Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Ver. 23. A rich man shall hardly enter] With that burden of thick clay, that camels bunch on his back. Heaven is a stately palace, with a narrow portal; there must he both stripping and straining ere one can get through this strait, gate. The greatest wealth is ordinarily tumoured up with the greatest swelth of rebellion against God
" Ardua res haec est opibus non tradere mores;
Et cum tot Croeses viceris, esse Numam. " Martial.
Vermis divitiarum est superbia, saith Augustine. Pride breeds in wealth as the worm doth in the apple, and he is a great rich man indeed, and greater than his riches, that doth not think himself great because he is rich. "Charge those that are rich, that they be not highminded" (for the devil will soon blow up such a blab in them, if they watch not), "and that they trust not in uncertain riches," 1 Timothy 6:17, so as to make their gold their God, as all worldlings do, and worse, for could we but rip up such men's hearts, we should find written in them, "The God of this present world." They that mind earthly things have destruction for their end, Philippians 3:19. Have them we may, and use them too, but mind them we may not, nor love them, 1 John 2:15; that is spiritual harlotry, such as God's soul hateth, and he "smiteth his hands at," Ezekiel 22:13 .