friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings." (St. Luke xv.i. 9.)
Sixthly, Almsdeeds is a disposition for receiving justifying grace. Of this fruit Solomon speaks in the Proverbs, where he says: " By mercy and faith sins are purged away." And when our Lord had heard the liberality of Zaccheus, saying: "Be hold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor: and if I have wronged any man of anything, I restore him four-fold." lie said: " This day is salvation come to this house." (St. Luke xix.) In fine, we read in the Acts of the Apostles that it was said to Cornelius, who was not yet a Christian, but who gave large alms: " Thy prayers and thy alms are ascended for a memorial in the sight of God." (chap, x.) From this place St. Augustine proves, that Cornelius by his alms obtained from God the grace of faith and perfect justification.
Lastly, Almsdeeds are often instrumental in increasing our temporal goods. This the wise man affirms where he says: " lie that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord;" and again: " He that giveth to the poor shall not want." Our Lord has taught us this truth by His own example, when He ordered His disciples, who possessed only the five loaves and the two fishes, to distribute them to the poor: in return they received twelve bas-
