communicate," whenever a just occasion for liberality presents itself, and " especially towards the household of faith :" and if the particular circumstances of the Church call for such a sacrifice, he is ready, as far as the occasion requires it, to comply literally with that command of Christ, " Sell that ye have, and give alms ;" for whatever treasure he may possess on earth, his chief desire is to " have treasure in heaven e." True indeed it is, that there are not many who, like the Macedonians, " give according to their power, yea and beyond their power f ;" and fewer still who, like the poor widow, give their last mite unto the Lord : in too many instances there is rather reason to complain with St. Paul, that " all men seek their own, and not the things of Jesus Christ :" but still the injunction, " Seek not every man his own, but every man another's wealth," is as much in force as ever ; and we ought, if called to it, to " lay down," not our property only, but even " our own lives for the brethren."]
Of an equally exalted kind was, II. Their piety —
They gave up themselves wholly, as it were, to the exercises of religion. But here the same question, as before, recurs ; How far was their conduct in this respect a model for our imitation ? And the same answer must be returned to it :
We are not called to follow them in the act —
[The occasion was so peculiar, as to justify, and even require, a peculiar mode of acting. Our circumstances are extremely different from theirs. We have duties which cannot be neglected, without great injury to society, and dishonour to God : and, if every one, from the moment that he became religious, were to lay aside all his worldly business, he would place in the way of the ungodly such a stumbling-block as would prove almost subversive of Christianity itself. " To do our own business," and " not to be slothful in business, are as much commanded, as to " be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." We therefore cannot be called to such a line of con- duct as is incompatible with the discharge of all our social duties.]
But in principle we must resemble them —
[They gave themselves up wholly unto God: and so " must it also be our meat and drink to do the will of our heavenly Father." We must " love him with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength;" and "yield up to him our
e Luke xii. 33, 34. » 2 Cor. viii. 3, 4.