chastened of the Lord, that we should not be con

demned with the world."

Heb. xii. 12.

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Wherefore lift up the hands that hang

down and the feeble knees."

Prov. iii. 11, 12. My son, despise not the chasten

ing of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction : for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

All the afflicted children of God sustain the same relation to him. Whatever be the different forms of chastisement, they may avail themselves of the same promises. Whether on the rack or at the stake, or in the midst of sickness, poverty, or bereavement, their trials are alike permitted by Him who "knoweth the way that we take." Not willingly does He afflict, but in faithfulness. Does He throw us into the furnace of affliction-perhaps "seven times heated"? It is that we may come forth as gold." Does he prune" us? It is that we may "bear more fruit." Does He "empty us from vessel to vessel"? It is that we may not rest upon our lees. Does He allow calamity to come upon us as on Job? It is that we may glorify Him in the fires! "God has his martyrs still."

3. Exhortation.

Ps. xlvi. 10. "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

Is. xlviii. 17. "I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go."

Mic. vi. 9. "Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it."

Lam. iii. 33. "For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men."

Job ix. 12. Behold, he taketh away; who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?"

Job v. 17, 18. "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.”

Ps. lv. 22. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Ps. xlvi. 1. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Ps. xxx. 5. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Ps. xxvii. 14. "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

No doctrine is so full of consolation and so adapted to yield support in the hour of affliction as Himself hath done it" (Is. xxxviii. 15). The Scripture saints understood it well. Afflictions do not come out of the ground; do not come up by chance; are not the result of a blind and unmeaning fate. They are not merely the work of Satan or evil men, or any other second cause. "He woundeth, and His hands make whole !"

4. Consolation.

2 Cor. i. 3, 4. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

Is. lxvi. 13.

"As one whom his mother comforteth, so

will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

Is. xli. 10. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Is. xliii. 2. 66 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

Is. liv. 10. "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."

John xiii. 7. "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter."

Rom. v. 3-5. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

2 Cor. iv. 17. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

Thank God! in the hour of trouble we are not left to the mercies of a priest or Levite, but the Good Samaritan Himself is ever ready to pour in oil and wine into our bleeding wounds. There is Balm in Gilead. There is a Great Physician there!

5. Resignation.

Ps. exix. 75. "I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." Job xxxvi. 3. "And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker."

Gen. xviii. 25. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

Matt. xxvi. 39. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt."

I Sam. iii. 18. "It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good."

Job ii. 10. "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips."

Ps. xxxix. 9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it.

Job i. 21. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Acts xxi. 14. "The will of the Lord be done."

Hab. iii. 17, 18. "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."

Christ bore the cross and suffered the shame, among

other reasons to teach us how to go through suffering. There is a clear distinction between silence and sullenness. A holy silence is the result of submission to God, confidence in Christ, and that consolation which is derived from Him."-Cecil.

"A sinner has no reason to complain; and a believing sinner-who has God's favour, support, and consolationhas no reason to complain."-John Newton.

6. Precious Promises.

Ps. xxxiv. 19. 66

Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."

Is. xlii. 3. "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth."

Ps. cxlvii. 3. "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."

Is. xl. 29.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them

that have no might he increaseth strength."

John xiv. 18. "I will not leave you comfortless : I will

come to you.

Ps. 1. 15.

"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

2 Cor. xii. 9. "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Luke vii. 23. offended in me."

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'Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be

It is not a little remarkable that in the Hebrew there is no special term for promise. That which our version renders "promise" is simply "word"-yes, WORD-no more. God's word is His promise. With men more may be needed, but with one so true, so loving, so powerful, so unchangeable, His word is enough."-A. Bonar.

"Every promise is built upon four pillars, God's Holi