TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
BISHOP WILSON'S MEDITATIONS ON HIS SACRED OFFICE.
No. VII.—SATURDAY.
ALMS.
Questions from the Office of Ordination.—Will you show yourself gentle, and be merciful for Christ's sake to poor and needy people, and to all strangers destitute of help?—Ans. i will so show myself, by God's help.
Luke xi. 41. "But rather give alms of such things as you have, (or, as you are able,) and all things are clean unto you." That is, proportion your alms to your estate, lest God proportion your estate to your alms.—Bishop Beveridge.
Luke xii. 33. "Sell that ye have and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." N.B. There is still a necessary Christian duty, whatever men think of it; to part with our worldly enjoyments for the sake of Christ.… "Give to the poor," said our Lord to the rich young man whom He loved. Had there been a better way of disposing of his estate. He would certainly have told him.…
St. Bern. Ep. 2. Do not imagine that all that belongs to your Church, belongs to you. You have indeed a right to live by the Altar, but not in luxury.
