Page images
PDF
EPUB

and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing.”

Let us, then, comfort ourselves, let us comfort our bereaved friends with the plain impressive words of the great apostle: "I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not as those without hope. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even them also that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. Comfort one another with these words. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." But if these assurances are not sufficient to comfort and strengthen, and rejoice the spirit of the bereaved, surely the words of our divine Master, in his consolatory address to his disciples when he was about to suffer for them, and for all men, must convey a balm to the deepest wounds of sorrow.

"In

go

my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also;" and let

us mark the transcending tenderness and encouragement of those words of the same allgracious Saviour, "I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and unto my God and your God." These truths are not only fraught with comfort to the afflicted, but are calculated to make us enquire of our own hearts what is required on our part, in order to obtain the rich reward of the eternal vision of our Redeeming Lord. Must we not, in order to obtain the consolations arising from the thought, that in all our afflictions God is with us; must we not pour out our drooping souls to him in supplications for the influences of His grace, and with deepest humility, acknowledge that we are not worthy of the least of all his mercies and blessings? Must we not, with a sincere heart and submissive spirit, approach the mercy-seat, and there tell out our sorrows to Him who has a feeling of our infirmities? If we thus draw nigh to him in firm faith, with meek and lowly heart, we shall assuredly find that He hath that which shall satisfy the longing soul, more especially when bowed down and "sitting in darkness, and

the shadow of death." "God is faithful and just;" and he will not let those who trust in His promises, to be "ashamed" of their confidence. Pursuing this way of comfort, we shall be enabled to say with holy David, "In His favour is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." The miseries of time shall be lost in the anticipated glories of eternity: and the night of death shall pass away, to usher in the bright, unclouded morning of the resurrection.

Let us then, while sojourners here below, ever remember, that whatever trials may be appointed us by Him who doeth all things well, are intended to teach us our dependence, and to form our souls to the relish of heavenly joys. To attain happiness we must be quali fied to receive it; but weak and corrupt as we are by nature, prone to rest with things temporal and to forget the things eternal: sorrows, afflictions, and trials are necessary to teach us our helplessness, and to effect the sanctification which is indispensable to render us, under divine grace, meet recipients of God's favour and all-gracious promises.

Hath he not promised the aid of His grace and blessing to all those who sincerely call upon Him in the time of trouble and temptation. Mark the tenderness of the expression : "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted."

-(Isa. lxvi. 13.) "Unto who fear my

you

name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings."-(Mal. iv. 12.) "Turn ye to the strong-hold, ye prisoners of hope; even to-day do I declare that I will render double unto thee."-(Zec. ix. 12.) Further, the pages of Inspiration inform us, "That our light afflictions which are but for a moment, work out for us (if duly improved and sanctified) a far more exceeding weight of glory." "While we look not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal," mourners, indeed, seem peculiarly called upon to live by faith, not by sight.

Oh, is it then nothing to us, sinners as we are, that we have been called into being to

run the race, however toilsome, for such a glorious crown? Designed in the counsels of the most High God, for the felicity of His eternal presence, where there is fulness of joy, and life for evermore. Is it not enough, that, having lost the image of our Creator, we have received all the aids and means of regaining it through the merits of our Redeemer?-that by that redemption, and by the illumination of the Holy Spirit we are but in the way of obtaining this heavenly inheritance? However long may be the time, however dark, and full of dangers and troubles may be the way, what is this, placed in comparison with eternity! O, let us compare what we are, (even when pressed down by a multitude of sorrows,) and what we deserve, with what God hath done for us, and what His mercy hath laid up for us if we love Him; then surely we must be humble; we shall adore in silence, the divine goodness and mercy, so far surpassing thought; or rather, we shall, in transports of gratitude, bless Him who thus vouchsafes to call us and to lead us to felicity and glory.

« EelmineJätka »