considération, that, in those days, there were no legislative provisions for the poor. No rich man was called on authoritatively, by the official agents of the government, or police, to pay a tax, levied with some reference to his possessions, and style of life; but every one, who sunk into a state of helpless poverty, either from misfortunes, old age, or disease, was compelled to depend for a wretched, and precarious subsistence, on the donations of the charitable, and the alms of the pious.

Without imputing to the rich man any of the grosser vices, or going farther into his character than the context seems to warrant, we may conclude, that his habitual voluptuousness, and >the constant routine of luxury, pride, and ostentation, in which he lived, had produced that thoughtless and unfeeling selfishness, which is the bane of social virtue, and is in direct hostility to our most essential duties. Where that prevails to such sinful excess, it is in vain to look for any of the generous, humane, or pa>tient virtues. Sympathy for the afflicted, therefore, assistance to those who need it, humility in reference to our own merits, forbearance to some, and brotherly kindness towards all, will be banished from the heart; while pride and

vanity, the love of ease, and an insatiable passion for pleasure, will occupy their place.

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The prominent sin of the Rich Man in the Parable, therefore, was that of abusing the gifts of Divine Providence, instead of improving them as he ought. He was worse than the servant in the Gospel, who was condemned for burying his talent in the earth; for "the good things which he had received in this life," were so perverted as to be the abundant means of evil. In his unprofitable hands, they seem to have led not only to the extinction of virtue, but to the propagation of vice: for no man could "fare sumptuously every day," without finding his luxury and ostentation accompanied, both in himself and his associates, with idleness and waste, with riot and debauchery, with gluttony and disease. We certainly shall not be held guiltless hereafter, if, in the enjoyment of health, we have not, by diligence and exertion, caided by the blessing of Providence, created the ordinary means of benefiting ourselves, and of doing good to others: but when those means are graciously put into our hands by the Almighty Father as our inheritance, to so pervert, neglect, or abuse them, as to render them only subservient to evil, must be sin of the most

heinous nature, combined with impious ingratitude to Heaven. It exceeds other sins, also, of ordinary transgression, in this respect; that the former may consist only of casual acts, with long intervals, perhaps, of repentance, or purposes of amendment; whereas the latter forms an uninterrupted series of evil, and is connected with an habitual omission of duty. This, then, was the heavy charge, which lay at the rich man's door, and which justifies the awful sentence that was passed upon him after death.

Interesting and instructive as this Parable will always be, there are some circumstances, which must have rendered it more peculiarly so to the Jews; who, in our Saviour's time, were divided into two principal sects; the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. A slight view of the Holy Gospel, without going farther, will inform us, that the former were proud, ceremonious, formal, and austere, beside being addicted to many superstitions, and yielding implicit obedience to a voluminous, oral law, which formed their traditions, and which in many cases, had superseded the law of Moses, or rendered it, as our blessed Lord declared, of no effect: while the latter, the Sadducees, receiving no part of the Jewish Scriptures, except the Pentateuch,

did not believe in the immortality of the soul, nor in any future state of retribution. They consisted chiefly of the rich and powerful; and their lives, influenced by the laxity and worldlymindedness of their religious tenets, were marked with luxury, indolence, and vicious pleasures. In addition to the peculiarities of their ritual law, they may be said, therefore, to have united the character of the ancient Sceptic, and the voluptuous Epicurean.

Now, our blessed Lord has indicated with sufficient certainty, but without expressly naming it, that the rich man in the Parable was a Sadducee. His manner of life suits the character of his sect, and the circumstance of his faring sumptuously "6 every day," seems to put the matter beyond all controversy; for the Pharisees had many fasts, which they strictly observed; and you may remember that the Pharisee, who is contrasted with the penitént and humble publican in the Holy Gospel, made it his boast, that he "fasted twice in the week."

After death, this wretched man is represented, in language which must of necessity be metaphorical, as suffering the dreadful punishment, that had been pronounced on his infidelity, his shameful omission of duty, and licentious course

of life. Here, finding that the terrors of a future judgment, which he had despised, were indeed real, and experiencing all the bitter remorse of conscience, he could not help feeling for those, whom he had left behind;-whose minds had been corrupted, and whose manners had been debauched, perhaps, by his temptations and example. He indulged the earnest, but vain desire, therefore, that the heretofore afflicted Lazarus, whom he recognised in a state of bliss, might be sent to his father's house: for," said he, “I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”

Let sceptics and blasphemers, cavillers and infidels, of all ages and countries, mark the memorable words of our heavenly Redeemer on this awful occasion." If they hear not Moses and the prophets," said he, "neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." The evidence which the Holy Scriptures furnish, therefore, is precisely of that nature and degree, which divine Wisdom deemed fit, and sufficient, for the end proposed. He who looks for demonstration, on subjects that admit only of degrees of probability, shews that he is ignorant of the respective boundaries of human knowledge; and while professing to be earnest