We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. . . In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Heb. v. 8-10.

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? . . . Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Heb. xii. 5, 6, 7,

II.

M. B. B.

UR Heavenly Father is evermore teaching His children, not alone through His Word, His Church, and Sacraments, but by outward circumstances and inward experiences, by days of brightness and seasons of sorrow, bringing out from each, in turn, manifold lessons for such as with lowly watchful hearts are ever 'waiting upon God.'

But if this be so, surely He has special teaching for those on whom He, in His infinite wisdom, has seen fit to lay the cross of sorrow, sickness, or suffering. Those

who have watched by the bedsides of the sick, as well as those who have had personal experience of pain and weakness, can abundantly testify to the merciful dealings of our compassionate Father at such times. His lessons. to His afflicted children are varied, as are the different characters of those whom, by His loving discipline, He is chastening here, that He may fit them for those blessed mansions above, which He meanwhile is preparing for them.

Suffering, allied as it is in some mysterious way to sin, is also closely connected with the sanctification of the faithful. Christ, the true Vine, says of each living branch, 'He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.' Nor is it difficult to see how this may be, for the afflicted servant of Christ, drawn apart from the turmoil of the world, ever looking upward to his dear Lord's cross, watching His face of sorrow 'marred more than

any man's,' and bearing on His aching brow the Crown of Thorns,—such an one, while sitting in stillness at Jesus' feet, realizes more and more His love in suffering, and discovers thus the secret of bearing patiently his own little cross. And this close communion with Christ in suffering is doing for him what nothing else could have done. Out of that softened heart will spring love, sympathy, patience, hope, yea, all the blessed 'fruits of the Spirit,' until he in his little measure is like the 'Captain of our salvation,' being made 'perfect through sufferings.'

While passing by the more ordinary forms of sickness with their obvious lessons, let us dwell for a few moments on the case of the life-long sufferers-on those who perhaps from their earliest years have been chained to some couch of pain, one year following another with little variation. They know, it may be, that no earthly remedy can bring them deliverance; the most skilful physician can only suggest alleviations, affording for a time slight relief to the feeble frame, but none can heal their sore disease. Suffering behind, suffering ever before them, until they shall lay aside the burthen of the flesh, and reach the 'haven where they would be!'

Amongst such as these, God is working, oftentimes manifestly. In loneliness, in silence, during wakeful nights, through wearisome days, God is teaching them. At first they may have shrunk back, the way seemed too hard and narrow for them to tread; but His gentle

voice whispers to their sad hearts, 'Follow me,' and they follow, and He leads them on, step by step, as they are able to bear it. They may have, nay, rather, they must have, many a conflict, many a fear, many a struggle against their besetting sins and infirmities; but onward they go, winning continually, as God enables them, little victories over self and sin; while learning of Him who was 'meek and lowly of heart,' the impatient spirit gains patience, the self-willed rebellious temper is gradually overcome, until at length the blessed lesson of self-renunciation, of lying still in God's hands, 'always committing all to Him,'-is learnt, almost perfectly, even here.

And those thus taught of God themselves, surely are meantime teaching others. 'There is no such sermon as a holy life.' They, the suffering ones, set in the hottest of the battle, the nearest to God because the lowliest, does not their influence, their example, prove many a time a blessing to all around them? Has not a visit to such as these, their quiet smile, their loving sympathy, often brought comfort and strength to those who are harassed and wearied with the cares of ordinary life? So that while they thus are unconsciously helping others, the world is constrained to take 'knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus.'

Once again. There are others, many more perhaps than we imagine, whom God is teaching, through still more subtle suffering. Heart sickness, soul weariness,

He who 'bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows,' knows as none other can know what these fiery trials are! Some secret cross, some hidden infirmity, little understood by the nearest and dearest; some haunting memory of the past, when the bright hope which gladdened all their days was suddenly extinguished, and all life henceforth was changed and darkened; or some fear of future ill overshadowing the brightest hours with gloom. Ah! for those who are passing through such deep waters as these God has lessons-He, who sits as a Refiner, watching until His image is reflected in each suffering heart, will not let them go till He has blessed them. So like, yet so unlike others, moving in and out among us, and yet in their inmost souls feeling a barrier impassable between themselves and all beside, which only He who created and redeemed them can pass over. What would God teach to such as these? Many lessons doubtless; and perhaps each heart, knowing its own bitterness and its own needs, can best answer that question.

But there is one lesson which it would be well for all to consider.

We read in the vision of the beloved disciple, of a 'great multitude which no man can number,' and that these all came out of great tribulation.' Then, surely, in every generation, through all time, there must be scattered up and down, 'of every nation, and kindred, and tongue,' many suffering servants of God. As 'heart answereth to heart,' so the trial felt by one is oftentimes