CCI. An insatiable desire of riches. Prov. xv. 27. He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house. are xxvii. 20. Hell and destruction is never full, so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Eccl. iv. 8. There is one alone, and there is not a second, yea he Hath neither child nor brother, yet there is no end of his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good? this is also vanity, it is a sore travel. v. 10. He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, neither he that loveth abundance with increase. CCII. Threats against unjust measures of acquiring riches. Prov. i. 18. They lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives. Ver. 19. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain, which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. Matt. xvi. 26. What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul. Job xxvii. 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Ver. 9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? 1 Tim. vi. 9. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Ver. 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Ver. 11. But thou, O man of God, flee these things. See James iv. 13, 16. CCIII. Riches are not a lasting possession. Prov. xxiii. 5. Riches make themselves wings and fly away. xxvii. 24. Riches are not for ever, and doth the crown endure to every generation? 1 Cor. vi. 13. Matt. vi. 19. They are treasures which moth and rust do corrupt, and which thieves break through and steal. 1 Tim. vi. 17. They are uncertain. xiii. 22. They are deceitful. Mark iv. 9. Heb. x. 34. Ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. CCIV. Riches cannot be carried hence to the other world. Ps. xlix. 16. Be not afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; Ver. 17. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away, his glory shall not descend after him. Eccl. v. 15. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. Job i. 21. Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. 1 Tim. vi. 7. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. CCV. Possessing riches but not using them, the vanity thereof. Prov. xiii. 7. There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing. There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. Eccl. vi. 1, 2. ii. 26. CCVI. Riches are attended with care and trouble in life. Eccl. ii. 4. I made me great works, I builded me houses, I planted me vineyards, &c. to ver. 10. Ver. 11. I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do, and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit. Eccl. ii. 22. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his spirit wherein he hath laboured ? Ver. 23. For all his days are sorrows and his travel grief, yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. Eccl. v. 11. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them, and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? Ver. 12. The abundance of the rich will not suffer them to sleep. Ver. 13. I have seen riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Ver. 16. What profit hath he that laboureth for the wind? Ver. 17. All his days he eateth in darkness, and hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness, Prov. xv. 6. In the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Prov. xxii. 1. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. CCVII. Riches recommend no man to the favour of God. Job xxxiv. 19. God accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor. xxxvi. 19. Will he esteem thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of strength. Prov, xi. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. xxii. 2. The rich and the poor meet together, the Lord is the maker of them all. Ezek. vii. 18. Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. Zeph. i. 18. Mark xii. 41. Many that were rich cast in much into the treasury of the temple. Ver. 42. A poor widow cast in two mites, which make a farthing, Ver. 43. Jesus said, this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. Ver. 44. For they did cast in of their abundance, but she did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Luke i. 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. See the parable of the rich fool. Luke xii. 20. &c. And of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke xvi. 29 to 25. CCVIII. The advantages which one man hath over another by means of riches. Prov. x. 15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city, the destruction of the poor is their poverty. Chap. xviii. 11.. xiii. 8. The ransom of a man's life are his riches. Eccl. vii. 12, xiv. 20. The poor is hated even of his neighbour, but the rich hath many friends. Chap. xix. 4, Ver. 24. The crown of the wise is their riches. Eccl. ix. 16. The poor man's wisdom is despised. Ver. 16. And his words are not heard. Prov. xxii. 7. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. xviii. 23. The poor useth intreaties, but the rich answereth roughly. CCIX. Trusting in riches and abusing them, the sin of the wicked, and avoided by the good. Job xxxi. 24. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold thou art my confidence. Ver. 25. If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much. Ver. 28. I should have denied the God that is above. Ps. xlix. 6. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches. Ver. 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him. Ver. viii. 14. lii. 5. God shall destroy thee for ever. Ver. 7. Lo this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches. lxii. 10. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. Prov. xi. 28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall. x. 15. The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and a high wall in his own conceit. Chap. xviii. 11. xxvii. 11. The rich man is wise in his own conceit. Jer. ix. 23. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. Mark x. 24. How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! Ver. 25. 1 Tim. vi. 17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us rickly all things to enjoy. James ii. 6. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seat? CCX. Riches take the heart and thoughts off from God and religion. Deut. viii. 12. Beware lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and when thy herds and thy flocks are multiplied, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, then thine heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God, and thou say in thine heart, my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. Ver. 13, 14, 17, 18. xxxii. 13. The Lord made Jacob ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields, and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock. Ver 14. Butter of kine and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat, and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. Ver. 15. But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked; thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salva tion. Hos. ii. 8. She did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold. Hos. ii. 9. Therefore will I return and take away my corn, &c. Ezek. xvi. 6 to 20. Amos viii. 5. The wicked say when will the Sabbath be gone, that we inay set forth wheat. Matt. viii. 31. Those who lost their swine entreated Jesus to depart out of their coasts. xiii. 22. The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choak the word, and he becometh unfruitful. xix. 21. Jesus said to the young man, if thou wilt be perfect, go sell that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. Ver. 22. When the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Ver. 24. Jesus said, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Mark x. 23, 24. xxii. 2. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son ; Ver. 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding, and they would not come. Ver. 5. They made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. Luke xiv. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Luke xvi. 14. The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard these things spoken by Christ against covetousness, and derided him. Acts vi. 18. Those who lost their worldly gain by Paul's casting out a spirit of divination, raise a tumult against him. xix. 24. Demetrius and his craftsmen do the same, for his preaching against idolatry by which they had their wealth. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Satan is called the god of this world. He tempted Christ with riches to worship him. Luke v. 4. Phil. iii. 19. The wicked whose end is destruction, mind earthly things. 1 Tim. vi. 10. The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith. 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this world. present James iv. 4. Whosoever will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God. 1 John iv. 4. They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. See Prov. xxx. 9. Hab. i. 16. CCXI. The wicked rich man, his portion. Job xx. 15. He hath swallowed down riches, and shall vomit them up again, God shall cast them out of his belly. xxvii. 16. Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay. Hab. ii. 6. Ver. 17. He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. Ver. 19. The rich man shall lie down but he shall not be gathered, he openeth his eyes and he is not. Ver. 20, 23. Ps. xvii. 14. O Lord deliver my soul from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure. Ps. xxxix. 6. He heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them. lxxiii. 3. I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Ver. 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than their hearts could wish. Ver. 12. These are the ungodly, they prosper in the world, they increase in riches. Ver. 17. I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end. Ver. 18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castedst them down into destruction. Ps. xxxvii. 1. Job xxi. 7. Jer. xii. 1. Hab. i. 4. Luke vi. 24. Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation. xvi. 19. A rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, fared sumptuously every day. Ver. 22. He died. Ver. 23. In hell he lift up his eyes being in torment, &c. Jam. i. 10. As the flower of the grass, the rich man shall fade away. v. 1. Ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Ver. 2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth caten. James v. 3. Your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire, ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. See Rev. vi. 15.xviii. 3, 8, 17. Eccl. xi. 9 THE USE OF RICHES. CCXII. The use of riches in the hands of a wise and good man toward himself, Eccl. iii. 12. There is no good in them but for a man to rejoice and do good in his life. Eccl. v. 18. Behold that which I have seen, it is good and comely, for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun, all the days of his life, which God giveth him, for it is his portion. Ver. 19. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour, this is the gift of God. Ver. 20. For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Chap. ii. 24.—iii. 13.-viii. 15. For the other uses which riches answer, see in Commandment 5th, duties of parents towards children, and of people toward ministers; and Commandment 8th, duties of the rich. CCXIII. God maketh rich. Deut. viii. 18. The Lord thy God it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. 1 Sam. ii. 7. The Lord maketh poor, and he maketh rich. 1 Kings iii. 13. The Lord said to Solomon, I have given thee both riches and honour. 1 Chron. xxix. 12. Solomon said to God, both riches and honour come of thee. |