yet, daily?" And how can such kneel down, and pray, as Jesus taught: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?" Oh, my beloved, how that "AS" will wring the conscience in the hour of death, and hurtle through the air of the great day of judgment, with the terrors of anticipated hell; as if the prayer had gone up to heaven reversed; and had its dread petition all fulfilled, “forgive us not our trespasses, as we forgive not those who trespass against us!" Remember what the Saviour answered Peter, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, until seventy times seven." Be guided by His precepts. Be conformed to His example. Restrain the injurious hand. Control the injurious tongue. Repress the injurious thought. Achieve, through grace, the double victory, over your enemies, and yourself. Among the ancient Romans, to save the life of a citizen was rewarded with the noblest of their honours, the civic crown. With what, shall he be crowned, who saves a soul from death? And, yet the prayer of love may win it, through the cross of Jesus Christ. SERMON XL. AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF. ST. LUKE XVI. 31.-If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. THESE words conclude the Gospel for the day. A large conclusion, one might say, from premises, so simple: "there was a certain rich man," " and there was a certain beggar." What can the process be, by which, an introduction so entirely common, attains "the height of this great argument?" A simple exposition of the passage will suffice to make it plain. If I should state, in fewest words, the drift of the whole parable "The Rich man and Lazarus," they would be those of our dear Lord, "What shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen; and fared sumptuously every day." Our Lord designs to sketch the perfect picture of all merely sensual enjoyment. It stands for that whole class, the aim and effort of whose being seem exhausted in the daily cry, "What shall we eat? And what shall we drink? And wherewithal shall we be clothed?" The things themselves are not unlawful. God gives them richly to enjoy. The "purple and fine linen" might be the vesture of a saint. They were, when William Howley, the late Primate of all England, wore them. The daily sumptuous fare, by no necessity, involves intemperance or gluttony. Doubtless, they are temptations. As certainly, they are not sins. Nor does our Lord imply that this abundance was procured by fraud, or by oppression. He merely sets be fore us, what is seen too often, and, too often, only to be envied, a man that lives but for the present, and for self. The more or less of riches does not make the case. The fineness of the linen, or the richness of the fare. The point lies, in just living, for the present, and for self. To heighten it, by contrast, another figure is brought in. "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed, with the crumbs which fell, from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came, and licked his sores." What an entire and perfect contrast! The rags and nakedness, with the fine linen and the purple. The lying, at the gate, with the luxurious palace. The coveted crumb, with the habitual feast. The sympathizing dog, with the disdainful man. How painful; yet, how perfect, is the picture! But, whatever be the difference of men, in station or condition, they have one thing common. "And it came to pass, that the beggar died; and was carried by the angels, into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried." Abraham was the father of the faithful. They were, all, his children. As little ones, that weary with their play, or come home tired from school, or are afflicted with some childhood's grief, find rest and refuge on the fond, parental, breast, so do the humble and the holy, the "little ones" of Jesus, find their shelter, from the weariness and woes of life, in the bosom of Abraham, in the society of saints, amid the tranquil and serene abodes, where they have rest in God. It is the same, which in the sacred Scripture is presented under another figure of surpassing beauty, as Paradise, the garden of the Lord. Called, by whatever name, it is the restingplace of faithful souls, who wait, in patient hope, the morning of the Resurrection. Into this blessed haven, he whom the dogs attended, in his life, was borne, by angels, at his death. And, now, the contrast is reversed. The rich man, also, dies. No doubt, he has a splendid funeral: whatever that may weigh, against the angelescort of the beggar. "And, in hell, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus, in his bosom. And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me; and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue: for I am tormented, in this flame." The tongue, which was so delicately served, with the most sumptuous viands, and most costly wines, parched, for one drop of water; the body, which no linen was too fine, nor Tyrian purple rich enough, to wrap, enveloped, now, in flames; the beggar, who lay starving and unnoticed, at his gate, now, sought to, as a minister of mercy, for his misery! was ever contrast drawn, so graphic and so fearful? And, then, the calm and quiet answer of the holy Patriarch: fearful and final, in its quiet calmness; "Son, remember, that thou, in thy lifetime, receivedst thy good things; and, likewise, Lazarus, evil things: but, now, he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And, besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed: so that they, which would pass, from hence, to you, cannot; neither can they pass, to us, that would come, from thence." The appeal is made, direct, express, inevitable, to his own conscience. Didst not thou choose the life, that was? Hast thou not had thy choice? Canst thou have both? Shall Lazarus have neither? Would that be right? Can God do wrong? "Thy good things," thou hast had; and art tormented, now. The world, all, thine. Thy soul, forever, lost. His "evil things" were all on earth. His faith, his patience, his long-suffering, now, are comforted. And, it must be, forever, so. There is no interchange, between the righteous and the wicked. He cannot lose his bliss. Thou must endure thy woe. "So is he, who heapeth up treasures, to himself; and is not rich, towards God." So little, does it "profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul." What follows, while it is inimitable as a stroke of nature, was needful to the lesson of the parable; and makes the rich man's case a warning, to mankind. "Then, he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brothers; that he may testify unto them; lest, they, also, come into this place of torment." Though, lost, VOL. III.-24 |