* DivitibiLS ideo pietas deest, quia nihil dtest, Rich men's wealth proves an hin- drance to their happiness, Eccles. v. 13 ; James v. 1, 2.
* Riches are called thick clay, Hab. ii. C, which will sooner break the back than lighten the heart.
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He that is rich in conscience sleeps more soundly than he that is richly clothed in purple.
No man is rich which cannot carry hence that which he hath ; that which we must leave liehind us is not ours but some other's, [Am- brose, lib. 8, ep. 10.]
The shortest cut to riches is by their contempt. It is great riches not to desire riches, and he hath most that covets least. If there were any happiness in riches, the gods would not want them, saith the same author, [Seneca.]
When one was a-commending the riches and wealth of merchants : I do not love that wealth, said a poor heathen, which hangs upon ropes ; for if they break, the ship miscarrieth, and then where is the merchant's riches ?
If I had an enemy, saith one, whom it was lawful to wish evil unto, I would chiefly wish him great store of riches, for then he should never enjoy quiet, [Latimer.]
The historian [Tacitus] observes, that the riches of Cyprus invited the Romans to hazard many dangerous fights for the conquering of it.
Earthly riches, saith one, [Augustine,] are an evil master, a treacherous servant, fathers of flattery, sons of grief, a cause of fear to those that have them, and a cause of sorrow to those that w^ant them.
I have read a famous storv of Zelimus, emperor of Constantinople, that after he had taken Egypt, he found a great deal of treasure there ; and the soldiers coming to him, and asking of him what they should do with the citizens of Egypt, for that they had found great treasure among them, and had taken their riches ? Oh, saith the emperor, hang them all up, for they are too rich to be made slaves ; and this was all the thanks they had for the riches they were spoiled of i What more contemptible than a rich fool, a golden beast, as Caligula called his father-in-law Syllanius ? ^ Not but that some are great and gracious, rich and righteous, as Abraham, Lot, Job, David, Heze- kiah, &c.
It is said of Shusa in Persia, saith Cassiodorus, that it was so rich that the stones were joined together with gold ; and that in it Alex- ander found seventy thousand talents of gold. If you can take this city, saith Aristagorus^ to his soldiers, you may vie with Jove himself for riches. The riches of Shusa did but make the soldiers the more desperate in their attempt to take it.
By these short hints you may see the folly and vanity of those men who take up in their riches. But,
[6.] Sixthly, Many there are that take up in their own righteous- ness, which at best is hut as filthy rags, Isa. Ixiv. 6. This was the damning sin of the Jews, and of the scribes and Pharisees ; and is the undoing sin of many of the professors of this age, Rom. x. 2, 3 ; Mat. V. 20.
' [Knolles] The Turkish History. The poets feigned Pluto to be the god of riches and hell, as if they were inseparable. — Homer. * Eather ' Silanus :' Dion Cass, Iviii. 25. — G.
^ Eather ' Aristagoras' Herod :' iv. 138, v. 37, 38 : for Shusa rather ' Susa.' — Q. VOL. 8
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[7.] Seventhly, Many there are that take up in their external church privileges^ crying out, ' The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,' Jer. vii, 4, 8-11, when they have no union nor com- munion with the Lord of the temple. These forget that there will come a day, when the ' children of the kingdom shall be cast out,' Mat. viii. 12. It would be very good for such persons to make these five scriptures their daily companions. Mat. xxii. 10, 12-14; Luke xiii. 25-28 ; Kom. ii. 28, 29 ; Gal. vi. 15 ; Jer. ix. 25, 26. That they may never dare to take up in their outward church privileges, which can neither secure them from hell, nor secure them of heaven. But,
[8.] Eighthly, Many there be that take up in common convictions. Judas had mighty convictions of his sin, but they issued in despera- tion, Mat. xxvii. 4, 5. Balaam was mightily enlightened and con- vinced, insomuch that he desired to die the deatli of the righteous ; but under all his convictions he died Christless and graceless, Num. xxiii. and xxiv. Nebuchadnezzar had great convictions, Dan. iv. 31, 32, yet we do not read that ever he was converted before he was driven from the society of men, to be a companion with the beasts of the field, Dan. iv. 31, 32. He had strong convictions, (1.) by Daniel's interpreting of his dream, Dan. ii. 47. (2.) He told Daniel, that ' his God was the God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets;' and yet presently he fell into gross idolatry, Dan. iii., and strictly commanded to worship the golden image that he had set up ; and as if he had lost all his former conyictions, he was so swelled up with pride and impudence, as to say to the three children, when they divinely scorned to worship the image he had set up, ' What God is there that can deliver you out of my hand ?' ver. 15. Saul had great convictions, * I have sinned, return, my son David, I will no more do thee harm,' &c. And Saul lifted up his voice and wept ; and he said unto David, ' Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil,' 1 Sam. xxvi. 21, 25, and xxiv. 16-19. But these convictions issued in no saving change, for after these he lived and died in the height of his sins. Pharaoh had great convictions : ' And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.' And again, ' Then Pha- raoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste ; and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you,' Exod. ix. 27, and x. 1 6. But these convictions issued in no reformation, in no sound conversion, and therefore drowning and damning followed. Cain was under convic- tions, but went and built a city, and lost his convictions in a crowd of worldly business, Gen. iv. Herod and Felix were under convictions, but they went off, and never issued in any saving work upon their souls, Mark vi. 20 ; Acts xxiv. 25. Oh, how many men and women have fallen under such deep convictions, that they have day and night cried out of their sins, and of their lost and undone estates, and that they should certainly go to hell and be damned for ever, so that many good people have hoped that these were the pangs of the new birth ; and yet either merry company, or carnal pleasures and delights, or much worldly business, or else length of time, have wrought off all their convictions, and they have grown more profane and wicked than
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ever they were before. As water heated, if taken off the fire, will soon return to its natural coldness, yea, becomes colder after heating than before, [Aristotle,] this hath been the case of many under convictions.