in this Situation differs little from a publick Landlord, only that he has no Bill to bring

in.

If he should remit his Care, and let go the Reins, he will foon be involved in Difficulties, and Streights; Mortgages and Sales will break in upon the Inheritance, and his Riches will fly away like an Eagle towards Heaven; for the greatest Estates will molder and melt away by Neglect, just like a House for want of Repairs.

These are natural Evils that Riches generally bring with them, whether they are fpent, or laid up, and which in the Opinion of many wife and confidering Men befides Agur, have been allowed to over-balance all the Pleasures and Enjoyments they can give. But Agur's Prayer against Riches went upon ftronger Grounds than this, which leads me

to

The 2d, Which is to point out the moral Evils, the Snares and Temptations that are incident to Riches. These are many, but I fhall felect the fix following.

1, Riches are apt to betray Men into a fenfual and voluptuous Life. The Reafon of this is evident, because they supply Mens

natural

natural Appetites with every thing they can demand, without Labour and Trouble.

Our fober Appetites, directed by Reason, are cheaply fatisfied, and their Objects lie within a little Compass, both in respect to Quantity and Quality; for a Man's Life, fays our Saviour, that is the Support and Comforts of it, confifteth not in the Abundance of the Things he poffeffeth; but when they are left to themselves, they are the most extravagant and expenfive Things in the World, and a great Eftate is too little to feed them. They will demand the most exquifite Meats and Drinks, not always for being moft grateful to the Palate, but because they are coftly and beyond the Purses of other People. They will crave the wanton Pleasures of Love and Women, and all the Materials of Pride and Vanity at any Price. And as Money answers all Things, it is the Prerogative of Wealth to have all these Things in its Power; one rich Man can command the Labour of Thousands, and the Produce of the four Quarters of the Globe, to gratify his five Senfes.

Hence proceed Drunkeness, Gluttony, Lewdness, Pride, with many foolish and burtful Lufts that drown Men in Destruction and

and Perdition. The eafinefs of the Purchase excites a Wantonnefs of Appetite, and creates the Temptation.

Even a fociable and chearful Temper will infenfibly betray him into Excefs; and he finds by the next Morning's Thirst and Head-ache, that meer good Fellowship, without the Love of Drink, has decoyed him over the Bounds of Temperance.

But after all, there is one Pleasure which no Money can purchase, and which is yet worth all the rest, and that is Health; this greatest of earthly Bleffings, for which many a rich Man would give his whole Estate, falls oftner to the Share of Men in a lower Condition of Life: And happy is it for fuch that they cannot bear the Expence of Luxury to destroy it.

2d, Another Danger of Riches is, that they are apt to make Men neglect the Care of their Souls, and the great Concerns of another Life. And this Mifchief is too naturally the Confequence of the two former. For whether they turn themselves to the Improvement and Increase of their Eftates, or to spend them upon their Pleafures, the Danger is nearly the fame. The

The former is fet forth by our Saviour in the Parable of the Sower, The Seed which fell Matth. 13. among Thorns and was choaked, he explains at the 22d Verse to be the Gospel preached to rich Men, who heard it with fome Pleasure and Attention, but the Care of the World, and the Deceitfulness of Riches choaked the Word and rendered it unfruitful; the Impreffion it made was tranfitory, and foon carried off by by a Succeffion of thofe Cares and Sollicitudes, which engrofs Men's Thoughts, when they are earnest in the Purfuit of Riches. The Management of a great Eftate will give a Man fo much Bufinefs, as to leave him little Time, and perhaps lefs Inclination, to apply himself to the Care of his Soul; he may poffibly refolve to do it when he has accomplish'd his prefent Views, and is grown rich enough; but as that Time never comes, he is infenfibly betrayed and led on, till it is too late; and herein confifts the Deceitfulness of Riches mentioned by our Saviour.

Nor is the Danger lefs when Riches are spent in the Purfuit of Pleafures, but rather greater; for a Life of Pleasure, as idle as it may appear to be, will yet give a Man as much Business, and take up as much of his

Time

Time and Attention, as the former: befides that it will plunge him into more Vices, and create an utter Difrelish to all that is good and spiritual.

But however, they both agree in this, that they make Men unwilling to think of Death. For then the Mighty Purchaser must leave his Lands and Manors behind him, and the Man of Pleasure, his only Pleasures: And as they were unwilling to think of it, and too busy to provide for it, the evil Day was always put off till it came upon them unprepared.

Behold the Snares and Dangers of Riches on either Hand, whether heaped up, or lavish'd out in Pleasure, and read the Iffue in the 5th Chapter of St. James, which touches both these Cafes: Go to now, ye rich Men! weep and bowl for your Miseries that shall come upon you, Your Gold and Silver is cankered, and the Ruft of them shall be a Witness against you; ye have heaped TreaJures together for the laft Days-Ye have lived in Pleasure on the Earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter. And our bleffed Saviour has a very pointed Expreffion upon the fame Subject, when he fays, that a Camel

fball