1 Samuel 12:21

This the prophet of the Lord, Samuel, also openly suggests when he adds: "And do not turn aside after vain things, which will not profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain." 13. Literally, he calls vain things the images of demons. But for us, those vain things are to be understood here as what the preacher shows, saying: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. For in comparison with eternal goods, all things are vain, even temporal goods. For whatever in this age is seen as joyful, delightful, exalted, or prosperous is assuredly vain, because it is held with difficulty and quickly lost. Indeed, the lofty things of the age suddenly collapse, beautiful things pass away, joyful and prosperous things vanish. For when the flattering world is seen to stand in its flowers, it is disturbed by sudden fortune, or is concluded by hasty death that overturns all things. Therefore the joys of the age are vain, which flatter as though they were lasting, but deceive their lovers by quickly passing away. Therefore let the prophet Samuel say: "Do not turn aside after vain things, which will not profit you." As if to say: The goods of the age are foolishly desired, since they cannot be held for long by those who desire them. And it should be noted that it is said in the future tense: "They will not profit you" — because indeed they are now seen to profit; but when in the future people begin to be punished on account of them, they profit nothing at all. Whence it is also fittingly added: "Nor will they rescue you, because they are vain." As if to say: They do not help you then, because they fail with the world and are not possessed after this age. The goods of the age last a long time indeed if they accompany their lover all the way to the end of life. Therefore after this age those things do not profit which cannot pass beyond the end of life. In this life indeed they bind their lovers with sins; but then they will not rescue them, where they are present by merit but not by assistance. In this matter it must be carefully noted that temporal goods will not profit those who are said to turn aside after them. For to turn aside after temporal goods is to flow down into desire for them, to prefer love of them to divine love. Rightly, therefore, vain things will not profit them, because they were unwilling to possess them in the order in which they were created.