to the Lord—but with their hearts humbled in profound and deep reverence and love for what the Lord has done for them. To such as these, the Word of the Lord is a source of infinite wisdom; the explication of that word is a treasure of inestimable value. Trusting in the Lord and doing good, the Lord grants the desire of every living thing in their affections and thoughts; and why? Because they desire that which the Lord approves. Their desires are in harmony with the Divine will, and it is the will of the Lord to communicate all the good and truth of his Word as they are able to bear it.
The Lord opens his hand, and satisfies every living thing. By the hand of the Lord, is signified His Divine power or omnipotence; and by opening His hand, the exercise and manifestation of that power with Divine benevolence and liberality; by which we are instructed, that the kindness and mercy of the Lord are such, that all the riches of His grace, all the blessings of His Word, all the benefits of His redemption, and all the treasures of His kingdom, are free for every child of the human race; so much so, that there is not a desire or a wish which any of His creatures can express or feel, but, if it be for their good. He grants them; and, in the fulness of His perfect love, He only withholds those things that would be prejudicial. We are taught, further, that we cannot open our hearts, or desire any spiritual good or blessing, but the Lord opens His hand to fulfil that desire, and give us what we ask: as it is written, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." It concerns us, then, to inquire whether our principles of life are
