the fatherless, and the widow :" and, after having gathered in their corn, or their grapes, or olives, they were not to be going over their ground or their trees again, but to leave the re- maining produce for those whose necessities called for such aid ; yea, and to rejoice in seeing the wants of others supplied, though at their expense. And surely this was reasonable in the highest degree, since the whole land itself had been origi- nally the gift of God, as was also the produce of it in every suc- cessive year. What could their own labours effect without the fruitful showers and the genial warmth of the sun ? On God they depended, notwithstanding their own efforts : and God gave them an assurance, that on a cheerful and liberal dis- charge of their duty towards their brethren, they should receive his blessing on their own labours.]
But let me proceed to mark,
II. The far higher grounds of this privilege as exist- ing amongst us —
True, the Jewish law does not extend to us: nor does the law of this land accord in this respect with the Jewish law. The matter has been tried, and authoritatively decided. But, so general is the sense of propriety which exists in this kingdom, that the privilege of gleaning is conceded to the poor, as much as if it were a right established by law : and I suppose that for every thousand pounds that are paid in rent to the proprietor of the soil, not less than one hundred pounds, and perhaps two hundred, are gratuitously left to be gathered by the poor in the way of gleaning. And this is as it should be. For —
Let it be recollected from what misery we have been redeemed —
[Not an Egyptian bondage merely was ours, but a bond- age to sin and Satan, death and hell. And what has the Great Proprietor of heaven and earth done for us ? He has, by the blood of his only dear Son, brought us out from this bondage; and in the field of his Gospel has strewed a rich profusion of food, of which all of us may eat, and live for ever. Take the inspired volume : there is the field, into which all may enter, and gather for themselves. The promises there scattered, and standing, as it were, in every corner A of the Bible, are suffi- cient for the whole world. All that is required is, that we go in, and glean for ourselves. The manna in the wilderness
3 Lev. xix. 9. D d2