The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-05-08

asunder; many of whom had their homes
in dens and caves of the earth. Did
these men murmur? What are their
words? "We rejoice in tribulation;" !"
~'we count not our lives dear;' as to per
secution and afliction intheir direct forms,
"we are not careful '-"none of these
things move u.s. it is ground of eruM-
tion that we are "counted sOorthy to sut-
fer shame for Christ's name. The lives
of such is like holy hymn, swelling
up higher and grander to its close. %
| Complaint IS prescriptions IN itsmatue
and scepticat IN ats tendencies. What is
fault finding, when analysed, but an eff
fort of puny mortals to appropriate the
reins of divine government? If the
Judge of all the earth does right, then
why murmur? Does not the grumbler,
in substance say, conld manage the af-
fairs of this world better than Jehovah :?
Once more, Compliant IS 5 upc7alstian.
Whoever made such sacsi fees and endured
| such suferiRs ssthe A1s all these
He bore too, not simply withbut a muir
muir, but vOluntarily. He who was rich,
for our sakes became poor; He who was
Prince, laid aside His crown; !; He who
"thought it not robbery to be equal with
God, took " the form of a servant. -
1t was thus that He came to earth on a
mission of mercy, and was, nevertheless,
rejected. Nor is all told yet. He was
without food, without shelter, and without
home /; He had not where to lay His
head He was despised, slandered, per-
secuted, spit upon, scourged and cruci-
fed. And yet this Goldman never com
plains. Even when thatla bitter draught,
the very prospect of which had wrung
bloody sweat from his body, was pre-
sented, He did not recoil, but grasped it,
while these noble words fell from his lips
i-"the cup which my Father hath given
me, shall / not drink it?'' And when
the time came for Him to be offered,
"He steadfastly set His face to go to
Jerusalem And yet this man was in
nocent. Pontius PLATE himself said, "I
find no fault at all in Him. But, reader,
our punishment is penal. We are sinners.
Which of the commandments have we
kept in spirit as well as in letter., What
day or hour of our lives has been free
from sins of omission or commission !?
However poor or neglected we are, do
not our mercies rise hig gher than our de-
serts? Is there not very much to excite
gratitude and praise? ID 'i 10 aoa |
l. We are alive. We are not in hell
as millions are to-day. 2. We have the
promise of God that if we cast our bur-
dens upon Him, He will bear them. 3.
Then, again, are the grand providences
of God, of which all history is but the
record. The poor murmurer must look
for the difficulty scithin; he is not strait
ened in God, and can never be. That
man fatally mistakes who regards the
present life as aught else than a Pilgrim
age----t-----s -rss-----.A.-..,-.......
Through sorrow night and danger path,
Amid the deepening gloom, ~ -
The soldiers of an injured King,
Are marching to the tomb. .4..l.
Health, sickness, poverty, riches, trib-
ulation, these all, are means only. If
any are hard pressed, let them lift up the
shield of faith. The soul that walks ha-
bitually with God is so sustained and
borne up, that the feet are scarcely
touched by the thorns and briars beneath.