The Same Argument against Worldliness

The same argument considered farther as dissuasive from xwrldliness and earthlymindedness; and as proper to confute the vanity of long projects and great designs for this world.

Are the years of my life but few, and they hastening to a period? and may this be my last? Let me not then greedily covet riches and abundance and waste my little time to scrape together large provij sions for many years to come, when 1 have do asau- ’ ranee to see the end of this. Is it becoming such a belief to toil from day to day, that I may lay up that which I must so soon leave? as if I were to spend an eternity here on earth, and in the mean while neglect the one thing necessary. Am I not upon the shore of eternity? May not the next tide carry me off? And shall I spend my whole life in diversions from the main business of it? Have I nothing else to do but to gather shells, (if they were pearls, the absurdity were still the same,) and pile them up in heaps, till I am snatched away past all recovery? Shall I be regardless of an eternal state, and run the hazard of being undone for ever, by solicitous care about pretended necessaries for a IcMig abode on earth, (much less for superfluities,) when I am not certain of the possession this one year? Shall I magnify and admire what is so soon to be parted with? Value myself upon these things, so as to despise those that have less, and envy such as have more! and suffer my mind to be distempered, and iny passions immoderate, on every change of these things!

Though I know, besides my own mortality, that, to enforce the argument, there is a principle of corruption in all these things; that our very manna here, in a little while, will stink; and bread, which is the staff of life, moulder; our richest garments wax old and rot; silver and gold rust; and the greatest beauty wither; and every thing that is earthly decay and perish: and shall not this teach me to sit loose from all such things? Can I imagine, that in my last hour it will be easier to part with much than little? Or better, in the day of judgment, to have a great estate to answer for than a less one?

We read, concerning the patriarch Abraham, (who rightly understood the transitory nature of riches and his own mutable condition,) that the only purchase be made with his riches was a grave; choosing to take possession of the land promised him, rather by a mark of his parting with it, than of his possessing it* Did I think oftener and more seriously, O my soul! of tarrying here but a little while, 1 should more easily be persuaded that a little of this world were sufficient to carry me through it. I should consider more that my heaven-born soul is made and designed for another and endless world: and, therefore, should not so far “forget his own people, and Father’s house,” as eagerly to pursue and seek what is suited only to the body for a little while; and whereof a little, with contentment, will be sufficient.

The same reflection may be used to cotvliacl oxx’l

E 2 thoughts to prescfnt duly; thit we mny nbt feifUiK our minds with long designs and pteydtk; #iiiicb, if we die this year, will come to nothings Our ^gretk business, in this woiid, is adapted to the little portion of time which is allovled us. Not that go designs for the public benefit may not be tpegpiiii by one and finished by others; or that we are not obMgel prudently to provid€ for those who sHall oome «fteir us, by attempting many things of prob>fe advanti to poerity. But, considering the shoftoess attd URcertainty of life not only should the Hiost neo sary things be first minded, 4md not put «ff by pi secuting such designs as may signify soittewhat to others, when we are dead; but we should V6t M* omit that which we may hope to cotnpans ourselves; to begin such things, whose accomplishment nun depend on the pleasure of our sucoessdrsw Consideration and faithful counsel would, vn this ease, ba«t prevented the fruitless expense of many men’s time and money, which, if otherwise employed, might htfve turned to good account to themselves and others*

And this heightens our folly, that, while We ptir» sue great projects in reference to this world, and die without efiectifig them, our preparations for eternity are neglected; and so we are suddenly ctitoff in the midst of our folly, and all our thoughts peiish.** How easily, how soon, may they do se! The dif’- •ference and distance between death and life beiogne more than that of lighted candle from its bekvg blown out; and, if it be exposed to all winds, -hew quickly may that happen!