A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

Q. When should a man think himself satisfied, and how far may he desire those things?

A. In our Callings we must be diligent, and we may desire Wealth of God, partly for our necessity, and expediency, and partly to leave to our Posterity, thus far a man may desire Wealth, but we are never to desire more than we have good use of, and glorify God by, a man must be content as well to want as abound; but when a man is insatiably craving, when he hath much he would have more, and when he hath most he is not satisfied, that is a greedy eye.

A. In our Callings we must be diligent, and we may desire Wealth of God, partly for our necessity, and expediency, and partly to leave to our Posterity, thus far a man may desire Wealth, but we are never to desire more than we have good use of, and glorifie God by, a man must be content as well to want as abound; but when a man is insatiably craving, when hee hath much hee would have more, and when he hath most he is not satisfied, that is a greedy eye.

3 There is a lust of the Eye that fails in the end, as it is insatiable, so it is an unprofitable desire, and when a man craves Wealth for Wealths sake, and ⟨p. 133⟩never takes care to use it well, and this I call a needy eye, when God calls him to bestow some on Church, or Common-wealth, or Family, or Friends, what saith he? what know I whether I may have need my self? and so for fear of future need, he will not provide seasonably for Family, or Church, or Common-wealth, he will part with nothing willingly, unless he see it be for his profit, Deut. 15.19. this needy eye is therefore reproved, and this was in Nabal,