in us.

We are in no danger of being lifted up so long as we remember, that whatever good we are enabled to do, is done not by us, but by "Him, who worketh in us to will and to do of His good pleasure." St. Paul might safely say, "I laboured more abundantly than they all," because he knew how to add "yet not I but the grace of God which was in me."

Let us not fear then to dwell on the promises of our Lord, to excite by them our hopes, and kindle our desires, still less to risk on their truth our worldly substance and comfort. The traders of the earth, if they have news of a rich market opened to them, where they may reap an abundant profit, are not slow to send thither their goods, at much risk of loss should their information mislead them. Let us risk our earthly treasures on the credit of Christ's word, secure that whatever betide, and however the nations of the world may be shaken, and all property here may be lost in the general crash ; that portion of our wealth will be secure which we have grace to "lend unto the Lord." Certain that we shall receive for it "an hundredfold here in this present time, and hereafter eternal life.”

Every natural fear, which might deter us from trusting these gracious promises of our Lord, seems to be severally met by some rich and bountiful provision, made as it were expressly for our more abundant satisfaction. Thus the great difficulty which men feel, when the thought burns

within them, how blessed a thing it is to risk something on Christ's word, and to trust Him with their worldly goods, is that they have children for whom they must provide. But God has condescended to answer this doubt also. His promises (reversing the short-sighted calculations of men,) have pledged Him to restore to them as well as to ourselves whatever we give up for His sake, and from confidence in His truth. "I have been young and now am old," says the Psalmist, "and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed is blessed." The blessedness of a righteous man's family is here specially annexed to the liberality of the father; nor is this really wonderful, considering that a little with God's blessing, is better than great riches without it, and that the promises of God's care and providence over the children of holy and faithful men, abound throughout Scripture. Accordingly, that which we lay up for our children on earth, they may lose; times may change; civil commotions and revolutions may overthrow our wisest precautions for the comfort and security of our offspring; but there is one thing of which they cannot be deprived. That which we have given for Christ's sake they will have still, and one way or other, they shall abundantly enjoy it. And surely even the experience of the world will confirm the promise of God; if our faith be too weak to receive it on His word.

When were the children of a bountiful man the worse for his bounty? He may leave them less of this world's good; but is it not seen that God's hand waits to prosper them, and watches over them for good? They are advanced, no man can tell why. An invisible charm works for them, and men in their blindness wonder at their good fortune. But, of all this the secret reason is, that God will fulfil His promise: "them that honour Me, I will honour." Let us then take Him at His word; without fear that it will ever be the worse for us or for ours. Let us honour Him, and He will provide for and honour us and them. And who is there that fears God, and knows the blessedness of His favour and the certainty of His truth, that would not rather choose that his father, by abundant bounty for Christ's sake, should leave him poor in this world, and rich in the promises and blessings of the Most High, than to inherit a mighty estate, won in the ways of this world, without the fear of God, and on which he could hardly hope for His blessing?

But it is not here, after all, that the Christian has his best hope or his richest reward. If the promise went no farther than this world, it would but offer us one hundredfold for what we give to God; but let us lift up our eyes and our hearts, and strive to take in something of the infinite and eternal reward in heaven, of which the earthly promise is but the type and shadow. And this is pledged to us in the word of God not

9ERSITY

CHRISTIAN LIBERALITY.

once or twice, but repeatedly, and with an overRNIA flowing variety of language and figure. It is not one hundredfold, but as far beyond all earthly proportion, as the ages of eternity exceed the span of our mortal life. Therefore in the text which has already been cited, our blessed Lord after having enlarged on the temporal promise, makes no measure of this, but says only, "and in the world to come eternal life." Again let us hear more of His comfortable words. "Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that faileth not." To the young ruler, lest His command might seem too stern, "Sell that thou hast," He added instantly "and thou shalt have treasure in heaven." And He bids us "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." It is observable in these blessed words of the Son of God how He repeats not only the same promise of a reward hereafter, but the same specific words TREASURE IN HEAVEN; as if He delighted to dwell upon the words which represent the glory which He had with His Father before the world was; and as if, knowing our frailty, He would engrave them upon our very

hearts; that they may go with us into the world, as a talisman against its distractions and temptations. And what earthly language, what mortal eloquence, can add anything to these words of the only begotten of the Father? YE SHALL What imagination

HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN.

And

can picture their meaning? The heirs of an earthly inheritance love to look forward to the time when all shall be theirs. For a while indeed, they are under tutors and governors, but they cannot forget that they are lords of all. After their example let us too exalt our thoughts and hopes; let us labour and meditate and pray that we may have some glimpse beforehand, of the glory of that treasure which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart of man conceived. then let us remember, that this treasure is increased by every act of self-denial which we willingly choose that we may have more to give to Christ and to our brethren. Such is His unspeakable mercy who "waits to be gracious unto us," and desires and seeks occasions to reward and bless us. For so it is written; "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully; and God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye having always all sufficiency in all things, may abound unto every good work (as it is written he hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth for ever). Now He that ministereth seed to the