Thus every labour hath an end, but covetousness hath none; like a suitor in law, which thinks to have an end this Term and that Term, and the Lawyer which should procure his peace, prolongeth his strife; because he hath an action to his purse, as his adversary hath to his land: so he which is set on coveting, doth drink brine, which makes him thirst more, and seeth no haven till he arrive at death: when he hath lied, he is ready to lye again; when he hath sworn, he is ready to swear again; when he hath deceived, he is ready to deceive again; when the day is past, he would it were to begin again; when the Term is ended, he wisheth it were to come again; and though his house be full, and his shop full, and his coffers full, and his purse full; yet his heart is not full, but lank & empty, like the disease which we call the Wolfe, that is always eating, and yet keeps the body lean. The Ant doth eat the food which she findeth, the Lion doth refresh him self with the pray that he taketh: but the covetous man lieth by his money, as a sick ⟨p. 210⟩man sits by his meat, and hath no power to take it,1 but to look upon it, like the Prince to whom Elisha said, that he should see the corn with his eyes, but none should come within his mouth. Thus the covetous man makes a fool, of himself, he coveteth to covet, he gathereth to gather, he laboureth to labour, he careth to care; as though his office were to fill a coffer full of Angels, and then to dye; like an Ass which carrieth treasures on his back all day, and at night they are taken from him, which did him no good but load him. How happy were some, if they knew not gold from lead?2 If thou be wise (saith Solomon) thou shalt be wise for thy self: but he which is covetous, is covetous against himself. For what a plague is this (unless one would kill himself) for a man to spend all his life in carking, and pining, and scraping, (as though he should do nothing but gather in this world, to spend in the next) unless he be sure that he shall come again when he is dead, to eat those scraps which he hath gotten with all this stir? Therefore covetousness may well be called misery, and the covetous miserable: for they are miserable indeed.
Thus euerie labour hath an end, but couetousnesse hath none; like a suter in law, which thinkes to haue an end this Tearme and that Tearme, and the Lawyer which should procure his peace, prolongeth his strife; because he hath an action to his purse, as his aduersarie hath to his land: so hee which is set on coueting, doth drinke brine, which makes him thrist more, and seeth no hauen till he arriue at death: when hee hath lyed, hee is readie to lye againe; when hee hath sworne, hee is readie to sweare againe; when he hath deceiued, hee is readie to deceiue againe; when the day is past, he would it were to begin again; when the Tearme is ended, hee wisheth it were to come againe; and though his house bee full, and his shop full, and his coffers full, and his purse full; yet his heart is not full, but lanke & emptie, like the disease which we call the Wolfe, that is alwaies eating, and yet keepes the bodie leane. The Ant doth eate the food which she findeth, the Lion doth refresh him selfe with the praie that hee taketh: but the couetous man lyeth by his money, as a sicke ⟨p. 210⟩man sits by his meate, and hath no power to take it,1 but to looke vpon it, like the Prince to whom Elisha sayde, that hee should see the corne with his eyes, but none should come within his mouth. Thus the couetous man makes a foole, of himselfe, hee coueteth to couet, hee gathereth to gather, hee laboureth to labour, he careth to care; as though his office were to fill a coffer full of Angels, and then to dye; like an Asse which carrieth treasures on his backe all day, and at night they are taken from him, which did him no good but loade him. How happie were some, if they knewe not gold from leade?2 If thou be wise (saith Salomon) thou shalt be wise for thy selfe: but he which is couetous, is couetous against himselfe. For what a plague is this (vnlesse one would kill himselfe) for a man to spende all his life in carking, and pining, and scraping, (as though hee should do nothing but gather in this world, to spend in the next) vnlesse he be sure that he shall come againe when hee is dead, to eate those scraps which hee hath gotten with all this stirre? Therefore couetousnesse may well bee called miserie, and the couetous miserable: for they are miserable indeede.
- 12. King. 7. 2.
- 2Pro. 9. 12.
