LI. Psalm lxii. 10. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. AT first sight, this might be thought an unnecessary caution. If riches increase, one should suppose there were less occasion for that care and anxiety, which imply setting our hearts upon them. But the rule is accurately formed on a knowledge of human nature. An addition of more, commonly generates a desire of more; as, when a man has gotten a habit of drinking, thirst always creates thirst. In conformity to this natural pravity of the human mind, our Saviour framed the parable of the rich man, who pulled down his barns to build larger. As his riches increased, his desires and his store-houses increased with them. The The obvious conclusion is, that the more it pleases God to bless us with abundance, the more we should guard against this vicious propensity; and, instead of increasing our desires to get more wealth, we should increase our endeavours to be of more use. LII. Rom. i. 20. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. THIS world may be considered in many grand and instructive lights. The most obvious idea it presents, is that of a state of trial, in which they who are desirous of improvement, are disciplined as in a school, with good and evil, as the means of correcting their faults, and preparing them for a better life. This world may likewise be considered as a natural proof of a better. From the inequality of reward and punishment, which we observe here, we may well suppose, a just God will rectify all this inequality hereafter. But But at present, I mean to consider the world in neither of these lights, but to hold it out merely as a kind of exhibition of the nature of a future world. Of this, it is true, it gives us but a dim reflected image; but yet enough to engage our admiration, and stimulate both our hopes and fears. The invisible things of God, the text tells us, are clearly seen by the things that are made—that is, we may clearly make out the analogy between them. In the various modes of animal enjoyment here, we see enough to convince us of the inclination our great Creator has to promote our happiness hereafter. On the other hand, we see enough of evil, to convince us, that as misery, as well as happiness, is held out in this world, it may naturally be expected in the next. - We see, farther, various instances of beauty and deformity, both in the animal and vegetable world. We are led, therefore, to conceive highly of the beauty of angelic forms; while, on the other hand, the various degrees of deformity furnish us with conceptions of the great power of an Almighty hand, in giving wickedness hereafter those hideous appearances which may best suit its nature. Lastly, though the best of men have much ground for unhappiness, when they consider their inability to act up to their known duty; yet sometimes such heartfelt joy—such bright rays of hope spread over their minds; that if their depressions are the sensations of future misery, their happier moments give them a foretaste of future happiness. Thus God hath given us various emblems in this world, of what we may expect in the next. They are lessons, which certainly have useful morals. The world is full of analogies; and analogy is one of the best comments on the works of God.. |