The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 55
§. 55.
Now as I have ſhewn theſe two ſorts of men their folly, to the end ſome of them may be convinced, and aſhamed, and conſequently become ſoul-wiſe, that ſo they may be ſaved; which is the principal thing I drive at (for I take no pleaſure in diſgracing men purpoſely.) So it were as eaſie to prove, that all ſorts of ſinners, are no better then ſots, and ſhallow-brains, in compariſon of the conſcientious Chriſtian. Nor do I ſee, but it may prove of great, and general concernment: therefore that others alſo may have benefit by the ſame, I will briefly touch upon ſome particulars. And the next that I will ſpeak to, ſhall be ſuch as come neereſt to theſe laſt mentioned; that is, your Covetous, Miſerly Muck-worms, who though they be neer neighbours to thoſe Ambodexters I laſt ſpake of, yet they are not the ſame men.
Now although you cannot name one property of a natural fool, but the Covetous man is in that particular a greater fool: Yet I will make the parallel in one onelyonly: leſt I ſhould weary my Reader, before I have diſpatcht all my Clients, or halfe liſted my men.
The Covetous miſer, if you mark it, eſteems not of things according to their true value; but preferreth bables and trifles before things of greateſt worth, which is the moſt remarkable property of a naturall fool, that is, being like the ignorant Indians in Florida, Virginia, New England, and K…nida, who for a Copper kettle, and a few toyes, as Beads, and Hatchets, will depart from the pureſt gold, and ſell you a whole Countrey, with the houſes and ground which they dwell upon.
As Iudas preferred thirty pieces of ſilver, before him that was Lord of the whole world, and ranſome of man-kinde: ſo the covetous man prefers Earth, yea hell to heaven, time to eternity, his body before his ſoul; yea, his outward eſtate before either ſoule or body. Whereas the godly care for the ſoul, as the chief jewell, and onelyonly treaſure; and for the body for the ſoules ſake; and ſettle their inheritance in no land but the land of promiſe; their end being to poſſeſſe a kingdome without end. They are not like Shebna, who built his ſepulchre in one Countrey, and was buried in another: But like our Engliſh Merchants, that traffique in Turkey, get wealth in Turky, yet plant not in Turky, but tranſport for England. It cannot be ſaid of them, as it may of the moſt; that they worſhip the golden Calfe: becauſe they conſider, that Pecunia, the worlds Queen, (I meane that world, whereof the Devill is King) extends her Regiments, but to the brim of the grave, and is not current one ſtep farther.
Worldly hearts are penny-wiſe, and pound-fooliſh; they know how to ſet high prizes upon the worthleſſe traſh of this world; but for heavenly things, or the God that owns them, they ſhamefully under-value. Like Judas, who valued Maries ointment, which ſhe beſtowed upon the feet of Chriſt, at three hundred pieces of ſilver, and ſold his Maſter, on whom that odour was ſpent, for thirty. But it is not ſo with the godly; they think it the beſt purchaſe that ever was in the world, to buy him who bought them; in compariſon of whom all things elſe are droſs and dung, as Paul ſpeaks, Phil. 3. 8. And indeed if we once have him, we have all thing, as the Apoſtle argues, Rom. 8. 32. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23. So that the godly's man is onelyonly rich, the ſervant of Christ is Lord of all. Whereas by a juſt judgement of God upon the covetous Miſer, who makes Mammon his god: The Devill makes them his Drudges, to get and bring him in Gold, as the King of Spain does the poor Indians) that he may keep it in banke, for the next prodigall to ſpend as ill, as the other got it. As how often is that ſpent upon one Chriſtmas revelling by the ſon, which was forty years a getting by the Father? O fools, incomparable! to take a world of care and paines, endure ſo much grief, ſting of conſcience, loſs of credit, to deprive themſelves of Heaven, damn their own ſouls, to get wealth: and when they have got it, not to be a jot the better for it. Yea, they are leſs ſatisfied, and contented then other men, meanlier accommedated then mean men: Yea, a poor beggar that hath nothing here, is in better eſtate, then a rich Miſer, that hath nothing in effect, either here or hereafter. O that they would but uſe that! yea, half that wit, ſtudy, and induſtry hereafter, to ſave their ſouls, that they have formerly done to damn them. But hear more.
Ariſtippus cared onelyonly for his body, as if he had had no ſoule: Zeno but for his ſoule, as if he had had no body: Achitophel for his Family alone, as if neither ſoule nor body had been worth caring for: but theſe neither for body, nor ſoule, nor any thing, but for a little muck to leave behind them. Yea, he can finde in his heart to goe to hell for another, that wiſhes him gone, and will damn his own ſoul to leave his ſon rich. Yea, what a deale of paines and care does the covetous man take for his own damnation? ever tormenting himſelf to get that; for getting whereof he ſhall be tormented: ſo himſelfe is voluntarily miſerable here, and hereafter, that others may be happy. And ſo much of the Miſer. The next I will fall upon, ſhall be ſuch as equall theſe in their Idolatry another way; as