willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance;"-a Mediator, to relieve our consciousness of sin; spiritual influences, to assist our infirmities; threatenings, to alarm our carelessness; and promises, to excite our hopes: and that all its precepts are exhibited in a visible and practicable form, all suited to the condition, experience, and common sense of mankind. It represents human nature in its real state, fallen, weak, dependent: it does not disguise the calamities of life, nor teach a stoical endurance of them; it does not say that is no pain which we feel to be such, and then tell us not to mind it; but it shews the way to lessen the sense of it, and "sustain the spirit" under it, and would not require more constancy in sufferings if it did not furnish more substantial comforts under them than any thing human could.

That "in the world there must be tribulation," is no more than what every one sees too plainly. It is needless to prove that life is subject to it; many know it by sad experience, many more may shortly, and, sooner or later, all will. That

3 2 Peter iii. 9.

evil exists, is plain; how to remedy it is the question. Patience may abate, but it cannot take away the sense of misery. Fortitude may

do a great deal, but there are trials which, unsupported, it must sink under. Set revelation aside, and there is little or nothing to make the present state of things supportable to a thinking mind; there is no certain resource without it; however men may build upon other foundation, when "the rain descendeth, and the winds blow and beat upon it," the superstructure must fall— however forgetful or confident in the calm of prosperity, when "wave cometh upon wave," in the storm they will cry every one of them unto his God, and "in their afflictions they will seek him early." Religion must then be the refuge; what else can supply an adequate help? What can speak so powerfully as the doctrines of Christianity? what so comfortably as our Saviour here does, in pointing out, first, his perpetual presence; secondly, his listening to the humble prayers of his servants; thirdly, his sending the Comforter; and, fourthly, his ascending into heaven?

"A little while and ye shall not see me, and

again a little while and

994 is an

shall see me,' ye

assurance which of itself is full of comfort; for when deserted by every other aid, when outward friends might seem "scattered, and to leave us alone," we may say, as our Lord did, "yet I am not alone because the Father is with me." He that overcame the world, yet watcheth over it, and to his own he saith, "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of it." The temptations, the tribulations of it he endured, and wherein does happiness consist but in our near resemblance to Him-he shewed how they should be borne; he still observes how they are. Το disasters and misfortunes all are alike exposed; there is no exemption, no immunition; but the peace which he hath promised is within. It is the heart, not the outward state, which he would guard. Every thing outward may be adversesevere calamities in life, the greater terrors of death, the known miseries of the present state, the darkness and uncertainty of the future. But if these are permitted, it is not without cause;

they are purposely to try-"whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth;" afflictions speak convincingly, they awaken the mind, they call it to God-it may be by a rugged path, but they may lead it towards heaven.

"A good man struggling with misfortune," was thought even by the heathens, to be an object regarded and approved by heaven. How much more so may a Christian be when endeavouring to follow the steps of his Redeemer in patient, persevering piety, and with how much greater assurance may he strengthen himself with the hope, not only of the divine presence, but of its aid and its favour? It is then that we listen with such willing attention to those words of our Saviour; it is then that Christ saith, "come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden"-look and learn of me: ye may meet with many tribulations, but "be of good cheer"-"let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid; ye believe in God, believe also in me:" this is a state of trial; and tribulations form a part of it. I may not seem to interpose to prevent those appointments which, in the scheme of providence, are

wisely allotted, but "I will not leave you comfortless;" "I am on thy right hand, so that thou shalt not fall;" the time of trial hastens to an end, and "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved."

996

It was when "their hearts were sorrowful" that Christ gave this comfort to his disciples, and that he taught them, secondly, to have recourse to prayer: "verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you. This was a means which he appointed, and which themselves could supply. To pray, and to pray in the name of Christ, is his disciples' great resource. "Prayer is, indeed, the application of Want to Him who only can relieve it, the voice of sin to Him who alone can pardon it. It is the urgency of poverty, the prostration of humility, the fervency of penitence, the confidence of trust, the cry of faith to the ear of mercy." Prayer is at all times so essential a part of religion that there can hardly be any without it, but it is the very language of sorrow. When the heart is broken, and

6 Verse 23.