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I Haue beene often condemned of sim∣plicitie, by many of my friends, for that I bewray mine owne poore estate, so publikely to the world, which peraduen∣ture may repute me rich, and of competent meanes. This I acknowledge is a shew of their loue and friendly affection, and I so take it, but cannot ob∣serue it, nor follow their counsell; for if I should conceale my necessitie, & make an outward shew to
haue what I haue not, and to be what I am not; am I the richer, or the better? shall my posteritie receiue the greater portion of prosperity after me? nay, shall they not rather vn∣dergoe the greater penu∣rie? can I make a shew of greatnesse: and will not that require a superfluous and needlesse charge? and will not that charge im∣payre and diminish, euen that little that I haue? therefore feare I not to bewray mine owne wants; but desire rather to shew my selfe as I am, and to be as I shew my selfe: for GOD abborreth a double heart.
Againe, it hath beene
obiected against mee by * 1.1 way of a kinde of repro∣uing admiration, that I hauing liued long, and la∣boured much in a seeming aduātagious imployment, should grow no greater, or waxe no richer.
What should I answere to this obiection? To be silent is best. If they could as well taxe mee with rio∣tous expendings, & a pro∣digall life, whereby I haue consumed that which by Gods blessing I haue got∣ten: I would answere by a plaine confession, that I were not worthy to bee worth a morfell of bread: or if they could charge me with idlenesse, or neglect of the execution of my cal∣ling,
according to occa∣sion; I should shew my selfe destitute of vnderstan∣ding: * 1.2 and through mine l∣dleuesse bring vpon me much ••••d. But prosperitie and ad∣uersitie, life and death, po∣uertie and riches, come of the Lord. A man may labour, and yet lacke; he may bee idle, and yet abound. A righteous man may want, & the wicked grow weal∣thy, and neyther the reli∣gious industry of the one makes rich; nor the carnall securitie of the other, se∣conded by worldly policy, preuent it: therefore will I labour, referring the suc∣cesse to him that blesseth euery worke to the poore and the rich, according to
his owne will, but to di∣uers ends good and euill, * 1.3 as are the subiects of the blessings, though none are truly blessed, but such as God hath made righte∣ous, yet in respect of God, the good successe of the workes of wicked men are reputed a blessing, the ab∣use whereof, turneth in the end to a curse.
A taxati∣on for po∣uertie in a seeming aduanta∣gious cal∣ling.
Pro. 12. 11. Ecclus. 33. 26. Ecclus. 40. 14.
Good and bad are blessed, but to se∣uerall ends.