—so melancholy, that God Himself is said to mourn over it.
September Twenty-fifth.
SPIRITUAL PLENTY.
"And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied."—Joel. ii. 26.
IN the true spiritual church, it is prophesied that all shall be taught of God: that is, all instruction shall be drawn from the Word of God. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the Divine Truth, shall be our sole Leader and Guide: ALL, from the least even to the greatest, shall be brought to acknowledge Him, and all unite in praising Him as the Lord our God. All will eat in plenty, and be satisfied. To every faithful follower of the Saviour these words will be fulfiiled; they are the result of obedience to the divine commandments.
To the wicked, the direct contrary is applied. They eat, and have not enough. They sow much, and bring in little. They drink, but are not filled with drink. (Hosea iv. 10; Hag. i. 6.) These two passages offer a true but lamentable picture of the state of the wicked. In all they believe, there seems a fallacy. In all they do, there is a lack of real goodness; and as a consequence, their highest enjoyments fail to impart satisfaction. The wealth of the world, after which they incessantly toil, is not enough to satisfy them; though food for the body be abundant, though barns and storehouses are full to overflowing, still there is leanness and emptiness of soul; and however largely they may
