Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 2.pdf/37



MONG the various laws given by Moses, the man of God, to the Israelites, there is one respecting that which they were to observe, if in their travels they found a bird's nest in their way. The law runs thus:—"If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young, but thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days." That this, like all other laws of God, is founded in some hidden wisdom, there can be no doubt, and is evident from the very words; for upon their observance of what was commanded, it was not only to be well with them, but they were to prolong their days. Surely, literally, the days of a man cannot in this world be prolonged by taking young birds out of the nest, and letting the dam go free. That the laws of God regard eternal life more than temporal, cannot be doubted! for temporal life is scarcely a moment it compared with eternal; and, to provide for the moment, and be careless of eternity, is no mark of wisdom! The laws of Divine providence regard eternal ends; temporal comforts and pleasures are only so far allowed as they are seen to be means of promoting and securing eternal. The Jews, as a race of worldly