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of may every year make a man blush, to think ⟨he⟩ should spend the smallest sum unnecessarily, ⟨on⟩ immoderate eating, drinking, cloathing, fa(illegible text) or pocket expences, which perhaps impairs ⟨his⟩ health besides, and exposes him to the ⟨reproach⟩ and redicule of his neighbours, when he has (illegible text) fair a way to turn those idle-spent pence to ⟨his⟩ own advantage. But if a man has not a ⟨mind⟩ ⟨to⟩ purchase land with his penny, he may turn ⟨to⟩ several other ways to still greater advantage (illegible text) trade and commerce.
But there is more required in the art of ⟨thriving⟩ and turning the penny to advantage, than m(illegible text) men imagine: it is true, diligence is good. ⟨and⟩ industry is good, and frugality is good; but man can never thrive. as he should do with(illegible text) he looks higher than all this. I remember I ⟨have⟩ somewhere read the following verses:
Spare not, nor spend too much; be this thy ⟨care⟩
Spare but to spend, and only spend to spare;
Who spends too much, may want, and so ⟨complain⟩
But he spends best, that spares to spend again,
Plow, sow, and reap, and then to Heaven call,
That its kind blessing may on your labour fall;
'Tis vain to look for profit from what's giv'n,
Unless you get the blessed dew from heav'n.
And indeed, unless we are under the influence of a blessing from heaven, all our own endeavours how strenuous soever they may be, will ⟨never⟩ make us thrive: for as the royal Plalmist excellently observes, "Except the Lord build ⟨the⟩ house they labour in vain that build it. ⟨Except⟩ the Lord keep the city, the watchman walketh ⟨but⟩ in vain." So it is in this case, except the Lord give a blessing, our endeavours will be in vain.
