The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 229

tho sick" (Me.I. i. 8) to him. Things excellent in their kind befit hi8 service. Golrl and ~ilver, of i:nete.ls; of fabrics, silk, aml velvet, and fine linen; of woods, cerfa.r, and ncl\cm, Bnd olive, Bnd BBndal-wood; of stones, ruby and diamond, and emerald, of spices, myrrh, and cinnamon, and cassia, and frankincense. EBCh, however can ;nly givo what he he.s. Cedar, and olive, and sandal-wood were unattainable in 'the rle~ert and so acacia sufficed; silk and velvet were unknown, wherefore God accepted line~ nnd woollen fabrics, and goat's hair; rubies and diamonds were uncut, so God was con- tent with emeralds and sapphire, and onyx. The widow's mite pleases him, as much a~ the alabaster box of spikenard very precious, or the price of an estate brought and laid nt tho apostles' foot. If men "have little," be is content when they "give gladly of that little," provided still that they give him of their best. And this is true of other offerings besides material ones. The host of our time should he his-the fair promise of youth-the strength of manhood-not the weakness of decrepitude. The best of our powers should he his-our warmest affections, our intensest thoughts, our highest aspirations-not the dull tame musings of an exhausted and jaded spirit. Each man should seok to consecrate to God's service the host that he possesses in intellect, in knowledge, in fortune. Ill. THAT THEY BE BUCH IN KIND AB HE RAB DECLARED ms WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT. There were "unclean animals" which were an abomination if offered to God. There are gifts of intellect, valuable in their way, which are unsuitable for the service of the ~anctuary. Many a picture of the highest power, and exhibiting the greatest genius, would be out of place in a church. God points out with sufficient clearness in bis holy word, the kinds of gifts with which he is pleased. It will he well for man to "do all things after the pattern showed him in the mount "-to avoid "will-worship "-and even in his offerings, to follow in the line of precedent, and see that be has a warrant for what he proposes doing in God's honour.