IU. Tue seasons ror CHRISTIAN BENEVIORNOH are numerous, but we may mention one or two. 1. Ali we have is from God. His providence has made us to differ. Our birth, our inheritance, our education, our natural capacities,—these are in no sense the results of or own creation or choice, He who gave us these, demands that we should use them iy part to promot, the peace and the comfort of those for whom his Son died, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” 2. Our superabundance is for others. When our cup runs over, the. droppings are not for ourselves but for others. When our
harvest is gathered, room must be made for gleaners as well as for reapers, Waste 3
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is against God’s law. The breath we throw off from our lungs is wanted by nature. The rain poured down so lavishly is not lost. The refuse flung on the soil is to reappear in new forms. All nature rebukes the waste and extravagance of which we are often guilty ; and Ambrose has well said, “It is no greater sin to take from him that rightly possesseth than being able not to give to him that wanteth.”—A. R.
Vers. 43, 45, 47.— Causes of stumbling. “If thy hand... if thy foot... if thine eye offend thee.” The passage from which these few words are chosen is stern and severe ; yet it was uttered by the gentle Teacher who would not break the bruised reed, Christ Jesus was not like the Pharisees, punctilious over little things, s0 he would not have uttered these words needlessly. He was not ignorant of human temptations and weaknesses, but had the most perfect knowledge of our nature. He was not one of those scribes who would bind heavy burdens on others, and yet not touch them with one of their fingers, but was tempted as we are, and by a life and death of sacrifice endeavoured to put away the sin of the world. Words stern as these, coming from One who had generous views of sinners and unerring views of sin in its nature and effect, deserve our serious consideration. Our Lord thought them so important that he now repeated them, although none who had heard them previously in his sermon on the mount would be likely to forget them. The general lesson taught is this—that it is better to die than to sin, and so to wrong ourselves and others; but we confine our- selves now to the causes or inc:tements to sin here suggested by the “hand,” the “foot,” and the “eye.”
L OF wHAT IS THE HAXD AN EMBLEM? 1. Companionship. We shake hands with those to whom we are introduced or with whom we are friendly, not with those who are unknown or hostile. If we have quarrelled, and reconciliation has been effected, the outstretched hand is a sign that we are reconciled, Itis often said that a man is known by his friends, and it is perhaps equally true that he is made by his friends, especially in the time of youth, when character is plastic and habits are readily formed. Some communication with others is a necessity of school and business life; but friends may be chosen; and it is of the last importance that they be chosen well. Yet Christians will sometimes form a lifelong companionship with those whose worldliness will inevitably lead them astray from the ways of God. “If thy hand” in such a com-
nionship “cause thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee.” 2. Work, The
nd is the medium through which we put forth our skill and strength. Daily work may have “holiness to the Lord” written on it, or may be the means of spiritual injury. There are shops in which dishonesty is a necessity; there are positions young girls are called upon to fill which cannot but injure their modesty and purity ; there are undertakings which can only succeed by a sacrifice of truth. Whatever their external and material advantages, these are amongst the causes of offence which our Lord calls on us to sacrifice.
II. OF WHAT 18 THE FOOT AN EMBLEM? By it we make progress. It may be taken, therefore, a8 9 figure for getting on in the world. Parents are sometimes too eager for this on their children’s behalf. They are like Lot, who sought the place of prosperity ard was regardless of its temptations. It were far better to be less swift to attain wealth and position than to have the terrible awakening that will come to many at last, Sew hat shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
ILL OF what I8 THR EYE AN EMBLEM? Through it most offences to the soal’s purity come. Fatal has been the issue with many of “seeing life.” David saw, lusted, and fell into adultery and murder. Eve saw, longed, and put forth her hand and took the foroidden fruit, and so came death into the world, and all our woe. Achau saw the garment and the gold, and covetousness led him to disobedience. Better to have been blind than to bave seen that. How many now fall into evil ways who assure any one remonstrating with them that they are only going to that place of temptation because they wish for once “to see what it is like”! There are books, too, which, from the doubts they insinuate or from the morality they implicitly commend, should be abjured. It may be sometimes an intellectual loss, but it results in larger gair; and the law of the gospel is that which is here, and which St. Paul repeats in the words, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon earth.”—A, R |
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Vers. 43, 44.—Better die than sin. Christ is speaking here of injuries which we may do ourselves or others. Most men guard themselves carefully against physical injury. They insure against accidents, avoid miasma, and attend to the first appearance of the germs of disease. Yet sometimes they are like a commander who is on the alert against external assault, but is unsuspicious of treachery within. In a moral sense, it ma often be said, “ A man’s foes are they of his own household.” The allusion to the hand, the foot, and the eye indicate that the causes of sin are found in our own nature; that evil is natural to us as the use of these members. Sins spring from within: “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts.” When acts are repeated, habits are formed which become part of ourselves. Then these habits are allowed for and excused by others, so that we no longer get our attention directed to them as otherwise we might do. A notoriously out ae is not rahie help oe & passionate or suspicious temper becomes regarded as 8 persona iarity. Yet, though it seems a of ourselves “Gut it off, and cast th fromthien oie eal ne Dal a