sarne in darkness as in light, in sorrow as in joy; the same, when all sensible comfort is withdrawn, as when the brightness of God's face is full upon the soul; the same in the apostles on the mount, in Jonah in the deep, in Christ in his last agony. I believe it to be the privilege of every regenerate heart to seek and to possess it in perpetuity. If our faith be founded on sensible enjoyments, it must depart with them: if it be founded on our own righteousness, it must sink under a sense of sin; but if founded upon Christ, it can abide all changes, for he is unchangeable. But of those who have built themselves a tabernacle upon that mount where the first disciple stayed so short a time, I must still inquire by what road they came thither. If it was through a host of vanquished enemies; through the furnace of affliction seven times heated; through the deep humiliation of a broken and a contrite heart; then I have nothing to reply. The conflict may be over, the battle may be won, Satan, and sin, and self, foiled by long resist, ance, may have blunted their weapons and desisted; and the believer, like a soldier at

nightfall, may lie down in his tent in peace, waiting the morning to receive his laurels. Many an aged Christian, many a deeply tried and suffering Christian, has, I doubt not, attained to such repose: a season of holiness, and peace, and joy, more like the bliss of heaven, than the pilgrimage of earth. But if any have reached it by another road; if they have suf fered no crucifixion, borne no cross, endured no spiritual conflict; and, as I have sometimes heard, to deny the need of any such thingI confess I understand nothing of their religion, I find nothing of it in the Bible; I think they will do well to prepare for a reverse.

In his Joys.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."-JOHN XV. 11.

HAD "the Man of Sorrows" any joys? The gospels, the proper memoirs of his life, make no mention of any. His tears are spoken of, but not his smiles. When we consider what he was-holy, pure, divine, eternal; when we consider whence he came from the bosom of

the Father, from a throne in glory; and what he came for to suffer, the just for the unjust we might conclude that in this unsatisfying, miserable world, the Son of God could find nothing to enjoy-could have no thought of gladness; and yet I think he had. We must look very closely indeed to find the sources of his joy, for they were few and hidden. Once, and I think no more, it is said in the gospels, that Jesus rejoiced in spirit. (Luke x. 21.) The occasion of his rejoicing is very

remarkable:-"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." There could be but one cause for this-Jesus had no pleasure in the blindness of any one-no value for the soul of one above another; but he beheld his Father's glory in it; he knew that had the wise and prudent of this world been chosen to make known his gospel, men would have given to them the glory-perhaps they would have taken it to themselves. But God had chosen the foolish of this world to confound the wise, and Jesus delighted in the preference, because he saw the greater glory that would result from it to God: proving that salvation is of grace, and not of merit; that divine knowledge is imparted immediately from heaven, and not acquired by human understanding. I cannot help remarking how different a feeling prevails amongst them. There is apt to be great rejoicing in the church when some great one, some wise one, is converted, as if it were more important that such a one should be saved than one who is poor and unknown. A great

deal is said about the influence such a conversion may have on others, the power of such a one for doing good, the conspicuousness of a light so elevated. This may be the result if God so pleases, but it is evident that Jesus made no account of all this: he expressly rejoiced that it was otherwise.

I have said, there is in the gospels no other mention of the Redeemer's joys. It is only by inference we can trace them. It may be inferred justly, that he himself rejoiced in that which he declared to be a cause of joy in heaven—the bringing of a sinner to repentance. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied;" entirely, when the purpose of his travail should be accomplished in the salvation of his church; but prospectively in the depth of his sufferings. As St. Paul also speaks, "Who, for the joy that was set before him, despised the shame." As one and another turned to follow him, we must suppose the compassionate Saviour rejoiced in the fruits of anticipated victory, with a joy proportioned to his love--and that was infinite. When, of the ten who were healed, one only returned to