Senn. XXXVIII. of Covetoufnefr. 263 competency of thefe things, which are requijite to the real lifer and Occpfions of Humane Life. Fire, Riches and Abundance do not contribute to the fupport of our Lives. And this our Saviour very well reprefents to us in the Parable immediately af- ter the Text, of the Rich Many who was continually encreafing his Eftate, (o that he had goods laid up for many years ; but he lived not one jot the longer, for being provided of the Conveniencies of Life for fo long a time before- hand ; for whilft he was bleffing himfelf, as if he had fecured his Happinefs fufhciently for this World, he was uncertain of his continuance in its God ha- vingdecreed to take him out of this World, at that very time when he had de- tern-141'd to enter upon the Enjoyment of thofe Things, which he had been fo long layingup. God fays to him, Thon Fool, this night (hall thy Soul be requir'd of thee ; and thenwhofe ,/ball thofe things be which thou haft provided ? That is, What good then will all thefe Thingsdo thee, when thou haft no further ufe of and occafion for them? So that if he had been the pooreft Man in the World, and had not been provided for the next Meal, he might have lived as long as he did with all his Stores. You fee then that in this fenfe, a Man's Life confrfleth not in the abundance of the things which he poffeffeth. For notwith- ftanding all his great Barns, and the abundanceof Fruitshe had flowed in them, he did not live one jot the longer, than the poorell Man might have done. Secondly, Nor do Riches contribute to the Happinefs and Comfort ofour Lives. Happinefs is not to be bought and purchas'd together with great Lord - thips; it depends upon a great many Caufes, among which a competency of the Things of this World is one; but the Riches and Abundance is none of them. The Happinefs of this World confìfts in thefe Two Things. I. In the Enjoyment of Good. And, 2. In a State of freedom from Evil. Now Riches do not neceffarily make a Man Happy in either ofthefe Refpeels. Firfl, For the Enjoyment of Good, A competent Eftate (citable to theCon- dition and Station in which God bath let us in this World, will give a Man whatever Nature and B,eafon can deusre, and Abundance cannot make a Man Happier. IfaMan had an hundred times more than he needed, he could but enjoy it according to the C+pacity of a Man ; for if he confulted his own Happinefs, and would truly enjoy what he bath, he mutt Eat and Drink with- in the Bounds of Temperance and Health, and mull wear no more Cloaths than are for his Convenience. 'Tis true, he hath wherewithal to put on a new Suit every Day ; which is to be uneafie all the Days of his Life ; and may Drink, if he pleafe, every time outof a newCup; which would be a vain expence, and a great trouble to his Servants, without any manner of Convenience to himfelf. But then if Riches fall into the Covetous Man's Hands, they can be no Happi- nefs to him, becaufe he bath no Heart to enjoy them. He bath indeed the Eftate of a RichMan, but he wants theComfort of it, becaufe he hath the Mind of a Poor Man; and Enjoyment is all theFelicity that is in a great Fortune; what we enjoy is ours, but what we lay up, is from that time not ours, but fome bodies elfe. He that heaps up Riches, and enjoys them not, is Rich only for bis Heir, but a Beggar for himfelf. We are apt to pity poor Men, and too apt to defpife them ; but furely no Man's Condition is more to be deplored than his, who ftarves himfelf in the midit of Plenty, and being furrounded with the Bleffings of God, turns them into the greateft Curfe ; for it is a much greater Curfe, not toufe an Eftate when one has it, than not to have it. It is like a plentiful Table without an Appetite. But it may be it is a great Happinefs to have a great Eftate, tho' a Man never ufe it ; the Pleafureof feeing it, and telling it over, may be like the removing of Billets, which may warm a Min as much as if he had fpent and confurned them. But this is Real, and the other only Imaginary. I doubt not, many Covetous Men take a great deal ofpleafure in ruminating upon their Wealth, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=