He who counselled, by hie Son, to pluck out the right eye and cut off the rH 1t harnl is not likely to pny respect to B thing like wealth, even more external still. The chief matter in these regulations is how the poor and needy may be most advant,'\acd, and whatever will do that most effectually i11 the thing to be done. Whether mer~ rrwr,,ey bo lost or gained is a matter of no consequence whatever. I. THESE PROVISIONS WITH RESPECT TO Ll!:NDINO OBVIOUSLY DO NOT EXCLUDE OIVINIJ. "If thou lend money," etc. But God, in many instances, would be better pleased with giving than with lending. 1£ only men were seeking with all their hearts to do his will, all these minute regulations would be unnecessary. The advantage of the poor, o.s we have just seen, was the main thing to be considered here. And it might be for the advantage of the receiver, and still more for the advantage of the giver in the highest sense of the word advantage, to give, hoping to receive nothing again. Just a.s money does untold harm when foolishly and wickedly spent, so when wisely spent it may do untold good. Lending may serve well, but giving may serve much better; and that is the wisest course which is judged to do the most good. Some would find it easier to give than to lend, being naturally generous, disposed to lavishness, shrinking from the risk of being thought stingy, And yet sometimes in giving they would be doing a. very hurtful thing, for lending would be better. II. Nor is there anything like A FORBIDDING OF THE LOAN OF MONEY FOR COIII- MERCIA.L PURPOSES. If one ma.n lends to another a. certain sum of money with which to trade, it is plain that he acts lawfully in getting interest for the use of it. For if he were not lending money to another, he would be using it himself, a.nd the interest represents his profit, which is the ea.me whoever uses the money. The trade of the world, a.nd therefore the good of the world would be greatly limited a.nd hampered but for the use of borrowed capital. It may be that the ma.n who has the capital ha.s neither the disposition nor ability to use it. Let him then, upon a. fair consideration, lend the ea.pita.I to the man who ca.n use it. III. Chiefly we must strive to a.void THE TAKING SELFISH ADV ANT.A.GE OP OUR NEIGHBOUR'S NECESSITIES. Rather we should rejoice to take advantage of these neces- sities to show beyond a.11 dispute, that the love of God is indeed the ruling principle of our hearts. Ma.n'z1 extremity, it ha.s often been said, is God's opportunity, a.nd so it should be the Christian's opportunity. By timely a.id, if we have it to bestow, let us strive to deliver the poor from the clutches of the usurer, a.nd especia.lly let us give our a.id to what ma.y be devised for the curing of poverty's disease altogether. Every a.Iteration either in laws or customs which will tend to diminish poverty-let it have our strenuous support. Bear in mind that whatever ea.eh ma.n has beyond a. certain moderate share of this world's goods ca.n only come to him because others have less than reasonable comfort demands. We should ever be aiming by all methods that are reasonable, just, a.nd pra.ctica.ble, to secure to ea.eh one neither poverty nor riches, but just that food which is convenient for him. God wizlhes every ma.n to have his daily bread; a.nd it is a.n awful thing that we by our selfishness do so much to make the question of daily bread the only one that many of our fellow-creatures have time or inclination to ask. It seems to take every hour a.nd every energy to keep the wolf from the door.-Y.
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XXIII errors connected with the trial of causes before a court, but verses 4 and 5, at any rate, lie THE Boon: OF THIil COVENANT.-Continued, quite outside this idea. From verse 10 to Vers.1-19.-MlsoELLANEC'liS LAW8-00n· verse 19 the laws are connected with cere- tinued. The same want of logical arrange- monial observance and include ( 1) The law ment appears in this chapter as in the preced- of the Sabbath, (2) of the Sabbatical year, (3) ing one. The first nine verses contain some of the Great Festivals, (-l) of sacrifice, a.nd twelve laws, of which not more than two that (5) of first-fruits. are consecutive can be said to be on the same Ver. 1.-The ninth commandment is here subject. There is perhaps in the section a expanded and developed. Thou shalt not predominant idea of warning against sins and raise a falae report, forbids the origination 01 TTIE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. xxm. 1-10.