Chap. 3I. An Expoftion upon the Book of J o E. Vert. 24 ofecia1y, when we bave what we moil delre. To be jealous over our ownefoules is oneofthe belt meanes of fafety. Secondly, Whenyou have gold in your hand, pray that it may not get into your heart, but bekept under your feete,as the Church is defcribed (Rev. t 2, I. ) having the Moone ( that is, all worldly things) there. Howmuch foever you have ofthe world it cannot hurt you while you keep it under your feete; but if the leaft ofit get up into your hearts it will undoe you. Thirdly , Pray for a right judgement above riches. Wee fel- dome erre in our afedions, till we erre in underftanding ; and we cannot but over -love that which we over- value. They only truft inGod, who truely knowhim (Pfal.9. to.) and they who true- ly knowwhat Gold is, will never eyther make it their truft or truft in it. Againe,Why doth 70b difclaime this confidence ? Surely, be- caufe fuch confidence is as vaine as it is finfull. Hence note. It is a very vanity to put confidence in riches, in Gold or fine Gold. For, firft, riches cannot makeus eyther better or wirer. Solo- PM faith indeed ( Pre. 14. 24. ) The crowne of the wife is tbrir riches. But riches never crowned any man with wifdome; riches are a crowne to the wife, becaufe they as Kings rule over them and command them ; They command them at their pleafure, and life them for their honour. Wifdome makes riches a crowne ; but riches cannot make a man wife.Wifdome guides a godly man to the true ofe and improvement of riches, and fo they adorne him and make him very ufefull. But (as it followes in that text ofthe <proverbs ) thefoolifbnefs offooles isfolly, that is, let a Poole have never fo much riches, he will difcover his folly and thew himfelfe by fomuch the more foolith, by how much the richer he is. Riches in the hand ofa Poole are but (as we fay) a F ooles- Bable, with which he makes himfelfe a little fort : or they are there, like a fword in the hand ofaMad-man, by which he doth both himfelfe and others hurt. wk./dome is goodwith an inheri- tance(Eccl: 7. tr. ) that is, an inheritance enables a wife man ro doegood, and to Phew that he is good ; But an inheritance is bld with folly, that is, it doth but enable a foolifh man to doe mil- ch jefe, 52.7
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