Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 1.pdf/226

 worship of God these matured heavenly affections of the soul are the only offerings we ought to make to Him who searcheth the heart. "Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruit." (Exod. xxii. 29.) Those who do not cherish in themselves such heavenly affections, bear little else on their mental tree than a few leaves, or perhaps two or three flowers. They possess leaves or doctrines, with here and there an opening flower of truth; but, like the barren figtree, with its showy leaves, having no fruit to gratify the Lord's hunger, or divine desire for man's fruitfulness, will soon wither away. If, perchance, there should appear a few fruits, they do not ripen into sweetness; and of such it is said, "Their drink is sour." (Hos. iv. 18.) There is, unhappily, a decay of the summer fruits, and their harvest is fallen. (Isa. xvi. 9.) Dear reader! may thy soul desire the first ripe fruits.

UNGER and thirst, literally, are bodily appetites, expressive of a want of food, with, at the same time, a strong desire to obtain it. These appetites alternately occur during life; for when, upon taking meat and drink, the hunger and thirst are satisfied, and the food so taken has performed in the body its appointed use, hunger and thirst again return with the same desire for food. This is a beautiful arrangement of Divine Providence, which shews that the food