The crying evil of both the Church and of the world!
(Thomas Reade, “The Desire of More”)
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5
“You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or covetous person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a covetous person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world.” Ephesians 5:5
The love of money under every form, insinuates itself into every heart.
A day is fast approaching when it will be clearly seen whether Christ or Mammon has swayed our affections.
Covetousness, in the language of Scripture, is the desire of having more. If we are habitually desirous of riches, for their own sake, we are, in the estimation of God, covetous people, idolaters, the servants of mammon. Our station may be exalted; our profession of religion may be outwardly strict, but still our destruction is sure.
There are, perhaps, few sins which assume so plausible an appearance; and for which so many excuses are made as for that ofcovetousness. And hence it is that we have need to guard so much the citadel of the heart.
Covetousness, eating like a canker, upon the vitals of our religion–is the crying evil of both the Church and of the world!
What advantage did Lot’s wife, Achan, Gehazi, Judas, and Ananias and Sapphira, gain by their desire for more? They reaped shame and death; and now stand as beacons in the Word of God to warn us against their soul-destroying sin!
“For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?” Luke 9:25
The crying evil of both the Church and of the world!
The one indispensable book!
The one indispensable book!
(Daniel March, 1870)
The Bible is the oldest–and the newest of books.
The Bible surveys the whole field of time–and it looks farthest into the infinite depths of eternity.
The Bible lends the most vivid and absorbing interest to the scenes and events of the past–and it keeps us in the most active sympathy with the time in which we live.
The Bible gives us the most reliable record of what has been–and it affords us our only means of knowing what is yet to be.
The Bible is holy enough to denounce the very shadow and semblance of sin–and it is merciful enough to save the chief of sinners.
The Bible is full of God–and must therefore be read with a pure heart, or its true glory will not be seen.
The Bible is full of man–and must therefore always be interesting and instructive to all who would know themselves.
The Bible is the plainest of books–and yet it has depths of wisdom which no created mind can fathom.
The Bible is set up as a beacon to show all wanderers the safe way–and yet its light shines forth from thick clouds of mystery, and from abysses of infinite darkness.
The Bible describes all conditions of life–and it gives utterance to all desires and emotions of the soul.
The Bible has a song of triumph for the overcomer–and a wail of defeat for the overcome.
The Bible . . .
sparkles with the fervor and gladness of youth,
celebrates the strength and glory of manhood,
bewails the sorrows and infirmities of old age.
The Bible . . .
exults in the mighty deeds of kings and conquerors,
sympathizes with the poor and lowly,
lifts up the fallen,
delivers the oppressed, and
breathes the blessing of peace upon the quiet homes of domestic life.
The Bible describes with startling clearness . . .
the seductions of temptation,
the conflicts of doubt and
the miseries of skepticism.
The Bible . . .
searches the secret chambers of the heart,
brings to light its purest love and its darkest hate,
reveals its highest joy and its deepest grief.
The Bible compasses the utmost range of thought and feeling and desire–and it sounds the utmost depth of motive and characterand passion.
Thus in the Bible,
God and man,
earth and heaven,
time and eternity–
speak with one voice and teach the same truth.
The Bible sets forth the most spiritual and heavenly truths–in the lights and shadows of earthly scenes and human characters.
Thus the Bible is the one indispensable book . . .
for all ages–and all nations,
for all classes of men–and all states of society,
for all capacities of intellect–and all necessities of the soul!
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