And not vnto couetousnes) I take it that praying against this one sinne, he prayeth against all other sinnes, as pride, malice, Luxurie, lust, &c. But this one is heere named, because, as the Apostle saith, it is the roote of all euill. For as there is no braunch of a tree, but it is nou∣rished by the roote, no streame of a riuer, but hath his currant from the spring, & no veyne in the body, but hath his blood from the liuer: so is there no one sinne, no, not the life of man, which ha•••• not life and liuelihood from this one sinne. 1. It is as (I may say) the ••other sinne, breeding, and bringing vp all the rest. Like mother, like daughters, all bad: but couetousnes is the worst of all. Yet I know not how it commeth to passe, that men are now a daies called good men, not of their goodnes, but of their goods: he is the best man that hath the best purse, monie is the man, yea the whole man. From the peeres to the pesant, all are enamoured with Ladie Lucre. But why should they be so? is wealth any thing else but thicke clay? is it not a part of that refined earth, which man ought to treade vnder his feete? when in the infancie of the Church, possessions were sold, the money was laid at the Apostles feete, Acts. 4. to signifie (as some thinke) that we must rather trample vpon and contemne this trash, then to haue ouer great admiration of it▪ Alas! why should we labour so after things temporall, that they hinder vs from getting things eternall? what will it profit a man to get the whole world, and in the end loose his owne soule? shall we preferre monie before God? before heauen? before our owne soules? can it giue satisfaction to vs? No it cannot. Mans heart indeede is so little of it selfe, that it will scant giue a kite her breakefast, yet is the desire thereof so infinite that the whole world cannot satisfie it. Are we the better because we are rich? no more then the horse is for his gaye trappings. Can we carrie them away with vs? nay we brought nothing into this world, and it is cer∣taine we shall carrie nothing out. The sumpter horse may carrie all the day treasure on his backe, but at night it is taken from him, and he carrieth nothing into the stable, but often times a galled backe by reason of his burden. Dauid saith, if riches encrease set not your heart vpon them. Salomon saith, he that trusteth in his riches shall fall. Christ saith, it is harder for a rich man to enter into heauen then for a camell to goe through a nee∣dles eye. Paul saith, they that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares: and there∣fore chargeth Timothie to charge rich men that they trust not in vncertaine riches. I say then with our Sauiour Christ, take heede and beware of couetousnes, and that you may pray euer with this blessed Prophet, Incline mine heart to thy statutes, and not vnto couetousnesse.