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Show 1 .j l ii not in this Life, at !call after the final J udgmr- nt. That you may not be fo unhappy as to make Riches your God, or to fuffer yourfelf to be drawn away by Covetoufnefs from a Hria Attention to your Duty, or into a Violation of it, pleafe to confider, That the only real Value of Riches, is, their being ufeful for procuring the Necefliuies and Conveniencies of Life, and giving People an Opportunity of contributing to the Happinefs of others. That Money in itfelf, and without regard to its Ufe, is no better than a Bauble for Children to play with; that the Contents of all the Mines of Peru are not in reality fo valuable, as one Acre of Ground covered with Wheat; and that a frefh Egg is of more real Worth than the Diamond lately brought from the Brazils of much the fame Bulk, which was valued at four hundred Millions; becaufe the firH will (ave the Life of a human Creature from Famine; but the latter is 110t capable of being applied to any fort of Ufe, bcfides pleafing the Eye. That all above the Conveniencies of Life is abfolutely ufelefs, and indeed troub!efome. That after a Perfon has acquired fuch a Competency a& will keep him and bls Family above Dependence, and in eafy CircumHances according to his Station in the World, it is not worth his While to go a Step out of his Way for the fake of gaimng Ten thoufand Pounds more; becaufe he can but live conveniently at lall, and has no Occafion to bring upon himfelf more Cares and Embarall'ments. That a few Years will put an End to the Life of the youngeH Man alive, and that it will give him no more Satisfa£lion on his Death-bed bed to rellea that he has Fifty thoufand Pou ntis in the Funds, than that there are Fifty thoufand Sh;lls at the bottom of the Sea. That, fuppofing every Man inf<~llibly certain of gaining an Ellate, who will take the Pains for it, which is very far from being the Cafe, exorbitant Wealth and Happinefs have nothing to do with one another, fince we commonly fee difcontented faces in gilded Chariots, and Daylabourers making merry in fpite of Toil and Poverty. That the Poffeffion of great Wealth expofes Men to a thqufand Inconveniencie~ and Temptations, fu~h as, The Incumbrance of a Croud of Servants and Attendants, The continual Buz of flavilh Flatterers and Hangers-on, The Fatigue of overfeeing great Affairs, or the Vexation of Loffes by entru!ling them to_ others, and, which is worfe than all the reH, The rifque of one's Virtue, through the Snares of the World and the Deceit of Riches, which are fo hard to refiH, that we find in faa the Rich are, generally fpeaking, Perfons of the !call amiable or perfea Charaaers. That the Honours faid to attend on Riches are a mere Cheat ; fince the fulfome Refpea, that is paid to a rich Man at his Levee, is only a public Proof given by the Perfon who pays it, of his own want of Senfe, in being Hruck with what is of no real Worth in itfelf; and being paid to the Wealth, and not to the Perfon, is by no Means worth envying. If ever therefore, Providence lhould blefs you with Abundance, remember it is a fatal Error, though a common one, That a Man of Fortune ought to live up to his Income; and that, on the contrary, for a Man of Wealth to fpend his Richea wholly upon bimfelf, without making; indigent |