many times that the great patrimonies and portions left by carefull Fathers to their children consumed and riotously spent before their parents be halfe consumed in their graues which might be some cause to restraine fathers from being too solicitous superfluously to enrich their children seeing so many examples of the euill successe of other mens care The best portions fathers can leaue their children IF thou therfore haue possessions lands or goods to leaue to thy children season them while thou liuest as much as is in thee both by paines practice and prayer in the true knowledge of faith and obedience to God in Christ and then if they abuse what thou leauest them thou hast discharged the part of a religious and carefull father And so shall the disorderly consuming or abusing of them light vpon their owne heads pouerty and misery fit rewards for the riotous Possessions and wealth without wisedome hurt posterities RIches and reuenewes are indeed the good blessings of God and necessary means to shew bounty and liberality to them that haue need but if wisedome be not ioyned with the riches and possessions thou leauest behind thee if the feare of God guide them not in the godly vse and preuent the vngodly abuse of them it had been better for thee to haue died without being owner of them and better for thy children that they had none of them at all for when children destitute of vnderstanding smell the sauour of rich possessions or great portions assured them after their parents death it infects their minds as the pestilence which sheweth it selfe by the tokens so this infection doth by the apparent marks of insolencie pride and a very noisome swarme of impious vices wherby God is dishonored the simple seduced the godly abused and the vulgar likwise infected Fit for parents to conceale what they meane to leaue their children ANd therefore discreet parents will conceale their purpose of disposing their lands and giuing their goods and keep the knowledge of what they haue from their children as they will keep gunpowder from the fire for as a a sparke will set the whole into a flame suddainly so let a father once inkindle hope in a disorderly sonne and it shall set all his vngodly desires on fire which will hardly be extinguished till comming to his hands all be speedily consumed Not so to respect posterities as to neglect the members of Christ. ANd therefore it behoueth thee not so to respect thy posterity as by their greatnesse expected to make them more proud and wicked in present Nor so to regard to benefit thy friends as to neglect the poore children of God For as hath been said before thou art but a steward of that thou hast and therefore if thou giue the childrens bread which are the distressed members of Christ and bestowest it to superfluous vses remember the vniust steward being called to an accompt as thou must be thou knowest not how soone and thinke before-hand how thou canst answere it As all men are stewards so they must thinke of their accompt IT wil be required of thee how thou hast bestowed thy masters goods the goods that God the great master of the family hath put into thy hands to giue euery of his seruants his due portion out of it If thou say as he knoweth thou hast done I haue maintained my wife with some part of the goods thou gauest me according to the best fashions the time afforded I haue according to my calling furnished my table inuiting my friends to be partakers with mee with part I attired my children and brought them vp as became the children of a father of my reputation I built me a faire and chargeable house with complete furniture within and without I haue purchased lands for my children after mee Some gold and siluer plate c. I haue disposed and giuen to my friends before I dyed Many idle expences wil be disallowed at the great Audite HEre is a large bil and of diuers particulars too great it is to be feared to be allowed at that great and generall audit for the Auditor is iust he will allow only necessaries but as for superfluous charges he will disallow so wilt thou be found charged to answere what thou hast vnnecessarily spent Duties required of euery man to haue alwayes his house his soule and body in order of most men omitted HE gaue thee in charge indeed as before is remembred that thou shouldest prouide for thy family thy wife children and seruants but remember withall thou wert commanded to feed the hungry to cloth the naked and distressed widowes whom thou hast neglected for the pride of thy wife whom thou mightest haue comely and decently attired and yet clothed the desolate widowes also Thou mightest haue plentifully furnished thy Table and vsed thy meats and drinkes with thy friends in the feare of God with thanks yet not to eate thy mâ—rsells alone with thy friends that would require thee with the like but that the poore the fatherlesse the widow and the hungry should haue been partakers with thee Thou mightest haue competently clothed thy children and yet haue couered the naked too though but with the cast raggs of thy children if thou wouldest bestow no better on them Thou mightest haue builded thee a competent house for thy selfe and family to haue liued and lodged in and haue reserued one poore houell for the harbounlesse members of Christ to haue had shelter in and not to passe by and see them lye without doores like forlorne beasts The poore members of Christ haue right to a part of euery rich mans goods THou mightest lawfully haue purchased land for thy children yet mightest thou haue allowed some part with Ananias and Saphira to haue releeued the needy that haue no earthly portion Thou mightest haue giuen and bequeathed thy siluer and gold which thou keptst in thy chests to thy children and friends and not haue forgotten that thou hast giuen that whereunto as touching a part Christ in his members had right A house disordered in a mans life can hardly be left in order when he dyes HOw wilt thou answere the omission of all these precisely required duties and thy superfluous expence bestowed vpon thy selfe and thine Is it possible that a house thus dâ—sorderly guided euen to thâ— last can be set in order before a man dye though the law can find no fault or flaw in the orderly conueyance of thy lands nor with thy last will yet there is a law that requires charity and mercy that will condemne thee to be a steward to be bound hand and foote and to be cast into vtter darkenesse Redeeme the time REdeeme thou therfore the time whosoeuer thou art that liuest set thy house in order it is yet time if thou haue but the will though preuented of the deed doe thine endeauour and it shal be accepted neuer too late to amend How to set thy house in order SET thy house in the true feare and
and vnable to set either his domesticke or the house of his soule in order before he dye without speedy reformation A fearefull farewell when he shal be inforced to forsake all his possessions lands and goods and his soule to leaue his body and all out of order when he dyes It is a speciall duty for a man to haue all the parts and powers of his soule and body alwayes in order IS it not therefore a chiefe part of thy duty for the setting of thy house in order according to Gods command seriously to examine how thou hast vsed or abused thy body the organs instruments and members of the same and speedily to vse all possible holy art and industry to reforme all thy defects That thou maist with the more comfortable alacrity prepare thee to that which thou canst not auoid namely to dye and to set all things in order against the time And because the tongue in commonly a most forward instrument to be a partie in euery action it is fit first of all to call it to accompt The examination of the Tongue A hard taske to gouerne the tongue aright OF all other members the tongue hath most need to be kept in order though it be a hard taske being a member euen from the cradle accustomed commonly to offend both God and man The tongue a wilde beast needs to be kept from raunging EXamine therefore how and in what order thou hast vsed or abused thy tongue a member of godly vse yet often vngodlily vsed God in his prouidence when he created man foresaw that the toÌ„gue would be vnruly and therefore euen as wilde beasts are kept in by hedges pales and strong fences lest they raunge abroad so hath God fenced the tongue with a pale of teeth and hath left as it were a gate to be opened and shut at the pleasure of man the mouth or lipps which as long as they are kept close and shut the tongue is inforced to silence but open but that gap the tongue hath liberty to walke The tongue cannot speake except the lips open IT is the tongue alone that speaketh but the tongue and lips together if the lips open not and shut the tongue may moue but can make no distinct sound so the lips may open if the tongue will not moue there proceeds no perfect voice when they both agree there proceeds speech good or euill as the heart within is prepared for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart be good the words cannot be euill IF the heart be good the words of the mouth are seldome euill if the heart be wicked the words will sauour of euill Cursing swearing lying blaspheming backbiting slandering and all words that may offend proceed out of a prophane mouth which if thou by examination findest as thou canst not be ignorant thou hast great cause and if thou be not partiall in flattering thy selfe thou wilt vse all possible speedy meanes to reforme it The tongue cannot offend vnlesse thy lips consent SEt therefore a watch before thy mouth and keep the doore of thy lipps for as long as thou hâ—st a care to keep thy lipps shut thy tongue cannot offend if thou open them let it be to glâ—rify God for if thou long after life and to see good dayes refraine thy tongue from euill and thy lipps that they vtter no deceit The tongue often and many wayes abused ALas what will become then of too many that in buying and selling thinke that what they get by lying swearing and forswearing is well gotten And though dangerous to speake what may be thought of some Lawyers that will striue with all their wit and eloquence and vse their tongues to maintaine and defend a cause which they know in their owne consciences to be false against truth equity and iustice and that for a fee iustifying the wicked for a reward condemning the innocent in his righteous cause do not such as men câ—ll Knights of the post forsweare themselues for a fee God forbid that men of that ranke and calling as are eminent Lawyers worthy members of the common-wealth should debase themselues and face out a falshood for truth for another man for a little vanishing pelfe though it be your profession to aduocate for other men and may lawfully take reward beware take no fee against the innocent namely against him that you know hath truth on his side for you condemne thereby the righteous and iustify the wicked The tongue is an excellent instrument in the mouth of a wise and iust man THe tongue is a most excelleÌ„t instrument in the mouth of a perfect wise and iust man and is as a pestilent member in the mouth of a Tertullus which signifies a lyer and one declaring false things as was that excellent Oratour that falsly accused Paul before Felix It is not an excellent wit nor fluencie of the tongue though they be excellent gifts of God that shall excuse that man that by his wit and eloquence ouerthroweth a cause against equity yet I wish the practice were not so common to offend the God of truth for which aswell the guitlesse as the guilty are ofteÌ„times punished The tongue is a little member but most vnruly THe tongue is indeed a most vnruly member but a little one yet boasteth in great things and speaketh ofteÌ„times against the greatest vttering a world of wickednesse defiling the whole body through the wickednesse and filthy words proceeding from it hardest of all other members to be tamed harder than the fiercest beast that liueth which is tamed by the discretion and the wit of man but the tongue can no man tame He is a wise and perfect man that can rule his owne tongue NO man indeed can tame the tongue of another but a man of vnderstanding guideth his owne tongue and addeth knowledge vnto his lipps He pondereth his words before he speaketh and bridleth his tongue and he is indeed a perfect man that offâ—nds not with his tongue though many vnseemely words may slip the lips vnawares of a right religious man But a man whose tongue he hath accustomed to speake euill to cursing swearing and filthy talking cannot with the same tongue honour God neither praise him nor pray vnto him The tongues of the wicked are weapons of offences WHen power to doe open violence to another is taken from the wicked they haue no other weapon to offend their enemy than the tongue and that they sharpen like a serpent and by it like venemous Adders they spew out the poison that lurkes in their enuious hearts lying in wait with their tongues to backbite and slander the innocent Iniquity hath so couered their mouthes as they cannot but speake wickedly How to auoid a slanderous tongue IF thou wilt preuent the danger of an euill tongue in thy selfe meditate good things seeke to plenish thy heart with holy thoughts by hearing the word preached and reading of it with vnderstanding and practice so
and feeling THy hands are of greatest vse vnder thy fiue senses of all the other members of thy bodye yet much often hindred by the defect of the senses of saying and touching By the first they are guided aright and by the other they feele vse those instruments required in whatsoeuer manuall and mechanicke action and without either of these the hands seeme lame and defectiue and above the other two the vnderstaÌ„ding guides them for be a mans sight neuer so perfect and his hands neuer so nimble and artificiall yet if the vnderstanding faile they can performe no action aright How the body is guided THe hands indeed are the workemen artificers and principall laborers for all the rest of the members of the little commonwealth of thy body and the eyes are as the ouerseers and the vnderstanding the guide director and iudge of the worke and the feete the messengers and porters to carry the body whither the will directs them As God created the hands to labour so hath he appointed many meanes to imploy them AS God created the hands in thy body to labour so hath he ordained many meanes yea infinite to set them on worke dressing and tilling the earth was the first labour appointed to man which hath begotten numberlesse other trades and callings among the sonnes of men as a badge of the cursse traduced to all mankind by the disobedience of the first man whose rebellion procured labour trauaile toyle and vexation to all his posterity and he tasted first of the seruile labour of his hands And now are all things full of labour Man cannot vtter the varieties of them labour and sorrow are now euery mans portion during his life For when a man thinks hee hath done all and that hee may liue at rest Then one occasion or another offereth it selfe to set him to worke anew his hands must returne againe to labour And this is the portion of euery man borne into the world With the labour of his hands to eate his bread Though some assume priuiledge through their greatnes and wealth and free themselues from seruile handy labours yet euen in their greatest pleasures and pastimes there is labour and wearinesse Husbandry no base calling IN whatsoeuer profession trade or faculty thou bee placed to labour thy hands are the chiefest instruments of thy body to performe it And therefore let thy hands bee diligent in thy calling and hate no laborious worke No not basely esteemed Husbandrie which the most high hath created But labour therein if it bee thy lot and thou shalt be satisfied with bread It is no disgrace to labour in the fields to plow sow reape c. for euen the king and all his subiects live by the field that is tilled and therefore a Calling so farre from being worthy of scorne as it deserveth especially to bee cherished Labour with prayer prospereth IN every honest labour wherein the hands are not idle there is gaine and sufficient to sustaine the laborer especially where as the hands worke the heart prayes for the work of the body is no hindraÌ„ce to a well prepared heart to entertaine heavenly and godly motions and meditations As godly Iacob did who ioyned prayers with his paines vnder Laban his vnkinde Vncle confessing that except the God of his father Abraham And the feare of that God that was the God whom Jsaac his father feared and served had beene with him His vncle had sent him away emptie But God beheld his tribulation and the labour of his hands And blessed both it and him Labour is sweet with profit and there is no lawfull labour unprofitable ioyned with prayer to God for a blessing for the labour of the faithfull is never in vaine Jdlenesse and ungodly exercises neuer blessed THere be many that haue hands to labour and yet will loyter and bee idle neither counsell or constraint can prouoke them to laudable labour yet in pleasure idle and vngodly pastimes in bowling hunting And many other vnlawfull exercises they will stretch their legs and straine their hands and toyle their bodies vntill they sweat though they lose not only precious time that might be spent in good exercises consuming their portions and patrimonies neuer coÌ„plaine of their ungodly â—earines But if they should worke with lesse paine in some lawfull imployment they would cry out as the Jsraelites did vnder Pharaohs taske-masters The idle ought not to eate BVt Saint Paul exhorteth the Thessalonians that they should not suffer an idle person to live among them If there were any that refused to labour with their hands in some lawfull and laudible workâ— they should not permit them to eat Idlenesse draweth with it many dangers IDlenesse is not to be tolerated in any house much lesse in a towne least of all in a populous citie for it draweth so many inconueniences with it as it may further the ruine of the place wherin it is permitted for it was one of the maine firebrands that inkindled the fire and brimstone that consumed the cities of Sodom and Gomorah c. Where Idlenesse is not the land flourisheth THe idle in good will not bee idle in euill they will bee in action procuring publike or priuate mischiefes Take away the idle from among the laudable industrious and the land will flourish For where idle persons are though alone their heads or hands will bee working and as one cocke crowes after another and as one deepe calleth another So one idle person cals another And then consult they of some wickednesse and waite opportunity to perpetrate it They deuise iniqâ—itie and practise it because it is in the power of the hand Mischiefes proceeding of idlenesse A Pest they are to a common-wealth good people and industrious are often corrupted by them and infected with their vices poysoning whole multitudes that associate them and partake with them It increaseth the number of vagabonds the greatest blemish of a religious common-wealth Jnconueniences growing by idlenesse and the causes THis sin hath made many a rich man poore many wisemen fooles it bringeth many to beggery many also to filthinesse of life some to robbing and stealing sometimes to murther the innocent consequently brings themselves to untimely and fearefull ends wherein many parents of children masters of seruants but especially magistrates within their liberties are guiltie Parents in not bringing vp their children in some lawfull trade or calling leauing theÌ„ to their own wils Masters being often idle themselves leaving their wares shops and trades to their seruants who in absence of their masters take not onely liberty to be idle to gad abroad but acquaint themselues with the more idle and become so seasoned in sinne that at length they runne from one sinne vnto another That when many of them come as they call it to bee their owne men they become professed servants of vnrighteousnesse and slaues to Satan Magistrates also and inferiour gouernours by their lenity and conniuency increase the boldnes of
memorie or of sense performe it Some haue long and lingring sicknes looking as it were euery day to dye and yet can hardly finde time to set their house and liues in order Suddaine death preuents men of setting their houses in order SOme also are taken suddainly not only in the time of common infection wherein all sorts are in most and equall danger but in time of seeming greatest safetie and of least cause of feare which we haue seene by the suddaine death of many which haue taken no time at all to settle their estates but haue been inforced to leaue their houses in the same order they were in whē they liued cleane out of order And few there be that prouidently and timely set and wisely keep and continue their houses and liues in such order as by Gods command they ought to doe by reason of their worldly cares And that is the reason that many goe disorderly to their graues how pompously soeuer they be attended on at their funerall solemnities Many inconueniences grow by the neglect of setting mens houses in order before they dye THe neglect of this commanded dutie of setting their worldly estates in order a dutie in humane discretion and Christian policie fit to be remembred and performed of all men is also the cause that many quarrells contentions sutes in law enmities sinister vngodly and malitious practices sometimes tending to bloud doe arise not only betweene strangers but betweene brethren betweene brethren and sisters wife and children and dearest neerest kinsfolks and friends contending especially for lands and goods of such as dye without orderly disposing of that they are constrained to leaue behind them when they dye All men are bound to this duty of setting their houses in order ALL men therefore are bound to this dutie but especially such as haue great possessions to dispose and much goods to be queath and to set in order aboue other times when any common plague or sicknesse raigneth to set their houses in order for there is no man or woman priuiledged at such a time And there is commonly no man but hath either issue or some neere of bloud lawfully to inherite his lands and friends to enioy his goods yet if he dispose them not in his lifetime but leaues them to catch that catch may it cannot be but sutes and quarrells will arise betweene such as will contend for the right of inheritance left doubtfull The like about Administrations of goods of an intestate dead partie causing many times more monie to be spent in law than the lands or goods are worth they contend for thus vncertainly left And therefore better it were for a man to dye not seized of a foote of land nor possest of more goods than will bring him decently to his graue than by the greatnes of his possessions and his much wealth vndisposed and not duly ordered to breede vncharitable and vnchristian quarrells among kinred and friends to the offence of God for the pelfe he leaues behinde him when he dyes And perhaps sinisterly and corruptly gotten which seldom prosper long to them that shall enioy them Aduertisements to the rich men RIch men therefore aboue all other haue neede to remember to set their houses and estates in order in time knowing their time is short and vncertaine and the greater possessions and the more abundance of wealth they haue the more circumspect ought they to be to liue in the feare of God and to set their houses in order before they dye for the more they haue the greater will be their accompt and the more haue they to answere for when they are dead for howsoeuer men either borne to inherite or haue gotten and purchased as they will say with their owne monies and haue heaped vp great abundance of riches and possessions by their owne industries policies and worldly wisdome They must not yet thinke as many doe that these possessions and goods are so theres as to vse them at their owne pleasures to the fulfilling of their owne carnall delight or to hoord them vp and as it were to wrap them in a napkin that none may be the better for them vntill they be inforced to leaue them whether they will or not assuming vnto themselues that lawlesse libertie and abusing that speech Js it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne what I list no they are not so simply thine that thou shouldest abuse them but to vse them to his glory that gaue them or rather lent them vnto thee Though peraduenture to thine owne vexation thou gettest them to thy more care thou keepest them and to thy most griefe thou must leaue them which last approueth that they are not thine as thou reputest them thine for thou must leaue them and they will leaue thee whether thou wilt or not yet if in the meane time thou vse not thy possessions and wealth to the good of Gods children howsoeuer thou dispose them to be inioyed after thy death it wil not profit thee giue them to whom or to what vse thou wilt for if thou labor not in thy life time to be assured that thy name is written in the booke of life good deedes to be done by a deputie after thy death cannot auayle thee while therefore thou hast time doe good and while thou hast power ouer the lands and goods that God hath lent thee to be vsed by thee to Gods glory and comfort of his needy members Leaue not that duty required euen of thy selfe to be performed thou knowest not by whom after thy death Rich men must answere according as they haue receiued and bestowed HAst thou many talents put them to good vse and thou shalt haue a good reward for if he that receiued but one talent was cast into vtter darkenes for not applying it to the good of Gods children what will become of them that haue great possessions and many talents of siluer and gold layd vp in their chests doing no good with them to the poore children of God when they shall suddainly be called before the high and seuere Iudge Will their answere be sufficient to say I haue appointed mine heire to giue such and such lands and mine executor such and such Legacies to good and pious vses But may it not to be said rather vnto him Thou foole couldest not thou thy selfe haue done it better in thy life time and not to haue left the doing of it in trust to an vncertaine Attorny after thy death who is as mortal as thy selfe The cause why rich men will not part with any their wealth before they dye THou mayst say as many men thinke if I should giue or dispose my lands or goods while I am in perfect headth how could I maintaine mine estate according to my ranke I was the Son of a worshipfull or honorable Father whose lands descended vnto me 〈…〉 I not to make the best of it and increase it if I can Why should I giue away that
impious and vngodly vses while they liue setting neither house nor heart nor soule nor body in order before they dye Many neuer thinke of Death till they be sicke AND when the summons of death beginne to seize vpon them then they beginne to bestirre them saying as some haue done and must I dye making an vnwilling will giuing and bequeathing what they could no longer keepe Yet when a mans will is made and all things disposed if he can get but a little breathing time a yeare or two ten or more they to whom he hath assigned his lands and bequeathed his goods shal be neuer the better for his gifts vntill he die and that were it possible not till doomes day And they that would haue seemed to haue mourned at his funerall for the losse of so good a benefactor will turne their mourning which should haue been for his death into sorrow and sadnesse for the recouery of his health and will be euen sick to thinke they shal be longer preuented by his recouery of that they were in hope presently to haue enioyed Jf men could see the fruits of their gifts in their posterities in their graues they would repent that euer they were rich HE that flatters not himselfe in the greatnesse of his means to 〈◊〉 what fame will flie of him when he is dead for his bounty distributed not to the needy members of Christ when he was aliue if he could but looke out of his graue and see the gallants that he hath made to ruffle in their riot and lasciuiously commonly to consume what he so long and laboriously scraped together he would wish himselfe rather to haue been a man of farre inferior meanes than to haue been the meanes to increase the sinne of them whom he seemed to loue and would no doubt haue been more carefull in setting his house his soule his body conscience and affections in better order than he had done by giuing it rather to the poore Delay not to set thy life lands and goods in order BE wise therfore thou that hast houses lands possessions and much goods to dispose Set them in order in time and obserue well how and to whom and to what vses thou meanest to dispose them and delay not till thou be sick For thou knowest not when nor where nor how thou shalt end thy life and thinke not that the abrupt making of thy will can bring a disordered house suddainly into such order as God requireth while thou art therfore in thy perfect health set thy house in order against the time of thine vncertaine death and see thou haue well gotten that which thou hast heaped together and if thy conscience strictly examined tell thee that thou hast gotten any part of it by wrong shew thy selfe a good Zacheus restore it fourefold before thou dye that thou maist dye in the fauour of God in Christ otherwise it had been better for thee to haue dyed a begger Fit euery man to make their wills IT is a very religious and Christian duty in euery man possessing any lands or goods in the world to make his will and to settle his estate in good order be it neuer so meane before he dye which is in part meant by Gods command to set thy house in order namely thy houshold lands and goods but that is not all the orderly setling of thy house before thou dye Whereof a family consisteth A Houshold or family consisteth of husband and wife parents and children master and seruants among whom if a godly order be not set continued and kept before thou be constrained through sicknesse to make thy will thou wilt hardly set it in order before thou dye How a family ought to be ordered IF loue and amity haue not been and maintained in the feare of God between man and wife If parents haue not instructed their children in the knowledge of exercised them in the true seruice of God if children haue not obeyed their parents if masters haue not wisely gouerned their seruants giuing them their salaries and necessaries if seruants haue not done their duties faithfully to their masters and all mutually together and sometimes man and wife in priuate serued the Lord in faithfull prayer during their perfect healths that house is out of order head and members and cannot in a moment by a will written in an houre or two be brought into order Therefore deceiue not thy selfe by delaying to set thy house in order and euery part and person thereof and thinke it not sufficient to settle thy worldly goods and lands by thy last will as thou dost imagine thou hast made thy will for whether thou dispose thy lands or giue thy goods while thou art aliue neither shall thy lands nor goods want owners when thou art dead Parents ought to prouide for their children the chiefe hope of children IT is a duty also ioyned with a care in parents to lay vp and prouide for their children and a fatherly dutie it is and a duty that children for the most part take greater hold of than of care to performe their duties to their parents And therefore it is hard to iudge whether he that layes vp little and giues only education vnto his children to liue futurely by some lawfull calling or he that is solicitous and ouer-carefull to prouide for the present maintenance of his children in idlenesse before and in wantonesse through the hope of great portions after his death be most to be condemned if the 〈◊〉 be not more blameable he is more superstitious than the former too much care argues least faith He that cares not for his family i◠an infidel and he that is too solicitous for them is no lesse HE shewes not himselfe a Christian in deed that cares not for his family but spends his time in idlenesse and his meanes in vnthriftinesse but rather an infidel But he that exceeds in coueting which in it selfe is sinne and striues against the streame of Gods direction getting by right or wrong spending superfluously vpon his family or hoording and laying vp for his posterity as is said before hauing little or no regard to help releeue and comfort the poore that haue an interest in the superfluity of his abundance as if the Lord could not prouide for his children if they feare and serue God aswell as he hath done for himselfe this man shewes himselfe as neere an infidel as the former Parents should leaue behind them good examples for their children to imitate THE best portion thou canst leaue behind thee is a manifest example and paterne of a godly life for thy children and friends to imitate and to giue them if conueniently nothing else some necessary manuall trade or lawfull profession to liue by when thou art dead Great patrimonies oftentimes soone spent IF thou haue lands and possessions and great stocks of money to leaue to thy children thou thinkest them richly prouided for and thy house in good order and yet we see