the case with regard to riches. Others consider it as a proper Syriac word, for riches, or money. This is the word which is used in the Syriac in Exod. xxi. 30: "If there be laid on him a sum of money," mamona or mammon, "then he shall give for the ransom of his soul whatsoever is laid upon him." Augustine mentions that "gain, in the Carthaginian language was called mammon.”* It is generally understood, too, that there was an idol called Mammon, answering to Plutus, who was worshipped by the heathen, as the god of wealth. At all events, it is clear that the word mammon here signifies riches. As to worldly riches being called, in the 9th verse, "the mammon of unrighteousness," and, in the 11th verse, "the unrighteous mammon," this may perhaps have some reference to the sin which is so often connected with them, in acquiring them, and holding them, or abusing them, and, especially, in setting the heart on them. "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. 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. But, as the mammon is here said to be "unrighteous," in the way of contrast with the "true" riches, the description seems intended chiefly to suggest the unsatisfying, uncertain, and deceitful nature of worldly wealth, contrasted with the satisfying, certain, and solid nature of spiritual and saving blessings. Unrighteousness is mentioned as opposed to truth in other passages, thus: "Unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness;"+ and again, charity "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth." are told of "the deceitfulness of riches" "choking" the word; and we are cautioned against trusting in " uncertain riches." Riches are, indeed, proverbially uncertain. "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven." They often altogether elude the pursuit; and, when they are acquired, they fail to give the satisfaction which was expected from them.‡

We

The exhortation to "make friends of," or rather, by, or with, “the mammon of unrighteousness," does not refer to *"Lucrum punice mammon dicitur."

Rom. ii. 8; 1 Cor. xiii. 6.

"Quod si dolosi refulserit spes nummi."-Persius.

ill-gotten gain; for, that ought to be immediately restored; but it refers to all worldly possessions which we hold in a lawful way; and the way to make friends with them is to use them aright—that is, neither to waste them extravagantly, nor to hoard them penuriously, but allowing for what the maintenance of our station in life and prudence require, to bestow them liberally in works of piety and charity. Such an appropriation of them will make friends for usfriends, not only for time, but for eternity. This, with reverence be it spoken, will make even God himself our friend. We must not, indeed, suppose that the pious and benevolent use of our property could make God our friend in the way of merit, or purchase any favour at his hand; on the contrary, we must look to the Saviour alone for the ground of our acceptance. For any thing that we could do, or give, our salvation would be hopeless: every favour we can receive is free; and should any one of us dream of meriting salvation by the use he makes of his money, he might well consider himself as thus rebuked: "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter; for, thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent, therefore, of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." But, as addressed to true disciples, to those who are already" accepted in the Beloved," these words come evangelically, and with the greatest force. "Ye are my friends," saith Christ, "if ye do whatsoever I command you." And he, of course, is the friend of those who are his friends; for, friendship implies a mutual tie. The Lord cannot but have complacency in those who obey him in any department of duty, and, in particular, in those who "honour him with their substance, and with the firstfruits of all their increase."

Make to yourselves friends by the right use of your worldly wealth, "that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. "When ye fail,”* that is, when ye die; for so this word, like the word used in the original, sometimes signifies, as well as a corresponding word in the Hebrew. "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of * Εκλίπητε. Εκλιπειν μοι φαινεται ἡ ψυχη.-Xen. Cyr. viii. Εν ῥομφαια και ἐν λιμῳ ἐκλείψετε.—Jer. xlii. 22. Septuagint.

men." "My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." The everlasting habitations, here spoken of, are evidently heaven, the rest which remaineth for the people of God. "We have here no continuing city; but we seek one to come."”—“ For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." It may be that the phrase, "they may receive you," is merely a Hebraism for ye shall be received." So, a similar form of expression, in the original, is rendered, in Luke xii. 20: "Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee,"—more literally, they shall require thy soul of thee."* If, however, we are to consider this phrase as pointing to the particular persons who are to receive the righteous after their death, they must be the inhabitants of heaven. The saints, who are there before them, especially, those of them whom they knew and relieved, will doubtless welcome them home. The holy angels will also joyfully receive them: for, we are told in a subsequent part of this chapter, that Lazarus, when he died, "was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." The dying believer is encouraged, after the example of David and Christ, to commend and commit his spirit into his heavenly Father's hands. He is also taught, after the example of Stephen, to say, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." That the Redeemer will receive his followers into everlasting habitations, he himself thus expressly declares: "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also." We are even told the words with which he will welcome them, with an express reference to the good use they made of their substance: " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.' Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

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Our Lord proceeds to say, "He that is faithful in that

* See also Rev. xii. 6, xvi. 15.

which is least, is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.” This verse not only paves the way for what our Lord afterwards says of the "true," or spiritual, riches, which are "much," or valuable, in comparison of the unrighteous and deceitful earthly riches, but also shows that the exhortation which he has given before is applicable, not only to those who are very rich, and have very extensive transactions to manage, but to all persons whatever, seeing every man has something committed to his trust, however small, which he is bound to administer faithfully. The statement here made is agreeable to what might be expected, and generally takes place, in transactions between man and man. The principle and the habit of faithfulness in very small matters form the best security for faithfulness in those which are more important; whereas, though all are not so daring, it is well known that those who give way to habits of petty dishonesty, or of any kind of less heinous transgression, generally become worse and worse, and venture at last on deeds at which they would at first have shuddered. One of the most striking examples of this is found in the history of Judas Iscariot. "He was a thief, and carried the bag," or common purse of Christ and his disciples, from which, it is to be inferred, he was guilty of many petty peculations, almost without remorse. And what was the result? The spirit of mammon gained on him, till it led him to consummate his guilt, by betraying and selling the Lord of glory, for thirty pieces of silver. How conscientious, then, ought every man to be "not to go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, however small! for, besides the consideration that the least injustice is, in itself, a crime that infers condemnation, when the line of integrity is at all transgressed, the temptation to venture farther becomes very great, and it is impossible to say how far a man may go. But, though this saying thus applies to absolute dishonesty in men's dealings with each other, it is here spoken with a more immediate reference to their accountableness for their transactions to their heavenly Master: and in this view, there are many ways, besides what is commonly accounted dishonesty, in which they may be unjust, unfaithful, and guilty, in the management of their property, and other worldly concerns. If they waste their substance on positively sinful or useless objects, or, if they withhold from pious and charitable purposes what duty requires them to contribute,

they act unjustly-they rob God and the poor. In every thing of this nature, the Christian should exercise much consideration and caution. Nay, the spirit of this saying is applicable to every kind of iniquity; for, the man who is void of principle in one department, is generally void of principle in others; and all sin is "like the letting out of water"-when it finds vent at all, it usually widens the breach, and increases in volume and strength, till it sweeps on in an unrestrained current. As we have any regard, then, to our safety, let us be aware of our danger in this way; and let us, in God's strength, resist the beginnings of evil. Let us not do what we call a little evil, lest we be emboldened to do much. Let us not trifle with sin, lest it overwhelm us. Let us not begin to dally with the hideous serpent, lest he artfully entwine himself around us, and crush us to death in his coils.

In farther applying the subject, our Lord adds, “lf, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" We have already noticed that the unrighteous mammon is contrasted with the true riches, inasmuch as the former, or worldly riches, are uncertain, unsatisfactory, and deceitful; and the latter, namely, spiritual riches, or the blessings of salvation, are real,* certain, substantial, and permanent. These enrich the soul, are independent on outward circumstances, and are everlasting. Wisdom says, "Riches and honour are with me, yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver." They are rich indeed who, though they may be poor in this world, are “ rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him." Now, when our Lord says, If ye have not been faithful in the management of worldly property, who will intrust you with the true riches? he may be understood as intimating, that those who are not conscientious in earthly concerns, are very unfit persons to be intrusted with the office of "stewards of the mysteries of God," that is, with the ministry of the gospel. The lesson, however, seems to be more comprehensive, and may be stated thus-If men are unfaithful in worldly things, they have no reason to expect that the blessings of salvation will be conferred on them.

* Ἡ των όντως όντων κτησις δια ῥαστωνης οὐ περιγίνεται, “ The acquisition of true, or real, possessions, comes not from sloth."-Demophilus' Sentences. + Prov. viii. 18