How wretched a termination of a life so agreeable! Such, however, is the general case of those whose riches are only employed in procuring pleasures. " They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell." (Job xxi. 13.) Ponder the torments of this once rich man; instead of purple and silk, he is invested with flames; instead of delicious fare, he is tormented with intolerable thirst; he who contemned the poor man is now, in his turn, contemned by him; he who denied the crumbs of his table, is now refused a drop of water. Thus God's punishments are proportionate to our offences. "The mighty," says the Wise Man, "shall be mightily tormented." (Wis. vi. 7.)
III. Consider the just judgments of God. The rich man is not heard in his torments, because he refused to be merciful to the poor during the short day of his prosperity. Therefore, when he begged for a drop of cold water, he was answered: " Remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime." As if it were unlawful to receive good things here and there too. And so it is, "for they who will live piously in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. iii. 12.) Do not therefore be too fond of prosperity in this life, lest you lose eternal happiness in the next. " For through many tribulations, we must enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts xiv. 21.)
TUESDAY.
The Rich Glutton and Lazarus— II.
I. " And there was a certain beggar, by name Lazarus." Christ condescended to mention the beggar's
