terfeit all their joys are, in fpite of all the flourishes and fine fhews that they make, in the opinion of the foolish world, which fees and gazes upon their gliftering outfide, but knows not the difmal ftings, and fecret lashes which they feel within.

ANOTHER reason why happiness doth not confift in abundance, is, because it is attended with exceffive immoderate cares. The very management of a great estate, is a greater and more perplexing trouble, than any that a poor man can be subject to. Great riches bring on new neceffities, neceffities added to thofe of nature, but accounted much above them; to wit, the neceffities of pomp, grandeur, and a fuitable port in the world. For he who is vastly rich, must live like one who is so; and whofoever does that, makes his house (as it were) a great inn; where the noise, the trouble, and the charge, is fure to be his, and the enjoyment to be that of others.

It is indeed impoffible that riches should increase, and that care, with many evil L 2 accidents

accidents befides, fhould not increase with them. This is the dark fhadow, which ftill follows thofe fhining bodies. And care is certainly one of the greatest miferies of the mind; the toil, and very day-labour of the foul. And what felicity, what enjoyment can there be in inceffant labour?

ANOTHER reason of this, is, because the poffeffion of riches is attended with an infatiable defire of getting more. He who loves money shall not be satisfied with it (fays Solomon): and I believe it would be no hard matter to affign more inftances, of fuch as riches have made covetous, than of fuch as covetoufnefs hath made rich.

Upon which account, a man can never truly enjoy what he actually has, through the eager purfuit of what he has not; his heart is ftill running out after more, and fo never thinks of ufing what he hath already acquired.

And must it not now be one of the greatest miferies, for a man to have a perpetual defire, and to have his appetite grow fiercer and fharper, amidft the very

objects

objects and opportunities of fatisfaction? Yet fo it is ufually with men vastly rich. They have, and they covet; riches flow in upon them, and yet riches are the only things they are ftill looking after. Their defires are anfwered, and while they are answered they are inlarged. And this is the direct and natural refult of increafing wealth. Riches are still made the reafon of riches; and men get only, that they may lay up; and lay up only, that they may keep.

Upon which principle, it is evident, that the covetous perfon is always thinking himself in want, and confequently as far from any true relish of happiness, as be muft needs be, who apprehends himself under that condition, which of all things in the world he most abhors.

ANOTHER argument to prove that man's life confifteth not in the abundance of the things which he poffeffeth, fhall be taken from the utter inability of the greatest earthly riches, to remove those things which chiefly render men miferable: and especially, as to what affects a man's fpiri

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tual

tual part, the mind. Suppofe that to be grieved, and labouring under the most preffing and unfupportable of all griefs, trouble of confcience: And what can riches, power, or honour contribute to its removal? Can they pluck out any of those poisoned arrows, which the apprehenfion of God's wrath faftens in the foul? Can they heal the wounds, and affuage the anguish of a conscience groaning, and even gafping under the terrors of the Almighty?

Nay, let the grief arise but from a temporal cause, as fuppofe the death and lofs of a dear friend, the diminution of a man's honour, or the like; and what miferable comforters in any of these cafes are the heaviest bags, and the fullest coffers? The pleasure arifing from all other temporal enjoyments, cannot equal the finart, which the mind endures from the lofs of any one of them.

And what poor contributors, must these earthly enjoyments needs be, to a man's real happiness; when a hundred pleasures fhall not be able to counterbalance one

forrow:

forrow but that one crofs accident fhall imbitter all his comforts; and the mind fhall as really droop and languish, whilft a man is furrounded with vaft treafures, as if he had not where to lay his head? For in fuch a cafe, all the delight he doth, or can reap from his other comforts, ferves only to quicken and increase the sense of that calamity, which hath actually taken poffeffion of him.

And in the next place, let us confider the miferies which affect the body; and we fhall find that the greateft pleasures arifing from any degree of wealth or plenty whatsoever, are utterly ineffectual in this cafe alfo. What would a man give, to purchase a release, nay but a small refpite, from the extreme pains of the gout. or stone; and yet if he had all the wealth in the world, it could not redeem, or even reprieve him from his mifery? No man feels the pangs or tortures of his prefent diftemper (be it what it will) at all the less for his being rich. When God fhall think fit, to caft a man upon his bed of pain or ficknefs; let him fummon about him his thoufands, and his