July 27

You think perhaps that your hardships and trials will recommend you to God; and you are often heard to say, "It is better to suffer here than hereafter." But you will suffer in both if you reject the council of God against yourselves, and adjudge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life. Christianity has indeed a most tender and a peculiar aspect towards the sons and daughters of want and wo—"The poor have the Gospel preached unto them." But you must receive it in order to be benefited by it. Then indeed your privations will be sanctified; the Lord will bless your bread and your water; and your humble dwelling will become one of the palaces of Zion.

There are some who have treasure on earth, but not in heaven. We inquire not how you obtained it. We will presume that the acquisition has left no stain upon your character, or sting in your conscience; and that you remember the Lord your God, that he it is that giveth you power to get wealth. Neither do we wish to depreciate the common bounties of his hand, as if they were not good in themselves, though so often abused. Some purposes they can answer; but it is not true without restriction that "money procureth all things." It cannot purchase health, or bribe off disease. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. They cannot purify the passions, or heal a wounded spirit. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Yea it renders him more responsible; excites envy and opposition; exposes him to temptations and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. "The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." I pity the man of the world who has his portion in this life, and no interest in a better. He is daily and hourly leaving behind him all he loves and idolizes, while he has nothing before him to excite hope or desire; what wonder therefore that his death is the effect of reluctance and compulsion? "He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of this world." The rabbinical Jews say that some of the words of Scripture, with which the angels receive the soul at death, and sing it down to hell, are these: "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness." We have no notion that these benevolent beings derive pleasure from the misery of any one, or that they would insult even a lost spirit. But every one at death will be clothed with shame who has preferred the mammon of unrighteousness to the true riches.

There are some who have treasure in heaven, but not on earth. This is the case with not a few of our Lord's followers: "I will leave in the midst of thee a poor and an afflicted people." Silver and gold they have none. And they need not despair, or murmur, as if all importance, excellency, usefulness, and enjoyment were denied them with wealth. The Apostles themselves could say; "Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place." Even Jesus the Lord of all had not where to lay his head; and received the ministrations of widows. You have the honour of resembling the Saviour in condition, and the advantage of living more immediately by faith upon his providence, while he gives you day by day

your daily bread. He also says to you, as he did to the Church of Ephesus, "I know thy poverty; but thou art rich." Rich in faith and hope: rich in the exceeding great and precious promises: rich in the earnest and foretastes of life eternal. Angels are your attendants; you feed on the hidden mania; he has covered you with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. And as far as they can subserve your welfare, all things are yours: "Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

But there are some who have treasure in heaven and on earth too. The lines have fallen to them in pleasant places: they have a goodly heritage. The streams of the upper and of the nether springs flow within their borders. Is it nothing that you have not only the necessaries, but the conveniences, comforts, and indulgences of life? Is it nothing that you can largely enjoy the pleasures of benevolence? That you can draw down upon you the blessing of him that is ready to perish? That you can make the widow's heart to sing for joy? That you can aid in diffusing the Scriptures? in sending abroad the Gospel? and in every good work? Fall upon your knees, and thank the Giver of all good for the blessings of the life that now is. And then thank him far more that he has not put you off with these; or suffered you to be satisfied in them—"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

JULY 28.—"For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth."—Micah 5:4.

This certainly refers to the Messiah, the Lord of glory, the Lord of all. He is always great in himself: and therefore is not aggrandized by accession, but by discovery. He must be known, and he only needs to be known, in order to be great. A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and among his own kindred. Upon the same principle it has been said that domestic greatness is unattainable. All feel a decrease of veneration, if not of love, from acquaintance and intimacy. But the more he is known the more will he be admired and adored. The reason is, because he is perfect, and divine. His excellences therefore are unbounded and infinite, and will admit of endless attention and praise.

This subject deeply concerns his people. They know the importance of the revelation of the Lord Jesus to their perishing fellow-creatures. It is by his knowledge that he is to justify many. They are justified indeed by faith: but how can they believe on him of whom they have not heard? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Their benevolence therefore leads them to pray that his way may be known on earth, his saving health among all nations. His people also love him supremely; and love delights in the glory of its object. When they consider what he is, and what he has done and suffered, every impulse of their heart cries, "Let the whole earth be filled with his glory."

What affects them is not that they are so little known or noticed