riches increase, set not your hearts upon themd." He would have us live ahove this vain world ; and not, when running for such a prize, be " loading our feet with thick claye." If we could have the reasons of God's dispensations fully revealed to us, I have no doubt but that we should find that he has this end in view, when he sends us one bereavement after another : he does it, I say, that we may learn to " set our affections on things above, and not on things on the earth" ]
III. To lead them to trust in him —
[Like the rich fool in the Gospel, they would have been ready to say, " Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; eat, drink, and be merry." But God is jealous of his own honour. He will not endure that we should " say to gold, Thou art my hope; or to the fine gold, Thou art my confi- dence." Indeed, he not only denounces against such conduct his heaviest judgments, but sets forth in most beautiful terms its
practical effects f The cares of this world are as thorns
and briers, which choke the seed which God has sown in our hearts, and prevent it from bringing forth any fruit to perfec- tion. They also weigh down the spirits, and oftentimes prove an insupportable burthen to the soul : whereas the person who has learned to confide in God, is always happy: "he knows in whom he has believed," and is assured that " he shall want no manner of thing that is good." Hence David not merely affirms that such persons are happy, but appeals to God him- self respecting it ; " O Lord God of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." This was the state to which God de- signed to bring his people of old ; and in it he would have all his people live, even to the end of the world. " I would have you," says he, "without carefulness :" " Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."]
IV. To make them observant of his providential care —
[When they saw that the sabbatical year was at hand, how forcibly would they be struck with the provision which God had made for it! They would have "three years" to live on the produce of one single yearg. But when they saw
d Ps. lxii. 10. e Hab. ii. 6. f Jer. xvii. 5, 6.
s Commentators appear to me to mistake in supposing that the sabbatical year began, like their civil year, in autumn : for then, the sowing and reaping being brought within one year, the loss of that whole time would be felt only for two years : but if their year be- gan, like their ecclesiastical year, in the spring, then they would of course not sow in the sixth year, nor reap in the eighth year ; because