: satisfaction and as I write for my wife as well as myself, I can assure you, most sincerely, that your return will afford solid satisfaction and pleasure to us. "I am sure-averse as I am to give my Notesthat I ought to refuse you nothing that can be of use to you in present circumstances: therefore take the following as a great favour, which would have been (I believe) denied at any other time." 'LUKE xxi. 19. In your patience possess ye your souls. These words were addressed to the Disciples, with respect to certain impending trials. If any one present feels himself not liable to trouble, loss, temptation, death, let him go away this morning, and say, The Minister took a subject which had no relation to my case: but if " man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward"-if he is liable to lose possession of himself under it-then let him pray to possess his soul in patience. 'I. What is it for a Christian to possess his soul in trying times? "A Christian !-for the words are addressed to believers." Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ?"-It implies, 6 1st, Recollection.-Nehemiah: "Should such a man as I flee?" Neh. vi. 11. '2dly, Dependence.-Jehoshaphat: "Our eyes are up unto thee:" 2 Chron. xx. 12.-Three Children in the furnace: Dan. iii. 16. 3dly, Submission to the dispensation.- Job: "The Lord gave," &c.-Daniel in the den of lions. -Paul: "Behold, I go bound," &c. '4thly, Readiness to perform the duties of it, however difficult.-Esther's reply to Mordecai: Esther iv. 16. '5thly, Disregard to the constructions of a blind world; and returning good for evil. Instance, Christ: "Father, forgive them!"-Stephen: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge!" 6 The words of the text are, as if Christ should say, A dreadful shock is approaching (see the description through the chapter); but, whatever you suffer or lose, do not lose YOURSELVES. "Let patience have its perfect work." Like Moses, " endure," as "seeing Him who is invisible."-I have laid a foundation for this. See ver. 18. "Stand ye still," therefore, "and see the salvation of the Lord." II. How the soul is to be possessed. 'Not by stoïcal insensibility-ambitious hardnesspagan vain-glory; but in Christian patience, arising out of faith on a divine assurance: see ver. 18. 'Christian virtues are a chain. Rom. v. 1—5. 'Stoïcal virtue may look like Christian, but is as a shining counterfeit. Your patience must be distinct from theirs. God looks at motives-principles -as roots of fruit he commends. 'It is the Spirit of Christ which must unite us to Christ, from whom alone our fruit is found. This is the suffering spirit of Christ, in the members of Christ: Heb. xii. A holy quiet, calm repose-solid peace, believing resignation, well-grounded fortitude. "I see," said the ancient Disciple, "a horrid tumult coming on; but I must endeavour to keep it from entering my heart. I must remember His words, or I shall lose myself. It may distract ;-no matter-this is no affair of mine. He has said, Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.-Lord, undertake for me in that day! keep me in possession of my soul, whatever else I am stripped of!" Thus, also, a modern true disciple will be instructed, and will say-I, as well as the disciples of old, must meet with many things that nothing but faith and patience can meet: here is my text--what have I lost already, for want of studying it! what did I lose on this occasion, and that, by first losing myself! Under losses, temptations, persecutions, how much more have I lost by first losing my temper and patience, than by the things which disturbed me! Now, let me look at Christ, exemplifying His own rule in life and in death. Let me see His first followers and Martyrs, in every age, treading in His steps. I feel, if I were but right within, all would be tolerable without.. Grant me but faith and patience, and do what Thou wilt with the world about me! Thus we see, that it is easy to say to a man in trouble, "Be patient, be quiet;"-but the work of God, and the grace of God, alone can make him so. Christ shews the ground, and gives the ability (see vv. 18, 19); and this will meet the events of Eternity as well as Time. ́ APPLICATION : 1. Let the peevish children of an indulging Providence learn, from this subject, to correct their habits (a nursery of children, raging on every denial or disappointment, compared with too many professing families) ;-husbands-wives-childrenservants addressed particularly. One Christian possessing his soul, among them, a light in a dark place. Who is this? What is his secret? 2. Look to Jesus, to give efficacy to His own rule. The text is not only a holy feature in Christianity, but also a very grand one. 'Illustration-A rock in storms. "His hand the good man fastens on the skies, 'But if he does so, it is not merely because he has the rule, but also the spirit.-Instance Paul: "Not I, but the grace of God which is in me."-Moses : By faith he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible." 66 'Contemplate, therefore, the example of Christ; but pray for strength from Christ. 3. He that is now enabled to possess his soul in patience, shall eventually possess all things. Heb. vi. 9-12.' In the beginning of October, MRS. HAWKES left Portsmouth, and joined Mrs. Cecil at Battersea Rise. The late Mr. Henry Thornton had kindly offered the use of his house, during an interval in which it was vacant, to Mr. Cecil's family; and in this quiet retreat MRS. HAWKES enjoyed much repose. While there, she received a Letter from Mrs. Ely Bates; from which the following is an extract : "Very glad was I to hear that Mrs. Cecil was at Clapham but still more am I glad to find that you are with her, and doing for her the only thing that, as a means, could be useful to her. Surely you are a gift of God to her, in her very delicate state:may His blessing accompany your labour of love! It is a delightful thing to feel ourselves in His order: a single touch, then, has effect; while much that is wrought, with perhaps great labour, out of it, comes to nothing. This shews what poor judges we are of usefulness. The world is linked together (as far as union prevails) by wants and kindnesses. But, that there should be such a link between heaven and earth, ought to penetrate our hearts with adoration and gratitude. Methinks it should give us another view of this world than we often have, to behold a ladder reaching from it to heaven. It is not a forsaken world: we stand related to infinite perfection and excellence: and this involves in it such a seed of happiness and glory, as only wants developing, to raise our hopes and joys above sublunary objects. This should really infuse gladness, raise expectation, and draw forth the soul to action-to follow hard after God. Oh that it may do so!" Mr. Cecil has remarked, that we must judge of a Christian's experience, rather by the tenor, than the ferment. The next three or four years of MRS. HAWKES's life seem to accord with the latter description. The reader must be prepared to contemplate her as passing under a cloud. The sorrowful impressions, which her trials produced, were, perhaps, too great, when viewed in connexion with the Scripture admonition-" And they that weep, as though they wept not," 1 Cor. vii. 30. We shall presently see her emerging from this cloud; and shining with a steady brightness, to the end of her course. There is a tendency in troubles and disappointments, at first, to surprise and overset the mind; though, when sanctified, they ultimately lead to rest in Christ, the true Ark. Nor can the greatness of suffering be always estimated by the apparent cause: the impression it makes upon the mind of the sufferer must be taken into the account. When under the immediate pressure of affliction, we are apt to suppose, with Job, that our "wound is incurable:" (chap. xxxiv. 6.) Corrupt nature naturally inclines to fret, and rise up against trouble in every form: and there must be time for an afflicted mind—which, like the mariner's needle under agitation, loses its fixed direction to recover from such disturbance. Every painful dispensation is like a fresh task in the heavenly school. Hezekiah seems to have felt this, when he said, "Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn, as a dove." But, after more calm reflection, he asks, "What shall I say?" Wh is faith's estimate? "He hath both spoken to N |