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sakes he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ."

Now, dear Christians, some of you pray night and day to be branches of the true Vine; you pray to be made all over in the image of Christ. If so, you must be like him in giving. A branch bears the same kind of fruit as the tree. If you be branches at all, you must bear the same fruit. An old divine says well: "What would have become of us if Christ had been as saving of his blood as some men are of their money?"

Obj. 1. My money is my own. Ans. Christ might have said, My blood is my own, my life is my own; no man forceth it from me: then where should we have been?

Obj. 2. The poor are undeserving. Ans. Christ might have said the same thing. They are wicked rebels against my Father's law shall I lay down my life for these? I will give to the good angels. But no, he left the ninety-nine, and came after the lost. He gave his blood for the undeserving.

Obj. 3. The poor may abuse it. Ans. Christ might have said the same; yea, with far greater truth. Christ knew that thousands would trample his blood under their feet; that most would despise it; that many would make it an excuse for sinning more; yet he gave his own blood.

Oh, my dear Christians! if you would be like Christ, give much, give often, give freely, to the vile and the poor, the thankless and the undeserving. Christ is glorious and happy, and so will you be. It is not your money I want, but your happiness. Remember his own word: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

II. It is happier, because of the peculiar character of a Christian. 1. A Christian is a steward. In every great house there is a steward, whose duty it is to manage his master's goods in such a way that every one may have his portion of meat in due season. Now you will see at once that the happiness of the steward does not consist in the receiving of more goods, but in the due distribution of what he has got. If there be any grieve or foreman hearing me, you will know quite well that your happiness consists not in the quantity of your master's goods which goes through your hands, but in the right distribution of it. The happiness of every steward consists in giving, not in receiving.

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Now, dear Christians, you are only stewards of all you possess. You have not one halfpenny of your own. Occupy till I come," is written upon everything. The reckoning-day is near; O that you would be wise stewards! You would be far happier. It is the devil that persuades you that it is better to hoard and lay up for yourself and your children. It is far happier to be an honest steward.

Obj. I am in very poor circumstances. Ans. Still you are a

steward. Use what you have as a steward for Christ, and you will do well. He that used his two talents did not lose his reward. 2. Christians are members one of another. When we are united to Christ, we are united to all the brethren. It is a closer relation than any other, for it outlasts every other. The wife of your bosom will one day be separated from you. Father and child, sister and brother, may be separated eternally; but not so Christian and Christian, they are for ever and for ever, branches of the same tree for eternity, stones of the same temple for ever. Now it must be the happiness of one member to help another. (1.) In the body, when one limb is hurt or is weakly, the others help it. It is their happiness to do so. When the left hand is wounded, the right hand will do everything for it, it supplies all its need. (2.) So it is in Christ's body. It is the happiness of one member to help another. It is just like helping one's self; yea, it is like helping Christ. If Christ were to come to your door poor, and clothed in rags, and shivering with cold, would you feel it an unhappy thing to supply all his need? Oh, then, you may do this whenever you see a poor Christian: "Inasmuch as ye do it to the least of these my brethren, ye do it unto me." Woe is me! how many of you turn Christ away from your door, with a rude and angry countenance. Are you not ashamed to call yourself a Christian?

Again: if Christ lived in some poor dwelling, with not enough of fire to keep away the cold, with not enough of clothes to make the bed warm, would you not seek him out? would you stay till he sought you? Ah, woe is me! in how many dwellings does Christ dwell thus? and yet, there are Christians hearing me that never have sought him out. Change your plan, I pray you. "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

III. Because Christians will be no losers.

1. They shall be no losers in this world by what they give away: "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to penury." I am going to say now what the world will scoff at; but all that I ask of you is, to be like the Bereans. Search the Scriptures, and see if these things be not so. The whole Bible shows, then, that the best way to have plenty in this world is to give liberally. (1.) "Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it after many days." This refers to the sowing of rice. The rice in the East is always sown when the fields are flooded with water. The bread-corn is actually cast upon the water. After many days the waters dry up. and a rich crop of waving rice covers the plain. So it is in giving liberally to the poor out of love to Jesus. It is like throwing away your money, it is like casting seed upon the waters; yet fear not, you shall find a crop after many days, you shall have a return for your money in this world.

A word to Christians in humble life. You say, If I were a

rich Christian, how happy would I be to give! but I am so poor, what can I give? Now, I just ask you to look at the man sowing seed. When he has but little, does he keep back from sowing that little? No; he sows all the more anxiously the little he has, in order to make more. Do you the same.

How little you believe God! He says: "He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord." Now, I believe there is not one in a hundred who would not rather lend to a rich man than lend to the Lord. You believe man-not God. In fact, it is but the other day I heard of a child of God who was in very reduced circumstances, her husband being blind, yet who contrived not only to live, but to give to others also. She wrought with her own hands, that she might have to give. She gave largely to the poor, largely also to missions abroad. This was sowing the seed, all the seed she had, for she had no hoard. And did the crop fail? No it appeared in India, a distant relative died, leaving £20,000 to her alone. God is able to do this every day. "God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye always having allsufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."

How easily God can give you, by the smallest turn of his providence, more than all you give away in a year! O trust the Lord! But the wicked cannot trust God. The world is an Infidel at heart.

Some will say: I will begin to-night; I will put your word to the test; I will give double what I ever gave, and see if I will get a return. Ans. No such thing; keep your money, I advise you. If you give, hoping for something again, you will get nothing. You must give as a Christian gives-cheerfully, liberally, and freely, hoping for nothing again; and then God will give you back good measure, pressed down: "Give, and it shall be given to you." He that giveth to the poor shall have no lack.

2. Christians will be no losers in eternity. The whole Bible shows that Christians will be rewarded in eternity just in proportion to the way they have made use of their talents. Now, money is one talent. If you use it right you will in no wise lose your reward. Christ plainly shows that he will reckon with men in the judgment according as they have dealt by his poor Christians. They that have done much for Christ shall have an abundant entrance; they that have done little shall have little reward.

I thank God that there are some among you to whom Christ will say: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Go on, dear Christians, live still for Christ. Never forget, day nor night, that you are yourselves bought with a price. Lay yourselves and your property all in his hand, and say: "What wilt thou have me to do? Here am I, send me ;" and then I know you will feel, now and in eternity, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

I fear there are some Christians among you to whom Christ can say no such thing. Your haughty dwelling rises in the midst of thousands who have scarce a fire to warm themselves at, and have but little clothing to keep out the biting frost; and yet you never darkened their door. You heave a sigh, perhaps, at a distance; but you do not visit them. Ah! my dear friends! I am concerned for the poor; but more for you. I know not what Christ will say to you in the great day. You seem to be Christians, and yet you care not for his poor. Oh, what a change will pass upon you as you enter the gates of heaven! You will be saved, but that will be all. There will be no abundant entrance for you: "He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly."

I fear there are many hearing me who may know well that they are not Christians, because they do not love to give. To give largely and liberally, not grudging at all, requires a new heart; an old heart would rather part with its life-blood than its money. Oh, my friends! enjoy your money; make the most of it; give none away; enjoy it quickly; for I can tell you, you will be beggars throughout eternity.

Dundee, February 4, 1838

SERMON LXXXIII.

CHRIST'S SILENCE UNDER SUFFERING.

"He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."-Isa. liii., 7.

WHEN the Jewish priests used to lead the tender, fleecy lamb to be slain in the temple, it did not struggle, it did not complain. So when the shearer is clipping the snowy fleece from the sheep, it does not struggle, it does not complain. Even so when God gave his own Son up to the death for us all, he did not struggle, he did not complain. When that gentle Lamb of God was led to the slaughter, he murmured not. When the four soldiers parted his raiment among them, and for his vesture cast lots; when these cruel shearers robbed the Sheep of his snowy fleece, he was dumb, he opened not his mouth.

When he was oppressed and afflicted by man, he answered not a word. He was oppressed and afflicted by God-he murmured not. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. He put him to grief. He was stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Yet he spoke not. He did not turn round and say: Righteous Father, this is

He

unjust. Why should I suffer for sins I did not do? Lord, thou knowest that I am without spot and blameless; thou knowest that I knew no sin, neither was guile found in my mouth. was oppressed and afflicted both by God and by man, yet he opened not his mouth. "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

Doctrine.-Christ was silent under his sufferings.

1st, The fact that Christ was really silent under his sufferings; 2d, Why he was silent; and, 3d, How this is showed forth in the Lord's supper.

I. The fact that Christ was silent under his sufferings.

1. He was silent before man. He was oppressed and afflicted by the wicked hands of men and yet he did not justify himself before man. (1.) This is true when he was taken prisoner. Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, and it was night, when a multitude came upon him with lanterns and torches, and swords and staves. Did Jesus flee away? No. Did he make resistance? No. His disciples said: "Shall we smite with the sword?" and Peter actually used the sword; but Jesus forbade them. He could have called down twelve legions of angels. He could have taken away their breath, that they should die. But no; he said, "This is your hour and the power of darkness." "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

(2.) This is true in his trial before Caiaphas. They had bound Jesus in the garden, and led him away to the Palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. Chief priests, and elders, and scribes, there sat in mock trial upon the Lamb of God. Many false tongues bare false witness against him. Did he answer them? No. He answered not a word. And the high priest stood up in the midst. and said: "Answerest thou nothing?" but he held his peace, and answered nothing. He was led like a lamb; led to the slaughter, "and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."

(3.) True in his trial before Pilate. 1st, From Caiaphas they led him away to the Roman governor, Pilate: "And there the chief priests stood and accused him of many things; but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him, Answerest thou nothing? But Jesus yet answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled greatly." Ah! the blind Roman did not know that he was the Lamb of God, bearing the sins of many. 2d, Again, Pilate sent him to Herod. Herod questioned him; the Jews vehemently accused him; Herod's men of war made a mock of him; yet it is written: "He answered him nothing;" he was still the silent Lamb. 3d, Again,

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