would find it most difficult to say what course the vessel was steering until that course was partially passed over-then her bright pathway in the waters is visible enough; and the most unpractised eye may see that she is holding straight onward for the haven where she would be. Even so with the course of an elect soul through the troublesome waves of this life; afterwards we can look back, and see the line of light that formed her track. We see where the evil influence was resisted, the subtle temptation overcome, the severe trial patiently borne. We see the noble Christian soul perfected by the discipline of suffering. We see the good gold coming forth purified seven times by the fire of temptation. We see patience having her perfect work. And we see, besides, the stern, self-trusting, self-seeking soul of the tempter softened and subdued by the meek firmness, and unboasting uprightness of him who was to have been the victim. Thus, dear brethren, it pleases our heavenly Father to encourage us, by permitting us to look back upon His gracious dealings with those of us who, prevented by His grace, have chosen the way of His commandments. Some portion of His ways He permits us to see, that we may be hopeful of the rest; and were our vision always clear enough to see how graciously and tenderly He has dealt with us in past times, this comfort would be ever present with us to sustain us in times of deepest trial; for although it would not tell us exactly what His future dealings with us would be, yet we should feel that whatever they might be, they would be always according to mercy and goodness. But, unhappily,

it is sometimes found that present trials so overcloud the mind, that the afflicted find it almost impossible thus to look back upon the past with thankfulness, and then forward to the future with hope inspired by past mercies. So that in the hour of greatest need this blessed consolation seems to be withdrawn.

Are any of you in this condition, my brethren? Is your mental eye so dimmed with sorrow that you cannot see the light of God's love in His past providential care over you, and your heart so oppressed with affliction that you cannot feel as if the goodness and mercy of God had so followed you all the days of your life, that you may cheerfully hope that they will follow you to the end? Do not, therefore, dear brethren, forebode continued evil to yourselves. God's way is in the sea, and His paths in the great waters, and His footsteps are not known. No man can divine the wise and gracious purposes which He is accomplishing for you by those very afflictions which weigh you down. That very darkness of heart which prevents your looking back with faith upon past mercies, and drawing from them hope for the future, may be the means in His hands of producing for you greater spiritual benefit. He may be weaning you from trusting in your own experience, that you may rely more implicitly on His wisdom and goodness. You may have been tempted to walk by sight; but now He is teaching you to walk by faith. How this is being accomplished you probably cannot discern; for "no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto

them which are exercised thereby." 10 And those afflictions which fall rather on the mind than on the body, as they are far harder to bear, so, I know, they hide more completely from the troubled soul the treasure of heavenly gain which they bring with them, and will most certainly leave behind them, if they are borne patiently and submissively. Throw off, therefore, my afflicted brother, the burden of dark forebodings, and let not present evils cast their shadows over your future life; for bright sunshine often succeeds to stormy clouds; and if your afflictions are teaching you your own ignorance, and how inscrutable are the ways of God; if you are learning to say with the Psalmist, "Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known;" or with Job, "Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; on the left hand, where He doth work, but I cannot behold Him; He hideth Himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him;" "11 that is, if you are learning to reverence His wisdom, and greatness, and power, and incomprehensibility, then may you add, with the same tried saint of God, "But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." The lesson of entire dependence, of complete submission, of true, deep, self-renunciation, cannot be too severely learnt; for however difficult to bear the discipline may be, it will give us cause to rejoice for ever, if it bring us, in humility of heart, to Him who is the strength of our heart, and our portion for ever. 13

99 12

10 Heb. xii. 11. " Job, xxiii. 8, 9. 12 Ver. 10. 13 Vide Ps. lxxiii. 25.

56

SERMON V.

THE LIFE THAT WAS IN THE CHILD JESUS.

ST. JOHN, i. 4.

"In Him was life."

We celebrate on this day the triumph of humility, and see in the stable at Bethlehem the seeming weakness of God proving itself stronger than men. On this day we behold the Almighty Word, the Everlasting Son, clothed in the garment of frail humanity. God is made man; and is manifested in the flesh; and abides among His creatures in the form of helpless infancy.

Let us rejoice, my brethren, in the advent of our Blessed Saviour. Let us worship the glory of His Divinity, veiled, as it was at this time, from the eyes of men; and let us stoop to learn the lesson of humility, and the more secret lesson of comfort and encouragement which His sacred infancy affords us.

That Holy Child, who, as on this day, was born of the Virgin Mary, came to live His mortal life in the midst of enemies. As soon as He was born, the King of Judea sought to take away His life.

And how did the Holy Child escape? Not by power, nor by might. His kinsfolk, according to the flesh, had no power to resist the decree of Herod; and so the Saviour of the world found safety in flight. It seems, then, that it was not merely the shadow of helpless infancy that He took unto Himself, but the very image. When He became man, He submitted Himself to the ordinary laws by which human nature is governed. And since human nature is weak and defenceless during infancy and childhood, our Saviour was subject to the like infirmities. And hence, without doubt, His human life was exposed to many dangers, like that which threatened Him from Herod, dangers from which He was defended by no miraculous exhibition of irresistible power, but by the ordinary providence of God; or rather, by that special providential care by which He governs His elect in all ages.

Yet He who thus appeared, born under the law which assigns peculiar infirmity to the period of childhood, was designed to accomplish a greater work than had ever been effected in the creation of God; for He came to redeem those who were willing captives to the most hopeless of slaveries; to restore life to those who were twice dead; to seek and to save those who were lost by their own choice; and to reconcile to His Father those with whom He was most justly displeased. The Second Adam was born to repair the ruin which was wrought by the first: for as by Adam came sin and death, so by Christ came holiness and life. But how was it possible that so great a work should