I. MAN IB THE onJECT OF Goo's LAVISH GENEROSITY, Everything round the Hebrew in his homo rorninded him of the exuberant kindness of his God. The land which he possessed was land which Jehovah had riven him. The temple was the place which Jehovah hnd chosen" to pince his Name there." The priest was God's gift. The corn and fruit of the land were produce" which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Each man was taught to look on himself as belonging unto God. Of everything the absolute Proprietor was God. 'fheir history, their deliverance, their security, their renown, were Bll duo to God. Behind every visible object, behind every visible event, they discerned God. II. REMEMBRANCE OF Goo's DELIVERANCES WAB TO BE PERPETUATED. It is vital to the interests of a man that he should know the "rock whence he was hewn, and the hole of the pit whence he was digged." Aro we from above, or from beneath? Are we the creatures of fortuitous circumstance, or has our life been planned by a Di vine Artificer? Are all the forces and energies of life within ourselves, or are we dependent upon the will and the resources of another? • I. It is salutary to remember onr original. "A Syrian ready to perish was my father." It will serve to beget in us humility. It will make us hopeful; for if we have risen so much, may we not rise higher yet? 2. It is salutary to remember the oppressions of men. "The Egyptians evil entreated us." Poor, selfish, changerul man can never be relied upon. Frieudly to-day, they turn to be bitterly hostile to-morrow. "Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils." 3. It is salutary to remember the efficacy of prayer. "We cried unto the Lord." His ear is always open to human solicitations. The affairs of this universe do not unllt him to attend to our need. True pra_ver is never in vain. 4. It is salutary to remember God's interpositions. "He looked. He brought us forth. He bath given us this land." 'fhe affliction was essential to fitness for Canaan. Winter is essential to the fruitfulness of spring. When God begins to bless us, what limit shall there be? What? Only that which our incapacity to receive may impose! Being redeemed, our expectations e.re infinite. III. GRATITUDE FOR Gon's GIFTS MUST llE PRACTICAL. Words of thankfulness are cheap, unless accompanied by deeds. Songs.of praise are sweet minstrelsy in the ear of God, but they must spring from the heart; and if the heart is grateful, the hands will be full of offerings. The firstfruits of all our increase belong to God as a matter of right. But duty is delight-. This requirement is representative. We may not be hushandmen; still our firstfruits are due. The firstfruits of our time belong to God- the fresh dewy hours of every day. The first of our gains belong to God. Say not, "They are mine." Nay! they are his. The firstfruits of mental strength-our youth; the best of all we have belong to him. 'l'o secularize these is sacrilege. IV. THROUGH ALL Gon's .GIFTS HIS INTENTION IS HUll1AN GLADNESS. This gladness is fostered and fed by proportionate offerings. For this habit of religious offering will serve to draw away our confidence from our material possessions, and place it in the living God. This will strengthen and establish joy. It is surely better to trust the Fount than· the channel-the Source than the stream. If every man on earth is not brimful of joy, it is not Clod's fault. To rejoice in God is our duty and our privilege. And this joy is contagious. "Thou shnlt rejoice, . . . thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you." Joy makes men generous, and the recipients of our generosity will share our joy. There will be joyous action and reaction. ',Ne a.re to be the channels through which God will pour his joy into others' hearts. In retw·n they will give us their prayers.-D. Vers. 12-15.-Complete consecration a ccmdition of continued blessing. The system of social dependence is ordained of God. By a deliberate act of wisdom, God devoted the Levites to poverty, or rather to an equitable interest in the whole land. The necessities of some are created as the most fitting outlets for the charity of others. I. MEN ARE APPOINTED TO BE Gon's ALMONERS. Not more really does the sovereign of an empire employ persons of rank to be his stewards and almoners than God employs us. 'l'o expend upon ourselves tho whole of our earthly possessions is sin-is the worst of sins-is sacrilege. We hold in our keeping God's property. We are not at liberty to use it as we please. Nor is' the amount which uppertains to God determined by the ea.price of humun inclination. A definite portion is God's, and becomes in tho 416 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [cu. XXVI, 1-19.
highest sense trust property. One-tenth of e.11 our gains is the fixed proportion cle.imed h~· God. God identifies him~elf with the Levite, the widow, the fatherless. The Levites a.re his messengers. The poor a.re his friends. To deny them is to wrong him, and he will surely nvenge the insult. On st.ated occasions, viz. triennially, each pro: prietor we.s required to render an account of his stewn.rdship, and to make e. solemn declaration that be had faithfully discharged his momentous trust. As often as wo supplicate new favours we virtually .rrotest our faithfulness. ll. SURRE?-.'DER TO GoD A CONDI'rION OF SUCCESSFUL PRAYER, In this passage the Hebrews were tauglit not to ask for God's blessing upon their land until they had con- fessed their complete surrender to God's revealed will. Pride bars the door which keeps out Divine fa,·ours. Priclc chokes the channels so that the stream of God's bounty cannot flow. In like manner God acts in our cnrthly life. He will not give health except through the channel of food. He will not give strength except throucrh the chm!nel of e~crcise. He will not allow us to use steam or electricity except by sui•ender to Ins rnatcnal laws. ,ve do not really pray so long as any part of our nature is rebel- lious against his will. Lip-prayer is counterfeit. Genuine pre.yer is the up-going of the whole man. III. GoD's SOLEMN PLEDGES ARE CONDITIOJ,i'ED DY EARNEST PRAYER. God liad sworn to the patriarchs to give !his goodly laud .to their se~d, yet his oath implied trust, rnrrcnder, prayer, upon thmr part. Indeed, 1f these thrngs had been wanting in tho Hebrews, no external possession would have been a blessing: Canaan would have been a curse. Material light is no boon unless there be an organ of human vision to enjoy it-unless the eye be open. Nothing really benefits a man until it actually enters his nature and becomes a part of himself. This is God's efficient act. "Ask, and ye shall receive." For all things promised of God," he will yet be inquired of." Prayer gives the final fitness to receive.-D.