Now, there is no more cunning bosom sin in some men than the sin of covetousness, and that sin in Alexander Brodie’s heart and life blew almost, if not altogether, away all these and many more fences of his salvation.  Well as David Laing edits Alexander Brodie’s Diary, unfortunately for some of his readers he leaves his index an index of names only, neglecting things.  And thus I have had to extemporise an index for myself under such sad heads as those of Brodie’s ‘passionateness,’ his ‘covetousness,’ his ‘time-serving’ and ‘tuft-hunting,’ and suchlike.  And I am compelled in truth to say that the entries in my index under ‘covetousness’ and under ‘time-serving’ and ‘tergiversation’ is a long and yet far from exhaustive list.  And now, acting, I hope, on the Scriptural principle that

   ‘The saints are lowered that the world may rise,’

I shall say a single word on each of Brodie’s two so besetting sins.  And, doing in the matter of Brodie’s vices as I have just done in the matter of his virtues, I shall let the singularly honest Diarist speak for himself.  I certainly would not dare, on any evidence, to characterise or condemn a man like Brodie as he will now characterise and condemn himself. ’July 30, 1653.—­I find covetousness getting deeper and deeper into my heart, insatiable desires of lands and riches, the desire of acquiring my neighbour’s property, and many vain projects and want of contentment, albeit I have already what might satisfy and well content me.  I find that it is not ten hundred times what I possess that would content and stay my mind from greedy lusts and insatiable desires.  What avails prayer as long as these lusts remain?  I scarcely allow meat and fish and beer and victual to my family and to the poor.  Lord, pity! 21 Aug.—­Sin and snare are inseparable from this haste to be rich.  Lord, in this Thou punishest one sin with another, with unrighteousness, oppression, unevenness, uncharitableness, deceit, falsehood, rigour to tenants, straitenedness to the poor. 24 Sept.—­Read 1 Cor. viii. 14, 15, which did reprove my straitenedness, my coldness, and my parsimony. 19 July.—­Was taken up inordinately with trash and hagg.  Let not the Lord impute it! 9 Oct.—­My heart challenged me that I could so freely lay out money on books, plenishing, clothes to myself, and was so loth to lay out for the Lord.  Oh, what does this presage and witness but that I am of the earth and that my portion is not blessed, but that my goods are rather accursed! 4 Nov.—­Neil Campbell staid with me.  I found my niggardly nature still encroaching upon me, and made my supplication for escape. July 1.—­Because I have not employed my wealth in charitable uses, therefore does the Lord take other ways more grievous to me to scatter what I have so sinfully kept back.’  And so on, alternately scrimping and confessing; filling his pockets with money, and praying that he may be enabled to open them, he goes on till we read such miserably self-deceiving entries as this almost at the end of his doleful diary:  ’I purpose, if the Lord would give strength and grace and constancy, and an honest and sound heart, to lay by some money for such uses from time to time, whereof this much shall be a sign and memorial.’