Happy the Man who is inclin'd to love, Texts which shew that we should not be of a covetous Temper or Difpofition. Hebrews xiii. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetoufnefs; and be content with fuch things as ye have: For he hath faid, I will never leave thee nor forfake thee. Prov. xv. 27. He that is greedy of Gain, troubleth his own Houfe; But he that hateth Gifts fhall live. Prov. xxviii. 20, 22. A faithful Man fhall abound with Bleffings; but he that maketh hafte to be rich, fhall not be innocent. He that hafteth to be rich, hath an evil Eye, and confidereth not that Poverty fhall come upon him. Habak. ii. 9. Woe to him that coveteth an evil Covetoufnefs to his Houfe, that he may fet his Neft on high, that he may be delivered from the Power of Evil. Prov. iii. 27, 28. Withhold not Good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the Power of thine Hand to do it. Say not unto thy Neighbour, Go, and come again, and To-morrow I will give; when thou haft it by thee. Prov. xi. 26,-30. He that withholdeth Corn, the People fhall curfe him: But Bleffing fhall be upon the Head of him that felleth it. He that diligently feeketh Good procureth Favour: But he that feeketh Mifchief, it fhall come unto him. He that trufteth in his Riches fhall fall: But the Righteous fhall flourish as a Branch. Prov. xvi. 8. Better is a little with Righteoufnefs, than great Revenues without Right. 1 Tim. vi. 6,-10. But Godlinefs with Contentment is great Gain. For we brought nothing into this World, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having Food and Raiment, let as be therewith content. But they that will be rich, fall into Temptation, and a Snare, and into many foolish and hurtful Lufts, which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition. For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil: Which while fome coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced themselves through with many Sor rows. Fob i. 21. Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb, and naked fhall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; bleffed be the Name of the Lord. Pfal. xlix. 16, 17 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the Glory of his House is en creased; for when he dieth, he fhall carry nothing away: His Glory fhall not defcend after him. Ecclef. v. 10, 13, to 19. He that loveth Silver, fhall not be fatisfied with Silver; nor he that loveth Abundance, with Increase. There is a fore Evil which I have feen under the Sun, namely, Riches kept for the Owners thereof to their Hurt But thofe Riches perish by evil Travel: and he begetteth a Son, and there is nothing in his Hand. As he came forth of his Mother's Womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and fhall take nothing of his Labour, which he may carry away in his Hand. And this alfo is a fore Evil, that in all points as he came came, fo fhall he go, and what Profit hath he that hath laboured for the Wind. All his Days also he eateth in Darkness, and he hath much Sorrow, and Wrath with his Sickness. Behold that which I have feen, it is good and comely for one to cat, and to drink, and to enjoy the Good of all his Labour that he taketh under the Sun, all the Days of his Life, which God giveth him, for it is his Portion. James v. 1, 2, 3. Go to now, ye rich. Men, weep and howl for your Miferies that fhall come upon you. Your Riches are corrupted, and your Garments are Moth-eaten. Your Gold and Silver is cankered, and the Ruft of them shall be a Witness against you, and shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire. Ecclef. xxxi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Watching for Riches confumeth the Flesh, and the Care thereof driveth away Sleep. Watching Care will not let a Man Slumber, as a fore Disease breaketh Sleep. The Rich hath great Labour in gathering Riches together, and when he refteth he is filled with his Delicates. He that loveth Gold fhall not be juftified, and he that followeth Corruption fhail have enough thereof. Gold hath been the Ruin of many, and their Destruction was present. Ecclef, xiv. 3, to 15. Riches are not comely for a Niggard, and what should an envious Man do with Money. He that gathereth by defrauding his own Soul, gathereth for others that shall spend his Goods riotoufly. He that is Evil to himself, to whom will he do Good; he shall not take Pleafure in his Goods. There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is a Recompence of his Wickedness. And if he doth Good he doth it unwillingly, and at the last he will declare his Wickedneís. A covetous Man's Eye is not satisfied with his Portion, and the Iniquity of the Wicked drieth up his Soul,, a wicked Eye envieth his Bread, and he he is a Niggard at his Table. My Son, according to thy Ability do good to thy felf, and give the Lord his due Offering. Remember that Death wilk not be long coming, and that the Covenant of the Grave is not fhewed unto thee. Do good to thy Friend before thou die, and according to thy Ability ftretch out thy Hand and give to him. Defraud not thy felf of the good Day, and let not the Part of a good Defire over-pafs thee. Mark x. 23. And Jefus looked round about, and faith unto his Difciples, how hardly fhall they that have Riches enter the Kingdom of God.. 1 John H. 15, 16, 17. Love not the World, neither the Things that are in the World; if any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him; for all that is in theWorld, is the Luft of the Flefh, the Luft of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life. Let Agur's Prayer be a Rule unto thee, Texts which shew the Danger of being bound for the Payment of other Peaple's Debts. PR Roverbs xi. 15. He that is Surety for a Stranger fhall fmart for it, and he that hateth Suretifhip is fure. Prov. xxii. 26. Be not thou one of them that ftrike Hands, or of them that are Sureties for Debts. Prov. xvii. 18. A Man void of Understanding ftriketh Hands, and becometh Surety in the Prefence of his Friend.. Prov. vi. 1, 2. My Son, if thou be Surety for thy Friend, if thou has ftricken thy Hand with a Stranger, thou art fnared by the Words of thy Mouth, thou art taken with the Words of thy Mouth. Ecclef. xxix. 14 to 21. An honest Man is furety for his Neighbour, but he that is impudent will forfake him. Forget not the Friendship of thy Surety, for he hath given his Life for thee. A Sinner will overthrow the good Eftate of his Surety; and he that is of an unthankful Mind, will leave him in Danger that delivered him. Suretiship hath undone many of good Eftate, and fhaken them as a Wave of the Sea; mighty Men hath it driven from their Houses; fo that they wandered among strange Nations. A wicked Man, tranfgreffing the Commandments of the Lord, fhall fall into Suretifhip; and he that undertaketh, and followeth other Men's Bufinefs for Gain, fhall fall into Suits. Many Men for others being bound, It did their Fortunes very much confound; PR Texts of a good Name, Roverbs xxi. 1. A good Name is rather to be chofen than great Riches, and loving Favour rather than Silver or Gold. Prov. xv. 30. The Light of the Eyes rejoiceth the Heart, and a good Report maketh the Bones fat. Ecclef. vii. 1. A good Name is better then precious Qintment. Prov. xvi. 24. Pleafant Words are as an Honey comb, |