THE RICH MAN AND THE BEGGAR.

trust in them and love them, for
they then lead the heart away from
God. How then are we to make
friends of them? By using all we
have to the glory of God. This is
the right way of spending riches,
and whatever else God gives us.
These things must soon fail; and

Add

we must fail too, when we come to
die. But if we live in the faith,
and fear, and love of God, and use
all we have in His service, then
when earthly things fail, we shall
be received into an everlasting
habitation; into Heaven, to dwell
there for ever and ever.

nO Oren

CCCII.

JHE ficu Man AND THE BEGGAR.

8 HEN Jesus told the peo-
ple another parable.
( _ There was a certain rich

man who lived in a great
house, and had many ser-
vants, and was clothed in purple and
fine linen, and had plenty to eat and
to drink every day. At the gate of
this rich man’s house lay a beggar,
named Lazarus. This poor man had
no home to live in, no bed to lie on;
and all the food he had to eat, was
the crumbs which fell from the rich
man’s table. And Lazarus was sick
as well as poor. He was covered
with sores, and no one tried to heal
him, and make him well; only the
“ dogs came and licked his sores.”
Was not the poor beggar very
miserable? No; he had something
to make him happy. He had a
friend above; for Lazarus loved
God; and, as he lay at the rich
man’s gate, in hunger and pain, he
used to think of his home in Hea-
ven, and of those good things which
God has promised to those who
love Him. This comforted the poor
beggar, and made him happy; hap-

 

pier than the rich man was, for he
knew nothing of God; he cared
only for the things of this world.
At last, the beggar died; and
then the holy angels were sent to
carry his happy soul to Heaven ;—
Lazarus was taken safely to that
world where all tears are wiped
away. Soon after the rich man
died too. Great mourning was
made for him; and when he was
buried, many friends followed his
dead body to the tomb. But where
was his soul? No angels were sent
to carry it to Heaven; for the rich
man died as he had lived,—ignorant
of God—without repentance, and
without pardon. How very, very
sad his end was! “In hell he lift
up his eyes, being in torments.”
Then he looked towards Heaven,
and there he saw Lazarus, peaceful
and happy, in Abraham’s 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.” But Abraham answered,