enough, was in this commendable. | Christ noted their gifts alone;
How bounteously open were their
hands to the house of God! Time
was when their liberality was fain
to be restrained by proclamation;
and now it needed no incitement; the
rich gave much, the poorest gave
more: "He saw a poor widow cast-
ing in two mites." It was misery
enough that she was a widow. The
married woman is under the careful
provision of a husband; if she spend,
he earns in that estate four hands
work for her; in her widowhood,
but two. Poverty added to the
sorrow of her widowhood. The loss
of some husbands is supplied by a
rich jointure: it is some allay to the
grief that the hand be full though
the bed be empty. This woman was
not more desolate than needy; yet
this poor widow gives; and what
gives she? an offering like herself,
"two mites ;"-or, in our language,
two half-farthing tokens. Alas!
good woman, who was poorer than
thyself? Wherefore was that cor-
ban but for the relief of such as
thou? Who should receive if such
give? Thy mites were something
to thee, nothing to the Treasury.
How ill is that gift bestowed, which
disfurnisheth thee, and adds nothing
to the common stock! Some thrifty
neighbour might, perhaps, have sug-
gested this probable discouragement.
Jesus publishes and applauds her
bounty: "He called his disciples
and said unto them, Verily I say
unto you, this woman hath cast in
more than they all." While the
rich put in their offerings, I see no
disciples called; it was enough that

--

but

when the widow comes with her two mites, now the domestics of Christ are summoned to assemble, and taught to admire this munificence; a solemn preface makes way to her praise, and her mites are made more precious than the other's talents: "She gave more than they all;" more, not only in respect of the mind of the giver, but of the proportion of the gift as hers. A mite to her was more than pounds to them: pounds were little to them, two mites were all to her; they gave out of their abundance, she out of her necessity. That which they gave left the heap less, yet a heap still; she gives all at once, and leaves herself nothing. So, as she gave not more than any, but "more than they all.” God doth not so much regard what is taken out as what is left. O Father of mercies! thou lookest at once into the bottom of her heart and the bottom of her purse, and esteemest her gift according to both. As thou seest not as man, so thou valuest not as man: man judgeth by the worth of the gift, thou judgest by the mind of the giver, and the proportion of the remainder. It were wide with us, if thou shouldest go by quantities. Alas! what have we but mites, and those of thine own lending? It is the comfort of our meanness that our affections are valued, and not our presents: neither hast thou said, "God loves a liberal giver, but a cheerful." If I had more, O God, thou shouldest have it; had I less thou wouldest not despise it, who "acceptest the gift according to that

- Mat. xxiv. 42; & xxv. 13. Mark xiii. 33.-h ch of unleavened bread, when the

not fail; and yet he should deny him and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

thrice.

24 And there was also a

strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

28 Ye are they which have continued with me in "my temptations.

2

29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to

death.

34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

35 "And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye And they said, any thing? Nothing.

36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, 'And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 38 And they said, Lord, betwo swords.

30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my king-hold, here are

dom, "and sit on thrones judg- And he said unto them, It is ing the twelve tribes of Israel.

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan

C

enough.

9 Mark ix. 34. ch. ix. 46.-r Mat. xx. 25. Mark x. 42.- Mat. xx. 26. I Pet. v. 3.- ch. ix. 48.-u ch. xii. 37.- Mat. xx. 28. John xiii. 13, 14. Phil. ii. 7.- Heb. iv. 15.-z Mat. xxiv. 47. ch. xii. 32. 2 Cor. i 7. 2 Tim.

hath desired to have you, that i. 12. Mat. viii. 11, ch. xiv. 15. Rev. xix. 9.-6 Ps.

he may "sift you as wheat:

xlix. 14. Mat. xix. 28. 1 Cor. vi. 2. Rev. iii. 21.-C 1 Pet. v. 8.-d Amos ix. 9.-e John xvii. 9, 11, 15.-f Ps. li. 13. John xxi. 15. 16, 17.-g Mat. xxvi. 34. Mark xiv. 30. John xiii. 38.-h Mat. x. 9. ch. ix. 3; & x. 4.-i

32 But I have prayed for Is. iii. 12. Mark xv. 28.

thee, that thy faith fail not: