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tain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.'"

1 Luke xvi, 19-26.

Exhortation to seek help from God.

"O fear the Lord, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

2" If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil,

know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 4" The Lord heareth the poor, and he delivereth him in his affliction. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the soul of the needy. In the days of famine he shall be satisfied-bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. 10 The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; "for like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

12" He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 13 And ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye, through his poverty might be rich. 14 Therefore be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

1 Ps. xxxiv, 9, 5 Job xxxvi, 15. 9 Is. xxxiii, 16. 13 2 Cor. viii, 9.

10. 2 Luke xi, 11, 12. 3 Matt. vii, 11. 4 Ps. lxix, 33. 6 Ps. cii, 17, 18. 7 Ps. lxxii, 12, 13. 8 Ps. xxxvii, 19. 10 Prov. x, 3. 11 Ps. ciii, 13, 14. 12 Rom. viii, 32. 14 Phil. iv, 6, 7.

ILLUSTRATION. Water provided for Hagar's child.

1" Abraham, the servant of God, rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, his bondwoman, putting it on her shoulder, and her child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

"And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said; 'Let me not see the death of the child.' And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice and wept.

"And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her; 'What aileth thee Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.-Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation.'

"And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness."

1 Gen. xxi, 14-20.

Special promises to the needy.

1" Thus saith the Lord God:-It shall come to pass, that before my people call, I will answer;

and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Behold, my servants shall eat, and drink, and shall rejoice. Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. The Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

4" Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 5 The needy shall not alway be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish for

ever.

6" Fear not, I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water; that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

"Blessed be ye poor: for your's is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

1 Is. Ixv, 13, 24, 13, 14. 2 Ps. xi, 7. 3 Ps. cxl, 12. 4 Ps. 1, 15. 5 Ps. ix, 18. 6 Ís. xli, 14, 17, 18, 20.7 Luke vi, 20, 21. 8 Rev. ii, 9, 10.

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ILLUSTRATION.

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Elijah sustained in famine.

"There was a sore famine in the land of Samaria, for it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 3 And the word of the Lord came unto Elijah, the prophet, saying; 'Get thee hence and hide thyself by the brook Cherith; and it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.' So Elijah went and did according unto the word of the Lord. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook.

"And it came to pass, after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the word of the Lord came unto him saying, 'Arise and get thee to Zarephath, and dwell there; behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.' So he arose and went. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there, gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, 'Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.' And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her and said: Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.' And she said: 'As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.' And Elijah said unto

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