2ND REASON. As the heart of a parent is knit to a helpless child more firmly because of its helplessness, and feels more grateful to those who notice it than to those who pay attention to the more attractive and strong; so God regards with more favour those who love the poor, than those who honour the rich.

3RD REASON.-Those who honour the rich do so from a selfish motive, those who honour the poor are disinterested in their kindness.

4TH REASON. God in his infinite love has been pleased to identify himself with the poor, and has delegated them to receive the bounty meant for himself.-James, ii. 5.

5TH REASON. He who gives to the poor lends to God, because he does not expect to be paid again by them who receive his gift.

6TH REASON.-As God hath promised that a good deed shall in no wise lose its reward," and deeds of charity cannot be rewarded by the poor, therefore God must take the fulfilment of this promise on himself.

7TH REASON. He who gives to the poor does ipso facto lend to the Lord; for since God has been pleased to appoint this way of receiving man's bounty, the charitable are enabled to send through the poor their royalties to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

QUOTATIONS.-Verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethern, ye have done it unto me. Matt. XXV. 40.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy, the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.-Ps. xli. 1.

God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.-Heb. vi. 10.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whom

soever I send, receiveth me; and he that receiveth, me, receiveth him that sent me.-John, xiii. 20.

Give alms of thy substance; . . . neither turn thy face from any poor man, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. If thou hast abundance, give alms accordingly; if thou have little, be not afraid to give according to that little; for so thou layest up a good treasure for thyself against the day of necessity.-Tobit, iv. 7-9.

You make a great purchase when you relieve the necessitous.-Fielding's proverbs.

CONCLUSION.

THEME LXXXVIII. Fools make a mock at Sin.

INTRODUCTION.

1ST REASON. Because they are not conscious of its danger.

2ND REASON. They do not see its sinfulness and malignity.

3RD REASON. They have no regard for God and for his Christ.

4TH REASON. They are too wise in their own conceit to think themselves in peril from temptation.

5TH REASON. They have no real hatred to sin, but secretly approve, or at least tolerate it.

GTH REASON. They do not associate with it those fatal consequences, which God has pronounced against it in the world to come.

SIMILES.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.

QUOTATIONS.-It is sport to a fool to do mischief.Prov. x. 23.

Folly (i. e. wickedness) is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom; but a man of understanding walketh uprightly, -Prov. xv. 21.

As a madman who casteth firebrands, arrows and death, so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, "Am not I in sport ?"-Prov. xxvi. 18, 19.

But... all uncleanness let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints, neither foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient.-Ephes. v. 3, 4. It is dangerous to play with edged tools.

The Arabians have a saying, "It is not good to jest with God, Death, or Satan: The first will not be mocked; the second mocks all men; and the third will join hands with any one who is willing to play with him."

He who plays with pitch must defile his fingers.
Tresca con i fanti, et lascia star i santi.

CONCLUSION.

THEME LXXXIX. Prosperity is a stronger Trial of

INTRODUCTION.

1ST REASON.

Virtue than Adversity.

Because the mind in prosperity is thrown off its guard, but in adversity is watchful.

2ND REASON. The spirit is elated and self-confident in prosperity, but modest and humble in affliction.Prov. xvi. 18. and xviii. 12.

3RD REASON.-Temptations are more numerous in prosperity "from the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life," than they are in adversity.

4TH REASON.-Sorrow draws the heart more closely

to God; and the nearer the heart is to God, the more secure is it against "the world, the flesh, and the devil."

5TH REASON.-As "the world lieth in wickedness," or the "Wicked One," those who have the most of it may understand why our Lord said, "Woe to you that are rich!"-Luke, vi. 24.

6TH REASON.--The thoughts of the prosperous are how to enjoy their wealth, to "stow away their goods," and "increase their store:" The thoughts of the stricken heart are, "Why hath God thus dealt with me?"

7TH REASON. God is especially present with the afflicted. He calls himself " the Father of the fatherless," "the Husband of the widow," the "Comfort" and "Consolation" of those that mourn: He is also said to "dwell in the broken heart," to "remember the afflicted and them that suffer adversity:" ... all which expressions indicate that adversity is more favourable to godliness than prosperity.

SIMILES.

HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.

QUOTATIONS. Rejoice with the trembling.—Ps. ii. 11.
Why then, you princes,

Do you with cheeks abashed behold our works;
And think them shames, which are, indeed, naught else
But the protractive trials of great Jove

To find persistive constancy in men?

The fineness of which metal is not found
In Fortune's love: For, the bold and coward,
The wise and fool, the artist and unread,
The hard and soft, seem all affined and kin:
But in the mind and tempest of her frown,
Distinction with a broad and powerful fan,
Puffing at all, winnows the light away:
And what hath mass or matter by itself
Lies rich in virtue and unmingled.-Shakspeare.
Satan now is wiser than of yore,

And tempts by making rich, not making poor.-Pope

Sweet are the uses of adversity,

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,

Wears yet a precious jewel in his head. *—Shakspeare. Prosperity doth best discover vice, but Adversity doth best discover virtue.-Lord Bacon.

They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare. -1 Tim. vi. 9.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word.—Ps. cxix. 67.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy statutes.-Ps. cxix. 71.

Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons; . . . but if ye be without chastisement, . . . then are ye bastards and not sons.-Heb. xii. 6-8.

No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby.-Heb. xii. 11.

I will bring them through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried.-Zech. xiii. 9.

I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.-Isa. xlviii. 10.

The trial of your faith is much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire.-1 Pet. i. 7.' My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.-James, i. 2.

See Psalm 1xxiii. 12-20.

Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.-Deut. xxxii. 15.; see Neh. ix. 25-28.

It was anciently believed that a certain stone was to be found in the toad's head, which was an antidote to its venom.