V. Let those who are not at all ashamed to be devoted to the cares and business of the world, consider those states of life, which they own to be vain and foolish, and contrary to religion.
Some people have no other care, than how to give their palate fresh pleasure, and enlarge the happiness of tasting.
Others live to no other purpose, than to breed dogs, and attend the sports of the field.
Men of sober business, who seem to act the grave part of life, generally condemn these ways of life.
But why are they to be condemned? Produce but the true reason why any of these are vain and sinful, and the same reason will conclude against every way of life which is not wholly devoted to God.
VI. Let the man who is deep in worldly business, but shew the vanity and shame of a life devoted to pleasures, and the same reasons will shew the vanity and shame of a life filled with worldly cares. So that whosoever can condemn sensuality, ambition, or any way of life upon the principles of reason and religion, carries his own condemnation within his own breast, unless his life be entirely devoted to God.
VII. It is granted that some cares are made necessary by the necessities of nature. And the same also may be observed of some pleasures, as the pleasures of eating, drinking and rest. But if reason and religion do not limit these pleasures by the necessities of nature, we fall from rational creatures into drones, sots, gluttons, and epicures.
*In like manner our care after some worldly things is necessary. But if this care is not bounded by the just wants of nature, if it wanders into unnecessary pursuits, and fills the mind with false desires and cravings; if it wants to add an imaginary splendour to the plain demands of nature, it is vain and irregular; it is the care of an epicure, a longing for sauces and ragous, and corrupts the soul like any other sensual indulgence.
For this reason our Lord points so many of his doctrines at the common allowed employments of life, to teach us, that they may employ our minds as falsely and dangerously as any trifles whatever.
He teaches us, that even the necessaries of life should be sought with a kind of indifference, that so our souls may be truly sensible of greater wants, and disposed to hunger and thirst after enjoyments that will make us happy for ever.