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 ordinary, such as all our wit and prudence can neither foresee nor avoid. Such was that extra-ordinary and surprising storm in November 1703, whereby many thousands were undone, as to their estates, besides the many lives that were lost: and such also was the dreadful fire in London, whereby some that had great estates the one week, had scarce bread to eat the next: and in the time of war many are unavoidably losers. But these must not be reekonedreckoned [sic] the common and ordinary ways that make and keep men poor. We know indeed, that by the divine providence, in the body of a common-Wealth there must be both poor and rich, even as an human body cannot subsist without hands and feet to labour, and walk about to provide for the other members: so the rich being thebelly, which devour all, yet do no part of thework; but the cause of every man's poverty is not one and the same; some are poor by condition and content with their calling, and neither seek nor can work themselves into better condition; yet God raiseth up, as by a miracle, the children and posterity of these, oftentimes, to possess the most eminent places either in church or commonwealth, as to become Archbishops, Bishops, Judges, Commanders-general in the field, Secretaries ofState, Statesmen, and the like; so that it proveth not always true which the poet says,

If poor thou art, then poor thou shalt remain; Rich men alone do now rich gifts obtain.

Of this condition are the greatest number in every kingdom; others there are, who have possessed great estates, but these estates have not thriven or continued, being gotten by oppression, deceit, usury, and the like, which commonly lasteth not