affliction, whilst the gospel is not much known : or he may begin it by the gospel, whilst affliction is quite unknown: but He will not carry it on long in either way. He will lead out the afflicted to the Cross of Christ more fully; or He will lay some cross upon the believing, when their faith itself becomes less purifying. This is the general rule of both the work and the witness of the Holy Spirit. Whilst His right hand is for ever glorifying Christ by the gospel, His left is often doing the same by the furnace. He thus sanctifies by the truth, and by providence.

There is, however, a way of carrying on sanctification, without much affliction. There

is a

"needs be" for some, in the case of all Christians; and, accordingly, all are chastised more or less. "For, what son is he" (or what daughter is she) " whom the Father chasteneth not?" Still, as the whole and sole object of chastisement is, the taking away of sin, or the promotion of holiness; that object may be secured in some degree by other means. Indeed,

God prefers other means to the rod, when they answer the purpose. Judgment is always His "strange work," even in sanctification. I mean, He does not " afflict willingly." Let any sin be really given up, or any neglected duty taken up, on the ground of any holy motive whatever, and He can dispense with the rod. Yea, He will be delighted to have, thus, no occasion to use it. Well; the contemplation of " ETERNAL THINGS" can supersede the necessity of temporal affliction, and especially of spiritual calamity, in many cases.

Did you ever observe this fact in your Bible? If not, you have a new and a noble lesson to learn. I say "noble," because if the sight of the words ETERNAL THINGS, suggest to your mind only dismal, or dark, or even awful ideas, you have yet to study the subject. All eternal things are, indeed, solemn: so are all the perfections of God; so are all the glories of the Lamb so are all the sweet influences of the Holy Spirit but their solemnity does not detract from their sweetness. It heightens their

beauty by hallowing it. And had you contemplated eternity, as you have the Divine character, "in the face of Jesus," the light of its glory, instead of intimidating you, would have charmed or soothed you. Eternal things present no dark side, to a woman who loves holiness, and desires to feel their sanctifying influence upon herself. She is as welcome to look upon them without fear, as to look unto Jesus with hope. Her hope may be as full of immortality, as it is full of Christ.

Do you doubt this at all? Just observe, for a moment, how John proves it, when he directs our attention to the second coming of Christ. That glorious appearing of the great God, our Saviour, has nothing appalling, in John's account of it. He is referring to it for sanctifying purposes; and therefore all he says is soft and simple. "Beloved, we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as He is." Thus, nothing but likeness to Christ is presented to our view, when John points to the grand assize of the

universe. Why? Because the Apostle wanted to commend the holy influence of a hope full of immortality. Hence he adds immediately, "Every man who hath this hope in Christ (the hope of being perfectly and eternally like Him) purifieth himself even as He is pure." 1 John iii. 2, 3. Thus, you learn, that a purifying hope cannot go too calmly forth, nor too far out, amongst the solemnities of the last day. We may look forward to it with as much composure as Angels, and with more expectation than Angels for it will be no new era in their holiness; whereas it will be both the fulness of time and the fulness of eternity, in our moral history. We shall be like Christ, when we 66 see Him as he is!

Now, it is "this Hope" which can, when fully embraced and cherished, set aside the necessity of some afflictions, by setting us to purify ourselves after the model of the Saviour's pureness. What this hope does in sanctifying our character and spirit, neither the furnace nor the rod will be employed to do. The Holy

Spirit will work without the fire of Providence, in changing us into the image of Christ, just in proportion as we look with open face to the Glory of Christ, for the express purpose of imitating him. Yes; let His Glory change us "from glory to glory," or from one heavenly virtue on to another; and whatever conformity to the Divine Image we gain by this purifying process of holy contemplation will lessen the necessity for severe purifying discipline.

How do you like this plan of following Holiness, by looking to the character and coming of Christ, as you go forward on your pilgrimage? Will you rather take your chance of being purified by the furnace and the rod, than take the trouble of purifying yourself by a studied imitation of the Saviour? Will you rather leave your "dross" to be purged by the refining fire of Providence, than place it thus, from day to day, under the heat of the Sun of Righteousness, and beneath the light of a hope full of Immortality?

True; it is not easy to maintain such a good