gone to Thessalonica," a trading city, where he may find ample scope for indulging his predominant propensity. And, no doubt, multitudes of professing people, who have not thus openly made shipwreck of their faith, have, by their inordinate anxiety about their worldly interests, destroyed all the comfort of their souls; and, if they have been saved at all, " have been saved only so as by firef."
And here let me guard you against a common mistake. When it is said, " They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare," and so on, it is supposed to refer to those only who are determined to be rich at all events. But this is not the meaning of the passage : the utmost that it means is, " they that are willing and desirous to be richg:" for the desire, harboured in the soul, is amply sufficient to draw after it all the bitter consequences which are here said to result from it. We see this in the rich young man, who turned his back upon the Lord rather than renounce his wealth11: and St. Peter has associated, what will be ever found inseparable, " Covetous practices, and cursed children*."]
Do you ask, How shall I counteract in my soul this sad propensity ? I answer,
1. Think how little the riches of this world can do for you —
[Beyond " food and raiment," what can you possess? Your food may be of a more luxurious kind ; but, after a time, you will not enjoy it more than the labourer his homely pro- vision. And your vestments may administer more to pride, but will not really answer the end better than clothing of a coarser texture. Believe it, brethren, the rich have very little, if any, advantage of the poor. Thousands of servants may see clearly enough that they have even a happier lot than their employers : and those who have amassed wealth to ever so great an extent, will, for the most part, be constrained to ac- knowledge, that they have rather accumulated troubles, than acquired ease. They are not the happiest who have the largest means of indulgence, but they who have the fewest cares. Let this be well settled in your minds, and the principle we have been speaking of will be divested of its baneful influence upon your souls.]
2. Think what infinitely better riches are offered you in the Gospel —
[In Christ there are " unsearchable riches ;" and all for you, if only you believe in him. Oh ! how rich is the soul that
f 1 Cor. iii. 15. s jwv\6p.evoi.
h Matt. xix. 22. j 2 Pet. ii. 14.