(1.) They are not our own, as Christ saith, Luke xvi. 1, seq., ' We are but stewards,' and we must give a strict account ere long how we have used them.
(2.) And as they are not our own, so they are not true riches, because they make not us rich. We usually call a poor man a poor soul. A poor soul may be a rich Christian, and a rich man may have a poor soul, naked and empty of spiritual riches. These are not true riches, because they make not a man better. They may be a snare to him, and make him worse, and puff him up ; as every grain of riches hath a vermin of pride and ambition in it. ' Charge rich men that they be not high-minded,' Rom. xi. 20. They may make a man worse ; they cannot make him better. Can that be true riches that makes a man poorer, that hath not a gracious heart ? Surely no. These riches ofttimes are for the hurt of the ovmers. Men are filled as sponges, and then squeezed again. Are these true riches that expose a man to danger ? True riches are such as not only we may do good by, but they make us good. Grace makes us better ; it com-
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mends us to God. All the I'iches in the world do not commend us to God. It is said of Antiochus, a great monarch, he was a vile and base person, because he was a wicked man.* There is no earthly thing can commend a man to God, if he be naught,! if he have a rotten profane heart.
(3.) Again, thcj^ are not true riches, because « mdii outlives lliem. Death screws him out of all ; death comes and examines him when he goes out of the world, and will suHer him to carry nothing with him. If a man come to another man's table, and think to carry away his plate, or anything else, he will be stayed at the gate, and have it taken from him. Nothing we brought into this world, and with nothing we must go out ; and arc they true riches that determine in this life ?
(4.) Then again, these riches, ihcy are not proportionahJe to the sovl nf man. When the soul of man hath the image of Christ on it, nothing will satisfy it but spiritual things. There is nothing in the v/orld will satisfy a gracious soul but grace and glory. It is only grace and the spiritual things by Christ that are the true riches, that make us good, and continue us good, and continue with us. We carry them to heaven with us. Therefore, as the apostle saith, we should desire the ' best things,' 1 Cor. xii. 31 ; labour for the best portion, that shall never be taken from us. When we have many things in this world set before us, shall we make a base choice ? as the Gadarenes, to save their hogs, they would lose Christ, Luke viii. 37. Shall we make choice of poor things, and leave grace and Christ ? No. Since we have judgment to make a diiference, let us make a wise choice. Judgment is seen in choice of diiferent things ; for though these things be good, jei they are inferior goods ; and we lose not these things by labour- ing for grace and the best things. The best way to have these things is to labour for the best things. Solomon desired wisdom, and he had riches too. * Let us seek the kingdom of God, and these things ' (as far as they be needful) shall be ' cast on us,' Mat. vi. 33. These are the truths of God. Therefore let us be ashamed that we discover our ignorance by making a base choice, and let us labour to choose the best things. Christ became poor to make us rich in the best things, to make us rich in grace, in joy, in peace, and comfort, &c.
Therefore let us esteem ourselves and others highly from hence, and let us not judge by appearance. When Christ was put to death, how did the world judge him ? A miserable man, a sinner, because they judged by appearance. So it is the lot of God's children. Though they be never so rich, 3'et those that look upon their outward condition, that judge by appearance, because they are outwardly poor, they think they have no riches at all. ' But judge not by appearance,' as Christ saith, John vii. 24. The life that we have is hidden, our happiness and riches are hidden with God. Yet those that we have now are worth all the world. Is not a little peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and assurance that God is ours, worth all worldly things ? The least measure of grace and comfort is worth all, and j-et what we have here is nothing to that we shall have in heaven.
We may be ashamed, the best of us all, that we live not answerable to our estate. We are ofttimes poorer in grace than we need to be. Having such a fountain so near us, to perish for thirst ; to be at a feast, and to perish for hunger ; to be at a mine, and to come away beggars : it is a sign we want spiritual senses ; it is a sign of infidelity, that we are not