constantly to return to our view. When is Absalom taken from his father?-In the flower of his age, in the bloom of hope, at a time when the weight of royalty began to fall on David, and when, in consequence, he would have need of a support, comfort, and a counsellor. This is the usual way in which God acts in the dispensations of his providence towards his children. Of all the sheep of the flock that one whom he takes from us, or commands us to sacrifice, is the dearest, the most beloved; of all our possessions he seizes those we prize the most; of all our friends he withdraws from us those who will leave the greatest blank behind them; of all our supports, our comforts, those he deprives us of are those without which we think we cannot live. And when is it that we feel this blank, this complete solitude? It is when all these comforts seem most necessary to us, give us most pleasure, appear most indispensable, as the principles of happiness in life. You know the history of Jonah and his gourd; to shade his head God caused a vigorous plant suddenly to spring up, with numerous and spreading branches, in the depth of the night, when the prophet did not seem to have much need of it; the foliage of the gourd was thick and abundant; but in the morning, at sun-rise, a worm gnawed it at the root, it withered, and Jonah was exposed to the heat of a burning sun. This is the type of all earthly possessions-passing in their nature, they betray us, and abandon us when we have the greatest need of them. But, after what we have already said of the end of trials, ought this conduct of our Lord with regard to us to admonish us? He desires our good, much good, more good than we can

66

conceive; he loves us with an unbounded love, he loves us beyond all expression or thought; he wishes nothing else but to enrich us, to bless us, and to save us. But in order to bless us as he intends, and as he wishes, he must have a throne in our heart; for how can he reign there while the throne is occupied, and another seated in his place? Vain idols then fall mutilated before him, the Lord shall reign supreme upon your ruins. "Broken cisterns," let your muddy waters escape, the Lord shall cause "the fountain of living waters" to spring up in you. Houses built on the sand" disappear, but it is upon the "Rock of Ages" the Lord shall plant the house of salvation. Creature-worship give place to the infinite unsearchable love of the only Good, the only eternal God! The work is grievous, but it is salutary, so much the more salutary as it is more fierce. Do not fear the hand of the heavenly Physician, it is firm, skilful and sure; and if it probes to the bottom, and searches to the quick, it is to take away the evil even to the last root; to make a radical cure, succeeded by perfect health, and eternal youth, in the enjoyment of his ineffable love.'

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION.

"It is written, My house is the house of prayer.”

Here we may learn the right use of God's house, namely, that it is appointed for prayer and preaching. For prayer we have God's own precept; "It is writ

ten, My house is the house of prayer." For preaching we have Christ's own practice-" Daily teaching in the temple." Those things which Almighty God hath joined together let no man put asunder. Preaching may not thrust out of the Church common prayer for it is an oratory; neither may prayer shuffle preaching out of the Church, for it is an auditory.-Dean Boys.

AN ANECDOTE,

Related by the Rev. Hugh Mc'neile, in a Lecture he delivered lately at Liverpool on the life of Dr. Franklin, speaking of the benefits of early rising.

A journeyman house painter, who had long entertained infidel opinions, was engaged in his trade upon the outside of a house nearly opposite mine. From his elevated position he could see over my blind into my study. At an early hour he saw me at my work; and again the next morning when he arrived he found I was before him. His curiosity was excited, and the next morning he came much earlier; still I was before him. He ascertained who I was, and continued to watch me while his job in my neighbourhood lasted. Meanwhile he began, as I afterwards learned, to reason thus with himself; This gentleman must be in earnest at all events, whether right or wrong. The result of all this reading and writing so early, morning after morning, must be worth hearing. I'll go and hear what he has to say.' Accordingly, the man came to my Church-He heard me

describe the aching anxieties of the human soul, not to be satisfied with any created objects, but exhausting them all, and aching still, until repose is found in the bosom of the Creator. He heard me describe the way in which such holy repose may be enjoyed even by a guilty creature. His heart was touched; the true cause of his infidelity was detected-not a want of evidence for the revelation of God, but a want of willinguess in the man to be conformed to the character of God. Before a rising willingness to be holy all the scepticism of his understanding gave way; and, from a sullen infidel, he is now, I trust, a happy Christian.'

TEMPTATIONS.

WE must not flatter ourselves that God will enable us to go through life without being exposed to any sort of temptation; for this world is a place of trial and discipline. Now without some kind of temptation we should have no trials, and no opportunity of exercising several of the Christian graces. It is only in war and in battle that the soldier-and the Christian remember, is God's soldier-can learn his duty thoroughly. He may learn to handle his arms in peace; but the coolness, the quickness, the watch fulness, the caution, the steady unbending courage, which distinguish the veteran from the recruit, are only to be gained in actual service. So it is only by actual service against God's enemies, it is only by passing through temptations and trials, that the Christian can be trained to his work. He needs to be

taught to watch and guard against the surprises and stratagems of the foe. He needs to be perfected in faith and patience. How is all this to be done if he is kept, like a plant under a glass, from every breath and touch of temptation? No, we shall assuredly be led into temptation whether we pray against it or not: because there is no earthly road to heaven but has its own pitfalls, and its own snares. If this however be so, if all must be tempted, what is the good, you may ask, of praying not to be led into temptation? The good is great and plain. For though God will not keep us away from all temptations, he will so order the matter, if we pray to him and trust to him, that the temptations shall lose half their dangers. He will preserve us from being surprised by them; he will proportion them to our strength; he will enable us to withstand them. "In vain," says the wise man, "is the net spread in the sight of any bird." Then in vain will the snares of hell be set for us if God open our eyes to see them, and give us wisdom to shun them. It is in this manner, if I mistake not, that God will answer our prayer to him not to lead us into temptation. He will not take temptations altogether out of our way; but he will shew us how to escape them. He may perhaps now and then even lead us into temptations, but he will not leave us in the midst of them. He will carry us through the peril. He will carry us safe through the fire and through the water, without suffering the fire to scorch us, or the water to come over our souls.-Hare.