found, to their peril, that he made their cause his own. Did Balaam use divination and enchantment? He owned there was no enchantment against Jacob, nor divination against Israel. He cursed them, but the curse was turned into a blessing. In travelling, were they exposed to the sun? The Lord was their shade on their right hand. He preserved them in their going out and in their coming in-they were a people saved of the Lord. And who has kindly, tenderly, constantly, kept you? Have you had no enemies? And why have you not been a prey to their teeth? Why has not your heart turned back? nor your steps declined from his ways? He has holden you up. You have been kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation.

This is what he has done for you.

What have you done for him? - What are you doing?

What do you

resolve to do?

SEPT. 7.-" The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel. Hosea i. 1.

WE are not informed whether he had been trained up for the holy office, or been called in a manner sudden and unlooked-for. Some of the prophets were taken at once from following their common occupations; as we see in the instances of Elisha and Amos. Others were taken-and this was more generally the case-from the schools of the prophets; where, by retirement, and prayer, and meditation, and instruction, they were gradually prepared to minister in holy things. Thus God both sanctified

was not conSome of the

the use of means, and shewed that he fined to them. It is the same now. most pious, eminent, and useful ministers the Churches ever possessed, have been educated for the purpose; and we ought to be thankful for such institutions; and on these, for our spiritual supplies, we must principally depend-But we must not limit the Holy One of Israel. He will sometimes take a man out of our rules, and give him acceptance and success. And we must receive a Bunyan, as well as an Owen-When will persons allow God to work in his own way? and learn that, because one thing is right, another need not be wrong? But Hosea was divinely commissioned-"The word of the Lord came unto him." "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." And they could demand attention, in the Name of Him who sent them-"Thus saith the Lord."

His descent is also remarked-He was "the son of Beeri." The Jews have a rule, that the prophet whose father is named, was the son of a prophet. But this does not always hold. Nothing is recorded of Beeri. Yet it is reasonably concluded, that unless he had been a man of some distinction, and from whom Hosea derived honour, he would not have been mentioned. And this he might have been, without possessing worldly rank and riches. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. He is happily and nobly descended, who springs from those who are great in the sight of the Lord-He may well exult, and say

"My boast is not, that I deduce my birth

"From loins enthron'd and rulers of the earth;
"But higher far my proud pretensions rise-
"The son of parents pass'd into the skies!"

Let us so live, as that our children may derive from us advantage and respect.

But the principal thing is, the time of his ministrations-"In the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel." Now if he prophesied only from the end of Jeroboam's reign, the son of Joash, to the beginning of Hezekiah's, it would have been near seventy years. But he prophesied in the reign of both. And if we allow him a few years in each of these, and reckon up the length of the reigns between, his ministry must have been little short of eighty years; and it was probably even more. And five things may be observed from hence.

First. How very little we have of his prophesyings. Twelve short chapters, read in much less time than a modern sermon, include all that has been perpetuated of far the longest ministry on record. Some labour for posterity; and leave behind them works which will render them a blessing to future ages. Others are called more to serve their own generation, by the will of God; and are preachers, rather than writers. How useful was Whitfield, as a preacher! while his few writings have had little circulation, and rather serve to excite wonder that he was so powerful in another capacity. How useful has Hervey been, as a writer while his preaching was without excitement, and scarcely distinguished by any effect. Some, like Doddridge, have excelled, both in the pulpit and from the press. Every servant of God has his peculiar gifts, and his appropriate sphere-"Even so, Father; for so it seemeth good in thy sight."

Secondly. He must have begun his ministry very young. Paul forbids the ordination of a novice, lest he should be lifted up with pride. Talent is not all that is necessary for the sacred office. How necessary is the knowledge that is derived from experience! and the confidence that grows out of the trial of character! Thirty, was the age for enter

And not earlier than

ing on the Levitical service. this period, did John and Jesus commence their public ministry. Bnt "the word of God is not bound." Timothy was young; so young, that Paul was obliged to say, "Let no man despise thy youth." Samuel was employed, while yet a child. Jeremiah was consecrated from the womb. And this was nearly the case with Hosea. What a privilege, what an honour, to be early dedicated to the service of God! "I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth."

Thirdly. He must have been very old before he retired from labour. Some do not resign early enough, but stand about in the way of usefulness-The excellent Cornelius Winter often prayed to be preserved from this error. Indeed, few can set well, and say of a successor, with proper feelings, "I must decrease, but he must increase." Others resign too soon. They would retire upon a pension, before they are disabled in the holy war. A minister may want the sprightliness and vigour of youth, and yet have the ripeness and richness of age; and the fruit may drop without much hard shaking. Some nobly fall at their post-sword in hand-faithful unto deathand, with the crown of life, obtain the commendation, "Thou hast laboured, and hast not fainted."

Fourthly. He must have passed through a vast variety of condition. He lived in the reign of one good king, and of four bad ones. He saw peace, and much war. He saw plenty, and, more than once, scarceness and famine. He saw a few partial revivals of religion; but witnessed general and constant wickedness. How many of his relations, friends, and pious connexions, had fallen! How lonely must he have felt! How changed his views! How convinced must he have been, that all below is vanity and vexation of spirit!-while, yet, God was the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever. How much he knew of what was doing in other countries, we cannot determine. But within the

compass of his ministry lived Lycurgus, the famous Lacedæmonian legislator; and Hesiod, the Greek poet; and Rome was begun to be built.

Finally. A man of God may labour long, and do very little good. The people he addressed not only continued wicked, but waxed worse and worse: and the captivity he had threatened, he lived to see commenced. He certainly saw a part of Israel carried away captive, by Tiglath Pileser; and probably the entire destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes, by Salmanezer. This must have been very painful. But it did not slacken his efforts. We are not answerable for our success. If we lose our labour, we shall not lose our reward. A greater than all said, "I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain; yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God."

SEPT. 8.-" Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering ?" Rom. ii. 4.

ONE of the ways in which God addresses us, in his Word, is expostulation. To expostulate is to accuse before an open rupture. It is the lingering of friendship, offended indeed, but unwilling to abandon its object without further trial. It is anger blended with kindness: it is chiding, accompanied with entreaty. -This is a very pleasing view of the Supreme Being, and induces us to exclaim, Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him; or the son of man, that thou visitest him? By the transgression of his law, we reduced ourselves to ruin. He remembered us in our low estate; and provided for our deliverance. The blessing is placed before us, and within our reach-But we disregard it; and contemn the