'glory in their tribulations also ;'* and in the confidence that they should be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,' they have therefore 'greatly rejoiced,' though with some mixture of heaviness (whereof there was need) from their manifold trials. But that their joy did surmount and prevail over their heaviness is manifest, for this is spoken of with much diminution, whereas they are said to 'rejoice greatly,' and 'with joy unspeakable and full of glory.'" +

If, when the believer is but a feeble thing, "carried away by every wind," he is, despite his weakness, able to rise to raptures of joy, who shall dare to suppose him unhappy when he has become strong in faith and mighty in grace? If the porch of godliness be paved with gold, what must be the interior of the palace? If the very hedgerows of her garden are laden with fruit, what shall we not find on the goodly trees in the centre? The blade yieldeth much, shall the ear be empty? Nay, "the ways of the Lord are right," and those who walk therein are blessed. Think not otherwise of them, but as you wish to share their "last end," think well also of the way which leadeth thither.

May the Lord direct his children, by his Holy Spirit, in reviewing this subject by prayer, to give all the glory of their mercies to the adorable person of Jesus. Amen.

TO THE UNCONVERTED READER.

FRIEND, We have been answering questions concerning a joy with which thou canst not intermeddle for thou art, to thine own loss and shame, a stranger from the commonwealth of Israel. But thou too hast a question or two which it were well to ask thyself. Whence that misery of which thou art at times the victim? Why dost thou tremble under an arousing sermon? Why doth the funeral knell grate on thine ear? What makes thy knees knock together at the sound of thunder? Why dost thou quiver at nightfall, though a leaf, all solitary, was the only thing which stirred within many a yard of thee? Why dost thou feel such alarm when pestilence is abroad? Why so anxious after a hundred remedies? Why so fearful if thou art but sick an hour? Why so unwilling to visit the grave of thy companion? Answer this, O soul, without reserve! Is it not that thou art afraid to die? It is!-thou knowest it is!

But, O my friend, fear death as much as thou wilt, thou canst not escape it. On his pale horse he is pursuing thee at no lame pace, but at a rate which thou mayst guess of by the wind or the flashing lightning. Noiseless is the wing of time, dumb is the lip of death; but time is none the less rapid for its silence, and death not one whit the more uncertain because he trumpets not his coming. Remember, while thou art fearing, the messenger is hastening to arrest thee. Every moment now gliding away is another moment lost, and lost to one who little can afford it. Oh! ere the wax hath cooled which is sealing thy death-warrant, list to a warning from God, for if the book of thy doom be once sealed, it shall never be opened for erasure or inscription. Hear Moses and the prophets, and then hear the great Jesus speak:-"The soul thạt sinneth it shall die." "He will by no means spare the guilty." "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." "Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and ALL THAT DO WICKEDLY, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Regard then the voice of Jesus, full of mercy:—“ The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

VI.

COMPLETE IN CHRIST.

"Ye are complete in Him."-COL. ii. 10.

THE pardoned sinner for awhile is content with the boon of forgiveness, and is too overjoyed with a sense of freedom from bondage to know a wish beyond. In a little time, however, he bethinks himself of his position, his wants, and his prospects: what is then his rapture at the discovery that the roll of his pardon is also an indenture of all wealth, a charter of all privileges, a title-deed of all needed blessings! Having received Christ, he hath obtained all things in him. He looketh to that cross upon which the dreadful handwriting of ordinances hath been nailed; to his unutterable surprise he beholds it blossom with mercy, and like a tree of life bring forth the twelve manner of fruits-yea, all that he requires for life, for death, for time, or for eternity. Lo! at the foot of the once accursed tree grow plants for his healing, and