July 6

God works like himself. He does indeed employ means: but while men depend upon their instruments, his instruments depend upon him; and he so uses them as to show that the excellency of the power is not of them, but from himself. When, without hire or reward, a whole nation was to be released from the iron grasp of the most powerful tyrant of the day, Who appeared before him with this sublime demand, "Let my people go, that they may serve me?" Not a trained soldier, not an experienced and renowned officer; but a shepherd, with no sword by his side, but only a crook in his hand, and no less than eighty years old, when, according to the language of his own beautiful psalm, our "strength is labour and sorrow."

The place where he received this surprising commission was the neighbourhood of Horeb, a place rendered afterward so famous and memorable. What a contrast between his condition at the foot of the same mountain then, and his state now! Now a solitary keeper of a few sheep; then king in Jeshurun, ascending up to meet the Most High face to face; receiving the mandates of infinite purity and rectitude written with the finger of God; and subsisting forty days and forty nights by the divine power! This must have been a most interesting spot to Moses.

It is worthy of observation that God in this manifestation found him usefully employed. The occupation indeed was lowly; but though a very learned man, and delicately brought up in a palace, he did not deem the keeping of sheep beneath him, when called to it by the providence of God. Humility is a lovely and blessed endowment. It enables a man to accommodate himself to events, and teaches him how to be abased, as well as how to abound; it leads him to exercise the graces, and perform the duties of the condition. For many who know what it is to be abased, do not know how to be abased. Their minds do not come down and harmonize with their circumstances. They are humbled, but not humble; and would rather break than bend. Yet is there any thing dishonourable in any kind of honest labour? How much more respectable is a profession, or a calling, however common, than what Bishop Sanderson said were the plague and disgrace of the country in his day, (what would he have said had he lived in ours!) beggary and shabby gentility? Hands were given us not to be folded, but used. Adam was placed in Eden to dress and to keep the garden. Seneca says, "I would much rather be sick than idle." As the employment of Moses was not degrading, neither, we are persuaded, was it found uncomfortable. Lord Kaimes says, "there is no drudgery upon earth but admits of more enjoyment than the ennui resulting from indolence and inaction." We have much reason to believe that Moses felt these to be the most privileged years of his life. How much more free and happy was the shepherd of Midian than the courtier in Egypt, and the leader and commander in the wilderness! Here by the side of his innocent charge he held communion with his God, was inspired to write the book of Genesis, and to tell how "the earth sprang out of chaos"—And here some have concluded he composed the delightful drama of Job, to encourage and comfort his suffering brethren in Egypt. However this may be, the subject adds another instance to the numerous cases

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mentioned in the Scriptures, in which, when the Lord appeared to communicate a discovery, or confer a distinction, the recipients were engaged in discharging the duties of their stations in life—Indeed where can we find an exception from the rule? Satan loves to meet men idle. God delights to honour diligence and fidelity. He is with us while we are with him. “To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath.”

JULY 7.—“And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”—Exodus 3:2.

This exhibition was not only miraculous, but very significant. It was intended to strike the mind through the senses, and as an emblem to be instructive in at least four circumstances. Observe the substance of the figure. Not a fine tall tree, not a cedar or cypress, but “a bush,” a mere bush—perhaps a braable bush. Such is the image of the Church. If numbers, and riches, and splendour, and power be the marks of the true Church, as popery has often professed, where in many ages of the world could it be found? Seldom under the Old Testament dispensation; never under the New. At one time it was in the ark, and there was a wicked Ham. At another in the family of Abraham, and there was a mocking Ishmael. It was now in Egypt, consisting of slaves and brickmakers. If we go forward, our Saviour had not where to lay his head. His followers were the common people. His Apostles were fishermen. They could say, years after they had been endued with power from on high, “Even to this very hour, we hunger, and thirst, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; we are accounted the filth and offscouring of all things.” Paul could make this appeal to the Corinthians: “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.” And when James addresses the admirers of the golden ring and the goodly apparel, he shows them that if they would follow God he would lead them in another direction: “Hearken, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” The church is indeed glorious, but she is all glorious within. Her excellences, like the weapons of her warfare, are not carnal, but spiritual. Natural men therefore do not discern her worth and dignity—“The world knoweth us not.”

Observe the condition of the bush. It “burned with fire.” Fire is one of the most common things in the Scripture to denote severe suffering. Hence it is said, “Glorify ye the Lord in the fires.” “I will bring the third part through the fire.” What was the state of the Jews now in Egypt? They were enduring every kind and degree of degradation and anguish, and their lives were bitter by cruel bondage. “The Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my

people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows." Yet what were their sufferings compared with those of many of their brethren in later ages? It is to the Jews the Apostle refers when he says; "Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." And when addressing the Hebrews who were converted and christianized, the same writer says; "Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions." We also should do well to reflect on the condition of our ancestors, and be grateful for the exemptions with which we are favoured. Yet there is a sense in which if any man will live godly in Christ Jesus he shall suffer persecution. With us indeed the hand is tied; but the tongue can no man tame, and the carnal mind is enmity against God. And no toleration-act can prevent our having tribulation in the world; or preclude personal and relative afflictions: and these may subserve the purposes of persecution properly so called. We have known individuals who have suffered in private life more than many martyrs; some of them enduring the pressure of grief week after week, and month after month, without notice; and others unable to divulge the source of their distress—a heart's bitterness known only to themselves. Christians are never to consider "fiery trials" as strange things. Of how many can God say, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction!"

Mark its preservation. Though burning, "the bush was not consumed." What a commentary on this part of the subject are the words of the apostle: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus's sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." And what an exemplification of this language is the history of the Church! Though always exposed and assailed, it has continued to this day. Other cities have perished, and their memorials with them. Empires have disappeared. The four universal monarchies have mouldered away, and their dust has been scattered to the four winds. But the Church is not only in being, but flourishing, and advancing, and going to fill the whole earth. The oppositions it has met with have been overruled for good, and have turned out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel. As it was with the natural Israel, so it has been with the spiritual; the more oppressed, the more they multiplied and grew: and the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church. Our hearts never tremble for the ark of God. It is in safe keeping. He whose cause it is, is the Almighty; and he loves it infinitely better than we do. We never sympathize with the cry,