A Christian Library, Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI.
First, touching Labour or Industry in lawfull getting and encreasing by all lawfull meanes in our Callings, that it enables a man to perform this duty, the Apostle sheweth in prescribing it to the Ephesians, as a means of bounty and beneficence; Let him that stole steale no more, but rather let him labour, working with his owne hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs. And Solomon describing the vertuous woman, saith in the first place, that she seekes wool and flaxe, and workes willingly with her hands; that she layes her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaffe: and then that she stretches out her hands to the poore, yea she reaches forth her hands to the needy. And St. Luke having testified of Dorcas, that she was full of good works and almesdeeds which she did: He soone after sheweth the meanes, and fountaine of her beneficence, to wit her labour and industry, in making coats and garments. So Peter Martyrs Wife is commended for having been a prudent and painfull housewife, and bountifull to the poor and needy, the former good quality enabling her to the latter. Be we therefore painfull and industrious in our severall callings, that GOD may prosper and replenish us with good things, that so we may the better communicate them t… others.
Secondly, Frugality or thriftinesse in spending our goods lawfully gotten: For thrift, (which is a due saving from sinfull and needlesse expences) must be as the purveyor for liberality. Be sparing in unnecessary expences, that thou mayest be liberall in good uses, and this will mightily manifest thy heart to be right. The fuell of charity is frugality, and the flame piety, as we may see in Boaz, whom we finde to be thrifty, religious, charitable: For as by lopping off the superfluous branches, a good tree is made more fruitfull: So by cutting off all needlesse expences, a liberall man abounds more in good works. Whence observe that rule of our Saviours, so to dispose of that plenty which Gods goodnesse hath bestowed on us, as that nothing his left, Iohn 6.12. Now a thing may be lost and spoyled two wayes by our owne … either when we suffer our … and drink… to … and our garments motheaten, or our gold and silver cankered and rusty, rather than bestow it upon the poor members of Iesus Christ. Which makes St. Iames utter these dreadfull words, Chap. 5. Go to now ye rich men, weep and how… for the miseries that shall come upon you; Your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten: Your gold and silver i… canckered, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh as it were fire: and more of the like, Vers. 1. to 7.
But lest I should step too far out of the way, return we to the matter in hand, which is thrift or frugality, and not covetousnesse or cruelty. As
Oh! how liberall might we be in charitable uses, and in shewing mercy, if we would use Thrift as a Razor, to cut or shave off all superfluous expences, about unlawfull and unnecessary things: i… we would lay it as a rule, to moderate and diminish all expences about things even lawfull. A good layer up, is a good layer out, as is plainly verified in that vertuous Ru…h, who was no lesse pious and charitable in spending, then soberly frugall in sparing and saving; for she brought forth, and gave to her poore Mother in Law, that she had reserved at dinner, after she was satisfied. Frugality, saith Iustine, is the mother of vertues. I am sure it is the basis, and foundation, the pillar and supporter of liberality and benificence. For instance, though Peter M…rtyr had forsaken all for the Gospell sake, and left his great riches and preferments he did enjoy in Italy, having nothing to live on but a small stipend for his Professorship at Strasbourg: Yet being very frugall and sparing, he had enough to maintain himselfe, and to helpe his friends too: whereas on the contrary, an expensive man by his wasting and over-lavishing of his estate, disables him from doing good to himselfe or others.