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THE DANGER OF RICHES
IN the perusal of history, it is desirable not merely to treasure up facts in our minds, but to deduce from them such observations as shall increase our stock of practical and useful knowledge. It will be to little purpose to have our memory stored with events, unless our judgment be matured by suitable reflections upon them. In reference to the sacred history, this remark is still more obvious and important. Very little benefit would accrue to a person from knowing, that a rich young man had turned away from Christ, because he disliked the directions which our Lord had given him. If we would derive any material instruction from this event, we should consider what aspect it has upon the manners of men in general: we should, after the example which our Lord himself has set us, contemplate the effects which wealth generally produces on those who possess it, and the obstacles which it lays in our way to the kingdom of heaven.
In confirmation of our Lord’s reflection, we shall endeavour to shew, whence it is that “it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
I. It is difficult for a person to have riches, and not to love them—
Riches almost universally fascinate the minds of men—
[Persons of opulence see what respect their wealth procures for them; that they are objects of admiration and envy to all around them; and that, by means of their money, they can obtain all the comforts and luxuries of life. Hence they are ready to conceive that riches are really good, and almost necessarily conducive to the happiness of those who possess them. Under this idea, their affections are easily attracted towards them, and they are ready to congratulate themselves on their own peculiarly favoured lot. Hence that caution of the Psalmist’s, “If riches increase, set not your heart upon them.”]
But in proportion as they engage our hearts, they obstruct our way to heaven—
[We are commanded “not to set our affections on things below, but on things above.” This prohibition extends to riches, and to every thing else that fascinates the carnal mind. The reason of it is moreover assigned by God himself, namely, that the love of this world neither proceeds from him, nor leads to him, but is absolutely incompatible with real love to him [Note: 1Jn_2:15-16.]. Let it only then be acknowledged, that the love of God is necessary to the attainment or enjoyment of heaven; and then it will follow, that the person, who loves his riches, cannot attain heaven; nor could he enjoy it, even if he were admitted there: he has in his bosom an object that rivals God: and God is a jealous God, who will never accept a divided heart. “We never can serve God and Mammon.” If “our treasure be on earth, our heart will be there also:” and if it be looked to as the source of our happiness, “Woe unto us; for we have received our consolation.”]
II. It is difficult for a person to have riches, and not be puffed up by them—
Pride is too generally an attendant on riches—
[As great respect is paid to riches, the people who possess them are apt to think that they deserve it. They arrogate it to themselves; they are offended, if any persons refuse to gratify them with the homage which they claim. They shew in their look, their dress, their manner of speaking, yea, in their very gait, they “think themselves to be somebody.” They expect their wishes to be consulted, and their judgment to be followed. They are impatient of contradiction. They do not like, either in public or in private, to be told of their faults. If a minister deal faithfully with their consciences, they rather condemn him for (what they will call) his rudeness or harshness, than themselves for their departure from God. How commonly this disposition springs from riches, we may judge from that direction which is given to ministers; “Charge them who are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded [Note: 1Ti_6:17.].”]
And this also, if indulged, will exclude us from heaven—
[“Pride was not made for man:” “The proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord:” whoever he be, “God will certainly abase him.” Not Hezekiah himself shall escape without deep humiliation [Note: 2Ch_32:25-26.]; nor even then, without severe chastisements [Note: Isa_39:4-7.]. If we be “lifted up with pride, (whatever be the occasion,) we shall fall into the condemnation of the devil.” The characteristic mark of every true Christian, and of all that shall be admitted into heaven, is humility; “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Worldly poverty is not more opposite to wealth, than spiritual poverty is to pride. The true Christian will “prefer others in honour before himself,” and account himself, “less than the least of all saints.” But, inasmuch as wealth has a directly opposite tendency, it is hostile to the interests of Christianity, and to the salvation of all who possess it.]
III. It is difficult for a person to have riches, and not be corrupted by them—
Whatever a corrupt heart can desire, is attainable through riches—
[Wealth opens a way for all manner of sensuality and self-indulgence: and, at the same time that it gives us facilities for gratifying our evil inclinations, it leads us into such habits as greatly dispose us to sin. A luxurious table draws us to intemperance; intemperance inflames our passions; and affluence opens an easy way to the indulgence of them. The rich even think that they are, in a measure, licensed to commit iniquity: and, in their eyes, intemperance and lewdness are, at the most, no more than venial follies, which they can commit without shame, and look back upon without remorse.
But where riches do not produce this effect, they still exceedingly corrupt the soul. They habituate us to easy indolent habits, that are very contrary to those self-denying exercises in which the Christian should be employed. They lead us into the company of those whose minds are least spiritual, and from whose conversation and example we can derive least profit. They induce parents to seek connexions for their children rather among the opulent than among the good. They not unfrequently draw persons into great speculations, which fill them with anxiety, and encumber them with oppressive cares. Strange as it may seem, they often prove incentives to avarice, as well as to prodigality, and to an oppression of others, as well as to the gratifying of ourselves. Hence, whenever the term “lucre” is mentioned in the New Testament, the term “filthy” is invariably associated with it.]
And the more our corruptions are indulged, the more certain we are of perishing in final ruin—
[We are warned, that “to be carnally-minded is death:” and the final ruin of a very large portion of those who hear the Gospel is ascribed to “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, which choke the word that they hear, and render it unfruitful.” “The love of money,” we are told, “is the root of all evil;” and “they who even desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” Inasmuch as riches induce us principally to mind earthly things, they make us enemies of the cross of Christ, and bring us to destruction as our end.”]
IV. It is difficult to have riches, and not trust in them—
Wealth, whilst it gains our affections, is apt to become also a ground of our confidence—
[“The rich man’s wealth,” says Solomon, “is his strong city.” We are apt to rely upon it, as a source both of present and future happiness. We seem, when possessed of riches, to be out of the reach of harm. When poor, we more habitually and more sensibly feel our dependence on Providence; but, when rich, we think we have no need of religion to make us happy, or of God to provide for us: we are ready to say, like the Rich Man in the Gospel, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” In like manner, we think that we have no reason to fear about the future world. We are ready to imagine, that God will pay the same deference to wealth as our fellow-creatures do. We have no conception that a rich man, unless he has been guilty of some peculiarly enormous crimes, can be cast into hell. It is in vain that we read of “the Rich Man lifting up his eyes in torments:” we take for granted, that a rich man, if he have been tolerably decent in his deportment, must of necessity go to heaven: and a rich man will not endure, for the most part, to have a doubt of his future happiness suggested to him. It is not without reason, therefore, that St. Paul says, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they trust not in uncertain riches.”]
But to place our confidence in any thing but God, is certain ruin—
[God denounces a “curse on those who make flesh their arm;” and he represents their conduct as “a departure of their hearts from him.” And Job informs us, that “the saying to the gold, Thou art my confidence, is an iniquity to be punished by the Judge, and a denial of the God that is above.”]
V. It is difficult to have riches, and not cleave to them in preference to Christ—
This is the point more especially referred to in the text itself—
[The reason assigned for the young man’s forsaking Christ was, that he had great possessions: and hence our Lord’s reflection on the almost insurmountable difficulties which riches interpose in our way to heaven. The fact is, that though every one is not called to renounce his riches precisely in the same way that this opulent ruler was, every one is required to sit loose to them, and to be willing to renounce them all, whenever they shall stand in competition with his duty to God. And there is no man, who is not called to make some sacrifices for Christ. Now a rich man’s reputation is exceedingly dear to him; and his interests in the world appear to him of almost incalculable importance: and, if he be called to renounce them all, the sacrifice appears too great to be endured. He hopes he shall find out an easier way to heaven; and chooses rather to risk the salvation of his soul, than to subject himself to such grievous trials in order to obtain it. Even those who have tasted somewhat of the sweetness of religion are sometimes drawn away, like Demas; and forsake their Saviour from love to this present world.]
But in choosing our portion now, we choose for eternity—
[“We must reap according to what we sow: he that soweth to the flesh must, of the flesh, reap corruption.” We must “part with all if we would have the pearl of great price.” “If we do not forsake all for Christ, we cannot be his disciples.” “We must count all things but loss for him.” “We must hate father and mother, and houses and lands, yea and our lives also, for his sake.” “If we will not lose our lives for him here, we never can find life in the eternal world.”]
Infer—
1. How little true faith is there in the world!
[Where is the man, who, if offered great riches, would be afraid to accept them, lest they should impede his way to heaven? or, when congratulated on his attainment of wealth, would damp the ardour of his friends by entreating rather an interest in their prayers, that the newly-acquired riches might not corrupt and destroy his soul? Where is the man possessed of riches, who does not think his way to heaven as easy as that of any other person? In short, where is the person who does not say in his heart, ‘Give me riches: I will run the risk of their doing me any harm: I have no doubt I shall get to heaven with them as easily as without them?’ But would it be thus, if we really believed the words of our blessed Lord? Alas! even the Apostles themselves scarcely knew how to receive so hard a saying: we are told, that they were “astonished out of measure.” But it becomes us to credit the assertion of Him who could not err, and would not deceive.]
2. What reason have the poor to be satisfied with their lot!
[If rich men have the advantage of them with respect to this world, the poor have incomparably better prospects with respect to the world to come. These are free and unincumbered, and ready, as it were, to run the race that is set before them; while the others are impeded by their lusts as with flowing garments, and have their “feet laden with thick clay.” These in multitudes flock to heaven, “as doves to their windows,” whilst very few of the others ever attain the heavenly prize [Note: 1Co_1:26-28. Jam_2:5.]. It must not however be imagined that the poor will be saved, because they are poor; any more than the rich will perish, because they are rich. All must run, if they would obtain the prize. He who regards the salvation of his soul as “the one thing needful,” shall be saved, whether rich or poor; and he who does not, will perish. Neither the riches of the one, nor the poverty of the other, will avail him any thing. The only inquiry will be, Who among them was “rich towards God?” and their several attainments in real piety will be the only ground of distinction between them. Yet, inasmuch as a state of poverty renders us less exposed to temptation than wealth, it may well be endured with patience, and improved with gratitude. Even, if we have (through misfortunes of any kind) experienced a transition from wealth to poverty, we may well be reconciled to the change (however painful it may be to flesh and blood); since the loss we sustain may be in fact our greatest advantage: we have lost perhaps the cargo, which, if suffered to continue on board, would utterly have sunk the ship.]
3. How thankful should we be that “help is laid on One that is mighty!”
[When the Apostles exclaimed, “Who then can be saved?” they were consoled with the declaration, that “all things were possible with God.” Now this is our comfort, that all fulness is treasured up for us in Christ; and that “he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.” None then need despair: however great our temptations may be, “He knoweth how to deliver the godly out of them,” and to “preserve them blameless unto his heavenly kingdom.” He can uphold a Joseph, a David, and a Daniel, amidst all the splendour of courts, as well as under the pressure of the heaviest trials. Let all then put their trust in Jesus, even in that almighty Saviour, whose grace is sufficient for them, and through whose strengthening communications they shall be able to do all things: so shall Abraham the rich and prosperous, and Lazarus the poor and indigent, rejoice together in God’s kingdom for ever and ever.]