Page:The Parochial System (Wilberforce, 1838).djvu/98

 had obtained the requisite means by appropriating the Levitical lands and taxing the tithes. Then surely their free and noble rejoicing before the "Lord God of Israel, their Father," would have been ill exchanged for the spirit of an Italian bandit sorrowfully disgorging the spoils of some outrage to purchase absolution. And do we owe less of gratitude and love than they did? or do love and gratitude produce fruit only under the Law, and not under the Gospel?

But, that we may serve Him yet more joyfully, our heavenly Father has not only given us the love of Christ for our motive; but has promised moreover, of His abundant mercy, that whatever for love's sake we give up, He will return it to us an hundred fold, both in this world and in the next. The words of our Lord and Master on this subject are so strong, that it is difficult to imagine how a Christian can so much as hear them read, without earnestly longing for the opportunity of giving up something, that he may have his share in so wonderful a promise.

"Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all and followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily, I say unto you; there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake and the Gospel's; but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time,