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acknowledges that before he was afflicted he was constantly going wrong. All the people of God, in their prosperity, were addicted to idolatry. Solomon, styled the wisest of men, could not withstand the temptations and the allurements which they presented: whilst the pious Job, once the brightest ornament of the nation in which he lived-reduced to beggary, and distress, and disease, and infirmity— found consolation in his God. His visitation preserved his spirit, and His visitation alone does so by ourselves.

Fix your hearts upon anything in this life and see if you do not meet with disappointment therein ! I say not that you ought, therefore, to be discontented with everything: but this I do say, that if your affections are set upon anything on this earth, such is the inherent change of everything hereeven of ourselves-that we can but for a short time be said to enjoy anything. "Fix, therefore, your affections on things above and not on things on the earth; for all that is in the world-the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of lifemust perish." Wisely, then, was it ordained of God, that, though He has granted to a man life and favour, yet that He sends him fatherly visitations to preserve his spirit.

The ways of God are known only to Himself. He brings about things which to our weak minds appear accidental or that might have been avoided ; but in God's hand they were wisely intended and could not be avoided, but were meant to correct, chasten, and try the proud heart of man, so as to make his spirit discern that it is God's dealing.

This is the wise intention of the Almighty to

prove to us that the joys of our immortal souls are not to be the sensual delights of a world like this. By these means He awakens in us a longing desire after spiritual things-an earnest of His future kingdom. It is thus that He intentionally destroys our too great anxieties concerning unprofitable things, which must sooner or later prove to be vexatious. God is a being who will not admit anything but that pure love should reign in the souls of His chosen people: therefore does He correct and drive out of our hearts the seeds of discord, which embitter our existence whilst we live, and render us totally unfit to die. Oh, how many, but for His timely warning and correction, would sink into utter ruin! They would live and die as the brute beasts of the field, without any knowledge of God-any thought whatever of another world, and merely obtaining a sufficient wisdom of this world to keep them above want-would live without God in the world and die without any desire for salvation. Is it not, then, as Job calls it, a visitation-a merciful visitation, which shall preserve the Spirit of God within him whilst his body is brought low by reason of sickness, or some temporal calamity which shall lessen his hold upon carnal things, and make him see that it shall profit a man nothing to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Say not, then, that any affliction, grievous as it may be for the time, does not bring with it the wholesome correction of the Spirit.

What was Job in his prosperity? Perhaps, the only instance recorded in Scripture of such sterling piety as not to forget God: for we read that in the very days of his family mirth, when his sons feasted with one another on the good things of life, that

Job, fearful lest they might have sinned and neglected God in their hearts, offered up burnt offerings according to the number of them all: and thus did Job continually-not once or twice-but constantly, habitually, never forsaking the law of his God.

It was this that moved the devil to envy him and to detract from his integrity, and to undermine his repentance in this world. He saw that God had granted him life and favour, and that he made such use of his life and such benefit of God's grace that he continually improved in every virtue and became celebrated for his piety. Hence he accused him of serving God for the good things of this life and said, "Does Job serve God for nought? Touch, now, his flesh, take from him his prosperity, reduce him in the world, and he will curse thee to thy face." In this, however, the devil was foiled, as he will be in every good man who will take the fatherly visitations of God as they are intended-for the preservation of his spirit that his soul may not be lost.

Job lost everything but his integrity before God: this remained to him, and no false reasonings of his friends could persuade him to the contrary. And so it is with every true Christian: he will preserve his faith in Christ through every trial: he will even learn to bless affliction for bringing him nearer and nearer to his God. Those that take not affliction in this light can never be sanctified: they can never be conformed to the image of Christ within them— the inner man, the hidden man of the heart; but will take it as fools do correction, without any amendment. But Job is but a type of Him who for our sakes came to be a man of sorrows and ac

quainted with grief-to be the perfect pattern of suffering patience that we all might learn to endure whatever God is pleased to lay upon us: for this purpose "He was killed all the day along, as the Lamb appointed for the slaughter." He went about doing good, healing all our sicknesses, providing for all our wants, giving us the fruits of His Spirit, pardoning our offences, and turning us away from all dumb idols to serve the living and true God.

Whilst we think of Job and review his suffering patience let us look forward to Job's Redeemer and our own, and know that there is none like Himnone that can bestow as He does-none that can bless as He can-none who can support as He will-who can make all things work together for our good, that we may ultimately come to His kingdom of eternal life.

Let us, then, none of us murmur at the dispensations of divine will, but fortify our minds with the whole word of God. "These things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this is with thee. If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me for mine iniquity. If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up mine head."

So, my friends, let us all keep humility in this life and be thankful-aye, thankful, not only for those general supplies of providence which all creatures possess, but thankful for that spiritual correction which is so requisite for our present peace as well as for our future happiness.

To know Christ and to be known of Him is to be conformed to His likeness-to be transformed by the renewing of our minds from trial to trial,

until the man of God shall become perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. That you, my brethren, may be so taught of God, take the correction He gives, and let it profit your spirit in the way of holiness. A wicked man will take no warning from God: nothing will induce him to say with Job, "Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit." But do you, my friends, both say so and feel it; and may the Lord God comfort your hearts therein, through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Believe me, your affectionate friend,

THE COMFORTER.

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