Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/400

 two fishes,  although  they  themselves  were  fishermen. Observe, how  promptly  they  declare  what  food  they  had&gt; without making  any  allusion  to  their  own  wants,  or  to the  impossibility  of  procuring  food  in  the  desert. Learn hence, to  be  kind  and  charitable  to  others  and  remember the command  recorded  in  the  book  of  Tobias. "According to thy  ability  be  merciful." (Tobias iv.  8.)

III. Consider the  order  in  which  the  miracle  was  performed. When the  loaves  were  brought,  Christ  commanded "  the  multitude  to  sit  down  on  the  grass." He raises His  eyes  to  heaven,  blesses  the  loaves  and  fishes, and commands  His  disciples  to  distribute  them. In the same manner  ought  you  to  look  up  to  heaven,  before you enjoy  the  benefits  of  God,  "  Who  opens  His  hand and  fills  every  living  creature  with  blessing." (Ps. cxliv. 16.)  Hence  the  virtuous  and  rational  custom  of  saying grace before  meals. Every thing  that  we  enjoy,  comes from God,  and  every  action  that  we  perform  ought  to  be done  with  a  feeling  that  we  are  in  the  sight  of  God% Hence, royal  David  sings,  "  Let  the  just  feast  and  rejoice before  God." (Ps. lxvii.  4.)

I. The  loaves,  by  the  power  of  God,  were  multiplied in the  hands  of  the  disciples,  so  that  although  they  were continually distributing  the  bread,  they  always  found sufficient remaining. In the  same  manner,  by  the  prayers of Elias,  neither  meal  nor  oil  was  wanting,  although  the present provision  was  daily  spent. Who would  not  willingly  serve  so  bountiful  and  powerful  a  Lord,  "Who  can