ister justice to the people, and said, "My lord, the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon." Nor did Ebedmelech merely assert the innocence of the prophet, and the injustice of his persecutors, but added what was likely to move the king's compassion, and secure Jeremiah's release. "He is like to die of hunger," said the eunuch, "in the place where he is; for there is no more bread in the city." Perhaps he knew, moreover, that "there was no water in the dungeon, but mire;" and that Jeremiah had "sunk in the mire," and had been purposely left there to perish! Now it was more than humanity that prompted Ebedmelech to intercede for the prophet's enlargement. What honest boldness and holy courage did he manifest when he ventured to condemn the conduct of the princes before the king, while he sat in open court, to administer justice! "These men" themselves, or at least some of them, were probably present; and if they were not, there were those who would tell them what he had said. And what would he expect but to encounter their resentment, and, perhaps, to be cast into the same prison with Jeremiah, if Providence did not interpose for his protection?

It appears, then, that the pious Ethiopian had resolved to discharge what he conceived to be his duty, trusting in the Lord for safety and success. Nor was he disappointed; for the king immediately answered his request by saying, "Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die." With joy the good Ethiopian made haste to execute the orders he had received, adopting suitable means for the accomplishment of his wishes, and drew up the prophet from his subterranean tenement, where he had dwelt in the region and shadow of death;" so that he "remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken." For the per

melech trusted in the God of Israel. He believed, and therefore he spoke and acted. He not only gave credit to the testimony which he had received concerning Jehovah, but honoured him by a firm reliance on the Divine perfections. Such was his piety, that he showed his faith by his works; and thus were his faith and his character justified and approved in the sight of men. Contemplating his heroic conduct, Jeremiah might have said, as our Lord afterwards did of another proselyte, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." So true is it that "faith is the fountain of all virtues," as we learn from what the apostle says of it in the eleventh chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews. Faith works by love, overcomes the world, leads to the practice of every good work, and forms the truly pious man, on account of whom the church has no need to blush, but reason to glory.

And now in what a signal manner was the piety of Ebedmelech rewarded? It pleased God to send a special message to him, that he might be assured of the Divine protection and favour. "The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee." And what were these words? They were such as to declare that Jerusalem should be taken by the Chaldeans, and destroyed by fire; while many of the people, who would escape the famine and the pestilence, should be slain by the sword of the enemy! What pictures of misery and death does Jeremiah draw in his Lamentations! There Jerusalem is introduced as saying, "The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets; my young men and my virgins are fallen by the sword." The Chaldeans are represented as being "swifter than eagles," hunting down those who remained in the

towards God our Saviour, and towards his people and cause, it forms, at the same time, the basis of all that is needful, by way of contribution.

For a moment think of the power which the mighty Saviour can call into action on this principle. Suppose a church of 250 members. Let every one be poor, and every one lay by only the widow's two mites, which make a farthing. One farthing a week from 250 Christians will amount in a year to more than twelve guineas! The Divine method is one of great simplicity, but of great power also. How vast the sum of a halfpenny a week from a million of poor Christians! Not less than one hundred thousand pounds!

But this is by no means the Divine standard of contribution. It is only the frequency and universality that we have yet considered. And far be it from us to intimate that the rich are to contribute no more than the poor. Such is by no means the Divine method.

It is

3. It is to contribute in due proportion: "As God hath prospered him." supposed that every Christian is engaged in business. It is needful, while in this world, that every one should have some honest and laudable mode of acquiring property, both to supply personal and domestic wants, and afford a surplus for the needy. Believers were generally poor in Apostolic times, and obtained the means of their support by their daily labour. At the end of the week, their work being done, they were to observe the Divine providence towards them, and to ascertain how they had been prospered in business. And this was the rule of proportion for their contribution. They might "lay by in store" a certain per cent., five, ten, or twenty, or any other proportion, just as they were able, or as their love prompted them to do. If, at any time, they had received more than common, then their proportion would be the same, while the amount would be greater. And so if they had received less. This would operate equally upon all the members; for the rich would give abundance from their abundant income;

and the poor would give a little, just in the same proportion.

The Apostle does not say, however, how much each man should give, only that it should be proportionate to each one's prosperity. Every one is to exercise his own judgment. God wishes not that we should feel as tributaries, but as friends and children, that he is Lord of all, the Father of mercies, and the Saviour of the lost; that we should understand the work in which he is engaged, and that we are allowed and expected to co-operate in it. And, that our views may be enlarged and our affections engaged, he allows us the unspeakable privilege of considering his kingdom as our kingdom, his work as our work, his glory as our glory, and the happiness and glory of all that is achieved and done, as his joy, in which we are permitted to share. With such a work before us, and such results as our ultimate reward and portion, he calls us to take part in the work, with the assurance that "every one shall receive a reward according to his own labour." With our eye fixed on the future joy, he allows us to deny ourselves, to labour, to make sacrifices, and bear his cross, just in proportion to our faith and love; all proceeding spontaneously from our ardent affection for him and his cause, and the souls of men. In this blessed enterprise he lays out before us, not only this world, which is the field in which he works and employs us, but heaven and hell, with their eternal realities. It is not, then, a mere estimate of our doing a certain amount of labour, or giving a certain amount of contribution, or bearing a certain weight of sorrow or affliction, that is to regulate our action or our suffering; but it is the worth of the soul, the bliss of heaven, the pains of hell, the example of God, angels, and good men, that are to be always before us. Such are the themes of thought, the expanding, ennobling, and invigorating realities which are to move us. And, with these in view, God allows us to judge and determine how great shall be the amount

we will consecrate to this noble, angelic, godlike enterprise.

4. It is such as requires order and care: "Let every one of you lay by him in store."-Labourers have storehouses. In them they preserve the fruits of their labour. They have also some place of security as a treasury. There they deposit the results of their industry and frugality, for the twofold purpose of order and safe keeping and on this place of deposit how much thought may be expended! It is the store, perhaps, laid up for a day of trouble, or for the helplessness of old age, or as an inheritance for children. In view of this store, one may say to his soul, “Thou hast much goods laid up for many years." Another may calculate how much he may gain by the provident use of this store; or he may be elated by the power he can exert with his wealth.

But where is the man who keeps a treasury for God? I mean a place of deposit in which he may "lay up in store, as God has prospered him," his contributions for the relief of the needy, especially the needy soul? It would be no great stretch of the imagination to suppose that a pious mind would find as much pleasure in thinking of the Lord's treasury as of his own. It is the testimonial of his heavenly Father's bounty. Every thought of it calls forth a new emotion of love, with a strong desire to do good to the needy. In this treasury the money is safe, and it is ready. This was one design of the Apostle in ordering this deposit," that there be no gatherings when I come." He was making collections in Asia and Europe, among the churches of the Gentiles, to relieve the poor saints at Jerusalem. He was the general agent in this business. But he did not wish to do what they could do themselves; nor did he wish to be diverted or detained from his great work while their collections were being made. If they would follow his directions, all would be ready. Then God would be pleased with their cheerfulness, and honoured by the abundance of their con

tribution and their joy. So in all cases of charitable liberality, if the Divine method were followed, how pleasant, how delightful, would be the aspect of the church! Every member laying by him in store, upon the first day of the week, as God had prospered him, what an abundance would there be for every want! How promptly, how cheerfully, how satisfactorily would every want be met! Then would there be no complaint of hard times, for every one's bounty would be ready. Then would there be no complaint of too many calls; for on every Lord's day the store would be replenished. Even should there be a call on one Lord's day for a Bible Society, on another for a Tract Society, on a third for Foreign Missions, on a fourth for Home Missions, on a fifth for Education, on a sixth for Sabbath-schools, and so on, till all the societies which deserve our aid have called, and then how would the case stand? They would find support, and their claims be welcome again; for again all would be ready to contribute. Observe, however, the Apostle does not direct these supplies to be laid by in the house of God on the first day of the week; but every one in his own house. Then, at the call of the Lord, they may be brought forth from each one's store just as the case may demand.

If we now endeavour to apply these Divine instructions, we shall see,

His

1. That personal responsibility is an essential element in the Divine method.— Our Lord does not intend that the individual shall be lost in the mass. eye is upon the treasury; he observes every offering; the rich may cast in much, but his eye is upon each one as he gives. "Let every one of you, on the first day of the week, lay by in store." He looks as carefully at the gift of the poor as at the gift of the rich. He kindly notices the love, the hard labour, the self-denial, of a poor disciple who presents a small oblation. "The turtledove," "the young pigeon," "the two mites," the hard-earned sixpence, given cheerfully, joyfully, and with a heart