Polybius, "Never complain of thy bard fortune so long as Caisar is thy friend." How much more mny we say to every true Christian," Never complain of such things as you havo so long ns you havo God for your Portion" 1 "Tho riob m11a ia bis wealth confides, But in my God my trust abides. Laugh ns ye will, I hold This one thing fast that he bath taught: Who trusts in God shall want for naught. Yes, Lord: thou nrt as rich to-day As thou hast been, ond shall be aye; I rest on thee alone. Thy riches to my soul be given, And 'tis enough for earth and heaven I" (Hans Sachs.) W.J. Ver. 6.-..4. triumphant assurance. "Bo that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper," etc. The writer in our text adopts the language of Ps. cxviii. 6. Three distinct, yet closely related topics for meditation are suggested. I. MAN'S NEED OF HELP. What a dependent creature is man! Mark this in the different stages of his life. 1. How utterly helpless in infancy 1 2. How needy in youth 1 Instruction, direction, counsel, support, are indispensable to youthful life, if it is to grow into usefulness unto men and acceptability unto God. 3. How dependent in manhood! No one is independent. Even the wealthiest, the wisest, the mightiest, cannot stand alone. We need help (1) from ea.eh other. "We are members one of another." "The members should have the same ea.re one for another" ( cf. 1 Cor. xiii.) We need help (2) from God. "He giveth to all life, and breath, and a.11 thin!!:s; ... for in him we live, 11nd move, and have our being." It was truly said by Fenelon, "God bas but to withdraw his band which bears us, to plunge us back into the abyss of our nothingness, as a. stone suspended in the air fa.Us by its own weight the moment it ceases to be held." 4. How imbecile in old age! This is often a." second childhood," a sea.son of almost complete dependence upon others both physically and mentally. 6. There are times, when man specially feels his need of help. In affliction we feel our need of patience; in sorrow, of consolation ; in perplexity, of guidance, etc. II. Goo's PROVISION OF HELP. God has put it into our hearts to help each other. Many a.re the ways in which this is done; e.g. by sympathy, by counsel, by gifts, etc. But God himself is the great Helper. A helper does not do everytbiug for us. He supplements our weakness with his strength; our ignorance and inexperience with his wisdom. We must do our part, and be will not fail in bis. Consider what a glorious Helper God is. 1. He is all-sufficient. His wisdom is infinite. The treasures of bis grace are inexhaustible. It is conceivable that the sun, after the lapse of many and vast ages, may become dark and cold, or that the waters of old ocell.n may be drank up; but it is impossible and inconceivable that the infinite resources of our Di vine Helper should ever fa.ii. 2. He is ever-available. We cannot seek him and discover that he is inaccessible to us. We cannot approach him inopportunely. He is "a. very present Help in trouble." "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou aha.It glorify me." 3. He is ever-gracious. His willingness to help is as great aml ;i.s constant as his ability. Mnn varies in bis moods: to-day he is genial and kin,i, to-morrow be is cold and harsh. But God is ever merciful, ever disposed to hcl p :rn,l bless his creatures. Ill. THE BELIEVER'S ASSURANCE OF 'l'HE llELP OF Goo. "So that we may boldly say, 'l'he Lord is my Helper; I will not fear: what shall man do unto me?" 1. This confidence rests upon the promise of God. "He bath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee'' (ver. 6), His promises are perfectly reliable. " God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man," etc. (Numb. xxiii. 19). "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." "The Scripture canuot be broken." " He 11bideth faithful; for ho cannot deny himself." His promise, then, is au immovable basis for our confidellco. 2, This conji.dence inspires the co1!rage of tht 410 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEilREWS. [err. xm. 1-25.
believer. "The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear: what shall man do unto me?" 'l'he man over whom God casts bis shield is invulnerable. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" " Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" No crafty foe can elude the vigilauce of his eye; no subtle scheme can surprise his infinite mind; no strong antagonist can cope with his almighty arm. If he is our Helper, man cannot injure us. If be is our Helper, our resources cannot fail. If he is our Helper, we may pursue our life-path chanting cheerfully, "God is our Refuge and Strength, a very present Help in trouble," etc. (Ps. xlvi.).-W. J,