you act thus, especially in time of harvest, remember that while you fill your barns, you are treasuring up wrath for future days. "Behold, the hire of the la"borers which have reaped down your fields, which "is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the "cries of them which have reaped are entered "into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth."*

And let servants be obedient unto their masters, and endeavour to please them well in all things; not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Saviour, in all things. If any of you have believing masters, rather render them on that account readier and more cheerful service; and although the times are hard, and provisions dear, suffer not a trifling advance of wages to tempt you from the employ of those whose conduct is regulated by the scriptures ; your situation ought to be regarded by you as it is on the grand whole; and with lesser wages you should take into the account greater exactness in payment, frequent acts of occasional liberality, sympathy in sickness, milder usage, and attention to your children who may glean in their fields. It is in this way you judge of corn; you do not select one grain or two that is clean and firm, and pronounce the whole good, but you speak of the bulk— the general appearance.

* James, v. 4.

It is usual, and a very laudable custom, to pay laborers more liberally in the time of harvest; sọ that the text may be considered, either as a commendation of what is common, or a direction to what is right: "He that reapeth, receiveth wages ; he is always paid for his toil, but now his reward deserves the name-they are, as we say, "wages "with a witness," and before we unfold the text, as applicable to the reward of those who labor spiritually, it will be proper to furnish you with the literal import of the words.

Among the more interesting incidents of His memorable life, whose meat and drink it was to do the will of Him that sent him, must be noted, the conversation he had with the woman of Samaria, which is recorded at length in the context. The disciples of our Lord were absent from him at the time of its occurrence, being gone into the neighbouring city to purchase provisions; on their return they urged him to eat, which he refused, his mind being so intent on his work, and absorbed with the abundant harvest of precious and immortal souls, about by their labours to be gathered into the church-that garner of God. "Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest ? "behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and "look on the fields; for they are white already to "harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages,

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"and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both " he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice "together. And herein is that saying true, one "soweth and another reapeth. I sent you to reap "that whereon ye bestowed no labor other men "labored, and ye are entered into their labors; by which address, He primarily represents the Old Testament worthies as employed in the previous toils of husbandry, as compared with the easier, more pleasant, and more successful efforts of preachers under the gospel dispensations. Those had sown; these were reaping; others had labored; his disciples entered on their labors.

The Patriarchs, the prophets, and the preachers of old, ever directed their labors to the arrival of gospel times. Under their tedious toils they were cheered by distant prospects of future abundance, when the wilderness and desert should rejoice ; they desired to see that day of plenty, for the "harvest truly was plenteous;"† by faith they saw it and were glad. As they spoke, moved by the Holy Ghost who inspired them, of the advent and incarnation of Immanuel, they foresaw by faith that the little one should become a thousand; that converts, numerous as the drops of morning dew should be added to the church; that there should arise

* John, iv. 35-38. † Matthew, ix. 37.

from One, whom by faith they beheld as good as already dead, so many as the sands of the sea shore; and that of his increase there should be no end.

The earlier labourers ploughed up the uncultured land; the prophets sowed by all waters; now by those of Shiloh, and again by the rivers of Babylon: and it was the business of others preparing the way of the Lord, to make the rough places plain. At length, the fields offered the delicious prospect -they were white already for harvest.

He secondly designed to teach them the abounding privileges of gospel times. As in the harvest we have a clearer atmosphere, finer weather, the moon walking in her brightness with a kindly deliberation;* as the husbandmen labor more cheerfully, are better paid, have richer provisions, and even children glean the scattered and golden ears; so in these latter days of gospel privilege, we have

It is remarkable that the moon during the week, in which she is full, in harvest, rises sooner after sun setting, than she does in any other full moon week in the year. By doing so, she affords an immediate supply of light after sun set, which is very beneficial to the farmers, for reaping and gathering in the fruits of the earth; and therefore they distinguish this full moon from all others in the year, by calling it the harvest-moon. Mr. Ferguson has given a full account of the harvest-moon in his Astronomy,

clearer light, milder airs, the sun shineth in his strength, his rays are reflected in a richer variety of gifts adapted to the wishes and wants even of the peasants; we have wines on the leas well refined; now by our hallowed institutions, babes and sucklings enter our temples; and from them, whether male or female, praise is ordained; more willing obedience is rendered, our very toil is rest; * in fine, so pre-eminent are the advantages of this last dispensation of mercy, that although, of all those who labored in preparing the way of the Lord, the immediate forerunner of the Saviour, was the most celebrated, yet of him it is affirmed, that "though "among them that are born of women, there hath "not risen a greater than John the Baptist; not"withstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of "heaven is greater than he." "He that hath 66 ears to ear let him hear."

As the harvest clears our fields, and is the concluding process of agriculture, He taught, thirdly, that this is the final dispensation of divine grace; there remaineth no other scheme of salvation, either to be revealed; or is this to be more fully illustrated. The terminating operation of the Holy Three is manifested in this, which is emphatically styled, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. If any perish under the present extended privileges, how shall we * Hebrews, iv. 8. + Matthew, xi. 11