581 / 674
Dis'C.
Xlid
AND
JOY
AT TAÉ RÈstJRttÉCT1bN.
561
and
languishing
sickness,
some
unknown
distress, some
overbearing
flood
of
misery, which
was
like
to,
come
upon
them
had
they
continued longer
on the
stage.
of
life.
"
Let
this
silence thy
murmuring
thoughts, Ó my
soul
;
let
this dry
up thy
tears
which
are ready
to
over-
flow
on
such an
occasion.'
Dare hot
ronounce
it a
stroke
of
anger
from the
hand
of
God,
who divided
them from
the tempting or
distressing scenes
of
this
world,
and
kindly
removed them
out of
the
way
of
danger. This
was
the wisest method
of
his love,
to
guard
them from many
a
folly
and
many a sorrow, which
he foresaw
just at
the door." Will the wounded
and
complaining
heart
go on
to groan
and
murmur
still,
"
But
my son was
carried
off in
the prime
of
life,
or
my
daughter
in
her
blooming years
;
they stood
flourish-
ing
in the vigour
of
their nature, and it was'my delight
to behold
their
growing
appearances
of
virtue and
good
ness,
and
that
in the
midst
of
ease and
plenty,
-:.id
prospects of happiness,
'so
far
as this world
can
afford
It?" But
could
you look
through
the
next year
to
the
end
of
it
?
Could
you
penetrate
into future events,
and
survey the scenes
of
seven years
to
come
?
Could
your
heart
assure itself
of the
real
possession
of
this
imaginary
view
of
happiness and peace
?
Perhaps the
blessed
God
saw
the clouds gathering afar
off,
and
at
a
great
distance
of
time,
and
in
much kindness
he
housed
your favourite from unknown
trials, dangers
and sor-
rows.
So
a
prudent
gardener,
who
is
acquainted
with
the sky,
and
skilful in the
signs
of
the
seasons, even
in
the month
of
May, foresees
a
heavy
tempest
rising in
the
edge
of
the
horizon,. while
a
vulgar
eye
observes
nothing
but
sunshine
:
and
he
who
knows
the
worth
and the
ten
-
derness
of
some
special
plants
in
his
garden,
houses
them
in haste,
lest they be exposed and demolished
by
the
sweeping
rain or
hail,
You
say,'
"
These children were
in
the bloom
of
life,
and
inthe
most desirable
appearance
of joy and
satis-
faction
:"
"
But
is
not that
also
usually the most
danger
-
ous
season
of
life,
and the hour
of
most powerful
temp-
tation
?
Was not
that
the time
when
their passions
might
have
been too hard for them,
,sand
the deluding
pleasures
of
life
stood
round
them with
a
most perilous assault
?
VOL. I
I.
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