experience through faith in the atonement, will meet with no interruption, it is not my province to determine. For such is the degeneracy of human nature, and such the base ingratitude of the human heart; that incidents the most trifling sometimes divert attention from the one thing needful, and too frequently betray into actions which involve guilt, and which, of course, deprive us of that tranquillity which is enjoyed in communion with God. Gratitude is not the characteristic of man. We are prone to be unmindful of benefits received-to lose sight of our perpetual obligations to divine goodness; and in the hour of torpid indifference, lightly to esteem the rock of salvation. If, therefore, we forsake his law, and walk not in his judgments; if we break his statutes, and keep not his commandments; it is but just that he should visit our transgressions with the rod, and our iniquity with stripes-that we should know and see it is an evil thing and bitter to forsake the Lord God, in whose favour there is life, and whose loving-kindness is better than life.

But supposing there were in the Christian's conduct no deviation from the path of rectitude; that, in duty, the eye were always single; that the honour of God were kept constantly in view, and that his prospects of interest in divine favour were never clouded; yet must he expect to meet with many things to try his faith and interrupt his quiet. Is it probable that a sinner, recently delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, should not meet with temptations and assaults in consequence of allegiance to his new Sovereign? Can it be reasonably imagined that a man devoted to sensuality-who sought all his happiness in gratifying the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life: who perhaps was uncommonly assiduous to involve all his companions in the same guilt, and was himself always foremost in the paths of death: is it imaginable, I ask, that such a man should relinquish his criminal pursuits, abandon the society of those whom he had perhaps ruined, or rendered vicious by his example and his counsel, and not meet with contempt, with ridicule or with slander? His associates in wickedness will not fail to mark the alteration of his conversation and his conduct: but as they have no perception of the principles by which he is actuated, they will attribute both to improper motives-to pharisaical pride or sanctimonious ostentation. His deportment will be construed into a tacit reprehension of their sinful practices; and, when contrasted with what he himself once was, denominated hypocritical or enthusiastic.

Now if this be the case between man and man, what may not the Christian expect from the implacable malignity of Satan? He has lost an obedient subject; his government is renounced. Implicit subjection to his authority is no longer practicable. He is treated as a vile usurper, and all compliance with his suggestions considered as actual rebellion against God. This indefatigable adversary of man, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: and though he be conscious of never having yet been able to destroy one of the subjects of Christ's kingdom, yet such is the inveteracy of his malice, that he continually labours to subvert their allegiance, to betray them into sin, and ever afterwards to harass them with guilt.

That afflictions are not in themselves joyous, but grievous, will on all hands be readily allowed; but that to man, in the present life, they have a

salutary tendency, is a truth which may not perhaps be received with the same implicit credit. We are told however by one who was no stranger to calamity, That the great Parent of the universe doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.' In the day of prosperity we are commanded to be joyful, but in the day of adversity to consider. These are hours in which we may reflect on the past, and contemplate the future with advantage: in which we may find leisure to recollect how the mind was imperceptibly drawn from the paths of virtue-to trace the gradual progress of vice-to remember with what compunction the bounds of duty were first broken; how that compunction was insensibly diminished by a repetition of the same sins, till at length these sins, and perhaps others more atrocious, were frequently committed without remorse, and without shame.

Were the mind thus occupied in seasons of distress, we should have some faint discoveries of the malignant nature of moral evil, as well as of the degree of our own guilt; and instead of murmuring at the hand by which we were stopped in the career of vice, perceive abundant cause to be astonished at the long-suffering and forbearance of God! Each delinquent would have reason to exclaim; It is of the Lord's mercies that I am not consumed-Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great.' And were these, or similar expressions, the genuine language of the heart, no abstruse reasoning would be needful to prove that the soul is in a situation not less perilous than were those who, in the hour of distress, cried to the Saviour of men, Lord, save us: we perish.' But, whatever men of the world may think of afflictions, the Christian has learned by experience how to estimate their worth. He can say,

with the Psalmist, It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes-before I was afflicted I went astray.' He knows it is needful that he should sometimes be in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of his faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Prosperity, allayed and imperfect as it is, has power to intoxicate the imagination, to fix the mind upon the present scene, to produce confidence and elation, and to make him who enjoys affluence and honours forget the hand by which they were bestowed. It is seldom that we are otherwise, than by affliction, awakened to a sense of our own imbecility, or taught to know how little all our acquisitions can conduce to safety or to quiet; and how justly we may ascribe to the superintendence of a higher power, those blessings which in the wantonness of success we considered as the attainments of our policy or courage.'

Next to divine grace, nothing confers so much ability to resist the temptations that perpetually surround us, as an habitual consideration of the shortness of life, and the uncertainty of those pleasures that solicit our pursuit; and this consideration can be inculcated only by affliction.

O Death! how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to a man that lives at ease in his possessions.' If our present state were one continued succession of delights, or one uniform flow of calmness and tranquillity, we should never willingly think upon its end; death would then surely surprise us as a thief in the night,' and our task of duty would remain unfinished, till the night came when no man can work.

While affliction thus prepares us for felicity,

we may console ourselves under its pressures, by remembering, that they are no particular marks of divine displeasure; since all the distresses of persecution have been suffered by those of whom the world was not worthy; and the Redeemer of mankind himself was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.'

But should the Christian not feel the weight of personal afflictions, there are perhaps sources of inquietude equally painful from which he cannot hope to escape, and for the endurance of which he will stand in need both of faith and of patience. He will have to wrestle not merely against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore he is commanded to put on the whole armour of God, that he may be able to stand against the wiles of the devilpraying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance: for he that shall be found so doing will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and though he may be greatly harassed in his march, he shall not be overcome; though he be cast down, yet shall he arise; and though faint in the conflict, yet shall he finally prevail and be more than conqueror.

Permit me therefore to say to you, as the sympathizing Saviour did to his mournful disciples: Let not your heart be troubled in your Father's house are many mansions. Jesus is gone to prepare a place for you, and will come again, and receive you unto himself; that where he is, you may be also'-The ransomed of the Lord' shali return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall