“an evil sickness,” Solomon calls it, “and reserved to them for an evil,” 12 verse. “They that will be rich fall into many fears and temptations, into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition.” 1 Tim. vi. 9. “Gold and silver hath destroyed many,” Ecclus. viii. 2. divitia saeculi sunt laquei diaboli: so writes Bernard; worldly wealth is the devil's bait: and as the Moon when she is fuller of light is still farthest from the Sun, the more wealth they have, the farther they are commonly from God. (If I had said this of myself, rich men would have pulled me to pieces; but hear who saith, and who seconds it, an Apostle) therefore St. James bids them “weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon them; their gold shall rust and canker, and eat their flesh as fire,” James v. 1, 2, 3. I may then boldly conclude with [3698]Theodoret, quotiescunque divitiis affluentem, &c. “As often as you shall see a man abounding in wealth,” qui gemmis bibit et Serrano dormit in ostro, “and naught withal, I beseech you call him not happy, but esteem him unfortunate, because he hath many occasions offered to live unjustly; on the other side, a poor man is not miserable, if he be good, but therefore happy, that those evil occasions are taken from him.”
[3699]Non possidentem multa vocaveris
Recte beatum; rectius occupat
Nomen beati, qui deorum
Muneribus sapienter uti,
Duramque callet pauperiem pati,
Pejusque laetho flagitium timet.
He is not happy that is rich,
And hath the world at will,
But he that wisely can God's gifts