ADDRESS

TO

A DESTITUTE SICK PERSON.

WERE I to ask you, my friend, what had reduced you to your present distressed circumstances, I know you could easily answer me. You would tell me of your having been deprived of the means of support by this and the other unlooked for misfortune. You could tell me of your bad health, of your struggles in the midst of it to earn a subsistence,-of your weary days, and sleepless nights,—of the misery you endured while obliged to part, at one time, with some article of clothing,-then of furniture,then another, and another, till almost nothing was left, and you were compelled to seek relief from the charity of others. But, after you have told me all these sad circumstances, there is one question I would still ask you :-Do you in your heart believe what the Scriptures say, that, with God, "the very hairs of your head are all numbered?"

Do not turn away from this question, as one of little importance in your present destitute state, when you are in want of the very necessaries of life; for, if you will take time to reflect, and answer it, you may be led to find help for every need where you have perhaps never looked for it. I will suppose you have answered me, "that you do believe it; that you believe all the Bible." If so, then you must believe that all your afflictions have been sent by God. You will perhaps say, that you believe this too, and add, in the bitterness of your spirit, "That you do not see why you should be so much more severely dealt with than others you could name, who are more ungodly than you ever were, and who are, nevertheless, enjoying health and prosperity in the world." But leave others in the hand of God, and enter into your own heart for a little. God hath said, that "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." He could relieve you in an instant if he saw good. When our Lord was on earth, he cured all manner of diseases by a word: how easily could he still do this, now that he has all power in heaven and on earth." The fulness of the world, and the hearts of every being in it, are also in his hands; so that, if it was his pleasure, he could order events respecting you in such a manner as in a very short time to give you as much of the wealth

and prosperity of this world as your heart could wish; but, instead of this, it has been his will to send upon you one affliction after another, till now you are laid upon a sick-bed without the means to procure any comfort. Surely these severe dispensations have a meaning you should try to find out! If God doth not afflict willingly, what is it that hath led Him thus to afflict you? Look back on your past life.Doubtless you have had your days of prosperity. Cannot you remember a time when you enjoyed health, and plenty, and cheerfulness? "Yes, you do," say you, "but that time was soon over." But, while it lasted, did you regard God as the Giver of all you possessed? Did you obey His command to "believe in his Son for the salvation of your soul;" to "seek the kingdom of heaven first," and trust that all else good for should be added? No; you were very you thoughtless then, and paid little regard to these things. Well, God saw it necessary to make you think, and He took from you some of those objects on which you bestowed the whole of the affections of that heart in which He ought to have the first place, and He brought down its lightness, and compelled you to be sober and thoughtful. And did you then turn to Him? Did you humbly implore his forgiveness for your past neglect of his offered mercy and grace; and determine, in his promised strength, that, in

future you should seek your happiness in God? No; you felt indeed that the objects you had fixed your heart upon had been taken awayyou felt that they were gone, but you turned again to the world for comfort, and you did not regard what had befallen you as a dispensation of God, but as a matter of chance, and that you had been only very unfortunate, but might hope for better times. You again struggled for this world's enjoyments, and you went from one thing to another in the hope of procuring them. Disappointment after disappointment, loss after loss, only made you the more eager; while all the time you forgot God. He tried you with prosperity, but while He bestowed on you these blessings you forgot Him. He then tried you with adversity, but you would not turn to the hand which in mercy smote you; and now that He has brought you so low, what more can be done on this side the grave to make you think, and turn to Him who has smitten that He may heal you? You were tried with prosperity, and you forgot Him. He has been trying you with want and sickness, but you still seek consolation anywhere but in Him. You still disregard His offer of salvation through Christ-and will you persist? and though life now offers you only poverty and ill health, will you still cling to the world in which you cannot expect many of its empty pleasures, and neglect the concerns of your

you

precious soul which must live for ever? Will still refuse to listen to the voice of mercy, when, perhaps, you are near that state which must fix your sentence for eternity? Eternity! Endeavour to conceive the meaning of that awful word, and have mercy on yourself. "Whosoever will, let him say, Come,"-come to Christ. He again calls you in these words: He says, "Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." "He that believeth on me shall never perish." saved all ye ends of the earth." You will, perhaps, say, you do not know how to come to Christ. Say so to him. He is ever nearer you He knows, better than

"Look unto me and be ye

than you can conceive.

you do yourself, your ignorance of Him. If you once knew Him, and the consolation He imparts to the minds of those who believe and rest in Him, Oh! how differently would all earthly things appear to you. You now feel your afflictions most bitterly, and if any one would offer to take them away, you would grasp at the offer with your whole soul; but those who know the Lord, and His teaching, say, from their inmost hearts, with the Psalmist,"It is good for me that I have been afflicted ; before I was afflicted I went astray,"-and then he tells what effect affliction had on him,"Now I keep thy word." Psal. cxix. 67-71. Turn then to that God who "waiteth to be