A Christian library, or, A pleasant and plentiful paradise of practical divinity in 37 treatises of sundry and select subjects ... / by R. Younge ...

CHAP VI.

FIrst, How many are there, that by an intolerable care, and pains, and greif, and sting of conscience, and losse of credit, and undergoing many perils, get great estates, and when they have obtained all that heart can wish, by a just judgement of God, they have not power to partake of what they have, or be a farthing the better for all. As observe but what wise Solomon speaks Eccles. 6. There is an evill which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men, a man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth; yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, ver. 1, 2. And again, There is one alone, and there is not a second, yea, he hath neither child nor brother, yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he, for whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good: this is also vanity, yea, this is a sore travell, Eccles. 4.8.

Yea, how many such could I nominate, that are baser by being wealthier, that are no other than rich beggers, or beggers in the midst of their riches (as Cain was a vagabond upon his own land) upon whose estates there is ••et a spell, insomuch that their wealth sayes to them in effect, touch not, tast not, handle not.

It is the misers curse, want in the midst of abundance, hunger in the midst of plenty, he freezes by the fires side, and is like an unhappy boy, that hath a great trusse ef points to play with, and but one at his breeches to tye them toge∣ther, or rather he resembles a dog in a wheel, that toyles all day to rost meat for others eating, as the wise man shews, Eccles. 6.1.2.

The covetous Miser covets without end, but all to no end; he onely feeds his eyes with that which should feed his belly, and cloth his back. Like him that Horace tells of in Room, called Oxide, who was so rich, that he might measure his gold by the bushell, and yet went almost stark naked, and never would fill himself half full of meat. They are like Tantalus, who stands up to the chin in water, and hath all kinds of fruits hanging over his head, but is not suffered to tast of the one, nor drink of the other: Or like an Asse, that is laden with gold, or dainty cates, but feeds upon thistles: Or like the Indians, who though they have all the gold amongst them, yet are the most beggerly and naked people alive.

For as if they were such fooles, as not to know that their money will buy them all necessaries of meat, drink, apparel, and the like, they scarce wear a good garment, or eat a liberal meal, or take a quiet sleep, but are ever tor∣menting themselves to get that, for getting whereof they shall be tormente••. Like a true Chymist, he turnes every thing into gold, both what he should eat, and what he should wear. He is like a man rob'd, hurt and bound, who though he hath meanes to relieve himself, yet hath not liberty to go where he may be releived.

As a proud man is ignorant in the midst of his knowledge, so is the covetous man poor, and needy, in the midst of his wealth: Yea, a poor beggar is in better estate than a rich miser, for whereas the poor begger wants many things, the rich miser wants every thing.

Crates threw his money into the Sea, resolving to drown it, least it should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him. The drunkard casts his mony into a deluge of drink, both drowning it and himself with it: wherein the Miser and the Rioter are op∣posites, the one so loves money, that he will not afford himself good drink, the other so loves good drink, that he scornes money. But in severall respects, the Misers case is worse than the Prodigals, for the prodigall shall have no∣thing hereafter, but the covetous man hath nothing here, nor shall here∣after.

Riches, saith Seneca, are the wise mans servant, but the fooles master: and the miser makes himself a slave to his servant. Riches are good when the party that possesseth them can tell how to use them; but as instruments are of no use unto them that are ignorant of musick, so are riches of no use to the covetous. So that in my judgement, that rich fool in the Gospel was far wiser than these blocks, for he having attained his purpose, got a great estate, could after all afford himself the comfort of it; for these are his words to himself, Thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares, live at ease, eat, drink and take thy pastime, Luke 12.19.

Nay, to abound with all things, and to be never the better for them, not to partake of them, what fool or mad man hath been known so senseless? yea, not to flatter his pretended prudence, no beast will starve in a fat pasture; if then a man shall pinch his guts when God hath afforded him affluence; the Asse is not so very an Asse as he. Nor do I know any beast like him, save Pharaohs seven lean and evill favoured kine, and to them he is very like: For when his large and greedy conscience hath devoured or eaten up many Cu∣stomers or Clients estates, as they did the seven fat and well favoured kine, yet it cannot be known by any reall amen••ment, that he hath eaten them, but in his food, raiment, satisfaction of his mind, &c. he is as ill favoured as at the beginning. He doth not more lock up his goods from the ••heif than from himself: So that I cannot more fitly compare him to any thing, than to an Idoll, for as an Idoll hath eyes but sees not, so he hath a reasonable soul, but understands not And most just it is, that he who is unjust to all others, should be most unjust to himself. And as a covetous man is good to no bo∣dy, so he is worst of all to himself.

It is the depth of misery to fall under the curse of Cham, a servant of servants, divitis servi, maxime servi, no thraldom to the inward and outward bon∣dage too. So that if there be any creature miserable, it is the miserable miserly muck-worm; and yet he is least to be pitied, because he makes him∣self thus miserable.

Now this may move wonder to astonishment! that they should take such care and paines, and cast away their soules to heap up riches, and when they have done, to be never a penny the better for them. Yea, what can any wise man think of them, are they not stark mad? are they not fooles in folio? What, take so much care and paines, indure so much greif, sting of consci∣ence, losse of credit, deprive themselves of heaven, damn their own soules, to get wealth, and when they have got it, not to be the better for it: yea, they are lesse satisfied and contented than before, meanlier accommodated than

mean men; and could this possible be so, if God did not give them their riches in wrath? nor would be otherwise deny them the use of their own; for the wise man hath given it as a rule, That to whom God hath given riches as a blessing, he also giveth him to eat, and drink, and to take pleasure, and delight his soul with the profit of his labours, wherein he travelleth under the sun: for which see Ecces. 2.24. and 3.12, 13. and 5.17, 18, 19. and 8.15. And so you have one particular to prove what I promised. But