The deceitfiebsef of Mani heart. f 5 3 could rob have declared his mercy and liberality to the poore without his riches ? How could Solomon have witneffed his munificence, and royal! magnifi- cence, yea,his zeale, and piety in building the tem pie, together with his wifdome and skill in natural! Philofophy, had not the Lord fo abundantly fur - nifhed him with thefe helps ? What then ? fhall we fay, becaufe riches are the inflruments whereby Verne declareth it felfe, therefore they make men vertuous? that, becauCe a good penne is the infcru ment of writing, therefore it will make one a good writer? nay, rather a good writer makes the penne rood, and to be a fit infrrument of writing well, For furnifh an unskilfull writer with never fo good penne, yet his fift remaines Rill as unskilful! : So a good man knowes how to make ufe and advantage of riches for the pralife of Verrue, as soloriion Cayes, The crown of the wife is their richer : but yet give them a foole, and you put a fiord into a mad mans hand, Bill he is as wicked, nay.worfc than be fore,as Solorrson addeth in the fame place, the folly of fioles, n,rnely rich ones, is fiolijhneße : why, was it not foolifl<ineffe before they were rich ? yes, but not in comparifon of that it is now, fince they be- came rich. That as wïfdome is good, that is, better, fhines brighter,fo fòláy is naught, that is,farre woi fe, more palpably difcovereth it felfe, with an inheri- tance. That which Solomon (peaks of Hence in a foole, may as truly bee laid of poverty fometimes. A foole is accounted wife while poore, but let him once be rich, then his folly is fooliflineffe indeed. 4 Riches then declare whether we bee good, or no, E3 as Prov.14,z4. cleared. PrO v.i7 2,8.
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