Honeyed poison

(Thomas Brooks, "London's Lamentations" 1670)

O Sirs! in the grave it is all the same—to one who has
had all, and to another who has had nothing. What folly
is it to lay up goods for many years, when we cannot lay
up one day for the enjoyment of our goods! Christ, who
never miscalled any, calls him "fool!" who had much of
the world in his hands—but nothing of God in his heart.

All this whole world is not proportionate to the precious
soul. All the riches of the Indies cannot pacify conscience,
nor secure eternity, nor prevent death, nor bring you off
victorious in the day of judgment. Therefore be contented
with a little.

All the good things of this world, are but cold comforts.
They cannot stretch to eternity, they will not go with us
into the eternal world. Therefore why should the lack of
such things either trouble our thoughts—or break our
hearts?

The whole world is but . . .
  a paradise for fools;
  a beautiful but deceitful harlot;
  a dreamed sweetness;
  a very ocean of gall.
There is nothing to be found in it, which has not mutability
and uncertainty, vanity and vexation stamped upon it. And
therefore he cannot be truly happy who enjoys it; nor can
he be miserable who lacks it. And why then should not he be
contented—who has but a little of it? The greatest outward
happiness is but honeyed poison; and therefore do not
mutter or murmur because you have but little of the world.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
    Hebrews 13:5