Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Ofshé cautions to beobferuedin the latbfull-r f ofriches. 235 by he bringeth himfelfe to want and miferie, orelfeluxuri_ ouflyvpon carnali pleafures, and all manner of voluptuouf_ neffe,whereby he is made unfit for Gods feruice, and readie for the perpetrating ofauy wickednes. Both which are care- fully to be auoided,for as the one hath nor,that he hath, fo the other will not haue it long, vnleffe he rake from others a new fupplie by vnlawfull meanes ; inwhich refpeet, as the fordidous perfon is a thiefe becaufe he robbeth himfelfe; fo the wafifull spender is a thiefe, becaufc hee robbeth other mcn,and one while is gripingly couetous, that he may ano- while be profufely waflfull. The vies wherein our wealth is lawfully imploied refpe6ling others, are either publicke or private. Publicke,when as we bellow it for the goodofthe Church and Common-wealth. The vies which concerne thegood of the Church, are, that we beflow our riches for the maintenance of the meanes ofGods publicke feruice, as vpon thole who teach and inflru& vs in the knowledge of Gods trueteligion; vpon .the places of Gods worfhip, and all other neceffariesbelonging thereunto. And this God re- quireth,and incourageth vs to the performance thereof by his graciouspromife. Honour the Lord with thy richer, and Pro.3.9.ro: with the farft fruits of shine increaf : fofhall thy barrier be fil- led with abundance,and ti4y preffes fhallbur t with newwïne. An example whereof wee haue in the lfraelits, who offered fo Exod.34.5.6.' bountifully towards the building of the Tabernacle and r.Chron.z9.9. Temple, that they needed to bee reflrained from bringing anymore. So alio our riches are lawfully viedand imploied, when as they are bellowed for the publicke good of the Common-wealth ; as in the maintaining of the roiall eflate of the King, by tributes and cuflomes, in &fending our Mar.at ar, Countrie in time ofwarre,in ere&ing offchooles and hofpi- tals,and fuch other publicke feruices, whereby the good of Rotn.r3.6.y.' the Cómon- wealth is aduanced and furthered. To which purpofes we fhould fpare, not only out ofour fuperfluities, but cuen from our backes and bellies, when needrequires; feeing the common good is to be preferred before our owne private, and our Countrie before our flares and liues,in that from it we have had the meanesofourmaintenancc,yea our 6ra