more precious than the others' talents. "This poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury." 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 an heap still; she gives all at once, and leaves herself nothing," she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." And thus the name of the desolate widow is in all the churches, and "they that speak in proverbs" still tell of the widow's mites. That which the Saviour of the world condescended to notice,-and the more so because the subject of His commendation was a widow woman,-is told out among the heathen, and little children rejoice to hear the tale, and as they grow in grace, and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they not only admire, but imitate her charity, and bless the Lord of all lords for his gracious goodness, trusting that their names, like hers, may be written down in the "Book of remembrance," and that in the latter day the promise may be theirs also with the multitudes of God's saints.

They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him 2.

2 Mal. iii. 17.

And thus much for the cause of the widow, and desolate widowhood, and ever, Christian brethren, may we recollect, and act up to, the beauty of that petition in the Litany, wherein we beseech the Lord, who alone is good, in the fuller sense of goodness, "to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed!” And observe, that the way to act up to the Lord's will, is to think upon his commandments to do them. If we do not so, we are thoughtless children of the kingdom. In a word, we are to set hand and heart to the work, and then to be most pleased, when, in a humble way, we are imitating our God, who "openeth his hand liberally,"-" upbraideth not" at all the children of sorrow,-yea rather giveth "rest from sorrow, and from fear, and from hard bondage 3."

Thus we are led on from contemplating the history before us to contemplate likewise that true charity which is exemplified in it. And to this, more particularly, I would devote the remainder of this discourse. May our hearts be bent to understand its true measure and weight,—and may the Almighty God, for his only Son Jesus Christ's sake, "send the Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before Him 4!"

And here, one thing cannot but strike us in a

4

3 Isa. xiv. 3.

See Collect for Quin. Sunday.

moment, which is this, that though the outward act of the poor widow's charity was shewn forth in the giving of alms,—whether for the use of the temple, or the poor, the principle was deeper rooted in love. The giving of alms indeed, is not necessarily charity3, -though it be one way of shewing it, for the Apostle declares, that a man might bestow all his goods upon the poor, and be nothing profited, because he had it not. Charity rather is that principle of prevailing love, which runs, like a thread of pure gold, through every act of a Christian man's life, exacting, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that ready service

5

I cannot avoid quoting a beautiful passage from Sir T. Browne's "Religio Medici."

"If we are directed only by our particular natures, and regulate our inclinations by no higher rule than that of our reason, we are but moralists; divinity will still call us heathens. Therefore this great work of charity must have other motives, ends, and impulsions: I give no alms to satisfy the hunger of my brother, but to fulfil and accomplish the will and command of God; I draw not my purse for his sake that demands it, but his that enjoins it; I relieve no man upon the rhetoric of his miseries, nor to content mine own commiserating disposition; for this is still but moral charity, and an act that oweth more passion than He that relieves another upon the bare suggestion and bowels of pity, doth not this so much for his sake, as for his own; for by compassion we make others' misery our own, and so, by relieving them, we relieve ourselves. It is as erroneous a conceit to redress other men's misfortunes upon the common considerations of merciful natures, that it may be one day our own case; for this is a sinister and politic kind of charity, whereby we seem to bespeak the pities of men on the like occasions."-Part ii. § 2. 61 Cor. xiii. 3.

reason.

which is perfect freedom,-glory, that is, to God, and good will towards men.

But as the charity of the poor widow, on this occasion, was confined to her gift, the considerations which follow will chiefly have reference to giving also. It was only thought necessary to throw out what has been said as a caution:--and many there be that need it; for though some give nothing and stand unexcused in the face of earth and heaven,others think they have fulfilled the law when they have given their money only. But "the good man is merciful and lendeth, and will guide his words with discretion "."

As respects giving, then,-(and it is every one's bounden duty to provide for the poor and needy, as he hopes himself to be delivered in time of trouble,)— what should first arrest our attention is the fact that it is not the sum given unto which the Lord has respect, but the intention of the giver. What, in the instance before us, were two mites? How little their value! Sum them up they make but a farthing! Alas! thou lone widow woman!" who was poorer than thyself? Wherefore was that Corban set 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, wise enough and

7 Ps. cxii. 5.

8

See Bp. Hall's Contemplations, ut suprà.

calculating in his generation, might perhaps have suggested this probable discouragement. Jesus, on the contrary, publishes and applauds her bounty,"He called unto him his disciples and saith unto them, Verily, I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in than all they that have cast into the treasury." The Lord, that is, knew what was in her heart," for the Lord seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart "." He saw the intention that guided the open hand to give, and stamped the deed with an everlasting record in the Book of Life. The Lord is the widow's memorial!

It follows from this, that there may be more real charity in the smallest gift than in the most splendid offering. The one may be a poor man's all, the other but a slender part of a rich man's thousands. To compass the one, the poor man may shorten his scant meal, and be hungry still, whilst the rich man has abundance still, and eats and drinks and is merry. But let us hear the living Word of those burning pages which either comfort or condemn the heart. How readest thou? "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my

1 Sam. xvi. 7.