Puslapio vaizdai
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which multiply around us, and more assiduous in occupying the more numerous talents which our Divine Master has committed to our charge.

Moderation in our desires is, therefore, not only a duty, but a privilege. We were placed in this world, not to "eat, drink, and be merry," and then to die. We have a far higher duty than to indulge our appetites. We must make it "as our meat and drink to do the will of our heavenly Father." This is the chief object of the Christian's pursuit ; and if we pray for an increase of our worldly store, it must not be with the view of employing it as an end, but as means of accomplishing the important work assigned us.

Another duty which this simple but most emphatic petition suggests to us, is that of a continual reliance on God for every blessing. We are only taught to pray for daily bread; not for what would render us independent of the constant supplies of his bounty. To feel that we were independent of God, would be no blessing, but the very reverse.

An affectionate child, sensible of his own want of knowledge and wisdom, is delighted to derive support from an intelligent and bountiful father. The parental kindness with which it is bestowed, enhances the value of the gift; and the same feeling is excited in the heart of the Christian, in relation to his heavenly Father.

But there is one thing which may, doubtless, distress a child under a sense of dependance on an earthly parent. He may fear that his affectionate provider subjects himself to privation on his account; that he either toils too hard, or stints himself of some convenience or comfort, to supply his wants, or contribute to his welfare or enjoyment. This sentiment cannot enter into the consideration of the Christian, in reference to God. He has an abundant store of blessings to bestow, which can never be exhausted; and he giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not. To depend on him, therefore, is enjoyment without alloy. He invites us to ask, and withholds

no good thing from the humble petitioner. He is equally able and willing to bless us, and the only limit to his bounty is our own perverseness or indifference.

But, for every good thing, our heavenly Father requires that we should petition him, because it is of importance to our moral condition. Prayer is the most becoming position in which an intelligent creature can place himself, in regard to his Creator. A desire of being independent of God, can only arise from some improper motive. To feel accountable, is irksome to some, because they are too proud willingly to acknowledge a superior; and to others, because their inclinations are unholy and sinful, and they dread the punishment due to their disobedience. Neither of these characters "like to retain God in their knowledge." They do not profess to shake off their allegiance, because they know that the attempt would be madness; yet they do what practically amounts to the same thing. They banish God from their thoughts. So far from delighting to ask the Divine blessing on their ordinary occupations, they never once reflect on his presence and superintending providence. They are, on the contrary, pleased to think that whatever attainments they have made, either in wealth or in mental improvement, is the result of their own ingenuity and industry. It would mortify them to give the glory to God. They may readily enough do this in words, but this is nothing more than an homage of the lips, to which the heart does not cordially assent.

It is very different with the servant of Christ. To depend on God is his glory and joy. He feels that this is the highest dignity of his nature,—his most delightful privilege. He would not be independent of God, if he could. Filial love is the cherished sentiment of his heart; and every thing acquires a new relish and deeper interest, when viewed as the gift of paternal bounty. Thus he rejoices to cast himself daily on the divine protection, and to feel himself continually cherished in a Father's bosom, and surrounded with a Father's arms.

We are told that we must become "like little children," before we can be fit subjects of the kingdom of heaven; and, assuredly, there is no respect in which the feelings of a child are more becoming, than a sense of constant reliance on a parent's care. Look at an infant in his mother's arms. How content, how happy is he in his dependance! Delightful experience has taught him, that there is an eye watching over him for good,— that there is a heart yearning for his happiness,—that there is a hand which assiduously supplies his wants, and provides for his comfort, and anticipates his wishes. All this he even feels instinctively; and he is, therefore, no where so happy as in the sunshine of his mother's smile. When she is absent, he mourns; when her fond eye meets his, he laughs for joy; on her bosom he sinks sweetly to repose, soothed with her well-known lullaby. He has no care, because she cares for him; in her affection, her wisdom, her power, he relies with assured confidence and tender love. To be thus dependant, is a source of the sweetest delight.

This is the very sentiment which becomes a Christian, but it is exalted and refined by his own matured intelligence, and by the infinite perfections of the Divine Being on whom his dependance rests. Experience has taught him, that he is perverse and rebellious; and he the more admires that long-suffering compassion, which waits to be gracious to him. He has read in the book of Revelation of the wonders of redeeming love, and the whole faculties of his soul are kindled, and burst into a flame of gratitude and adoration.

SIXTH WEEK-MONDAY.

HUMAN FOOD.-COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FOOD OF SAVAGE

AND CIVILIZED MAN.

THERE is this obviously intentional difference between the articles produced by Nature for the lower animals, and those produced for man, that the former are scattered over the face of the earth in great abundance, without cultivation, and the latter are only scantily provided, and require the hand of art for their propagation. The more we consider this difference, the more sensible we will become of one great design of the Creator, to which I have already taken frequent occasion to allude, the exercise of the human faculties by a necessity to labour and to invent. All those plants which now constitute the staff of man's life, are incapable of extensive propagation,—some of them, as would appear, are incapable even of preserving the species,—without the intervention of human art. This is particularly the case, in the temperate regions, with all the cereal tribes, and between the tropics, with the banana tree, which in their respective localities form the chief article of food. Without these our race could scarcely subsist, as without our race they would probably long ere now have perished.

As this arrangement was intended to promote and reward human industry, so there is another provision not less essential for that purpose, which is, that industry, when exerted, should be crowned with abundant and varied success. To what extent this provision has actually been made, we shall best be able to discover by a comparison between the food within the reach of the savage, and that which loads the table of the man who lives in civilized society. He who subsists entirely on the natural productions of the forest and the waters, finds in the one but a few scanty fruits and roots, which he

gathers, or a few wild animals, who fall victims to his snares; and, in the other, such limited varieties of the finny tribes as frequent his native river, or glide along the shores of his native sea. But observe what the toil and ingenuity of civilized man has effected. Not only has he appropriated and rendered abundant all the edible productions of his native soil, and greatly ameliorated them by culture; but, not content with this, he has bridged the ocean, and collected from the most distant lands, whatever was found capable of nourishing his body, or gratifying his appetite.

If we look into the lowly cottage of one of our peasants, and examine the fare of the inmates, comparatively ill provided though they be, we shall find that they are almost entirely indebted, either directly or indirectly, to foreign climates, for the articles on which they subsist. The corn,-whether oats, barley, rye, or wheat, from which their bread is prepared, wherever it originated, was certainly not indigenous; the milk with which they moisten it, is the produce of an animal, which is probably not a native of their island, and has, at all events, been tamed and domesticated before it would afford them this delicious beverage; their potatoes have found their way to them from the distant regions of the Andes, in the western world; their peas and beans from the scarcely less distant countries of the East, to which prolific soil they probably also owe their turnips, their cabbages, and their onions. These, however, though originally imported, are all now the produce of our own soil; but it is not so with some other productions, which have ceased to be luxuries, and have become comforts, if not necessaries, even to the labouring classes. To bring them tea, half the globe has been encircled; to produce them sugar, the poor Negro has toiled under a tropical sun. If their perverted habits lead them to indulge in tobacco, in any of its forms, the indulgence is wafted to them across the broad Atlantic. When we turn to the tables of the rich, we find all

VOL. IV.

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