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life; but the same principle is carried through God's dealings, and that principle is seen in a very great variety of forms. The treatment was this:-" He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna. If it were to be asserted that these things are exactly true of all who are spiritually minded and truly pious, it might seem a daring and bold declaration. Yet it may be said with truth, when understood in a proper sense, They were led into a country where the common and usual food of man was unknown. They were withdrawn from the ordinary sources of life and pleasure this is the point to which our attention is to be drawn. The children of this world endeavour to live upon this world, and to satisfy themselves with what it affords; while they remain worldly, they never see the vanity of these things in its real light. They, like the Egyptians, remain resting in the solace of a fertile land and its rich productions, and will not bear to go out to meet the Lord, as the Israelites did, and to hold solitary communion with Him. They are never in their closets, engaged with Him upon their knees; never watching unto prayer in the silence of the late hours of night, when the world is asleep. They do not withdraw their hearts and thoughts, to fly from worldly pleasures, and go forth to keep a true feast unto the Lord their God. They remain longing for worldly happiness; never at rest, but always seeking it in the common desires of human nature. But now contrast the character and feelings of the spiritually minded. They are commanded and invited by the Lord, to come out from those we have, just described, and be separate. They are invited to repent, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, to believe no more in the world as the source of life and peace; to trust no more in the arm of flesh, nor in the wisdom, understanding, or righteousness of man; but in Christ only, as wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. They are called to leave the land of Egypt, to cross the Red Sea, which is ready to divide for them by a miracle, and to travel to Canaan through a wilderness, that is, not a place of misery and wretchedness, but at least through one where the sustenance,

the food, and the comfort they will have, are not of this world. The Christian's true life on earth, after he has become a serious and devout believer, is not of this world. The Apostle says, "Your life is hid with Christ in God;" "Our conversation is in heaven." In this the life on earth is like the wilderness which Israel traversed. God withdraws you, by His invitation, from the common life of man, which is worldly, and directs you to a heavenly life. We are often, like them, some time before we really come out of Egypt in earnest. Hindrances exist: old masters and tyrants withhold us, fears and unbelief make us tremble to undertake such a journey. But at last some great and mighty work of God, like the slaying of the firstborn, puts our enemies to flight; and the command to prepare the unleavened bread, and go forth at once, in that very night, brings about the Exodus, the departure from Egypt. We are taught the vanity of earthly good. The Spirit of God teaches the heart, makes its worldly hopes wither away, causes the idolized gourd of Jonah to perish in a night, and so withdraws us from trusting any more in this world for our supreme happiness, the portion of our souls. We are taught also to see the infinite and surpassing preciousness of heavenly things, the transcendent glories of Christ crucified and risen; and thus also are disabled from living upon things below alone. This answers to the 66 suffering thee to hunger," in the text. For it is often attended with suffering: there is a period of dreariness and gloom; sore disappointments and aching hearts render the penitent like the multitudes in the desert-enduring hunger, amid sterile, burning rocks. But although so dreary the scene, they are in the hands of God. "They cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivereth them out of their distress." But when He answers their prayers, it is not with worldly food that He supplies their wants. That can satisfy the true penitent no longer. God does not stop the tears and sighs of sorrow for sin, by pouring riches and honours into the lap. He quenches not the desire after God, by sending only abundance of the good things of earth. That were to give a stone when the soul asks for bread; it might be even to give a

serpent. How, then, is the pious converted heart satisfied? The Scripture says, "Man did eat angels' food." And thus it is fulfilled. Spiritual blessings are sent down from heaven: the true manna; the blessings which angels taste above; peace with God, and love and joy, and all the fruits of the Spirit. With them, the praying penitent is comforted. Being justified by faith in Christ Jesus, he has peace with God, and rejoices in hope of the glory of God. This is a happiness entirely different from the joy of this world-as much so as manna differs from common bread, and far more different. For the one is but nourishment for a moment to a body destined as the prey of the worm, but the other endureth to everlasting life. The believer's manna, his heavenly food, is the Lord Jesus, His body and His blood, received in faith, eaten by faith, and assured to him in that blessed sacrament which the Saviour has appointed. We have therefore now reviewed the treatment with which the Lord educates His own for heaven. He makes them hunger for true and spiritual blessingswithdrawing them from man's common happiness, which is of the earth, and in the seasonable time of that urgent necessity, in answer to prayer, feeds him with the bread of life, in Him who came down from heaven to be the life of the world.

E.

THE POOR MAN'S DUTY AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN HELPING TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL.

It is not the rich alone that the Saviour bids deny themselves for His sake and the Gospel's-" Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself'."

A rich young ruler, and a poor fisherman, were among the listeners to our blessed Redeemer'; one "had great possessions," the other but a net, and a fishing-boat, and sometimes had to toil all the night for a subsistence". The first asked, "What good thing he should do, that he might have eternal life?" Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the But his poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven."

66

3 Luke v. 5. John xxi. 3.

heart was set upon his riches, and "at that saying," he went away sad and grieved. The other had forsaken all to follow Christ, and little as that "all" was, in comparison with the rich man's possessions, yet when he asked what he should have in return, he was promised a throne in the everlasting kingdom of heaven, when the Son of Man should come in His glory; and the Saviour added this gracious promise, that every one who had given up his home, his kindred, his lands, for Christ's sake and the Gospel's, should have an hundred fold more in this present time, and in the world to come, eternal life. So great, so immeasurably above our poor sacrifices, are the rich rewards laid up for those who are willing to count all things but loss that they may win Christ, and he found in Him.

And in regard to helping forward the spread of the Gospel, which it must be the duty of every one, whether rich or poor, to strive to do, let the poor recollect these two things, that no gift is too small in God's sight for His gracious acceptance, if it is given with a right motive, and for His honour and glory; and the other is, for them, and indeed for all of us, constantly to bear in mind, that God gives us every thing we possess, and could take it away at any moment it pleased Him".

It is related of the late excellent Mr. Thornton, who was well known for contributing munificently to every charity that was brought before him, that a gentleman, on one occasion, waited on him to solicit his support to a charity that support he had just given, in the shape of a cheque to a considerable amount, and the gentleman had the cheque in his hand. Just at that moment, the intelligence arrived that one of Mr. Thornton's largest ships had foundered on the voyage home, and that the whole of her valuable cargo was lost. Mr. Thornton immediately requested the gentleman to return him the cheque; the gentleman, a little unwilling to comply with such a request, returned it to him. Mr. Thornton tore it in pieces, wrote out another, and gave it to the gentleman, who, on looking at it, found that it was for double the

4 Mark x.

6 Luke xxi. 2, 3

5 Phil. iii. 7 Job i. 21.

amount that the former cheque was drawn for. He expressed his surprise; but Mr. Thornton said, "How can you be surprised? I have had a hint given me that it is time for me to be charitable; for if I should undergo such another loss, I may not have the opportunity of enjoying the luxury of giving."

But many of the poor will say, "How can we deny ourselves? We have scarcely sufficient to purchase food and clothing for ourselves and children." I would only ask, have you any desire to deny yourselves for Christ's sake? Can it be said of you, as it is recorded of pious David, when he so earnestly longed to build a house to the Lord, and was not permitted to do so- "Thou didst well that it was in thine heart?" or, as it is related of her who was blessed with an everlasting memorial in the Gospel of Christ, "She hath done what she could"?" The Macedonians were commended by St. Paul for giving of "their deep poverty;" and with joy he bears record, that they were willing to give even beyond their power, praying the Apostles with much entreaty, that they would receive the gift for their brethren in distress'. How many a poor person, desirous to prove his gratitude to an earthly benefactor, will bring him little gifts of the produce of his garden, and deny himself taking them to market for profit, to show his sense of his master's kindness towards him, and not because he imagined one so much better off than himself could not buy these things. Not long ago, a poor woman, living in a country village, gave the profit of a brood of chickens to a missionary fund, to help forward the spread of the Gospel, and to show that when she daily prayed, "Thy kingdom come," the words were not only on her lips, but in her heart.

Ask yourselves, what am I doing for my Heavenly Master? and in what manner can I show a sense of my gratitude towards him?

If there is a real desire to do something for Christ's sake and His kingdom, it is almost always followed by the act; and those who do not desire to help, seldom make the effort in any way whatever. And this must be

1 Kings viii. 18.

19 Mark xiv. 8, 9.

1 2 Cor. viii. 2-4.