foey should be tru8tful and satisfied m the reception of a daily supply; but that supply was brought at the very beginning of the day. It was not at their option to gather it at any time of the day they chose. 'J'he supply was at the beginning of the day, beca11se day is the time for eating as night is fur sleeping. Then, with minds free from anxiety and bodies dwy supported, they could each one set about his appointed business. V. IN ms METHOD OF BUPPLY GoD MADE St'ECIAL PROVISION FOR THE SABBATH. On the sixth day of the week, a double portion was provided, and was to be gathered in correspondence with the provision. Certainly it must be admitted that the regulation here gives no means of judging how far the Sabbath was a recognised institution in Israel, if indeed it was an institution at all. This is a matter on which we are not able to affirm; nor are we able to deny. 'l'o whatever extent there may have been a weekly Sabbath among the patriarchs, it could not have been kept up through the hardships of Egypt I .Ariyway, this remarkable iucrease of an extra omer on the 3ixth day-when the reason of it was explained-was the very thing to prepare the people for the exa.ct commandment which so soon followed. Jehovah had thus more ways than one of impressing upon them the sanctity and peculiarity of the Sabbath. ln Egypt they had dou\Jtless been required to toil every day, knowing little rest, s.we the inevitable rest of sleep, and it would be hard to break them away from this expectation of daily drudgery. Early association and training are wanted to make one day different from others; aud we may conclude that it was only the generation growing up in the wilderness and becoming habituated to the Sabbath rest that really took to it in a natural and easy way. But this regulation of the manna must have been a great help even to the elder gMeration. As each sixth day came round they were reminded that God himself was remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and therefore they should do the same. Aud as we think of this special provision for the weekly interval of rest, continued through forty years, we may well ask ourselves what feelings God entertains as he looks down on the world and sees the incessant, driving, suicidal toil in which many mer. engage, on the plea that it is necessary. They say they have no choice. Toil all d~y, aud when evening comes utter exhaustion! and thus life is wasted in the struggle to maintain it. When we consider such struggling in the light of this sixth day's double pnivision, a strong suspicion rises in our minds that this plea of necessity is a delusio11. ls it not probable that if men would only throw off, boldly and trustfully, many of what are reckoned social necessities, they would have a healthier piety a1,d a happier life~ At preseut, with only too many, whe11 they are asked for a little more attentiuD t, the thi11gs of God and a little more interest in them, the plea comes in reply, ea..sily urged and not easily met, that there is no time. See then what God did for his own :_1eople. He made time for them, and jealously hedged it nbout; a time for needed rest, holy rest and holy service. ,vhen they went out food-seeking on the morning of his day, he manifestly cursed their disobedience and unbelief. May we not be perfectly sure that ifin a spirit of faith, we give all the time and effort that are necessary to cultivate personal religion and diffuse gospel truth, God will see to it that we o-et 0 the manna? and if we have the manna, we need nothing more. Whatever el.,;e be left unsought and unenjoyed, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Seek t.hese, for they bring in their train everything a Christian can lawfully enjoy.-Y.
Vers. 19-36. The law of the manna. I. THERE MUST BE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT FOR INmvmuAL NEED. 1. 'fhe manna lay around their tents, but it had to be gathered. To feed on Christ each must lay hold of him for his own soul by meditation and prayer and trust. 2. If we do not" taste and see that the Lord is gracious," his nearness to us will only deepen our condemnation. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation·? II. CHRIST MUST BE LAID HOLD OF DAILY DURING THE WEEK'S TOIL. 1. The sabbath has its provision without labour. This law is sometimes inverted-sabbath day's toil, ~ix days' negligence-but in this way Christ will be fed upon neither in labour nor iu rest. 'fhey who come from daily walking with Christ, find the sabbath feast spread for them. 2. The life of labour in striving to lay hold of and feed upon him, is followed by the rest that remaineth and the feast which his own hand will spread. III. GRACE WILL NOT CONSORT WITH DISOBEDIENCE. The mannt\ stored up to S'1\'l' from toiling, wlwn God cowmands to toil, was unfit for use. ,v e cannot live on tl,e memories of past ex pericnces of Christ's graciorumess. He mll!it be daily sought for. 58 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. (en. XVI. 31-3(3.
IV. CHRIST THE SOUL'S FOOD DURING THE E1''"TIRE EARTHLY PILGRIMAGE (ver. 35). During the whole forty years Israel fed upon the ma.nna.. We must feed da.ily upon Christ till we reach the inherit.a.nee. 'l'hey who will be sustained in their journey must determine to know nothing sa.ve Christ a.nd him crucified.-U.