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Quærenda pecunia primum eft,

Virtus poft nummos.

A good Share of Coin is his great and principle Ambition; and Virtue must wait without Doors, till his Avarice is fatisfied. Let the Project be but rich and practicable, and he enquires no further: Honour and ConScience are fine things; but they seldom fill the Pocket. When they will ferve a Turn, and purchase any thing, a good Manager can counterfeit them; but to be ty'd down to a fet of Notions, is the Way to be a Beggar. He that refolves to thrive, won't be difcourag'd by a few hard Names: Though Reafon and Religion fhould interpofe fometimes, the covetous Man can either fet them afide, or step over them.

To recount the Disorders of Life, the Knavery and little Practices that flow in upon us from this Spring, were almoft infinite. Whence comes all Circumvention in Commerce? Whence Over-reaching and impofing on the Ignorance or Neceffity of our Neighbours? 'Tis nothing, for the Generality, but the Love of Money, which makes the Court and the Camp, the Bar and the Pulpit, mean and mercenary: How many Trusts are abused, Wills forg'd, Orphans and Widows robb'd and ruin'd, upon this Score? K 4 Where

Where Avarice, rules and rages, there is nothing of Humanity remaining. Confcience and Covetousness are never to be reconcil'd; like Fire and Water, they always destroy each other, according to the Predominancy of the Element,

Now one would think, that he who takes fo much Pains for a Fortune, and purchafes fo dear, should know how to use it: One would think he had refined upon the Satisfactions of Life: One would imagine his Appetites were more keen and lafting; his Capacity enlarg'd; and that he could please himself faster and farther than his Neighbours. For why should we put ourfelves to an uncommon Trouble, for a common Advantage? Or how can Anxiety and Eafe ftand together! He that is always afraid of lofing, has little Leifure to enjoy: Befides, a continual Load of Cares depreffes the Vigour of the Mind, dulls the Inclination, and clouds the Chearfulness of the Spirits. But, alas! were he never so much difpofed, he has not the Courage to recreate his Senfes, and reward his Induftry: No, he has more Respect for his Wealth, than to take thofe Freedoms. 'Tis true, he can command the Sight on't, and call it his own too; but with great Impropriety of Language; for Property without Application to Advantage, is mere Cant and Notion. But where Covetousness

Covetousness governs, the Appetite is ty'd up, and Nature is put under Penance. Tàm deeft avaro quod habet, quàm quod non habet, has always been an Axiom on the Avaricious: He that dares not enjoy, wants that which he has, as well as that which he has not. The Increase of his Fortune is but an Addition to his Trouble; the more he has, the more he has to take care for; and an Afs is as much enrich'd by his Burden, as fuch a one is by his Estate.

Now, after all, Wealth does but ferve to expofe Covetousness, and make it more ridiculous; for what can be a more wretched Sight, than to fee a Man mortify without Religion? To fubmit to fuch voluntary Hardships to no Purpofe, and lofe the prefent, without providing for the future? It is a Frailty likewife, that is its own Punifhment: They are tortured with raging Fears of Want, and the greatest Abundance is not able to keep them in tolerable Humour. Avarice is never without its Stings: How miferable is it in the Defire? How miferable even in the attaining of our Ends? For Money is a greater Torment in the Poffeffion, than it is in the Purfuit: For, fear of lofing it is a great Trouble, the Lajs of it a greater; and it is made greater yet by Opinion.

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Avarice then, it is plain, is founded on Error and Folly; 'tis a Vice of a mean and irrational Stamp; it fubjects Men to Torments from within, and Averfion and general Contempt from without. Let us endeavour therefore to banish it from our Bofom, extirpate the latent Seeds of it, and plant in their Room Liberality and Kindness, Generofity and Benevolence. All the Actions that flow from thefe Springs, will fill us with Pleasure, and make us dear to Heaven, and acceptible to Mankind. Tis an Obfervation of Mr. Hobbes, That the Sense of having communicated Satisfaction, is naturally delightful: If this Maxim hold, Beneficence is fure to be its own Reward: We are certain, it is a Quality which gives Satisfaction abroad, and that Property entitles it to giving Delight at home.

The Conditions on which we hold the Goods of Fortune, or rather Providence, fhould be a Circumstance to wean us from Avarice: They are Talents which we only are intrufted with from Heaven; and we are not to fold them up in a Napkin, or lay them in the Bowels of the Earth, with the Mifer. We fhould confider ourselves the Stewards of the Almighty, and not mistake the Defign of his Kindnefs. If he lend us wherewithal to be communicative, we must fearch out the Object, diftribute his Bounty, and

and propagate Bleffings. If we will not look thus high, to prompt us to good Offices, the very State of human Nature, is a tacit Invitation to them: The Diftreffes of our Fellow-Creatures fhould work us to Compaffion: The most exalted Station is not fecure; we may be tumbled from the Top of Grandeur and Plenty; and therefore Policy fhould teach us to fecure a Friend in Futurity, make a Purchafe of Compaffion before we ftand in need of it, and have Pity and Affiftance wait below to receive us, and break our Fall.

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