,ers. 'i-10.-Tlze good land. I. A LAND OF GREAT NATURAL ADVANTAGES-a 11·ealthy possession. \Vood, water, metals, a fertile soil, good pasturage, honey in the clefts of the rocks, etc. (eh. xi. 11, 12; :xxxiii. 13-16, 19, 25). Dr. Dykes remarks on it as uniting, as no other does, the two indispensable conditions of central position and yet of isolation, and points out that few regions offer so few temptations to corrupt the simplicity of their inhabitants, or better facilities for the defence of their liberties (' Abraham,' eh. iii.). A yet richer inheritance awaits the Christian, who is brought through the fire and water of tribulation to "a. wealthy place" (Ps. lxvi. 12; 2, Cor. iv. 17, 18; Heb. xi. lG; 1 Pet. i. 4). II. A LAKD OF GREAT OUTWARD PLEASANTNESS-a beautiful pos.~ession. The speaker d1Yclls in captivating detail on the features of its beauty-its hills and valleys, gushing with springs and cleft with innumerable water-courses; picturesque in its scenery, richly cultivated, diversified in its natural productions; blending with its agri- cultural and pastoral beauties the graces of the vine-clad slope, of the olive garden, of orchards of luscious fruits. A type of the fairer land beyond-the Canaan of the skies. Ill A LAND OF EXBAUSTLESS PLE:NTY-a satisfying possession. "Eat bread without scarceness," etc. (ver. 9). God was not ashamed to be called their Gcd, having provided for them so rich a. possession. Yet bow poor were its satisfactions n.s compared with those which await believers (Rev. xxi. 4) l The land was given them in fulfilment of promise; for the possession of it God had been preparing them in the wilderness ; and the sharpness of the desert experience made the rest and delights of it sweeter when they came. "'!'rials make the promise sweet," etc.-J. 0. ' Vers. 10-19.-The dangers of u;e,nlth. I. WEALTH IS DANGEROUS WITHOUT TBE PREVIOUS TRAINING OF ADVERSITY, Those who, cradled in the lap of luxury, have 1,c,ver known struggle and difficulty are rarely persons of meek, humble, chastened dis- 1,c,.itions. As rarely are those whose schemes have. been so _uniformly prosperous as to give colour to the thought, "My power and the might of mme hand bath gotten mo !his wealth." The former class lack moral fibre, are seldom competent to grapple with the problems of earnest life, shrink from action, and consequently fall an easy prey to the temptations of their wealth. The others are bold, daring, ~elf-sufficient, and superior to religious considerations. They waive God aside from thetr plans and schemes-" I do not need that hypothesis "-and refuse to worship, honour, pray to, or serve him. Adversity, t.o a certain extent, tends to correct these faults. It teaches humility a.nd err. vm. 1--20.J THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY.
dopcndonce, proves the heart, and forms H to habits which enable it to use wea\1h rightly. 11. WEALTH 18 DANGEROUS, EVEN WITH THE TRAINING 011' ADVERSITY, U~LESS nm LgSS0NB OF ADVERSITY HAVE BEEN IMPH0VED. Adversity, unhappily, does not al way; procluco in men's hearts the salutary effects which philosophy as~igns to it. It may harrlcn instead of softening and subduing. Multiturles pass through it and are none the better. 'l'hey are unyielding, unsubmissive, impenitent. They grow bitter in spirit, and accuse the God of heaven. In such a case the return of prosperity, or the gift nf it, is no blessing. The heart gets haughtier than ever, and God is defied (Obad. 3, 4 ). It is a serious qnestiou for a nation to put to itself, after passing through a period of adversity, Is it morally the better for its sufferings? For, if not, the revival of pros- perity will mean but the revival of the old follies, extravagances, and inflations-the very things which formerly led God to turn bis frown upon it. Ill. THERE 1B A DANGER, WHEN WEALTH COMES, OF THE LESSONS LEARNED IN ADVERSITY nEING AGAIN FORGOTTEN. This is the peculiar danger apprehended in the text. Wealth has so subtle and ensnaring an influence, it draws the affections so stealthily away from God, that no temptation is to be compared with it in point of insidiousness. A threefold danger: 1. Undue elation of heart. 2. Forgetfulness of God. 3. A spirit of self-sufficiency and self-glorification. The preventive lies in the cultivation of n. thankful spirit ( ver. 10), and in the recollection that the power to get wealth is not ot' ourselves, but from God (ver. 18). '!'his is the root-error in the matter-stoppio~ at second causes, putting nature and nature's laws, or our own wisdom, energy, anJ. forethought, in place of him without whom we could not think a thought, move ,,. muscle, or carry through to completion one of our purposes. Best preventive of all i~ the laying up of treasure in heaven; for, "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. vi. 19-22).-J. O.
Ver.10.-The blessing of a thanlcful spirit. I. A THANXFUL SPIRIT CONSERVES TJJE DLESSmGs OF THE PAST. It goes back on God's dealings with it. It keeps alive tiw memory of bis goodness. It delights in counting over the blessings it bas receivc,l (Ps. xl. 5). In it the fountain of gratitude can never get frozen up, for the springs are daily flowing from a warm heart (t's. ciii. 1-4). II. A THANXFUL SPIRIT ENABLES US TO USE ARIGHT THE BLESSINGS OF THE PRESE~T. It guards against sinful elation, against proud self-sufficiency. It keeps us from forgetting whence our blessings flow. By a sense of God's goodness daily renewing itself, it makes the heart kind and sympathetic, sensitive to the wants and woes of others. 'l'be spirit is softened and sweetened. Under adversity, it conduces to resig- nation and cheerfulness. III. A THANKFUL SPIRIT HELPS us TO PRAY FOR BLESSINGS IN THE FUTURE. Hence the rule that prayer is to be accompanied- with thanksgivings (Eph. v. 20; Col. iii. 15 ; l'hil. iv. 6). Thanksgiving strengthens faith, gives encouragement, enables us to pray with due submission to God's will, prepares us for the reception of the blessings that we seek. Without thankfulness for past mercies, it is impossible to pray aright for future ones.-J. 0.