Sermons preached

4. The Comfort, Safety and Happiness of this Life lies not in abundance. Luke 12. 15. Take heed and beware of Covetousness; for a Mans Life lies not in the abundance of things which he possesseth. This Consideration is added, because some might think though we can carry nothing out of the World, yet whilst we live we should seek larger Supplies. Our Lord answereth this Surmise, though outward things are very useful to sustain Life, yet no Man is able to prolong his Life, or to make it more Happy and Comfortable to him by possessing more than he needs or uses: what good will the superfluity of Wealth do him? These things are extrinsical to our Being and Happiness. When you have the World at Will, you can get no more from it than bodily Food and bodily Clothing. The poorest may attain to that. It is no great matter whether our Dung or Excrements be of sinner matter or courser; whether a gay show we make in our Apparel, so we have for warmth and decency; whether few or more Dishes at our Table. Too much Oil puts out the Lamp, and superfluity afflicts and oppresseth that part which it seems to gratify: When Men have troubled themselves and the World to make ⟨p. 237⟩themselves great, what a sorry Happiness have they? their Net and their Drag by which they catch Men as a Fisher-man doth Fishes in the Sea, it all tendeth to this, that their Portion may be Fat and Plenteous. A poor Felicity, that they have a little good Cheer, and a merry Life here. They that want such abundance live as well as they, and have as much Health and Contentment. Psal. 19. 14. They have their Portion in this Life, and their Bellies are filled with hid Treasures, and they leave the rest to their Babes. They ransack the Store-houses of Nature, to satisfy their Gluttony and Excess, but yet all this while they are not the nearer to Contentment, nor farther off from the Grave. So that it is best to be content with Necessaries.

4. The Comfort, Safety and Happiness of this Life lies not in abundance. Luke 12. 15. Take heed and beware of Covetousness; for a Mans Life lies not in the abundance of things which he possesseth. This Consideration is added, because some might think though we can carry nothing out of the World, yet whilst we live we should seek larger Supplies. Our Lord answereth this Surmise, though outward things are very useful to sustain Life, yet no Man is able to prolong his Life, or to make it more Happy and Comfortable to him by possessing more than he needs or uses: what good will the superfluity of Wealth do him? These things are extrinsical to our Being and Happiness. When you have the World at Will, you can get no more from it than bodily Food and bodily Cloathing. The poorest may attain to that. It is no great matter whether our Dung or Excrements be of siner matter or courser; whether a gay shew we make in our Apparel, so we have for warmth and decency; whether few or more Dishes at our Table. Too much Oil puts out the Lamp, and superfluity afflicts and oppresseth that part which it feems to gratifie: When Men have troubled themselves and the World to make