against the humiliating methods, which God was sometimes pleased to take with him; whether he is to depend for his daily food on the ravens, or is to be nourished by the slender pittance of a perishing widow. Pride would choose for us such means of provision, as have some appearance of our own agency in them: and stout-heartedness would lead us to refuse things, if we cannot have them in our own way.

THE blessed man is he, who is under education in God's school; where he endures chastisement, and by chastisement is instructed. The foolish creature is bewitched, sometimes, with the enchantments and sorceries of life. He begins to lose the lively sense of that something, which is superior to the glory of the world. His grovel. ling soul begins to say, "Is not this fine? Is not that charming? Is not that noble house worth a wish? Is not that equipage worth a sigh?" He must go to the word of God to know what a thing is worth. He must be taught there to call things by their proper names. If he have lost this habit, when his heart puts the questions he will answer them like a fool; as I have done a thousand times. He will forget that God puts his children into possession of these things, as mere stewards; and that the possession of them increases their responsibility. He will sit down, and plan and scheme

330

pleasure to the p

in both and I l Besides and act

I preac rode si

Nothing

while I

all the called i

at me i fellow.

-he g end--h

it away --he sit

The ma the spirit

the extre

numberle

me forgets

God dashes cuts the

OSESCIREAL. Je sends ately creature, en e the spider ent way. To spin it again. too is blessed-not ns. nd daughters, and , ad 'ower, and honour; but A dese way-not, when the carman leart are indulged; but rosset and disappointed.

one and reilious mind in a Christian,

by dark and trying dispensamage of God, in his providence, to

generally of this kind: "I will inde myself. I will be seen by thee. shalt never meet me, except in a dark storm." Ministers of such a naspantoften fitted for eminent usefulness

Satan would not have man suffer a single trouble all his life long, if he might have his way. He would give him the thing his heart is set upon. He would work in with his ambition. He would pamper his lust and his pride. But God has better things in reserve for his children: and they must be brought to desire them and seek them; and this will be through the wreck and sacrifice of all that the heart holds dear. The Christian prays for fuller manifestations of Christ's power and glory and love to him; but he is often not aware, that this is, in truth, praying to be brought into the furnace for in the furnace only it is, that Christ can walk with his friends, and display, in their preservation and deliverance, his own almighty power. Yet, when brought thither, it is one of the worst parts of the trial, that the Christian often thinks himself, for a time at least, abandoned. Job thought so. But while he looked on himself as an outcast, the Infinite Spirit and the Wicked Spirit were holding a dialogue on his case! He was more an object of notice and interest, than the largest armies that were ever assembled, and the mightiest revolutions that ever shook the world, considered merely in their temporal interests and consequences. Let the Christian be deeply concerned, in all his trials, to honour his Master before such observers!

to obtain possession of things, which he forgets are to be burnt and destroyed. But God dashes the fond scheme in pieces. He disappoints the project. And, with the chastisement, he sends instruction: for he knows that the silly creature, if left to himself, would begin, like the spiderwhose web has been swept away, to spin it again. And then the man sees that Job is blessed-notwhen God gives him sons, and daughters, and flocks, and herds, and power, and honour; but when God takes all these away-not, when the schemes of his carnal heart are indulged; but when they are crossed and disappointed.

A STUBBORN and rebellious mind in a Christian, must be kept low by dark and trying dispensations. The language of God, in his providence, to such an one, is generally of this kind: "I will not wholly hide myself. I will be seen by thee, But thou shalt never meet me, except in a dark night and in a storm." Ministers of such a natural spirit are often fitted for eminent usefulness by these means.

THE Christian, in his sufferings, is often tempted to think himself forgotten. But his afflictions are the clearest proofs, that he is an object both of Satan's enmity, and of God's fatherly discipline.

Satan would not have man suffer a single trouble all his life long, if he might have his way. He would give him the thing his heart is set upon. He would work in with his ambition. He would pamper his lust and his pride. But God has better things in reserve for his children: and they must be brought to desire them and seek them; and this will be through the wreck and sacrifice of all that the heart holds dear. The Christian prays for fuller manifestations of Christ's power and glory and love to him; but he is often not aware, that this is, in truth, praying to be brought into the furnace for in the furnace only it is, that Christ can walk with his friends, and display, in their preservation and deliverance, his own almighty power. Yet, when brought thither, it is one of the worst parts of the trial, that the Christian often thinks himself, for a time at least, abandoned. Job thought so. But while he looked on himself as an outcast, the Infinite Spirit and the Wicked Spirit were holding a dialogue on his case! He was more an object of notice and interest, than the largest armies that were ever assembled, and the mightiest revolutions that ever shook the world, considered merely in their temporal interests and consequences. Let the Christian be deeply concerned, in all his trials, to honour his Master before such observers!