meditate nothing but evil? Should that be of any concern to you, when you know who has engaged to overrule it all for good1? I say then with the prophet, " Fear not" any me- naces or preparations, how formidable soever they may appear k; nor complain of any trials, however oppressive they may be at the time ; but rejoice in them1, and bless God who counts you " worthy to bear" themm, and accept them as an invaluable "gift at his hands"," and " take pleasure in them0," as knowing that they will assuredly issue in your welfare, and " in the honour of your Godp."]
2. To cultivate the end —
[Does God design by means of trials to make you re- semble him " who was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so opened he not his mouth?" Seek to experience this benefit from them; and " let patience have its perfect work in you, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Complain not that your trials are heavy, or of long continuance : but be more anxious to have your dross consumed, than to have the inten- sity of the furnace diminished. It was " through sufferings that the Lord Jesus Christ himself was made perfect0-:" and if " he learned obedience by the things which he suffered1"," will not ye be content to learn it in the same way ? We are ready to think that perfection consists in active virtue : but God is not a whit less honoured by passive virtue : and when patience has so far operated upon your soul as to make you " glory in tribulations" for the Lord's sakes, and you can say from your inmost soul, under all circumstances, " Not my will, but thine be done," you will have attained that measure of holiness which constitutes perfection ; and you will ere long, as a shock of corn that is fully ripe, be treasured up in the garner of your heavenly Father. You have seen " Jesus, after having endured the cross, and despised the shame, set down at the right hand of the throne of God1 :" be content then to " suffer with him, that in due time you may be glorified together11." Let this be the one object of your concern: and pray that "the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus through the blood of the everlasting covenant, would make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Christ Jesus x."]
1 Rom. viii. 28. k Isai. viii. 12, 13. ' Luke vi. 22, 23.
m Acts v. 41. » Phil. i. 29. ° 2 Cor. xii. 10.
p 1 Pet. iv. 14, 16. i Heb. ii. 10. r Heb. v. 8.
s Rom. v. ;j. l Heb. xii. 2.
u Rom. viii. 17. 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12. " Heb. xiii. 20.