her, 'Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel: The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.'

"And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord."

11 Kings xviii, 2. 2 Jas. v, 17. 31 Kings xvii, 2, 1, 2—16.

Encouragements to trust God's providence.

"Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap: which neither have storehouse nor barn: and God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls?

3

"And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?-Consider the lilies how they grow; they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.—If

then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you,

faith?

O ye

of little

"Therefore take no thought saying, 'What shall we eat?' or, 'What shall we drink?' or, 'Wherewithal shall we be clothed?' "neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; and your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of them. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

766

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God. For the Lord giveth food to the hungry, he relieveth the fatherless and widow. 8 And 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?-My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.-Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

1 Luke xii, 22, 23. 2 Matt. vi, 26. 3 Luke xii, 24-28. 4 Matt. vi, 31. 5 Luke xii, 29, 30. 6 Matt. vi, 32-34. 7 Ps. cxlvi, 5, 7, 9. 8 Jas. ii, 5. 9 Phil. iv, 19, 20.

Chapter Eleventh.

THE CHRISTIAN REJOICING.

The blessings of salvation.

EXHORTATION."O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.-Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

2" Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: 4the pains of hell gat hold upon me. "In my distress called I upon the name of the Lord; 'O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.' 'I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 8 He brought me up also out of a horrible pit-out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock-the Rock of Ages; 10 and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.

11 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness. 12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. 13 I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

14 "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. 15 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.-16 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day."

1 Ps. xcviii, 1-4. 5 Ps. xviii, 6. 9 Is. xxvi, 4. 13 Hab. iii, 18.

PRAISE.

2 Ps. lxvi, 16.
6 Ps. cxvi, 4.
10 Ps. xl, 3.
14 Ps. xxxiv, 3,

"I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

3" O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. I will render praises unto thee; for thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? My heart shall rejoice

in thy salvation; I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. "Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin; thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. "Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

8 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.9 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee."

1Ps. lxxxvi, 12, 13. Is. xxxviii, 17. 3 Is. xii, 1. 4 Ps. Ivi, 12, 13. 5 Ps. xiii, 5, 6. 6 Ps. lxxxv, 2, 3. 7 Ps. cxvi, 8. 8 Ps. xix, 14.

9 Ps. cxvi, 7.

Deliverance from enemies.

EXHORTATION."Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil doers. "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works,— glory ye in his holy name.

"I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name