--- Cafes about Wajhfit!Jtejs. rdling in the act done, but for that honefl incrc:•fe and provifion, which is the end of our l<ibour; Anti thereforero c1mofe againful calling rather than another, that we m:1y be able ro do good, and rdi1.Vt the poor. Eph. 4· 28. Let him I:Jb(}t:r, W:Jrkjng with biJ b:t;zdJ the thing tb.d i-1 go:Jd, tiJo~t hem") 147 hJt't to givr tobim tbat nrtdtth. · §. 20. ~dl. I3· C.Jn one be prodi~al i1t .~ivin_:{ to tbe Cimreb? ~e(f. 1 , . Anfiv. Yc~, if ic be in a blind zeal to maintain a ufclefs pomp or fuperhition : Or if he give R~~J E'af'ttr. thlt which iliou\d be: ufcd or given otherwife: But this is a fin thac few in thde dayes a.re in much Co''~J.P.rtgln ~~ ~~ §· z r. Q;t 0. 14· Can nne be prodigal i11 givi11g to the pJor l r.~t. {l Anfiv. Y~.s; when it is blindly done, to che::riih idientfs in wandring beggars; orwirh a conceit of ~e • 1 4• meriting in point of Comrnutati\•e Juflice,from God: Or when that is givu1 ro the poorlwhich fhould be given to other ufcs ( .as in publick tribute, maintenance ofchildren, furtherance of the Gofpell&.:.) But this is a tin that few have need to be rdlrained from. §. 22· Q uct\. 15· MJ) a rich man txpmd auy thing up011 ( otbcrwi{e ) l.Jwful pui11p, or convwi· ~tfl. 15. encu or pleaFru, at {ucb a tinu, w!Hn tbere art multitudu of poor fJmilie! in exuemit) ofwant l 1 A1now, when tbt fiamu wbic!J confitmed London, (J:J.Ve lt[t man.)' thoufandJ in dijlrrji? Anjw. Duubrlcfsevery man fhould (plTC as much for 1he rclic:f ot others as he cm; And rhpc:fore ihould not only forbear all needlcfs expences, but thcfe alfo that arc needful but w fuch conveniences and "accommodations as may be fp.tred without a greater hurt, than is the want of ·fuch as tha.t chu· gcs would relieve. To fi1ve the livtJ of people in want, we mufl fpare any thinB from our fclv«:s, which our own lh•u can fpa.re. And to relieve them in their deep poverty, we: mull: aba.ce much 'more than our fuperfl!-'ities. To expend any thing on pride and lull, is a double fin ar fuch a time, when Laz;r;u is at our doors in want. If (hat LuJte 16. were well fiudit·d (wherein it was rhar the Rich mans fin and danger lay, in being clothed in Purple and Silk, and fuing [umptuoufiy every d .. y, while Laz(lrtu wan~ed) it wOuld make fame f'-nfualilts wifn than they are. Bu! ylt it muH be confeffc:d, that fome few pcrfons may be ot fa much worth and u(e to the Corn· mon··,vt·alth ( as Kings ind Magilhaccs,) and fame of fo little ; that the maintaining of the honour and £Uccoms of the furmcr, may be more nccdfary than the hving of the lives of the later~ But uke heed leH Pride or Crudcy teach you, to mifi.utdctUand this, or abufe it for your fclves. §. 23. There are divers other waycs of Prodig.llity or finful wafie, which I pafs by, becaufethey are {uch as few are concerned in : And my purpolC i; not to fay all that may be faid, but all that is needful- ( As in needlcfs Mufick, Phyfick, Books ( which Sencca hand{omcly repwverh,) Gifts to Sovams which need not, in mecr ofienration of pride tO, be well fpoken of, and many the like : And in unlllwjul War~,which is the grcarcJ1 finful wafic:r in all the world.) And as for expences in de. bauchery andgrofs wickedncfs, as Whoredome, Revenge ; in fin(ul Law Suits, &c. I here'prcter,mit them. • §. 24. Direll:. 2· Vndcrfl•ild wcU theAggravationJ of thir (In of Prodigality : viz. Dirilli l• r. lt is a wafling of that which is noneof our own, and a robbing God of the ufe or fervice due to him in the improvement of his gifrs. They are his, and not outs , and according to his plealure only mull be ufcd. 2. It is a robbing 'the poor of that which the common Lord of the world, hath appointed for th{[n in his Law : And they will have their ACtion in Heaven againfi the prodigal. 3· lt is an inhumane vice, to Wiil.fie that upon plcafures, pride and needlefs things, which fo many dillrcffcd perfons !land. in need of. 4· It is an injury to the Cf:lmmon-wealth, which is weak~ ned by the wafie:ful. And the covetous themfdvcs ( that are nor opprdfors) are much betcer members of publick focieties thari the prodigal. 5·lt feedc:th a life of other vice and wickedncfs. lt is a fpcnding Gods gifts to fct:d thof'e lulls which he abhorreth. 0. It ufually engageth many others in Trades and hbours which are unprofitable, that tht:y may flrve the lulls of thde fcnfual· prodigals. 7· And in the conclufion it prcpareth a f... d account, fOr thdi: wretches when theymull: aniwcr at the Bar of God, how they have u{cd all his gifts and ralent<;, Rememb(r all thefe aggravations. ~· 25· Dir<ll:. 3· Care[uL'y lllJrtijie that gmdy [•NCJ, and fi.jhly lujlr, which Hthe rnjlingfi>t, a>td Dire//. 3• the dtvouring gulf Q:_ench the fire, and you may !pan: all this fudl. Cuu dieFe~vor or Dropfic, and yo~o~ may fpa.rc bot!l. your drink and life. A,greedy rhrou, and a difeafed fancy, arc never~fatis~ tied, till they have wlfhd the peace of your confclcnces, with your efiates, and brought you to the end of hruti{h finners: Wi[dome, and duty, ~nd real benelit, are contented with a little ; But lull is unfatiable: The voluptuous bruir fJ.ith, I m11jl have my cups, my luf\s, my pleafi1re: And the effeminate vicious fancy of thofe emp:y fouls, that mind no great and folid things, ls ftill ranging afrer fame vanity or other; and like children, crying for every thing rhat they fee another have: And the mofi needlefs, yea,burdenfomc: thin~s feem nccdf.uy to fuch : They fa.y, I mujf need,b:Jve thH,aud I nmft need1 have tbat, there is no being without it; whez:enothing neederh it , bm a difcafed mind, which much more needeth a Cure by grace and true mortification. Subdue pride, and fenfuality, and fancy, and you may efcape p.rodigality. . §· 26. Diretl:. 4· Remember the 1/faJ'ntfJ of yoHr accottnt, a1td aJ/t y 1ur confcici1CtJ r:vbat w;y ofe~· D1rtl1. 4• pencu will plet~{e yoH bejt in the review. Whether at death and judg~:mt:nt it wilt be to your com~ torr, to_find on your account, [ So much laid out on netdlefs bravery~ r6 fct out thio; carkafs which is now turning into dult: z,em, So much upon pt'Oud cncertainmcnts ot great oneo;: Item) So much on Cards, and Dice, and Srage-pbyes; and fo much on Hounds and needle[s pkafures, &c. J Or rather [So much_ to promote the pre1ching of the Gufpel: {0 much to fee paor children to Pn:ntic~ :or ro vC.h.lQ];
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