…. “I am sorry to say, that worldly prudence, and the desire of making provision for families, not only for necessary things, but for gentility and affluence, is, in my opinion, eating up the life of spirituality, and simple trust in the Lord”[1]… Admitting even that our income allows this indulgence of expensiveness, yet is it not a point of Christian forbearance to refrain? Is it not most important to show, that our heart is not set upon these things; that Christian plainness and simplicity are our deliberate choice; and that it is a matter of conscience, and of privilege, to devote to the service of God the expenditure, that might have been wasted upon ‘[paneled] houses'[2] or other useless decorations?
-Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry
[1] Thomas Scott, Illustrative Notes on the Pilgrim’s Progress
[2] Haggai 1:4
according to Script 