"careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to make her requests known unto God." And most likely Ruth had before starting lifted up her heart to the Lord, and asked Him to prosper her. And as each handful was added to her store, she could not but feel thankful that God had heard her prayer.

Let me ask, What is your custom? Is it your custom to labour, depending upon your own exertions, and the success of your own cunning, or to labour in humble reliance upon God's blessing? Is it your practice, in times of great difficulty, to go to God for wisdom to direct you? And is it your practice also, in all the little matters of your daily life, to commit your way unto the Lord?

Then you may expect, either to prosper, or, if not, to have the happiness of feeling that the Lord has in mercy withheld that which would have been to your hurt.

Ruth had left Bethlehem that morning with some little sinking of heart, but yet in full confidence that the Almighty's shield was over her. And in the evening she returned with a heavy load, but with a light heart. She is enabled to carry to her mother an ephah of barley-sufficient to relieve them from any anxiety for days to

come.

And now, mark the thankfulness of them both. See how Naomi greets her daughter on her return home: "Where hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wroughtest thou? Blessed

be he that did take knowledge of thee." "And she shewed her mother-in-law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead."

Alas, how often do we forget to be thankful! The very beasts of the earth read us a lesson: "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib;" but man forgets to kiss the hand that feeds him. Like the nine unthankful lepers, he receives the gifts, but returns not to thank the gracious Giver. And yet what have we? Just so much as God measures out to

us.

It would be well if the rich man would feel this. His purse may be full, and his larder well supplied, so that he has not a moment's anxiety about the morrow. But still let him remember that every mouthful he eats, and every morsel he has to spare, is just as much provided by God, as the manna and the quails were in the wilderness. It is true the manna and the quails came in a more marked way from God himself-they came by a miracle-but not a whit the less is the rich man's food provided by the Lord.

And it would be well if the poor man too felt this. He labours for his bread, for God hath so ordained it; but it all comes from His great storehouse; and He, as it were, keeps the key in his own hands, and gives as He

sees fit. He gives us our "meat in due season; He openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing."

Who is there, whose heart does not condemn him in this matter? We sit down to meal after meal with scarcely a feeling of gratitude or a word of thankfulness. Are there not some too, who sit down to meat without even asking a blessing upon it? And are there not others, who go through the form of saying a grace; but it is a mere form; the words are uttered, but they come from the lips only, and not from the heart.

But these bounties of God's providence are only a part of his mercies. There are ten thousand others, which should draw forth our affection. Oh