easily, but we knew who it was that called him from us, and whither

he was gone. swered all our prayers and expectations to my satisfaction, silencing my unbelief: praise be to his name ! When I adopted the words of Hannah, I did not mean bringing him thus to the Lord, but I can now rejoice at having been taken at my word he appears before him now, and there abides for ever. I have often sought the sanctified use of this child's death, and I hope my prayers are in some measure answered.

God has thus an

"1. I have learned not to draw hasty conclusions of what the Lord may intend in temporal affairs, though he gives us liberty to ask him concerning them. Nearness to

him is the answer to prayer in all cases; and views of his condescension and power, experienced and realized by faith, form genuine, solid, and comfortable communion with God. He will not move in the channels we prescribe, and sometimes call impressions from the word; his ways are wrapt up in mystery, wisdom, and love, and cannot be traced by any of our lines.

"2. I have learned to sit lighter to outward comforts, to the lives of any, especially of my other children, whom I see to be only loans, stars that twinkle and then disappear: and that as I am hastening to eternity, I should not spend my little time in mourning and looking back, but rather be up and doing, praising

the Lord, who condescends to take

as well as give."

Where Christian principles are thus felt, they will enable us to gain good from the sharpest afflictions. Who will not own that many useful lessons are to be learned in the school of adversity?

CHAPTER III.

GENERAL ADMONITIONS AND ADVICES. 1

"IT is better," said a wise king,

66 to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart." But so weak, and frail, and fallible is man, that dangers and temptations are to be apprehended by him in every situation; the house of mourning itself is

ADMONITIONS AND ADVICES. 75

not free from them. To you parents who have followed your children to the grave, I would say, Suffer the word of exhortation to be addressed

to you.

Is any one ready to reply,-I have sustained the heaviest and severest loss, and am scarcely in a state of mind capable of attending to the best counsel. I live in an inverted order. Those who ought "to have succeeded me, are gone before me; those who should have been to me as posterity, are in the place of ancestors. storm has gone over me, and I lie like one of those oaks which the hurricane has scattered about me. I am stripped of all my honours; I am torn up by the roots, and lie prostrate on the earth. There, and

The