THE RULE and MEASURE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY. 275 a race of christians of great heart to take possession of the world in the name of Jesus-christians who shall be constrained by his love, and who shall feel the full force of the consideration presented in 2 Cor. viii. 9. Many christians now think they feel it; but is it feeling the force of that consideration, for a man who has an income of some thousands, to give a few surplus dollars annually to support missions, or to circulate the Bible? I do not say that, because Christ impoverished himself, therefore all his followers ought literally to do the same; but I say they ought to come nearer to it than they do. If, being rich, they should not become poor, as he did, yet surely they ought to be more free with their riches. If the Master gave his whole principal, certainly the disciples might give their interest. That would not be too closely imitating him. If He emptied himself, they at least might forego further accumulation. They need not become poor; but why should they be so solicitous to become more rich? That is being as unlike the model as possible. THE CHARITIES REQUIRED BY THE JEWISH LAW. NOTE B. The Jews were required to give one tenth-a tithe-of all their income to the Lord. There are probably many who are in the habit of regarding the tithe system, or dedication of one-tenth to religious uses, as a part of the Mosaic or Jewish economy, and only intended, like many other of their laws, to serve a temporary purpose, and abrogated on the dissolution of that economy. It will be perceived, however, by reference to the 14th chapter of the book of Genesis, that this principle was admitted and this practice maintained before the era of the Jewish Institute. For, on his return from the slaughter of the kings, and before the change of his name, Abram was met by Melchizedek priest of the most High God; and having received his benediction, the patriarch gave him tithes of all. Again, we have another illustration in the case of the patriarch Jacob, recorded in the 28th chapter of Genesis. After the vision of the ladder which he had at Bethel, (or Luz,) "Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: and this stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Grotius argues very justly, that those virtues required by God under the ancient economy, ought to be fulfilled by christians now, in a greater degree, from their superior knowledge and higher motives, and because the promises of heaven are more clear. And he instances in the law of the Sabbath, and of tithes."* But their tithes were far from being all the charity required of the Jews. They never came before the Lord in public worship without an offering of some sort. They had laws of compulsory giving and laws of voluntary giving-the one necessary and the other left to the liberality of the donor. There were two chests in every synagogue, and regular weekly collections, besides special collections, when each member was solicited individually to give. The real amount the Jews gave in charity could not, therefore, have been less than one third of all their income. *On War, vol. 1., p. 39. |