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I. As existing IN CONNECTION with material prosperity.

1. This combination is general. Everywhere we see great material prosperity associated with spiritual destitution — great physical feasting and spiritual starving, great material wealth and spiritual pauperism.

2. This combination is deplorable. A sadder sight to a holy eye there cannot be than an individual, family, nation, surrounded with material abundance, and yet lean in soul, matter governing mind — bodies living tombs of souls.

II. As existing BECAUSE OF material prosperity. Why should material prosperity bring spiritual leanness?

1. Not because it is Divinely designed to do so. God does not make a man materially rich in order spiritually to starve him. The design of all His goodness to man is to lead him to repentance.

2. Not because there is any inherent tendency to do so. A man in possession of an abundance of material good is supplied with abundance of motives and facilities that tend to spiritual excellence. A condition of material prosperity is, we think, more favourable in itself to a cultivation of spiritual goodness than that of material poverty. The man of a well-fed body is especially bound to have a well-fed soul; the man with material wealth is especially bound to secure spiritual treasures. But in the case before us the material prosperity was the cause of spiritual leanness, and why? Because the material good was sought as the chief end. How general this is here in our England in this age! Desire for wealth is the all-absorbing passion, and hence souls are morally lean and dwarfed.

(Homilist.)

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KJV: They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

WEB: They soon forgot his works. They didn't wait for his counsel,