Wednesday, June 11, 2008



"The riches of Christ are harmless riches. They are riches that will not hurt the soul, that will not harm the soul. Where is there a soul to be found in all the world that was ever made worse by spiritual riches? Oh but earthly riches have cast down many, they have slain many. If poverty, with Saul, hath killed her thousands, riches, with David, hath killed her ten thousands. Eccles. 5:13, 'There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt'. Earthly riches are called thorns, and well they may; for as thorns, they pierce both head and heart; the head with cares in getting them, and the heart with grief in parting with them. Oh the souls that riches have pierced through and through with many sorrows! Oh the minds that riches have blinded! Oh the hearts that riches have hardened! Oh the consciences that riches have benumbed! Oh the wills that riches have perverted! Oh the affections that riches have disordered and destroyed! Earthly riches are very vexing, very defiling, very dividing, and to multitudes prove very ruining.

It was a wise and Christian speech of Charles the Fifth to the Duke of Venice, who, when he had showed him the glory of his princely palace and earthly paradise, instead of admiring it, or him for it, only returned him this grave and serious memento, "These are the things which make us unwilling to die."

Thomas Brooks 1608-1680

2 comments:

Mel said...

I love this post! It has great personal significance for me. Many people think that with money comes unlimited freedom--freedom to make any choices they desire, and freedom from worry about present and future needs being met. In reality, money and the love thereof is a prison unto itself.

When my husband lost his job in 2005, God set me free from the prison of fear. He set in my heart the conviction that I would rather be homeless and in the center of His will than to be in a palace and outside of His will. Not that I desire to be homeless, of course I don't. But to be free from the fear of loss is a priceless gift for which I am endlessly grateful.

There is only one fear in my life now, and it is the fear of ever losing sight of the magnificent glory of God. But this fear is a gift, too, because by His grace, God allows this wonderful fear to keep me in a constant state of worship and prayer and utter dependence upon Himself.

FCB said...

Amen Mel, tis a good word.
Fred