The other class of interpreters who understand the words literally, consider our Lord as saying merely, 'Do not bestow your principal attention on the accumulation of earthly treasures, but on the attainment of heavenly happiness,' as when he says "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto eternal life," that is, 'Let not the attainment of material bread which nourisheth the dying body, occupy so much of your time and attention, as the attainment of spiritual food which sustains the never dying soul. Be not so anxious to heap up wealth as to secure heaven.' This idea is, I have no doubt contained in the words, but it is contained in them merely because they are expressive of a much more comprehensive sentiment.

The phrase "lay up treasures" in the first injunction, is, I apprehend, figurative, as it obviously is in the second. To "lay up treasure in heaven" cannot mean, to make heaven, not earth, the repository of the wealth we may accumulate. It means obviously to seek for, and expect, happiness in heaven. In like manner, to "lay up treasures on earth" is to seek, or expect, happiness on earth, or in earthly objects, in the wealth, in the honours, in the pleasures of the present state. It is as if our Lord had said, 'I know you are looking for happiness on the earth under the Messiah's reign, that you are expecting it in a state of worldly prosperity; but you must "repent," you must change your mind, or you will be miserably disappointed. The happiness which the Messiah brings is spiritual happiness. It is to be enjoyed in perfection not on earth, but in heaven, and it is of a far higher and more excellent nature than that earthly happiness which you are making the chief object of affection and pursuit. "Lay not up treasures on earth," do not attempt to build a permanent residence for yourselves here. Do not set your hearts on any thing seen and temporal as worth your supreme attention, or capable of satisfying all your wishes.'

The reason our Lord assigns for this injunction is appropriate and forcible: All things material are liable to change, and destruction; they may be wrested from us by the arm of violence, they may moulder away in our possession.

There is a peculiar beauty and propriety in the figurative language used by our Lord: "Moth and rust corruptthieves break through and steal." In Oriental countries, and in an age when commerce was comparatively in its infancy, the rich were distinguished from the poor, chiefly by large wardrobes of costly garments, by hoards of the precious metals, either in small pieces for the purpose of exchange, or formed into vessels of curious workmanship, and by richly stored repositories of grain and fruits, and similar provisions. These treasures were peculiarly liable to be consumed by the moth, and by rust, and in danger of being carried off by the thief or the robber.

The idea intended to be conveyed is, 'All happiness of a worldly kind is uncertain, all earthly enjoyments are at once perishable in themselves, and in danger of being lost by innumerable accidents.' All the possessions and pleasures that are to be found in this life, are unquestionably, in their own nature, liable to decay, and "perish in the using." Even when they are not taken from us, how often do they lose the qualities which originally fixed our regard, and though they do not cease to exist, cease to please! Like faded flowers, they become offensive instead of pleasant. Even if they were more satisfying and less corruptible than they are, how difficult-in many cases, how impossible-it is to retain them long! "They take to themselves wings, and fly away as an eagle towards heaven;" and though they continue, how easily can the stroke of disease render us totally incapable of enjoying them, and how suddenly may, how certainly must, the stroke of death separate us at once and for ever from them, and send us away "Naked as we

came."

The uncertainty of worldly treasure, in one of its most coveted forms, wealth, is most graphically described by our Lord. "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 1

Is it not folly, then, to seek for happiness in earthly things? Let us thankfully receive, let us temperately enjoy, that portion of the good things of this life, which our Father who is in heaven is pleased to bestow on us, but let us not set our affections on them. Let us not seek our happiness in them. Let us not take up with them as if they could be a satisfying portion to our rational immortal natures.

Instead of seeking happiness on earth, let us seek it in heaven. "Lay up," says our Lord, "treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, nor thieves break through nor steal." As to lay up our treasures on earth, is to expect and seek for happiness in earthly things, so to lay up our treasures in heaven, is just to expect and to seek happiness in heavenly things, things unseen and eternal. The happiness of a being like man, spiritual and immortal, and intimately related to God, consists in as perfect a knowledge of God, as complete a conformity to God, as close an intercourse with God, as his capacities admit of, and this maintained throughout the whole eternity of his being. This is man's true happi

Luke xii. 16-21.

ness. This is to be obtained only in heaven. God is in heaven, and "with him is the fountain of life."

2

This happiness is placed beyond the reach of accident or change. Force cannot wrest it from us; fraud cannot beguile us of it. It forms part of the very nature, intellectual and moral, of him who possesses it, and he can no more lose it, than he can lose himself. The inheritance above is "incorruptible, and undefiled, and fadeth not away.” There is nothing in its own nature to cause decay, and it is secured from all external violence. It is at once incorruptible and eternal. It is thus suited to the immortal spirit. Instead of weakening and wearying our powers, it exalts and strengthens them. "The appetite grows with what it feeds on." The satisfactions rising out of these celestial enjoyments are not lessened by repetition, nor disturbed by the fear of their coming to an end. They shall endure for ever, and shall not merely never be diminished, but shall grow with the enlarging capacity for excellence and happiness, throughout eternity. Surely, then, our Lord's exhortation is a most reasonable one. 'Seek for happiness, not on earth, but in heaven.'

It is of the utmost importance, that we form a just estimate of what is necessary to true happiness, a just judgment as to where true happiness is to be found, for the whole tenor of our thoughts, and affections, and active pursuits, will be regulated by that estimate and judgment. "Where the treasure is, there will the heart be also." Whatever we consider as our chief good,-that which is at once necessary and sufficient to make us happy,-will, from the very constitution of our nature, employ our principal thoughts, draw forth our most earnest desires, fix our fondest affections, stimulate and guide our most active and persevering pursuits. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance, that we form a just judgment where our treasure lies.

1 Psal. xxxvi. 9.

21 Pet. i. 4.

If we think happiness is to be found in wealth, or in honour, or in power, or in worldly pleasures, whether sensual, intellectual, or social-if we think it is to be found in any thing earthly-then our whole character will be "of the earth, earthly;" our thoughts, our affections, our desires, our pursuits, will all correspond with the object of our supreme estimation. And, on the other hand, if we be persuaded happiness is to be found in heaven, and only in heaven, in knowing God, in loving God, in being loved by God, in knowing that we are loved by God, in being like Godthinking along with God, willing along with God, choosing what he chooses, finding enjoyment in what he finds enjoyment, then our whole character will be spiritual and heavenly, our thoughts, and affections, and desires, and pursuits, will correspond in their nature to the object of our supreme esteem. Of so much importance is it to place our treasure right, that is, in other and plainer words, to have right views of what is necessary and sufficient to make such beings as we are truly happy.

This truth our Lord illustrates by a very significant figure. "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" 1

1

The meaning of these words will be plain, if a slight alteration in the rendering—which, I apprehend, is not only warrantable, but necessary-be adopted. "The light of the body is the eye, if then thine eye be sound, the whole body is full of light; but if thine eye be distempered, then thy whole body is full of darkness; and if even the light in thee is darkness, how great will be that darkness!" 2 The eye is

1 Matth. vi. 22, 23.

2 Πονηρῶς ἔχειν, and κακῶς ἔχειν, are the opposite of υγιαίνειν. Απλοῦς is the translation of the Hebrew, r, which is also rendered by óλózanges, which is equivalent often to healthy, whole and sound. Theophylact expounds seus by