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have long left their lands, could see how they change hands-how soon they fluctuate from one to another -how those sons for whom they were building up daydreams of pleasure and comfort, are, like themselves, ejected, they would, if men, be mournfully afflicted; but in nothing would they more grieve and repent than in seeing how their own and their children's hearts were set upon these things. Oh, happy men, who receive all they have with trembling, well knowing they must use it for God's glory, and not abuse it for earthly purposes! Affliction is, indeed, a blessing when it teaches us wisdom-when it makes us search for God in the hidden recesses of our hearts, and examine our thoughts narrowly, honestly, and closely, to see how they are affected towards God.

"What is man that thou shouldest magnify him? And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him ?" The afflicted man brought to see God's dealing with his soul exclaims in these very words the sentiment of Job, if he perceives God's blessed design in drawing him through the waters of affliction, that he may become acquainted with Christ Jesus our Saviour. He may well wonder, indeed, what man is to be so magnified with affliction that the hand of the Lord should thus be upon him, indicating that he is in favour with God, or he would not be so visited.

To be made wise unto salvation through the dispensation of divine grace-to be brought low, afflicted, despised, abused, persecuted, rejected-to be even bodily afflicted, so that you may be made to perceive that these things happen in mercy to your soul; that you may not depend upon an arm of flesh, but upon that salvation which Jesus Christ has

wrought for you, I say there is not-there cannot be-such another source of consolation in the universe. Kindness we all look for in our bodily afflictions, but the body does not require more care than the soul does. The body is diseased; the seeds of death are in it: we grow up young and vigorous—we decay; but our souls are to last for ever: if they are incurable in their diseased state, their death is everlasting. On this account God visits men and tries them every moment. It is not God that tempts you, though He tries you: He sends affliction as a messenger, but He sends with the disease the cure. He would have souls saved, sick souls cured, diseased, afflicted, wounded, grieved, and tormented souls brought to Him to be healed; and, when we can no longer apply the healing balm of Gilead to the afflicted soul, our office must be then merged, not into that of a curate, or a minister, or a pastor, or a preacher, or a messenger in Christ, but into that of lords over God's heritage-rulers, and not servants. West and here but to preach the word of God for your salvation; and woe, inevitable woe, will be our lot if we do no preach the Gospel! We know our duty; and though we tremble at our responsibility and should be terrified at the work we have to do, yet depending not upon our own strength of mind or body, but simply upon the grace and help of God, we faint not, however small may be the fruits of our ministry. We, indeed, feel our weaknesses as men; but our strength is in the Lord our God, who can make us "able ministers of the New Testament: not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life" (2 Cor. iii. 6). O, let our faith, then, be fixed in Christ Jesus, that we may

find Him in our afflictions the thing we need; that which we have been seeking for continually, though we might not know Him, until our bed of trial and visitation made us see more clearly our want of Him. Oh, my brethren, how much better is it to seek to know Him now than only at our latter end! -when death hovers around us to be only then calling upon His name and desiring to find Him! He will withdraw Himself from us if we value not His presence, but do despite to the Spirit of grace: He will depart and leave us to ourselves, and then where shall we be? Take, then, the fatherly visitations of God as they are intended to correct your souls, that the words of His ministers may fall upon your hearts with thankful reception, and prove a healthy cure to your complaint, through the right operations of His own Almighty Word.

Let us all learn to look upon our afflictions as His visitation, assured that He who gave His Son to death for us and for our salvation is not indifferent to our prayer; that He has provided so mercifully for our souls such good things as pass man's understanding that we never can be grateful enough, even for those afflictions which bring us to such a state that we can exclaim-"It is good for me to have been afflicted!" If we would anticipate rewards, and God grant that we may do so, by fixing our affections on things above-if we should anticipate rewards-let us remember our Saviour's cheering promise, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you: if I go to prepare a place, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also !" (John xiv. 2, 3).

Let us look forward to the heavenly mansions where God dwells and where we may hope to dwell, for here we have no abiding-place. Oh, that we may dwell together there-all our sorrows at an end-our disappointments all forgotten-our afflictions over, having worked out that abundant weight of glory for which they were sent! Oh let, then, our faith be lively, working by love through every trial, always considering all things as happening for our good, that we, through much tribulation, may at length enter into the kingdom of heaven!

May the Almighty grant that these few words may be present with you to help you to bear your afflictions patiently, in the full hope of that crown of glory which fadeth not away, eternal in the heavens, with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Believe me, your affectionate friend,
THE COMFORTER.

ADDRESS VIII.

O ALMIGHTY GOD, who lovest truth and righteous. ness, preserve us we pray thee from all hypocrisy and lies, that we, relying solely upon the merits of thy Son our Saviour, may be rewarded with the joy of everlasting life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

The hypocrite's hope shall perish.-JOB viii. 13.

MY DEAR FRIENDS-Job was thought to be a hypocrite by his friends who came to see him in his affliction, because they found, indeed, that they were unable to give him consolation. They knew not what it was to have the soul so touched by divine grace as to be made to see the fearful responsibilities of life and its many dependencies upon God; and, like miserable comforters in affliction, they rather increased than diminished his sorrows: hence they looked upon this good man as acting an hypocritical part in mourning, complaining, and uttering his bitter lamentations, and reproached him in these bitter terms:-"How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long shall the words of thy mouth be like strong wind? Doth God pervert judgment, or doth the Almighty pervert justice ? If thy children have sinned against Him and He have cast them away for their transgressions: if

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