the land of which the Lord has said, I will give it thee?" Alas! how few are there, thus earnestly, thus zealously affected! How few who resolve, I will not leave a relative whom I love, a friend whom I regard, without at least endeavouring, by God's help, to impress upon them the invitation, "Come thou with us and we will do thee good." And yet this is the true nature and character of real religion. No sooner was one disciple converted to the faith, than his heart burned within him, until he had brought his brethren and his kinsmen to Jesus. No sooner was Andrew converted, than "he first findeth his own brother Simon *** and brought him to Jesus." No sooner was Philip converted, than he "findeth Nathanael," and "saith unto him, Come and see." Thus it has ever been, thus it must ever be, where the true light of the Gospel has illumined the eyes, and the true love of the Gospel has taken possession of the heart. Most zealous, then, let us be in this great work; have we no relative, no friend, no companion whom we can, by God's grace, persuade to accompany us to the promised land? If we have yet induced no one to listen, no one to follow, we fear it is more from want of zeal, than of subjects; more because we estimate the good land too lightly, than because none will

hear and accept the invitation. Yet is this a paramount christian duty, as well as a high christian enjoyment, for remember the words of the Apocalypse," The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth say, Come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely."

EXPOSITION VI.

NUMBERS X. 33-36.

33. And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days' journey and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting-place for them.

34. And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.

Here was the fulfilment of the declaration in a former chapter, that the journeys of the Israelites should be thus directed, and their resting-places thus miraculously and wonderfully pointed out. The Sheckinah, or divine glory of the Lord which accompanied the ark," searched out," for so the Holy Spirit has condescended

to express it a "resting-place for them." What should we have thought of any careless, or obstinate, or self-willed Israelite, who, notwithstanding this parental care on the part of his heavenly Father, had preferred, at the close of a long day's march, to choose his own situation for halting? had turned with indifference from what God had provided, and had resolved to seek a "resting-place," where his own fancy, or his own wilfulness suggested? Should we have been surprised if that soul had been cut off from the congregation? We think not. Yet how similar is the conduct of many among ourselves! How often have we all felt a strong, a rebellious inclination to prefer in spiritual things, a restingplace of our own selection, to that which the love and mercy of our God has provided! We desire peace of mind, for instance, and we seek it in the fulfilment of duties-in the more rigid and exact attendance upon church ordinancesin the consciousness of our integrity, our uprightness, our charities; in short, in anything, or in everything, rather than in Christ. Yet is He the only resting-place, which the Spirit of God has found for us in a toilsome and troublesome world. Out of Him, all is uncertainty and disquietude and doubt; in Him, and in Him alone, there is peace. Blessed is that soul, which

having been led by the influence of the Spirit of God, to cast itself unreservedly upon him for "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," is thus enabled experimentally to realise the comforting declaration of the prophet," The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever." *

35. And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered: and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

36. And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.

How delightful must it have been to every true Israelite, thus to repose, as it were, under the shadow of the Almighty-thus to realise his immediate presence among them, whether by day or by night. When commencing, in the morning, the perilous journey of the day, to behold, almost with the eye of sense, their Divine Leader arising like a giant to run his course. When encamping for the night, after the labours of the day were concluded, again to hear the solemn invitation-again to see the lambent flame re-occupying its place upon the ark of testimony, and the God of the ark return, as it were, to dwell among them! Happy are the people who are

* Isaiah xxxii. 17.

in such a case, yea, blessed are the people who have the Lord for their God!"

We see and acknowledge at once the happiness of such a dispensation, and yet who can doubt, that the privileges and the blessings under which we live are infinitely greater? Listen only to our Lord's own most gracious words, and hear him manifesting himself to every true believer, as he does not unto the world. "If a man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." And again, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Let us then endeavour, daily and hourly, to reap the fulfilment of these blessed promises. Why should not every child of God feel himself as immediately, as continually in the enjoyment of the felt presence of the Almighty, as the thousands of Israel? "Draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you," are his own most gracious words. Endeavour not only to begin and to end the day with God, but to pass every hour of it as in his company, within the ken of his all-seeing eye, and the hearing of his all-hearing ear. What purity, what holiness, what happiness will be ours, if we prayer