No. CII.

OR

PULPIT,

"We preach Christ crucified

PRICE 4D.

THE history of the children of Israel, from the time when they were first chosen in Abraham to the present day, and from the present day to the final accomplishment of their glorious destinies in "the times of restitution of all things," has been admitted by all to afford a striking illustration of the dealings of God, not only towards his church at large, but towards every individual of whom that body is composed. This consideration, even were there no other, is calculated to excite an interest in our minds, while reading the affecting narratives of their present degradation and suffering, and contrasting them with those glowing descriptions, characteristic alike of their past and future greatness, when the language of their lawgiver was, VOL. V.

"Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee; O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thine excellency;" and when the greatest of their prophets could exultingly sing, "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying-as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."

But, ah! my friends, a review of Israel's history brings before us more than Israel's glory. With what does the recital furnish us, but an enumeration of Israel's bondage, fears, misgivings, murmurings, repinings, rebellions, and idolatries, and of the Lord's deliverances,

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interpositions, forbearances, loving kindnesses, and tender mercies? Does not every fact the inspired writers have recorded of this people attest the truth of the prophet's words, "I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb" "Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, thou hast been weary of me O Israel, yet wherein have I wearied thee”—“what more could have been done to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" It is in this retrospective glance that we are taught the force of the words of the Apostle, "let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall," while at the same time we are bound more to admire and adore the unfailing faithfulness and love of that God, whose grace doth much more abound, where sin hath abounded, and the tide of whose blessings hath never ebbed, however great have been the overflowings of the iniquities of his people-however multiplied and varied have been their provocations of his

wrath.

With such observations I would preface the remarks I am about to offer upon one of the most wonderful displays of human ingratitude and baseness, and of the Divine forbearance and goodness, recorded in Scripture; the benefit resulting to ourselves from such an examination of the subject will be, a discovery of the innate and total depravity of our own hearts, and their tendency to "start aside like a broken bow," even after we have been brought to a saving knowledge of the truth, and a fuller acquaintance with that gracious Saviour who follows us in all our wanderings, brings us again to his cross, and there makes us willing to submit to the gentle restraints of love. Except as far as Jesus is set forth, no preaching can ever be profitable, for nothing can be profitable but that which saves souls, or builds them up in their most holy faith." I would on this occasion, therefore, restrain myself from entering upon any of the speculative opinions with which this otherwise very simple subject has been embarrassed, and would confine myself to those points in which there can be a distinct reference made to the Lord Jesus Christ, and his work, the conflicts and experiences of

his people, and the warnings and comforts with which we are furnished from such an examination of the subject. And may the Spirit of truth touch every heart, creating in it a hungering and thirsting after righteousness; and may the bread of life, the true manna, be supplied to each of you, so that none may go empty away-that all may delight themselves in the Lord, and be satisfied with the abundance of his goodness, and of his holy temple. May the cry of all be, “Lord, evermore give us this bread;" and whilst uttering the prayer, may each of you be enabled to feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving—“to eat and never hunger more."

Shall I say, that because many of you may go away from this place as thoughtless as you entered it, that the prayer just uttered has been unheard?—or that it will be unanswered? Such, dear friends, would be the language of sense, as opposed to faith. It is my privilege to "hope against hope;" and to trust, that if not now, at least at some future time, the Lord may bring home with saving power the words you are now about to hear to make you sensible that in your Father's house "there is bread enough, and to spare," when "desire fails," or when the husks of worldly vanities and pleasures can no longer afford gratification to your sinful appetites and lusts.

In considering not only the words I have now read to you, but the whole of the narrative, as taken in connexion with Numbers xi. 4—9, I would remark—

I. THE APPEARANCE OF THE MANNA. The text describes it thus, "And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost upon the ground." To understand fully the meaning of this description, we must take into consideration the estimate in which it was held by the children of Israel; and, accordingly, we read in Numbers xi. 6. that the language of the people was, "our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes." Such was their estimate of it not very long after the time when this food was first miraculously provided for them. Do you see nothing in this, my friends, which points you to the true manna? Was not Jesus, though the King of Glory, to whom belonged might, power, majesty, and dominion,