The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
That worldly things do not satisfie, nor bring contentment to those that hauehave them.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed the vanitie of the§. Sect. 1. That worldly things do not bring that contentment which they promise. world, and of those worldly things which are most admired and affected. Now it followeth that according to my order propounded, I also proue, that by reason of this their vanitie, they do not satisfie, or bring contentment to those who most abound with them: for whereas that which is substantially and truly good, filleth and replenisheth the place where it is, these worldly things which are but vaine shadowes and false resemblances of this goodnes, being receiued into our hearts, though they much cumber the roome, yet they do not fill it, but in their greatest plentie, leaue the greatest emptines. They promise indeed when we pursue them, that they will giuegive vsus contentment when we enioy them; and (like the harlot in the Prouerbs)Prou. 7. 18. when they allure vsus to folly, and to the committing of spirituall fornication, by setting our hearts on them more then God, that we shall take our fill in their louelove: and those who are insnared with these inticements, when with all their desires and painfull endeauours they pursue these bewitching vanities, they imagine like the foolish builders of Babel, thatGenes. 11. 3. they shall eternize their name, and climbe vp euen into heauen at their owne pleasure; but vponupon triall they find nothing but trouble and confusion; for these goodly castles of their hopes which the great Magitian Satan offered vntounto them for the wages of ther sinfull seruice, as places of sure refuge in all wants and dangers, vanish away when in their greatest need they flie vntounto them for succour and defence: and these beautifull strumpets, with whose louelove he hath weaned their harts from God, like shadowes vanish, when they come to imbrace them; leauing behind them no comfort or contentation. In which respect those who dote vponupon worldly vanities, and thinke to satisfie their minds in their fruition, are like vntounto the hungrie man, who dreameth that he eateth, but when he awaketh he is still emptie; or to the thirstie man, who dreameth that he drinketh, but arising from his sleepe remaineth still athirst, as the Prophet speaketh: or as the Wise man comparethEsai. 29. 8. them, they are like vntounto the graue and destruction, which are neuer satisfied; and to the horseleaches, whichProu. 27. 20. crie, giuegive, giuegive, and are neuer filled. And as those who beingProu. 30. 15. vexed with the disease called the dogs hunger, are alwaies eating, but neuer sufficed, so as it is more easie to burst their stomackes, then to satisfie their appetite: so howsoeuer worldly men are still feeding their hopes and desires, with these earthly vanities, yet their minds remaine as emptie and vnsatisfied, as they were whē they first tasted of thē: wherby the vanitie and worthlesnesse of these worldly things plainly appeareth, seeing that is said to be vaine, which like a shadowNunquam parum est quod satis est, nunquam multum est quod satis non est. Senec. epist. 119. maketh some appearāce, but filleth not the place where it is. And as they are vaine, so also they are worthlesse and of no value: For as that is not to be esteemed little, which is enough, because it satisfieth: so contrariwise, that is not to be accounted great, or greatly to be valued, which doth not satisfie the inioyer, but leaueth his desires emptie, and his mind full of nothing but vexation and discontentment.
Yea so far are these worldly things frō satisfying them that§. Sect. 2. That worldly things possessed do but inflame the desire. hauehave them, that they inlarge their desires, & set an▪ edge vponupon their appetite, seruing rather for sauces to sharpen ye stomack, then for substantial food to allay the hunger, and for baits to allure vsus, rather thē meat to satisfie vsus: for those who most deuour them, do most desire them; like those that are diseased with the dropsie, who being ful of water, do most cōplaine of drought, & crie out of want, when as they are readie to burst with fulnesse. And as those who are sicke of a burning feauer, howsoeuer in the time of their health they were not much troubled with thirst, being inwardly vexed with the raging burning of their disease, do desire abundance of drinke; and hauing that they longed for, are not satisfied, but the more they drinke, the more they thirst, because it is an vnnaturall heate which causeth this vnnaturall appetite: so when soules are in health, a little doth content them, but when they are diseased with the burning heate of worldly concupiscence, this vnnaturall appetite is neuer satisfied, but the more they hauehave, the more they desire, and the neerer they are to abundance and superfluitie, the further they are from contentation; and whereas at first they had some stay of themselues, and some power to moderate their desires, now hauing giuen the raines to their concupiscence, it runneth on with headlong violence, and admitteth no restraint: like vntounto those standing on the top of a steepe hill, who howsoeuer they can easily rule themselues whilest they keep their place, or if they warily creepe downe by little & slow degrees, yet if they begin once to runne, they can make no stay, till with great perill they come headlong to the bottome.
The reasons of this vnsatiablenes are diuers: first and principally§. Sect. 3. The reasons why the mind of man cannot be satisfied with earthly things. it commeth to passe through the iust iudgement of God, who (seeing worldlings louelove his gifts better then himselfe that gaue them, and in stead of being moued by his bountie to serue him with more alacritie, do commit idolatrie with these earthly vanities) doth lay this heauie curse vponupon them, that they shall not be able to satisfie them or giuegive contentment, yea rather the more they shall feed vponupon them, the more their hunger shall be increased. And this is that iudgement and malediction which the Lord denounceth against the Israelites, for neglecting the duties of his seruice, that they should eate and not hauehave enough; the which iudgementHosea. 4. 10. Micha. 6. 14. was accordingly inflicted on them, as the Prophet Haggai telleth them: Ye hauehave sowen (saith he) much, and bring Haggai 1. 6.in little; ye eate, but ye hauehave not enough; ye drinke, but ye are not filled; yee cloath yee, but you be not warme; and he that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a broken bag. Another reason may be, that our appetite and the desires of our hearts being spirituall, are in comparison of these earthly things almost infinit, and of such exceeding large extent, that the whole world cannot fill and satisfie them, there being no end or limits set vntounto them, or at least such as the earth & earthly things cannot afford vntounto vsus. The which vnsatiablenesse of the heart by the world (one wittily saith) is implied and signified by their diuers figures, for the world is round, and the heart threeZanch. in Ephes. 5. cornered; and a triangle cannot be filled with a circle. It is therefore the Lord alone that can satisfie this insatiable hart of man; for being created of a spirituall substance, and accordingCapacem Dei quicquid Deo minus est non implebit. Bernard. decla…. in Mat. 19. Matth. 12. to Gods image, and that to this end, that it might be a fit temple for his holy spirit, there is nothing lesse thē God can fill and satisfie it. And therefore that soule which seeketh full contentment in any thing sauing God, is like those vncleane spirits which seeke for rest but find none: yea it is not onelyonly frustrate of all fruit of it labour, but findeth that which it seeketh not; that is, much disquietnesse and vexationEccles▪ 2. 11. of spirit. These worldly vanities being vntounto them like wind to the body which puffeth vp, but nourisheth not; tormenteth, but not satisfieth. Whereas on the other side, hee in whose heart God lodgeth and dwelleth by his holy spirit, is throughly filled, and fully satisfied; and though it should enlarge it desires beyond the bounds of the highest heauen, yet should no part thereof be emptie and vnreplenished; for as the Psalmist telleth vsus, if we delight in the Lord, he will giuegive vsus Psal. 37. 4.our hearts desire; and rather then it should not be satisfied he will giuegive vsus himselfe, whom who so enioyeth can want nothing.Nimis auarus est cui Deus non sufficit. Bernard. in Coena Domini serm. 7. Sed quoniam nemo Deum possidet, nisi qui posse ditur ab eo, simus nos ipsi fact… Dei possessio, & …fficietur nobis possessio Deus, &c. August. de salutar. documen. cap. 9. And therefore we should not set our hearts vponupon these worldly things which cannot satisfie vsus, but vponupon the Lord, whose fruition bringeth full contentment. And because (as one saith) no man possesseth God, but he who is first possessed of him, let vsus become a possession vntounto God, that he may become a possession vntounto vsus; and if wee hauehave him wee shall hauehave enough: for what can suffice him whom the infinite▪ Creator cannot satisfie? Another reason of this vnsatiablenes of mans mind with these worldly vanities, may bee their difference in nature, in that it is heauenly and spirituall, and these earthly and corporall, in regard whereof there can bee no proportion betweene them; and therefore as it is impossible to replenish a corporall emptinesse with a spirituall substance, as a chest with vertues, or the stomacke with wisedome; so is it no more possible to fill a spirituall emptinesse with a bodily substance, as the soule and mind of man with earthly treasures, or worldly preferments. And therefore when we feed our hungry soules with this vnnaturalll food, it doth not satisfie our appetite, but rather encreaseth our hunger. Whereas if we feed them with spirituall food which is of like substance vntounto themselues, they will thereby bee nourished; and if we hunger after the bread of life, and desire to replenish our emptie soules with Christs righteousnes,Ma…. 5. 6. wee are by him pronounced blessed, because wee shall bee throughly satisfied. Finally, our appetites are vnsatiable, not through any necessity which we hauehave of earthly abundance, but through vnlimited and vnnaturall greedinesse; for inNecesse est in immensum ex…at cupid…tas quae naturalem modum trans… lij…. Illa enim habet finem suum, inania & ex libidine orta sine termino sunt. Senec. epist. 39. respect of vse, nature is content with a little, as well as with much; but when the soule being sicke of worldly concupiscence, hath once passed the limits of nature, whereby these things are measured vntounto vsus, according to necessity and profit, the desires thereof become endlesse and infinite, and are by accesse of these vanities rather encreased then diminished. For being applied to the mind to cure it of this vnsatiable greedinesse, like weake and ouer gentle medicines, they onelyonly stirre the humours of our corrupt concupiscence, wherby we become more dangerouslie sicke then we were before, but doe not at all purge and free vsus from them.
Let vsus not therefore foolishly imagine that our minds can§. Sect. 4. That it is great follie to seeke for content in earthly abundance. be satisfied and filled with these worldly vanities, nor greedilie affect and seeke after a greater measure, when as we are not sufficed with a lesse, supposing that the accesse of quantitie may bring contentment; seeing the hunger which wee feele in our hearts proceedeth not from the want of earthlie abundance; but because it is vnnaturall nourishment for the mind of man, so that it can no more satisfie our soules hunger, then it can satisfie our bodies to feede vponupon the wind. And therefore as his follie were ridiculous, who being an hungred should seeke to satisfie his appetite by gaping after the wind; and finding that a lesser gale would not suffice, should runne to the wind-mill hill to receiue a greater: so no lesse foolish are those worldly men, who finding their hearts emptie, and tormented with the hunger of greedie concupiscence, doe thinke to stay their appetite by feeding vponupon this wind of worldly vanities; and failing of their expectation in a lesser quantitie, thinke to attain vntounto their hope, when they hauehave heaped vp to themselues a greater; for the defect is not in the matter, but in the nature and qualitie of the nourishment, there being no similitude or proportion betweene a spirituall soule, and corporall substances. They doe indeede for the present seeme to satisfie and asswage the hunger, but afterwards it is enraged with greater greedinesse: euen as cold drinke doth giuegive some present cooling and refreshing to him who is in a fit of a burning feuer, but soon after the heat returning with greater violence bringeth with it more intollerable thirst. And as the fire at the first casting on of wood or oyle, hath for the instant the heat therof somewhat abated, but presently after hauing caught hold of the matter, it waxeth much more hote then it was before: so worldly men pursuing these earthly vanities, after they hauehave attained vntounto their hopes, hauehave for the instant some contentment; but within a while the rage of their concupiscence reuiueth and encreaseth, tormenting their soules with more vnquenchable thirstinesse then that which they felt before they tasted them. If therefore we would hauehave such sufficiencie of these worldly things as may bring contentment, wee must attaine vntounto it by moderating our affections, rather then by multiplying these vanities; if wee would hauehave this aguish thirst slaked and abated, it must not bee by larger drinking of these vnsatisfying drinkes, which will but encrease our appetite; but by purging away the fretting choler of worldly concupiscence, which is the true cause of our vnsatiablenesse: and if wee would hauehave this deuouring fire of our greedie desires quenched, let vsus not foolishly heape vponupon it more of that matter whereby it is nourished; but ratherFacilius resecantur cupidi…ates in …s qui Deum diligunt, quam i… ijs qui mundu d…ligunt al…quando satiantur. August. ad Bon…fac. epist. 70. tom. 2. cast on it the water of carelesse contempt, whereby this flaming heate will bee soone extinguished. For much more easily shall we find contentment, and hauehave our soules satisfied, by diminishing our desires, and cutting off our greedy concupiscence, then by nourishing them with outward supplies, seeing they are not naturall affections, for then they would delight in necessaries and not in superfluities, but monstrous births, aberrations, and corruptions of nature, which were better strangled then nourished, insatiable diseases and dropsies of the soule, which torment with fulnesse, and are soonest cured by longest abstinence.
But this insufficiencie in worldly vanities to satisfie the§. Sect. 5. The insufficiency of worldly things to giuegive content, shewed by examples. mind and giuegive contentment, will more cleerely appeare, if we would make vse of our owne experience, and set them before vsus as examples who hauehave most abounded with them. For how many doe we daily see aduanced to the highest honors, abounding with riches, and wallowing themselues in al worldly delights, who are as vnsatisfied and farre from contentment, as those who most want them? How many shall we obserue consuming their daies in melancholick passions, and humorous discontent, whom the world hath enriched with his best meanes to make them happie? how many are there who are heauie, sorrowfull, and euer complaining; who if they were asked cannot tell what they want, as though they were pressed downe with the waight of their own felicity, and thought themselues vnhappie, because they hauehave drunke so deepely of the worlds happinesse? And this commeth to passe because this sun-shine of worldly prosperity doth mollifie and effeminate the mind, making it foolishly wanton, and through wantonnes wayward & peeuish; and through this froward waiwardnes, hardly pleased with all the worlds best fauours, and discontented when the least occurrent crosseth their will, or but the least appearance of euill looketh towards them. Herein like vntounto foolish children, who being brought vp vnderunder seuerer discipline, & continually restrained of their will, doe patiently endure it, though they are denied necessaries, and are much affected and ouerioyed when they hauehave a little liberty, or some small fauour vouchsafed them from their gouernours; whereas if they be cockered by their parents, and hauehave in all things their wils and vaine humours satisfied, they grow in a while so wanton, and through wantonnesse so wayward, that nothing will please them, or keepe them from crying and complaining; but are much more froward in their fulnesse, and discontented in the fruition of all that they can desire; then the other in their greatest wants, and when their willes and appetites are most crossed.
And thus hauehave I generally shewed the insufficiencie of§. Sect. 6. That honors bring no contentment to those that hauehave them. worldly vanities, for the bringing of contentment to those that hauehave them. Let vsus now take a more speciall view of it in honors, riches, and bewitching pleasures. And first for honor, how should it satisfie and giuegive contentment, seeing it is but a name, title, or conceited shadow, which hath it subsistence in the vngrounded opinions and vaine breath of the vnconstant multitude, and like a smoake is carried about with the winde of mens mouthes? And therefore those that rest vponupon it for the sufficing of their ambitious and hungrie appetites, hauehave that slender pittance of the false Pastors, through GodsIerem. 22. 22. iust iudgement allotted vntounto them, in stead of meate feeding vponupon the aire; and with Ephraim they gape after the windeHosea 12. 1. which puffeth them vp with vaine-glorious pride, but affordeth vntounto them no substantiall nourishment: and therefore vntounto such the saying of the Prophet Haggai may fitly be applied, ye hauehave eaten and are not satisfied. In which respect thisHaggai 1. 6. breath of honor is not vnfitly compared to the smell and odour of the kitchin, which doth not nourish, or so much satisfie with the sent, as it doth sharpen the appetite by the sight. By reason whereof ambitious men are insatiable in desiring honors (because they are vaine and do not satisfie) and being not filled with that which they affect, they can put no end vntounto their appetite; still they are climing the ladder of preferment, and aspire to seate themselues in the throne of highest honor; but neuer do they find contentment in the things they so much desire; for either they catch a fall whilest their hast in climing exceedeth their prouidence and heed; or being come to their desired height, they are not so much satisfied with this superlatiue and transcendent glorie, as discontented and displeased, because there is no higher place vntounto which their ambition may aspire. It may be when they first gaue way to these proud desires, they propounded vntounto themselues some low or meane pitch, which if they could attaine vntounto, their deceitfull heart promised them to rest contented; but as the rich glutton craued but a drop of water to coole his tongue, when as a whole riuer would not hauehave quenched his tormenting heate: so at first they desire but small preferment, and as it were to set vp but one foot vponupon this ladder, but finding herein little ease, they aspire higher and higher; till at last they hauehave ascended so high, that they hold it vnsafe to turne themselues, or stand still vponupon this tottering ladder, and thinke there is no securitie till they be come to the top, and hauehave seated themselues in the royall throne. Manifold examples hereof we hauehave in the booke of God, and in the histories of all ages. It was not sufficient for Corah and his companions, to hauehave chiefe places in the congregation, so long as Moses and Aaron were aboue them. Abimelech could not indure to gouerne with his brethren, but he must be sole Monarch, though to accomplish his desire, he must commit them all to the slaughter. It was nothing to Absalon to be the Kings sonne, in possibilitie after his fathers decease to weld the Scepter, vnlesse presently he may clime vp into the throne, though he could no otherwise ascend, vnlesse he would make his deare fathers dead bodie his first step. Among the Heathens it is said of Cesar, that he could indure no superiour, and of Pompey, that he could not abide an equall; and of great Alexander it is recorded, that the world could not satisfie his ambition, and therefore his great Soueraignty and Monarchy could not bring vntounto him so much ioy and contentment, as to restraine teares, because there were no more worlds to conquer, or as some hauehave it, because hearing there were many, he had not yet conquered one. And of the most of the great Emperours we see it manifest, that earthly glorie could not satisfie them, vnlesse they also attained vntounto diuine honors, and were reputed among the gods. Neither is it any maruell if these men could not get out of this intricate and endlesse laberynth of pride, hauing no better guide then blind nature to leade them; seeing the Apostles, who had heard so many holy and powerfull sermons of humilitie, preached by our Sauiour Christ, and confirmed vntounto them by his gratious example, were yet notwithstanding so ambitiously affected, that they thought it not preferment enough to hauehave chiefe places in his glorious kingdome, but contended which among them should hauehaveMar…e 10. 37. prioritie and chiefe preeminence: whereas the most meane aduancement in that heauenly happines, is a much more glorious preferment, then to be a perpetuall Monarch of the whole world. By all which it appeareth, that after we hauehave once drunke of this poison of ambition, our inward burning heate maketh our thirst so vnquenchable, that we shall sooner burst then rest satisfied. And therefore the Prophet fitly compareth this thirsting after worldly honors, to the thirst of drunkards; for as their first cups serue to quench their thirst and satisfie nature, but those which follow, inwardly inflaming them, do renue and increase their appetite, till at last it grow insatiable: so whereas these men might hauehave rested satisfied and contented, when their honors and preferments were moderat, now hauing by addition of more matter inflamed their hearts with the fire of ambition, nothing will suffice, but their desires (as the same Prophet speaketh) being inlarged like the gulfe of hel, and the vnsatiable iawes of death, can no more be satisfied then either of them; neither doe they euer thinke whence they ascended, but onelyonly whither they are purposed to clime; nor euer marke how many they hauehave outrunne in this race of honor, but only obserue how many are still before them.
So likewise there is no satietie or content in riches, if once§. Sect. 7. That there is no satietie or content in riches. men begin to set their hearts vponupon them, for though the couetous man hath in eueryevery ones iudgement far too much, yet in his owne he hath not enough, though in others conceit he seemeth to abound, yet to himselfe he seemeth to want: well may he fill his chests, but not his mind; and sooner may he by oppression make thousands poore, then make his own mind rich with content; for couetousnesse may bring riches, but not rest, and emptie others, but not fill it selfe, like Pharaohs leane kine which deuoured the fat ones, and yet themselues were in neuer the better liking: yea though it were possible for couetous men to emptie the Westerne parts of gold and siluer, and the East of pearles, yet all this would not replenish their hearts emptinesse: neither can riches euer bring content to the mind, vnlesse it bring it first to them; but the more mans dropsie hart drinketh of this golden streame, the more it is inflamed with vnsatiable thirst. So Salomon telleth vsus that there is no end of couetousnes: for (as he saith) he who is infected therewith, coueteth euermore greedily; soProu. 21. 26. Eccles. 5. 9. elsewhere, he that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer, and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof. An example hereof we hauehave in Achab, who was not satisfied1. King. 21. 3. 4. with ye riches of a kingdome, but greedily coueteth Naboths vineyard, taking no ioy in all that he had, because his poore neighbour had that which pleased him: and in the rich man in the Gospell, who had filled all his barnes, but not his hart, and therefore he resolueth to inlarge them, that they might be somewhat proportionable to his mind; a thing foolish, because impossible; for though they had been neuer so large and full, yet the capacitie of the heart being farre greater, he would still hauehave found it emptie and vnsatisfied.
It is true indeed, that these worldly riches promise contentment,§. Sect. 8. That worldly riches promise contentment, but cannot giuegive it, and the reasons why. and the heart of the couetous man deceiuing him, maketh him beleeue, that when he hath filled such a bag, and raised his state to such a proportion, when he is become master of such an house, and hath purchased such lands or lordships, it will then rest satisfied and contented; whereas hauing attained vntounto his desires, his greedie appetite groweth faster vponupon him then his wealth; and all that he addeth to his estate is but fuell to encrease the flame and furie of his concupiscence; for when he hath what he would, he hath not thatCum habet quod voluit, non habet quod vult. Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniam … mai… rum{que} fames … multa petentibus … desunt multa. Horat. Carm. lib. 3. …. 1. 16. Parum est luxuriae, quod naturae satis est. Senec. de vita beata. cap. 13. he now willeth; but the obtaining of one wish is the beginning of another, and when he hath heaped all he can together, it putteth not an end to his concupiscence, but only serueth as a degree or step, whereby it may ascend higher. And this commeth to passe partly because riches are vaine, and therefore fill not; partly because they are not the naturall food of the soule, and therefore cannot satisfie it; and partly in that the desire and apperite of mans heart, hauing passed the naturall bounds of necessitie and vse, becomm…h so vnsatiable that nothing may suffice it: for that which is abundant vntounto nature, is too little for luxuriousnesse and greedie auarice. And from this vnsatiable desire of still hauing more couetousnesse with the Grecians hath it name; for it is called foreign, because it is the nature of couetousnesse, to make men when they hauehave that they desired, still to desire more; and when they hauehave that also, yet to remaine still vnsatisfied. And though they hauehave more then they can tell how to vse, yet their care and labour in hunting after more is no whit abated; like vntounto an hungrie stomacke whose appetite exceeding the facultie of concoction, doth desire more then it can digest. In which respect the couetous man is fitly compared to the sea-cormorants, which deuoure all they can come by; and yet remain vnsatisfied; sauing that their vnsatiablenesBasil. de. auatitia. Orat. 15. tendeth to the profit of mankind, wheras the greedines of couetous misers, is to humane society hurtfull and pernicious: or else to the greedie dog, who hauing one bit after anotherA…talus apud Senec. epist. 72 cast vntounto him by his master, swalloweth them downe, and as though he had none giuē him, stil looketh in his masters face for more: wherin to say truth they are much worse; for wheras the dog casteth his eyes vponupon his benefactour, they neuer looke vp towards the author of their good, but like the vnthankful hog their eies & hart are inclined towards the earth, and neuer by thanksgiuing vntounto God acknowledge him the fountaine of these benefits: or as themselues doe compare themselues, they are like vntounto the graue, swallowing downe all whole, like those that goe downe into the pit: or as Salomon comparethPro. 1. 12. them, they are like vntounto hell, which is neuer satisfied. And to this (as one saith) the Gentiles alluded, calling PlutoPro. 30. 15. Ditem dicunt gentiles inferorum praesulem, arbitrum mortis. Ditem appellant & diuitem, &c. Ambros. lib. de Nabuth. cap. 6. the prince of hell, and the couetous rich man by the same name, not onelyonly to note that they are subiects of that kingdome; but also that the couetous man is an vnsatiable gulph of riches, who the more he swalloweth and deuoureth, the more he burneth in concupiscence. In vaine therefore doe couetous men toile themselues, whilest they seeke to satisfie their hungrie appetite by multiplying their wealth; for as the Iuie groweth with the Oke, so doth couetousnesse with riches; and as their wealth increaseth, so likewise doe their desires that hauehave it. Wherein couetousnesse resembleth a riuer which hath but a small beginning, and a weake course at the head and fountaine from which it first springeth; but receiuing by the way many brooks which fall into his stream, groweth strong and vnresistable; for so when a man first letteth couetousnesse into his heart, it is but weake and easilie checked, but when wealth and riches come vponupon him, the streame of his concupiscence groweth so violent, that neither reason, nor religion can withstand it.
By which it plainely appeareth, that the more couetous§. Sect. 9. That couetous men, the more they abound, the more they want. men abound with wealth, the more their pouerty is encreased; for seeing the mind is the true measure of riches, and he onelyonly is to be accounted rich who hath such sufficiencie and plentie as doth giuegive contentment; and seeing, as I hauehave shewed, those who set their hearts vponupon riches, hauehave by their increase their appetite also increased, and the more they abound in wealth, the lesse are their minds filled and sufficed; therefore it must needs follow, that as they increase in externall riches, so also their internall pouerty is encreased. For the more they hauehave, the more they desire; the more they desire, the greater is their want, and the more they want, the poorer they are; and consequently the more they hauehave, the more their pouerty is increased. What they hauehave not, that they desire; what they desire, of that (at least in their owne iudgement) they stand in need; how great therefore is the want of these rich beggers, which need all the wealthToto mundo eget, cuius non capit mundus cupiditates. Ambros. de Nabuth. cap. 12 Chrysost. in Rom. 8. Ser. 13. that is in the world, sauing that small pittance which they hold in their owne possession? So that (as one saith) this vice of couetousnesse hath in it such contrarieties, that it is like vntounto a riddle; seeing hee that hath most, hath also the greatest want; for as they increase in wealth, they increase in their wishes and desires, and great desires argue great wants. For example, whilest a man is poore he wisheth onelyonly for hundreds, promising vntounto himselfe contentment if he could obtaine his desires; hauing attained hundreds, he now wisheth for thousands, and comming to thousands hee affecteth millions, and thinketh it now a kind of pouerty to hauehave his riches and treasures numerable. So that hee now skorneth his old desires, and contemneth hundreds if they be offered vntounto him as a prey; not for that hee is satisfied and needeth no more, but because with his wealth his wishes, and with his wishes his wants are increased; and therefore he despiseth these small cups, because he thirsteth after great riuers, and no lesse then whole streames of riches can so muchDiues est nō qui multum habet, sed qui nullo egeat. Quid est itaque diuitem esse, nisi abundare, &c. Amb. ad Simplicianum epist. lib. 3. epist. 10. as promise him contentment. Now if it bee the onelyonly true riches, not to hauehave much, but to stand in need of nothing, and to abound in all things which a man desireth; then how great is their pouerty, who being vnsatisfied, want so much? how farre are they from true riches which are so straitned in their minds, and hauehave their hearts like a bottomlesse gulfe full of nothing but want and penurie?
In which respect the condition of couetous rich men is§. Sect. 10. That couetous rich men are more in want then the poore. much more miserable then theirs who are of the poorer sort, seeing their wants being measured according to their desires, are much greater; for these neede but little, because they desire not much; whereas they stand in need of abundance, because it is no little will giuegive them contentment. Now as his estate is very miserable who is tormented with an insatiable thirst, though he hauehave his cellers full of drinke; and he much better in his condition, who as hee hath little store, so also he hath little thirst; so much more miserable is he whose mind is insatiable, through this dropsie of couetousnesse, though he hauehave abundance; then such an one as hauing little, is notwithstanding contented with that hee hath. Take for example Achab and Naboth, the one hauing a kingdome, the other some small possessions. But yet hee who had abundance, and the reuenues of a kingdome, is not satisfied with all he possesseth, but greedily coueteth the poore mans vineyard; on the other side Naboth hath but little, yet that little so contenteth him, that hee desireth none of the kings abundance. Now which of these was truely rich, he that seemed to want, because his poore neighbour had a vineyard which he thought worth his desiring; or the other that is satisfied with his owne possessions? whether of the two was poorer, he who wanted no more then hee enioyed,Ambros. lib. de Nabuth. cap. 2. but rested content with his owne; or hee who greedily coueted that which belonged to another? Surely this man was much more poore in his affection, then the other in his estate and possession. Whereby it appeareth that the insatiable rich man, is much worse then those that are of poore estate; yea surely herin the very beasts are to be preferred before him; for they whē hunger inciteth thē hunt after their prey, but when their stomacke is sufficiently filled, their appetite also resteth satisfied, desiring no more till againe hunger prouoketh them. But (as wee say) the couetous mans eye is farre worse then his bellie; for when hee hath enough and too much in his possession hee greedily hunteth after more, and is neuer satisfied so long as he seeth any thing which is to be desired. To this purpose one of the ancients speaketh fitly. Couetousnesse (saith he) the more it taketh from others and rakethAuaritia quo plura abstulerit eo magis inopem se esse credit: omnibus inuida, sibi vilis, &c. Ambros. de Cain. & Abel. lib. cap. 5. T. 4. together, the more poore it is in it owne opinion; it enuieth all men, and is vile to it selfe; it is poore, in abundance of riches; and needie in affection, when it is rich in possession. It hath no meane in raking, because it hath no measure of desiring. It so inflameth the mind, and feedeth his soule with his fire, that it seemeth onelyonly in this to differ from lust, that this lusteth after beautifull persons, and that the heauie earth. It troubleth the elements, ploweth vp the sea, diggeth the earth, and with varietie of wishes wearieth the heauens, being thankfull neither for faire weather nor for foule; it repiningly extenuateth the yeerely profits, and findeth fault with the fruits of the earth.
Seeing therefore couetousnesse is vnsatiable, let vsus not§. Sect. 11. That it is in vaine to seeke for contentment in riches. seeke for sufficiencie and contentment in earthly abundance, imagining that the more wee encrease in riches, the sooner we shall rest satisfied: for when our desires exceed measure, wee cannot attaine vntounto contentment by adding to our wealth, but by detracting from our concupiscence; not by increasing our riches, and filling our chests with siluer and gold, but by diminishing our greedy appetite, and emptying our hearts of vnsatiable couetousnesse. For as well may a man fill a sieue with water, or a bottomles purse with money, as a couetous heart with sufficiencie of riches. And therefore as his follie were rediculous, who should endeauour to fill a leaking or bottomlesse vessell in a ditch or pond, and not being able to doe it, should carrie it to a full riuer, or the maine sea, because the reason why it cannot bee filled, is not in the quantitie of the water, but in the quality of the vessell, for if he would stop the leakes, he might as easily fill in a standing poole, as in the great ocean: so the follie of couetous worldlings is no lesse absurd, who when they cannot satisfie their greedie hearts with competent store of riches, couet after more, thinking to giuegive them contentment when they canQuis diues? qui nil cupiat: quis pauper? auarus. Ausonius. Ille pauper est qui eget co quod non habet: nam qui & non habens, habere non appetit, diues est. Gregor. in Ezech. lib. 2. Homil. 18. Ne ames diuitias et diues eris: magnae sunt diuitiae non desiderare eas. Seneca. Non is pauper est qui nihil possidet, sed qui multa concupiscit. Chrysost. de Lazaro conc. 2. §. Sect. 12 Another reason why riches satisfie not, namely, because they are not vsed. wallow in the abundance of their wealth: but all in vaine; for the fault is not in the too little quantity of their riches, but in the vnsatiable greedinesse of their mindes, which can neuer be satisfied. And therefore they should not seeke contentment by filling their emptie harts in an ocean of wealth, but rather by stopping those leakes which are made by couetousnesse, and so would small store of wealth better satisfie them, then the great reuenues of a rich kingdome. For hee is not contented who hath enough, but he hath enough who is contented, seeing when he cannot fit his state to his mind, he fitteth his mind to his estate, & so is satisfied with a little, because he desireth not much. Now as he is truely rich which hath as much as he wanteth or desireth; so he onelyonly is to bee esteemed poore, which wanteth that which he hath not; for if not hauing wealth he neither wanteth nor desireth it, hee is rich in his mind, though he be poore in possessions: neither is he to be esteemed poore, whose mind agreeth with his state, but he who though he hauehave abundance is not satisfied: seeing pouertie consisteth rather in the penurie of the mind, then in the absence of riches, and not in hauing little, but in not hauing that which is enough.
Another reason why the heart is not satisfied with these worldly things, is, because they who are possessed of them, cannot find in their hearts to vse them; and though they hauehave abundance of earthly treasures, yet are they so charmed with these idols, vponupon which they hauehave set their hearts, that they dare not touch them, or any way conuert them to their benefit: resembling herein the Indian Ants, which (as it is saidPlutarch. de Cupid. diuit. of them) taking great paines in gathering gold, do neuer vse it, but only hide it, so that others can hauehave no benefit by it: or him who being spent with sicknesse, hath his table furnished with all manner of dainties, but wanteth a stomacke to feed vponupon them: wherein greedie auarice hath one folly peculiar vntounto it selfe, aboue all other kinds of concupiscence. For whereas other vicious affections moue men to long after their obiects for fruition, as the glutton after daintie meats, that he may feed vponupon them: the drunkard after pleasant wines, that he may drinke them; the ambitious man after preferments, that he may enioy them; neither doth louelove in any other thing make a man abstaine from the vse & fruition of the thing loued; only couetousnes maketh a man fall into this folly, letting his money lie by him without vse of it (vnlesse it be such a vse as whereby it selfe is increased) and abstaineth to feed on these daintie meats, which aboue all other his soule loueth, because he hath an ouer great appetite vntounto them; as if a man would not therefore put on his clothes, because he is cold; or drinke, because he is athirst: whereof it commeth to passe that he hath no more contentment by his wealth, nor vse of any thing which he possesseth for the satisfying of his greedie appetite, then a thirstie man hath of the drinke, which still remaineth vndrawne in the vessell, for the quenching of his thirst.
Now howsoeuer such men may hauehave all manner of abundance,§. Sect. 13. That it is not the bare possession of riches that maketh rich. Clem. Alexand. Paedagog. lib. 3. cap. 6. Esay 32. yet it cannot at all satisfie them, and therefore though they hauehave full bagges and rich chests, yet seeing they hauehave emptie soules and poore hearts, they are falsly tearmed rich; for as the Prophet speaketh, Aniggard shall no more be called liberall, nor the churle rich; seeing true riches consisteth not in the possession of much, vnlesse also fruition be ioyned with it, which being wanting, their leather bags, and ironbarred chests might be said to be rich, as well as they, if only custodie could intitle to the name of rich: neither can these earthly treasures, gold, siluer, and such like, be truely called riches; for (as one saith) we vniustly call them riches, whichIniustum est eas putare diuitias quae non auserant egestatem. August. in Hag. 2. Homil. 30. Tom. 10. do not take away pouertie: but eueryevery one that doteth on these things, is by so much increased in the pouertie of concupiscence, by how much these treasures which he so much affecteth are increased: and how can they be truly called riches, whose increase increaseth their pouertie that possesse them? And the more they abound, the more heate of concupiscence they bring to their louers, and the lesse satietie? Howsoeuer therefore these misers abound with store of true gold and siluer, yet they are but false riches; seeing they only stretch and inlarge the iawes of greedie auarice, but do not fill or satisfie them, and rather inflame then quench the heate of couetousnes. Well therefore was the speech of the Heathen man fitted to the rich miser: All (saith he) account thee rich, but I affirme that thou art very poore, because not the possession, but the vse iustly intitleth riches. If thou art partakerIncerti, apud Stobaeum, de iniustitia. Ser. 10. Palladae apud Stobaeum. of thy wealth, it doth by the vse become thine owne; but if thou reserue thy riches for thine heires, presently from that time they are made other mens. To which purpose another saith, Thou hast indeed the riches of a rich man, but the mind of a begger; thou art rich to thine heires, and poore to thy selfe.
Yea in truth these rich misers are of all others most miserablie§. Sect. 14. That rich misers are of all others poorest. Desunt multa omnibus, multis omnia. Auaro deest tam quod habet, quam quae non habet. Hieron. in Prolog. Bibliae. Desunt inopiae multa, auaritiae omnia. Senec. epist. 108. poore; for whereas all other men want many things, these want all; seeing they want as well that they hauehave, as that they hauehave not: for whatsoeuer others hauehave they want, because they hauehave it not in possession, and they want also that which themselues possesse, because they hauehave it not in vse. In which respect they are worse then any begger; for wheras but some things are wanting to these, all, both which they hauehave, and hauehave not, is wanting vntounto them: neither is there in truth any pouertie alike wretched to this wilfull penurie of rich misers, for they thirst in the middest of the waters, and hauehave emptie bellies, when their garners and storehouses are full of corne: they are cold and hauehave not the heart to prouide them garments, or hauing them to weare them: they are hungry, and yet dare not for feare of impairing their estate, feed vponupon that food which is good and wholesome; so that they wilfully take vponupon them that punishment whichAmbros. de Nabuth. cap. 4. the poore suffer through necessitie: for these fast when they want meate, they when they hauehave it; the poore hauehave not money to vse, the miser hath it, but will neither vse it himselfe, nor suffer others; they dig gold out of the veines of the earth, and hide it therein againe; and if but an egge be set before them, they complaine of losse, because a chicken is killed. In which respect the miser may not vnfitly be compared to the minerall out of which these rich metals are digged; for that keepeth gold as well as he; that hauing gold hideth it in the secret veines of the earth, and hath no further vse of it, and so doth he: but herein they differ, that wheras the mines freely communicate their wealth to those that seeke and labour for it, the couetous man so hideth and gardeth it, that neither himselfe nor others can receiue any profit by it.
Where in what do they else shew, but that of all men they§. Sect. 15. The miserable condition of rich misers. are most miserable, foolish, and void of goodnes? For what greater miserie can there be, then to sit vp in water to the chin, and yet die of thirst? To hauehave all good things in possession, and nothing in fruition and vse? To sell their good wine vntounto other men, and themselues to drinke sowre vineger, lees and dregs? To go with an emptie belly, that theyIdeo se quis{que} fraudat noleus manducare vt ditescat, vt alius de laboribus suis sluat & luxurietur. August. Homil. 35. Tom. 10. may the sooner fill their chests; not that themselues may enioy that which they hauehave gathered, but that they may leaue it to their heires, who will wastefully spend that which they hauehave wickedly gotten; and consume vponupon superfluities, that which they hauehave spared from necessaries, and as it were hauehave borrowed from their owne bellies. Wherein what are they, but like such miserable cooks, who dressing all curious dainties for other men, whereon they will riot and surfet; and yet themselues being pinched with hunger, either cannot or dare not so much as licke their owne fingers? For though these misers be hungrie, yet they hauehave no power to take a good meales meat of their owne allowance; only (as one obserueth)Plutarch. they hauehave good stomackes at another mans table, when as greedily they stretch out with ouermuch fulnesse, their straitned and emptie bowels, that it may serue for a double meale, and ease them of so much charge; though hereby they are distempered with crudities, and the day following, beare the punishment of the former daies miserable gluttonie. Againe, what can be more miserable, then for a man to toile and labour his whole life, and to hauehave no power to enioy any fruit of his labors? to beare like an asse a golden burthen all the day, and without any further vse of it, at night to hauehave it taken away, reseruing nothing to himselfe but a duplicate page duplicate page galled conscience? to hauehave goods, and no good by them? to keepe that money which they hauehave gotten by painfull labor, with toiling care locking it vp, as if it were a strangers, and (as if it were theft) not daring to touch it, for the benefit of themselues, their children, or friends: as though they had no other end of keeping it, but that others might hauehave no benefit by it: and yet wretches that they are, they call these possessions their goods, and by sole vertue of this iaylorship, they lay claime to the title of goodnes, as though they deserued to be called good men, because they hauehave goods in possession, notwithstanding that they do not at all vse them, for the good either of themselues, or any others: but much more right hauehave they vntounto that title of misers, which is iustly allotted vntounto them, seeing of all other men they are the most miserable. And as they do by their wretched courses bewray their miserie, so also their extreame folly; for whereas wise men propound vntounto themselues some end of their labours, which is better then the paines it selfe; they either hauehave no end at all of all their toile, or at least such as is sottish and ridiculous; for the end of their gathering riches is to gather them, and therefore gathering for no end but for it selfe, they can make no end of gathering. As though the sole end of their comming into the world were like harbingers and purueiours to prouide lodgings and good fare for others, and so to depart without tasting of it: or to play the bailiffes, who hauehave nothing to doe, but onelyonly to gather the rents of large reuenues, that others may hauehave them to spend and enioy. And this foolish vanity the wise man in his time obserued. There is one alone (saith he) and there is not a second, which Eccles. 4. 8.hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there no end of all his trauel, neither can his eye be satisfied with ri…hes. Neither doth hee thinke; for whom doe I trauell, and defraud my soule of pleasure? This also is vanity, and this is an euill trauell. Or if they hauehave any ends of their care and labour, they are foolish and absurd; for either out of a distrustfull care of Gods prouidence they trust to their owne, scraping abundance together, lest in time to come they might be brought to want and miserie; or else because at their death they would be accounted great rich men who hauehave left behind them such large possessions. Now what can bee more foolish and ridiculous, then to liue in want for feare of want? to be presently poore, vponupon a bare doubt of pouerty for the time to come? as though a man should hang himselfe for feare of death; or goe naked for feare of wanting clothes? The which follie is more absurd, in that many being inured to these miserly courses in their meane estates, doe hold on and continue in them, when asSed quo diuitias haec per tormenta coactas? Cum furor haud dubius, cum sit manifesta phrenesis, vt locuples moriaris egenti viuere fato. Iuuenal. Satyr. 14. §. Sect. 16. That rich misers are empty of all goodnesse, being good neither to themselues nor others. foreign; Eccles. 14. 5. their wealth is encreased to such abundance, that they could not if they should liue to old age, see any end of it, though in a large proportion they should spend vponupon the stocke. Neither is their other end lesse foolish of leauing a great estate behind them. For what can be more absurd for a man to liue poore, to die rich; to take nothing himselfe, that he may leaue all to his heires? and to affect hereby a name, when as being remembred onelyonly for his follie and miserie, he doth by continuing his fame, continue his infamie and reproch?
Finally, as these misers are wretched and full of follie; so are they emptie of al goodnesse, seeing they are neither good to others, nor to themselues; others hauehave no good by them, seeing they are ready rather to scrape from them by oppression and deceit, then to communicate to their necessities. For whereas they vsually alledge, that they therefore gather, that they may prouide for their posterity, or yt they may do good deeds at their death; it is manifestly false, both because those that hauehave no children, or neere friends, are as wretchedly couetous as they who hauehave most; and also because if they gathered riches to communicate them to the good of others, they would (seeing charity beginneth at home) impart them to their owne vse and benefit: if it were simplie their desire by their wealth to doe good after their death, they would also bee ready in some measure to imploy it to these vses in their time of life: if louelove of their posterity made them so greedilie to heape vp riches, this louelove would moue them to impart some share vntounto them, when as they might still keepe it in their owne possession. But experience teacheth vsus, that these rich misers pinch euen their dearest children of that necessarie allowance which belongeth to their backes and bellies; and which is worst of all, will not affoord vntounto them good education, because it requireth cost: whereby it manifestly appeareth that the louelove of nothing but of their money, and that for it owne sake, without respect of further vse, is the true cause of all their greedie scraping. And to say truth, how can he be good to others who is naught to himselfe? how can he be anothers friend, who is his owne enemie? But the couetous miser (as euen the heathen man couldIn nullum auarus bonus est, in se possimus. Senec. epist. 108. discerne with the eye of nature) though hee bee good to none, yet hee is worst of all to himselfe; for hee robbeth his owne soule of necessaries, that hee may leaue behind him super fluities; and like an vnnaturall theefe, hee defraudeth himselfe of those rich blessings which God in his bountie hath imparted vntounto him. He fareth hardly, and goeth basely, and in all respects maketh vntounto himselfe a more short allowance, for all his great care and labour, then any master (vnlesse he were as wretched as he) would afford vntounto him. In which respect one concludeth that the miser is not onelyonly a theefe, but also a selfe-murtherer, seeing hee will not allow vntounto himselfe necessaries to preserue life. What (saithQuid est auarus? sui hōicida. quid est auaritia? paupertatis timor, semper in paupertate viuens. Bernard. epist. Syluest. he) is a couetous man? a murtherer of himselfe. What is couetousnesse? a liuing poore for feare of pouerty. Wherein the miser doth onelyonly this worke of iustice in all his cariage, that he doth not cast away his wealth vponupon his vnworthie selfe, but reserueth it safe and vntouched, for those who better deserue to enioy and spend it. Rightly therefore is this miserablenesse called a wormewood sinne, which bringeth his punishment in the very committing, sauing that it is neither sweete nor wholesome, but a delightfull vexation, a rich beggerie, a superfluous penurie and affected want, which turneth. Gods blessings into cursings; his gifts into clogs, and maketh all his benefits heauie burthens. And this commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God punishing their immoderate louelove of these earthly things; that though they should hauehave abundance in possession, yet they should hauehave nothing in fruition, much in keeping and nothing in vse, because hee so straiteneth their hearts and restraineth their liberty, that like the prince in the booke of the Kings they onelyonly behold this great plenty with their eyes, but hauehave not the power to taste of it. And this iudgement the wise man obserueth. There is an euill (saith he) which I saw vnderunder Eccles. 6. 2. 3.the sunne, and it is much among men. A man to whom God hath giuen ri…hes, and pleasures and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth; but God giueth him not power to eate thereof, but a strange man shall eate it vp: this is vanity, and an euill sicknesse, yea (as he saith in the verse following) much worse then vntimely birth.
And thus hauehave I shewed that there is no contentment in§. Sect. 17. That worldly pleasures satisfie not, nor giuegive contentment. worldly riches, both because they are vaine and cannot satisfie; and also because our hearts are vnsatiable, and our auarice so strong and tyrannous that wee neither can nor will be satisfied by them. Now in the last place we are to examine pleasures, to see whether we can in them find any satietie or contentment: where vponupon triall wee shall find, that they are as vaine and insufficient for his purpose as either of the other. For like sweete drinkes, they serue not to abate and quench, but to encrease the voluptuous mans thirst; making him after the enioying of one pleasure, to hunger after another; and after he hath enioyed thousands, to be as farre from contentment, as when first he began to couet them; because being vaine they vanish in the fruition, and slip away whilest they are betweene our hands; like a shadow, leauing nothing behind them but an emptie mind and hungrie desire after new varietie. Yea rather the more wee enioy them, the further wee are from contentation; seeing eueryevery delight is vntounto vsus as a taste of sweetnesse, which doth not satisfie but sharpen our licorous appetites: and howsoeuer like the water in the smiths forge, they seeme for the present to quench and allay our heate, yet soone after, the flame of our concupiscence increaseth, and burneth much more hotly. So that howsoeuer before wee tasted of these bewitching delights, we were masters of our owne affections, and could moderate our desires: yet after wee hauehave beene allured to enter into pleasures maze, we find not our comming out so easie as our going in; and when we hauehave been inticed to drinke of these golden, but yet intoxicating cups, wee are presently made drunke with delight; and drunkennesse increasing thirst, maketh vsus in the end to grow insatiable. And this emptines and insatiety doth make vsus often both to change, and also to reiterate the same pleasures; that they which cannot at once satisfie, may by our continuall feeding on them, at least keep vsus from famishing. For example, what doth dainty meates bring with them, but a vaine delight, which presently vanisheth, either by renued hunger, which againe desireth them, or through their surcharging the stomacke, vponupon which follow crude humors and ill digestion, which causeth vsus to loath them? So, how vaine is the pleasure of the most delicate drinks, which delight no longer then they are swallowing downe, and do not fully satisfie, but only for the present allay our thirsty appetite? The like may be said of odoriferous smels, which delight then only whilest they are at the nose; of pleasing sights, which no longer please then they are in the eye; of sweet musicke, which vanisheth and leaueth nothing behind, when the consort ceaseth; of merrie company, and pleasing sports and pastimes, whose delight lasteth no longer, then their present fruition; and in a word, of all other pleasures that the world affordeth, which filling vsus full of nothing, but vaine emptines, do make vsus like the thirsty grounds to open the mouth, gaping after the pleasing showers of new delights. And of this Salomon himselfe hadEccles. 2. experience, who though he surfetted of pleasure, yet he was not filled, and when he had suffered his heart to glut it selfe with variety of delights, yet he remained altogether vnsatisfied, only in the end by much vse he came to loathing satietie, and was vexed in his mind, because he had spent so much good time in the fruition of these base vanities.