nic, the tradesman his customers, the rich the poor, the parent the child, the husband the wife, and the mistress her servant. Petty oppression for conscience sake, is very common, even in the present day. But many believers are oppressed by a load of cares, which they should turn into prayers-or by fears which they ought not to encourage-or by lowness of spirits from physical debility, which perhaps they cannot remove-or from the temptations of the prince of darkness. Any one, or more, of these causes, will often sink the spirits, burden the mind, and bring an oppressive weight on the soul.

They are POOR, perhaps in temporals, for many of God's people are; if not they are spiritually poor, for this is the case with all. They are stripped of all their supposed excellency, everything like goodness is removed from them, so that they have not a rag to hide their shame, nor a penny to procure their release. Christ must clothe them, or they are naked; and Christ must supply them, or they are destitute and undone. Nor are they only stripped, but having lost all, they are so weak, that they cannot work for more. They have no strength shut up nor left, Jesus therefore must be their strength, as well as their righteousness, or they perish. They feel themselves also unworthy of God's notice, and of the least of his mercies. Empty of good, weak and unable to procure any, they feel that they lie at God's mercy, and that if ever

they are saved he must do it for them, work all within them, and confer all upon them.

They are NEEDY. Indeed they appear sometimes to need every thing, and to possess nothing that is really good. They are all wants, and forget where to look for their supplies. They feel that they need the pati ence of God to bear with them, they are so perverse, obstinate, and depraved. They need the mercy of God to pardon them, their sins are so numerous, aggravated and horrible. They need the strength of God to sustain them, they are so weak, their burdens are so heavy, the road is so difficult, and their enemies are so numerous and strong. They need the grace of God to save them, for if they are not saved by grace, entirely of grace, they know that they cannot be saved at all. They need the love of God to satisfy them, for their capabilities are so vast, their cravings are so strong, and their desires are so painful, that nothing less can make them happy. Thev feel that they need a whole Christ, and all that is in Christ-God, and all that God has -and blessed be his holy name, Christ is theirs, and God in Christ is theirs too. Look at the sympathy expressed in the prayer.

"Let not the oppressed return ashamed." Satan tempts them to believe they shall. If they go to the word for comfort, to the throne for grace, or to the sanctuary for help; the temptation follows them, that it is of no use, there is neither comfort, nor grace, nor help

for them. If they exercise a little hope in God, or confidence in Jesus, they are still pursued with the thought, that it is unwarranted, and they will be ashamed of it in the end. But if ever they open their mouth for God, or in seasons of enjoyment make their boast in the Lord, then especially are they harassed with this tormenting suggestion. But they shall not be ashamed who hope in God, confide in Jesus, and make their boast in the Lord.

"Let the poor and needy praise thy name.' Give them cause to do so by appearing for them, manifesting thyself unto them, and bestowing choice blessings upon them. Give them occasion or opportunity to do so, by shining upon them when in company with thy people, or when in the house of prayer. Give them grace to do so, for it often requires courage, and confidence, and boldness to do 80. Let the poor, being enriched by thy grace-let the needy, being supplied by thy providence and Spirit, praise thy name.

Let us beware of judging rashly, or according to appearances, the poor, the oppressed, the despised may be the Lord's-their oppressors and despisers cannot be. Let us pray for those who suffer, so did Asaph, so did David, and so did Jesus. God loves to hear us intercede for others. Yea, so does he love intercession, that he has constituted his beloved Son, the greater Intercessor, and the leader of all that intercede at his throne.

Let the poor hope in God, let the needy look to Jesus, and let the oppressed look to the Most High.-Many prayers are gone up for them, and many are going up now. Deliver ance is at hand. Supplies are provided. Support will be given. They are God's peo ple, poor, needy, and oppressed as they are, and they shall never be ashamed: but with the ransomed of the Lord they shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sigh. ing shall flee away. O Saviour, help me when I feel my poverty, realize my need, or groan under oppression, to look to thee, and may I have faith to believe that thou art interceding for me!

Dangers of ev'ry shape and name
Attend the followers of the Lamb,
Who leave the world's deceitful shore,
And leave it to return no more.

O Lord, the pilot's part perform,

And guide and guard me thro' the storm;
Defend me from each threat'ning ill,—
Controul the waves, say, "Peace! be still."

Amidst the roaring of the sea,
My soul still hangs her hopes on thee:
Thy constant love, thy faithful care,
Is all that saves me from despair.

A SPECIAL PEOPLE.

By nature all men are alike.

Descended from one parent, partaking of one and the same nature, and involved in the same guilt and condemnation: "there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Nature in Abraham was no better than in Pharoah; nor were the Israelites to be preferred to the Egyptians. But when man has no right, God sees fit to exercise grace and for the glory of his great name, to manifest his divine nature, and to accomplish his deep and holy purposes, he did put a difference between Israel and the Egyptians. Hence Moses told them, "The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself." Deut. vii. 6. Therefore the people were to dwell alone, and not to be reckoned among the nations. But Israel after the flesh were but a type of the true or spiritual Israel; the people whom God hath chosen in his Son, to enjoy salvation, and partake of everlasting glory. The words are, if possible, more applicable to them than to those of whom they were originally spoken.

Observe, the design. God intended them to be his own peculiar. A special people