ast life. It must have been a terrible
picture as seen in the clear understanding of the spirit world. Once
his life had appeared pleasant enough, harmless enough; now Dives saw
it in its true colour, and understood the selfishness, the worldliness,
the godlessness which had ruined his soul. He saw all the mistakes
which he had made, and felt the terrible conviction that it was too
late to repair them. "Four things," says the Eastern sage, "come not
back again: the spoken word, the sped arrow, the past life, and the
neglected opportunity."

My brothers, what fate can be more awful than that of having to look
back upon a wasted life through all eternity? God has committed to you
a precious trust in the life you have. Your position, your wealth, or
poverty are nothing, whatever your life is it must be consecrated to
God. You must live for Him, and by Him, and walk in the way of His
commandments, if you are to be with Him through eternity. You can make
your own choice: God or mammon, this world, or the world to come are
before you, but both you cannot have. If you make your Heaven out of
the world's materials, you cannot expect to find it again beyond the
grave. Lastly, let us learn that the means of grace which we have are
sufficient for our salvation. The brothers of the rich man had Moses
and the Prophets, and further help was denied them. We have in God's
Church, and Sacraments, in God's Word, and in Prayer, the means of
drawing near to our Saviour, and saving our soul alive. We must not
ask for some new revelation, some fresh Gospel, some sign or miracle.
If we use not the means given us, neither shall we be persuaded though
one rose from the dead. It is sometimes the fashion in these days to
sneer at the preacher, or to listen with a polite contempt. God grant
that those "who come to scoff, may remain to pray."

SERMON XXXVII.

THE WAY OF LIFE.

(Second Sunday after Trinity.)

1 JOHN iii. 14.

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the
brethren."

The writings of S. John the Evangelist breathe forth love as a flower
garden does sweetness. Here lies the secret of S. John's title, "the
disciple whom Jesus loved." Love begets love, and the disciple was so
near to the heart of his Master because he loved much. When the text
was written he was a very old man, and Bishop of Ephesus. It was in
that fair and famous city that men worshipped the goddess Diana, of