FRIENDLY VISITOR.

No. LXXI.

SEPTEMBER, 1824.

VOL. VI.

CHRISTIAN THANKFULNESS.

Bishop Hall in his Practical Works observes, "It was a striking example which lately came to my knowledge, of a worthy Christian, who had lived to his middle age in much health and prosperity; and was now for his two last years greatly afflicted. In the midst of his torments he could say, 'O my Lord God, how gracious hast thou been to me! Thou hast given me eight and forty years of health, and now but two years of pain. Thou mightest have caused me to lie in this torture all the days of my life and now thou hast carried me with comfort through the rest, and hast mercifully taken up with this last parcel of my torment. Blessed be thy name for thy mercy in forbearing me; and for thy justice in afflicting me.'

"To be thankful for present mercies, is but common: but to be so thankful for mercies past, that the memory of them should be able to put over the sense of present miseries, is a high improvement of grace."

A LESSON FOR MYSELF.

The

How was I affected by the simple and artless tale of a poor old man the other day! Mr C. and I were going over a rough and high moor. evening was wet and stormy. A little before we arrived at the top, we overtook a poor man; and being all on foot, and our road, for a few miles the same, we took the old man's speed. He was not

talkative, for he seldom spoke but in reply to our inquiries; which were such as to draw from him the following story: "I lived on a farm belonging to Mr. A. in all fifty-nine years; forty-one with my father, and eighteen as tenant myself after his death. The farm, even with hard labour and care, would scarcely support my family. Our rent was between fourscore and a hundred pounds a year. I had closes of meadow ground of about seven acres; and the reason I left the farm was, because my landlord took from me five acres of meadow, and refused to make any abatement of my rent. When I left the farm, I had as much money as bought a cart and horse; with which I have since supported my family by carrying coal. I have four children, two of whom are with us; the youngest, a girl about ten, and the oldest, an infirm young man, who is seldom able to do any thing. My wife has been insane during the last fifteen years. I am in the sixty-fifth year of my age, and have the whole care of the family. I go four or five times in the week to the coal-pit. I rise at three in the morning, begin my journey a little after four, and have completed my day's work about ten at night. I am mostly in bed little more than four hours; nor do I sleep much, even of that, on account of rheumatism. I have been used to this upwards of four years; during which time, I have not had so much as three pints of ale on the road. I take in my pocket a butter-cake, or a bit of meat, and drink of the running water by the way. These clothes were new the last spring; but are now entirely rotten by dirt and wet; for they have not been dry, night or day, for the last seven weeks."

In answer to other inquiries, he said; "I do not feel unhappy in my present state, though I sometimes think when I am crossing the hill on a cold

rough morning, I wish I had some other employment.' But I think it my duty to do what I can; life will soon be over with me; and if I am happy at last, it is all I want." His gratitude for the comparatively good health he enjoyed, as also for the support he was enabled to earn for himself and family, was such as to cause my consciously ungrateful soul to blush, and my inward man to ejaculate, "O may I never forget, that the God of providence hereby reproves my ingratitude; and that this is a lesson intended for myself."

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ON DELIGHT IN GOD.

To delight in the Lord, is the peculiar privilege of his people; for none can delight in him, but those who love him; and none can love him with their whole heart, but those who are chosen out of the world, and created anew in Christ Jesus by the Spirit of his grace; for the carnal mind is enmity against God, his people and his ways; and therefore can have no enjoyment or pleasure in him.

To delight in the Lord, is the blessed foretaste of future glory; for our love to him is an evidence of his love to us; we could neither love him, nor delight in him, if he had not first loved us.

How sweetly ought this high privilege to be enjoyed by the aged Christian. Having borne many combats with Satan, many strivings of the flesh, many scoffs and derisions of a wicked world; and having come off more than conqueror, through the mighty power of his Redeemer, he has had such an experience of the love of God to his soul, that his declining years may well be devoted to gratitude and praise; and his whole delight is, to delight in the Lord. His language is that of holy David

"whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee." No wonder then, that he daily trusts in, and commits his way to the Lord, who hath so lovingly protected him in the hour of trial, and crowned him with loving-kindness and tender mercies.

When such an aged believer takes a review of his former days, he is struck with wonder at the goodness of his heavenly Father, in leading him with a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arm through all the deep-laid snares of Satan, which he could neither foresee nor prevent; and in bringing him to the confines of eternity with this blessed exultation of St. Paul, "I have fought a good fight-I have finished my course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day."

What a cheering prospect this for all young pilgrims, who are hastening Zionwards, and who have the same enemies to encounter and subdue. And, what an incitement to delight in that God, who hath never forsaken them that love him, and in whom no one ever yet trusted, and was confounded.

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To delight in the Lord is therefore, not only a privilege, but a duty and like every other duty which God requires of us, it has a promise annexed to it." He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Ps. xxxvii. Satan makes the same promise to his servants; but this liar from the beginning gives them a stone for bread, and for a fish, a scorpion. He promises them pleasure, riches and ease; and then gives them in the end, torments, destruction and death. It is only to the renewed heart, that this large and gracious promise applies; to that heart which is sanctified by the Spirit, and which always asks according to God's will.

Such a heart as this, will be ever craving for more

holiness, panting for more love, desiring brighter views of Christ and a deeper knowledge of his ways. It will not be earnest with God for any good, but what is included in the covenant of grace; neither will it expect any good, but according to that covenant, which is all its salvation and all its desire.

Such a heart as this, shall be satisfied, and that "right soon;" for the very desire itself is the work of God the Spirit in the soul, who never pleaded nor desired in vain.

This then, my dear reader, is the only happy state upon earth, and which every true child of God enjoys in a greater or less degree. They surely are the happiest, who know most of God's love, and who delight the most in him.

Seek daily by faith, through the Spirit, to have sweet fellowship and communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ: for then all the promises throughout the Bible will be yours, since you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

If you live, you shall live unto the Lord; and if you die, you shall die unto the Lord; so that living or dying, you shall be the Lord's.

Z.

He knows himself never out of danger, and therefore stands ever upon his guard. Neither of his hands are empty; the one holds out the shield of Faith, the other manages the sword of the Spirit: both of them are employed in his perpetual conflict. He cannot be weary of resisting, but resolves to die fighting. He has a ward for every blow; and as his eye is quick to discern temptations, so are his hand and foot nimble to avoid them. He cannot be discouraged with either the number or power of his enemies, knowing that his strength is out of himself, in him in whom he can