THE DEATH OF THE CHRISTIAN.

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CLVII.

The Death of the Christian.

HE Christian, at his death, said Gotthold, should not be like the child who is forced by the rod to quit his play, but like one who is wearied of it, and willing to go to bed. Neither ought he to be like the mariner whose vessel is drifted, by the violence of the tempest, from the shore, tossed to and fro upon the ocean, and at last suffers wreck and destruction; but like one who is ready for the voyage, and, the moment the wind is favorable, cheerfully weighs anchor, and, full of hope and joy, launches forth into the deep. The pious monk Staupitz, says: Die as Christ did, and then, beyond all doubt, your death will be good and blessed. But how, then, did Christ die ? No, man, He Himself says, taketh My life from Me, but I lay it down Myself;1 and St. Luke tells us that, when the time was come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem; that is, He took the way to it with a confident and cheerful heart, and an intrepid look. Let us follow this great Forerun ner; and, that we may do it with alacrity and confidence, and be at all times ready, let us so order our affairs, that, when we come to die, we may have nothing else to

1 John x. 18.

do. Thus should it be with me while I write, and thus

with you while you read my words.

Lord Jesus, beloved Saviour! do Thou Thyself make us ready.

CLVIII.

The Altar.

CHRISTIAN gentleman and his lady had presented to a church a new and costly altar, tastefully carved, and richly decorated with gold. Gotthold, having gone with a friend

to inspect it, observed: It greatly delights me to see that the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is still felt, and still proclaimed before the world, by monuments like this. Our dearly-beloved Saviour has, in the venerable sacrament of the Supper, instituted a memorial of His love for us. Why should not we, according to our means, and prompted by a believing and grateful heart, bequeath a monument of reciprocal affection to Him? I remember the words of a pious Jew, who says, "Were the entire globe to be suddenly converted into a lump of gold, and the hands of skilful artists forthwith to construct it into mansions and temples, it would still be unfit even for the footstool of our Lord." And what is all the gold of the world, com

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pared to the blood and love of the Lord Jesus Christ? Know, however, that the very humblest among His holy and believing friends can erect a better and more costly altar than this. The Jew annexes to the words which we have quoted, "That, nevertheless, the holy soul is God's favorite habitation;" and I will say, that the penitent and believing heart is the most beautiful of altars. Such an altar, however, every godly man can erect, without expense; and, consequently, even poverty has no excuse for refusing it.

Well then, Lord Jesus, make an altar of my heart, and let it be consecrated in faith and love wholly and exclusively to Thy service. Here will I offer to Thee my understanding, will, and memory - my tears, sighs, and prayers; and thus be at once both altar and priest.

CLIX.

The Bill of Exchange and Riches.

LARGE sum had been remitted to Gotthold, for one of the members of his family, by a bill of exchange. When the money was being paid, he observed on the countenances of the bystanders the astonishment commonly felt, especially by the young, at the sight of so considerable

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THE BILL OF EXCHANGE AND RICHES.

a quantity of coin, and took occasion to say: Learn in youth to withstand the fascination of money, and not to contemplate it with pleasure or appetence, as if it were some excellent and precious thing. It is, in fact, glittering earth, and nothing more. Unstable and fugitive, it flits from one to another, and is like the withered leaves which the wind drives to and fro, and collects here in one heap, there in another. I know not whether there exists such a thing as a coin stamped with a pair of pinions; but I wish this were the device which monarchs put upon their dollars and ducats, to show that riches make to themselves wings and fly away. Even, however, if wealth were more permanent, in what respect is man the better for it? The rich have little advantage over their poorer brethren in the chief things of this life. They are born like others; like them, they eat and drink greater dainties, perhaps, but with less appetite, and no other effect than allaying hunger; like them, they wear raiment, which answers no other purpose than to cover and protect the body; like them, they are fretted with cares, and to a greater degree, because desire is wont to grow with possession; like them, too, they sicken, and like them they die. They must then part with all their money, and little good will it do them before the judgment-seat of Christ to have once possessed it. The rich give their children gold and silver pieces to play with; other children have only counters for the purpose, or manufacture money

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for themselves, of bits of paper and broken pottery. But the one child grows weary of the game, and goes to bed quite as soon as the other. It is the same with us old men Life is a game, and, whatever our playthings may be, we must part with them at last, and resign them into the hands of others. Let us, therefore, learn to look upon money with disdain, and to reflect, when we see it, Of what use will it be to me on a death-bed, or when arraigned at the tribunal of Christ? The more of it I have, the greater my responsibility. God is better than gold; rather let me be rich in Him, than rich in the world and its things. If riches, however, be allotted to you, forget not to transfer some portion of them, by bills of exchange, to heaven, in order that, when you yourself follow, you may find a provision laid up there. on the needy members of Christ. in return, their pious sighs and intercessions as a bill of exchange, which will be accepted in heaven, and, as merchants say, paid at sight. This is the best method. of insuring property, and enjoying it even when life is past. But, alas! as an excellent doctor of our own day observes, God has little credit in the world. He says: Give, and it shall be given unto you. But no one will accept the security, alleging, What I have, I have; what I may get, who can tell? But if thou, O world! wilt not trust God and His Word, I, for my part, will do it cheerfully; and time will show which of us fares the best.

Bestow your money They will give you,