264. ,The Evil andVnreafonablenfs Vol. Ì. and in re-counting what they have ; but they have a great deal of tormenting care and fearabout it, and if they had not, it is very hard to underftand where the reafonable Pleafure and Happinefs lies of having Things to noend. It is at the ben, like that of Come foolifh Birds, which they fay, take pleafure in ftealing Money, that they may hide it ; as if it were worth the while, for Men to take pains to dig Silver out of theEarth, for no other purpofe, but to melt it downand Ramp it, aríd bury it there again. Butmany Neceflìtiesmay happen, which we cannot forefeet and it is good to provide againft them. There is nothing fo bad, but fomething may be faid in excuse of it; and I do not deny, but that a provident Care againtt the com- mon Accidents of Humane Life is very commendable; but it is unreafonable to think of providing againft all poflibilities, which it is impofiïble either to fore-fee, or prevent. 'Tis very poffible, that after a Man bath gotten thegreat- eft EaIte imaginable, he may lofe it all by Come fatal Accident ; and then to what purpofe was all this Provifion made, when that which was folonga time a getting and laying up,, is loft it once? Befides, that it is not eafie to conceive what Neceffity can happen to a Cove- tous Man, to give him an occafionof uling his Eftate ; he cannot find in his Heart to bellow it upon himfelf in fuch Things as are convenient, nay, almoll neceffary for the fupport of his Life ; for no Man can feed his Servants More pe- nurioully than he does himfelf ; all the Religion he values himfelf upon, is a ftrict obfervance ofthe LeIjian Diet, whichhe recommends to thofe few that can deny thernfelves to Dinewith him, in hopes to make better Meals upon his Eftate When he is gdne. And if he be fo penurious to himfelf, the necefiities ofothers are not like to move him to be liberal. I can but imagine one Occa- fion that could tempt fuch a Man to layout what he hath ; namely, when one part of his Eftare is in danger, tofpend the other to fetore ir. And yet even in that Cafe, if his CauCe were not very clear and good, he would go nighto lofe it, ufing it as he does himfelf ; that is by flarving it. And if this be all, then a Man had as good be without anEftate, and fave himfelf the trouble either of getting it, or fecuring it; for if it were all gone, he might live as well as he does, and that with half the Careand Pains. Secondly, TheHappinefs of this World confifts in a State of Freedom from Ea il. Now the great Evils that Men are liable to in this World, are fuch as are incident to them, either in the courfe oftheir Lives, or at the time of their Death; and Riches do not contribute to Men's Happinefs, by freeing them from either ofthefe. I (hall fpeak to thefe feverally. 1. Not from the Evils which are incident to Men in the courfe oftheir Lives. Thefe ire of Two kinds, inward, or outward. e. Inward Evils, by which I mean thofe of the Mind ; and our greateft Troubles are fromwithin, from the anxiety ofour Minds, and the guilt of our Confciences, from the vicious Inclinations of our Wills, and the Irregularity and" Diforders of our Paions., Now Riches were an admirable thing indeed, and worth our coveting, if they would help to cure thefe Diftempers of our Minds ; but they are the lealt fitted for fuch a purpofe of any thing in the World: For not he that hath the greaten Eftate, but he that hath the feweft and molt, reafonable Delires, and the belt govern'd Paffions, and the molt vir- tuous Inclinations, is the happieft Man, and dwells neareft to Satisfaûïon. Nemo males folix, No bad Man can behappy, tho' he were poffefs'd ofthe whole World ; becaufe he bath that within him, which frets and difcontents him, whichgalls his Spirit, and keeps his Mind renlefs and uneafy ; and he that does not enjoy himfelf, can enjoy nothing elfe. Did but Men know how much Happinefs hath been enjoyed by many a Pi- ous and Virtuous Man in a MeanFortune, how quiet and eafie their Minds' have been howmuch fuller of Joy and Pleafure, than the Heart of any Cove- tous Worldling ever was inhis molt profperous Eftate, and when his Corn, an nd
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