instead of being, as we would fondly hope he was, brought effectually into the kingdom of God. Learn, then, tenderness towards such characters ; and " instruct in meekness them that oppose themselves ; if God peradventure may give them repent- ance to the acknowledgment of the truth ; and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, by whom they are led captive at his will1."
At the same time, shew to all around you what it is to be really partakers of Christ's kingdom. Shew by your life and conversation what the character of his subjects is ; and seek to be daily growing in a meetness for that kingdom which awaits you at your departure hence. Determine, through grace, that " having a promise of entering into God's rest, nothing shall induce you to come short of it." Think what a terrible disap- pointment it must be to any soul to find itself not far from the kingdom of God, and yet not in it ; and to fall from the very gates of heaven into the bottomless abyss of hell. Determine, I say, that nothing shall divert you from your course, or retard you in it: but that, with God's help, you will " so run as to obtain the prize."]
1 2 Tim. ii. 25, 2G.
Mark xii. 41—44. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury ; and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a cer- tain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury : for all they did cast in of their abundance ; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
THE morality of the Gospel is applauded by most: yet there are few who do not, by their explanations and comments, deprive it of half its excellence. The " turning of the left cheek to him who has smitten us on the right ;" the " surrendering of our cloak to him who has already taken away our coat ;" the " forgiving of an offending brother, not only seventy times, but seventy times seven ;" these, and other precepts of a sublime import, are reduced to little more than an
1453.] the widow's mite. 165
abstinence from revenge ; so anxious are men to reduce the Scripture to their own practice, rather than to elevate their practice to the standard of God's word. The same would be done in reference to the great duty of liberality ; but happily an example is set before us which cannot possibly be explained away. Had the conduct of this poor widow been merely set forth in a way of precept, instead of being exhibited in actual life, it would have shared the fate of those other precepts, and have been pared down to a general commendation of self-denying charity. But here is no opportunity afforded us for talking about Eastern metaphors, and figurative expressions ; here is a plain simple fact, decidedly approved by Him who cannot err ; and consequently, it may be regarded as an illustrious example, which, as far as we may be in similar circumstances, we shall do well to follow.
Let us consider,
I. Our Lord's commendation of the widow —
[In the temple there was a treasury, where all who felt their hearts disposed to make a voluntary offering to the Lord, were enabled to do it : and the money so collected was ex- pended in the service of the sanctuary, either in sacrifices that were to be offered, or in the wood, and salt, and other things necessary for the offering of them. Depraved as that genera- tion was, the custom of contributing freely for these purposes very generally prevailed: it seems, that " the people" in gene- ral, and not merely a few liberal individuals, "cast in" their contributions. Many that were rich contributed largely : but a poor widow, who possessed only a single farthing in the world, gave that, even " all her living."