But let me say a word more directly about the subject of which Malachi is speaking.  It seems to me that we may well take a very condemnatory contrast between what we offer to God in regard to our administration of earthly good, and what we offer on other altars.  Contrast what you give, for directly beneficent and Christian purposes, with what you spend, without two thoughts, on your own comfort, indulgence, recreation, tastes—­sometimes doubtful tastes—­and the like.  Contrast England’s drink bill and England’s missionary contribution.  We spend L10,000,000 on some wretched war, and some of you think it is cheap at the price, and the whole contributions of English Christians to missionary purposes in a twelvemonth do not amount to a tenth of that sum.  You offer that to the spread of Christ’s kingdom.  ‘Offer it to your Government,’ and try to compound for your share of the ten millions that you are going to spend in shells and gunpowder by the amount you give to Christian missions, and you will very soon have the tax-gatherer down on you.  ‘Will he be pleased with it?’

This one Missionary Society with which we are nominally connected has an income of L70,000 a year.  I suppose that is about a shilling per head from the members of our congregations.  Of this congregation there are many that never give us a farthing, except, perhaps, the smallest coin in their pockets when the collecting-box comes round.  I do not suppose that there is one of us that applies the underlying principle in our text, of giving God our best, to this work.  I am not going to urge you.  It is my business now simply to state, as boldly and strongly as I can, the fact; and I say with all sadness, with self-condemnation, as well as bringing an indictment against my brethren, but with the clearest conviction that I am not exaggerating in the smallest degree, that the contrast between what we lavish on other things and what we give for God’s work in the world, is a shameful contrast, like that other which the Prophet gibbeted with his indignant eloquence.

II.  And now let me come to another point—­viz., that we have here suggested and implied the true law and principle on which all Christian giving of all sorts is to be regulated.

And that is—­give the best.  The diseased animal was no more fit for the altar of God than it was for the shambles of the viceroy.  It was the entire and unblemished one that would be accepted in either case.  But for us Christian people that general principle has to be expanded.  Let me do it in two or three sentences.

The foundation of all is ‘the unspeakable Gift.’  Jesus Christ has given Himself, God has given His Son.  And Jesus Christ and God, in giving, gave up that we might receive.  Do you believe that?  Do you believe it about yourself?  If you do, then the next step becomes certain.  That gift, truly received by any man, will infallibly lead to a kindred (though infinitely inferior) self-surrender.