I>~ft· 7· - 2(:efl. 3. Se1Jeral 111ayes of Prodigality. 9. 13. lnO. 7· Another way of Prodigality is that which is called by many, keeping a good houfe; thlt is, in unntcdfary abundance, and wafic of meat and drink, and other pmvilions. Q.!eH. 8. fYiun m3y grtat hou[e~kl'epi~tg be acco1tJ1lfdprodigality l A4w· Not when it is but a convenient work of chuity, to teed rhc poor, and relieve the dillref-. fed, or enttrrain ftra1)gers, or to give fuch nccttTary entutainment to t:quals or fuperiours as is before d~::fcribcd: But when the nuefi relief of the poor (hall be omitted (and it may be poor Tenants wracktd and opprell ) to keep up the fame and grandeur of their abundance, and to feem map,nifi– cenr, and praifed by men for great houfc-kccpers : The whole and large efiates of many of the:;rich and great ones of the world gocth this way, and fo much is devoured by it, as fiarvuh almofi all good work<. 9· 14. Inll. 8. Another way ofProdigality is Curd1 and Dice, and other gaming; in which whilcft men ddirc to get that which is anothcrs, theyIofe and wallc their own. 9· 15 IniL 9· Another ad: of Prodigality is giving over-great portions with children ; It being a finful wafie of uur Maflers flock, to lay it Out otherwife than he would have us,and to ferve our pride and fdf-interef\ in our children, infiead of him. Q1eft. 9• TJihtn may our chlldrenJ portions be accounted prodigality, or too great? A;;fi.·. Not when you provide for their comfortable living according to yourefiates, and give therJl that due pn~portion which confifleth with the difcharge of other duties; But when all that men can n::t is thought little enough for their children; and the bulinefs of their lives is to Jive in fulnefs ~htrnfdves as long as tl~ey can, and then to. leave that t? _their p~flerity ~hich they cannot keep thcmfclvcs! When tins gulf of felf-p1mpenng and prov1dmg the l1ke for ch1ldrcn, dcvou·reth a.Imofl all that you can gather, and the poor and other needful ufes, are put off widr fome inconfiderable pittance; And when there: is not a due proportion kept between your provifion for your children, and rhc other duties which God rcquireth of you : Pfa!. 49- 7• 8 1 ,9, 11, 13. 'fhtir inward thought ; 1 , tb.Jt tluir bou{es j1JJU be perpetuated, and tbeir dwelling places to gcneraticn1: 1hey eaUtheir Land 1 afttr their own namu-Tbiltbcir Jl1ay i1 theirfiOy; yet their pojferity approve their [ayings,Pid.J. 7 3·I2· Ecbo!d, tbc[e are the Vngod!y, who proJPer in the world, they increafe in riches: Pfal. 17. 14. They have their p.1rti'J1t iu this life :---They are full ofchildrm (or> their children are fuU,) and they leave the rcjl of tbeir [ubjfanct. to tbeir babu. A Parent that hath an heir, or other children, fo wife, reli– gious and liberal, as that they are like to 'be more charitable and ferviceable to good ufes, than any other whom he: can trufi with his efiate; (hould not only leave fuch children fufficient for themfelvcs bur enable them as much as he can to do good: For they will be more faithful Truflees to him rha~ firangers. But a Parent that hath but common and untrufiy children, Jhould do all the gOod he can himfdf, and what he would have done when he is dead, he: mull commit to them that are more uufiy ; and allow his children but their proper maintenance. And Parents that have debauched, wicked, ungodly children ( fuch a) God commanded them to caufcto be put to death, Deut. 2 r. ) flwuld allow them no more than their daily bread, if any thing at all (which is their own ro di– fpofe of). ],tjt. 10• . 9· 16. lnfi. ro. Alfo tobe c;rele{s inm:My fmaU expencu or lojfo1, becaufe they art but little thingr, and to let any fucb thing be caft away, iJ finful prodigaiiiJ'· · ~ell.. 10. Howfar~ it admy tobe frugal in Jinall matterI, and tbecontrary a /i1t. [}Crjl. !Co ]n}. I I· uft. 11· An[w. we mu£\ not over-value any thing, great or fmall: nor be fparing out of covetoufnefs : r.or yet in an imprudent way, which feemctb to fignifie bafcnefs and worldlinc:£5 when it is not fo: Nor mull we be too tinki11g in bargaining with others, whm every penny which we get by ir, is loft to one that needc1h it more. But we mufi fee that nothing of any ufe, be loft through fatiety, negli– gence or contempt: Fat the fmallefi is part ofGods gifts and talents, given us, not to cafi away, but to ufe as he wou\d have us : And there is nothing that is good fo fmall, but fomc: one hath need of it, or fome good ufe or odH·r may 9emade of ir. Even Chrifl when he had fed thoufands by a miracle, yet commanded his Difciplcs togathrr up the brol<!n breJd or fragmtnu, tbat nothing be.loj/ 1 John 6. r2. which plainly fhewe1h that it is a duty which the richefl: man that is,is not exempted from,to be frugal, and a tin in the greatdl Prince to be wafieful of any thing rhat is good~ But this mUll not be: in for-. did covetoufnefs, but in obedience to God, and to do good to others. He is commendable who giveth liberally to the poor, out of his abundance: But he is much more commendable, who is.a good llusb.md for the poor, as worldlings are for themfclves ; and frugally geueth and favcth as much as he can, and deny<th all fuperfluities to himfdf and all about h1m, that he may have the more to give w pious and charitable ufcs, · 9· 17· lnfi. 1I· Idienef~al[o and negligence in our Callings, is finful wafiefu\neCs and prodigality : When either the pride ot Gentility maketh"pcople think themfelves too good to labour, or to look af– ter the matters ot their families, or flothfulndS maketh them think it, a life too toilfome for their fldh to bear. Prov. 18 1 .9• Fk th:lt i-1 jlotbful in his rl'or~, i; brotber to him that if a great wajfer : Thefe drones <:onfilme that which others labour for, but are no gatherers themfelvc:s. §·18. QEcft. Ir. ]J every one boundtolabourin aCaUing? A~t[w. This is anfwered before in its due place ~om. Io" Every one that is able,. rich or poor, rnuft live in forne profitable courfc of pains or labour. Q_,~tf·I2· §. 1.9. ~:ell. 12. [;it a duty to dtfireandendeavoul' to get, and pro{per, andgrow· ricbby our'J.;- beurJ; when Solomm faith, Labour not tobt rich l Prov. 23. 4• · Anfw. It is a fin to dcfire Riches as worldlings ar.d (enfu:liilts do, for the provifion and maintenance of fltfhly lufis, and pride : But it is no fin, bur a duty, to labour not only for labour fake, forrnaBy ICfimg
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