[ 1288] Rich Men to be mindfull of what they have received at Gods hand.
ST. Gregory confesseth thus much of himself,* 1.1 that never any sentence entred ••o deep into his Soul, as that Text, Fili recordare, &c. Son remember, that ••hou in thy life-time receivedst thy pleasure or good things, and likewise La∣zarus pains;* 1.2 And that as surgite mortui was ever in S. Hierom's ear; and non in commessationibus,* 1.3 not in surfetting, in S. Augustine's, by which he was first con∣verted; For he sitting in the See of Rome, when it was grown rich, and of great revenue,* 1.4 was, as he saith, still afraid of this Text, Whether his exalting into that chair might not be his recompence at Gods hands, and all that ever he should receive from him for all his service, mercedem non arrham, his portion of Earth, not the earnest of Heaven: Thus did the good Father. And would God his example herein might make a due impression,* 1.5 and work the like fear, in so ma∣ny as hav••, in the eyes of all Men, received the good things of this life: For it is too apparent, that divers that have so received, and that in a measure even heap∣ed up, and running over, carry themselves so without remembrance of themselves, as if no such Simile were in all the Bible,* 1.6 as that of the needles eye; no such Ex∣ample as that of the rich Glutton, no such Memento as that of Abraham to him; but that they have learned a point of Divinity, such as Abraham never knew; Balaam'•• divinity,* 1.7 (it is to be feared) to love the wages of unrighteousnesse;* 1.8 and yet they must needs into Abraham's bosome, dye the death of the Righteous.