If riches increase, set not your hearts upon them: so if friends increase, set not your hearts upon them, but trust in the living God, let it be the living God that you rest on even for all outward things in this world.
Interpretation
Value spiritual trust over material wealth and social connections.
This quote emphasizes the importance of not becoming overly attached to wealth or even friendships, suggesting that true trust and rest should be placed in a higher power, specifically the living God. The message encourages individuals to seek inner peace and stability through spiritual faith rather than through external and often transient sources like money or social status.
In practice
During a sermon about the importance of relying on faith rather than wealth.
Now this is a mystery to a carnal heart. They can see no such thing; perhaps they think God loves them when he prospers them and makes them rich, but they think God loves them not when he afflicts them. That is a mystery, but grace instructs men in that mystery, grace enables men to see love in the very frown of God's face, and so come to receive contentment.
You may think you find peace in Christ when you have no outward troubles, but is Christ your peace when the Assyrian comes into the land, when the enemy comes?...Jesus Christ would be peace to the soul when the enemy comes into the city, and into your houses.
Mercy can purge the soul of sin, making room for a fresh start. Truth is vital in order that we have an unvarying standard by which to determine what we are to be and to do and what we are to rid ourselves of. All the cardinal virtues, therefore, carry their own intrinsic as well as outward reward. A merciful man does do good to his own soul.
The height of foolishness is to discard an opportunity without full investigation
Light the incense! You have to burn to be fragrant.
Reason, too late perhaps, may convince you of the folly of misspending time.
The future will show whether my foresight is as accurate now as it has proved heretofore.
If you wish to make Pythocles rich, do not add to his store of money, but subtract from his desires.
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