mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich | ding, and they would not come.-Ver. 5. They 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 richly all things to enjoy. James ii. 6. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment-seats? 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 thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, and thou say in thy heart, My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth. Ver. 13, 14. 17, 18. xxxii. 13, 14. 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; 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 salvation. Hos. ii. 8, 9. She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold. 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 may set forth wheat? Matt. viii. 34. Those who lost their swine, entreated Jesus to depart out of their coasts. xiii. 22. The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke 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 shalt 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. 23-25. xxii. 2, 3. Jesus said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son; and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wed made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. Luke xiv. 16 to 20. Luke xvi. 14. The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard these things spoken by Christ against covetousness, and derided him. Acts xvi. 19. 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 Paul's preaching against idolatry, by which they had their wealth. 2 Cor. iv. 4. Satan is called the god of this world. Luke iv. 7. He tempted Christ with riches, to worship him. 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 erred from the faith. 2 Tim. iv. 10. Demas hath forsaken me, (saith Paul) having loved this present world. James iv. 4. Whosoever will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. 1 John iv. 5. 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, 17. Though they heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; (Hab. ii. 6.) 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. xxxix. 6. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. Ixxiii. 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 heart could wish.-Ver. 12. These are the ungodly; they prosper in the world, they increase in riches.-Ver. 17, 18. I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. 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. | shall be blessed. 22, 23. He died; and in hell he lifted up his in his house. eyes, being in torment, &c. James i. 10, 11. As the flower of the grass, the rich man shall fade away. Wealth and riches shall be Prov. iii. 16. Length of days is in her [Wisdom's] right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. Ch. viii. 18, 19.-xxii. 4. xv. 6. In the house of the righteous is much treasure; but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. v. 1-3. Ye rich men, weep and howl, for-xxiv. 3, 4. your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 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. 15. 17. Eccl. xi. 9. THE USE OF RICHES. CCXII. The use of riches in the hands of a wise and good man towards himself. Eccl. iii. 12. There is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice and do good in his life. 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, 20. 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. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Ch. ii. 24.-iii. 13.-viii. 15. For the other uses which riches answer, see in Commandment 5th, Duties of parents toward 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. Job i. 21. Job said, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Prov. x. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Eccl. ii. 26. God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom and knowledge, and joy but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. Ch. iii. 13. See Gen. xxiv. 35. CCXIV. Riches promised to the righteous. Ps. cxii. 2, 3. The generation of the upright xxii. 4. By humility, and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honour, and life. CCXV. Instances of good men that were rich. Abram, Gen. xiii. 2.-Lot, Gen. xiii. 5.-Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 12, 13, 14.-Jacob, Gen. xxx. 43.-xxxvi. 7.-David, 1 Chron. xxix. 28.-Solomon, 1 Kings iii. 13.-x. 23. Eccl. ii. 4 to 10.-Job, ch. i. 3.—Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xvii. 5.-Hezekiah, 2 Chron. xxxii. 17 to 31. CCXVI. Instances of riches not regarded Gen. xiv. 21. The king of Soby good men. dom said to Abram, Give me the persons, and said, I will not take any thing that is thine. take the goods to thyself.-Ver. 23. Abram with me, and keep me in the way that I go; and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my xxviii. 20, 21. Jacob said, If God will be God. 1 Kings iii. 11. Solomon asked wisdom, and not riches. Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Agur prayed, Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. Gal. vi. 14. Paul said, The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. CCXVII. Those things that are necessary for the support of man's life, promised to the righteous. Food promised. Gen. i. 29. God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ix. 3. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. Exod. xxiii. 25. Serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread and thy water. Deut. vii. 12, 13. If ye hearken to these judgments, and keep and do them, the Lord thy God will bless the fruit of the land; thy corn and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Ver. 14. Isa. xxx. 23. viii. 7-9. The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of the valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.-Ver. 10. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord, for the good land which he hath given thee. xi. 13-15. If ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul; I will give you the rain of your land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. xxviii. 2. These blessings shall come on thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Ver. 3-5. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, and the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.-Ver. 8. The Lord will command his blessing upon thee in thy store-houses.-Ver. 12. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure; the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thy hands; and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. Ch. xxx. 9.-xxxiii. 28. Isa. xxx. 23. Ruth i. 6. The Lord hath visited his people, in giving them bread. Ps. xxiii. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.-Ver. 5. Thou preparest a table for me, my cup runneth over. xxxiv. 9. There is no want to them that fear God.-Ver. 10. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. xxxvii. 3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Ver. 16. A little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked. (Prov. xvi. 8.) Ver. 25. I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. cvii. 38. He blesseth them, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. cxi. 5. He hath given meat unto them that fear him; he will ever be mindful of his co venant. cxxviii. 1, 2. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. cxxxii. 15. I will abundantly bless her provision, and will satisfy her poor with bread. Prov. iii. 9, 10. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. x. 3. The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish. xiii. 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfy ing of his soul; but the belly of the wicked shall want. Isa. xxxiii. 15. He that walketh righteously, bread shall be given him, and his waters shall be sure. Ver. 16. lxv. 13. Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty. Ver. 21-23. They shall build houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat; for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. Ezek. xxxvi. 29, 30. I will save you from your uncleanness: I will call for the corn, and will increase it; and I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field. Joel ii. 19. 26. I will send you corn and wine. (Hos. ii. 22.) Ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied. See Zech. ix. 17. See Isaac's blessing to his sons, consisting chiefly, (Zech. viii. 12.) of the fruits of the earth, Gen. xxvii. 28. 37. 39. See Acts xiv. 17. See Promises to obedience. DELIVERANCE FROM FAMINE. CCXVIII. Deliverance from famine. Job v. 20. In famine he shall redeem thee from death.-Ver. 22. At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh. Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is on them that fear him, on them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. xxxvii. 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. cvii. 9. He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. cxlvi. 7. Which giveth food to the hungry. Isa. xli. 17. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue | hath chosen that good part that shall not be faileth for thirst; I the Lord will hear them, I taken away from her. the God of Israel will not forsake them. Ezek. xxxvi. 29, 30. I will call for the corn and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. Ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Hab. iii. 17, 18. Though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Matt. iv. 4. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. SPIRITUAL RICHES. CCXIX. Not earthly, but spiritual riches, or the interests of the soul, the chief object of a wise man's desires and pursuits. Ps. xxxvii. 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. Prov. xv. 16. Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith. xxiii. 4. Labour not to be rich. xxi. 34. Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. John vi. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you. 1 Cor. iii. 22. All things are yours. 2 Cor. viii. 9. Our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, for your sakes became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God. 1 Cor. vii. 31, 32. Col. iii. 1, 2. Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. James i. 10. Let the rich rejoice that he is made low. ii. 5. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him? 1 Pet. v. 7. Casting all your care upon God, for he careth for you. Ps. lv. 22. 1 John ii. 15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world: if any man love Jer. xlv. 5. Seekest thou great things for the world, the love of the Father is not in him. thyself? seek them not. v. 4. Whosoever is born of God overcometh Matt. vi. 8. Your Father knoweth what the world. See 2 Cor. ix. 8. 10. things ye have need of. Ver. 9. 11. After this manner pray ye: Give us this day our daily bread. Ver. 19, 20. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, &c. But lay up for your selves treasures in heaven.-Ver. 24. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Ver. 25-27. Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them; are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature.-Ver. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.-Ver. 33, 34. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself; sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Luke xii. 21 to 35. Luke x. 41, 42. Jesus said, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful, and Mary Is not the body more than raiment? raiment? Consider the lilies of the field: they Clothes miraculously supplied to Adam and Eve, Gen. iii. 21.-To the Jews in the wilderness, Deut. viii. 4. Neh. ix. 21.-A gourd for Jonas, Jonah iv. 6. CCXXI. Supports supplied to the Jews. Quails and manna. of life miraculously Exod. xvi. 13, 14, 15. Deut. viii. 3. The Lord thy God fed thee with manna, that he might make thee know, that man doth not live by bread only; but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live. Neh. ix. 21. Matt. iv. 4. 1 Kings xvii. 6. The ravens brought to Elijah, bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening. I. REPENTANCE, the first doctrine preached at the publishing of the Gospel. Matt. iii. 1, 2. John the Baptist came preaching, and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Acts xiii. 24.-xix. 4. Ver. 8. Bring forth fruits meet for repentance. Ver. 10. The axe is laid unto the root of the trees; every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. iv. 17. Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ix. 13. Jesus said, I came to call sinners to repentance. Mark ii. 17. Mark vi. 12. The disciples being sent forth by Christ, preached that men should repent. Ver. 7. Acts xx. 21. Paul said, I taught, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. xxvi. 20. I shewed first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. See above, Matt. iii. 8. II. The duty of repentance enforced by threatenings in the New Testament. Matt. xi. 20-22. Then began Jesus to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: saying, Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. Ver. 23. See Capernaum threatened. Ver. 24. xii. 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas Is here. Luke xi. 32. Compare Jonah iii. 5. xxi, 31, 32. The publicans and harlots go 39 into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and harlots believed him; and ye repented not. Acts xvii. 30. The times of ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Rev. ii. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent; or I will come and remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. See ver. 16. 21, 22. Ch. iii. 3. -ix. 20.-xvi. 9. III. The duty of repentance encouraged by promises in the New Testament. Luke xxiv. 46, 47. It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. Acts ii. 38. Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins; and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. iii. 19. Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. viii. 22. Repent of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. IV. Promises to those that return to God. Deut. iv. 30, 31. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shall be obedient to his voice, he will not forsake thee. Ch. xxx. 1 to 10. 2 Chron. xv. 4. 1 Sam. vii. 3. If ye return unto the Lord with all your hearts, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, he will deliver you. 1 Kings viii, 33 to 38. 48, 49. 2 Chron. vi. 37. Neh. ix. 33. Ps. cvi. 6. Dan. ix. 5. 15. Job xxii. 23. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. Isa. lv. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and 2 c2 |