God sendeth us in this present time, seemeth to have no joy and comfort, but sorrow and pain; yet it bringeth with it a taste of God's mercy and goodness towards them that be so corrected, and a sure hope of God's everlasting consolation in heaven. If then these sorrows, diseases, and sicknesses, and also death itself, be nothing else but our heavenly Father's rod— whereby he certifieth us of his love and gracious favour, whereby he trieth and purifieth us, whereby he giveth unto us holiness, and certifieth us that we be his children, and he our merciful Father-shall we not then with all humility, as obedient and loving children, joyfully kiss our heavenly Father's rod, and ever say in our heart, with our Saviour Jesus Christ, Father, if this anguish and sorrow which I feel, and death which I see approach, may not pass, but that thy will is that I must suffer them, thy will be done."

O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble, I acknowledge my reluctance to take up thy cross, and my weakness in bearing it, hold thou me up by fresh supplies of thy Spirit, that I may be safe. Let thy strength be perfected in my weakness. Thy promises of help are exceeding great: through thee I do believe the truth of them, and I pray for grace to make a right use of them. Enable me in patience to possess my soul, that when it is thy will to try my faith, I may live up to my privileges, and may find it better to suffer with Christ than to reign with the world. O Lord, thou hast showed this favour to Moses, and thou hast done more than this—thou hast made thy witnesses glorify thee in the fires; they have marched on fighting thy battles against hosts of foes and they did

:

not account their lives dear to themselves, so they might finish their course with joy, and die in faith, blessing and praising thy holy name. O thou faithful God, thou art the same to us now as thou wast to them. Lead me on then in thy strength, trusting in thy word, and leaning on thine arm. Thou hast promised thy flock, and I hope I am one of them"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." O thou good Shepherd, let me trust in thy love, and feel thy supports, that whatever lies before me, to be done or suffered, I may be enabled to do it, and to suffer it, by the continual supplies of thy Spirit. And by his influence help me to persevere, till I win the prize of my high calling, and be admitted to join that "great company, whom no one can number, who stand before the throne of God and the Lamb; clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun smite them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."-O my Jesus, I bless thee for this most glorious prospect! It is of thy mere grace that I am in any measure enabled to join that great company:

it is entirely of thy special favour that I have any good hope to come to their glory. For this, and for

all thy mercies, to Thee, with the Father, and the eternal Spirit, the Three in one Jehovah, I give honour, and glory, and thanks, to-day, and I hope to do it without ceasing, for ever and ever. Amen and

amen.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Believer's Triumph over the Infirmities of Old Age.

It is appointed unto all men once to die. The time is fixed by an immutable decree. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we flee away.' If some be permitted to live longer, yet the infirmities of old age must arrive, bringing with them labour and sorrow, the forerunners of death. Circulation will become languid. The senses of the body will grow dull and heavy. The faculties of the mind will be impaired, and will discover it by not remembering proper names. In this decline of life, believers are subject to the same infirmities with other men. They have no exemption from pain, or sickness, or death; but they have that which keeps up their spirits, and makes them patient and joyful. The consolations of God are then most needed; and he has promised them, and he is faithful: he never failed them who trusted in him.

He

has suited his promises to all the infirmities of age. He knows our frame perfectly, and has described it with an unerring pen, Ecclesiastes, chap. xii. that when we feel the signs of old age, we may apply to him for grace to profit by them. The symptoms there given are infallibly true and just; and are as so many monitors, warning the man, that the vigour of life is declining, and that the body is returning to the earth from whence it came. Happy is he who takes this warning, and remembers his Creator in the days of his youth, before the wearisome days come of weakness and pain! He has filed to Jesus for refuge and finds and experiences what he has engaged to do for his people, when heart and flesh begin to fail them. Blessed be his grace for the abundant provision which he has made for their faith and patience!—he says to them, "I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you :" so that you may boldly say, "The Lord is our helper, and we need not fear what the infirmities of age can do unto us." One of them, the Christian hero, thus encouraged himself in the Lord his God-" Thou art my hope, O Lord God; thou art my trust even from my youth: by thee have I been holden up from the womb; thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. I am a wonder unto many, but thou art my strong refuge." This was his trust; and God did not forsake him. He remembered his word unto his servant, whereon he had caused him to depend. There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto him. O what great encouragement have believers to follow the steps of his faith!

for his God is their God; the same yesterday, today, and for ever, to young and old, who put their trust in him. His promise to the Israel of God cannot be broken. Thus he pledges his word of truth to them, giving them a warrant to pray unto him-" My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, and with thy honour all the day long for thou wilt not cast me off in the time of old age, thou wilt not forsake me when my strength faileth." To this prayer the Lord inclined his ear, and vouchsafed this gracious answer- -" Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel; which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb, and even to your old age, I am he; and even to hoary hairs I will carry you: I have made and I will bear you, even I will carry and I will deliver you." These are some of his rich cordials for the aged. He provided them in his love, and he is sensibly touched with the feeling of their infirmities in administering them; for he himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. compassions bind him to comfort and relieve his old disciples: and when they apply to him in time of need, he is ever present to grant them his promised help: yea, so suited to their case, as to make them grow in grace as they grow in years. They bring forth fruit in their old age-the rich fruit of humility, and the ripe fruit of thankfulness; fruit that endureth unto everlasting life. We have a happy instance of this in God's goodness to an ancient believer, who lived to be a hundred and seventy-five years old. He was the friend of God, who had blessed Abraham through life, and that in all things; and who

His