London's lamentation, or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our…

The eighth Maxim that I shall lay down, to put a stop to §8your too eager pursuit after the things of this world, is this, viz. That the life of man consists not in the enjoyment of these earthly things, which he is so apt inordinately to affect, Luke 12. 15. And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness. For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Whether we consider mans life, in the length and continuance of it, or in the comfort of it: It consists not in riches; for no man lives a day longer or merrier for his riches. Though possessions are useful to sustain life, yet no man is able to prolong his life, or to make it any thing more happy or comfortable to him, by possessing more than he needs or uses. 'Tis not the Golden Crown that can cure the head-ache, nor the Velvet Slipper that can case a man of the Gout, nor the Purple Robe that can fray away a burning Fever. Mark, the life of man is so far from consisting in the enjoyment of these earthly things, that ¹many times they hasten a man to his long home. Many a mans Coffer has hastened him to his Coffin; and as many a man has lost his finger for his Rings sake, so many a man has lost his life for his Purses sake. In all the Ages of the world many a man has deeply suffered for his means. Naboth lost his life ²for his Vineyards sake. Quintus Aurelius in the days of Sulla ⟨p. 213⟩lost his life by reason of his Lands. Many a mans means ³has hanged him. Many a man has deeply suffered for his means sake. The Romans ripped up the bellies and bowels of the Jews to search for Gold. The Americans had been more safe, had they had less Gold. They thought Gold was the Spaniards God. But how the Spaniards played the Devil to get their Gold, I shall not at this time take pleasure to relate. Now if our temporal life consists not in any of these earthly things, then certainly our spiritual life consists not in any of these earthly things. For what Religious duty is there that a believer can't do, though he has neither money in his Bag, nor dainties on his Table. And as our spiritual life consists not in any of these earthly things, so our eternal life consists not in any of these earthly things: for as all the treasures of this world can't bring a soul to Heaven, so they cannot keep a soul from dropping down to Hell.