AND SMOKING FLAX. 13 ven, " Behold we bring you good tidings of joy." Well might the apostle stir us up to rejoice in the Lord again and again; he was well advised upon what grounds he did it. Peace and joy are two main fruits of his kingdom. Let the world be as it will, if we cannQt rejoice in the world, yet we may rejoice iri the Lord. I-Iis presence maketh any condition comfortable. " Be not afraid," saith he to his disciples, " it is I ; " , as if there were no cause of fear where he is present. Chri.st's course is first to wound, then to heal; no sound whole soul shall ever enter into heaven. Think in temptation, 'Christ was tempted for me.' According to my trials will be my graces and comforts. If he be so merciful as not to break me, I will not break myself by despair, nor yield myself over to the roaring lion, Satan, to break me in pieces. See the contrary disposition of Christ, and Satan and his instruments. Satan setteth upon us when we are weakest, as Simeon and Levi upon the Shechen1ites, when they were sore; but Christ will make up in us all the breaches which sin and Satan have made. He binds up the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=