heavy tidings, and he seems doomed to yet additional trouble; loathsome disease is inflicted; his wife tempts him; his friends charge him with crimes of which he is guiltless. His sufferings were spiritual, as well as temporal. The loss of health was great, that of near and dear connections was yet greater; but the loss of the light of the Sun of righteousness went beyond all. I go mourning, says he, without the sun. were with me as in days that are past." I knew where I might find him." as though heaven, earth, and hell had united to make him miserable. We must contemplate his character as it is exhibited,

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"O that it "O that

It would seem

In his patient submission. We see in the midst of all the most striking example of patience, that can possibly be found in man. Is Abraham renowned for his faith? Moses for his meekness? Solomon for his wisdom? David for various excellencies? Job has higher eulogiums paid to his memory, for his patience, than any of them.

The apostle James when he wishes to fortify the minds of the afflicted, says, "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. Ye have heard of the patience of Job." In the midst of all his afflictions he says, "shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord and shall we not also receive evil? the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." We will now consider,

III. The conduct of God with reference to both.

1. In his permitting Satan to act as he did, we

see his sovereignty. He could not only have permitted all this, but have effected it if he had pleased; and none durst have said unto him, “what doest thou?" He however, does not take the matter into his own hands, he delegates to Satan the power of acting, "behold all that he hath is in thy power." Yet we are to observe his absolute authority, "touch not his life." "Only on himself put not forth thine hand.” The Almighty has not given up the reins of government into the hands of either men or devils; though they may seem to possess great influence, he still presides, sitting in the throne "judging righteously;" and with regard to his people,

"Almighty mercy guards their life,

And bounds the tempter's power."

2. In his overruling the permission for the good of Job, we see his infinite wisdom. He overrules all these dispensations for the welfare of Job,

By humbling him. It must be confessed that though Job was a good man, yet he had too much conceit of himself; he thought too highly of himself; and spake too loftily of his own doings. But by this God brought him to acknowledge "behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee?" "I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes."

By weaning him from the world. There is nothing like affliction to do this. When Jacob lost his children, he refused to be comforted; saying, "I will go down to my grave mourning," as though he would have nothing more to do with any thing below. And David says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but since, I have kept thy word." He would not seek happiness in the world. God is said to choose his people in the furnace of affliction, by which he purifies them as silver and

tries them as gold: and he taught Job sufficiently by this affliction, not to lean on man': hence, he was constrained to cry out at last, "Physicians of no value, miserable comforters are ye all."

He did this by exalting him to more than his former prosperity. "The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning." By the goodness of God his substance was doubled, his friends came unto him and bemoaned him for all that the Lord had done. Here we see the truth of these words, "weeping may endure for a night, but," to a good man, "joy cometh in the morning." And as God had blessed him with one exaltation, temporally, we are led to think that God also blessed him spiritually, because we find God is said to accept Job, and seemed to delight in him, and likewise turned his captivity. Thus was one of Job's sentences fulfilled, "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.'

APPLICATION.

1. If Satan be such a being, the subject calls on the people of God to be circumspect. "Be sober, be vigilant." Take heed to the objects of contemplation. Watch the operations of sin. Guard the affections of the soul.

2. If he be unchangeable in his conduct, he must be resolutely and constantly opposed. Hence the address, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." Do this by prayer ;-" praying always with all prayer, in the Spirit." Do this by faith, in the certainty of victory.

3. Though he be subtle, malicious, and powerful, still let the believer for his consolation recol

lect, that Satan cannot come against him with one temptation, without first obtaining leave. He is a chained enemy. "Hitherto shall thou

come, but no further."

4. God brings glory to himself, and good to his church, by the malice of his and their enemies. This is manifest in the entrance of sin into the world. All God's perfections are displayed by it, a firm foundation laid for his glory, and the everlasting happiness of his people. They never could have had a firm foundation, had not sin entered. But now Christ is the "Foundation of their hope."

"Nor can they sink with such a prop."

5. Lastly. The Almighty sometimes impoverishes his people, that he may enrich them hereafter. Frequently this is the result of their afflictions even in this world; but most assuredly it will be in the world to come; therefore let these things comfort your hearts, who are plunged in affliction. In a little while you will burst the shackles of mortality. Your happy spirits will drop the clay tabernacle, and wing their way rapid as the light, victorious as irresistible flames, and entering the portals of the New Jerusalem, will seize the palm of conquest, and throughout eternity exclaim :- "Not unto us, but unto thy name give we glory." Amen.

MEMOIR OF MISS EMMA CORNWELL,

OF SAFFRON WALDEN.

THE removal of a friend by the cold hand of death at any period of life causes sorrow, but when

we see his fatal dart directed to the ranks of the young, and such are taken away in the midst of their days, we feel increased bereavement; the bright anticipations we formed of their future activity and usefulness are all destroyed, and the earnest which their labours offered passes away without a counterpart.

"Death like an overflowing stream
Sweeps all away, our life a dream;
An empty tale, a morning flower,
Cut down and withered in an hour."

Such was the case with the subject of this short memoir; she was the youngest daughter of Mr. Richard Cornwell of Ponner Hall, Saffron Walden, and was born on the 7th day of May, 1818. In the seasonable period of infancy she was dedicated to the Lord, and received Christian baptism from the hands of the late much respected Rev. W. Clayton. At three years of age, she was deprived of the counsels of a kind and indulgent father, who died suddenly, after a short but painful illness. Her maternal parent who still survives to mourn her loss, endeavoured during childhood, to inculcate into her tender mind the principles of true religion; and being naturally possessed of an affectionate and peaceable disposition, combined with high moral endowments, she gave many proofs of early piety.

Soon after the termination of her scholastic duties, she made an open avowal of the Redeemer's name: united herself with the Independent church assembling in the Abbey-lane chapel, then under the pastoral care of the late lamented Rev. Luke Foster, and maintained an honorable and irreproachable profession to the day of her death.