manifesting our "love not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth, we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." 3 For he has said, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Those, then, who are here represented as the righteous, who "go into life eternal," are rewarded for their works. But the ground of their acceptance is still their faith. For faith is the cause why they have wrought these works. Faith is the principle; works, the effect. Holiness, purity, temperance, integrity, mercy, charity, are proofs of the existence and of the soundness of the principle from which they spring.

Whereas, on the other hand, the absence of brotherly kindness and charity is proof of the absence or the inefficacy of that on which all depends: is evidence, discernible by men, of the absence of that inward principle which men cannot discern, but which He discerns who knows what is in men; absence of that genuine faith, which, wherever it exists, must produce active love towards all our fellow-creatures. So that one way in which we are taught to "know that we have passed from death unto life," is "because we love the brethren." "He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death." 4

It appears, therefore, that in the description here given us of the judgment-day, the one class is accepted, not because they had works independently of faith, but because their faith in the Redeemer "wrought

3 1 John iii. 19.

4 1 John iii. 14.

with their works, and by works was their faith made

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perfect.' While the other class is rejected, not because they had no works to justify and save them (for what would be the hope of any man, if he trusted to be saved or justified by anything he had done or can do?); but because their conduct had shown, that they had no real faith in him whom they had been used to call by the name of Lord and Saviour. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." 6

XLV.

RELIEF SENT FROM ANTIOCH TO JUDEA.

ACTS xi. 29, 30.

29. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea :

30. Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

THE brethren in Judea were exposed to particular distress, in consequence of a wide-spreading famine,

5 See James ii. 22.

6 Ib. ii. 26.

which affected the whole Roman empire in the time of the emperor Claudius, about forty-four years after the birth of Christ. And this calamity gave occasion to the charity here mentioned, which was, as far as we know, or have reason to believe, the first transaction of the kind in the history of the world. Certain inhabitants of Antioch meet together, and hearing of a calamity by which the inhabitants of another country, a distant and unconnected country, are brought into distress, make a common contribution, every man according to his ability, and send it for their relief.

If men enter upon a new course of conduct, we conclude that some new motive has been brought to bear upon them. In the present case, what was that motive? They determine to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea. But men had always been brethren, descended from the same Father. They had always been united under a common lot, made subject to common calamities, which may be much alleviated by being shared. they had not been brought to look on one another in this light, as objects of mutual interest and assistance. Every man had "looked on his own things," and no man on "the things of others." Their private interests absorbed and employed them.

Still

Now, however, a new system begins. A new influence was coming into operation. Those who were united in the christian faith were bound together by ties which could not be unavailing. The love of God manifested in so extraordinary a manner towards themselves, had set them an example which they must imitate, had imposed on them a duty which they must needs perform. St. John has explained this: "Brethren, herein was love; not that we loved God, but that

he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." "1 We ought to love one another, when he has given us this proof of the way in which he regards mankind. We ought to love one another, because such is the will and the command of him who so loved us. And he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen ?"2 If he love not the children who are before his eyes, how can he love the Father, who is far above out of his sight, but who has required this proof of his gratitude, this offering of a heart thankful for the benefits which it has received?

But there was another reason why these Christians were forward to assist their suffering brethren in a way which had not before been usual. They had learnt to look upon the things of this world in a new light. They had learnt to see their possessions as something beyond the means of private enjoyment, or personal gratification to see them as given for a purpose, and to be employed for a purpose. The bent of the heart is shown by the manner in which these earthly things are used. And the heart is shown to be rightly bent, when they are used to honour and serve the Almighty giver.

"The children of this generation" see but one use of wealth: how they may most fully gratify the inclination which urges them most strongly: whether it be to hoard up stores which their family may afterwards enjoy, or whether it be to follow a course of vanity and self-indulgence. Too monly, their language is that expressed in our

1 Eph. iv. 10.

2 1 John iv. 20.

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Lord's parable; "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Then, in the pursuit of the objects which gratify them, their fortune is engaged: and even if they had the inclination to be charitable, they have not left to themselves the means.

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.

It is not so with one who has received the faith of Christ as the rule by which he is to live. He knows that this world's good is a talent placed in his hands, of which he is to make use in conformity with the will of him to whom he owes it. That will is laid down in terms too clear to be mistaken.4 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy: that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate: laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Under this view, it was given as a rule to these early Christians, that "upon the first day of the week every one of them should lay by him in store according as God had prospered him." This produced a common stock, for the use of the household of faith:" for the christian family congregated together: partly to support the pastors and teachers, and partly to assist the destitute persons of the flock. Sometimes, as on this occasion, there was a further call, for the relief of more distant brethren. These were of the same family, though settled elsewhere: still they were disciples of the same Lord, and had the same faith and hope as the Chris

3 Luke xii. 19.

4 1 Tim. vi. 17—19.

5 1 Cor. xvi. 2.