of our probation. It is the school of eternity. What in the world are we about? What are we doing in it? One would think, when we see the way in which so many live, hunting pleasure, as though death was not, running away from thought, as though reflection was a kind of crime, drowning care, as if trial was not wholesome, shutting out the prospects of the world to come as though this world was all, living for this present state, neglecting God, indulging self, looking for their goods here; one would suppose that there was no future, that man was but an insect living for a day, that man begins here and ends here. And yet the truth is that life is the vestibule through which we pass into an endless being, and time the preparation for an existence which knows no bounds. Our life here is the spring time in which we are sowing seeds which will hereafter become a crop. And as we sow so shall we

reap. Yes, we shall reap as we sow. What we shall be hereafter is not a matter of chance. Our future condition is not a question of bad or good luck. Our eternal state may be foretold with the most perfect certainty. He that, like the rich sinner, "sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;" and he that, like Lazarus, "sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Be sure of this, my beloved brethren. This life which we are now leading is a most serious affair. Awful issues are depending on it. What we now do is either fitting our souls to be carried by Angels to "Abraham's bosom" and the rest of Paradise, or is delivering us up, bound hand and foot, to be cast into "this flame" as soon as death comes, and into the lake which burns with fire unquenchable at the day of judgment. Oh this life of ours is a most real and

most solemn business. Do not let us gamble and chance away our souls. If we do, they will be lost for certain and for ever. The only wisdom is to make our calling and election sure, and to aim at reaching Paradise now, that when we die its golden gates may at once open, and receive us into those cool and shadowy arbours where the sun shall not burn by day neither the moon by night.

Do not let us trifle with it.

III. And, further, let us observe that it is only fit and proper that our lot should be settled and determined here. God places us on earth. God tells us the things which shall be hereafter. God puts goods within our power; wealth, or ability, or other gifts. And then He tells us, 'These may be used in two ways. You may be selfish, or you may love your fellow-men. You may think only of your own good, or you may care for others. If you are selfish, if you exhaust your goods upon yourself, if you have no care for others, if you say, 'Here is my rest, and I live for this world,' then for this world you shall live, and you can have no future goods. You cannot live for this world and for the next world too. On the other hand, if you spend your goods, whatever they may be, upon others, if love is your animating principle, if you live for the world to come, if you invest your goods in heavenly securities, helping the poor, comforting the distressed, ministering to Christ in his suffering members, then you shall find your goods again hereafter. You shall have comfort in Paradise. That which you thus lay out shall be paid you again. You shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.'

That is the rule of God's dealings with mankind, and it is a just rule. If a foolish prodigal wastes his

money, squandering it on every folly, taking no thought for the morrow, indulging every strange caprice, humouring every foolish whim, we may pity him as a poor fool, we may commiserate his wretchedness when he finds himself a beggar with no money and no friends, but we do not say that he should be restored to his former wealth and set up again in his former condition. On the contrary, we think that he richly deserves the punishment which he has brought upon himself by his insane conduct, and we feel that justice has only meted to him according to the laws of right. But if, upon the other hand, a man, by prudence, by self-control, by wise and judicious use of every opportunity which came before him, has improved his position, and raised himself step by step into a higher and more prosperous condition in life, we rejoice in his success, we congratulate him on the foresight which he has shown, we tell him that not only has success been achieved, but, what is more, that success has been deserved richly. The one refusing to look forward loses everything, and we feel that he deserves the loss. the future, accomplishes the aimed, and we feel that justice has been satisfied. Folly looking for its goods now is punished, but faith expecting future blessings wins its sure reward. We judge in this way of the conduct of men as respects the goods which may be won on earth. We consider it right that those who look before them should at length attain the goods at which they aim, and that men who will not look beyond the moment should suffer every loss. We think this fair, and equitable, and just. And, precisely on the same principle, we must acknowledge the rectitude of that

The other, living for designs at which he

Divine judgment which condemned the rich sinner to the place of torment, and gave the faithful Lazarus a place in Abraham's bosom, and the fulness of an eternal rest.

IV. We acknowledge, then, that all which befell these two persons was right and just. If men choose to have their goods here they must have them here. If they choose to have their goods there they must have them there. That is justice. But we may go a step further and learn from Abraham that it is necessary. It must be so. It cannot be otherwise. It is impossible that anything else should happen. Besides what justice requires and determines, there is a moral necessity that evil and good should be separated and should each go to its own place. For a time it is well that good and evil should be blended and commingled. For a time it is good that tares and wheat should grow together in the same field, and that bad and good fish should be enclosed in the same net. Lazarus and Dives may be members of one church on earth, may share the same privileges, enjoy the same ordinances, worship in the same temple, use the same sacraments and means of grace. It is only right and good that this mingling of good and evil, this seeming confusion of light and darkness, should go on for a time here, because while life lasts men are on their trial, and character may be changed, and even at the eleventh hour some poor thief may be converted. But in the nature of things good and evil are as contrary as heat and cold, or light and darkness. And therefore when the temporary end has been accomplished, and the time of probation is over, and men pass from the school of earth to the real work and business of eternity, each must take the place which

best suits his own character. Light must go where all is light. Darkness must go to darkness. Satan must claim his subjects, and God must lay hold upon His sons.

This is a necessity. And it is equally needful that this state of things should last for ever. There is a great gulf between Heaven and hell, because there is an essential and eternal difference between good and evil. Lazarus lay at the gate of Dives here, but Lazarus cannot go to Dives now, because Lazarus cannot pass the gates of hell. The gates of Heaven open to admit and entertain the sons of light, but never to exclude them again from the realms of blessedness. So likewise those who pass into the hands of Satan are bound with chains which no strength can break, within a prison which when once shut is shut fast and for ever. Lazarus could not carry one drop of water across that yawning chasm which divides the perfect happiness of saints from the everlasting miseries of hell.

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Think then, my dear brethren, of these solemn lessons which Abraham teaches you from his place of joy and rest. Abraham loved that son of his who cried to him out of that dark region which borders upon the fire of hell. But Abraham could not help that lost sinner. He had sought his goods here. had lived for himself, and therefore he could not be happy afterwards. That was his offence; he had been selfish. We do not read that he had done much harm. Men sometimes say, 'I have done no harm,' and think that this will save them. But doing harm was not the cause of this man's damnation. The rich man was lost because he had contented himself with only doing no harm. He ought to have done good. perished for ever because he was not good, and had

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