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gelist, is upon the poor in spirit; probably meaning those who are not given to the pursuit of riches. In the parable of the sower, "He that receiveth seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." After the rich young man, who had kept the commandments (and whose wealth, therefore, had neither been ill acquired nor ill employed), had gone away sorrowful when directed, if he would be perfect, to give up his great possessions, "Jesus looked round, and saith to his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!-It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." The question, "Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees believed on him?" shows that his doctrine was not at all acceptable among those who are called the higher orders. Nicodemus, indeed, went to converse with him, but it was by night. When Christ said, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon," the Pharisees, who had the common notions of the importance and prerogatives of property, derided him, which may be

"Omnis enim res,

Virtus, fama, decus, divina humanaque, pulchris

Divitiis parent; quas qui construxerit, ille

Clarus erit, fortis, justus:-Sapiensne ?-Etiam, et rex,

Et quidquid volet."

Hor. Sat., lib. ii. 3.

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thought much more natural for them, than for Christians to talk so much as they do of standing up for Religion and Property, which seem indeed to be but other words for God and Mammon. The parable of Dives* and Lazarus then followed, the tendency of which is sufficiently manifest. When one wanted to refer a dispute about an inheritance to Christ, he refused to have anything to do with the matter ;-desires the man to take heed and beware of covetousness; as a man's life consisted not in the abundance of the things which he possessed and then relates the parable of the rich man who would have pulled down his barns and built greater, and whose golden dreams of "much goods laid up for many years,"† were awfully interrupted by the approach of death. He also bore his testimony against the pursuits of traffic in a remarkable manner when "he cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers," as having made the house of prayer into a den of thieves. And by the story of the widow's mite, he teaches that the possession of wealth is not necessary for the exercise of charity.

* Dives is exactly what is called, in the phrase of the mammonarchical faction, " a respectable person.”

+ Luke xii. 19.

Matt. xxi. 12.

The concomitants of wealth-pride,* domination, and the claims of rank, were equally the subjects of our Lord's reprobation. When there was a strife for pre-eminence among his disciples, he says: "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their great ones exercise authority upon them; but ye shall not be so: he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief as he that doth serve."t"He that is least among you all, the same shall be great."—" Be ye not called rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren."|| To which may be added the sentiment conveyed by his washing the feet of his disciples, and many precepts of similar tendency.

The reprobation of the pursuit of riches, and the frequent animadversions on the evil consequences of inequality of rank and condition, which are such prominent features in the teaching of our Saviour, might well be expected to produce a strong effect upon the minds of his disciples. Accordingly, we find that after his ascension, as soon as a considerable number were converted, they at once commenced the plan of a Community

* "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination unto the Lord."-Prov. xvi. 5.

Mark x. 42-44.

Matt. xxiii. 8.

|| Luke ix. 48.

of Goods. This shows what was the first impression on their minds; and the miraculous punishment of Ananias and Sapphira may lead us to conclude that it was sanctioned by Heaven. If it should be objected that this plan of life, not having continued in the church, must have been found on trial to be impracticable, it may be replied, that this departure affords no better argument against the primitive practice, than is presented by any other corruption of Christianity against its genuine doctrines; and we shall find, on further inquiry, that in fact it has uninterruptedly continued to the present time as an apostolic institution in the Christian Church, and, though much disfigured and corrupted, yet perhaps not more so than the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

The general tenor of the apostolic writings is quite as remarkable upon this subject as that of the gospels. There are several passages which seem to relate to the community of property in the church. Paul writes to the Corinthians: "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened but by an equality, that your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be an equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that

had gathered little had no lack."* With respect to the acquiring property,+ he thus writes to Timothy: "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the ROOT of ALL EVIL; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." of James, the brother of our Lord, contains some strong declarations of his sentiments respecting wealth and rank: "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the rich in that he is made low." Again: "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord with respect of persons; for if there come into your assembly a man with

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And the Epistle

† Richard Baxter says: There are few texts of Scripture more abused than that of the apostle, ' He that provideth not for his own, and specially those of his family, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.' This is made a pretence for gathering up portions, and providing a full estate for posterity, when the apostle speaketh only against them that did cast their poor kindred and family on the church, to be maintained out of the common stock, when they were able to do it themselves.". show that it is present provision, that the apostle speaketh of," &c. the best you can to educate your children, &c., but not to leave them rich."-Gildas Salvianus, page 238.

"His following words and not future portions, "You are bound to do

‡ 1 Tim. vi. 9-10.

James i. 9-10.

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