LECT. XII. employed in other paffages of fcriptare, the image of the tender callow brood of the feathered race fleeing, in the moment of danger, for protection, under the fhelter of the parental wing. In either cafe, it marks the providential care, and the facred fecurity extended to all who feek refuge in the divine wildom and mercy. No plague fhall come nigh the place where they dwell, no evil fhall befal them. It unfolds the fpirit of a truly good man, difpofed to do every thing that humanity dictates, and ability permits, for the relief of the fons and daughters of affliction; but deeply impreffed with the belief that without the bleffing and favour of Heaven the interpofition of man is vain and unprofitable. He refers not to the divine bounty as an exemption from deeds of charity and mercy, but to render his benevolence effectual, and to crown, promote and profper his kind intentions; to fill up the measure of his liberal defign, which, after all, was narrowed and contracted by flendernefs of ability.

The effect of the whole upon Ruth is the fame which a fenfe of unmerited friendship from man, and the expectation of bleffings from on high, will ever produce on a good and honeft heart. As fhe rifes in fituation, as fhe rifes in hope, the finks in humility.

Then the faid, Let me find favour in thy fight, my lord; for that thou haft comforted me, and for that thou haft fpoken friendly unto thine hand-maid, though I be not like unto one of thy hand-maidens."*

This draws from the benevolent lord of the harveft reiterated affurances of regard and fympathy. He again runs over the whole ftore of the field, left he fhould have omitted any particular in his fermer enumeration; again intimates a cheerful and unaffected welcome to what fhe could defire, or he had to bestow. In this, if I mistake not, may be feen the farther progrefs of affection. Ruth gains upon his heart by every word fhe utters, by every gefture and attitude; and pleafes moft, from having formed, from pursuing

* Verfe 13.

no

no defign to please. The greater her diffidence and felf-denial, the greater is his earnestness to bring her forward, and to fupport her. She was by the former order permitted to go at pleasure and ferve herself with whatever was in the field for the general ufe ; now, fhe is invited to join the company where Boaz himself prefided; fhe is fed from his own hand, and her portion is not a scanty one," she did eat and was fufficed and left." It was thus that Jofeph expreffed the partiality of his affection for Benjamin his own brother, his mefs was five times fo much as any of theirs; and thus in artlefs guife, the growing paffion of Boaz for the fair Moabitefs declared itself; and thus, not in high-flown rhapfodies of unmeaning jargon, but in little attentions, in petty offices of kindness, the genuine effufions of unfophifticated nature, the generous paffion of love, always will declare its exiftence and quality. Happy, thrice happy banquet, far beyond all the luxury and pride of unwieldy, uneafy, unbleffed magnificence. There they fit, under the open canopy of heaven, the mafter, the fervants, the ftranger, in one group. Their fare is homely, but labour has made it pleafant to fit down, and hunger gives to the food a relifh.

But what a fuperior relish did the morfel of Boaz himself poffefs! Think what a banquet, to fee his nu-... merous family around him, all contented and happy; to give bread to fo many, and to receive the ample return of it in their honest attachment, and in the fruits of their industry. What a luxury, to feed a hungry, to raise a finking ftranger! to render gentle fervices to a deferving object, which humanity infpired, the understanding confirmed, the heart directed, and Heaven approved! What a defert, to reflect that all these comforts flowed from a heavenly Father's beneficence, that thus he was "twice bleffed," blessed in receiving, bleffed in giving.

The felicity of Ruth was far from being fo pure and perfect. She felt the depreffion of dependence

and

and obligation; obligation which she had no profpect of ever being able to repay. She felt for the anxiety, diftrefs and want of a venerable aged woman, for whom nothing was provided; who was fitting folitary at home brooding over past calamities, and tormenting herself with apprehenfions about futurity. She can hardly fwallow her own morfel for grief to think that one more helplefs, more feeble, more friendless than herfelf, wanted the common neceffaries of life; that Naomi was perhaps fafting till fhe returned, and, worse than fafting, tormented with folicitude about her fafety. The fweeteft part of the repaft to Ruth was the portion fhe had referved from her own neceffities for the fuftentation of her ancient, affectionate, starving parent.

Their frugal fimple meal being ended, they rife up, not to play, but to work again, and continue their labour until the evening. A fresh charge is given to the reapers on no account to difturb, or infult the lovely gleaner, and the young men are directed to find no fault with her, gather where fhe would, even among the fheaves before they were bound up; and to drop here and there a handful, as if by accident, to render her toil more pleasant and eafy, without hurting her honeft pride. This injunction could proceed only from a delicate and ingenuous mind. To have made her directly a prefent of the ears of corn, had been an indignity offered to her poverty; to fcatter them without any apparent delign, was effectually to facilitate her labour, and diminish her fatigue, without rendering the burden of obligation too griev ous to be borne. The manner of conferring a benefit, it cannot be too often repeated, infinitely outweighs the matter. The comfort of human life, is a combination of little, minute attentions, which, taken feparately, are nothing, but connected with the circumftances of time, place and manner, as coming from the heart, as tokens of good-will, poflefs a value and in

fpire a pleasure beyond the purchase of gold and

rubies.

Think of the heart-felt fatisfaction of the amiable labourer, when at the going down of the fun, on feparating the ftraw and chaff from the good grain, and measuring the produce of her patience and industry, fhe found it amount to fo confiderable a quantity! Would you make a poor man happy, do not encourage him to beg. Idlenefs and happinefs are incompatible. No, render his toil a little eafier to him, teach him to draw his fubfiftence and comfort from, and to build his dependence upon himself.

And now Ruth's comfort was going to begin; it was hitherto mixed and imperfect-it now flows pure and unrestrained. She has it in her power to relieve indigence, to remove anxiety, to difpel forrow, to make the widowed heart fing for joy. Sce with what exultation fhe produces her ftore, re-meafures her corn, details the adventures of the day, and receives, in communicating joy. This, O virtuous friendship, is thy prefent great reward! Such, if pride and perverfeness prevented not, the felicity which Providence has graciously placed within every one's reach! Let me have fome friendly ear, in the calmness of the evening's retreat, to listen to my tale; fome fympathetic heart, to participate in my forrows and my joys, and I care not what hardships I endure, what mortifications I meet with, through the live-long day. Friendship doubles the delights, divides, and thereby diminifhes, the cares and miferies of this tranfitory life.

Think of the compofed felicity of the ancient matron, as the furveyed the fruits of her beloved daughter's dutiful exertions, and heard the artless story of a harve. day's employment and recreation. Yes, fhe is the happier of the two. The joys of age are calm, untumultuous, untempeftuous; thofe of youth have always a mixture of ardour and impetuofity, that allays their purity, and haftens on their diffolution. We fincerely bid them good night, and leave them to the

fweet

fweet repose of confcious integrity, of acquiefcence in the will and thankfulnefs for the bounty of gracious Heaven, and of budding, bloffoming hope of greater bleffings yet to come.

-At what a fmall expenfe may a great man acquire refpect, efteem, love? How infinitely nature excels art! In how fimple and eafy a method does Providence bring about the greateft events! "Godlinefs is" every way "great gain :" it has "the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

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