the noble words, "But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." "Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted in thee and were not confounded." With these examples before us, and a multitude more that time would fail to tell of, can you not, tried Christian, adopt as your own the exulting language of Paul, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? In all these things we are more than conquerors 'through Him that loved us." It may be difficult, but remember who He is that hath promised. While you recognise the Divine hand in your trials, and thus avoid "despising the chastening of the Lord," see also that you avoid indulging in those unwarranted doubts which would cause you "to faint when rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Therefore, "Have faith in God." "He sitteth above the waterfloods; He sitteth king for ever." "He will make darkness light before you, and crooked things straight; these things will He do unto you, and not forsake you." "Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning Providence I now proceed to remark that we oughtV. To Anticipate and Seek to secure the Divinely Intended Results. And what are they? Here an important and extensive field presents itself, which must be reserved for another meditation. “He chastens us,” says the Apostle, "for our profit that we might be partakers of His holiness.” A higher result cannot be contemplated. If such may be the benefits ultimately secured by ever such long-continued and painful trials; it is a result, the contemplation of which should not only make us submisive but grateful, leading us to comply with the exhortation of James, "My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." It should induce us with Paul to “glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Or, such views as the Divine Word opens to our minds, should constrain us to sing the exulting song of Charles Wesley "Though in affliction's furnace tried, Unhurt on snares and death I'll tread; Pour all its flames upon my head; THE SCHOOL OF ADVERSITY. PART THIRD. "By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better."— SOLOMON. "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous; nevertheless, afterwards, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby."-PAUL. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."-JAMES. HAVING endeavoured to exhibit some of the teachings of the Holy Scripture on the subject of human suffering, and especially the sufferings of the pious, as made known in the HISTORY of the devout, and some of the preceptive instructions of the sacred records, I now desire to present some of the teachings of the sacred oracles and the Providence of God on the ends, uses, and results of sanctified trial. In the volumes of nature, providence, and redemption, we have varied and extensive fields of inquiry and thought presented to us. Much as the Bible has been studied, it cannot be said to have as yet yielded up all its lessons and treasures to the devout inquirer. There may be certain fundamental truths, concerning which nothing very new or very original can well be expected. So many minds have devoted their best energies to their elucidation, that few of the intimations of the Sacred Book may have been overlooked, that can throw light on their varied bearings. Still, even on those every-day topics and most essential truths, on the substance of "the common salvation," "the faith once delivered to the saints,"-fresh modes of illustration may be expected; and, as the laws of mind become better understood, fresh views of their bearings on human progress and happiness, and the Divine glory may not unreasonably be looked for. He that will place his mind in humble and sincere earnestness at the feet of the Great Teacher, shall not study in vain, or lack divine illumination. Jesus will open our understandings that we also may understand the Scriptures. Many good men have written, and some have written well, on the teaching of the Bible, on the benefits of sanctified adversity. Still, this subject can scarcely be said to have had that amount of attention paid to it which its relation to human happiness, and the position which it occupies in the Book of God, demands; and as suffering forms so great a portion of the experience of humanity, one would have thought that "sympathy with the sorrowful" would have led the expounders of the Holy Book to have dwelt much more than they have done on this very inviting portion of the field of revealed truth. Our theology is not so humane and soothing a thing, as exhibited in our "Bodies of Divinity," as it is when seen in the fresh and open fields of inspiration. Is not this one reason why many have shrunk from Christianity as a harsh and unfeeling system? It is, as presented by Jesus, by Peter, by John, and by Paul, a winning, an inviting, and a soothing thing. Would that all the popular teachers of Christianity had been attentive to the spirit as well as to the letter of the teachings of Him, who said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Or of him who said, "I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise." Or of him, whose lips were ever uttering words of love; and who, when old and feeble, was wont to be carried into the Church, and stretching out his aged hands, utter, with the utmost benignity and sweetness, his oft-repeated words. "Little children, love one another." The teachings of Divine truth in relation to human suffering, form one of the most attractive features of the Sacred Volume. There are many fresh and beautiful, as well as healing flowers, which tempt us to stay here a while longer. The writer feels "it is good to be here;" he is unwilling to think that the further illustration of this subject will be unacceptable to the readers of his little book. It is a vein in the mine of truth which con |