Tendency of.

LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD, exceedingly.

Dt. 8: 11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 12 Lest when thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14 Then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. — 32: 13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. 15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

2 Ch. 26: 3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. 5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and, as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. 15 And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.

Ps. 30: 6 In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 55: 19 Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.—92: 7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.

Pr. 1: 32 The turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.-30: 8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in rain.

Not to be eagerly sought.

Ec. 5: 12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

Jer. 22: 21 I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear.

Ezk. 16: 49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.-28: 5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic, hast thou increased thy riches, and thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches:

Mat. 19: 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily, I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Mk. 4: 19 The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

1 Tim. 6: 8 Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money

is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness. [See 741.]

626. The eager pursuit of riches forbidden and discouraged.

Pr. 23: 4 Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wis dom. 28: 20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. 22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

Is. 5: 8 Wo unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

2 Pet. 2: 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the

RICHES.

Vain and transitory.

627

way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass, speaking with man's voice, forbade the madness of the prophet. See [133, 742-3.]

627. Riches vain and transitory.

Pr. 23: 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Ec. 1: 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 2: 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me; 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, and of the provinces: I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also 10 And whatsoever mine eyes my wisdom remained with me. desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that 17 I had labored to do: and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 18 Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun because I should leave it unto the man that shall 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise be after me. man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor, wherehave shewed myself wise in I have labored, and wherein under the sun. This is also vanity. 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes. [See 148.]

38*

149

Proper use of riches- Righteousness and honesty required.

628. Proper use of riches.

1 Tim. 6: 17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, realy to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. [See 406.]

RIGHTEOUSNESS.

629. Righteousness, impartiality, truth, and honesty in spiritual and temporal things required and exemplified.

Lev. 19: 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Dt. 6: 18 Thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee. - 16: 20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

1 S. 12: 1 Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed; whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.

Ps. 51: 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Pr. 21: 3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.- 24: 23 It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

Is. 56: 1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

Mic. 6: 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Zec. 7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to

Rewarded, or "Gain of Godliness.

his brother: 10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Lk. 20: 25 He said unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which be Cesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

Rom. 13: 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Ep. 6: 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness.

1 Th. 2: 10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblamably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

1 Tim. 6: 11 Thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meek

ness.

Tit. 2: 11 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us, that denying ungodli ness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. [See 56, 501, 659, 732.]

630. Righteousness and honesty rewarded, or the “gain of godliness" and toss by ungodliness.

Gen. 19: 15 When the morning arose, then the angels hast ened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither: therefore the name of the city wa called Zoar.

2 Ch. 16:9 The eyes of the LORD run to and fro through out the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Ps. 1: 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night, 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.-4: 3 Know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself.-5: 12 Thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield. — 15: 1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?