488 Corn. 8, Rides abeut gettingandufing ofRiches. Chap. I o, 11.b. 24. It are Come that would come by them by evil means: and though they ufe what means they can, as Baladm did, yet they cannot be rich,who,whcn ail came to all,he could 'get nothing,but lingring after hopes of preferment,ar length loft his life: and fo day though he floleout of the bag,and fold his Mafler,yetit papered not with him, it brought him to the halter. And we feedaily, that Witches and Sorcerers,though they give their fouls to the Devil for riches, yet ,not one among them proves rich and if any get wealth by unjuft means, this is not thegift of God, but only by his permiffion. Thus God will have Tome rich and Come poor, that the one being poor in fpirit, may wear the crown of patience ; the other being rich in good works,may Wear the crownofbounty. Every man therefore mutt [land thus perfwaded, If God Will have me to be rich, he will Co biefs me by lawful means,that I [hall be rich : if 2 Fern. 25.26 not,he'mutt fay asDavid did concerning the kingdom,Here I am,let himdo what feem- Phil. 4' 12 etbgood in bit own eyes: and with St.Panl,he mull learn áfI nits ¿va.,to be content in everycandition,he had learned h-.tiffm,tofhffer need,&c. and to be content therewith, and 7rsmogi7eit,to abound,and in every condition to behave himfelf, as one fubmitting to the willof God. This indifferency every onemull labour for,and to hand fo affe- Eted, that acknowledging riches are from God, and that both [lates and conditions, viz.of Riches andPoverty,are from God,he can be content with either. If God exalt him,he will biefs him : if hewill not,he can fay,/ canfufer want. And he that is not thus perfwaded,and refolved,God ufually punifheshim,eirher by letting him fall into Pray. 5. 12 covetoufnefs, and then, dumfemper metuit né indigeat,indiget,wbilft be is continually 6.12 afraid be fhould want,he is in want,and fo is punilht with the evil he fears ; or elfe,as the Wife manobferves,ffrangert arefilledwith bis wealth : and this Mange judgment God brings upon it,that it thrives not with him,it decayes and melts away, no man knows how, not can any give a reafon of ir,and fometimes when his bags are full,and his barns too, he dieth, and cannot enjoy what he bath fo carefully laid up, 3.n five oc. 3. In the next place, being felled in a calling, and brought to this refolution, he cording to c"r mull take away thewhetftonewhich (harpensthe edgof mens delires after richesviz mean" living after too high a fayl : and as St.Paul'exhorts he mull live ora4 cvas Judy, Tit, 2, 12 fiberly andjuflly. Firft hemutt keepwithinhis meafure and fcantling, by living fo- berly, and then he [hall live jufily; for Office is alwayes wrackt and f retcht, iffo- briery be broken. Ifa man bebrought under the power ofhis lulls, that he mull have fuch meat, and fuch apparel,then he mull have money to provide fuch things, and if it cannot be gotten by dire&t means, then juftice mull be wracked to obtain it by indirmlh ; and therefore this is another rulewhich we mutt let down,he mullfabrie vivere,livefoberly,that he may live jutte, righteoufly, he mull be a note too low rather than a note too high. CHAP. X. Rules to be ebferved, r. in juft getting : r. By Donation. 2. By Induffry. 3. By Con. trails, wherein muff be confidered, a. The needwe have of the thingfold. 2. The ufe. Three degrees of a juft price. r. Pilaff: 2. Moderatum. 3. Rigidum. 3.1n pelf ufing, wherein are rules. a. Concerning our lilacs, r, For preferving our eftate. 2. For laying it out. 2. Concerning others, giving a. to God, from whom we receive all. 2. to the poor. Rulesfor the meafure and manner ofgiving. Motives toftir us up to give to thepoor. Ofprocuring the keeping ofthis Commandment by others. 4,Toodferve N-X7Hen a man is thus affefted and prepared, then thereare other rules tobe ob. - The rulesfor V % ferved, both for the getting, and cling of riches, as we (hewedbefore. getting and rt. a. For getting by gift or donation, as Legacies, gifts, or inheritances, the ruleof fr "gofrtchri. the world is, I will takewhat I can get, orwhat any will give; but this is an evil l' For g`tt`"g rule : for I mutt not defrre to take of every man, but propter mercedem, or debitum Gdanatren, i' > g,ft, &c. where I have done good ofices,and deferved well of their hands. We feethe praétife Gen. 14, 23 of Abrabam,who thoughhemight reafonably have takenagood bootyofthe kingof Sodom, yet he would not take a (hoe- latchet ofhim, left he [houldfay, he had made Gen. 23.16 Abrahamrich: and when the field ofEphron was offered him for nothing, yet he wouldpay for it ; fo that it coil him four hundred thekels. And in after times we read,
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