For the manner of using our money, and spending our estate, enters so far into the business of every day, that our common life must necessarily be much of the same nature as our common way of spending our estate. If we waste it, we do not waste a trifle, that signifies little; but we waste that which might be made as eyes to the blind, as a husband to the widow, as a father to the orphan; and which, if given in faith, and out of love to Jesus Christ, would greatly increase our reward in a future state. “Make to yourselves friends (says our Saviour) of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” What still adds weight to these arguments, is this, if we waste our money, and do not improve our fortunes for the glory of God, and the good of our fellow-creatures, we are not only guilty of wasting a talent which God has given us, and making that useless which might be so powerful a means of doing good, but we turn this useful talent into a powerful means of corrupting ourselves. For so far as it is spent wrong, so far it is spent in the support of some wrong temper, in gratifying some vain and unreasonable desires, in conforming to those fashions, and that pride of the world, which as reasonable men and christians we are obliged to renounce. If therefore, you do not spend your money in doing good to others, you must spend it to the hurt of yourself. And you will act like a man that refuses to give that as a cordial to a sick friend, though he could not drink it himself, without not only inflaming, but corrupting his whole mass of blood.
It may be worth our while to pursue this thought a little further. For as we are now discoursing about people in the polite world, and of good fortunes, who we may suppose do not live in gross sins, but only in the indiscreet and dangerous use of things innocent and lawful in themselves, so it is more difficult to make such people at all sensible of the danger of such a life.
A gentleman that spends great part of his estate in sports, and a woman that lays out all her fortune upon herself, can hardly be persuaded, that the spirit of religion cannot subsist in such a way of life. Much less will they be easily convinced, that such a turn of mind, however they may live free from debaucheries, and be friends of religion, so far as to praise, speak well of, and admire it in their imaginations, will give a bad turn to their whole way of life. But it is certainly so.
A woman, for instance, that loves dress, who thinks no expence too great to bestow upon the adorning of her person, cannot stop there. For that single temper draws a thousand other follies along with it; and will render the whole course of her life, her business, her conversation, her hopes, her fears, her taste, her pleasures, and diversions, all suitable to it. On the contrary, a lady who is habitually dead to the things of the world, and has devoted her time and fortune to God; such a one will let her whole life be a continued series of good actions, as may benefit her own and others souls, and consequently adorn the gospel of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Flavia, and Miranda, are two maiden sisters, that have each of them two hundred pounds a year. They buried their father twenty years ago, and have since that time spent their estate as they pleased.
Flavia has been the wonder of all her friends, for her excellent management, in making so surprizing a figure with so moderate a fortune. Several ladies that have twice her fortune, are not able to be always so genteel, and so constant at all places of what she calls innocent pleasure and expence. She has every thing in the fashion, and is in every place where there is any diversion. Flavia is very orthodox; she talks warmly against heretics and schismatics, is generally at church, and often at the sacrament. She once commended a sermon that was against the pride and vanity of dress, and thought it was very just against Lucinda, whom she takes to be a great deal finer than she need to be. Should any one ask Flavia to do something in charity; if she likes the person who makes the proposal, or happens to be in a right temper, she will toss him half a crown or a crown, and tell him, that if he knew what a long millener’s bill she had just received, he would think it a great deal for her to give. A quarter of a year after this, she hears a sermon upon the necessity of charity; she thinks the man preaches well, that it is a very proper subject, and that people want much to be put in mind of it; but she applies nothing to herself, because she remembers that she gave a crown some time ago, when she could so ill spare it.
As for poor people, she will admit of no complaints from them; she is very positive they are all cheats and liars, and will say any thing to get relief, and therefore it must be a sin to encourage them in their evil ways.
You would think that Flavia had the tenderest conscience in the world, if you was to see how scrupulous and apprehensive she is of the guilt and danger of giving amiss.
She buys all books of wit and humour, and has made an expensive collection of all our English Poets; for she says, one cannot have a true taste of any of them, without being very conversant with all.
She will sometimes read a book of piety, if it is a short one, and if it is much commended for stile and language, and she can tell where to borrow it.