---

I. A STRONG REBUKE TO ALL SOCIAL MONOPOLY. The earth is for "the children of men."

II. A STRONG REBUKE TO RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENCE. The earth is given to man in trust for certain uses.

1. As a scene for man's physical development.

2. As a school for man's intellectual culture.

3. As a temple for man's religious worship. The children of men to use this world rightly should worship God in all they suffer, enjoy, think, or do. In everything there should be —

(1)  A reigning gratitude. The earth is a gift to every man, and every man should use every portion of it thankfully.

(2)  A reigning reverence. The earth is a gift where the greatness of God is everywhere seen, and, therefore, "take off thy shoes from off thy feet," etc.

4. As a sphere for evangelical labour Christ has been on this earth. Here He has left doctrines for every child of man to believe, propagate and work out.

(Homilist.)

---

---

KJV: The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

WEB: The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh; but the earth has he given to the children of men.