THE BELIEVER, EXERCISED WITH THE OUTWARD CROSS, CARRIES IT WITH PATIENCE, AND FINDS IT A GREAT HELP TO HIM IN HIS WALK HEAVENWARDS.

WE call that a cross which opposes our will. This suposition renders it painful and grievous. A very little matter, the least trifle, becomes a great cross, when our will is set much against it. How then can the believer rejoice with a heavy cross upon his back? or how can he rejoice all his days, if he must carry it to his grave? The blessed gospel discovers how this may be, and the blessed Spirit gives the experience of it: for he continues to teach the doctrines of grace, and under the cross he enforces them. What has been treated of in the former chapters he now applies with life and power. The doctrines are put to the trial, and it appears that they are of God; for none could produce the effects which follow upon believing them, but an Almighty arm. Faith is tried in the fire, and the believer is convinced it is the faith of God's elect; for the promise is made good--"When thou walkest through the very fire thou shall not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." His love to his reconciled God is put into the fiery furnace, and it comes out, like the three children, sensible their God had been with them in the furnace, and their God had brought them out; for which marvellous instances of his love to them, their love was increased to him.

This is God's way. He gives grace and then tries it. When he has enabled the sinner, by believing, to find peace and love, then he would improve those graces by daily exercise; and if the exercise of them be very sharp and afflicting, it is only to establish the trust of his heart, and to confirm the affection of his soul more perfectly in his God.–His God. Mind that. His God still. The cross is not sent to weaken that relation. He is the same tender Father to his children, when he puts it upon them, as when he takes it off; and he would have them by faith to experience it. While they depend on his being perfectly reconciled to them through the obedience and sacrifice of Immanuel, they will see the same paternal affection invariably set upon them, and always disposed to do them good. His love changeth not. The happy objects of it have given this glorious testimony, even when under his cross–"We know that all things work together for good:"–they found it so. Whatever he sent to them came with a message of his love. "Hear ye the rod, and him that sent it." They hear what he says by it, for it speaks of the Father's love, and the belief of this quiets their minds under the stroke of his rod. Thus it answers his purpose–This cometh not forth of the dust, but is appointed for me; my Father sent it, not in anger for the punishment of my sins, but in the tenderness of his affection–He is not dealing with me as the supreme disposer of all events, who may afflict, and justly, his rebel creatures according to his sovereign will; but he has sent me this affliction with a message of grace and peace–I know it is well ordered–I kiss the rod, and I bless him that sent it.

The apostle Paul uses this argument to the suffering Hebrews. They had endured a long and great fight of afflictions. They had need of patience. He therefore gives them, in the 11th chapter, a short history of the Lord's favourites, and shows that they all carried his cross, and that he supported them all under it; yea, gave them strength to run their race, till every one of them won the prize. Then he requires them to look to Jesus, the greatest sufferer, out of whose fulness they might receive faith to run, and patience happily to finish the same race. And lest they should be weary through suffering long, or faint in their minds under hard suffering, he reminds them of the character of their heavenly Father, who out of the tenderest love, appointed their crosses:–"Have ye forgotten the exhortation," says the apostle, "in which your Father speaketh unto you as unto children? MY SON, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof ALL; are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons." O what a blessed exhortation! How full of love–the love of God the Father –love to his child, who wants correction–love that would not touch him with the rod, till he had most tenderly informed him of his gracious purpose. MY SON, my beloved, this chastening is from thy Father. It was determined for thee by covenant-love, and settled upon thee for thy portion in the great charter of heaven. All thy crosses were then mercifully appointed–their weight and measure–how long–how great–how many–what strength was needful to bear them–what comforts under them–and what holy fruits should be produced by them –all was fixed by love, is now given in love, and is to bring thee to greater enjoyment of my love. My dear child, despise not then my chastening, nor faint when I rebuke thee. Be assured it is for thy good. There is a needs must. It is so necessary, that I cannot love thee without chastening thee, nor receive thee among mine adopted without scourging thee. See then how thou takest my correction. Look at thy temper and behaviour under it. Examine. Art thou patient? Not suffering merely, but suffering quietly, is the proof of thine adoption.–If ye ENDURE chastening–if when I afflict, thou canst possess thy soul in patience under mine afflicting hand, then I deal with thee as with sons –I give thee thy portion of suffering, and I give thee thy portion of grace to bear it. All my children want correcting, and they all have it: for what son is he whom the [Father chasteneth not? They are all sufferers. Mine only-begotten was the greatest. None of you can suffer as he did; but whoever is following him must share with him in his cress, and bear it after him. If any be without my chastisement, whereof all mine are partakers; if they cannot bear it; have not faith to receive my loving correction, and therefore no patience to wait the blessed issue of it: such do not belong to my family; they are none of mine; they are bastards, and not sons.

How should the argument in this scripture reconcile the believer to suffering! How easy, yea, how happy, should it make him under the cross! He suffers, but it is from his Father, who, in most perfect love and infinite wisdom, appointed the cross, and appointed also the precious fruits, which it should produce. O my soul, keep this in mind. Remember whose cross thou art carrying. Thy Father contrived it. He sent and continues it, that it may work under him for the best. It is the chastening of his richest love. Receive it then patiently, thankfully at his hands, and thou wilt find it fall of blessings. But take heed how thou consultest sense or carnal reason. These are always enemies to the cross, for they judge of it only by feeling, and always refuse to believe what God says concerning it. Adhere to the truth, and reject every suggestion which would insinuate to thee that there is anything but love in the chastening of the Lord. He is thy Father: he never loves thee more than when he chastens thee. There is no hatred in his heart, no vengeance in his hand. He assures thee of this from the infallible word of his mouth. Here may thy faith be settled; believe him, he is doing thee good, he is promoting thy best interest. Cast not away this confidence, and then the cross will be the means of bringing thee to the nearest and holiest communion which thou canst have with thy Father on this side heaven.

In this amiable light look upon thy Father and thy friend. Never' forget it, O my soul, but keep it in the faith of thy heart, especially when he chasteneth thee. Then expect from his love patience under his stroke, and after it the peaceable fruits of righteousness. These will grow abundantly upon the cross. They grow nowhere else so rich and ripe. Survey the promises which he has made to his suffering children, and wait in faith for a joyful harvest. In due season thou shalt reap, if thou faint not. And the cross is intended to keep thee from fainting, because thy Father sends it for the increase and for the strengthening of thy faith. Read and study what he says to thee upon this point. Learn and inwardly digest it. In the time of trouble thou wilt find great, comfort from depending, upon the promise of the Father to give thee a happy issue. Meditate, then, upon the Scriptures, in which he has declared his gracious purposes in afflicting his children; namely, First,–It is for the trial of faith. God gives it, and then tries it, that it may appear to be his grace, that men may see it, and honour him for it, and that it may grow by use, which is as necessary to spiritual, as exercise is to bodily growth. Trial shows the truth, and brings forth the power of grace, and is thereby a matter of great joy, as the apostle James testifies, writing to the twelve tribes in their dispersion and affliction: "My brethren, count it ALL joy, when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience; but let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

God be thanked for this word of strong consolation! What a precious scripture is it! How full of encouragement to the believer to look with delight at temptations–not temptations to sin, but trials, sent from God to keep from sin. When he falls into them by providence, and meets them in the way of duty, then he should judge of them, not from sense, which can feel. nothing but sorrow in afflictions, but he should take account of them from the declared purpose of God in sending them, and he should wait in faith for the blessings which they are to produce. God says, that they are matter of joy, of ALL JOY of all true spiritual joy; they are not only such in his account, but he also makes them such to the believer. Accordingly, we read in Scripture of many who did rejoice in trials. The Hebrews did; for they took JOYFULLY the spoiling of their goods. Paul did: "I am comforted," says he, "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation." Nay, he went farther–"We GLORY in tribulations." He leaped for joy with the cross upon his back. He boasted and triumphed under it. What the world accounted his worst, he made his very crown of rejoicing, for he knew and found that the trial of faith worketh patience; faith receives the cross from the Father's love, and learns to bear it after Jesus: by the grace of the Spirit, the bearing of it, as it exercises so it improves patience. The believer becomes more acquainted with it. Use we say makes perfect. He learns where the strength to bear is, from whence his comforts are to flow, and from whoso hand the blessed issue is to be received. He waits, therefore, with sweet submission to his Father's will, that patience may have its perfect work, that by trials it may be exercised, by sharper trials it may be improved, and by daily trials it may appear to be the genuine grace of the Spirit, perfect and entire, lacking nothing. This the believer aims at. He would have everything that belongs to true patience and growth m it; he would have it refined by every fiery trial, and made purer and brighter, that it may hold out till it have done its perfect work.

The apostle Peter gives the same encouragement to the same afflicted Hebrews; he exhorts them to faith and patience under their sufferings in these words: "Ye are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time; wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are m heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your 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." What treasures of love are laid open in this scripture! Read, O my soul; and adore the exceeding riches of thy Father's grace, he knew how needful afflictions were, both for the flesh and for the spirit, and, therefore, he appointed thee thy portion, and he has in mercy informed thee of his design in them. He has revealed his will for the ground of thy faith, that when he sends them, thou mightest experience the blessings promised to his suffering children. The belief of his love, in contriving and in proportioning them to the ability given thee to bear them, would administer matter of joy m sorrow, and by trusting to his faithfulness thou wouldst greatly rejoice, thy joy would so far exceed thy sorrow. The heaviness is but for a season, the joy for ever. The heaviness only during the trial of faith, the joy increased by that very trial. The trial was only to prove the truth of faith, and to evidence the power of it; not to weaken, but to strengthen it; not to destroy, but to refine it. The refiner does not intend to lose one atom of his gold, but puts it into the fire to purge away the dross. So does God. "When he hath tried me," says Job, "I shall come forth as gold." He was tried in the fire, and his faith was found unto praise, and honour, and glory. Therefore he is set forth for an example of suffering affliction and of patience. Behold, we account them happy, not who suffer, but who endure suffering.

Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord abounds in compassion, and is of tender mercy. O my soul, wait upon the same Lord, and he will bring all thy trials to the same blessed end. He has the same pity and mercy to thee as he had to Job. Thou hast the same reason to believe it as he had. Thy faith is tried in the fire, as he was, that it may come out of it like gold. The trial was appointed in perfect love, and is to produce the greatest blessings of love. Thy God has most gracious designs towards thee in putting thee into the fire. It is to try thy faith; whether thou canst trust him there. It is to improve thy faith by the trial, that thou mayest trust him more. If thou hast trusting faith, it is to teach thee patient faith. It is a hard lesson to learn to trust against sense and carnal reason, and to say, This cross is good for me, I desire to submit, and to take it patiently at the hand of God. O, it is very hard to believe that there is nothing but love in every suffering; and it is harder to find it so, while suffering. And yet the Spirit of God declares there is nothing but love 'in it; and by believing thou wilt certainly find it. May every trial of thy faith establish it, and thereby bring forth,–

Secondly,–The blessed fruit of patience. The cross does good to faith, because by it God teaches his children to bear up, and to hold out, trusting to his promises, and waiting in hope for his fulfilling them; and thus it exercises patience, which is a grace of the Spirit, learned only in the school of Christ; and therefore the giver of it, among his other high titles, is called the God of patience. He first enables his afflicted children to believe what ha has said of his love in afflicting them, and then to wait for the experience of his love under their afflictions. This waiting quietly, without giving way to sense, or unbelief, is patience. Faith is tried, and stands the trial. Tribulation comes, faith is exercised with it, but holds fast its confidence in the word of God, and thereby has full proof of the faithfulness of God. This worketh patience–a quiet submission to the divine will, and a holy subjection to the divine rod. The flesh murmurs, self-will repines, self indulgence rebels; but faith looks up for the promised strength, and by it conquers them. It stops their mouth with a Hush, be still, and know that he is God; he is my Sovereign and my Father; this affliction, indeed, is not for the present joyous, but rather grievous; nevertheless, it comes from his love–love guides his hand–love will bring good out of it. O that all within me may submit to his will, and bless his name!

But the cross is hard and painful; flesh and blood cannot bear it. True; but grace can. To endure is the proper work of patience. It endures by trusting to the word of God, and by receiving from him the promised strength. What cannot such a grace endure? When God says, "Fear not; I will be with thee when thou goest through the fire," the believer is hereby forewarned of the fire; and when he is called to go through it, he expects the presence of his God, that if the bush burn, it may not be consumed. How comfortably docs the apostle Peter speak of this to the suffering Hebrews: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing had come unto you; but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

He would have them to be accustomed to the cross, it being the only way to the crown. There is nothing new or strange in it. All the crowned heads in heaven carried it, while they were upon earth: yea, the King of saints went bearing it before them. There never was sorrow like unto his sorrow: and yet for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, and despised the shame. Take up thy cross, O my soul, and follow him. Look unto Jesus. He will give thee strength. He has taken the curse and wrath out of thy suffering. Thou wilt see it, the fruit of his love to thee, and it will be the means of engaging thy love to him. What if it be a burning fiery furnace: is it not almighty love which calls thee to go rote it? Not to hurt thee, but to try thee, to give thee happy proof of the soundness of thy faith, and of the power of thy patience, He would have thee to know, that thy patience, trusting to his tried word, is invincible; that no blow can beat it, no fire can burn it, from Christ. He would bring thee to experience what the prophet did, when he said–"Thy word is tried to the uttermost, and thy servant loveth it."

The good word of God was tried, as far as it could be, and the trial proved its truth, and, therefore, he had fresh reason to love it. The trial increased his confidence in the truth, and his experience in the sweetness of its promises; thereby his patience was confirmed, and he could rejoice, inasmuch as he was a partaker of Christ's sufferings, both of their infinite sufficiency, and also of their mighty efficacy to save. By enjoying these blessings under the cross, his heart was happy in the joy set before him. He had the earnest and the foretaste of heaven; for he knew that when the glory of Jesus should be revealed, he should be glad with exceeding joy.

But the carnal mind is ready to complain–This would be true, if the suffering was short; but it is long, as well as hard–I have borne up a great while, but now my patience is quite tired out–I am ready to give all up, being weary of my life with the length of my trials. How many have I known in this melancholy case! Fair blossoms in the mild and gentle spring. In fine weather and smiling sunshine they looked beautiful, and gave hopes of their being in the tree of life, and of their growing and ripening upon it. But, alas! a trying time came, a bleak, cold north wind, and a very sharp piercing frost-like leaves in autumn, down fell the promising bloom. My heart has mourned again and again at the fall of one and another, and mourns, while I am writing this, ever several now living, who have forsaken God and his ways, for the world and its delights. They met with trouble, and it was too much for them. They were tempted, and they had not strength to resist. The reason is thus assigned–"He that received seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon, with joy, receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by-and-by he is offended." He is offended and falls away, because he had no root. And they who have root are too often tempted to be offended at the cross. They find it very difficult to bear up under it. Natural infirmity, remaining corruption, and strength of temptation, make pain and suffering grievous to the flesh: yea, when they are forced to bear the cross long, and it is very heavy, they are apt to murmur and fret, grow discontented, are tempted to unbelief; and, if they give way to it, to despair.

How necessary is it, then, that they should be enabled to possess their souls in patience, under their great and many trials! To which end, nothing can contribute more effectually than a settled faith in the word and promise of a reconciled God. This will stay and quiet the soul when trouble comes. It is the chastening of my Lord, says the believer–my loving Father sends it for good–he is only trying my faith and patience, and the trial will end well–it is grievous, indeed, at present, and I go on my way weeping, but I have my supports now, and I shall soon reap a joyful harvest. I have a faithful promise for it, which is a constant cordial, and keeps up my spirits. My God will be with me as long as the trial' lasts–he says he will. I believe him, and therefore expect his promised presence and strength, till faith and patience have their perfect work.

Such a cordial the apostle James gives to the Hebrews. They wanted it much. They were greatly oppressed by the rich, and some of them were persecuted even unto death. "Be patient, therefore, brethren," says he, "unto the coming of the Lord: behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and the latter rain: be ye also patient: establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." He puts great stress upon the Lord's coming: Yet a very little while and your Lord will come to appear for you. It is true you are in a fiery trial, but your God calls you to it; and it may seem to you a long trial, but he has promised you grace sufficient to bear it. Trust him then, and he will keep you patient. He knows your frame and temper, and bids you look about you.

See, how the husbandman waits, having only a general promise, that seed-time and harvest shall not fail; and is it not more reasonable that you should wait with patience the end of the Lord? He sows his seed and leaves it. It endures much hard weather, frost and snow, rough winds and wintry storms. Summer comes, but he must still wait: his corn is in ear, yet it is liable to suffer from long drought and from blights, and to be beaten down with heavy thunder-showers; but he has long patience. At last he is not disappointed of his hope. He reaps the precious fruit of the earth, and gathers in his joyful harvest. Behold, O my soul, and imitate. How strong is his faith! Is thine like his? God has only said that the seasons shall not fail: he has not said that the harvest in every field and country shall not fail; yet the farmer sows in faith, and waits in patience. But the promise is sure to thee: "He that believeth shall never be confounded:" and dost thou believe this with a hope that maketh not ashamed? He has long patience: how is thine? Art thou not weary and faint in thy mind, especially when the course of providence seems to run counter to thy hope? Canst thou hold thee still in the Lord, and abide patiently upon him, when he chastises thee, and seems in anger to cast thee off? He waits long for a harvest of perishing things, and canst not thou wait to have thy fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life? O what need hast thou of patience! Seek it, pray for it, beg of thy God to establish thy heart; that thou mayest be rooted and grounded in faith: and if troubles come great and heavy, thou mayest possess thy soul in patience, so long as the Lord shall please to exercise thee with them. And never forget that he will certainly come, and quickly.

Let this promise keep thee from fainting, he will come in with his supports; he will administer his comforts under the cross; he will remove it in due season. What can be required for the establishing of thy heart, which is not promised to thee in this scriptures" Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward; for ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise: for it is but a very little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Wait then on the Lord, O my soul; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Perhaps thou art ready to reply–I have waited long, but am still to learn; for my trials are so various, that as soon as I have been well exercised with one sort, presently it is changed, and another comes to which I was not accustomed; and this continually like Job's messengers, one after another; and still the last brings a sadder message than the former. Hard and long trials I have endured, but this constant change of them wearies me out; they come so unexpected, they find me so unprepared, they so harass my troubled mind, that I am ready to sink raider them–frequently I am tempted to think, that if God loved me, he would not delight in afflicting me in this manner.

Thus the carnal mind is apt to reason against God and his ways: but when the believer goes into the sanctuary and consults the oracle, he receives an answer of grace and peace, and is satisfied that this change of trials is nothing new with God. It is his usual method of training up his children in faith and patience. He appoints troubles for the exercise, and all sorts of troubles for the improvement of their graces. The Captain of their salvation was made perfect through sufferings: so are all the soldiers of Christ Jesus. It was the remark of one of his champions–"MANY are the troubles of the righteous." The apostle James, speaking of the persecuted Hebrews, says, "They had DIVERS temptations, different one from another;" and his brother Peter tries to comfort them under their MANIFOLD afflictions, many in number, succeeding as fast as wave follows alter wave, and of many kinds: some distressed them in their bodies, others in their minds, in their character, in their substance, in their families, in every way that affliction could be felt. Patience is the grace suited to all these trials; because it bears them in the strength of God: for it consists in trusting to his sure word of promise, and believing it against sense and feeling. Faith says, This present trial comes from the love of my covenant God: Patience says, Then I will bear it till he bring it to a good issue. Whatever the trial be, patience has the same promise, and the same promise-keeping God to trust in. If he send variety of trials, it is only to give a variety of proofs that he is faithful who hath promised. He knows we have divers diseases, which must have divers remedies to heal them. We have manifold evils in us, which require manifold afflictions to subdue them. And our God intends to give us many blessings, and he appoints many troubles to bring us to the enjoyment of them.

All those are gracious dispensations, mercifully contrived, and seasonably administered, that patience may learn to bear, and may learn to persevere in bearing. God changes the trial. Patience has a new lesson, and a new opportunity of improvement. A good teacher brings his scholars forward, and when they are gone through one book and are well grounded in it, then he advances them to another: when they have learned Latin, he puts them into Greek. But he does not change their studies out of ill-will or hatred to his scholars. They had rather be at play than minding their books; and they had rather get but one lesson, and be saying it over from day to day; but the master knows what is best for them, and he keeps them to their work.

God trains up his scholars in various exercises, but all for their improvement. He does not consult what would please them, but he changes the lesson as he sees needful. He knows when their faith wants confirming, when their patience needs establishing, and therefore, in much mercy, he sends a new trial for the growth of those graces. Lest they should mistake his meaning in varying his trials so often, he gives them this general rule: "There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." The Father will exercise his children with no trial buts such as is common to man; and he will enable them to bear it; and he will make a way for them to escape. How should these considerations silence their murmurings! If the trial be new to them, yet it is common to man. If it be hard to bear, yet grace is almighty to strengthen patience. If it last long, yet it shall end well. How convincing are these reasons! How patiently should believers, influenced by them, submit to the chastening of the Lord! And yet there is still unbelief in them, which will be urging fresh complaints, and stirring up impatience.

The poor sufferer, feeling his smart, is apt to think–Any cross but mine would be tolerable–I should not say one word against God, if he tried me with any other; but this cuts mo to the heart–Oh! it is a very agony both to my flesh and spirit–there is 'nothing like it–it is so exactly calculated to cross my temper, to hurt me in the tenderest part, and to rob me of my most beloved gratification, that it is the very thing in the world from which I could have wished to be exempted.–Any cross, Lord, but this.

Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest thus against God? Hold thy tongue as it were with a bridle. Let not self-will murmur, and folly speak against the chastening of the Lord. He says that he as dealing with thee as with sons. Where is thy faith then, that sense and feeling should be permitted to plead, and to be heard against the witness of God in his word? Where is thy patience, that thou canst not bear the present cross, but wouldst take up any other? Alas! alas! mistaken man–what canst thou bear in thine own strength? Thou feelest the smart of thy present cross, and it makes thee peevish and fretful: the smart of any other would have the very same effect. A less than this, the least thing in the world, that opposes thy will, would stir up thine impatience.

Observe thy temper, how it catches fire at any little opposition from men. The same temper will be inflamed and rage, when God chastises thee, if thou refuse to receive his correction. Thy rebel will is the cause of thy pain, and makes thy cross so bitter: for if God's will and thine were one, there could be no cross; but his will is almighty, and yet thou resistest it. God puts his yoke upon thee, and thou art like a stubborn beast, which only hurts and galls itself by striving and kicking against its work. He tries thee with one cross, and thou art dissatisfied, thou couldst contrive a better for thyself. Thou wouldst be thine own lord and governor. Self-will, they say, is a sure guide to self-destruction. Beware then of thine own will. When God calls thee to take up any cross, do not wish for another. He sends this, and to it he requires thy submission. It is thy duty and thine interest to receive it for the exercise and for the improvement of thy patience; but instead of taking it up quietly, and waiting for the good fruit of it, thou art quarrelling with it, and opposing the will of God.

O take heed of this vain attempt. It is a snare laid for thee–a fatal trap, into which the love of independence seduced the first man, and which, ever since, easily ensnares his posterity. When thou art tempted to murmur at thy present cross, consider what it is–meditate a moment upon thy Father's love, who most mercifully appointed, who most seasonably sent it–and if it be nothing strange, but common to man, then do not try to shift it off, but seek the promised grace to bear it. There is not a cross that he will lay upon thee, but he has laid it before noon others, and it will tend greatly to the peace of thy mind, and to the restraining of thine own will, to observe how he dealt with them. Take notice, then, how he, in love, exercised them with every cross that can be laid upon thee; how he supported them under it, and what blessed fruit they reaped from it.

This is the kingdom of the cross; and it is the Lord's will, that every disciple in it should be as his master. He has chosen them to suffer with him, as well as to reign with him. And therefore, intending to call forth his gifts and graces into daily exercise, he has honoured them with the daily cross. He sees it needful often to change it, and he has informed them of his gracious designs herein. There is scarce any kind of suffering, but some or other of his people have been tried with it, and he has left promises in Scripture of his support, and of his coming in with comfort, and, in due time, with deliverance. So that whatever thy cross be, it is not sent, O my soul, to hinder, but to promote communion with thy God, and to help thee forward in the heavenly way.

Art thou pinched with poverty–a believer, but in distressed circumstances? Blessed art thou of the Lord. "Hearken, my beloved brother, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him?" What a mercy is it to have thine outward estate thus appointed for thee by the choice of thy heavenly Father! and the same estate which he chose for his best beloved. In the exceeding riches of his love, he decreed that thou shouldst be poor in this world, as Jesus was–he knew it was best for thee–and he chose the rich in faith–outward poverty was to be the means of thine improvement in spiritual riches–thy want of temporals was to bring thee to live more by faith upon eternal things. O how good is thy God! He sent thee poverty to enrich thee. It is to bring thee near to God, to keep thee near to him, and to afford thee daily proof of his precious love. These are some of the blessings of' rich faith, and these are worth more than ail the treasures of the world. Be content then–thy God will supply all thy need. Be thankful–thou art an heir of' the kingdom. Bless thy God–no creature out of heaven has more reason to bless him than thou hast–He is thine–All things are thine.

Perhaps thou art tried with bodily pain and sickness: these are hard trials. To endure them is the very crown of patience; but strength to endure them is promised, and in waiting upon the Lord will be received; so that outward pains shall produce inward joy. Thus we read: "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." He is weak–God strengthens him: he is sick–God comforts him: he is in pain–God smoothes his bed, and he lies patient. Sickness cannot be pleasant in itself; but is profitable for its fruits. It is the appointment of God, and teaches submission to his sovereign will. It comes to the believer with a message of precious love–This bitter cup is sent from thy heavenly Father, who has many gracious purposes to answer by thy taking it:–He would humble thee, and let thee feel what thou art, and what thou deservest–he would mortify the life of sense. He would give occasion to increase faith, and to advance patience.–Drink it up–there is a rich cordial at the bottom–the taste of it will draw out thy heart in love to God. Happy sickness, which promotes spiritual health! Blessed pain, which the kind Physician often makes the way to pleasure, yea, to the sweetest communications of his love.

Art thou in the fire of persecution? Are thy friends and relations all in arms against thee, for leaving them to follow Christ? Is thy dependence upon them, and art thou greatly tempted to make some compliances lest they should east thee out, and thou shouldst come to poverty? This may be a fiery trial; but it is a blessed one. He will make it so, who says, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: because great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you." This persecution will be so far from stopping thee in thy way, that it will both help thee forward, and will also make thy journey pleasant. Thy friends revile thee: look up to him who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, He will turn their re-preach into a blessing. They persecute thee: the goodly fellowship of the prophets carried the same cross, and found it no hinderance to their spiritual joy. They say all manner of evil of thee: take heed that they say it falsely, and for Christ's sake; and if thou suffer for him, and art evil spoken of for thine attachment to him, then rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is thy reward in heaven. Thou art a sufferer with him, and thou shalt also reign with him. Look forward to the promised kingdom. Expect it in faith, and the prospect will give thee, at every step, joy unspeakable and full of glory. Perhaps this persecution may be carried on to acts of injustice, even to the depriving thee of thy property: thou mayest suffer the loss of all thy worldly goods for Christ's sake. When God calls thee to this trial, he will give thee strength to bear it, and thou shalt be a great gainer by thy loss. So Paul found it: "I have suffered the loss of all things, and I do account them but dung that I may win Christ." So it was with the Hebrews: "They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance." What love was here! God was their portion, and their great reward. He had made them happy in the sense of his love; and to manifest the reality, and to demonstrate the power of it, what great things love can do for his name's sake, he took away all their earthly delights. "Let them go," says Paul; "I part with them as freely as I would with so much dung, for I have experienced that the loss of them has brought me to nearer fellowship with my precious, most precious Jesus." "Happy parting," say the Hebrews: "farewell, goods and chattels, we rejoice at the spoiling of our goods, because we have got faster hold of the substance by the loss of the shadow–out-ward comforts are gone, but inward richly supply their place–we are robbed of our earthly possessions; thank God, we cannot be robbed of our better and enduring substance; for it is reserved in heaven for us, where no moth or rust can corrupt, and where no thieves can break through or steal; in this faith we find our hearts free and light and happy in running the race that is set before us."

Thy trial may be something still nearer. It may be the loss of thy dearest relations. The wife of thy bosom is taken from thee: thy favourite child is dead, perhaps drowned or burned, or killed at a stroke: the delight of thine eyes is gone, and thine heart is ready to break. Al1 sorrow is not forbidden, but sorrowing even as others who have no hope. Tears may flow, but Christian hope keeps them within their proper bounds; it restrains and sanctifies them. Thy with is dead; thy child is dead: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. He requires thee to forsake loving wife and children, be they ever so dear, if love of them cannot be enjoyed without forfeiting his love. "And there were great multitudes with Christ, and he turned and said unto them, If any man come unto me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, he cannot be my disciple." The disciple gives up himself to the master's disposal–to learn of him–to believe in him–and to love him. "My son," says he, "give me thy heart." He has a right to it, and he will admit of no rival. It is his temple and his throne, in which he alone will be worshipped and honoured, he is a jealous God; and if any love hinder love to him, it must be torn from the heart. O disciple, read this scripture, study it carefully, and it may be the means of showing thee the true cause of thy great sorrow about worldly relations: it is because thou hast so little love to thy best relation and friend, Jesus Christ. If thy love to him was what it should be, thy heart would not be so grieved at those losses; but would, in patient submission, acknowledge–It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good.

Perhaps thou art mourning for the loss of living friends. They have forsaken thee. Old connections, as dear to thee as thine own soul, are broken. Persons whom thou hast known from thy childhood, and with whom thou hast grown up in strict friendship, are now thine enemies, and become so without any offence or fault of thine. They hate thee, because thou art a real Christian; and their hatred is harder to bear, because the world joins with them in it, and thy name is everywhere cast out with contempt.

It must be so. The decree cannot be altered: "I WILL PUT enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent." God put it, and put it for ever. The enmity broke out as soon as there were two born into the world. Cain hated Abel, and slew him. Ever since, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit. There has been one, and but one, perfect man upon the earth since the fall, and the enmity of the world followed him unto death. Lest we should marvel at its following us, he has forewarned us: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you: if ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." What a strange reason is this! Because I love you, therefore the world hates you. What God chooses, the world rejects. Why, then, O my soul, dost thou court its smiles, or fear its frowns? The world, which lieth in wickedness, cannot love thee, and its enmity cannot hurt thee. Remember the words of Jesus: "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace: in the world ye SHALL have tribulation; but Be of good courage, I have overcome the world." I have overcome it for you, and I will overcome it in you: tribulation from it shall not hurt your peace in me, but shall increase it: I will make my love the sweeter for its enmity: troubles from it shall be well repaid with my joys: and when it quite casts you out, then will I take you into my bosom, and let you know what the affection of the heavenly bridegroom is.

Why, then, O my soul, art thou afraid of such an exchange? Is it not for thy profit to part with the world for Christ, and to give up its joys for his? What greater gain canst thou expect than to win Christ, and by him to be crucified to this present evil world? Dying to it, thou wilt be more alive to him, and therefore happier in him. As other ties are dissolved, thy heart will be knit closer to thy divine lover. Warmed with his precious love, "clothed with the sun, and the moon under thy feet," thou wilt hasten thy steps heavenwards; yea, thou wilt be ready to take wing, and to fly to the embraces of thy dear, ever-infinitely dear Jesus. Thou wilt want no comment upon the words of the bride, the Lamb's wife, but will gladly use them after her: "Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices." In former ages the children of God were often deprived of their liberty, cast into prisons, and bound in chains. This seems to us a heavy cross. To be shut up in a dark dungeon, put into fetters, and deprived of every worldly comfort, requires great patience: but even this did not stop them in their way to heaven, nor in the enjoyment of God by the way. Paul, the prisoner of the Lord, often mentions it among his highest honours, that he was accounted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. He and Silas were cruelly beaten with many stripes, at Philippi; were put into the inner prison, and their feet fastened in the stocks; but the Lord was with them, and he turned their prison into a paradise; his joy made them forget their wounds and pains, for at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and SANG PRAISES unto God. This has often been the case since their time; the Lord has often visited his prisoners, and the light of his countenance has made them happy in their bonds. Indeed, we are not called to this kind of suffering at present, thanks be to his grace. This is a day of such uncommon mercies, that we have more to fear from our want of thankfulness than from our want of liberty. I pray God we may not grow licentious, and abuse our great privileges; but may he enable us to value them, and live up to them, that he may be honoured for continuing them to us, and to our posterity.

In former times, also, believers were often forced to seal the testimony of Jesus with their blood. And even this did not atop them in their walk, nor hinder their com-reunion with God. Hear one of his martyrs:–"The Holy Ghost witnesseth, that bonds and afflictions wait for me in every city; but none of these things move me, neither account I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish' my course with JOY, and, the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus. This was not a vain brag. He spake it in humble faith, depending upon his Master's promise, that he would stand by him when his blood should he shed, and would make him a happy conqueror in the hour of death. And he was more than conqueror; but the grace which made him so was not peculiar to, or the privilege of an apostle; the same was given to a noble army of martyrs, who overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of' their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

What a triumph of patience was this! They were enabled to bear anything, even the loss of life, rather than suffer the loss of the Lord's favour. Examine, O my soul, whether thy faith be like theirs. Canst thou endure as they did? How is thy patience under the cross? Read what they went through, who are well reported of by the Holy Ghost for their faith, and re member the same grace is promised to thee, to carry thee patiently through alt thy sufferings: "They had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings: yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonments: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and in caves of the earth: and these all obtained a good report, through faith." They are celebrated by the Holy Spirit, for having patiently endured till they had run their race, and finished their course with joy. He sets their example before thee, that thou shouldst not be slothful in running the same race, but a follower of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Meditate seriously, O my soul, and reflect again and again upon the great need thou hast of patience, Remember the cross lies in thy way to the crown, and thou canst not avoid it. The Lord has appointed it to be thy portion, and it is entailed upon thee as much as the kingdom is. When he exercises and tries thee with it, he does not act merely as a sovereign, but as a father. He deals with thee as with sons. His children want, and his children have correction, None are without it; but they find it hard to bear. The will of the flesh is impatient under the cross. Self-love hates it. Carnal reason cannot be reconciled to it. If it be thus with sons, what must ii; be with bastards? The natural man, when he is brought into great trouble, is like a mad beast. If his pains be sharp and acute, he rages, storms, and blasphemes: if they be also lasting, having no God to go to, he often gives, way to despair, and despatches himself with a pistol, running to hell for relief. O my soul, marvel not at this. If God had left thee to thyself, the same trials might have brought thee to the same unhappy end. How necessary, then, is patience! Without it thou canst not bear the cross, nor hold on thy way under it, nor profit from it. And how necessary are the doctrines before insisted on for the practice of patience! No one can submit to bear the cross, unless he be first persuaded that God is reconciled to him, and loves him in his Son. When he is satisfied of this, he will see all things (the cross among the rest) well ordered for him in the covenant, and all working together for the best.

The cross is mercifully sent to make a trial of these doctrines; by it God would manifest the truth, and bring forth the power of them, that it; may appear they were not learned as notions, but experienced by his almighty grace. His end is answered. The trial of faith establishes the peace of God in the conscience, and confirms the love of God in the heart, and thereby keeps patience writing for strength to hold out, bland for a issue. The believer, made strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, endures patiently, he knows from whom his cross comes. It is the appointment of his Father, who does not; send it in hatred. He never afflicts his children but in perfect love. He never puts a heavy cross upon them, to reek the back of their patience, but to strengthen it, and to train them up to bear greater burdens. He would teach them their weakness and his strength, their wants and his supplies; he would call forth their faith for the honour of his word, and their patience for the glory of his faithfulness.

Lord, teach me these lessons. I want the experience of them every day. O my God, make me au humble disciple in the school of Christ. There only can I learn to suffer thy will; to thee I come for this grace. Assist me, O thou Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in reading thy word, that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures I may have hope. Enable me to meditate night and day on the doctrines of grace revealed in them, and to mix faith with them, that I may be strong in the patience of hope. O merciful God and Father, I desire to be strengthened mightily by thy Spirit in the inner man to bear thy cross. I would live in a continual dependence upon thine arm to carry me through every trial. O thou God of patience and consolation, enable me to bear thy cross daily to the praise of the glory of thy grace, and to bear it patiently to the end, that I may finish my course with joy. Be it unto thy servant according to thy word, wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust. Amen, so be it, Lord, Amen. To receive benefit from afflictions is a great blessing. To suffer them with a resigned will, yea, to rejoice in them, as if all the joy in the world was come to us, is contrary to sense and feeling, to carnal reason and to human philosophy; therefore our heavenly Father has graciously informed his children of his love in afflicting them: these informations are the ground of their faith, and were given to silence murmuring in their hearts, and to keep them waiting patiently for the promised fruits of suffering. Among which this is a

THIRD, and not the least; namely, the crucifying of the flesh, and the deadening of it in those affections and lusts, which, if not daily mortified, would stop the believer in his walk, and would hinder his holy communion with God. When faith has been tried, and is come out of the fire, proved to be the faith of God's elect, and when patience as gone through the fiery furnace and has found no harm, then it is the Father's will to advance and to improve his children in the doctrine of the cross. They have a carnal mind still, which is enmity against God–a body of sin, an old man of sin–the flesh in them lusting against the spirit. This their fleshly nature, which doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated, is the greatest enemy to their holy walk with God, in constant peace and growing love; because it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. The life of sense in them is always opposing the life of God. Hence the continual war between nature and grace, which if a man does not find in himself, he may depend upon it he either never was alive to God, or else at that time he is dead to God. If he be living by the faith of the Son of God, he will also be fighting the good fight of faith against all the enemies of his salvation. He will never think of putting off the whole armour of God until he put off the body of sin and of death: and until that day come, he wilt be striving for the mastery over his body, that he may keep it under, and bring it into subjection.

How absolutely necessary this striving is, appears from the tender compassion of our God and Father, who has appointed and decreed in covenant love, all the crosses which were to be laid upon our rebel nature, and which were to be kept upon it, tilt death. It is his holy will, hereby to restrain its affections, to mortify its lusts, to hedge up its way by thorns and afflictions, and by these means he would weaken its power. Is not this mercy unspeakable? And what more likely method could he contrive thus to crucify the flesh, than to put it, and to keep it, upon the cross? For as the sinful nature is deadened, the new man is renewed, day by day. The one grows more alive by the mortification of the other. The subduing of unbelief, pride, and self-seeking, is the strengthening of faith, humility, and glorifying God. This command, therefore, is frequently given to believers–Put off the old man–put on the new–mortify your members which are upon the earth–crucify the flesh, with its affections and lusts. And this is spoken to believers, high in grace, as high as ever any went, or can go. The Spirit of God says to the SAINTS at Rome:–"Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof, neither yield ye your members, as instruments of unrighteousness, unto sin."

The infallible Spirit speaks to the SAINTS at Ephesus:–"Put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and put on the new man." The same precept is given by the same Spirit, to the SAINTS at Coloss:–"Mortify your members which are upon the earth." This is a holy war; and all the saints of God are engaged in it. They are fighting against everything sinful; but more particularly watching under arms against their own corrupt nature, which is their hardest warfare; because there is no release from it, and it is carried on by continual self-denial, by resisting the affections and lusts of the old man, and by opposing his giving up the members of his body, as instruments of unrighteousness, unto sin. But as good soldiers of Christ Jesus, they resist unto blood, striving against sin. The captain of their salvation is always on their side, to encourage them with his promises, and to help them with his strength. He intends to lead them on, conquering, and to conquer; therefore he lays the cross upon their corruptions, as the most effectual means of subduing them, and to reconcile them to it, he speaks unto them, as unto children– My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord. I do not afflict thee in hatred, but in covenant love. My design is to mortify the body of sin, and therefore, I give thee this wholesome physic. Thou hast many bad humours and corruptions, for which I have appointed this sovereign medicine. Trust my skill–believe my love–depend upon mine arm–and thou wilt infallibly find it profitable to the spirit, however painful to the flesh. Wait, and the end shall be blessed.

To this truth the prophet Isaiah bears a clear testimony. He explains the Lord's design in afflicting his people, and tells them, it was to purge them from their iniquity, to keep them from the love of sin, and to restrain the practice of it. He afflicted them in mercy; but he afflicted their enemies in justice. Hath he smitten Israel as he smote those that smote him? No; he has not. Or, is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? No; he chastises his in love; he has appointed the measure, the time, the degree of their correction. "In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it; he stayeth his rough wind in the day of his east wind; by this (moderate affliction), therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin"–to keep him back from sin in general, and from the sin of idolatry in particular, as it follow; in the prophet:–"When he maketh all the stones of the altar like chalk stones that arc beaten in sunder, then the groves and images shall not stand up" The altar at which they offered their idol-worship, shall be broken down, like stones burnt in pieces for lime, and the groves and images shall not stand up, but shall be broken down also. These happy effects shall be brought about by sanctified affliction–iniquity shall be purged–sin shall be restrained–idolatry shall be thrown down. And God says, this shall be ALL the fruit and end of his chastening. He tells his people of his design, that they might know their affliction would bring forth good fruit, and that they might wait patiently for the fulfilling of his promise. Blessed are all they that wait for him: they shall never be disappointed of their hope. How gracious is God in his dealings with his children! He provides the best for them, informs them of it, and, because they have a fallen nature opposite to his holy mind and will, an enemy to his glory and to their own peace, he acquaints them with his design in subduing it. He appoints affliction for this end. It is the chastening of' the Lord. He promises them strength to bear it, and comfort under it. Nothing but good shall flow from it. Iniquity, their worst enemy, shall be crucified: actual sin, springing from the iniquity of their nature, shall be mortified: the heart shall be deadened to its old idols, and as it dies to them, it shall be happier in the love of God. O blessed cross! what mercies dost thou bring with thee! Is not that blessed indeed, which, under God, produces such unspeakable mercies? Take it up then, O my soul, bear it patiently, and expect the choicest blessings of the Father's love from it. Why dost thou refuse? It is heavy. It is painful. True; but what makes it so? The burden is from thy rebel will. The pain comes from thy corruption, unwilling to be mortified. Take it up in faith, and thou wilt find strength enough to bear it, and blessings enough to make it a matter of all joy.

Lord God, reconcile me to my daily cross. May thy will in it be done. Mortify sin, weaken its power, deaden its affections and lusts. Only, Lord, whatever cross thou sendest, give grace with it, that I may bear it patiently, and may wait for its promised fruit. Thou knowest what would stop me in my heavenly journey: if it be my bosom favourite, the dearest object of my love, O tear it from my heart. Thou hast given me a desire to have every rival dethroned. O come, and reign alone in me, almighty Jesus, and subdue whatever opposes thy lawful government. My Saviour and my God, make all within me feel the power of thy cross. Crucify the body of sin. Spare nothing that would hinder my walking with thee, or would deprive me of thy friendship and favours. I bless thee, I worship thee, I glorify thee, for this infinite grace, that thou hast made me willing to have all mine idols pulled down. On thee I depend every moment for keeping them down. O my loving Jesus, carry on thy work, and in thine own way subdue sin in me: let me be planted together in the likeness of thy death; that I may be also in the likeness of thy resurrection-dead to sin, but alive to God. I ask this for thy great name's sake. Let it be thy good pleasure to hear and answer. I believe thou wilt. I have thy word for it. There I rest. Amen and Amen.

With this faith review thy mercies. Consider, O my soul, what a good God has clone for thee, and what greater things he has still in store. He has, in some measure, reconciled thee to his cross. Thou art convinced it is thy Father's appointment, contrived for the best by his infinite love, and settled on thee for thy richest portion, in time–He sends it for the trial of thy faith, flint it may be found unto praise and honour and glory–for the exercise and for the improvement of thy patience–for the mortifying of the body of sin, and for the deadening of the life of sense This is the will of thy most loving and tender Father. He sends the cross to be the means of these blessings. Certainly, then, it cannot hinder thy walk with him, but in all these respects will tend to keep thee in the way, and to help thee forward in it; and thus,

Fourthly,–It will assist and promote thy holy fellowship and communion with God. This is the principal thing in religion. We fell from God by sin, and it is the greatest mercy to be brought back to him again. In this point all religions fail, but the Christian. Christ is the way. No one cometh to the Father but by him: for there is salvation in no other, he only can forgive sin: he only can justify sinners. And this way was contrived in the covenant of the Trinity, for the highest display of their divine perfections; which begin to be manifested when the Spirit of life enters into the sinner, and quickens him; when the Spirit of adoption enables him to trust in the atonement and obedience of Immanuel, and thereby to see God reconciled, and to call him, Abba, Father. With this faith in Jesus he expects from the Father's love all his promised mercies. Thus he has fellowship with the Father and the Son, by the Holy Spirit. He stands related to the eternal Three in their covenant offices, and he receives freely in believing the covenant blessings of each.

Among these blessings the cross is not the least: for it is mercifully appointed to be the means of bringing sinners to this divine fellowship. They go on stubbornly after their own hearts, and in the error of their own ways, until the Lord sends some trouble to stop them. They look wishfully at the gilded cup of pleasure, and drink greedily of its sweets without any fear of the deadly poison mixed up with it. But when God convinces of sin, then comes sorrow: they feel the poison working in a sense of guilt and dread of punishment, which teach the want of a saviour, and are a good schoolmaster to bring them unto Christ.

So God dealt with the chief of the Old Testament; sinners–a giant in iniquity, who surpassed all that were before him in Jerusalem, for idolatry and blood-shedding. The Lord sent his prophets to warn him of his guilt, but he would not hearken, he hardened his heart, till the Lord brought upon him the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon: and when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him; and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom: then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. His case was not singular. It is a common firing with the Lord to send affliction to make sin bitter, that he may lead his people to true sorrow for it, and that they may seek until they find salvation. And when they have found it, he still uses the cross to keep them near unto himself. Indeed the cross alone has not this effect, but rather the contrary. The natural man has his fretfulness stirred up by suffering, and cannot help murmuring at the will of God. But grace sanctifies suffering. God makes it a blessing to his children, as by it he exercises their faith in such general promises as these.

If God send great and many troubles, they shall not separate believers from him; because he will then be with them; as he spake unto Israel: "Fear not to go clown into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great; nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt." It was the house of bondage, in which the taskmasters heavily afflicted his descendants with their burdens; but the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. So it is with the Israel of God. They need not fear any affliction: for their God has promised to be with them in it, and by it, to make them great Christians; the more they are afflicted the more shall their graces multiply and grow:–"I will be with thee in trouble, says God; I will redeem, I will save thee from all thy troubles–many are the troubles of the righteous, but I will deliver thee out of them all–yea, when thou passest through the water and through the fire, I will be with thee, and will preserve thee from all evil–I will make all these things work together for thy good." These pro-raises are a great support to faith: for God engages to be with his children in every affliction. He does not intend that any should separate them from him, but that all should keep them near to himself. He says he will be with them; they therefore expect his presence; and if' their afflictions be very great, they may on good grounds wait for his time of deliverance. And as his word cannot be broken, their trust in it will be confirmed, and their hearts will be established in waiting upon the Lord. If their afflictions continue long, he is with them all the time, making them sensible of their own weakness, and putting forth his promised strength, both that they may endure, and may also persevere in enduring: thus he improves their patience. And because they have still a carnal nature, which cannot bear the cross, God therefore keeps it upon them, in order to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts; that as they die unto sin, they may live unto righteousness.

Such is the declared purpose of God is afflicting his children; he would hereby cherish these graces in them, by which communion with him is kept up; and as these grow, communion with him will grow in proportion. Faith will look more at the truth, and live more upon the faithfulness of God. Patience will depend more on his arm, and the less happiness the believer can find in the creature, he will seek and will find the more in his God. The mortifying of the old man will, of course, make the new man more alive: for as the power of the cross of Christ is laid upon the former, the power of the life of Christ will be experienced in the latter.

But such is the goodness of God to his children under the cross, that he has given them several very particular and express promises, in order to strengthen their faith and patience. He has shown them what fellowship they are to expect with the eternal Three in their covenant offices: for promoting which he most mercifully provided the cross. O my soul, attend to this; carefully survey this rich contrivance of divine love, and when the cross is sent, take it up in faith, and expect to be a partaker of its covenant blessings. Remember, it is laid upon thee to promote communion with thy God and Saviour. The appointed trial comes. It is to give thee proof of the soundness of thy faith in Jesus, and to let thee sec, by experience, that thou hast not believed in vain. Thou hast fled to him for refuge, from sin and guilt, from wrath and hell: he took thee into his protection, and now thy safety in him is to be attacked. It will be seen that the foundation upon which thou standest will bear thee up in an hour of temptation. If thou hast indeed fellowship with him in his glorious salvation, it will now be made manifest, to thy great profit. The cross is laid upon thee, a heavy, a bitter cross: it deprives thee of all sensible comfort, and is kept upon thee till thou hast no prospect of any. Hope in creature-comfort has failed. This is a sweet season for spiritual communion with thy Jesus. He has deadened the enjoyment of other things, that thy heart might be happier in him; therefore now thou art to bring the principles laid down in the former chapters into practice. Here is a fair opportunity to make use of them: for without them a man must sink under such a cross; but, through faith in the righteousness of thy God and Saviour, thou wilt not only have powerful arguments, but wilt also have powerful grace, to bear thy sufferings, patient under them, and thankful for them.

Under them thou wilt be tried–Is it good ground upon which I have built my hope of salvation? Is it the rock of ages? Does it bear me up safe, and keep mo unshaken in this time of trouble? Yes; blessings, eternal blessings on my precious Jesus: I have fled to him for refuge, and he has set my feet upon a rock that can never be moved: Christ, my passover, is sacrificed for me: in the blood of sprinkling I have put my trust, and I am safe from the destroyer: he is my propitiation, in whom I have redemption through faith in his blood: ho is mine advocate also with the Father, standing in his presence as my surety: while the Father sees him and loves him, he will see me in him, and love me with the same love: Jesus is mine atonement with him, my righteousness, my sanctification, and my full redemption.

O thou most lovely loving Jesus, I have often been happy in the sense of mine interest in thee, but never so happy as now. This cross is sanctified indeed: for it has removed what hindered my communion with thee, and has brought me to seek thy presence, and to enjoy thy supports and thy comforts. I was foolish enough to wish it might pass from me: but this was mine infirmity. Pardon it, my sweet Jesus, and accept my unfeigned thanks for thy late mercies. Never in my life did I find the virtue of thy sacrifice in the peace of my conscience, nor had I such intimate communion with thee in thy finished salvation, as I have had under this cross. It tried me indeed, but the trial was to thy glory, and to my profit. I am now more satisfied than ever that thy salvation is infinitely perfect, and that I have my share in it: I have it indeed now; for I am a partaker of the things which accompany salvation. I am making use of them–I find their reality–I enjoy their sweetness–blessing, and thanks, and praise without ceasing, be unto thee, my adorable God and Saviour.

Is it not, O my soul, thy fervent prayer, that thou mayest live in holy friendship with Jesus? Why then dost thou fear his cross, which is his appointed way and means of improving thine intimacy with him, and likeness to him? O study the discovery of his love in the Scriptures; and take particular notice of the promises which he has made to his suffering brethren. Read, mark them, mix faith with them, that they may be fulfilled in thine experience. Remember, thou canst not duffer but by his will, to which he expects submission: he sends the cross to teach thee this lesson. It cannot hurt thee if thou dost not quarrel with it; but if thy will be resigned to his, herein thou wilt have fellowship with him; and thou wilt have reason constantly to be praying to him–Not my will, Lord, but thine be done.

Consider, for the improvement of this fellowship, that thy Lord himself was exercised with the cross. He has gone before thee, bearing it. He has taken the curse and wrath out of it, and has sanctified it to all his followers. In faith they must take it up, and in patience carry it, or they will not come to the kingdom. Certainly then, their crucified Lord will be with them: yea, ho has promised: "I will be with thee in trouble"–seek his presence, O my soul, under the cross–wait for communion with him–he has said he will be with thee: expect, therefore, the light of his countenance, which is better than life.

Do not fear the cross, since it is to bring; thee such a blessing; it is to be the means of thy fellowship with Jesus, in his sensible support and heavenly comfort: take it up then. Suppose it removes all thy earthly joy: let it go. The pain of its loss is not to be compared with the joy of thy spirit. Jesus will give thee pure holy joy; and, by his divine heart, will extract it out of pain. He afflicts that he may comfort, he takes away sensual that he may give spiritual pleasure. He removes creature-love, that he may communicate more of this happy love. In mercy he chastises. He sees there is need to mortify sin. He sends the cross for this purpose, and blesses what he sends. It works like wholesome physic. But oh! it is bitter, it is nauseous to the taste. Why do you chew it then P Swallow the pill. The benefit is not to be found in the mouth, but in the stomach. There it will purge bad humours. The sovereign Physician intends it should operate upon every evil temper which would hinder your blessed communion with him, and should be the means of exorcising those graces by which that communion is maintained and may be improved.

Such is the cross of Christ–taken up in faith, and carried in patience, it promotes daily fellowship with him; which is the greatest blessing upon earth. There is no greater in heaven–only they enjoy it by sense, and we by faith. But we have the same fellowship with them in Jesus, and the same communion with them in the graces of his salvation. And for these he makes way by his cross. He deadens the soul to the life of sense, that it may feel more of happiness in him. When he has withdrawn other joys, he often shines into the heart with joy unspeakable, tie generally vouchsafes these his love-tokens to his suffering brethren, and gives his richest cordials in their deepest distress. Each of such happy souls can say–It is good for me to suffer with Jesus. Yes, Lord; I am thy witness; thy cross is good; it; has been the means of my greatest good; for thou hast brought me by it to forsake communion with other objects, and to enjoy communion with thee in thy precious love. If thou hast been pleased to take away any of my beloved objects, thou hast, in much mercy, supplied their place with thy presence. I have found my losses my chief gain. O my Jesus, Lord God Almighty, I bless thee and adore thee for the distinguishing grace vouchsafed to me under the cross. It was entirely from thee, and the effect of thy love, that I had any patience, or any fellowship with thee in the way of suffering. It was thy doing, and I glorify thee for enabling me to maintain peace with the Father through faith in thine obedience unto death, and for satisfying me that my crosses were appointed and sent by covenant love. Thou art the giver of these blessings, and on thee I wait for the continuance of' them. Whatever thou callest upon me to suffer, order it and me, as seemeth best to thy godly wisdom; but leave me not to myself. Be always with me, my good Lord, that I may bear thy cross, and carry it patiently and profitably, thou sustaining both me and it every step of my way to heaven. Hear me, my Jesus, and answer; for without thee I can do nothing; but strengthened by thee I shall be able to bear all things, and my daily cross will keep me in daily communion with thee to my profit and to thine eternal praise. Amen.

Thus the cross of Christ is sanctified, and keeps up communion with him in the blessings of his salvation. So it does with the Father in his love. In the covenant, his name is expressive of his office, he is a father, who has every holy affection and feeling of love. He embraces, in the bowels of the tenderest parent, all his family–Christ the head, and all the members of his body the church. With one undivided love his heart is set upon Christ and them, and with the same bountiful hand he blesses him and them. What Christ is, they shall be. In this most gracious relation he stands to the whole household of faith. He is their Father, who loves and accepts them, pardons, justifies, sanctifies, and blesses them with all spiritual and eternal blessings in Christ; Jesus.

It is hard to believe this under the cross. To cleave to him in love, as our Father, when his hand is lifted up to smite, yea, when we smart under his rod, then to see love in his heart, and love guiding his hand, is faith very triumphant. We are apt to look upon our sufferings as coming from the wrath of God. We think he must be displeased, or else he would not delight to put us to pain; upon this account we are not reconciled to the cross, but would shake it off, if we could. The Scripture gives us different view of this matter, and represents God in more amiable light, even in the severest chastisement of his children. He is their Father, and they are his sons. This relation cannot subsist without his chastening them. He informs them of the necessity of it; he declares to them his purpose and grace before the chastening, and he assigns the motives and ends of his proceeding, He has always the same Father's love, and is always dealing with them as with sons. His cross is one of the chief marks of it. He sends it with a message of love, and it comes to them big with mercies.

When the Father intends an abundant communication of his love, he generally makes way for it by some heavy cross; and when he would continue or increase his favours, he keeps the cross upon them. It is his appointed means of promoting fellowship with him in the graces and blessings of his fatherly love. And it answers this end, when it is received by faith, and carried by patience: for then the believer, resting on the sure foundation laid for him, in the holy life and death of Immanuel, sees the Father reconciled, and expects every promised blessing from his love. Whatever cross comes, he receives it from his loather in Jesus. He bolds fast this truth–God is my God–he loves me perfectly in his Son, and, therefore, I shall find some proof of his fatherly love in this affliction. But if his faith be weak, if he forget, or forsake for a time his foundation, then the cross will become intolerable. Murmuring will arise. The flesh will hearken to unbelief. Fretfulness will take place, and thus God will be robbed of his glory, and the believer of his comfort.

It has pleased God, therefore, in order to strengthen his children's faith against these attacks, to give them many plain declarations of his invariable intention to do them good in all their afflictions. The Son is a witness for him, he was in the bosom of the Father, and knew all the purposes of his heart, he has given us a most delightful account of the Father's design in afflicting his children: "I am," says he to his disciples, "the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman; every branch that beareth not fruit in me, he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit, HE PURGETH IT, THAT IT MAY BRING FORTH MORE FRUIT." The Father looks upon all his children as one with Christ; as much united to him, and in him, as the branches are in the vine; there-fore, as a wise husbandman, he takes the special charge and care of them. Every branch that does not bear fruit in Christ–it is not as we read it, every branch in me, but every branch that does not bear fruit IN ME–what-ever it may seem to be–in profession, a branch-in show, a fruitful branch, yet it has no life; it was never cut off from the old dead stock, nor grafted into me, the life-giving vine.

The husbandman knows this well. Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. He does this in an hour of trial. Then it appears that such branches were only in appearance united to the vine; for if he had made them part of it, he would, no doubt, have continued them in it; but he took them away, that they might be manifest that they were not one with the vine. This is a great part of the vine-dresser's business; he suffers no rotten branches upon his vine. He goes over his charge, and attends to every branch. If any seem to men, or to themselves, to be in the vine,–for hypocrites are great self-deceivers, and the self-righteous love to be deceived, and proud nature is fond of growing into Christ by something of its own,–the vine-dresser, in due time, discovers their mistake, and manifests to the world that they were not branches of his grafting: for he taketh them away: but every, branch, says Christ, that beareth fruit by its communion with me, he purgeth: by his divine husbandry, he removes everything which would stop its growth and hinder its fruitfulness. The branches of the vine are so weak that they always want a prop–he supports them. They often run very luxuriant–he cuts them with his pruning-knife. They have many bad humours and juices in them–those he corrects. Pie purges every noxious quality, and whatever is contrary to the holy nature of the heavenly vine ho subdues. Most merciful is his purpose herein. He would have the branches of his own grafting to be lively and flourishing, like the stock upon which they grow. I am the vine, says Christ, ye are the branches. God's husbandry is to make the branches like the vine; therefore he purgeth them, in order that they may bring forth much fruit.

And is this his design? Does he afflict them entirely for their good? Does he send every trial and trouble to purge their corruptions, and to quicken their graces? as the Lord Jesus given us such a pleasing view of his Father's love, assuring us that all crosses are sent by him, to make us more lively and more fruitful? Since this is the ease, what great reason hast thou, O my soul, to expect these blessings from the cross! Here is a promise for thy faith to rest on–a promise which discovers the heart of thy Father, and his abundant love in afflicting thee. t{e would have thee not only to believe in his love, but also to enjoy it. he afflicts thee; but it is in order to thy keeping up communion with him under the cross; mid he knows it is the best means of keeping it up, and of promoting it. O seek then, by faith, for the promised fruit. Expect in patience the rich harvest. And that thou mayest quietly submit to the Father's will in purging thee, as a branch, observe how exactly the apostle Paul agrees with his blessed Master: "Furthermore, we have had Fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily, for a few days, corrected us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS."

There is a reverence due to earthly parents, and children are required to submit to their correction, although herein they often consult their own will and pleasure more than their children's profit. And is not greater reverence due to the Father of our spirits, and shall not we submit to his corrections? Especially since his design in them is to promote the greatest dignity and highest happiness of his children, even to make them partakers of his holiness; for to partake is not only to give them a title to, but also to give them possession of, to communicate, to have fellowship with him, to share with him in his holiness. Holiness is the Father's image in his children, by which he makes them like him, and capable of' enjoying him. He chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy. He chose them in Christ, and made Christ their sanctification. In him they partake, as branches in the vine, of his holy nature. They are one with him in righteousness and true holiness, He is the divine root from which all the branches, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, derive their nourishment and growth. From him is their fruit found. And the heavenly husbandman purposing to make the branches very fruitful, has provided effectual means. Among which the chief is his fatherly correction.

This he sends to all his children, and in the tenderest love. He would have them to bring forth much fruit, that herein he may be glorified; holy fruit, produced by his care and culture, and ripened by daily communications of his grace. Therefore he appoints many heavy trials and crosses, by which he designs to bring them not only to believe in his love, but also to a growing enjoyment of it. He would communicate to them an increase of its blessings, tie would have them nearer to himself, and more like to himself; holy as he is holy, not in degree, but in likeness. He would teach them more submission to his will, for which he wisely and mercifully suits the cross. He would improve their love to him, which he does by manifesting his to them: therefore he sends his cross to deaden their hearts to other love, that he may give them a happier sense of his. And his children have found suffering times blessed times. They never had such nearness to their Father, such holy freedom with him, and such heavenly refreshments from him as under the cross. It only took away what stopped the increase of this happiness, which thereby was made more spiritual and exalted. The cross thus sanctified is the greatest blessing on this side of heaven, because by it the Father keeps his children in the closest communion that they have with him upon earth; by it he purges them, makes them fruitful, and partakers of his holiness; by it he crucifies the life of sense, deadens them to the world, mortifies their lusts and passions; and by it, as the outward man perisheth, the inward man is renewed day by day. Most blessed renewal! Daily the Father communicates, and by means of the cross, new life, new strength, and new comfort to the inward man. By the right spirit renewed within him, he learns the necessity of the daily cross; he sees the merciful appointment of it to teach resignation to the Father's holy will, to work a conformity to the first-born among many brethren, both in suffering and by suffering, to bring in sensible experience of the Father's support and comfort. What blessings are these! How great! How precious! to be branches in the vine, and to have the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the husbandman, who grafts them into him–O what an infinite mercy is this And to be under his special care, faithfully watched over in order to remove everything hurtful, and to bestow everything useful, tiffs love passeth understanding. And to have this love to feast upon in the absence of other comforts, to have them taken away only to make room for this, to enjoy this most plentifully, even under troubles and afflictions, and to be only purged by them in order to bring forth much fruit, these are triumphs of divine love.

O my God and Father, I confess and deplore my frequent mistaking thy dealings with me. I did not see they were all in love. Through mine ignorance and self-will, I thought thy cross was a punishment, and I used wickedly to despise the chastening of the Lord. Pardon thy servant concerning this thing. Forgive mine opposition to thy cross, and subdue mine impatient desire to shake it off. Holy Father, mortify my will, and make it bow to thine. Thy will be done in me and by me. Purge me, and make me fruitful under the cross. Chasten mc, that I may be a partaker of thy holiness. I bless thee, O my God, for the desire which I have to keep up communion with thee in my sufferings: I believe thou art my perfectly reconciled Father in Jesus, and therefore, trusting to thy love in him, I would take up thy cross, and expect under it thy covenant blessings. Yes, Lord, this is of grace. Thine be the praise for showing me the need of suffering, and of renewing me by it in the inward man to a conformity to thy holy will. I now see thy love herein. It is as much love to crucify the outward man, as to renew the inward man. I believe it in my judgment; O blessed God, let me experience it in my heart and walk. Order all my crosses, that they may work together under thee, for thy glory and for my good: and if afflictions abound, let consolations abound also. I have thy promise, and I rely upon it. Let it be fulfilled unto thy servant for thy dear Son's sake. Amen and Amen.

I have thy promise, and I rely upon it. Let it be fulfilled unto thy servant for thy dear Son's sake. Amen and Amen. This blessed communion with the Father and the Son, which the sanctified use of the cross is made the means of promoting, is maintained by the Holy Spirit; he is a person the Godhead co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and with the Son. It is his office to apply and to make effectual all covenant blessings. Faith in the Son, and through him, love to the Father, arc from his influence. He is the lord and giver of all spiritual life, and of every spiritual enjoyment; for so the apostle teaches in his prayer for the Corinthians:–"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all." This communion of the I-lely Ghost consisted in partaking by his means with the Lord Jesus Christ in his grace, and with the Father in his love. The Holy Ghost made the application, he quickened the soul, and inspired the breath of life into it, and on him it depends for every spiritual act, as much as the life of the body docs on its breathing.

Whoever steadfastly believes in Jesus under the cross, and experiences under it the Father's love, has this fellowship with the Father and the Son, by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Therefore that sweet grace which bears up with faith in Jesus, and with patience under the Father's rod, is said to be from him:–" The fruit of the Spirit is long-suffering;" he enables the soul to wait quietly; and if the time be long, and the suffering hard, he gives long patience. He does not take away the sense of pain, but he bestows strength to bear it, and by it he produces a plentiful harvest of graces and blessings. Thus he teaches us himself: "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them who are exercised thereby."

These are the fruits of the Spirit: they are all of his producing, and they are fruits of righteousness, which none can produce but those who are one with Christ, and in him righteous before God. Although sense cannot perceive how they should grow or ripen upon the cross of Christ, yet faith can. The promise is sure; and waiting faith, exercised with suffering, finds many promised fruits. O my soul, consider this precious 'Scripture, and with close attention. Study it. Treasure it up in thy heart. It contains a rich cordial for the afflicted. Observe, there is love in sending the cross, love to be manifested by it, and heavenly fruits of love to grow upon it. Why then is suffering so hard? Why art thou so little profited by it? Is it not generally barren, because thou art not looking to the word of promise, and depending upon the Holy Spirit to give thee the promised fruit? Ask thyself therefore, especially in the hour of suffering, Am I now expecting the communion of the Holy Ghost, that by his grace I may partake with the Son in his salvation, and with the Father in his love? Is this my present experience? There is no bearing the cross without it. Art thou then, O my soul, trusting to him for this happy fellowship, and hoping that as thou art a branch in the vine, and the husbandman is now purging thee, thou mayest bring forth much fruit?

And observe what kind of fruit it is. All the effects of being in union with Christ, and of having communion with him, are called fruits of righteousness. Christ is the vine. The branch must be one with him before it can live and grow–one with him in his life and death–a partaker of his divine righteousness–and then the branch abiding in him by the influence of the Holy Spirit will be made fruitful in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness, and truth. He brings forth all the fruit that is to the glory of God–And it is ail peaceable fruit: for it is produced by him in consequence of covenant; love, by which the Father is revealed as the God of peace, and the Son as the great peacemaker: and when the Holy Spirit enables the poor sinner to believe this, them he gives him joy and peace in believing-being justified by faith, he has peace with God through Jesus Christ. The cross soon comes after this–not to destroy, but to try this faith–not to take away, but to confirm this peace–it is sent to give proof of the soundness of faith, and to manifest the sweetness of divine love: for it comes from the God of peace, and all the fruits which ho intends to produce by it are peaceable, such as should increase the happy sense of peace in the minds of his children. And for this purpose the Holy Spirit abides with them. He has revealed the Father's love in Scripture, and he is a faithful witness of it to their hearts. He sheds it abroad, and satisfies them of it. Yea, he gives them sensible experience and enjoyment of it raider the cross. This produces a quiet submission to his will, and an humble dependence upon his power; which are manifested by waiting upon God in all ways and means for the grace promised to his afflicted children.

The cross requires great grace, and therefore calls forth much prayer. Suffering times are praying times. The cross brings sinners upon their knees–Manasseh in affliction entreated the Lord–so did Paul–Behold, ho prayeth. It keeps believers upon their knees, as the prophet witnesses: "Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them." The Lord himself declares the same: "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my thee; in their affliction they will seek me early." Accordingly they did seek him: "Come," say they, "and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up," O blessed fruit of affliction! when sanctified by the Spirit it teaches the children of God to pray fervently, and to continue instant in prayer: it discovers the weakness of the flesh, and the rebellion of the will; and shows the necessity of drawing near to God for strength and patience. It keeps the mind in a praying frame, expecting, by the grace of the Spirit, communion with the Father and the Son. The cross makes this communion necessary. It cannot be endured without a belief of the Father's love in Jesus, and therefore the Spirit of prayer keeps this belief in exercise, and enables the soul to plead the promise of strength, to endure patiently, and to bring forth much fruit. The promise cannot fail. They who trust in it cannot be disappointed, but shall find grace to help in time of need.

As prayer is thus necessary, so the Holy Spirit generally makes it sweet under the cross. Is any afflicted among you? Let him pray. Prayer is the appointed means of his comfort. If affliction send him to God, God will meet him, and make him joyful in his house of prayer. How encouraging are these words:–"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." In every case of distress, draw nigh in faith to God; he ia a very present help. Seek his time, and you will find him near unto you: for the Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him; nigh to hear, to answer, and to comfort. Thus his promise runs: "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.'" What is your burden? I am present to give strength to bear it. What is your grief? Here are my comforts. Do your tribulations abound? Here are my consolations abounding also. Here I am. Ask what you will, believing, and it shall be done unto you. O what times of refreshing arc these? The Holy Ghost sensibly comforts the afflicted. When they draw nigh to God, he is present to make their hearts joyful, he dispels their darkness with the light of his countenance, and turns their mourning into joy. And thus they have not only communion with God in prayer, but also such communications of his heavenly love that they can often say, It is good for us that we have been in trouble.

In time of trouble, the WORD also is generally sweet. All people in distress look out for some comfort: and the Holy Spirit directs believers to the Scriptures. "Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope." The afflicted feel their want of patience and comfort, which puts them upon careful hearing and reading of the good word of God. They want to know what it says of their case; and when they meet a suitable promise, then they have a ground of hope. Their present trials require them to seek for something more than the truth of the promise. This being credited, they therefore expect the promised blessing. When the famine was in Canaan, Jacob and his family could not have been kept alive by believing that there was corn in Egypt: they must either fetch it or die. Trouble calls for the experience of the promised blessings, and when they are received at such a time, they are sweet indeed. They feel as ease does after pain. When the Holy Spirit applies the comfort, the promise, by which he applies it, is precious. It is like a reviving cordial to a fainting heart. O how sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth. Honey is sweet, but the word is sweeter. When, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, the afflicted believer enjoys the good of the promise, then he can say–Now I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, mad that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me: let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Sweet is the comfort which the afflicted receive from God the comforter, under the cross, not only in suffering, but also after it. AFTERWARD also "it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness." He who carries the cross of Christ does not labour in vain, and spend his strength for nought; but he is bearing forth good seed. If he sow it in tears, yet he shall reap in joy. The Lord looks at the fruit, and intends to bring forth much of it by the cross: we are apt to look at the suffering and to forget the fruit. He has the end in view in the use of all means; and the Holy Spirit has revealed this clearly, that we might depend upon him for receiving the proper fruit of affliction. The Lord says he led his people through the great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery flying serpents and scorpions, and drought, that he might humble them, and that he might prove them, to do them good at the latter end. He intended to do them good: this was first in his heart. Then the way in which he would do it: he would lead them through many a afflictions, by which they should find, at the latter end, how good God was to them. The promise of' this was their encouragement to bear the cross, till they reaped the fruit. In like manner the Lord says to the afflicted Jews, "I know the thoughts that I think towards you," saith the Lord; "thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end"–such an end as you would wish, and, having my promise, such as you may safely hope for. My thoughts, indeed, are not as your thoughts; you think I have cast you off, and that your present cross is to crush you: no, I mean to do you good by it, and so the end will prove; wait a little in faith, and all will come to a happy issue.

Are these scriptures the truth of God? Has the eternal Spirit promised in them, that although the bearing of the cross be very painful, yet it is very profitable? Will he afterwards cause them to bring forth much fruit, who have been exercised with it? Art thou then waiting, O my soul, under all thy troubles for the pro-raised end? Dost thou expect it, and in patience tarry the Lord's leisure? Canst thou look back and see how merciful the dealings of thy God have been–how gracious his rod–how loving his correction? Canst thou look forward under every cross, persuaded that God will do thee good at the latter end? That he will cause many peaceable fruits to grow upon this seemingly barren tree? Yea, that these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, shall work for thee an eternal weigh of glory, far more excellent than can be conceived?

O God the Holy Ghost, I do believe it: I would not doubt of' the truth of the promise in thy word, nor of the truth of thy grace in my heart: I therefore beseech thee, O thou Spirit Jehovah, to enable me to keep up communion with thee in all my trials, that I may bring forth those peaceable fruits of righteousness. Thou art the giver of every grace. I acknowledge thee to be the author of my spiritual life: I was dead in trespasses and sins, and, thou, hast quickened me. It is of thy mere gift I have any faith, and that upon the trial it was found to be true faith: I bless thee for this grace, and humbly pray for the continuance and for the increase of it. Meet me in the use of all means, and enable me to grow in faith, rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus, that I may also grow in love to his Father and to my Father. O thou divine revealer of his heavenly love, shed it abroad more abundantly in nay heart, that I may learn more resignation to his will, more subjection to his authority, and more submission to his rod. I acknowledge-thee, O holy-making Spirit, to be the teacher of patience, and what I have learned was thy revelation. It was in thy strength that I was enabled to go on with any quietness bearing my cross. Thy grace made me willing, and nothing else can keep me willing, to have the flesh crucified with its affections and lusts. O God, put forth thine almighty power, and enable me to part with everything which would hinder my fellowship with the Father and the Son. I desire so to walk this day, as to have growing fellowship with the eternal Three; and I desire it through thine influence. O God the Holy Ghost, carry on thy work. Exalt and purify my faith and patience and every grace; if it be thy will to do this under the cross, O make me willing and able to bear it. Let every cross bring forth richer and riper fruit, until thou give me an exceeding great and eternal harvest of glory. I ask this in the name of Jesus, and I expect an answer of grace through the Father's love in him; to whom with thee, O blessed Spirit, three persons in one Godhead, be equal glory, worship, and praise, now and for ever. Amen.

Meditate, O my soul, with seriousness upon this great subject. Study the scripture account of the cross. The knowledge of it enters into the very essence of the peace and comfort of thy walk. Thou canst not run away from the cross; thou canst not cast it off: remember, if thou wilt be Christ's disciple, thou must take it up daily and follow him. If it be very heavy and very grievous, yet it will not hinder thee from following him. He carried the heaviest part for thee; he endured the curse and punishment due to thy sins; he left no wrath for thee to suffer. Blessed be his love, the cross has no curse in it now; thy sufferings are all sent from love, and his love will help thee to bear them, and to profit by them; for he has promised to bless and sanctify them to his people. And he makes them a blessing indeed. Never, on this side of heaven, does he give them such near and happy communion with himself as under the cross.

O read, then, and study what is revealed in Scripture concerning it. Go over it again and again. Learn well, and inwardly digest the doctrine of the cross of Christ–the necessity, the benefit, the blessings of it. Meditate and feed upon the sweet promises relating to it; mix faith with them, that they may nourish and strengthen thee in time of need. But never forget that thy cross, be it what it will, is appointed for thee in covenant love: it is the portion allotted thee by thy heavenly Father–decreed, in weight and measure, to an atom–thou shalt not bear it one moment longer than he has determined; and many precious fruits it shall produce. Thou wilt; find suffering times growing times–growth in faith and patience, in mortification to sin, and in fellowship with the ever-blessed Trinity. The author of thy faith puts it to the trial: it comes out of the lions' den unhurt; it; comes out of the fiery furnace refined. God is glorified hereby, and thou art strengthened. He sends the cross to teach thee patience; and he continues it for the exercise and for the improvement of rite same grace. He intends by his chastening to crucify the flesh, and to mortify thy members which are upon the earth. In love he takes away sensual, that he may give thee spiritual joys. He does not hate thee, but love guides every stroke of his chastening. He is only weakening thine attachment to earthly things, that he may increase thy communion with Father, Son, and Spirit. O what blessings are these! Meditate, O my, soul, much and often upon them. Pray for the experience of them in time of need; and be assured, with all these helps, the cross will be exercised hard enough for thy patience. Thou canst carry it only in the strength of almighty grace. May the Lord strengthen thee from day to day to run the race set before thee, till thou win the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.