CHAP. XXI. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. SSI 



tn : And we have been freed from these, and all those 

 many other miseries that threaten human nature; let 

 us therefore rejoice, and be thankful. Nay, which is 

 a far greater mercy, we are free from the unsupportable 

 burthen of an accusing tormenting conscience ; a mi- 

 sery that none can bear : And therefore let us praise 

 him for his preventing grace, and say, every misery 

 that I miss is a new mercy. Nay, let me tell you, 

 there be many that have forty times our estates; 

 that would give the greatest part of it, to be health- 

 ful and chearful, like us who, with the expence of 

 a little money, have eat and drank, and laught^ 

 and angled, and sung, and slept securely ; and rose, 

 next day, and cast away care, and sung, and laugh f, 

 and angkd again ; which are blessings rich men 

 cannot purchase with ail their money. Let rne tell 

 you, scholar! I have a rich neighbour, that is 

 always so busy that he has no leisure to laugh ; the 

 whole business of his life is to get money, and more 

 money, that he may still get more and more money ; 

 he is still drudging on, and says, that Solomon says, 

 ** The diligent hand maketh rich," and it is true 

 indeed: But, he considers not, that it is not in the 

 power of riches to make a man happy : for it was 

 wisely said, by a man of great observation, ct That 

 " there be as many miseries beyond riches, as on 

 " this side them. And yet God deliver us from 

 pinching poverty ; and grant, that having a com 

 petency, we may be content, and thankful. Let 

 not us repine, or so much as think the gifts of God 

 unequally dealt, if we see another abound with 

 riches; when, as God knows, the cares, that are 

 the keys that keep those riches, hang often so heavily 

 at the rich man's girdle, that they clog him with 

 weary days and restless nights, even when others 

 sleep quietly. We see but the outside of the rich 

 man's happiness ; few consider him to be like the 

 silk-worm, that, when she seems to play, is, at the 

 very same time, spinning her own bowels, and con<- 

 suming herself,-?-and this many rich men do ; loading 

 themselves with corroding cares, to keep what they 

 have, probably, unconscionably got. Let us, tliere- 



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