Ver. 21.-" Rich toward God." Jesus Christ is here drawing a contrast between the Inward and the abiding on the 1)ne hand, and the outward and the perishing on the other hand. When he disparages the act of" laying up treasure for ourselves," he docs not mean to say either (1) that material wealth is not of God, for it is he who gives us " power to get wealth" ~eut. viii. 18); or (2) that the spiritual treasur~ a man secures is not "for himself, '-indeed, that is the only treasure he can make perml\nently his own; he that is wise is wise for himself (Prov. ix. 12), and he has "rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." But Christ would have WI regard material acquisitions as of very small account indeed in comparison with the enrich- ment of the soul in God, with spiritual wealth. 'l'o be rich toward God may include-- I. A WEALTH OF BIGHT FEELING TOWARD Goo, There are certain thoughts and feelings which every intelligent being ought to cherish toward his Creator, in the absence of which he himself is poor, and in the presence of which he is rich. The more we have in our hearts of reverence for God; of trust in his Word of promise; of gratitude for his goodness and faithfulness; of love for him, our Father and our Saviour; of filial submission to his holy will; of consecration to his cause and interest in the advancement of his kingdom,-the more " rich we are toward " him. ll. WEALTH IN QUALITIES WHIOB ARE DIVINE, or being rich in the direction in which God himself is rich. We cannot, indeed, hope to be rich in aome of his attri- butes-in majesty, in power, in wisdom. But there are qualities in him in which we may have a real and a valuable share. AB God is rich in righteousness, in truth and faithfulness, in goodness and kindness, in mercy and magnanimity, so may we hope, and so should we strive and pray, that we may be "partakers of the Divine nature" in these things also. Illumined by his truth, guided by his example, and inspired by his Spirit, we may have a goodly share in these great and noble qualities. III. WEALTH IN Goo HIMSELF; in the enjoyment of his Divine favour and friend- ship; in the indwelling of his Holy Spirit in our souls, being thus enriched with his abiding presence e.nd his gracious infiuence; in the enlarging and elevating contem- plation of his character and worship of himself. 1. Have we any treasure al all in Ood 1 As the Church at Laodicea imagined itself to be spiritually rich when it was miserably poor (Rev. iii. 17), so may any Christian society of our own time; so ~ay any individual member of a Church of Christ. If, in a searching and devout examma- tion, we find that we are pocr, t.here is nothing for us but to go to Jesus Christ anew, in humblest penitenoe and simplest faith and whole-hearted surrender. 2• .J.ni we rich toward God 1 There are many degrees between~ and wealth. We may n~. 850 'TnE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. (011. xn. 1-69.
br nlw,lute1y de~titute, 1rnd yet we may be far from rich tow11,rd God. We should aspire to" 11hound," to" be enlarged," to have a good measure of those qualities which constitute spirit.uni wealth. We must" buy of Christ" (Rev. iii. 18), that we "may he rich;''. we must abide in him, and so "bring forth much fruit" (John xv. 5). 8. If we are rich townr,l God we ma.y thankfully r~joice. The man who is "laying up tr<?asure for ~im~lf" may be. essentially and radically poor; he may be seouring that wh,cb will give b1m no happmess, but only be a burden and a bane to him; he must part with it a.II soon. But he who is "rich toward God" has that which is wealth iudeed; bas a. treasure which will gladden his heart and brighten his life; baa a joy and an inherit11nce which are his for ever.--C.