VER.27— 31. ST.LUKE. 571
31.And he saidunto him, Iftheyhear not Moses
and the prophets,neitherwillthey be persuaded,
thoughone rosefrom thedead.
GREG. When therichman in flamesfoundthatallhope Greg.
wastakenaway from him,hismind turnstothoserelations^Ev.40'
whom he had leftbehind,as itissaid,Then saidhe,Ipray
theetherefore,fatherAbraham, to sendhim to my father's
home. Aue. He asksthatLazarusshouldbe sent,becauseA>w-
hefelthimselfunworthytooffertestimonytothetruth.And ''
ashehad not obtainedeven to be cooledfora littlewhile,
much lessdoes he expectto be setfreefrom hellforthe
preachingofthetruth.CHRYS.Now mark hisperverseness;
notevenin themidstofhistormentsdoeshe keeptotruth.
IfAbraham isthyfather,how sayestthou,Send him tothy
father'shouse? But thouhastnot forgottenthyfather,for
hehasbeenthyruin.
GREG. The heartsof the wickedaresometimesby theirGreg.
ownpunishmenttaughttheexerciseofcharity,but invain;* ""''
sothattheyindeedhavean especialloveto theirown, who
whileattachedtotheirsinsdidnotlovethemselves.Hence
itfollows,For I Juivefivebrethren,thathe may testifyto
them,lesttheyalsocomeintothisplaceoftorment.
AMBROSE.But itistoolatefortherichman to beginto
be master,when he has no longertime forlearningor
teaching.GREG. And here we must remark what fearfulGreg.utsufferingsareheapedupon the richman in flames.For insup'
additionto hispunishment,hisknowledgeand memory are
preserved.He knew Lazaruswhom he despised,he remem
beredhisbrethrenwhom he left.Forthatsinnersinpunish
mentmay be stillmore punished,theyboth seethe gloryof
thosewhom theyhad despised,and are harassedaboutthe
punishmentof thosewhom they had unprofitablyloved.
Buttothe richman seekingLazarusto be sentto them.
Abrahamimmediatelyanswers,as follows,Abraham saithto
him,TheyhaveMoses and theprophets,letthemhearthem.
CHEYS.As ifhe said,Thy brethrenarenot so much thyChrys.
careas God's,who createdthem, and appointedthem deLala'rl,.
teachersto admonish and urge them. But by Moses and