to have been concealed from the view of the Church. Amid the dilapidations of the truth and of the Church upon the earth, the rubbish of long-established usages, and mistaken principles, and erroneous views, has covered it over so as to have put it out of sight. Much labour, therefore, is necessary to bring it out again, and let men see it in its beautiful proportion and mighty strength. We have already presented some portions of it to their notice and admiration, and now we proceed to exhibit one other feature which will complete the description. It is the measure or proportion in which "every one" is required to give-even" as the Lord hath prospered him.”

At first sight the meaning would seem to be sufficiently clear. Indeed, it would appear as if it were hardly possible to mistake it, -that as God gives us means from week to week, so we should give in the same proportion to his cause. But there are none so blind as those who will not see. Where no obscurity exists there are those who take pleasure in creating it. The more simple anything is they make it the more difficult to understand. And even on this unmistakeable rule questions are asked which no casuist is able to answer, and prolixities are woven out of it which it is impossible to unravel. What is meant, says one, by giving as the Lord hath prospered? Does it mean our annual income? or our whole estate? Supposing the tenth to be the proportion of giving, am I called on to give that measure of all I have or of what God has given me within the year? The principle of explanation is manifestly contained in the rule itself. It is a proportion to be given according to the increase of the time mentioned, and in the present instance it is a week. This may be extended to other periods of time, a month or a year. Thus the text itself fixes its meaning to refer to income, and not to the amount of property possessed. It need not be said this property will affect the income, but it is by the increase of what it yields that the proportion to be given shall be measured. In this arrangement the wisdom of the

Scriptures is great. They promise to the believer worldly prosperity among other blessings. "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Wealth is an unspeakable blessing in the hands of the godly. Constituted as the world is, we do not see how the cause of God is to be carried forward without the help of the rich. True, the offerings of the poor are to be highly prized. Perhaps, too, they will ever be, as they have ever been, the chief source of support to the Church of Christ. Still there are noble examples of great good effected by princely offerings from the rich. Great and gracious promises, too, are held out to this effect in the Scriptures. We rejoice, therefore, when God in his providence is pleased to prosper his people. It is good to see them growing in wealth and influence. The world shall be the better for it all. Let it not, therefore, be supposed we frown upon the wealthy or make little of their wealth. On the contrary, we praise God on their account; and we admire the rule which is now before us, because, while it provides for the necessities of the Church, it does not interfere even with their worldly prosperity. Understanding it thus, then, its directions are plain, and we hold them to be universally applicable. Fixing attention, for the sake of illustration, on what we have shown to be the lowest proportion of giving ever sanctioned by the Scriptures,-a tenth,―observe the practical application. And we specify it, not because any can fail to apply the rule to themselves, but because, even where duty is clear, we need "line upon line and precept upon precept." The income of one is ten pounds in the year; then the claim of God is one pound. That of another is double, and the claim upon him is double. A third has received one hundred pounds, and ten pounds is his proportion. If it be a thousand pounds, a hundred can readily be spared. If it be many thousands, there may be as many hundreds. Plain and specific, however, as we desire to be, there are those who cannot understand the matter. How, they ask, can a man

And on less by far?
which they have not.

But, you say, we have

Will you plead that could do so must be

who has a large family, and only one hundred pounds a-year to provide for all their wants, devote a tenth of that to the cause of God? Then, I ask, is a man having only the half of it, or less, to give none at all? Nay, I ask, How are many families supported on the fourth of it? a station to support argument with God? The conscience that seared as with a hot iron. If God has placed you in those circumstances it is an intimation of his will that he would have you to live according to them. He has not relaxed his law that you might live after certain conventional rules which men have made, but which he has never sanctioned. After all, are you not satisfied with our explanations? Then we are sorry for it, but cannot help it. Only you must allow us to ask, Where lies the fault? In us, or in you? To bring this question to a test, let us entreat that you will give us your interpretation of the apostolic rule. You do not approve of ours; what, then, is your own? There are those who can reject all that others propose, but have no proposal of their own to make. Are you of that number? There is a mighty power in some to pull down, but they will never give a hand to help to build up. We must leave you, if you be such, to Him who shall judge both you and us. And we turn away to indulge the sad reflections which are forced upon us while we look at the rule which the apostle has prescribed, and compare it with the conduct which many evince. How few, alas! there are who are giving even according to the lowest proportion of a tenth! But, not to dwell upon this, we mourn especially how little the claim is considered that each shall give " as the Lord hath prospered him." Last year the income was increased, but the subscription is the same. income of one is double that of another, but their donations to the cause of God are equal. In some instances the income has been growing, and the proportion of contribution has been decreasing. Years have been accumulating, and wealth has kept pace with

The

them, but the heart has become more and more contracted, and the duty of giving less and less felt. It is a fearful proof of the depravity of human nature to find that the besetting sin of old age is covetousness. Just the opposite of what might have been expected is found to be the reality. As the world becomes less capable of affording enjoyment, it is held with greater tenacity. When men are about to leave it they cling closer to it. Be watchful. Nothing grows faster or is harder to be dislodged from the heart than worldliness. There may be some who feel difficulties, however, which are peculiar to their circumstances in carrying the apostolic rule into effect. The apostle seems to write to those who were in circumstances to know what their weekly lodgment for the cause of God should be. Some such there are still, it may be many. But there are some with whom it is not so. They are unable to tell what a week, or a month, or even a year, may enable them to make a just proportion. It is to be regretted that the state of commerce does in some instances create such difficulties. When the servant of the Lord finds himself in them, he must meet them as best he can. Stretching the time over more years than one, he must strike the proportion accordingly. He knows how to do so in other transactions, and his ingenuity will not fail him here. We may safely leave him to its exercise. Only let him not forget, the rule we have been expounding does not change with the changes of this earth's occupations. It is like him who gave it, eternal and immutable. Abraham acted on it in his day, so did Jacob. Moses enforced it by many sanctions, and Jesus Christ in his own ministry and by that of his apostles inculcated it again and again. However, therefore, it is to be obeyed-conformity to it is essential. If any find fault with our exposition of it, in understanding it of income, let them extend it according to their convictions of duty. If they think it embraces all property, let them so act upon it. We shall not complain of them. Perhaps, after all, they may reap their reward in

so doing. It is a blessed thing to get above the earthliness of the present world. We are in great danger of being swayed by its vain calculations. Truly we need to cry, "O Lord, open thou mine eyes to behold wondrous things out of thy law." In no department is this more necessary than in those praetical questions that are apt to come into contact with our selfishness and worldly prejudices. Blessed be God, however, the rule in this instance is plain. The wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err respecting it. He who runs may read. And we end with its repetition as we began, leaving it on the conscience of every man to act according to his view of what it requires. "On the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." Noble principle this! And noble exercise where it is obeyed! The Christian keeping it ever in his eye! looking at his daily accounts in the light of it! regarding God as a claimant in all his transactions! and while just in his dealings with all men, resolved he will not "rob God.”

CHAPTER VIII.

EXAMPLES.

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning."-Rom. xv. 4.

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." As is our faith, so will be our conduct. Hence we infer, on the other hand, that as a man's life is, so we may judge of his sentiments. "By their fruits ye shall know them." Proceeding on this principle we may gain further information respecting the views taught in the