Now, this text calls upon us to give thanks unto the Lord, and gives the reasons why:

(1.) He is good. Give plain examples of His goodness for which we ought to give thanks. He supports us, He feeds, He gives us health, home, friends, &c. Then rise to higher spheres: He has given us affections, emotions, judgment, &c. Then higher still: He has given us wisdom, heavenly wisdom, Jesus Christ. Surely these deserve thanks.

(2.) His mercy endureth for ever. A man may be good, but changeable; God changeth not. He is continually doing good, and worthy of continual thanks.

Lesson 107.-January 18.

ISRAEL FED WITH MANNA.-Exodus xvi. 1-36.

I. The Circumstances, (ver. 1-11.)-The people were in the wilderness, in the peninsula of Sinai, a barren, rocky desert, with no food, with the certain prospect, to all human appearance, of speedy starvation. No wonder that they murmured. Their case was very hard, and we must not judge them hardly. Moses, as in all similar circumstances, betakes himself to God, who promises supplies of food.

İİ. Quails and Manna sent, (ver. 12-36.)—Go over the story, and bring out the simple meaning first. Quails were a kind of partridge. Manna came in the morning, and had to be gathered ere the sun was hot. Picture the scene-every morning the ground all round the camp was covered thick with what seemed hoar frost, and the people might be seen crowding out, each with a vessel in his hand, gathering the day's supply. Now, note these things about the manna:(a.) It was evidently the gift of God. He gave it, there could be no doubt about that. It was bread from heaven. Thus were they taught to trust in God for their support, and to look also for that spiritual bread which He alone can bestow, and of which this was a type, (John vi.)

(b.) It fell every morning save Sabbath; and they had to gather it daily, save on Sabbath. What was kept overnight corrupted. How beautifully were they thus taught what our Lord has taught us, when He said, "Give us this day our daily bread!" We are very apt to forget our dependence on God. His mercies come so often, that we take them as a matter of course. This is ungrateful. God would have us remember Him as the giver of our daily mercies and daily blessings; and He loves gratitude. Let us try to live as entirely and always dependent on Him.

(c.) The manna did not fall on the Sabbath. This was a clear miracle. It could not be by accident that none fell every seventh day. But provision was made for this. A double portion fell every sixth day, and was quite sweet and fresh on the seventh. Here was a whole series of miracles. But the main point to notice is God's regard for the Sabbath. He blessed the Sabbath day, He ceased working on that day, and He wishes His creatures to have this rest day. And observe this was before the giving of the fourth commandment; and so, clearly, the Sabbath was from the beginning. How do you use the Sabbath? Do you regard it as God's day, as a day of blessed rest and refreshment, and as a foretaste of that rest which remains ?

(d.) A memorial of this was kept through all their generations. An omer full was laid up. God does not wish His mercies forgotten. He likes them to be

remembered. If He gives us mercies, He expects us to remember them.

(e.) This manna was a type of Christ. He was the true bread that came down from heaven, (John vi.) These Israelites did eat the manna and died. He gave life to the world. Whosoever eateth this living bread shall never die. And just as the Israelites had to go and gather the manna, and eat of it, so we must go to Christ and feed on Him. The manna was all round the camp, no lack of it; but an Israelite would have died unless he went out and gathered. So Jesus Christ is freely offered to us; He offers himself; but we must come to Him,

receive Him, and make Him our own. The analogy may be carried out into many other points. The judicious teacher will easily expand the ideas here given.

Subject to be proved-We should keep the Sabbath Holy.

Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 3.-Psalm cxxiv. 5, 6.

Golden Text-"The eyes of all wait upon Thee: and thou givest them their meat in due season."-Psalm cxlv. 15.

NOTES-One of the most beautiful verses in the Bible. Try and realize the simple picture. Every creature looking to God for food, and He supplies it. Give simple illustrations-birds, beasts, man—all depend on God for daily food. Notice the words, wait upon; they mean, look to. Many a time we look for help from a friend and are disappointed. It is never so with God. Wait on the Lord and He will supply all thy need. Shew how this applies to spiritual food as well as earthly. The true manna-the bread of life-comes down from heaven. Look unto me and be ye saved; whosoever looketh shall not perish.

Lesson 108.-January 25.

ISRAEL'S VICTORY OVER AMALEK.-Exodus xvii. 1-16.

Verses 1-7.-" No water for the people to drink."-The Lord had begun their spiritual discipline by trying their faith, first with hunger, then with thirst. The agony of thirst is more difficult to endure than that of hunger. Travellers in the desert tell of the sufferings caused by the want of water; and we can recall from our reading the misery of the shipwrecked mariner adrift at sea, in boat or on raft, with "Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink;"-for the attempt to slake the thirst with sea-water brings on delirium. The children of Israel were, doubtless, for the time in a sore plight. But their murmurs were rebellious, ungrateful, and unreasonable.

Miracle upon miracle had been wrought for them-first, their deliverance from Egypt, and their passage through the Red Sea; second, the conversion of bitter into sweet water at Marah; third, the daily provision of food, in the form of quails and manna; and fourth, the standing miracle of the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, to remind the people that the almighty power and fatherly love of God were pledged for their protection and sustenance. And yetThey found fault with Moses, whom God had appointed to be their leader and lawgiver, accusing him of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them with thirst, (ver. 2, 3; see also their complaint more at large in Numbers xx. 3-5.)

They "tempted the Lord," dishonouring Him in His servant, distrusting His providence, and even doubting His very existence amongst them, (ver. 7.)

Notwithstanding the fury of their complaints, (ver. 4, "They be almost ready to stone me,") Moses answers them with characteristic meekness, "Why chide ye with me?" (ver. 2 ;) and instead of answering their violent folly with angry protestations and upbraidings, resorts for direction to the throne of grace, (ver. 4.)

When the people closed their ears to his mild remonstrance, the Lord heard his cry, (ver. 5, 6) Moses is made the agent in another astonishing miracle. He smote the rock, and water gushed out! (See also Num. xx. 6-11.) "The presence of the God of Jacob turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters," (Psalm cxiv. 7, 8.) With what delight and amazement would the thirsty multitudes of Israel witness the water springing from the flinty rock; and how they would rush to quench their burning thirst at the refreshing stream! Surely shame and remorse would arise in their hearts at the thought of their faithless and ungrateful distrust of God's presiding care

over them!

"They drank

This rock, with its fountain of water, was a type of Christ. of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ," says Paul, in 1 Cor. x. 4. The entire history of the children of Israel-their bondage in Egypt, their emancipation, their journeyings in the desert, and their entrance into Canaan, in like manner shadowed forth God's dealings with the Church in all subsequent times, as with every individual believer.

We pause and wonder as we read of the perversity of the Israelites on this and many other occasions. But let us look into our own hearts, and we shall find the sources of their ingratitude, forgetfulness of God, rebellion against His will, and discontent with His providential dealings, deeply seated in our common sinful human nature.

Christ is the smitten Rock, to which the sin-sick weary soul is invited to repair, that it may drink of the water of life freely. Every one that thirsteth receives this invitation, (Isa. lv. 1;) and Christ himself confirms it, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink," (John vii. 37; iv. 14.)

Verses 8-16.-The Israelites had their faith further tried by war.-The Amalekites were the posterity of Esau, and had a hereditary grudge against the descendants of Jacob. Reference is made in Duet. xxv. 17, 18, to the dastardly manner in which the Amalekites fell upon the rear of the Israelites, slaughtering the aged, the infirm, and the weary; the sin of attacking, without provocation, the most helpless and exposed of the multitudes of Israel, having been aggravated by Amalek's "fearing not God." Moses entrusted the command of the army to Joshua, who is, for the first time, named in this connection, (ver. 9.) Johsua's army, inexperienced in war, must have fought at some disadvantage, notwithstanding the courage and skill of their commander. The victory was won by the power of prayer. Moses prayed while Joshua fought; and victory only wavered between the contending hosts when prayer languished; for the upraised arm of Moses, the rod of power in his hand, was a continued appeal to God, as well as the symbol of victory to the Israelites. "Jehovah-nissi," meaning, "The Lord my Banner," inscribed on the memorial-altar raised by Moses, ascribed the glory of this victory to the God of Israel.

Subject to be proved-God Protects His People.

Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 4.-Psalm cxxiv. 7, 8.

Golden Text-"The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." -Psalm xlvi. 7.

NOTES.-The Israelites' confidence in war-a very strong ground of confidence, or rather two. 1st. The Lord of hosts-the God of battles-was with them; the Lord was on their side, why should they fear? 2nd. Their father's God was their refuge-their fortress-evidently suggested by some of those strongholds so common in Palestine.

Now, every one may have this same confidence; and if so, how safe and how bold he may be ! Show how. Enemies attack us-dangers beset us-where is safety? The Lord of hosts is on my side, that should be enough for me. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe.

Lesson 109.-February 1.

ISRAEL RECEIVES THE LAW AT SINAI.-Exodus xix. 16-25; xx. 1-21.

I. Read carefully xix. 16-25, and notice the solemnity that accompanied the giving of the Law: among other things these:

(a.) The appearance on Mount Sinai, (ver. 16-18.)

(b.) The position of the people, (ver. 16,) and the strict injunction not to touch the mountain, (ver. 21, 23, 24.)

(c.) The effect on the people, (ver. 16.)

II. Then we have the giving of the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments form the moral law or rule of life which God revealed to the children of Israel, and through them to all mankind, as a perfect, unchangeable, and universal standard of duty to Himself.

Ver. 1.-The Divine Lawgiver-" God spake all these words."

and

Ver. 2.-The preface or introduction to the Law announces (1) that the Lawgiver is "the Lord," the Almighty Governor of the world; (2) that He is "thy God," that is, our God; (3) that, as He redeemed the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt, He is our Redeemer from the power and punishment of sin; these three particulars are intended to show (1) that He alone in the universe is entitled to make moral laws for men; (2) that these laws are founded in love and benevolence, are in accommodation to our wants, and are designed to secure our happiness, and (3) therefore it is our duty and our interest to obey them. Ver. 3.-The First Commandment forbids the worship of false gods, and requires us to worship the true God. The words "before Me" give force to the prohibition of a sin which is daringly committed under His eye and to His dishonour. But observe carefully how this law applies to ourselves: it forbids our allowing the love of sinful pleasures and pursuits, or the undue love of pleasures and pursuits that are in themselves not sinful, to come between us and the love, obedience, and worship which we owe to the Lord as our God and Redeemer.

Ver. 4-6.-The Second Commandment prohibits idolatry in the form of worshipping images, and also the worshipping of God through images. The true nature of worship is shewn in the words of Christ: "God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth,” (John iv. 24.) Ver. 7.-The Third Commandment forbids the needless and profane use of the name of God, and requires us to make a holy and reverent use of His names, attributes, and Word, and even to reverence and refrain from abusing His works. Profane swearing, which is the most gratuitous and unprovoked of sins, as it is in itself most senseless, is here declared to be specially guilty in the sight of God.

Ver. 8-11.-The Fourth Commandment expressly sets apart one entire day in seven to be a Sabbath day, or day of holy rest from the service of the world, and to be devoted to the worship and service of God. "Remember to keep it holy." "In it thou shalt not do any work."

Thus far the Law prescribes our duty to God. The six remaining Commandments point out our relative and social duties, or those which we owe to man. Ver. 12.-The Fifth Commandment inculcates a duty which is first in point of time and importance-the duty of honouring and obeying parents. It implies also the duty of rendering due honour to all classes of men, (1 Peter ii. 17; Rom. xii. 10, 16; xiii. 1.)

Ver. 13.-The Sixth Commandment forbids murder, and implies the obligation to employ all proper means for the preservation of our own life and that of others. The law is therefore applicable to whatever habits or dispositions may conduce to destroy health and shorten life, or to preserve and prolong both.

Ver. 14.-The Seventh Commandment forbids unchastity in thought, word, and deed. Beware of impure thoughts, impure words, impure companions, impure books. "Evil communications corrupt good manners.'

Ver. 15.-The Eighth Commandment forbids dishonesty.
Ver. 16.-The Ninth Commandment forbids falsehood.
Ver. 17.-The Tenth Commandment forbids covetousness.
We may summarize the Commandments thus:-

SECOND TABLE.

Fifth, deals with the relation of the family.

preservation of life.

preservation of purity.

preservation of property.
preservation of character.

These five deal with every possible relation in which man can stand to his fellows. But in case men should - as the Pharisees did-interpret these literally, and say, e. g.,-"1 have not broken the Eighth Commandment, for I never stole :' then comes in the Tenth Commandment, which goes back under all the others, and deals with the spirit and not with the letter. Paul could at one period say, "Touching the righteousness which is in the law, I was blameless"-so he thought, but the Tenth Commandment wakened him from this dream, and brought him to a knowledge of sin, (compare Philip. iii. 6 with Rom. vii. 7.)

Subject to be proved-God's Law should be our Guide.

Memory Exercise-Shorter Catechism 5.-Psalm xix. 7, 8. Golden Text-"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!". Psalm cxix. 5.

NOTES.-Picture-a man on an important journey-does not know the way very well-is anxious not to miss it and take a wrong way. He is anxious, earnest to walk in the right way. How he will ask every one he meets-"Is this the right way to This was David's position. He was anxious to walk in the right way. He had more than once missed it-to his great grief and sorrow; and afraid that he would miss it again, he goes to the Lord of the way and begs him to direct him. A petition this, surely, most needful for all. There are many byways in life. Point out some-the byway of dishonesty, of impurity, of covetousness. God has set up finger-posts to warn us from these; but too often we see them not. "Trespassers will be prosecuted" is hung up all along the path; but we frequently shut our eyes and neglect the warning. Hence the constant need of this prayer, that we may keep in the King's highway-the only way of safety and real pleasure.

The Teacher's Quiver;

OR, ILLUSTRATIONS

OF THE

LESSONS.

LESSON 105.-ISRAEL DELIVERED FROM BONDAGE.-Exodus xiv. 1-31. 191. In the Worst of Troubles God's People need not fear, (ver. 13, 14.)— During the cotton famine in 1865, a Lancashire mill-owner, who had struggled to keep his hands employed, at last found it impossible to go on longer; and, calling his work-people together, informed them that he would be compelled, after the usual notice, to close his mills. The news was received with sadness and sympathy. To them it meant privation and suffering, to him it might be ruin. None cared to speak in reply; when suddenly rose the voice of song from one of the girls, who was a Sabbath school teacher, and who, feeling it to be an occasion requiring divine help and guidance, gave out the verse of Cowper's hymn :

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head."

All the mill-hands joined in singing the verse amidst the deepest emotion.