The Evil and Folly of Covetoufnefs. 3oz be alledged that abundant poffef ions feem SE R to give fome advantage for the prefervation of XI- life, in as much as they afford a larger com- `'""j 'nand of the neceffary means of health, and fafety from hurtful incidents, than a contrac- ted fortune doth. I anfwer, that this turneth to very little account when we bring it to the ten of fad, and experience. How few are there of mankind whofe lives are lengthen- ed out by their riches, or any advantage arifing from them ? perhaps, they are the occafion of fhortening the days of as many, and upon a juft computation it will appear that men of lower Rations are as long lived as the great; the continuance and diffoluti -, on of life depending upon higher caufes, and being under the direction of providence, without any connexion with the circum- fiances of our wordly Rate. idly, As the being and the prefervation of a man's life do not confift in nor depend on the abundance of the things that he pof feffeth, fo neither do the higheft and belt ends of it. It is certainly a queftion of the greaten importance, what are the true ends of life ? about which men feem to be pretty well agreed in fpeculation, but are unhap- pily divided in praflice, if we may judge by their purfuits which are a re as various as their
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