n often enough die in
their beds, and leave children behind them, and found families, who
prosper for generations after they are dead? How were they recompensed
in the earth? Now this is one of the puzzles of life, which tries a
man's faith in God, as it tried the psalmists and prophets in old time.
But that the text speaks truth I do not doubt. I believe that the
prosperous bad man is recompensed in the earth--is punished in this life-
-often with the most terrible of all punishments--Impunity; the not being
punished at all; which is the worst thing in this life which can happen
to a sinner. But I am not going to speak of that, but rather of the
first part of the text, "The righteous shall be recompensed in the
earth."

Now is not the answer to the puzzle this: That God is impartial; that He
is no respecter of persons, but causing His sun to shine on the evil and
on the good, and His rain to fall on the just and on the unjust; and so
rewarding every man according to his work, paying him for all work done,
of whatever kind it may be? Some work for this world, which we do see,
and God gives them what they earn in this life; some work for the world
above, which we cannot see, and God gives them what they earn in this
life, for ever and ever likewise. If a man wishes for treasure on earth,
he can have it if he will, and enjoy it as long as it lasts. If a man
wishes for treasure in heaven, he can have it if he will, and enjoy it as
long as it lasts. God deals fairly with both, and pays both what they
have earned.

Some set their hearts on this world; some want money, some want power,
some want fame and admiration from their fellow-men, some want merely to
amuse themselves. Then they will have what they want if they will take
the right way to get it. If a man wishes to make a large fortune, and
die rich, he will very probably succeed, if he will only follow
diligently the laws and rules by which God has appointed that money
should be made. If a man longs for power and glory, and must needs be
admired and obeyed by his fellow-men, he can have his wish, if he will go
the right way to get what he longs for; especially in a free country like
this, he will get most probably just as much of them as he deserves--that
is, as much as he has talent and knowledge enough to earn. So did the
Pharisees in our Lord's time. They wanted power, fame, and money as
religious leaders, and they kne