.11. All is love. Affliction is the expression ol t atetnal love. It is from the deepest recess of the fountain of love that sorrow flows down to us. And love cannot wrong us. It blesses, but cannot curse. Its utterances and actings are all of peace and gladness. It wants a larger vessel into which to empty itself, and a 15*
174 THE CONSOLATION.
deeper channel through which to flow. That is all. It seeks to make us more susceptible of kindness, and then to pour that kindness in. Yes, love is the true, the one origin of the sharpest stroke that ever fell upon a bleeding heart. The truth is, there is no other way of accounting for affliction but this. Anger will not account for it, forgetfulness will not account for it, chance will not account for it. No. It is simply impossible to trace it to any cause, but love. Admit this as its spring ; and all is har- monious, comely, perfect. Deny it ; and all is confusion, cruelty, and darkness. Chastising love is the faithfulest, purest, truest, tenderest, deepest of all. Let this be our consolation.
Beloved, " it is well." It is GOOD to be afflicted. Our days of suffering here we call days of darkness ; hereafter they will seem our bright- est and fairest. In eternity we shall praise Jehovah, most of all for our sorrows and tears. So blessed shall they then seem to us, that we shall wonder how we could ever weep and sip-h. We shall then know "how utterly unworthy we were of all this grace. We did not deserve anything, but least of all to be afflicted. Our joys were all of grace, — pure grace, — much more our sorrows. It is out of the " exceeding riches of the grace of God" that trial comes.
CHAPTER XV.
THE ETERNAL RESULTS
"!F we suffer we shall also reign with him." Of this we are assured. Oneness in suffering here, is the pledge of oneness in glory hereafter. The two things are insepara- ble. His shame is ours on earth ; his glory shall be ours in heaven. Therefore, let us " rejoice, inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with ex • ceeding joy."*
Truly the sufferings of this present life, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. The incor- ruptible crown is so surpassingly bright, and the "inheritance of the saints in light" so excellent, that we may well be ashamed even to speak of present sorrow. How will the eternal light absorb the darkness here ! How will the blessedness of the kingdom swallow up our earthly calamities and complaints ! One hour of eternity, one moment with the Lord, will make us utterly to forget a lifetime's desolations.
* 1 Pet. iv. 13.
176 THE ETERNAL RESULTS.
But more than this. Our troubles now do but enhance the coining joy. Our affliction is not only " light," not only " but for a mo- ment ;" but it worketh for us a far more ex- ceeding and eternal weight of glory. Our sorrows here are but adding to the weight of our eternal crown. In what way they do so we are not told. It is sufficient that we kno\\ upon God's authority, that such is really the case. Need we then grudge or yebel against that which is preparing for us such glad and sure results 1
As to the nature of the recompense, God has revealed much to us ; at least in so far as human language and earthly figures can set it forth. In the epistles to the seven churches of Asia, we have the fullest opening up of this manifold reward. For " him that overcometh," there is an abundant " weight of glory" pro- vided. To each of the seven conquerors there is a separate reward, and taking them all to- gether, what a fulness of infinite blessing is comprised in this sevenfold recompense ! To one conqueror there is promised the " tree of life." To another, the " crown of life," and de- liverance from the second death. To another, " the hidden manna," the " white stone," and iii it the new, the unknown name. To another, power over the nations, the iron rod of rule, the morning-star. To another, the white raiment and enrolment in the book of
THE ETERNAL RESULTS. 177
life. To another, the honor of being made a pillar in the temple of God, and of having written on him the name of God, and the name of His city, — God's own new name. To another, a seat upon the throne of Christ, joint dominion with him in his kingdoro/ joint heirship with him in his inheritance, for "he that overcometh shall inherit all things." True, this recompense is only " to him that overcometh." It is a life-time's battle, — a wrestling not only with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, with the rulers of the darkness of this world, with spiritual wickedness in high places. But then, however desperate the warfare, it is not forever. Nay, it is brief, very brief. Its end is near, very near. And with the end come triumph, and honor, and songs of victory. Then, too, there follows peace, and the return of the war-worn soldier to his quiet dwelling.