repays with liberality the crumbs that are given for his sake: his rewards are laid up even for a cup of cold water. Play, luxury, extravagance, have ruined innumerable families, but alms have impoverished none.
3. Men, at the day of judgment, shall be accountable for their alms: but what answer can the unfeeling rich ones make when the poor shall accuse them? when Jesus Christ himself shall reproach them with their insensibility? “ Go, ye cursed, into eternal fire. I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat; I was naked, and you did not clothe me,” &c. A heart that is hard to the poor is in* danger of becoming the heart of a reprobate; but, on the contrary, a soul that is truly charitable bears a strong mark of predestination. What can our judge say against us when he shall see our clothes upon himself, when he shall see our bread and our money in his own hands? We shall approach his awful tribunal with confidence, provided the poor be our advocates.
[Consider seriously how you behave to the poor; whether you treat them as members of Jesus Christ, by doing them all the good in your power.]
“He gives at interest to the Lord who has pity on the poor.” — Prov. xix.
“ Give unto all, lest he whom you refuse should be Jesus Christ.” — St. Austin.
TWENTY-FIRST DAY. — ON BAD EXAMPLE.
1. Bad example has been the means of damning more souls than the preaching and good example of all the saints together have been the means of saving.
2. Were the gates of hell to be laid open, scarcely would any one be found that would not say, It is such or such a one that has damned me. Oh, what a reproach! We are commanded to love our enemies, why, then, should we destroy those souls which have
