The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

A base covetous, needy, and evil eye, when one cannot find in his heart to take his part of the things God hath bestowed upon him, but will serve and pinch himself, and rob himself of the use of that which he hath in his own keeping, this is as bad as if he should do the same to an other; all is one to bring poverty upon an other by wronging him, and to bring a needless need upon himself by wronging himself. It is a most miserable and base thing for one to restrain himself of his lawful liberty in meat, drink, apparel, and honest recreation, where God hath not abridged him. This sin the wise man sets forth, Eccles. 2. 26. Where he speaks of two sorts of people, the one which God loves, and to those he gives not only riches and abundance of all things, but also the right and joyful use of the same, that they shall be able with comfort to use that which God hath given them. But there is an other kind of people whom God hates, and how shall they speed thus? They shall have pain to gather and heap up wealth which must be bestowed upon those that be holy and good in Gods sight. God hath certain enemies in the world, upon whom he purposeth to be avenged in this life, and how will he plague them? This shall be their curse, he will appoint them to be slaves and drudges, and lay up wealth great store, but they shall want a liberal and a good use, they shall toil and moil, and tumble and toss, and cark and care, and struggle and strive for earth, a great deal more then Gods children can do for heaven, and when they have been at all this labour, and spent themselves thus, they shall see no good day nor have one hour of comfort, an other must enjoy all.

A base couetous, needie, and euill eye, when one cannot finde in his heart to take his part of the things God hath bestowed vpon him, but will serue and pinch himselfe, and rob himselfe of the vse of that which he hath in his owne keeping, this is as bad as if he should doe the same to an other; all is one to bring pouertie vpon an other by wronging him, and to bring a needlesse need vpon himselfe by wronging himselfe. It is a most miserable and base thing for one to restraine himselfe of his lawfull libertie in meat, drinke, apparell, and honest recreation, where God hath not abridged him. This sinne the wise man sets forth, Eccles. 2. 26. Where he speakes of two sorts of people, the one which God loues, and to those he giues not onely riches and aboundance of all things, but also the right and ioyfull vse of the same, that they shall be able with comfort to vse that which God hath giuen them. But there is an other kind of people whom God hates, and how shall they speed thus? They shall haue payne to gather and heape vp wealth which must be bestowed vpon those that be holy and good in Gods sight. God hath certaine enemies in the world, vpon whom he purposeth to be auenged in this life, and how will he plague them? This shall be their curse, he will appoint them to be slaues and drudges, and lay vp wealth great store, but they shall want a liberall and a good vse, they shall toyle and moyle, and tumble and tosse, and carke and care, and struggle and striue for earth, a great deale more then Gods children can doe for heauen, and when they haue beene at all this labour, and spent themselues thus, they shall see no good day nor haue one houre of comfort, an other must enioy all.