if you were heirs of God's kingdom from your mother's womb, consider how great a grief it ought to be to you to be set beside it. But now understand you, that the kingdom of God is communicated to you by our Lord Jesus Christ, because he has purchased it for you, and made you his brothers and fellows. And understand you besides, that it is because God has adopted you freely: and yet you have it not by birthright, nor can you say that it is your own, otherwise than by free gift. Now then, seeing it is a state of inheritance: will you be so lewd as to lose such a benefit when it is offered you? Shall God invite you so graciously to his glory, shall he offer you all the joy and happiness of the kingdom of heaven, shall he match you with his own son, and by that means make you to possess all the good things that you can wish: and shall all this be nothing worth to you, but that you will needs hold scorn of it and refuse it? How can Satan so far overmaster you? We see then how Saint Paul meant to waken us here earnestly by all means, to the intent that if we cannot be drawn wholly to God by love, at least yet threatening may do us some good, and move us to yield, that our desires may by that means be bridled, and our lusts not overflow so outrageously, but that since God shows himself our judge, we may at least refrain to resist him: for that is all one as if we would openly run rushing against him. Seeing that he with his own holy mouth has avowed us to be banished from the kingdom of heaven: if we notwithstanding do make no account of the things that he tells us: what a dealing is that?

Furthermore, whereas Saint Paul says that neither whoremongers, nor covetous men, nor unclean persons shall enter into the kingdom of God: he means not that all such as have offended and done amiss are rejected of God. For who is he that can say he is clear of all the vices that are rehearsed here? But he means the whoremongers, covetous persons, and loose livers that take pleasure in their lusts, and are hardened in them, and are so settled in the filthiness of them, as there is not any more fear of God in them to hold them back. We hear what he says to the Corinthians, where having made a greater list of the same and other vices, and having first uttered the like sentence, telling them that all such as are given to those vices shall never come in the kingdom of God: he says, and such have you been. He shows that the faithful also had been stained with the like corruptions. But you are washed and made clean, (says he) you are sanctified by God's Holy Spirit, and through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. As if he should say, by nature you were miserable, and people given to all lewdness. The willingness and desire that you have now to serve God came not of yourselves, but of God's drawing of you to him, so that whereas you were once like wild beasts, he has brought you to his obedience: whereas you were foul and unclean, he has washed you with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ: and whereas you were unholy, he has made you holy by his Holy Spirit. And therefore fall not to wallowing and plunging of yourselves again into uncleanness. Thus the true meaning of those words is in effect, that the wicked and such as lead an irreverent and lawless life, that is to say, such as fight not against their lusts, but delight in naughtiness, shall never come in the kingdom of God. For first of all, if the faithful are not renewed at their birth by the Spirit of God: they are stained with the sins to which mankind is subject, indeed and we see some that are wholly given to them. And although our Lord has wrought in us by his Holy Spirit: it does not therefore follow that we are so well reformed at the first day, as there is no more evil in us. For we must be content to keep continual battle through repentance, all our life long. And repentance should take no place, if we felt not sin dwelling still within us. Therefore it suffices that it reign not in us, as Saint Paul exhorts us in the sixth chapter to the Romans. There Saint Paul tells them to whom he speaks, that if they look upon their former life, they must needs be ashamed, because they were so strayed away, that they had forgotten God and all virtue and honesty. You cannot (says he) remember what you were before you were converted to the belief of the Gospel, but you must needs cast down your eyes with great shame. And yet notwithstanding he tells them, that sin must not now reign in our mortal bodies, although it dwell there still. Indeed it were to be wished that there were no sin dwelling in us, and that we were all like the angels of heaven. But Saint Paul knowing well that we cannot attain to that so long as we dwell in this world, and until we have put off our corruption, and are dispatched of this transitory life: wills us yet at least, that sin should not reign in us. So then, although we are stained with many vices, yet let us so fight against them, that they may not become heinous crimes, as though we rebelled against God, but continue only as infirmities, so as we beseech God to forgive us them completely and clean, acknowledging that we have need to obtain mercy daily, accordingly as it is not without cause that he teaches us to ask forgiveness of our sins. And so you see how that saying is to be understood.

Now furthermore Saint Paul adds (as we have seen already in the Galatians) that covetous people are idolaters. Truly this matter were well worthy to be discoursed more at length, and there is nothing spoken of it which may not be spoken again. However, forasmuch as in handling the Epistle to the Galatians, I declared there why Saint Paul calls covetous people idolaters: it shall suffice to touch the heart of the matter in few words. For as touching other vices, they do indeed make us to forget God. What are the inordinate lusts of our flesh, every one of them, but idols? For every man is hurried away after the things that he desires, so as he sets all his heart and mind upon them, and forgets God. Therefore it may well be said, that all wicked lusts are idols that impeach the majesty of God, and provoke us to strive against him, indeed and to shake off his yoke, and to betake ourselves to Satan. Nevertheless, covetousness is justly called idolatry, because it is certain that when a man does once give himself to it, he sets his whole felicity therein. He is not like a glutton, who has some remorse and shame of his naughtiness: nor like a drunkard, a whoremonger, or a blasphemer. For there is yet some sense of shame in them. And why? Because they cannot so blind men, but that they will speak shame of them for it. And although the whole world clapped their hands at them, and knew nothing of their lewdness: yet shall they themselves be forced to have some remorse. You see then that all such as offend God any other way, whatever it be, shall yet be held in awe by some fear, and have some remnant of discretion left in them to say, I do amiss, and however much they soothe themselves, and fall asleep, indeed and even utterly harden themselves: yet shall they be compelled to feel some pricking within. But the covetous man does so rejoice in his doings, that he thinks himself not faulty, neither before God, nor before man: but (which is more) glories in his wickedness. For when he has fleeced one, and robbed another of his goods, and deceived one, and entrapped another: thereupon when he casts up his account, he will say, Blessed be God that has prospered me so well. Insomuch that you shall hear the greatest cheaters in the world say, thanked be God, I have made a good hand today, I have done well this month, I have gone well forward this year. And yet for all that, if they enter into their own hearts and sift them thoroughly: they shall find there that all was but thievery, extortion, craft, and deceit. However the devil has so stopped their eyes, that they have no more discretion nor conscience to say, this is evil done. Forasmuch then as covetous people are at that point, that they have no more fear of God to stay them and hold them back: therefore are they termed idolaters. But this is not all the mischief, there is yet a worse point: which is, that they set all their felicity in their riches, and do so forget themselves, as they think there can no harm happen to them, whereby they be puffed up with such pride, that they thrust God a hundred leagues off from them, as the proverb says.

And therefore it is not for nothing that Saint Paul exhorts the rich men of this world, not to trust to their goods, nor to exalt themselves for them. He says that purposely, because they have so great an opinion of their riches, that they fear not God, but rather utterly forget him. You see then that the covetous people abuse their riches, by setting their whole heart upon them, (which notwithstanding is forbidden them, by the prophet in the Psalm) and by wallowing in such a way in them, that to their own seeming they have their paradise here already. And therefore this cursed disposition and insatiable lust of covetousness, which makes all men both drunk and blind, is justly named idolatry, and likewise the root of all evil, because the covetous man seeks always his own advantage, and whether it be by hook or by crook, by murder or by treason, by perjury or by poisoning, or by whatever other means, all is one to him, so he may compass his desire. From there spring so many troubles and contentions, and so much bloodshed through the world: that some are poisoned, and others have their throats cut, there is no other cause but this insatiable greediness of covetousness. True it is that ambition, and whoredom, and such other like vices draw a sort of foul inconveniences after them: but yet does not that discharge the covetous sort from being charged with the same. So then let us mark well, that Saint Paul speaking of covetousness, does justly say, that it does so subdue us to Satan, as it makes us to forget God, and makes us so brutish, as we stand no more in fear of God, nor have any remorse of conscience, and so puffs us up with pride, as God seems to be nothing with us, but we yield the honor of the living God to our gold, silver, and riches. And that is so rank treason, that there is good cause why we be made to abhor it here, as we see by that which the Holy Spirit speaks of it by the mouth of the Apostle.

Now let us fall down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying him to make us feel them with true repentance, that being grieved and heartily sorry for them, we may so sorrow for our offending of him, and for our straying from the way of salvation, as we may seek nothing but to dedicate ourselves wholly to him, that he may daily cut off whatever corruption is in us, and make us forsake the world, as the end to which we were redeemed and cleansed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the meantime vouchsafe to bear with our infirmities, and to rid us of them continually more and more, until he has taken us out of this world, to join us to himself in all righteousness and holiness. That it may please him to grant this grace, not only to us, but also to all people and nations of the earth.