Coin.8ä 4$6- la :: the right ufe of Rihes,&c. hands; and hereupon comes that Proverb, Omni: dives iniquus, aut bares iniqui,every rich man is eitheran unjuft man, or the heir of an unjuft man. ofthe right But now, when a mans eftate is juftly got, then in the next place, he is to take care ale of riches. about the ufe of it, whichis the fecondthing to be confìdered. This ufe refpeds either a mans felf, or others. Of the firft the Wife man (peaks, Ec66. 7 when he faith, that all the labour of a man is for his mouth ( that is, for hisown ne- ceftties :) Of the fecond the Apoftle, when he exhorts the Corinthians to be rich in z Cor.9. t r liberality, by confidering theneceffities of others. He offends againft the firft, who whenGodhathgiven him riches, wealth , and honour, fo that be wantsnothingfor his Ecc1.6 . z f41 of all that he defireth, yet Godgives him not thepower to rule thereof,but aftranger eareth it : this is vanity and an evil difeafe. And he offends againft the fecond, who looks only at himfelf, and wants bowels of compallìon towards others. Thefe two ufes are bothcomprehended by Solomon in twoverfes, Drinkwatersof Prot:5.15,16 thy own eiffern,there is ourown ufe; and then what follows,/et thyfountains be difper- fed abroad, and rivers ofwatersin the"freer, here is the ufe of others. TheApofde (peaksof adouble fowing , anfwerable to this twofold ufe of riches , a fowing to the Ga1.6.8 flefh, and afowing to thefpirit, whether it be propter pion rue Ecclefiaticos, forpious ufes that concern the Church,and the Miniftery, orpropter ufus civiles, for pious ufes whichconcern the Common-wealth,as the relief of the poor,&c. Both ufes may be John 13.29 belt and plainliefl Peen inChrifis pradhce,who whenhe bade Judas diifpatch, therefl. thought , that becaufe be borethe bag , that Chrifts meaning was , either that he fhould buyfilch thingsas were. needful, that is, for their. own ufe; or elfe that ha fhouldgivefomething to the poor, which is the fecond ufe , fo that by the words of the Difciples it appears, thatthofewere the two ufes of our Saviours purfe ; firft, to provide things needful for themfelves; and fecondly to contribute to the neceflities of others , of theft- twoufes we are now to fpeak feverally. e f Ao¡ For the firft ufe whichconcernsour (elves, wemuff know , that here is a double which r concern, a ttrearn to be avoided. our/Wyo. I. Niggardlinefs, or parfimony. iwo extreams 2. Profufenefs, orprodigality. tobe avoided. LFor the Mil of theft. As aman may kill hisnfelf,and thereby becomefelodefe,and r. N:ggardl:. asdrat311pofa,uncleannefs may be coma itted witha mans felf; fo there may bef:ertum rep. ixfe,theft againft a mansfell; for asthe Preacher faith, there is one alone,ercfor whom Ecc1.4.8 do I labour, and bereave or defraud my felf of good, quart defrauds animammeam ? here is a fraud and theft committed againft a mans (elf. St. lamer tclis filchmen their doom. Their rufffhall be awitnefagainfi them, and James 5 3 ./hall eattheirfat]h, as it werefire : upon which place St. Atnbrofefaith, Efurientium eft tibus,&c. it the breadof the hungry that grows mouldy by thee, and the drinkof the thirfty thatfoyers by thee ; fo that he is guilty of a double theft, againft himfelf, and againft the poor. Of this man, by the content of Interpreters, fpeaksthe Prophet Hofß.7 Hofea,whenhe faith, that hefoweth tathewind, and reaps the whirlwind, the ffrangeo (hallreap thefruit of bis labours. The common plague of this fin,as theHeathen man obferved, is, that Ruodpro.. funda baufit avaritia , when the profound avariceof one , bath gathered much to- gether , there 'fhall come another , qui luau pejore retundet , whofe profile vanity (hall fcatter it. And thehand of the Lord is oftenupon fuch men, by difappointing themof their ends ; for whereas their fparing is , either s. that they may enjoy their riches in their latter dales , when they are old , as the rich fool in the Gofpel, Luke 12.19, who Paid, Soul, take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be merry, thou haft much goodslaid up zo firmany.years,&c. God difappoints them, as it is in the next verle, this night they (hall take away thyfoul, and then whofe(hall all there things be,éc. or z.that they may hekept therewith inthe day of ficknefs : here likewife they fail of their ends, when they are in fponda languoro;upon their lick bed, they can have no comfort in their píalm 4 T.3 riches, their wealth cannot cafe them of theirpain, they growworfe and worfe, and ofttimes though they fpend all their mony upon the Phylitians , as the woman that had the iffue of blood , yet they are never the better. (as the Rabbins ufe to fay) thcyfhall not (bife from thetick mans pallet, to thebed of health: or3. that they may lave great eftates to their children: in this alto God often croffes them, Job ao.ie lb that as Elihu fpeaks , Their Children frail feek to pleafe the Poor : they
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