and with the endeared objects of your natural and Christian affection, let all your sorrows be lost; and be animated to proceed, with growing zeal and activity, in the honourable and the heavenly race of faith. I am, &c.

LETTER XI.

ON THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION.

Afflictions the common lot of mankind—Ought to be improved-Designed to sanctify the soul-The means of preventing sin-Serve to try the character-Strengthen religious principle-Fit for extensive usefulness-Are blessed for the purpose of awakening to a sense of sin and of misery-Lead to acknowledge the hand of God—Make us sensible of our proper place-Lead to the Scriptures and the Throne of Grace-Teach the uncertainty of earthly things-The happiness of confidence in God when under them-Christians need to have fear as well as love kept alive-The danger of despising the rod, and of fainting under it-Conclusion.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

I FEEL for you under your trials; and with a view to your comfort, I mean in this letter to suggest to you some reflections on the benefits that may be derived from affliction. In this world we are ever exposed to tribulation, and yet it often comes upon us unexpectedly. We speak indeed of the instability of all earthly things, but are not sufficiently aware of our constant jeopardy. We indulge the flatteries of hope in regard to ourselves, even when we witness the sudden and the heavy calamities of others. Much discipline

in the school of affliction is necessary to cure us of this propensity to dream of security, in the face of so many proofs of the uncertainty of every thing below. Often have the brightest prospects been unexpectedly darkened, and hopes apparently the most warranted have been sadly disappointed. This has been done to shake our confidence in the present scene, and to prepare the mind for the will of God. Trials, the bare idea of which is sufficient to make us shrink, may yet be found necessary to the healing of our souls.

When visited with affliction, we ought fervently to seek that it may be blessed to us. He who chastens us, does it in love: He has graciously invited us to call upon him in the day of trouble; and has promised to hear our prayers, and to grant us what his wisdom and his goodness shall dictate. Deeply we ought to feel the hand of our God,-with profound humility we ought to bear it,—and with meek resignation we ought to bow to his will. Instead of sinking into despondency because our earthly lot is distressing, it becomes us to bless the Lord that he will not leave us to ourselves, nor suffer us to make present enjoyments our rest; but, by withering our earthly joys, points us to a better happiness. If our path is dark, let this cheer us-there is a bright morning on its way: If change after change come in sad succession, the covenant of peace is an everlasting covenant, and of its blessings nothing can bereave us.

The great design of affliction is to sanctify us. God chastens us "that we may be made partakers of his holiness:" He effects this by correcting us for our trans

ness.

gressions. In this way he restrains our impetuous passions, purges away our pollutions, and embitters to us the ways of sin. He wounds that he may heal: "He prunes the branches of the true vine, that they may become more fruitful." When his people "break his laws, and keep not his commandments, he visits their iniquities with the rod, and their sins with chastisement." When we are running from the fountain of living waters, and seeking cistern after cistern, he in mercy destroys them one after another, to cure us of our folly. When any earthly object steals our heart from himself, he breaks our idol before us, and makes its vanity manifest. We then feel that this is indeed "a dry and a thirsty land;" a land of death and of darkBut he who caused the wreck of our earthly joys, did it that he might lead us to take our stand on the sure foundation of his word: He who broke our cisterns and withered our gourds, designed thus to lead us to fountains of living water, and to the refreshing shade of the paradise of God. Not that he stands in need of our services, but because that without him we must be miserable. His love to us, and his desire that we may be happy, will not allow him to suffer us to be deceived and destroyed. He cannot think of leaving us to make the world our portion; but, even at the expence of the most painful afflictions, will call us from that which is not, to substantial and permanent blessedness. Often do we seek rest in that which cannot yield it—often do we leave the only refuge from the storm, and betake ourselves to the sands; and so may expect to be visited with tempests and inunda

tions. We need checks and disappointments to our pursuits and our hopes, that we may learn by experience that we have no true happiness but in God-no home but heaven. Even in these storms his love is made manifest. A voice is heard saying "It is I, be not afraid." Thus the heart is at once humbled and tranquillized. Sharp afflictions refine the soul. Should our inordinate desires be gratified, our earthly hopes and imaginations fed, and our sinister ends secured, we should die of this indulgence. But he who loves us will not suffer this. He frames his dispensations according to our real wants, and not according to our foolish wishes. Were his love cold, or were it but foolish fondness, he would act otherwise; but in that case we should be ruined.

Afflictions are designed to prevent, as well as to recover from sin. Should we in the day of trouble be unable to discover any particular transgression in which we have indulged, we ought not to question the goodness of God; for he sees the future in the present. We may not have formed and worshipped any particular idol, but he saw that we were about to do it-He saw a train of circumstances commencing, which, owing to our habits, tempers, and dispositions, would be a snare to us; and he determined to prevent the evil. Prevention surely is better than cure; and merciful indeed must it be to render the pursuit of sin bitter and difficult. Hezekiah was suffered to fall into pride; but Paul was prevented from doing so by "a thorn in the flesh." Which of these two cases then is the most desirable, and which of them affords the highest de

monstration of love? The second, surely. If we are about to go astray, is it well that God "hedges up our

way with thorns," and "builds a wall" that he may make our wanderings from him perplexing, embarrassing, and painful? In his providence he removes us from this or the other situation, where we might have been corrupted: He breaks ensnaring friendships-keeps from forming improper connections-removes or embitters worldly comforts; and sends disappointments and trials, to keep us humble, holy, and watchful. In reviewing the course of a gracious providence, we may see many salutary instances of this nature; and the retrospect ought to excite a spirit of confidence and of gratitude towards him, who preserved us from what would at once have dishonoured his name, and deeply injured ourselves.

Afflictions are designed to be trials likewise: They are so with a special view to the discovery of our disorders, in order to their cure; and the exercise of our holy principles, in order to their growth. Tribulation often calls forth the latent corruptions of the heart: The mind feels the workings of impatience; the heart frets, murmurs, and repines against the painful Providence of heaven; earthly attachments are found to be strong, and the spirit of rebellion seems to gain vigour. We startle, as if our trials had caused those evils; whereas they have only brought to light what had always been within, but in a state of concealment. Our faith and confidence are thus brought to the test, and we find, to our shame, how apt we are to distrust the God of our mercies. We are led, like Ezekiel,