continually and eternally rolling over the wicked, shaking the pillars of darkness, and terrifying the souls of the lost and damned.

Oh, believers, and ye that tremble at God's Word, while all below will be pain, horror, and darkness, ye will have peace, joy, and glory. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part will be done away. Here all is for a moment, but there is the eternal weight of glory. Here it is a little while, but there it is everlasting life. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be," or shall see, "but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." We shall see the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe according to the working of His mighty power. We are still in the valley, in "the shadow of death;" far off, and as little children; but soon-yea, very soon-we shall enter in and see the light, and see Him as He is. We shall know as we are known, and sing the song of triumph, and be "perfect as our Father which is in heaven is perfect." "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." Amen.

SANCTIFIED AFFLICTION.

OUTLINE OF A SERMON BY THE REV. J. A. WALLINGER. "Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God."-2 CHRON. XXXiii. 10-13. You all know, I suppose, the history of Manasseh. None went to such lengths in sin as he did; yet he found mercy. Therefore, Manasseh was one of the most remarkable instances of the power of distinguishing, discriminating, free, sovereign grace upon record, as also of the riches of personal, unconditional election before all worlds, and a wonderful representative of the whole Church of God, chosen in Christ, loved with a dateless love, redeemed by blood, called by grace, and brought safe to heaven at last. Many such instances the Lord has been pleased to give us in His Word of His rich grace in calling poor vile sinners, the worst of mankind, to the knowledge of His great salvation. Our Lord said to the religionists of His day who boasted in their morality, and thought themselves in full sail for heaven, because their outward conduct was better than others-"The publicans and harlots," said our Lord to them, "shall go into the kingdom of heaven before you." Look at Mary Magdalene as a proof of this. A woman of the very worst kind among her sex-let to run all the lengths of vice and wickedness-yet loved with a dateless love, and so called by grace to the feet of a_dear Redeemer, in true repentance, to love Him as He loved her. Look, again, at that black catalogue of crime you have set out by Paul in 1 Cor. vi., wherein he says, "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified." Is not this grace in all its riches, its fulness, its blessedness? Then take another instance: look at the thief upon the cross. Look at the Lord of life and glory upon that cross-Christ, the Maker of all things, fastened there! Did you ever see Him set forth crucified? Not with the natural eye, but with the inward eye, the eye of faith, the spiritual eye that apprehendeth spiritual things? I believe I was thus favoured once, many years ago. So that I can say in truth with the poet,

And so I knew it was not excitement, not the mere acting upon the imagination-by the effects it produced on my soul; the humbling, melting, softening, separating, rejoicing effects, and the holy anticipation it gave of things to come, which were the fruits of a faith's view of that cross. This sight I had about thirty years ago. A faith's view of a crucified Christ will be known by the effects it produces. But take another look: see Jesus hanging between two thieves, Himself treated as the worst.. The multitude mocking. The thieves, His companions, railing upon Him. The disciples afar off, and only a few poor women gathered near the cross to witness the dying agonies of the Son of God. And, mark, it is recorded of these thieves that they both joined in blasphemy and railing as they hung by the nails to their cross, till all at once God was pleased to cause divine light and love to break in upon one of them, and, by the exercise of mighty grace, to work upon the heart of one and leave the other in his sin and blasphemy. Then trace the effects, "Lord, remember me. "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise," is the gracious answer of the God-Man. Oh, what a blessed trophy of divine grace! Grace by which the worst can be saved, and no sinner saved without. But, now, observe again: between the two thieves the Lord was pleased to make a distinction. He takes one and passes by the other-both equally guilty, but both not saved. What an emblem we have here of the two seeds, the elect and non-elect, the receivers and rejecters, the godly and those who die in their ungodliness! Now, if you want the doctrine of election preached to you in all its point and power, look at yon cross, and behold these two thieves. Where was the difference between them? Did they not both blaspheme and rail upon the Son of God? And yet see the difference sovereign grace made between them. Now, look at Manasseh. Here we have another marvellous instance of divine power and dateless love—a sinner above all the kings of Judah; a sinner of such sort "that the Lord would not pardon;" for it is said, "He forgave Manasseh, but the nation He did not pardon." As you know, if you are readers of your Bible; for the captivity of Judah, in Babylon, followed soon after Manasseh's wicked reign. Thus, you observe, the nation suffered for the sins of their bad kings, and the nation was blessed under the reign of good kings. Now, this had a typical meaning. Observe, Israel suffered, as a nation, for the sins of their kings; and, as a nation, was blessed in their righteous kings. Does not this point out to us the reign of King Jesus, by whom good comes to Israel, and blessings follow where He reigns? So that it is not the deserts of the people, but the merit of the King, that procures the good to the spiritual Israel. But of Manasseh. In this history you see one leading feature-affliction sanctified. David said, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray." The work of God is to teach and humble and make His Word precious. Now, by nature it is not precious to any; but God will make it precious to His people. Now, when is it precious? When it is necessary. When the Holy Ghost applies it. Aye, friends, when in affliction we want consolation; when under guilt we want pardon; when in bondage we want liberty; when in darkness we want light. But take a view of Manasseh among the thorns, bound in fetters: but it was to do him good. "I will allure her into the wilderness, and there I will speak comfortably unto her." Doubtless this speaks to the experience of some of my hearers. You embraced Christ "for want of a shelter." Were you ever among the thorns feelingly? in fetters?

Then you wanted a deliverer, I know. But look at Manasseh in captivity. It was written, "Thou shalt go into Babylon. There shalt thou be delivered." Well, so must you. This or that affliction overtakes you, and from it be delivered. This or that bereavement, and in it be consoled. This or that perplexity, and out of it be extricated. This or that temptation, and find a way of escape made for you. Now, take a view of Manasseh. Were you any better than he was? What was your state before the Lord broke in upon you by His Spirit? Well, and what did He do then? Why, He allured you into the wilderness to speak comfortably unto you, made you feel the power of sin, guilt, temptation, giant lusts, distressing cares, perplexing fears. And for what? To get at the salvation provided for you: "Thou shalt go into Babylon : there thou shalt be delivered." You must first go to Babylon, mark. You must be taught your ruin to prize the remedy. You must feel your burden to know the blessedness of casting it upon the Lord. You must come to afflictions to know God's consolations. You must feel the power of temptation to know the mighty grace that can subdue sin.

But afflictions alone will not do this. There is nothing in afflictions alone that will make men seek the Lord. Nay, it is more likely to drive from God than to draw to Him. But sanctified affliction will draw. This Job realized when he said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." Sanctified affliction humbles. Christ is "exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance," and true Gospel repentance is very humbling. Contrast Manasseh before and after the grace of God met with him-full of pride and sin, and idolatry and cruelty; now look at him in affliction : "He humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers." Here we see the nature and effects of sanctified affliction. The soul cries out, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Aye, friends, sanctified trouble takes Pharisaism out of you; it makes a man cry for mercy; and affliction does no good unless it sets sin before you, unless the fair surface be broken up, and all that is underground be turned out. Thy heart must be shown to thee as a cage of unclean birds; and, if your afflictions have been sanctified to you, more or less you have had sin brought to light in your heart and practice; and, if not, you are no ways bettered for it. If you do not see yourself as a lost, ruined sinner-helpless-hopeless-the rod of affliction has done you no good, however heavy it may be, for it has not been sanctified to you.

You know I have been lately saying what a dead state the churches generally are in, and what need we have of a revival. Now, the Lord mostly makes use of affliction to bring about a revival, both in churches and individuals. Ah, my dear friend, there is plenty of religion in our day, but where are the meekened, softened, humbled, broken hearts? Where are those, here and elsewhere, running to the balm of Gilead-to the Lamb of God? Where are the praying souls living upon the Christ of God? Isaiah says, "In the time of their trouble they have visited Thee; they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them." That is the true use of the affliction. They did not want God's company before, but now they must visit Him. You know when Absalom sent repeatedly for Joab he would not go to him, but when Absalom set his fields on fire then he came fast enough. Oh, you must have your fields set on fire before God sees your face. You must have your comforts burnt up, your joys consumed, your home and heart desolated, your spirit tried-then you visit God, you knock at His door, no one will do for you then but God.

And this begets prayer. This sends you to your knees. Now you must creep away to some corner to see if you can find the God you want, and you will take no denial. You must hold on till you get admission, till you get what you want. Now, who can tell but this may be the reason of your present difficulties, your cares, your perplexities? for "through much tribulation ye must enter the kingdom." But the heart gets hardened when afflictions work alone. "All these things are against me, says unbelief. "The Father's door is closed. He has turned His back upon me. And well He may, for I am a wretch." But, oh! the sweetness of sanctified affliction! Hear what David said: "It is good to wait upon God." "Wait, my soul, upon the Lord." Do not some of you here want pardon and peace? Well, do not give it up; wait on, hope on, pray on. God will avenge His own elect. Delays are not denials, and His time is best-better than you could arrange it. Your afflictions make you pray; then I am sure they do you good; and, as to deliverance, leave that with the Lord, and say with the Psalmist, “My soul, wait thou only upon God." Now look at Manasseh as taught of God to pray: prayed to the Lord, and the Lord heard him." My dear friends, what know you of answers to prayer? Oh, how many thousands in this city have put up to-day what they considered prayers, and yet are totally indifferent as to answers from God; go through their rounds of forms and ceremonies, and yet know nothing of prayer; never had an answer to prayer in all their life, and never felt the want of an answer. "Call upon me in the hour of trouble, I will hear thee and deliver," saith God. Verily God hath heard me," said the Psalmist. So he knew something experimentally of a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God. Now Manasseh obtained answers to his prayer; and what can you testify as to the same experience? What Samuels have you asked of God, and obtained from Him? Can you call any blessing "Samuel, asked of God?"

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But we observe another point. Manasseh must know a delivering God, so you read. He must be brought back from Babylon. He must know delivering grace and mercy. Ah, friends, do you want to know and prove God a Deliverer? Then you must get into trouble; and, when you are brought out of it, then you see and prove for yourself God a Deliverer. You and I must go down to Babylon in order to find God a Deliverer. So you see this is another effect of sanctified affliction—it proves we have a Deliverer. This Job knew when he said, "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Now look at the result of this sanctified affliction: "Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God." Why, this is the end and object of all God's teaching and discipline with all His people, that they may know Him, get near to Jesus, realize the healing efficacy of His blood, and feel the precious power of His Word, and be melted by His love.

Now no one can know the Lord in this Gospel way but as God reveals Himself to the soul; and, when the Lord is thus revealed, then there is a living upon Him. Is this the life you are living? Do you carry your wants to Jesus? Do you know Him as your peace? Have you proved Him a Deliverer? Do you know Him as a prayer-hearing and prayeranswering God? This is all the result of divine teaching. The same result God brought about in Manasseh: "Then Manasseh knew the Lord He was God." Oh, think how poor Manasseh's heart was broken, humbled, melted, crushed, when he came to know the Lord! After filling Jerusalem

with blood and sin, and yet be saved by grace, and made to know the Lord, a monument of His mercy. My dear friends, see the object and end God had in view when He afflicted Manasseh, it was to bring him to this most blessed point, "Then Manasseh knew the Lord He was God." And shall not you and I have good cause to bless Him too for all the discipline of the way, the sanctified afflictions that God made use of to humble us, prove Himself our Deliverer, and give us to know Him, "whom to know is life eternal ?" Ah, we shall yet thank Him for all the instrumentalities He made use of, since this was the gracious result, to "know the Lord He is God." Amen.

THE LORD NEVER THROWS AWAY HIS GIFTS.

In other words, we believe-and have repeatedly provedspecial manifestations are generally, if not invariably, the precursors of special tests and special trials; so that, under these tests and trials, the poor affrighted soul may have a something to fall back upon. Whilst yet the visit is fresh upon the heart, faith ventures in before the King, with its reminder, "And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good." Even the great Apostle of the Gentiles would have been less able to grapple with his thorn in the flesh (whatever that thorn was) but for his having so recently been "caught up into Paradise." The freshness and the vividness of what he saw and heard served materially to bear him up under his after-conflict.

Dear reader, it is the personal knowledge and the past experience of these after-tests and trials that render many of the Lord's children less anxious for those very bright and blessed manifestations with which some are, at least occasionally, indulged. They are very, very precious, we know; but the attendant exercises are painful and often distressing in the extreme.

It was only this very morning, whilst on our way to the sanctuary, in passing a certain house, we thought of the precious Godglorifying testimonies we had repeatedly heard from a dear afflicted one, in her little humble parlour. Her indulgence was special indeed. Her heart seemed too full for her poor frail body. It was ready to burst its tenement of clay, and again and again have we thought she must be called home; but there came the after-test of which we have just spoken; and (poor thing!) her case became most pitiable then. Her heart-anguish seems to harrow up our very soul at the very moment of writing. It would verily cheer us could we hear that "the Master had come and called for her."

Well, dear reader, these experiences serve to remind us of the exhortation, "Be content with such things as ye have." We do not mean by this the settling down in a state of carnal security; God forbid but the seeking to leave ourselves and all appertaining to us in the Lord's hands, who alone knoweth what is best for us. Let our experiences be ever so varied or extended, we are utterly incapable of judging what is good for ourselves. It is the Lord-and