it

bled at the thoughts of, and they found him | hope it may have, but not a right one; at last a friend and not an enemy. But not Christ, the hope of the Church. to return the Lord, in love, keeps us in Now, some here may be in this state; total darkness as to the way He leads. they know not Christ; they have never We may have seen many hard things in found the good of God's chosen; they days past, and much worse is, perhaps, to have never parted with their own rightcome, but what of that? The promise eousness; alienated from the life of abides firm—“ All things work together God, they are stone blind. But perfor good;" "I have no thoughts towards haps it may be different with others you but thoughts of peace." So saith here; they feel their blindness, and are the Lord. But here is the difficulty; crying after Jesus. This is a good sign. the soul knows not how this is to be Indifference is the worst sign. But God brought about; how things so contrary says, "I will bring." If the Lord has can make for peace. Well, leave it, made you feel your blindness, and taught don't puzzle your brains about it. You you to cry to Him; remember He says, "I can't settle things, so leave them to God will bring." Sinners can never bring to settle. You must roll it upon Him. themselves. It is God must bring, and You know unbelief says, when the way He says He will. "All thy children is dark and perplexing, and things seem shall be taught of God;" therefore it is all confusion and disorder, "The Lord His work to bring. This is, in a further hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath sense, true of the Gentiles; they were forgotten me." The Psalmist, when his afar off by wicked works, and called in way was dark and troubled, said- Scripture, dogs, unclean, cast out; but Hath God forgotten to be gracious ?" these also must be brought by a way No, that He had not. Unbelief pre- they knew not; for God says, "I will vailed then; but afterwards, as we read bring the blind." Further, the text goes in Psalm xxxvii., he was enabled to roll on to speak of larger promises; fresh upon the Lord. Having in some way and increased discoveries-"I will make spoken of the blindness, we will now darkness light," &c. The Lord said, notice the promise. "I will lead the "I am come that they might have life, blind by a way that they knew not." And and have it more abundantly," in a way this promise is special; it is addressed of enjoyment and manifestation. But, in to God's people; it leaves the world out proportion as the Lord discovers Himself, of the account as it were; for salvation in His truth, and grace, and power to His and the world can never come together. saints, He leads them into trial. “I Not so God's elect, for of them it is will lead them in paths that they have said, "I will bring the blind by a way not known." Trial after trial discovers that they knew not," that is, work what God is, and discovers also what is a change upon them; upon those in us. As with Abraham, so with the whose names are in the Lamb's book children of God. He had trial upon of life; of whom Jesus said, "them trial, and the last was the worst. The also I must bring;" and God pledges offering up of Isaac was a new trial. Himself for the same. "I will bring Abraham had not been led that way the blind by a way that they knew before. So it is with God's children; not ;" and by this promise God en- they are called to contend with new gages to bring them to Jesus; give trials, led in a way they never knew; them eyes of faith to see Him, by and also, enemies they thought silenced, the way of blood, and reveal to them dead, buried, forgotten, arise up, and His righteousness, and give them an prove more powerful than ever; and, experience and enjoyment of the same. added to this, it may be, new trial, that Now this is the way they "knew they don't know how to manage; new not." They never looked to Jesus as difficulties, new temptations, new enethe way of peace and salvation. They mies, all too strong for them-that never saw any beauty in Him. Thence bring them to their wit's end. says the Lord, "I bring near my say they, righteousness." Before that, the soul looks only to its own righteousness, and is a stranger to Christ's righteousness; a

What!"

can this be God's leading?" The whole thing is beyond their wit; they cannot comprehend it. And God means it to be beyond your wit. He

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means you should be driven to His enough as to outward things, and beauty, help, His arm, His power, and this by and such like; but it is the devil's feeling your own weakness. And now world-a polluted world; for the devil's I know this tallies with the way God seed are more numerous than God's has led some of you. Driven from post people. But the power of the enemy to pillar, and hunted out of all your own manifests God's greater power. As we strength, you are glad to take refuge in read of that great man, Luther, when His sovereignty, His grace, and look to enemies came out against him, and Him for all. Now, I ask, how long friends turned enemies, he said, "All have you known Him? When and how the better! the more room for God to was He revealed to you? When did work." Don't be disheartened, dear He speak peace and pardon to you? and friends, at the might and power of your how long is it since you got that view foes; it is all the better. The more of Christ which weaned you from the room for God, the more for Him to do. world, crucified self, and allured you to The devil will raise up all sorts of take up His cross, and follow Him? If enemies and difficulties in the saint's He has done things for you, and in way heavenward; but they shall have you, enemies you must expect; foes you the victory for all that. Doubts and must encounter; the triple enemy, the fears about the issue you may have, but world, flesh, and devil, you must con- that shall not hinder God's purpose. flict with but you have an omnipotent But the Lord teach you to turn all these arm to defend you and fight for you; things to account, and by bringing them a Jehovah says, "Fear not, thou worm, to Jesus, get good out of them. But, Jacob;" and again, My grace is say you, "I cannot do this. I have not sufficient for thee;" I am able to save things at my command." And very well unto the uttermost. But unbelief says, for you, you have not. We are in the "My case is too hard; my foes are too ranks, friends; we are not commandmighty; this enemy can never be put ers, and let us be content with rank and down; this wretchedness can never be file, rank and file, all our way, and leave assuaged; this wound can never be healed; the command with God. Faith says, He this oppressor can never be removed." will lead to victory. Unbelief says, But when faith comes, the scene changes. To destruction. Silence! says Faith; Faith eyes the end; faith recalls the Salvation belongeth unto God." He terrible things Job endured; and the has promised to lead; and lead He will, Word says, "Ye see the end of the and that to conquest-to glory. My Lord." Yes, we see the end God had dear friends, it is the weak who are to in view in all the trial Job endured; say they are strong, and thus contradict it was to do him good. "A strange sense and reason. But this is our state way," says reason. But God does not of schooling; these are our days of act according to our reason; and faith learning. When the days appointed of in exercise sees this, for, the Father are ended, we shall leave school, and go home to be with the Father for ever. Can you leave all by the way then? Oh, this is a great point to be brought to: to leave all the guidance in His hand, who hath promised, "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known." Why, the Lord can do wonderful things for you. But His yoke is heavy without His enablings; the soul feels as if it could not bear it; and it is only when He enables, the soul can bear. But the Lord will add trial to trial as the soul gains strength; when the faith is little, a little trial is as much as it can bear; but as faith gets stronger, it can hear a

"Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face." Faith looks to the end. Faith says, "Wait upon God; this dismal night will end in day; the morning shall arise, and peace shall come, but night must return." Day and night, summer and winter, shall not cease; so if the morning star does arise, we must expect a night-time to follow. Pardon follows guilt; peace follows war; the trial ends; but soon peace ends, and then follows trial again. Well, friends, can you leave it? Can you look to the end, and leave this changeful way with a God who changes not? Ah, friends, this world is well

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heavier load, and a heavier load it changeableness of God. These things must have. And this may make some will I do unto them, and not forsake mysterious things plain, and some them." God will not do something for, crooked dealings straight; for the Lord and in His people, and then leave them. in His leadings says, "I will lead them No, He has only thoughts of peace and in paths that they have not known. I love towards them, to give them an exwill make crooked things straight, and pected end; and He is not satisfied till rough places smooth." Now, this is He brings them to that end; no, nor God's work, to make these wonderful you either. David was not, for he said, exchanges; so that all our distresses,"I shall be satisfied when I awake up painful providences, crooked things, sharp trials, all turn out for good, and we get good out of them. Through much tribulation ye must enter the kingdom," is God's way, and we can go no other; and as we penetrate further and deeper into the gospel land, we learn the same lesson-Through much tribulation we enter the kingdom." But we must fight our way; and the mercy is, we are not sent to war at our own charges; we have One "who is mighty to help," and One who has engaged we shall come off conquerors. But, say you, "How can this ever be, seeing I am often taken captive by the enemy, and sometimes found in his ranks too?" Well, Jesus knows how to turn the power of the foe; He knows how to make your crooked things straight. You cannot, but He can. Can you leave it then with Him who has promised to do it? You will only be happy as you can leave it. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on

thee.'

One thing more I would gather out of the text before I leave it-the un

after thy likeness;" not before. God does not love to-day, and hate to-morrow. He does not turn and change as we do; but "He rests in His love." Terrible things He may show His people; painful crosses He may appoint for His children; but they shall do the Lord's work, and do His people good. Leave. them, God never will; for if He did, every sheep in the flock would be lost for ever. But His eye is ever upon them, as the good Shepherd; therefore, all you and I need is to be brought to the Psalmist's state of mind, and in faith say, "The Lord is my Shepherd; therefore shall I lack nothing." The Lord will provide for His sheep, and they shall want no good thing; therefore, all they lack shall be bad things; profitless things; things that would hurt them and prove their ruin. Now the text winds it all up with these sweet words, "These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Whatsoever He may do unto them, He will never forsake them; no, never. The Lord bless His word. I add no more.

A FRAGMENT.

THERE are ordinary bubblings of grace | as easily discern them, as we can exotic in a renewed mind, as there are of sins plants from those that grow naturally in in an unregenerate heart; for grace is as active a principle as any, because it is a participation of the Divine nature. But there are other thoughts, darted in beyond the ordinary strain of thinking, which, like the beams of the sun, evidence both themselves and their original. We need not take long to examine them, they are evident by their holiness, sweetness, and spirituality. We may

our own soil; or as a palate, at the first taste, can distinguish between a rich and generous wine, and a rough water. The thoughts instilled by the Spirit of adoption are not violent, tumultuous, full of perturbation, but like Himself, gentle and dove-like solicitings, warm and holy impulses.-Charnock on the Sinfulness and Cure of Thoughts.

Nature is so corrupted as not to understand its own depravation.-Owen.

attendants, and said to them, "I feel an oppressive weight at my chest, and shall die at Eisleben;" and after offering a short prayer, he looked up to God, repeating three times the words before us, "Into thine hands I commit my spirit, O God of truth; thou hast redeemed me:" and these were the last words he uttered. Ah, beloved, they are precious last words, too; they will do to live by, and do to die by. But, let us recollect, we should never be able to use them to any purpose, had they not been the last words of a greater than Martin Luther; they were the last words of our precious Saviour himself, as we are told (Luke xxiii. 46), “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend (or commit) my spirit and having said thus, He gave up the ghost." Here was the death of deaths, absorbing all the deaths of His blood-bought ones; so that the sting of death was removed, and they can commit their spirits into the Father's hands, without one fear that He will cast them into everlasting destruction.

which cost a precious Christ His blood, shall never be lost. It is doing despite to the Spirit of God's grace to have such an idea. No, we hesitate not to affirm, that if it were possible the Son of God must be crucified again for that bloodbought one; and as this is impossible, He having been crucified once for all, so it is impossible that one of His little ones should perish; and it is an insult to each Person in the Godhead to think so.

And now, lastly, beloved, notice David's recognition of God as a God of truth-"Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth;" that is, the God amen: the "true and faithful God," as John calls our precious Jesus in his Revelation-"These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God."

1st. He is the amen of the law-the law-fulfiller. Picture a court of justice. There sits the Judge, calm and deliberate, determined to carry out the law to the letter. There stands the poor prisoner at the bar. Forth gets up one great Goliath of a counsellor, and charges the But, beloved, we must pass on to no- prisoner with sinning against light and tice, 3rdly, David's reason for commit- reason. After he has had his say, up ting his spirit into the Lord's hands: it gets a second, and charges the prisoner is because "thou hast redeemed me.' "with sins of omission and commission, of What a substantial reason! I do want sins in thought, word, and deed; and it, beloved, to strengthen your faith in calls upon the Judge to sentence the man Him as a God of providence as well as a to everlasting condemnation. But, anon, God of grace. Think that He who hath a Substitute comes forth, and says, "I procured and completed the great work have found a ransom; I shed my precious of redemption, will surely care for the blood for this prisoner, here is the rebody throughout our time state; He demption money." Away slink the false who hath effected the greater, will surely accusers of the brethren out of the court, effect the lesser. Therefore, look up to and the Judge, smiling, says, "Justice is Him in the confidence of faith, and be- satisfied, the law is fulfilled, let the lieve all will be right as regards the prisoner go free." Our precious Jesus is pathway home, for the substantial rea- thus the law-fulfiller, the Amen of the son that He hath redeemed thy soul from law; and here a great many stop; destruction. Ah, some of us, I fear, are Ministers of the day preach the law, and found trusting our souls into His hands, its moral obligations; or, if they get as but losing our confidence when it comes far as the law fulfilled, do not recognize to the body and its affairs, and that in our precious Lord as the gospel-fulfiller the face of His own injunction, "Seek too: the Amen of the gospel. As says not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye Isaiah, concerning the Lord's Zion, "She shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful hath received at the Lord's hands double mind; for all these things do the nations for all her sins." And what is the double? of the world seek after: and your Father Why, not merely pardon, this were great knoweth that ye have need of these indeed; but all the blessings that accrue things. But rather seek ye the king- from the redemption that is in Christ dom of God, and all these things shall Jesus. Therefore we want the blessings be added unto you.' And then another of the gospel; we want to attack, as it thought about this redemption. That were, the covenant stores that are in our

spiritual Amen; for, as David says, "All | oftentimes, but rather as the God of my springs are in thee," life, light, hope, error; doubting whether He will fulfil faith, love, obedience, patience, joy, all what He has said to us and concerning in Him. "I shall be satisfied," said one us. May He forgive us, and may you to us, "if I but crawl into heaven." Well, and I, dear fellow-pilgrim, be increasit will be indeed a mercy to be within ingly led to commit our spirits into His the pearly gates at all; but I do want hand, as into the hand of a faithful God; rather to go through them in the chariot taking as our reason for so doing, the of the King of kings, that He may be precious fact that He has redeemed us, honoured and not degraded in what He and recognizing Him as the God of truth has done for such a poor hell-deserving day by day. May He own and bless these few hints to the comfort of your soul, dear reader, while we remain, Yours in the fellowship of Jesus, London. G. C.

worm.

And then, beloved, lastly, do not forget He is the Amen of the promises; the God of truth in every one of them. I am afraid we do not treat Him as such

A DREAM.

selves in the most difficult and dangerous of positions. They know not what to do. Where to seek for help, or how to escape the destruction that seems so imminent, they know not. They are terror-stricken; but at last, and when they are all but in despair, the Lord secretly inclines them to look as it were behind them-to a spot, or an opening, or an interposing hand, which they had not previously seen or thought of; and there, in the easiest, gentlest, most timely way, they are enabled to effect their escape; proving afresh, the truth of His own Word, "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

I DREAMT that by some means or other lings of His providence they find them-I could scarcely tell how-I was at the top of an immensely high building, from which I saw no means whatever of escape. It was more like an old ruin than anything else; and, when I looked over the wall, it was such a giddy height, that I felt a dizziness come over me, and I felt as if I must fall, and be dashed to pieces. I knew not what to do. I cried-but in vain-for help, and my destruction seemed sealed at last; and, when ready to sink into despair, I happened all at once to turn myself round, and there I saw a gentle slope or pathway, by which I could descend from that giddy height with most perfect safety. My joy was immense-my gratitude unbounded; and, as in my dream I began to descend, I thought, This is just the way that God deals with His people. Either by their own waywardness and folly, or in the wondrous deal

AN ETERNAL HOME.

OH! how sweet are those moments when the soul can repose in the arms of Jesus; those times of hallowed intercourse with Him we love; those glimpses of His person; that peep within the veil! Ah! perhaps it is well that such enjoyment in this world is but circumscribed to moments, to glimpses, to glances, or we should be unfitted for the duties of life; but if moments, glimpses, and glances are so hallowed here, what will eternity with Him be? There's enough

D.