 Chapter 13 of Practical Religion This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ruth Practical Religion by J. C. Weil Chapter 13. Riches and Poverty Part 1 There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores and designed to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores and it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried and in hell he lifts up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom Luke 16 19-23 There are probably few readers of the Bible who are not familiar with the power of the rich man and Lazarus. It is one of those passages of Scripture which leave an indelible impression on the mind. Like the power of the prodigal son, once read it is never forgotten. The reason of this is clear and simple. The whole power is the most vividly painted picture. The story as it goes on carries our senses with it with irresistible power. Instead of readers, we become lookers on. We are witnesses of all the events described. We see, we hear, we fancy, we could almost touch. The rich man's banquet, the purple, the fine linen, the gate, the beggar lying by it, the sores, the dogs, the crumbs, the two deaths, the rich man's burial, the ministering angels, the bosom of Abraham, the rich man's fearful waking up, the fire, the gulf, the hopeless remorse. All, all stand before our eyes in bold relief, stamp themselves upon our minds. This is the perfection of language. This is the attainment of the famous Arabian standard of eloquence. He speaks the best who turns the ear into an eye. But after all, it is one thing to admire the masterly composition of this parable, and quite another to receive the spiritual lessons it contains. The eye of the intellect can often see beauties while the heart remains asleep and sees nothing at all. Hundreds read Pilgan's progress with deep interest. To whom the struggle for the celestial city is foolishness. Thousands are familiar with every word of the parable before us this day, who never consider how it comes home to their own case. Their conscience is deaf to the cry which ought to ring in their ears as they read. There art the man. Their heart never turns to God of the solemn inquiry. Lord, is this my picture? Lord, is it I? I invite my readers this day to consider the leading truths which this parable is meant to teach us. I purposely admit to notice any part of it, but that which stands at the head of this paper. May the Holy Ghost give us the teachable spirit and an understanding heart, and so produce lasting impressions on our souls. 1. Let us observe first of all how different are the conditions which God allots to different men. The Lord Jesus begins the parable by telling us of a rich man and a beggar. He says not a word in praise either of poverty or of riches. He describes the circumstances of a wealthy man and the circumstances of a poor man, but he neither condemns the temporal position of one, nor praises that of the other. The contrast between the two men is painfully striking. Look on this picture and on that. Here is one who possessed abundance of this world's good things. He was clothed in purple and fine linen and fed sumptuously every day. Here is another who has literally nothing. He is a friendless, diseased, half-starved pauper. He lies at the rich man's gate, full of sores and begs for crumbs. Both are children of Adam. Both came from the same dust and belonged to one family. Both are living in the same land and subjects of the same government, yet how different is their condition. But we must take heed that we do not draw lessons from the power which was never meant to teach. The rich are not always bad men and do not always go to hell. The poor are not always good men and do not always go to heaven. We must not rush into the extreme of supposing that it is sinful to be rich. We must not run away with the idea that there is anything wicked in the difference of condition he had described, and that God intended all men to be equal. There is nothing in our Lord Jesus Christ's words to warrant any such conclusion. He simply describes things as they are often seen in the world and as we must expect to see them. Universal equality is a very high-sounding expression and a favourite idea with visionary men. Many, in every age, have disturbed society by stirring up the poor against the rich and by preaching up the popular doctrine that all men ought to be equal. But so long as the world is under the present order of things, this universal equality cannot be attained. Those who claim against the vast inequality of men's lots will doubtless never be in want of hearers. But so long as human nature is what it is, this inequality cannot be prevented. So long as some are wise and some are foolish, some strong and some weak, some healthy and some diseased, some lazy and some diligent, some provident and some improvident, so long as children reap the fruit of their parents' misconduct, so long as sun and rain and heat and cold and wind and waves and drought and blight and storms and tempests are beyond men's control, so long there always will be some rich and some poor, or the political economy in the world will never make the poor altogether cease out of the land. Deutonomy 15, 11. Take all the property in England by force this day and divide it equally among the inhabitants. Give every man above 20 years old an equal portion. Let all take share and share alike and begin the world over again. Do this and see where you would be at the end of 50 years. You would just have come round to the point where you began. You would just find things as unequal as before. Some would have worked and some would have been idle. Some would have been always careless and some always scheming. Some would have sold and others would have bought. Some would have wasted and others would have saved and the end would be that some would be rich and others poor. Let no man listen to these vain and foolish talkers who say that all men were meant to be equal. They might as well tell you that all men ought to be of the same height, weight, strength and cleverness or that all oak trees ought to be of the same shape and size or that all blades of grass ought to be of the same length. Settle it in your mind that the main cause of all the suffering you see around you is sin. Sin is the grand cause of the enormous luxury of the rich and the painful degradation of the poor of the heartless selfishness of the highest classes and the helpless poverty of the lowest. Sin must be first cast out of the world. The hearts of all men must be renewed and sanctified. The devil must be bound. The prince of peace must come down and take his great power and reign. All this must be before there ever can be universal happiness or the gulf be filled up which now devise the rich and poor. Beware of expecting a millennium to be bought about by any method of government by any system of education by any political party. Labour might and main to do good to all men. Pity your poor brethren and help every reasonable endeavour to raise them from their low estate. Slack not your hand from any endeavour to increase knowledge to promote morality to improve the temple condition of the poor but never, never forget that you live in a fallen world. The sin is all round you and that the devil is abroad and be very sure that the rich man and Lazarus are emblems of two classes which will always be in the world until the Lord comes. Two, let us observe in the next place that a man's temple condition is no test of the state of his soul. The rich man in the power bowl appears to have been the world's pattern of a prosperous man. If the life that now is were all seems to have had everything that heart could wish we know that he was clothed in purple and fined in and fared sumptuously every day. We need not doubt that he had everything else which money could procure. The wisest of men had good cause for saying money answer of all things the rich have many friends Ecclesiastes 10, 19, Proverbs 14, 20 but who that reads the story through can fail to see that in the highest and best sense the rich man was pitably poor. Take away the good things of this life and he had nothing left nothing after death nothing beyond the grave nothing in the world to come with all his riches he had no treasure laid up in heaven with all his purple and fine denon he had no garment of righteousness with all his boon companions he had no friend and advocate at God's right hand with all his sumptuous fare he had never tasted the bread of life with all his splendid palace he had no home in the eternal world without God without Christ without faith without grace without pardon without holiness he lives to himself for a few short years and then goes down hopelessly into the pit how hollow and unreal was all his prosperity judge what I say the rich man was very poor Lazarus appears to have been one who had literally nothing in the world it is hard to conceive a case of greater misery and destitution than his he had neither house nor money nor food nor health nor in all probability even clothes his picture is one that can never be forgotten he lay at the rich man's gate covered with sores he desired to be fed the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores fairly the wise man might well say the poor is hated even of his neighbour the destruction of the poor is their poverty Proverbs 14 20 and 10 15 but who that reads the parable to the end can fail to see that in the higher sense Lazarus was not poor but rich he had the best of God he was an heir of glory he possessed durable riches and righteousness his name was in the book of life his place was prepared for him in heaven he had the best of clothing the righteousness of a saviour he had the best of friends God himself was his portion he had the best of food he had meat to eat the world knew not of and best of all he had those things for ever they supported him in life they did not leave him in the hour of death they went with him beyond the grave they were his to eternity surely in this point of view may well say not poor Lazarus but rich Lazarus we should do well to measure all men by God's standard to measure them not by the amount of their income but by the condition of their souls when the Lord God looks down from heaven and sees the children of men he takes no account of many things which are higher esteemed by the world he looks not at men's money or lands or titles he looks only at the state of their souls and reckons them accordingly oh that you would strive to do likewise oh that you would value grace above titles or intellect or gold often far too often the only question asked about a man is how much is he worth it would be well for us all to remember that every man is pitifully poor until he is rich in faith and rich toward God James 2 verse 5 wonderful as it may seem to some all the money in the world is worthless in God's balances compared to grace hard as the saying may sound I believe that a converted beggar is far more important and honorable in the sight of God than an unconverted king the one may glitter like the butterfly in the sun for a little season admired by an ignorant world but his latter end is darkness and misery forever the other may crawl through the world like a crushed worm and be despised by everyone who sees him but his latter end is a glorious resurrection and a blessed eternity with Christ of him the Lord says I know thy poverty but thou art rich Revelation 2, 9 King Ahab was ruler over the ten tribes of Israel Obadiah was nothing more than a servant in his household yet who can doubt which was most precious in God's sight the servant or the king Ridley and Latimer were deposed from all their dignities cast into prison as manufacturers and at length burnt at the stake Bonner and Gardener their persecutors were raised to the highest pitch of ecclesiastical greatness enjoyed large incomes and died unmolested in their beds yet who can doubt which of the two parties was on the Lord's side Baxter the famous divine was persecuted with savage malignity and condemned to a long imprisonment by a most unjust judgment Jeffries the Lord Chief Justice whose sentencing was a man of infamous character without even morality or religion Baxter was sent to jail and Jeffries was loaded with honors yet who can doubt which was the good man of the two the Lord Chief Justice the Lord Chief Justice or the author of the Saints Rest we may be very sure that riches and worldly greatness are no certain marks of God's favor they are often on the contrary a snare and a hindrance to a man's soul they make him love the world and forget God what says Solomon Labour not to be rich Proverbs 23 4 what says St Paul fall into temptation and a snare into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Timothy 6 9 we may be no less sure that poverty and trial are no certain proof of God's anger they are often blessings in disguise they are always sent in love and wisdom they often serve to wean men from the world they teach him to set his affections on things above they often show the sinner his own heart they often make the saint fruitful in good works what says the book of Job happy is the man whom God corrects therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty Job 5 17 what says St Paul whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth Hebrews 12 6 one great secret of happiness in this life is to be of a patient contented spirit strive daily to realise the truth that this life is not the place of reward the time of retribution and recompense is yet to come judge nothing hastily before that time remember the words of the wise man if thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Jesus is 5 8 yes there is a day of judgement yet to come that day shall put all in their bright places at last there shall be seen a mighty difference between him that serve of God and him that serve of him not Malachi 3 18 the children of Lazarus and the children of the rich man shall at length be seen in their true colours and every one shall receive according to his works 3 let us observe in the next place how all classes alike come to the grave the rich man in the power will died and Lazarus died also different and divided as they were in their lives they had both to drink of the same cup at the last both went to the house appointed for all living both went to the place where rich and poor meet together thus they were and unto dust they returned Genesis 3 19 this is the lot of all men it will be our own unless the Lord shall first return in glory after all our scheming and contriving and planning and studying after all our inventions and discoveries and scientific attainments there remains one enemy we cannot conquer and disarm and that is death the chapter in Genesis calls the long lives of the fuselage and the rest who lived before the flood winds up the simple story of each by two expressive words he died and now after 4,800 years what more can be said of the greatest among ourselves the assistories of Marlborough and Washington and Napoleon and Wellington arrive at just the same humbling conclusion the end of each after all his greatness is just this he died death is a mighty leveler he spares none, he waits for none and stands on no ceremony he will not tarry till you are ready he will not be kept out by motes and doors and bars and bolts the Englishman boasts that his home is his castle but with all his boasting he cannot exclude death an Austrian noble man forbade death and a smallpox to be named in his presence but named or not named it matters little in God's appointed hour death will come one man rolls easily along the road in the easiest in Hampton's carriage that money can procure and never toils weirdly along the path on foot yet both are sure to meet at last one man like Absalon has fifty servants to wait upon him and do his bidding another has none to lift a finger to do him a service but both are travelling to a place where they must lie down alone one man is the owner of hundreds of thousands another has scarce a shilling that he can call his own property yet neither one nor the other can carry one thardy with him to God one man is the possessor of half a county another has not so much as a garden of herbs and yet two paces of the vilest earth will be amply sufficient for either of them at the last one man pampers his body with every possible delicacy and cloves it in the richest and softest of power another has scarce enough to eat and sold him enough to put on yet both are like a hurrying on to a day when ashes to ashes and dust to dust shall be proclaimed over them a fifty years hence none shall be able to say this was the rich man's bone and this the bone of the poor I know that these are ancient things I do not deny it for a moment I am writing stale old things that all men know but I am also writing things that all men do not feel oh no if they did feel them they would not speak and act as they do you wonder sometimes that the tone and language of ministers of the gospel you marvel that we press upon you immediate decision you think us extreme and extravagant and ultra in our views because we urge upon you to close with Christ to leave nothing uncertain to make sure that you are born again and ready for heaven you hear but do not approve you go away and say one to another this man means well but he goes too far but do you not see that the reality of death is continually forbidding us to use other language we see him gradually thinning our congregations we miss face after face in our assemblies we know not whose turn may come next we only know that as the tree falls there it will lie and that after death comes the judgment must be bold and decided and uncompromising in our language we would rather run the risk of offending some than of losing any we would aim at the standard set up by old Baxter our preachers though I now should preach again and as a dying man to dying men we would realise the character given by Charles II of one of his preachers that man preaches as though death were behind his back when I hear him I cannot go to sleep oh that men would learn to live as those who may one day die truly it is poor work to set our affections on a dying world and it short lived comforts and for the sake of an inch of time to lose a glorious immortality here we are toiling and laboring and wearing ourselves about trifles and running to and fro like ants upon a heap yet after a few years we shall all be gone and another generation will fill our place let us live for eternity let us seek a portion that can never be taken from us and let us never forget John Bunyan's golden rule he that would live well let him make his dying day his company keeper End of Chapter 13 Part 1 Recording by Ruth Chapter 13 Part 2 of Practical Religion This is a LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ruth Practical Religion by J. C. Rahl Chapter 13 Part 2 Let us observe in the next place how precious a believer's soul is in the sight of God the rich man in the power-ball dies and is buried perhaps he had a splendid funeral a funeral proportion to his expenditure while he was yet alive but we hear nothing of the moment when soul and body were divided the next thing we hear of is that he is in hell the poor man in the power-ball dies also the most burial he had we know not a pauper's funeral among ourselves is a melancholy business the funeral of Lazarus was probably no better but this we do know that the moment Lazarus dies he is carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom carried to a place of rest where all the faithful are waiting for the resurrection of the just there is something to my mind very striking very touching and very comforting the power-ball I ask your especial attention to it it froze great light in the relation of all sinners of mankind to believing Christ to their God and Father it shows a little of the care bestowed on the least and lowest of Christ's disciples by the king of kings no man has such friends and attendants as the believer however little he may think it angels rejoice over him in the day that he is born again of the spirit angels minister it to him through life angels encamp around about him in the wilderness of this world angels take charge of his soul in death and bear it safely home yes, vile as he may be in his own eyes and lowly in his own sight the very poorest and humblest believer in Jesus is cared for by his father in heaven with a care that pass of knowledge the Lord has become his shepherd and he can want nothing Psalm 23 verse 1 only let a man come unfaithfully to Christ and be joined to him and he shall have all the benefits of a covenant ordered in all things and sure is he laden with many sins though they be as scarlet they shall be white as snow is his heart hard and prone to evil a new heart shall be given to him and a new spirit put in him is he weak and cowardly he that enabled Peter to confess Christ before his enemies shall make him bold is he ignorant he that bore with Thomas his sloner shall bear with him and guide him in all truth is he alone in his position he that stood by Paul when all men forsook him shall also stand by his side is he in circumstances a special trial he that enabled men to be saints in nearer's household they were him to persevere the very hairs of his head are all numbered nothing can harming without God's permission he that hurteth him hurteth the apple of God's eye and injures a brother and member of Christ himself his trials are all wisely ordered Satan can only vex him as he did Job when God permits him no temptation can happen to him above what he is able to bear all things are working together for his good his steps are all ordered from grace to glory he is kept on earth till he is right for heaven and not one moment longer the harvest of the Lord must have his appointed proportion of sun and wind of cold and heat of rain and storm and then when the believers work is done the angels of God shall come for him as they did for Lazarus and carry him safe for home alas the men of the world little think whom they are despising when they mock Christ's people they are mocking those whom angels are not ashamed to attend upon they are mocking the brethren and sisters of Christ himself little do they consider that these are they for whose sakes the days of tribulation are shortened these are they by whose intercession kings reign peaceably little do they wreck that the prayers of men like Lazarus have more weight in the affairs of nations of armed men believers in Christ who may possibly read these pages you little know the full extent of your privileges and possessions like children at school you know not half that your father is doing for your welfare learn to live by faith more than you have done acquaintances as of the fullness of the treasure laid up for you in Christ even now this world no doubt must always be a place of trial while we are in the body that was provided for the brethren of Lazarus which many never enjoy five observing the last place what a dangerous and soul ruining sin is the sin of selfishness you have the rich man in the power in a hopeless state if there was no other picture of a lost soul in hell in all the bible you have it here you meet him in the beginning clothed in purple and fine linen you part with him at the end tormented in the everlasting fire and yet there is nothing to show that this man was a murderer or a thief or an adulterer or a liar there is no reason to say that he was an atheist or an infidel or a blasphemer for anything we know he attended to all the ordinances of the Jewish religion but we do know that he was lost forever there is something to my mind very solemn in this fort here is a man whose outward life in all probability was correct at all events we know nothing against him he dresses richly but then he had money to spend on his apparel he gives splendid feasts and entertainments but then he was wealthy and could well afford it we read nothing recorded against him that might not be recorded of hundreds and thousands in the present day who accounted respectable and good sort of people and yet the end of this man is that he goes to hell surely this deserves serious attention A. I believe it is meant to teach us to be aware of living only for ourselves it is not enough that we are able to say I live correctly I pay every one his due I discharge all the relations of life with propriety I attend to all the outward requirements of Christianity there remains behind another question to which the Bible requires an answer to whom do you live to yourself or to Christ what is the great end aim, object and ruling motive in your life let men call the question extreme if they please for myself I can find nothing short of this in St Paul's words he died for all the they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again 2 Corinthians 5 15 and I draw the conclusion we live only to ourselves we shall ruin our souls B. I believe further that this passage is meant to teach us the damnable nature of sins of omission it is not seen that it was so much to things the rich man did but the things he left undone which made him miss heaven Lazarus was at his gate and he let him alone but it is not this exactly in keeping with the history of the judgment in the 20th of St Matthew the sins of commission of which the flossed are guilty how runs the charge I wasn't hungry and you gave me no meat I was thirsty and you gave me no drink I was a stranger and you took me not in naked and you clothed me not sick and in prison and you visited me not Matthew 25 42 and 43 the charge against them is simply that they did not do certain things on this their sentence turns and I draw the conclusion again that except we take heed sins of omission may ruin our souls truly it was a solemn saying of good Archbishop Usher on his deathbed Lord forgive me all my sins but especially my sins of omission see I believe further that the passage is meant to teach us that riches bring special danger with them yes riches which the vast majority of men are always seeking after riches to which they spend their lives and of which they make an idol riches entail on their possessors immense spiritual peril the possession of them has a very hardening effect on the soul they chill they freeze they petrify the inward man they close the eyes to the thing of faith they insensibly produce a tendency to forget God and does not this stand in perfect harmony with all the language of scripture on the same subject? what says our Lord how hardly should they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for rich man to enter the kingdom of God Mark 10, 23 and 25 what says St. Paul the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they averred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows on their own on Timothy 6, 10 what can be more striking than the fact that the Bible has frequently spoken of money as the most fruitful cause of sin and evil for money a can brought defeat on the armies of Israel and death on himself for money Balaam sinned against light and tried to curse God's people for money Delilah portrayed Samson to the Philistines for money and tried to name him and Elisha and became a leper for money and Elias and Sapphira became the first hypocrites in the early church and lost their lives for money Judas Iscariot sold Christ and was ruined eternally surely these facts speak loudly money in truth is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions it takes away some cares no doubt but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away there is trouble in the getting of it there is anxiety in the keeping of it there are temptations in the use of it there is guilt in the abuse of it there is sorrow in the losing of it there is perplexity in the disposing of it two-thirds of all the strives, quarrels and lawsuits in the world arise in one simple cause money money most certainly is one of the most ensnaring and heart-changing of possessions it seems desirable at a distance it often proves a poison when in our hand no man can possibly tell the effect of money on his soul if he suddenly falls to his lot to possess it many and one did run well as a poor man who forgets God when he is rich I draw the conclusion that those who have money, like the rich man in the parable, ought to take double pains about their souls they live in a most unhealthy atmosphere they have double need to be on their guard d. I believe not least the passage is meant to stir up special carefulness about selfishness in these last days you have a special warning in 2 Timothy 3 1 2 in the last days perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous I believe we have come to the last days and that we ought to beware of the sins who are mentioned if we love our souls we are poor judges of our own times we are apt to exaggerate to magnify their evils just because we see and feel them but after every allowance I doubt whether there were more need of warnings against selfishness than in the present day I am sure there never was a time when all classes in England had so many comforts and so many temporal good things yet I believe there is an utter disproportion to immense expenditure on themselves and their outlay and works of charity and works of mercy I see this in the miserable one guinea subscriptions to which many rich men can find their charity I see it in the languishing condition of many of our best religious societies and the painfully slow growth of their annual incomes I see it in the small number of names which appear in the list of contributions to any good work there are I believe thousands of rich people in this country who literally give no way nothing at all I see it in the notorious fact that few even of those who give give anything proportion to their means I see all this and mourn over it I regard it as the selfishness and covetousness predicted as likely to arise in the last days I know that this is a painful and delicate subject but it must not on that account be avoided by the minister of Christ it is a subject for the times and it must needs pressing home I desire to speak to myself and to all who make any profession of religion of course I cannot expect worldly and utterly ungodly persons to view this subject in Bible light to then the Bible is no rule of faith in practice to quote text to them would be of little use but I do ask all professing Christians to consider well what scripture says against covetousness and selfishness half of liberality in giving money is it for nothing that the Lord Jesus spake the parable of the rich fool and blamed him because he was not rich toward God Luke 12 21 is it for nothing that in the parable of the surah he mentions the deceitfulness of riches as one reason why the seed of the word bears no fruit Matthew 13 22 is it for nothing that he says make to yourselves friends of the manment of unrighteousness Luke 16 9 is it for nothing that he says when thou makeest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a recompense remade thee but when thou makeest a feast call the poor, the maimed the lame, the blind and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just Luke 14 14 is it for nothing that he says sell that ye have and give arms provide yourselves bags which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that fail of not where no thief approacheth neither moth corrupteth Luke 12 33 is it for nothing that he says it is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20 35 is it for nothing that he warns us against the example of the priest and Levite who saw the wounded traveller but passed by on the other side is it for nothing that he praises the good Samaritan who denied himself to show kindness to a stranger Luke 10 34 is it for nothing that St. Paul classes covetousness with sins of the grossest description and denounces it as idolatry Colossians 3 5 is there not a striking and painful difference between this language and the habits and feeling of society about money I appeal to anyone who knows the world let him judge what I say I only ask my reader to consider calmly the passages of scripture to which I have rethred I cannot think though I meant to teach nothing at all that the habits of the East and our own are different I freely allow that some of the expressions I've quoted are figurative I freely admit but still after all a principle lies at the bottom of all these expressions let us take heed that this principle is not neglected I wish that many a professing Christian in this day who perhaps disliked what I am saying would endeavour to write a commentary on these expressions and try to explain to himself what they mean to know that arms giving cannot atone for sin as well to know that our good works justify us is excellent to know that we may give all our goods to feed the poor and build hospitals and cathedrals without any real charity is most important but let us beware let's we go into the other extreme and because our money cannot save us give away no money at all has only one money who reads these pages then take heed and beware of covetousness Luke 12 15 remember you carry weight in the race of heaven all men are naturally in danger of being lost forever but you are doubly so because of your possessions nothing is said to put out fires as soon as they are thrown upon it nothing I am sure has such a tendency to quench the fire of religion as to possession of money it was a solemn message which Buchanan on his deathbed sent to his old pupil James I he was going to a place where few kings and great men would come it is possible no doubt for you to be saved as well as others we've got nothing is impossible Abraham, Job and David were all rich and yet saved but oh take heed to yourself money is a good servant but a bad master let that saying of our Lord sink down into your heart how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God Mark 10 23 he said an old divine the surface above gold mines is generally very barren well my old Latimer began one of his sermons before Edward the 6th by quoting three times over our Lord's words take heed and beware of covetousness and then saying what if I should say nothing else these three or four hours there are few prayers in our litany more wise and more necessary than that petition in all our time of wealth good Lord deliver us has any one little or no money who reads these pages then do not envy those who are richer than yourselves pray for them pity them be charitable to their faults remember that high places are giddy places and be not too hasty in your condemnation of their conduct perhaps if you had their difficulties you wouldn't do no better yourself beware of the love of money it is the root of all evil 1 Timothy 6 10 a man may love money over much without having any at all beware of the love of self it may be found in a cottage as well as in a palace and beware of thinking that poverty alone will save you if you would sit with Lazarus in glory you must not only have fellowship with him in suffering but in grace does any reader desire to know the remedy against that love of self which ruined the rich man's soul and cleaves to us all by nature I ask him I tell him plainly there is only one remedy I ask him to mark well what that remedy is it is not the fear of hell it is not the hope of heaven it is not any sense of duty oh no the disease of selfishness is far too deeply rooted to yield to such secondary motives as these nothing will ever cure it but an experimental knowledge of Christ redeeming love you must know the misery and guilt of state by nature you must experience the power of Christ your toning blood sprinkled upon your conscience and making you whole you must taste the sweetness of peace with God through the mediation of Jesus and feel the love of a reconciled father shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost then and not till then the mainspring of selfishness will be broken then knowing the immensity of your debt to Christ you will feel that nothing is too great for him feeling that you have been loved much when you deserve nothing you will hardly love in return and cry what shall I render on to the Lord for all his benefits Psalm 116 12 feeling that you have received countless mercies you will think it a privilege to do anything to please him to whom you owe all feeling that you have been bought with a price no longer your own you will labour the glorified God with body and spirit which are his 1 Corinthians 6 20 yes I repeat it this day I know no effectual remedy for the love of self but a believing apprehension of the love of Christ other remedies may palliate the disease this alone will heal it other antidotes may hide its deformity this alone will work a perfect cure an easy good natured temper may cover over selfishness in one man a love of praise may conceal it in a second a self-righteous asceticism and an affected spirit of self-denial may keep it out of sight in a third but nothing will ever cut up selfishness by the roots but the love of Christ revealed in the mind by the Holy Ghost and felt in the heart by simple faith once that a man see the full meaning of the words Christ loved me and gave himself for me and then he would delight to give himself to Christ and all that he has to his service he will live to him not in order that he may be secure but because he is secure already he will work for him not that he may have life and peace but because life and peace are his own already go to the cross of Christ all you that want to be delivered from the power of selfishness go and see what a price was paid there to provide a ransom for your soul go and see what an astounding sacrifice was there made that a door to eternal life might be provided for poor sinners like you go and see how the Son of God gave himself for you and learn to think it a small thing to give yourself to him the disease which ruined the rich man in the power will may be cured but oh remember there is only one real remedy if you would not live to yourself you must live to Christ and lead to it that this remedy is not only known but applied not only heard of but used one and now let me conclude all by urging on every reader of these pages the great duty of self-inquiry a passage of scripture like this power will ought surely to raise in many and one great searchings of heart what am I where am I going what am I doing what is likely to be my condition after death am 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 laziness has been heard oh that the holy ghost may incline many a reader's heart to ask them too in the next place I invite all readers who desire to have their souls saved and have no good account to give themselves at present to seek salvation while it can be found I do entreat you to apply to him by whom a lone 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 saviour of all that 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 receive us sinners and that you come to him as such Luke 15, 2 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 change free last of all I entreat all professing Christians to encroach themselves in habits of liberality toward all 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 give away all their property and go into the workhouse this would be refusing to fill the position of a steward for God 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 the vision for those dependent on us is proper Christian prudence but I ask you all to look around continually as they journey on and remember the poor the poor in body and the poor in soul here we are for a few short years how can we do most good of 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 removed 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 fully persuaded that the income of every religious 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 Powerful 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 have never begun it before and to go on with it increasingly if they have begun I believe that in offering a warning against worldliness and covetousness I have done no more than bring forward a warning especially called for by the times and I ask God to bless the consideration of these pages to many souls End of Chapter 13 Recording by Roof Chapter 20 of Practical Religion This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Chad Horner Practical Religion by JC Ryle Chapter 20 The Best Friend This is my friend Canticle Verse 16 A friend is one of the greatest blessings on earth Tell me not of money Affection is better than gold Sympathy is better than man's He is the poor man who has no friends This world is full of sorrow because it is full of sin It is a dark place It is a lonely place It is a disappointing place The brightest sunbeam in it is a friend Friendship halves our troubles and doubles our joys A real friend is scarce and rare There are many who will eat and drink and laugh with us in the sunshine of prosperity There are few who will stand by us in the days of darkness Few who will love us when we are sick helpless and poor There are few above all who will care for our souls Does any reader of this paper want a real friend? I write to recommend one to your notice this day I know of one who stick of closer than a brother Proverbs Chapter 18 Verse 24 I know of one who is ready to be your friend for time and for eternity if you will receive him Hear me while I try to tell you something about him that I want you to know is Jesus Christ Happy is that family in which Christ has the foremost place Happy is that person whose chief friend is Christ One, do we want a friend in need? Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ Man is the neediest creature on God's earth because he is a sinner There is no need so great a sap of sinners poverty, hunger, thirst cold, sickness all are nothing in comparison Sinners need pardon and they are utterly unable to provide it for themselves They need deliverance from the guilty conscience and the fear of death and they have no power of their own to attain it This need the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to believe He came into the world to save sinners First Timothy Chapter 1 Verse 15 We are all by nature dying creatures from the king on his throne to the pauper in the workhouse we are all sick of a mortal disease of soul whether we know it or not whether we feel it or not we are all dying daily The plague of sin is in our blood we cannot cure ourselves we are hardly getting worse and worse All this the Lord Jesus undertook to remedy He came into the world to bring in health and cure us from the second death He came to abolish death and bring life and immortality to light through the gospel Jeremiah chapter 33 verse 6 Revelation chapter 2 verse 11 Second Timothy Chapter 1 verse 10 We are all by nature in prison deaders We owed our God 10,000 talents and had nothing to pay We were wretched bankrupts without hope of discharging ourselves We could never have freed ourselves from our load of liabilities and more daily getting more deeply involved All this the Lord Jesus saw and undertook to remedy He engaged to ransom and redeem us He came to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound He came to redeem us from the curse of the law Isaiah chapter 8 verse 14 Isaiah chapter 60 chapter 61 verse 1 and Galatians chapter 3 verse 13 We were all by nature shipped out and cast away We could never have reached the harbor of everlasting life We were stinking in the midst of the waves shiftless hopeless helpless and powerless tied and bound by the chain of our sins Foundering under the burden of our own guilt and like to become a prey to the devil All this the Lord Jesus saw and undertook to remedy He came down from heaven to be our mighty helper He came to seek and to save that which was lost and to deliver us from going down into the pit Sam 139 verse 19 Look chapter 14 verse 10 Job chapter 33 verse 24 Could we have been saved without the Lord Jesus Christ coming down from heaven? It would have been impossible so far as our eyes can see The wisest men of Egypt and Greece and Rome never found out the way to peace with God Without the friendship of Christ we should all have been lost forevermore in hell Was the Lord Jesus Christ obliged to come down to save us? Oh no no It was his own free love, mercy and pity that brought him down He came unsought and unasked because he was gracious Let us think on these things Search all history from the beginning of the world Look round the whole circle of those you'd know and love You have never heard of such friendship among the sons of men There never was such a real friend in need as Jesus Christ 2. Do you want a friend indeed? Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ The true extent of a man's friendship must be measured by his deeds Tell me not what he says and feels and wishes Tell me not of his words and letters Tell me rather what he does Friendly is that friendly does The doings of the Lord Jesus Christ for a man are the grand proof of his friendly feeling towards him Never were there such acts of kindness and self-denial as those which he has performed on our behalf He has not loved us in word only, but indeed For our sakes he took our nature upon him and was born of a woman He who was very God and equal with the Father laid aside for a season his glory and took upon him flesh and blood like our own The Almighty Creator of all things became a little babe like any of us and experienced all our bodily weaknesses and infirmities sin only accepted Though he was rich he became poor but we through his poverty might be rich 1 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9 For our sakes he lived 33 years in this evil world despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Though he was king of kings he had not where to lay his head Though he was Lord of lords he was often weary and hungry and thirsty and pur He took on him the form of a servant of himself Philippians chapter 3 verses 7 and 8 For our sakes he suffered the most painful of all deaths even the death of the cross Though innocent and without fault he allowed himself to be condemned and found guilty He who was the Prince of life was led as a lamb to the slaughter and poured out his soul unto death He died for us Was he obliged to do this? Oh no He might have summoned to his help more than 12 legions of angels and scattered his enemies with the word He suffered voluntarily and of his own free will to make atonement for our sins He knew that nothing but the sacrifice of his body and blood could ever make peace between simple man and a holy god He laid down his life to pay the price of our redemption He died that we might live He suffered that we might reign He bore shame that we might receive glory He suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God He was made sin for us Who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 18 2 Corinthians verse 21 Such friendship as this passes man's understanding Friends who would die for those who loved them we may have heard of sometimes but who can find a man who would lay down his life for those that hate him Yet, this is what Jesus has done for us God commanded his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Romans first year Ask all the tribes of mankind from one end of the world to the other will nowhere hear of a deed like this None was ever so high and stepped down so low as Jesus the son of God None ever gave so costly a proof of his friendship None ever paid so much to you None ever paid so much and endured so much to do good to others Never was there such a friend indeed as Jesus Christ 3 Do we want a mighty and powerful friend such a friend as Jesus Christ Power to help is that which few possess in this world Many have will enough to do good to others but no power They feel for the sorrows of others and will gladly relieve them if they could They can weep with their friends in a fiction but are unable to take their grief away But though man is weak Christ is strong Though the best of our earthly friends is feeble Almighty, all power is given unto him in heaven and earth Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 No one can do so much for those whom he befriends as Jesus Christ Others can be friend their bodies a little He can be friend both body and soul Others can do a little for them in time He can be a friend both for time and eternity Aye, he is able to pardon and save the very chief of sinners He can deliver the most guilty conscience from all its burdens and give it perfect peace with God He can wash away the vilest stains of wickedness and make a man wider than snow in the sight of God He can clothe a poor weak child of Adam in everlasting righteousness and give him a title to heaven that can never be overthrown In a word, he can give to any of us peace and reconciliation with God if we will only trust in him The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin 1 John chapter 1 verse 7 B, he is able to convert the hardest of hearts and create in man a new spirit He can take the most thoughtless and ungodly people and give them another mind by the Holy Ghost which he puts in them He can cause all things to pass away and all things to become new He can make them love the things which they once healed it and hate the things which they once loved He can give them power to become the sons of God If any man being Christ he is a new creature John chapter 1 verse 12 2 Corinthians verse 17 C, he is able to preserve to the end all who believe in him and become his disciples He can give them grace to overcome the world the flesh and the devil and fight a good fight at the last He can lead them on safely in spite of every temptation carry them home through a thousand dangers and keep them faithful though they stand alone and have none to help them He is able to save them to their uttermost that come unto God by him Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 D, he is able to give those that love him the best of gifts He can give them in life inward comforts which money can never buy peace and poverty joy and sorrow patience and suffering He can give them in death bright hopes which enable them to walk through the dark valley without fear He can give them after death a crown of glory which faith not away and a reward compared to that which the Queen of England has nothing to bestow This is power indeed This is true greatness This is real strength Go and look at the poor Hindu idolater seeking peace in vain by afflicting his body and after 50 years of self-imposed suffering unable to find it Go and look at the benighted Romanist giving money to his priest to pray for his soul and yet dying without comfort Go and look at rich men in search of happiness and yet always discontented and unhappy then turn to Jesus and think what he can do and his daily doing for all he trusts in Think how he hails all the broken hearted comforts all the sick cheers all the power that trusts in him and supplies all their daily need The fear of man is strong The opposition of this evil world is mighty The lusts of the flesh rage horribly The fear of death is terrible The devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour But Jesus is stronger than them all Jesus can make us conquerors over all these foes and then say whether it be not true that there never was so mighty a friend as Jesus Christ Four Do we want a loving and affectionate friend? Such a friend is Jesus Christ Kindness is the very essence of true friendship Money and advice and help lose half their grace if not given in a loving manner What kind of love is that of the Lord Jesus toward man? It is called a love that passeth knowledge Ephesians chapter 3 verse 19 Love shines forth in his reception of sinners He refuses none that come to him for salvation however unworthy they may be Though their lives may have been most wicked Though their sins may be more in number than the stars of heaven the Lord Jesus is ready to receive them and give them pardon and peace There is no end to his compassion There are no bounds to his pity He is not ashamed to befriend those whom the world casts off as hopeless There are none too bad, too filthy and too much to seize with sin to be admitted into his home He is willing to be the friend of any sinner He has kindness and mercy He loves him for all He has long proclaimed this to be his rule Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out John chapter 6 verse 37 Love shines forth in his dealings with sinners after they have believed in him and become his friends He is very patient with them Though their conduct is often very trying and provoking He is never tired of hearing they may come to him He sympathizes deeply in all their sorrows He knows what pain is He is acquainted with grief Isaiah chapter 53 verse 3 In all their afflictions he is afflicted He never allows them to be tempted above what they are able to bear He supplies them with daily grace for their daily conflict Their poor services are acceptable to him He is as well pleased with them as a parent is with his child's endeavours to speak and walk He has caused it to be written in his book that he take with pleasure in his people and that he take with pleasure in them that fear him Psalm 147 verse 11 and Psalm 149 verse 4 There is no love on earth that can be named together with this We love those in whom we see something that deserves our affection or those who are our boner or flesh The Lord Jesus loves sinners in whom there is no good We love those from whom we get some return for our affection The Lord Jesus loves those who can do little or nothing for him compared to what he does for them We love where we can give some reason for loving The great friend of sinners draws his reasons out of his own compassion His love is purely disinterested purely unselfish purely free Never, never was there so truly loving a friend as Jesus Christ 5 Do we want a wise and prudent friend? Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ Man's friendship is sadly blind He often injures those he loves by injudicious kindness He often urrs in the counsel he gives He often leads his friends into trouble by bad advice even when he means to help them He sometimes keeps them back from the way of life and entangles them in the vanities of the world When they have well-nigh escaped the friendship of the Lord Jesus is not so It always does us good and never evil The Lord Jesus never spoils his friends by extravagant indulgence He gives him everything for their benefit He withholds nothing from them that is really good but he requires them to take up their cross daily and follow him He bids them endure hardships as good soldiers He calls on them to fight the good fight against the world the flesh and the devil His people often dislike it at the time and think it hard but when they reach heaven they will see it was all well done The Lord Jesus makes no mistakes in managing his friends affairs He orders all their concerns with perfect wisdom All things happen to them at the right time and in the right way He gives them as much of sickness and as much of health as much of poverty and as much of riches as much of sorrow and as much of joy as he sees their souls require He leads them by the right way to bring them to the city of habitation He mixes their bitterest cups like a wise physician and takes care that they have not a drop too little or too much His people often misunderstand his giving They are silly enough to fancy their course of life might have been better ordered but in the resurrection day they will thank God that not their will but Christ was done Look round the world and see the harm which people are continually getting from their friends Mark, how much more ready men are to encourage one another in worldliness and levity than to provoke them to love and good works Think how often they meet together not for the better but for the worse not to quicken one another's souls in the way to heaven but to confirm one another in the love of the present world Alas, there are thousands who are wounded unexpectedly in the house of their friends and then turn to the great friend of sinners and see how different a thing is his friendship from that of man Listen to him as he walks, by the way with his disciples Mark how he comforts, provokes and exhorts with perfect wisdom Observe how he times his visits to those he loves as to Mary and Martha at Bethany Hear how he converses as he dines on the shore in the sea of Galilee Simon, son of Junus Lovest thy me John chapter 21 verse 16 His company is always sanctifying His gifts are always for the souls good His kindness is always wise His friendship is always to edification One day of the son of man is better than a thousand in the society of earthly friends In private communion with him is better than a year in kings' palaces Never, never was there such a wise friend as Jesus Christ Six Do we want a tried and proved friend such a friend as Jesus Christ Six thousand years have passed away since the Lord Jesus began his work of befriending mankind During that long period of time he has had many friends in this world Millions and millions unhappily have refused his offers and been miserably lost forever But thousands and thousands have enjoyed the mighty privilege of his friendship and been saved He has had great experience He has had friends of every rank and station in life Some of them were kings and rich men like David and Solomon and Hezekiah and Job Some of them were very poor in this world like the shepherds of Bethlehem and James and John and Andrew but they were all alike Christ's friends He has had friends of every age that man can pass through Some of them never knew him till they were advanced in years like Vanessa and Zaccheus and probably the Ethiopian eunuch Some of them were his friends even from their earliest childhood like Joseph and Samuel and Josiah and Timothy like Christ's friends See, he has had friends of every possible temperament and disposition Some of them were simple plain men like Isaac Some of them were mighty in word and deed like Moses Some of them were fervent and warmhearted like Peter Some of them were gentle and retiring spirits like John Some of them were active and staring like Martha Some of them loved to sit quietly among their own people like the Shulamite Some have gone everywhere and turned the world upside down like Paul but they were all alike Christ's friends Dee, he has had friends of every condition in life Some of them were married and had sons and daughters like Enoch Some of them lived and died and married like Daniel and John the Baptist Some of them were often sick like Lazarus and Epaphroditus Some of them were strong to labour like John the Baptist and Epaphina and Trefosa Some of them were masters like Abraham and Cornelius Some of them were servants like the Saints in Nero's household Some of them had bad servants like Elisha Some of them had bad masters like Obadiah Some of them had bad wives and children like David but they were all alike Christ's friends He has had friends of almost every nation and people and tongue He has had friends in hot countries and in cold Friends among nations highly civilised and friends among the simplest and rudest tribes His book of life contains the names of Greeks and Romans of Jews and Egyptians of Bond and of Free There are to be found on its list reserved Englishmen and cautious Scotsmen impulsive Irishmen volatile Frenchmen ad-indignified Spaniards refined Italians and solid Germans rude Africans and refined Hindus cultivated Chinese and half-savage New Zealanders but they were all alike Christ's friends All these have made trial of Christ's friendship and proved it to be good They all found nothing wanting when they began as they went on No lack, no defect No deficiency was ever found by any one of them in Jesus Christ Each found his own souls once fully supplied Each found every day that in Christ there was enough and to spare Never, never was there a friend who fully tried and proved as Jesus Christ Seven Last but not least Do we want an unfilling friend? Such a friend is the Lord Jesus Christ The saddest part of all the good things of earth is their instability Riches make themselves wings and flee away Youth and beauty are but for a few years Strength of body, sin decays Mind and intellect are sin exhausted All is perishing, all is fading All is passing away But there is one splendid exception to this general rule and that is the friendship of Jesus Christ Jesus is a friend who never changes There is no thickness about him Those whom he loves He loves unto the end Husbands have been known to forsake their wives Parents have been known to cast off their children Human vows and promises of faithfulness have often been forgotten Thousands have been neglected in their poverty and old age who were honoured by all when they were rich and young But Christ never changed his feelings towards one of his friends Yesterday, today and forever Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8 The Lord Jesus never goes away from his friends There is never a parting and goodbye between him and his people From the time he makes his abode in the sinner's heart, he abides in it forever The world is full of leave takings and departures Death and the lapse of time break up the most united family Sons go forth to make their way in life, daughters are married Father's house forever Scattering, scattering, scattering is the yearly history of the happiest home How many we have tearfully watched as they drove away from our doors whose pleasant faces we have never seen again How many have sorrowfully followed to the grave and then come back to a cold, silent lonely and blank fireside But thanks be to God there is one who never leaves his friends The Lord Jesus is he who has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5 The Lord Jesus goes with his friends wherever they go There is no possible separation between him and those whom he loves There is no place of position on earth or under the earth that can divide them from the great friend of their souls When the path of duty calls them far away from home he is their companion When they pass through the fire and water of fierce tribulation he is with them When they lie down on the bed of sickness he stands by them and makes all their trouble work for good When they go down to the valley of the shadow of death and friends and relatives still and friends and relatives stand still and could go no further he goes down by their side When they wake up in the unknown world of paradise they are still with him When they rise with a new body at the judgment day they will not be alone He will own them for his friends and say they are mine Deliver them and let them go free He will make good his own words I am with you all way even unto the end of the world Matthew chapter 20 verse 20 Look around the world and see how failure is written on all men's schemes Count up the partings and separations and disappointments and bereavements which have happened under your own knowledge Think what a privilege it is that there is one at least who never fails and in whom no one was ever disappointed never, never was there so unfailing a friend as Jesus Christ And now, suffer me to include this paper with a few plain words of application I know not who you are or in what state your soul may be but I am sure that the words I am about to say deserve your serious attention Oh, that this paper may not find you heedless of spiritual things Oh, that you may be able to give a few thoughts to Christ One, know them for one thing that I call upon you to consider solemnly whether Christ is your friend and you are his There are thousands on thousands I grieve to say we are not Christ's friends Baptised in his name outward members of his church attendance on his means of grace All this they are, no doubt But they are not Christ's friends Do they hate the sins which Christ died to put away No, do they love the Saviour who came into the world to save them No, do they care for the souls which were so precious in his sight No, do they delight in his word of reconciliation No, do they try to speak with the friend of sinners in prayer No, do they seek close friendship with him No, old reader, is this your case How is it with you Are you or are you not one of Christ's friends Two, know in the next place that if you are not one of Christ's friends you are a poor miserable being I write this down deliberately I do not say it without thought I say that if Christ wants your friend you are a poor miserable being you are in the midst of a failing sorrowful world and you have no real source of comfort or refuge for a time of need you are a dying creature and you are not ready to die you have sins and they are not forgiven you are going to be judged and you are not prepared to meet God you might be but you refuse to use the only one mediator you love the world better than Christ you refuse to great friend of sinners and you have no friend in heaven to plead your case to plead your cause yes, it is sadly true you are a poor miserable being it matters nothing what your income is without Christ's friendship you are very poor Three, know in the third place that if you really want a friend Christ is willing to become your friend he has long wanted you to join his people and he now invites you by my hand he is ready to receive you all unworthy as you may feel and to write your name down in the list of his friends he is ready to pardon all the past to clothe you with righteousness to give you his spirit to make you his own dear child all he asks you to do is to come to him he bids you come with all your sins your vileness and confessing that you are ashamed just as you are waiting for nothing unworthy of anything in yourself Jesus bids you come and be his friend oh come and be wise come and be safe come and be happy come and be Christ's friend Four, know in the last place that if Christ is your friend you have great privileges and not to walk worthy of them seek every day who is your communion with him who is your friend and to know more of his grace and power true Christianity is not merely to believe him a certain set of dry abstract propositions it is to live in daily personal communication with an actual living person Jesus the Son of God to me sit Paul to live as Christ Philippians chapter 1 verse 21 seek every day to glorify your Lord and Savior in all your ways he that hath a friend to show himself friendly Proverbs chapter 18 verse 24 a new man surely is under such mighty obligations as the friend of Christ avoid everything which would grieve your Lord fight hard against besetting sins against inconsistency against backwardness to confess him before man say to your soul whenever you are tempted to that which is wrong soul soul is this thy kindness to thy friend above all of the mercy which has been shown me and learn to rejoice daily in thy friend though thy body be bowed down with disease though thy poverty and trials be very great though thy earthly friends forsake thee and thy art alone in the world all this may be true but if thou art in Christ thou hast a friend a mighty friend a loving friend a wise friend think much upon thy friend yet a little time and thy friend shall come to take thee home and thou shalt dwell with him forever yet a little time and thou shalt see as thou hast been seen and know as thou hast been known and then thou shalt hear assembled worlds confess that he is the rich and happy man who has had Christ for his friend end of chapter 20 the best friend recording by Chad Horner