encourage themselves in habits of liberality towards causes
I prepared to leave the world? Have I any home to look forward to in the world to come. Have I put off the old man and put on the new? Am I really one with Christ, and a pardoned soul?" Surely such questions as these, may well be asked when the story of the rich man and Lazarus has been heard. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may incline many a reader's heart to ask them!
2. In the next place, I invite all readers who desire to have their souls saved, and have no good account to give of themselves at present — to seek salvation while it can be found. I do entreat you to apply to Him, by Whom alone man can enter Heaven and be saved, even Jesus Christ the Lord. He has the keys of Heaven. He is sealed and appointed by God the Father to be the Savior of all who will come to Him. Go to Him in earnest and hearty prayer, and tell Him your case. Tell Him that you have heard that He receives sinners — and that you come to Him as such. Tell Him that you desire to be saved by Him in His Own way — and ask Him to save you. Oh that you may take this course without delay! Remember the hopeless end of the rich man. Once dead — there is no more opportunity to be saved.
3. Last of all, I entreat all professing Christians to encourage themselves in habits of liberality towards causes of charity and mercy. Remember that you are God's stewards — and give money liberally, freely, and without grudging, whenever you have an opportunity. You cannot keep your money forever. You must give account one day of the manner in which it has been expended. Oh, lay it out with an eye to eternity, while you can!
I do not ask rich men to leave their situations in life and go into the workhouse. I ask no man to neglect his worldly calling, and to omit to provide for his family. Diligence in business is a positive Christian duty; provision for those dependent on us, is proper Christian prudence. But I ask all to look around continually as they journey on, and to remember the poor — the poor in body and the poor in soul.
We are here for a few short years. How can we do most good with our money while we are here? How can we so spend it as to leave the world somewhat happier and somewhat holier when we are gone? Might we not abridge some of our luxuries? Might we not lay out less upon ourselves — and give more to Christ's cause and Christ's poor? Is there none we can do good to? Are there no sick, no poor, no needy — whose sorrows we might lessen, and whose comforts we might increase? Such questions will never fail to elicit an answer from some quarter. I am thoroughly persuaded that the income of every Christian and charitable society in England might easily be multiplied tenfold, if English Christians would give in proportion to their means.
There are none, surely, to whom such appeals ought to come home with such power — as professing believers in the Lord Jesus. The parable of the text is a striking illustration of our position by nature, and our debt to Christ. We all lay, like Lazarus at Heaven's gate, sick unto the death, helpless, and starving. Blessed be God, we were not neglected as he was! Jesus came forth to relieve us. Jesus gave Himself for us — that we might have hope and live. For a poor Lazarus-like world — He came down from Heaven, and humbled Himself to become a man. For a poor Lazarus-like world — He went
up and down doing good, caring for men's bodies as well as souls, until He died for us on the cross!
I believe that in giving to support works of charity and mercy, we are doing that which is according to Christ's mind — and I ask readers of these pages to begin the habit of giving, if they never began it before; and to go on with it increasingly, if they have begun.
I believe that in offering a warning against covetousness, I have done no more than bring forward a warning specially called for by the times, and I ask God to bless the consideration of these pages to many souls!