Verses 16-21. "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do : I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

This parable was a warning to the two brothers who had been disputing about the money or land left by their father. It showed the one who had it, that he must take heed how he used it. It showed the other how little it was really worth his care. It was a warning to them,--to all the people who stood around, and to every one of ourselves who read it. Let us think it well over, that we may clearly see all that it teaches.

This rich man did not cheat or steal. It was not by wrong doing that he became rich. It was in an honest way. He was the owner of land, and it "brought forth plentifully." Why was He a fool? Oh let us lay it well to heart; he was a fool because he forgot who gave him his riches. He forgot that he had to account for what he did with them. Whatever God gives to man that is more than food to eat, or raiment to put on, He gives for him to share with others. It is not meant by this that the rich man is, after he has kept enough for food, clothes, and house, to give all the rest to the poor. No, this would be doing more harm than good, for he must, if he can, keep the station in which God has placed him; but he must beware of selfishness. He must remember God in all he does, and in all he does not do. He must be glad that he is rich

enough to employ those who earn their bread by labour, glad to help those who cannot work, and very glad that he can help forward the kingdom of God by giving his money to pay for teaching the ignorant in his own country, and in the faroff lands where the gospel of Christ is carried. By thus taking thought for God's service in the good of man, a blessing will be on his riches; and when his soul is required of him, he will leave the cares and anxieties of life,-for no man is free from these, and will go home to his Father's house, to find with Him those true riches which bring with them no care.

How different from the man in the parable! His only thought, when his goods increased, was, where he could store them best for himself, that he might spend the rest of his days in selfish pleasure.

He was a fool indeed, for he knew well this life could not last, and yet he made it his only care. He knew well that in any moment he might be forced to leave all behind him; that in a very short time he must leave all behind him, and be carried by death into another world that would last for ever, and yet, for that other world he took no care. No man can be sure that the greatest prudence will make him certain of riches here. We see this every day where we least expect it. The best laid plans are disappointed, and the man who thought he was sure of plenty for his old age, becomes suddenly quite poor. But no man who has truly tried to be rich towards God ever was, or ever can be disappointed. No one can fail whose hopes are in God's keeping.* The poor man must not think that he has

* There was once a man who was born heir to a great estate. His father was a spendthrift, and was soon forced to sell his house and lands to pay his debts. At his death the son found himself with a very small income instead of the large fortune he had expected; but the thing that grieved him most was, that the old family place had passed into other hands. He resolved that it should be the object of his life to save money, and to make money, that he might buy it back. Pinchingly and sparingly he lived where no one knew him. Not a single comfort of life would he allow himself, and every farthing that was not needed for

nothing to do with this parable, because he has no need of house or barn in which to lay up his store,—no riches to lay by. If his heart is set upon the wish for these things, or his peace destroyed by grumbling for the want of them, to him also the parable says, "Thou fool," for his soul may also in one night be required of him, and then, as the rich man would be nothing bettered by having had all these things, so he would be nothing the worse for the want of them; but very, very much the worse for having so set his desires upon them, as to neglect that which would have made him rich in heaven,-the service of God-the care of his soul.

LI.

When our Lord had shown the little worth of riches to the man who had asked him to speak to his brother, that He would divide the inheritance with him, and, by a parable had taught every one present to think of the truth they were so apt to forget, that one night, one moment was enough, to strip the bare necessaries, he laid out to the best interest. Time passed on. Fifty years after the estate had been sold, the tenants and neighbours were astonished by being told that it had been bought back by the son of the last owner. They were invited to a great entertainment at the Hall, given by him to celebrate his restoration to the home of his fathers. They found a thin and care-worn old man, who received them with kind hospitality. Mirth and good cheer abounded; and while he feasted with them, he told them how he had lived upon a crust that he might enjoy the happiness he now possessed, of redeeming his inheritance. They all felt for him, and with him, and they parted that night with mutual good will. They were to meet on the morrow to settle some business. Those who were appointed came, but their landlord did not appear.

He was found dead in his bed!

The suddenness of the change had produced its natural effect. He had died in the night, of apoplexy.

All the sacrifices he had made to redeem an earthly inheritance were useless; for it was gone from his grasp in an hour. But the heavenly inheritance, for which few care to make any sacrifice, can never be lost. It has been redeemed for us, its price fully paid; but none but those who truly value it, can enter upon it.

richest of all he had, to send him naked to the grave, without even the power of knowing what was to become of all his riches, he bade them look around on all God's works. He bade them mark how He fed the birds, and clothed the flowers with a beauty that was far beyond the gayest robes of the greatest king. Might they not, from this, learn to trust Him who cared for every thing He had made? Worldly hearts will disquiet themselves for the things of the world, but the children of God may surely find rest in the thought that God is their Father, and that He knoweth what things they have need of.

The Lord Jesus then spoke to those among the crowd whom He knew to be his true disciples, ready to part with all, and to suffer all for his sake. They were a little flock, and the world would soon be in arms against them. They need not fear, for God himself was on their side. They must indeed give up all they had in this world, for the hour was at hand when all that believed would have "all things in common," would sell their possessions and goods, and part "them to all men, as every man had need." (Acts ii. 44, 45.) Jesus knew that time was soon coming, and He said to them beforehand :

LUKE Xii. 32-34. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

These are nearly the same words as we have before read in Matt. vi., therefore we need not repeat, at this place, what has been said of them before, but let us take earnest heed to the next saying of our Lord, which concerns us much.

LUKE xii. 35-38.

"Let your loins be girded about, * Vol. I. p. 207--211.

and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding; that when He cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if He shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants."

You will find that our Lord very often made use of this figure to show his disciples their true place in this world. They were to look upon themselves as servants of a Master who, having given to each of them the work He wished them to do, left them for a time, telling them that He would return to take account of their work, and to reward their faithful service. They were to be always ready for him, but no time for his coming could be fixed. This is the first time that our Lord brings this figure before them, and we had better look at its meaning verse by verse. He told his followers that they were to have their loins girded about, and they knew very well the meaning of his words, for instead of clothes like ours, they wore loose dresses, which, when they had any work to do, they were obliged to fasten by drawing tight a girdle or band round their loins. The disciples knew that by telling them to have their loins girded about, He meant them to be always ready for active service.

Their lights were to be burning. We shall see, in a parable afterwards given by our Lord, that the lamp always trimmed, and brightly burning, is a picture of the Christian's state of mind when he so lives as to be ready at a moment's call to join his Lord. A light, not only lightens the man who carries it, but, in some degree, all who are near him. Those who wish