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 f