March 14

Isaiah lv. — 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfeth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 5. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return

unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9. For os the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 12. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Food and money are objects which all men desire: the first a necessity of life; the second a means of comfort and luxury, and also of distinction and power. Both here are symbols of good or happiness, which is that for which men are always longing and striving; but they often mistake for food that which is not wholesome nor nourishing. Christ comes to us as the embodiment of all good: he is the bread from heaven; he is the fountain of living waters; he is the incorruptible treasure; he is the life everlasting. And all that he is he offers to all freely, without price. "These gratuitous blessings are contrasted with the costly and unprofitable labors of mankind to gain the same end in another way." Only one condition is annexed, and this arising from the nature of the case, — the sense of need,

the desire to possess. To every hungry, thirsty soul, Christ offers all his fulness. Do the very greatness and richness of the offer discourage us! But we must not measure God's thoughts by ours: they are as high above ours as the heavens above the earth. He plans nothing in vain. As in the kingdom of nature he provides with certainty for the harvest, so in his kingdom of grace he will not suffer the munificent provisions of his mercy to go for nought. The lifting-up of Christ upon the cross shall yet draw the nations to him. The world made desolate by sin and woe shall be filled with grace and joy. Let us make sure of our part in this great salvation by turning from sin to the Lord, who delights to pardon.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 162, 186, 200.

O Thou that dwellest in the heavens! holy and reverend is thy name. Unto thee would we lift up our souls. As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God. To whom can we go but unto thee? Thou hast the words of eternal life. We praise and bless thy name for all thy mercy to us this day; for the bounties of thy providence, and for the riches of thy grace; for the supply of our bodily wants, and for the spiritual food which nourishes and refreshes our souls. We thank thee for the Holy Scriptures, for the preaching of the gospel, for the privilege of prayer, for all the ordinances and means of grace. Follow these with thy blessing. Lord, pardon what thy pure eyes hath seen amiss in us, and accept us in the Beloved.

We commend ourselves to thy care and keeping for the night. Watch over us in the hours of

darkness and helplessness. If it be thy will, may we have refreshing sleep, and rise renewed for the duties and employments of another day! Sleeping or waking, may we be ever with thee! Be with all in whom we are specially interested, and to whom we are bound by the ties of nature or of grace. Lord, bestow on them the blessings which we have asked for ourselves. And draw nigh to all who are in distress. Be a very present help in trouble. Send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to all the suffering and the dying. Sanctify to them their affliction, and give them deliverance in thine own time and way. To live may it be Christ, and to die may it be gain. Our prayers are before thee: grant us an answer in peace. Do to us and for us exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think; and unto thee be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.