As the summum bonum is the highest, so the instrumental is the lowest in the order of goodness: But riches cannot even be reckoned "bona unde facias bonum," much less "bona unde sis bonus."

(1.) Riches cannot purchase the favour of God.— Zeph. i. 8.

(2.) They will not assist the possessor in his pilgrimage to heaven.

(3.) They will avail nothing against many temporal calamities; they cannot ensure life, or health, or freedom from pain, or mitigation of sorrow, or ease of mind; but godliness is profitable for all things, not only in this life, but in that which is to come.

SIMILES.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.

QUOTATIONS.-Woe unto you that are rich!-Luke,

vi. 24.

See Luke, xvi. 19-23. "Dives and Lazarus."

A good name is rather to be chosen than riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.-Prov. xxii. 1. Princes have but their titles for their glories,

An outward honour for an inward toil;

And, for unfelt imaginations,

They often feel a world of restless cares.

Mock not flesh and blood

Shakspeare.

With solemn reverence: throw away respect,
Tradition, form, and ceremonious duty,

For you have but mistook me all this while:

I live with bread like you, feel want, taste grief,
Need friends, like you.-Shakspeare.

Thou dost pinch thy bearer, and doth sit
Like a rich armour worn in heat of day,
That scalds with safety.-Shakspeare.

As baggage is to an army, so is riches to virtue.— Lord Bacon.

What infinite heart's ease must king's neglect
That private men enjoy?

And what have kings that privates have not too,
Save ceremony, save general ceremony?
And what art thou, thou idol Ceremony?
What kind of god art thou, that suffer'st more
Of mortal grief than do thry worshippers?
What are thy rents? What are thy comings-in?
O Ceremony, show me but thy worth!

What is the soul of Adoration?

Art thou anght else but place, degree, and form,
Creating awe and fear in other men?

Wherein thou art less happy being feared

Than they in fearing ! . . . O be sick, great Greatness, And bid thy ceremony give thee cure!

Think'st thou the fiery fever will go out

With titles blown from Adulation?

Will it give place to flexure and low bending?

Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggar's knee,
Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream,
That play'st so subtly with a king's repose;

I am a king that find thee, and I know
"Tis not the balm, the sceptre, and the ball,
The sword, the mace, the crown imperial,
The inter-tissued robe of gold and pearl,
The farced title running 'fore the king,
The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp
That beats upon the high shore of this world,
No, not all these, thrice gorgeous Ceremony,
Not all these, laid in bed majestical,

Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave;
Who, with a body filled and vacant mind,

Gets him to bed, crammed with distressful bread;
Never sees horrid night, the child of hell,
But, like a lackey, from the rise to set
Sweats in the eye of Phoebus, and all night
Sleeps in Elysium; next day, after dawn,
Doth rise and help Hyperion to his horse;
And follows so the ever-running year

With profitable labour to his grave.-Shakspeare.

The personal fruition in any man cannot reach to feel great riches; there may be a custody of them, but no solid use to the owner.-Lord Bacon.

Solomon excellently saith, "Riches are a strong hold in the imagination of the rich man;" it is only in imagination; for certainly they have sold more men to dangers and troubles, than they have bought out.-Lord Bacon.

Seck not proud riches, for if you leave them to an heir, they are but as a lure to all the birds of prey round about to seize on him; and if for glorious gifts and foundations, you are liberal of another man's rather than of your own. -Lord Bacon,*

What riches give us, let us then inquire:

Meat, fire, and clothes. What more? Meat, clothes,
and fire.

Is this too little? Would you more than live?
Alas! 'tis more than Turner finds they give.
What can they give? To dying Hopkins, heirs?
To Cartres, vigour? Japhet, nose and ears?
Can they in gems bid pallid Hippia glow?
In Fulvia's buckle ease the throbs below?...
Then, fool to think God hates the worthy mind,
The lover and the love of human kind,

Whose life is healthful, and whose conscience clear,
Because he wants a thousand pounds a year. . . .
What nothing earthly gives or can destroy
The soul's calm sunshine, and the heart-felt joy,
Is Virtue's prize: a better would you fix?
Then give Humility a coach and six.-Pope.
Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum.- Ovid.
Aurum non satiat sed irritat appetitum.
Amor pecuniæ est radix omnium malorum.

CONCLUSION.

This is a very wise and just remark. for as money belongs to the next heir he who wills away his money at death in charities, does not give his own money but that of his successor.

THEME CXV. Love thy Neighbour as thyself.

INTRODUCTION.

1ST REASON.-Because thy neighbour is of ONE AND THE SAME BLOOD as thyself.

(1.) Thy neighbour is a human being like thyself. (2.) Seed of the same common parent.

(3.) Included in the same federal covenant in Adam.—

1 Cor. xv. 22.

2ND REASON.-He is of the SAME ADOPTED FAMILY. (1.) Redeemed by the same Saviour.

(2.) Sanctified by the same Spirit.

(3.) Member of the same mystical body. -1 Cor. xii: 27.

(4.) Joint heir of the same inheritance.

3RD REASON.-Love to man involves the MOST MOMEN

TOUS CONSEQUENCES.

(1.) It covereth a multitude of sins.—1 Pet. iv. 8.

(2.) It indicates the new birth unto righteousness. "Let us love one another (saith St. John), because love is of God, and he that loveth is born of God:" on the other hand, "he that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love."-1 John, iv. 7, 8.

(3.) It insures the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, for "if we love one another God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us;" and again, He that loveth dwelleth in God, and God in him:" but "he that loveth not abideth in death.”—1 John, iv. 12. 16. 1 John, iii. 14.

4TH REASON.-IT IS IMPERATIVE.

(1.) Ir is the second table of the law.-Matt. xxii. 39, 40.

(2.) It is the new commandment of the Gospel; “a new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another."-John, xiii. 34.

(3.) It is the fulfilling of every natural obligation betwixt man and man.-Rom. xiii. 10.

5TH REASON. IT IS MOST REASONABLE.

(1.) "If God so loved us we ought also to love one another."—1 John, iv. 11.

(2.) If you love Christ" who begat, you will love him that is begotten of Him."-1 John, v. 1.

(3.) If you love not your brother whom ye have seen, how can ye love God whom ye have not seen?"—1 John, iv. 20.

SIMILES.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.

QUOTATIONS.-I say unto you, 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."-Matt. v. 44, 45.

To love God with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength; and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.-Mark, xii. 33.

He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law: for this, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not bear false witness," "Thou shalt not covet;" and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."Rom. xiii. 8, 9.; see also Gal. v. 14.

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," ye do well.— James, ii. 8.

This is my commandment, "That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”—John, xv. 12. 17.

As touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.-1 Thes. iv. 9.

Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves. -1 Pet. iv. 8.