13 Sermon Illustrations on Vanity

I once heard of a sagacious man, who, being on his death-bed, was solicited to leave some memorial to his friends. Unable to articulate, he made signs to have pen and ink brought to him, and with these traced two great circles, or nothings, upon a sheet of paper. After his decease, there was much speculation what these could mean. The common conjecture was, that he intended to signify that the body and the soul have their appointed circuits, and that, when these are finished, they return severally to their origin,—the body to the earth, and the spirit unto God. In my opinion, however, the two ciphers must have been intended to show the nullity of all terrestrial things, just as the wisest of monarchs could find nothing but vanity and vexation in the learning, pleasures, joys, honor, wealth, and glory of the world. Gotthold.

There was one Michael Fenwick that travelled with Wesley as a sort of groom, nurse, and occasional exhorter. The good man was vain enough to complain, one day, that his name was never inserted in Wesley's published "Journals." In the next number of the "Journals" he found his name in a connection that probably did not serve to increase his vanity. "I left Epworth," wrote Wesley, "with great satisfaction, and about one preached at Clayworth. I think none were unmoved but Michael Fenwick, who fell fast asleep under an adjoining hayrick." Dr. H. Iven.

What are they when they stand upon the highest pinnacles of worldly dignities, but bladders swelled up with the breath of the popular rout?—nothings set astrut; chessmen, that on the board play the kings and nobles, but in the bag are of the same materials and rank with others.

— Hopkins

As well try to fill the yawning chasm with a few grains of sand as satisfy the gulf of the soul's desires with the pleasure of an empty world. Macduff.

They who speak well of themselves show their vanity; while those who keep silence, or speak ill of themselves, do so from the same motive.

Wherefore be-think thyself at length, O deluded world! and write over all thy school-doors, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom;" over all thy court-gates, "Let not the mighty man glory in his might;" over all thy exchanges and banks, "Let not the rich man glory in his riches." Write upon thy looking-glasses Bath-sheba's motto, "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain;" upon thy mews and artillery-yards, that of the Psalmist, "God delighteth not in the strength of a horse; he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man;" upon thy taverns, inns, and ale-houses, that of Solomon, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise;" upon thy magazines and wardrobes, that of our Saviour, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal." Write upon thy counting-houses that of Habakkuk, "Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his, how long? and to him that loadeth himself with thick clay;" thy playhouses, that of Paul, "Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;" thy banqueting-houses, that of the same holy apostle, "Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both them and it;" yea, upon all thine accommodations, that of the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities: all is vanity and vexation of spirit." Dr. Arrowsmith.

On a court day in December, 1795, Sir John Sinclair happened to meet Mr. Secretary Dundas at St. James's, who pressed him to name a day for visiting him at Wimbledon. The day fixed upon chanced to be the last of the year. The party was numerous, and included Mr. Pitt. Sir John remained all night; and next morning, according to Scottish custom, resolved to pay his host an early visit in his own apartment. He found the secretary in the library, reading a long paper on the importance of conquering the Cape, as an additional security to our Indian possessions. His guest shook him by the hand, adding the usual congratulation, "I come, my friend, to wish you a good new year, and many happy returns of the season." The secretary, after a short pause, replied with some emotion, "I hope this year will be happier than the last, for I can scarcely recollect having spent one happy day in the whole of it." This confession, coming from an individual whose whole life hitherto had been a series of triumphs, and who appeared to stand secure upon the summit of political ambition, was often dwelt upon by Sir John as exemplifying the vanity of human wishes.