They also will determine

at another, relied on the aid of the king of Syria; and these, on looking back to the days of their trial, on reviewing with complacency the hours of their sadness, when remembering their doubts, their cares and their anxieties, will, with Samuel of old, in triumph raise up their Ebenezer, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." and decide with David, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God;" by whose aid they shall also say with David, "They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright." This is the expected end to them, for "this cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working."‡

1 Sam. vii. 12.

+ Psalm xx. 7, 8.

Isaiah xxviii. 29.

X.

EPHESIANS V. 20.

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS UNTO GOD AND THE FATHER, IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

6

As there are but two distinct classes of persons to be found among those who are called by the name of Christ, the regenerate and the unregenerate, so we may divide into two classes, the states of mankind in general, prosperity and adversity, happiness and misery, crowns and crosses. For either of these states, in which we may be placed, or as they may come upon us, we are directed to give thanks always.' 'How!' (says the unregenerate, and therefore rebellious spirit,) shall we bless God, for afflictions, for losses, for disappointments?' 'Yes,' (says the regenerate, and therefore obedient spirit) shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' But we may go still further than this, and affirm, that in sending afflictions upon us,

*

* Job ii. 10.

God has a design of mercy towards us, and purposes them to be, however we may receive them, blessings in disguise; and hence it is, that we are bound to "give thanks always for all things."*

Let us take Scripture instances. Job, when in prosperity, in affluence and happiness, "was perfect and upright, one that feared God and eschewed evil:" when his children perished, when his cattle, his flocks, and his herds were taken away or destroyed, being left childless and in penury, he humbled himself before God, and worshipped, saying, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Again, when he was not only deprived of his children, his substance

We have an encouraging word of exhortation in the following extract from a letter written to the community of Port Royal by their Pastor, M. de St. Marthe, during their captivity, and his own exile from his flock. "Let us believe that the happiest spot for the Christian, is not always that which to sense appears brightest; but rather that in which he is most frequently compelled to cast himself upon the strength of God only; and where outward circumstances, by affording him the most frequent exercises of humility, charity, and patience, yield him most facilities for practising the tempers, and receiving the impress of the likeness of his divine Master. When, therefore, you are beset by trials, seek not to escape from the hand of Him who has attached you to the Cross; but rather say to Him with the humble, but fervent love of Israel of old, to the Angel who wrestled with him, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me.' The way of tribulation is the way of the kingdom; walk you in it. If the ground of your hearts be harrowed by the good husbandman, expect in patience the abundant harvest."-Memoirs of Port Royal, vol. 1, page 351.

† Job i. 21.

То

and the comforts of life, but suffering also grievously in body, so grievously as perhaps almost to deprive him of life, he again humbled himself; and when moved by one, who should have been a comfort to him, to "curse God and die!" he exclaimed, in the words above cited, "What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" And it is testified of him by the Spirit of God, that "in all this did not Job sin with his lips."+ describe the gratitude of David for his afflictions (strange as this may sound in the ears of many) would be to do little less than transcribe many of his most interesting Psalms. Well indeed might he give thanks unto God for them, since we have his own testimony of the benefit which he derived from them, "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now have I kept thy word:" we have his determination to 'give thanks always for all things,' when he says, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be continually in my mouth."§ And again in persecution, and when apparently forsaken of God for a season, we find it his fixed purpose, still to hold fast his confidence, saying unto his God, "I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more."||

*Job ii. 6.

† Job ii. 10.

§ Psalm xxxiv. 1.

Psalm cxix. 67.

|| Psalm lxxi. 14. "A great part of the little we know of our God," observes Newton, in one of his letters, "His faithfulness, His compassion, His readiness to hear and to answer our prayers, His wisdom in delivering and providing

We want not then examples, we want not illustrations of the Apostle's meaning, when he exhorts us to " give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What therefore do we need? We want faith, whereby to put in practice that which we approve in others; does it seem hard for flesh and blood to do so? St. Paul tells us how we must compass our difficulty; it is "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," as he says in another place, "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him." And again, "By Him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually."+ Yes, this is the way to the mercy-seat, whether with prayer or praise, for it is the only way in which God will accept or admit us. It is the grace, the constraining grace of Christ, which alone can enable us to approach with thanksgiving, when suffering affliction. But the people of the Lord enjoy this as their privilege; and it is their privilege to know, how afflictions are blessings. Thousands now on earth are ready to add their grateful testimony to that of the tens of thousands now before the throne, singing the praises of redeeming love, and ascribing the glories which they now enjoy, to the afflictions,

when our contrivances fail, and His goodness in overruling every thing to our soul's good,-I say, much of what we know of these things, we learnt in our trials, and have therefore reason to say, It was good for us to be afflicted."

* Col. iii. 17.

Heb, xiii. 15.