rebuilding their temple. On its completion a renewal was made of the offerings and tithes, of which the Lord complained, by the mouth of his holy prophets, that the people had robbed him.

We must now review the precepts given under the New Testament economy, and the corresponding conduct of the true followers of Jesus; and I think we shall find that we are under obligations as binding, as those of Moses, and that though the portion of history we shall have to survey, is much more concise, it nevertheless is not deficient in signal instances of disinterested and devout liberality.

In reviewing the precepts of the New Testament on this subject, I go at once to those contained in the writings of the Apostles; not that in passing over the instructions of our blessed Lord, I do not deem them worthy of the first attention, but because many of his discourses being addressed to his Apostles under circumstances peculiar to the apostolic times, it may be thought they are not of universal application; and because the church was then in its incipient state, and was not so organized as to render it needful to afford such explicit rules, as afterwards became necessary. The state of the Jewish nation generally was at this time very different from what it had been. It had long ceased to be a theocracy, and now was not only governed by an earthly prince, but that prince was a foreigner, and galling enough it must have been to every true-hearted Israelite to pay tribute to a Gentile ruler. A Christian believer, however, would cheerfully give the small required sum when he read, "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, the powers that be are ordained of God; render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute," &c. A portion, therefore, of his earthly

possessions, such a portion, as the state might deem right to demand and enforce the payment of, would be willingly and punctually paid by him. The more interesting question concerns the portion to be devoted to God and his service; which properly divides itself into five branches: the support of the ministry, the maintenance of public worship, the securing of temporal supplies to the poor of Christ's flock, general benevolence to all the needy, and the conducting of missionary labours. In all these respects there is no express command as to the amount or proportion which it is the Christian's duty to impart, but there is a passage of Scripture which ought to regulate us in this matter, though it is almost invariably quoted to quiet the conscience, and comfort the mind, in withholding than is meet." It is this, "if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not," which I understand to be, not only a gracious declaration that the Lord accepts the sincere desire to serve him of those, to whom he has not imparted largely of this world's goods; but I see in it an implied rejection of those offerings, which, though tendered with a profession of hearty good will to this cause, are abominable in his sight, because they are not according to what the man hath.

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On the support of the ministry, but little is said in the New Testament compared with what is enjoined in the Old. It was no longer attached to the state, therefore it devolved on each separate community of believers to provide for the support of its own minister; and it is a pleasant circumstance to a mind of a generous stamp, that this matter is left much to private discretion. It seems to say to the believing heart: There is no need

the primitive churches in this respect; and we must acknowledge that the spirit which led to such acts, is broadly enforced on us, as that without which we cannot lay claim to discipleship. "Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" In this grace of brotherly sympathy and affectionate liberality the Macedonian churches are greatly commended, and presented by the apostle as worthy examples to the whole church they are said to have given to their power, yea, and beyond their power; and I do not find them any where censured for excess in this grace, though they were in deep poverty; but I question much whether, in the present day, if such a display of Christian charity were to be manifested, the worldly policy of some wronghearted or wrong named saints would not vehemently exclaim against such guilty imprudence.

Now for the exercise of charity to all the needy, which is not to be neglected, though the "house hold of faith" are to have the first place in our benevolent feelings. "Do good unto all men" is our rule in this respect, which is so plain that it needs no comment. That missionary exertions were zealously carried on in the earlier ages of the Christian church, there can be no doubt-indeed all the apostles and first preachers of the gospel were, in the full sense of the word, missionaries; and as soon as a church was collected any where, and a pastor placed over it, did that church wait till it had attained to some stability, and had enlarged to a respectable size, before it thought itself authorized to send forth its missionaries to found other churches? No, they

had not so learned their duty; but their hearts burned with love to Jesus, and their zeal corresponded with their obligations. We find Paul supported by the Macedonian churches during his labours among the Corinthians, and numerically small and poor, as most of their members were, they could not only maintain their own minister, relieve the distressed brethren of their own communion, &c. &c. but they had something for the poor saints at Jerusalem, and other places, to whom they sent their bounty by trusty individuals, known by the name of " messengers of the churches."

Now what conclusions are we to draw from this review of both the Jewish and Christian Churches.

and

I. That both dispensations show us, that the cause of God has a claim on us, superior to every claim of an earthly kind. It was not with them, Mammon first God next; the world first and the Church next, which is too much the modern principle of action. No; their all was the Lord's and his people's if need were. We will just state our views of a Christian's conduct in this matter, in illustrations drawn from several ranks and classes of life; and as there are not many rich called (though, blessed be God, there are some, and some whose praise is in all the churches for their holy devotedness to God and his service,) we shall select them from the middle and lower classes. A young Christian man comes into possession,-say of ten thousand pounds, his first feeling is immediately to consecrate a part to God; but while he is meditating, a friend who has heard of the circumstance enters, and proposes his embarking the whole in a certain lucrative concern; he is dazzled with the prospect; the gains

will be so great, he shall soon repay into the Lord's treasury more than what he now withholds; besides, by his thus employing the money, he will annually be enabled to do so much more for the cause of God; besides, under the gospel dispensation, there is nothing positively ordained as to the amount and time. Thus the conscience is lulled. In a short time the money is doubled, trebled; and is God then thought of? No; with wealth has come in worldliness; plate on the table has brought leanness into the soul: so true is it now, as in the apostolic days, that 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." "How hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of heaven!" How does another, in similar circumstances, act? He reads the word, Honour the Lord with thy sub. stance, and with the first-fruits of thine increase." To the Lord he consecrates a tenth, and his appropriation of the thousand to different religious purposes is to him matter of prayerful thought. He feels he is the Lord's steward, and that to him he must give account. He next seeks direction from on high as to the employment of the remaining nine thousand. He is heard and answered, and is blessed with abundant prosperity, even more than his neighbour. In apostolic times he would have laid his all at the disciples' feet, but, sad to say! the deadening influence of modern profession has an effect too powerful even over his mind, ardent as he is in every benevolent object, and even self-denying. There is a debt on his chapel; he has laboured nine years for his family; were he to labour the tenth year for this single

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object, his earnings would liqui date it. But that is a thing unheard of. Unheard of? Shame, shame; that it is! He gives as much, and more than his neighbours, who are equally rich. Perhaps he does; but does he give in proportion to yonder poor member of the same flock? Let us see. "I am very weary," says the hard-working labourer to his wife, as at the return of evening he enters his humble dwelling; "I am very weary, but this debt sits heavy on my mind, Betty." "What debt, John? I thought you paid that last week." "So I did pay that; but the one I am thinking of is the chapel debt, which we are often hearing about, and puts spokes in the way of much good. Now I have been thinking you must give a shilling next Sabbathday out of the five you will get on Saturday night, and we'll try to do without something or other to make it up; and I think I'll go out now and see if I can't get an errand which will put something in my pocket for it; for you know the saying Every little makes a mickle;' and don't you remember the Jewish widow? Why when shall we Christian people come up to them Jews? Why she gave all her living! when did ever any of us do that? And the bright light had'nt shined into her soul! That's what I have been thinking of; so just, Betty, give me a dry crust, and while I'm away, be praying that I may get something to do and bring home an honest penny for the good cause." "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for" the miserable spirit ye are of; your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you." The money ye have kept back from the Lord hath a voice which hath "entered into

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the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days!"

I would draw an illustration from another class. I am credibly informed, not that I understand much of the matter myself, that most young ladies of the middle ranks, between the periods of their emancipation from the school-room and their marriage, receive from their parents a certain annual sum for their apparel and pocket expenses. I am told the sum varies from £20 to £80, or £100, according to the age and expectations of the parties. These individuals compose a large body of our population, and many of them are laudably engaged in works of mercy; but we are perpetually assailed by the cry from one or other of them, Oh! our society is in debt-we have so many poor to clothe! Do help us a little, pray give us a trifle. Why, my fair friends? Your poor ought to be in flourishing circumstances. You have more money than you know how to spend-witness the cockade and coxcomb appendages to your hats, and other ridiculous superfluities, with which you attempt to orna

ment, but in fact, disfigure your persons. You are the individuals who ought to do much for the world-you have no family claims, all your wants are supplied.

But I must hasten to my

IId and last conclusion, which is, that if every member in all our churches were to act upon Scriptural principles, and follow Scripture examples, our churches and the world would soon be in a different state from that in which they now are. Our ministry would be respectably and comfortably maintained; our chapel debts would be cancelled, for daily the chest would be filled, till our treasurer would say he had more than enough; our poor church members would have to thank God for adequate supplies; the needy poor around us would be relieved and benefited; and from all our churches Missionaries, for home and foreign service, would be sent out-not thirty a-year from three-hundred churches, but as in the Apostolic times, many from each church. God grant that our eyes may see such blessed days, if it be his will!

I remain, Gentlemen, your's, &c.
EUBULUS.

"Illustrious man! deriving ho

nour less from the splendour of his situation than from the dignity of his mind, before whom all borrowed greatness sinks into insignificance. I cannot, indeed, help admiring the wisdom and fortune of this great man; not that by the phrase, fortune, I mean to derogate from his merit; but notwithstanding his extraordinary talents and exalted integrity, it must be considered as singularly fortunate that he should have experienced a lot which so seldom falls to the lot of humanity, and have passed