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 SPUKGEON

��be supported through another week; you are poor, and yet if you be a child of God I do know that Christ's end is answered in you; you are rich. No, I did not mock you when I said you were rich: I did not taunt you — you are. You are really rich; you are rich in his possessions; you have in your possession now things more costly than gems, more valuable than gold and silver.

Ah, Egypt, thou wert rich when thy granaries were full, but those granaries might be emptied ; Israel was far richer when they could not see their granaries, but only saw the manna drop from heaven day by day. Now, Christian, that is thy portion — the portion of the fountain al- ways flowing, and not of the cisternful, and soon to be emptied.

But remember, saint, that thy wealth does not all lie in thy possession just now; remember thou art rich in promises. Let a man be never so poor as the metal that he hath, let him have in his possession promissory notes from rich and true men, and he says, "I have no gold in my purse, but here is a note for such and such a sum — I know the signature — I can trust the firm — I am rich, tho I have no metal in hand."

And now, Christian, in heaven there is a crown of gold which is thine to-day; it will be no more thine when thou has+/ it on thy head than it is now.

I remember to have heard it reported that I once spoke in metaphor, and bade Christiana 127

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