are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart."* " He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths ; he hath stripped me of my glory and taken the crown from my head ; he hath destroyed me on every side and I am gone, and mine hope hath he removed like a tree ; he hath put my brethren far from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me."t These are some of the drops in«the bit- ter cup of adversity that was given to that pa- tient saint to drink. And they are recorded for our use, on whom the ends of the world have come, and to whom these last days may perhaps fill a cup as bitter and protracted as his.
, Yet let us count it all joy when we fall into divers tribulations, knowing this, that the try- ing of our faith worketh patience : but " let patience have her perfect work that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."! We are cast into poverty, but how can we be poor so long as Christ is rich ; and is not this poverty sent to make vis prize his unsearch- able riches and to buy of him the gold tried in the fire, that we may be rich ? Our gooc" * Job xvii. 11. t Job xix, 8, 13. { James i. 2.
THT- FAMILY RODS. 75
name is lost through slander and false accusa- tion. The finger of public scorn is perhaps pointed against us, and wicked men are ex- alted over us triumphing in our reproach. Yet have we not the approving eye of God, and is it not enough if he still honors us and knows our innocence ? Let our good name go if God sees fit thus to humble us. We have " the white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it."* Friends fall off and ene- mies arise : false brethren turn against us, and we are doomed to bear the revilings and per- secutions of those whom we have never wronged but ever loved. But the friendship of Jesus is still ours. No earthly disaster or persecutor can ever rob us of that. Nay, the coldness of those we counted on as tried and true, only draws us the closer to him, the warmth of whose love knows no abatement nor end. Joseph passed thoroughly this trial and the Lord set him upon Pharaoh's throne. Moses passed through it and became " king in Jeshurun." Job passed through it and was blessed a thousand fold. Daniel passed 'hrough it and was exalted with double hon
» Rev. ii. 17.
76 THE FAMILY RODS.
or. Let us " take then the prophets who have spoken to us in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the pa- tience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of ten- der rnercy."*
Oftentimes nothing but adversity will do for us. " I spake unto thee in thy prosperity, but thou saidst, I will not hear ; this hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obey- edst not my voice. "t We need to be stripped of every earthly portion that we may seek en- tirely our portion in Jehovah himself. We need to be turned out of a home on earth, that we may seek a home in heaven. Earth's music is too seducing, and takes away our re- lish for the new song. God must either hush it or take us apart into a desert place that we may no longer be led captive by it, but may have our ear open only to the heavenly me- lody. We cannot be trusted with too full a cup, or too pleasant a resting-place. We abuse every thing that God has given us, and prove ourselves not trust-worthy as to any one
* James v. 10* t Jer. xxii. 21.
THE FAMILY RODS. 77
of them. Some God cannot trust with health ; they need sickness to keep them low and make them walk softly all their days. They need spare diet, lest the flesh should get the mastery. Others he cannot trust with pros- perity ; they need adversity to humble them, lest, like Jeshurun, they should wax "fat and kick." Others he cannot trust with riches ; they must be kept poor, lest covetousness should spring up and pierce them through with many sorrows. Others he cannot trust with friends ; they make idols of them, they give their hearts to them ; and this interferes with the claims of Jehovah to have us alto- gether as his own.
But still, in all this, God dealeth with us as with the members of his own family. Never for a moment does he lose sight of this. Neither should we. So that when these things over- take us, when we are thus "judged," we should feel that we are " chastened of the Lord, 'that we should not be condemned with the world :" we should learn not merely to submit to the rod, but to kiss and welcome it, not merely to acquiesce in chastisement, but to "glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and expe- 7*
78 THE -FAMILY RODS.