"The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." Ps. xli. 3.

In this one verse is a plurality of comforts for a believer on a bed of sickness; or with it in prospect; they are to be enjoyed by faith, by every believing soul; let us now look at them. Let the poor afflicted christian consider:

1st. "The Lord will strengthen him," both in body and mind; and should he be too weak to sit up, being worn down by sickness, no matter: The Lord can, and will, do it "upon the bed of languishing;" though he may have long lain; and become wasted by sickness; or reduced by racking pains; God will assuredly enable him to bear up cheerfully under his afflictions, and patiently wait the issue: Ps. lxxiii. 26.

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3d. The Lord will be his nurse. He will not only be constantly with him in his sick-chamber, but will "make all his bed in his sickness :" He will "make all his bed;" will shake it up, turn it over, and, from head to foot, make it very easy; even as a bed of health. O how soft must that bed be made by so good a hand! so accustomed is He to making beds for his children, that, even a bed of straw, He makes to lie soft as down: Ps. cxvi. 6. Lord has nowhere promised, that you shall never be sick; nor that you shall never be confined to a bed of languishing; but he has promised to strengthen you in the one, and support you on the other. So that you need not fear being left to your own helplessness; since He has engaged to attend you himself, in the capacity of Physician and Nurse. Bear in mind, afflicted Christian, that while your heavenly Father afflicts you with one hand, he supports you with the other. When pain prevails over your weak frame, you may be tempted to think yourself forgotten; that your religion is vain, and that you have been deceiving yourself; but your affections prove that you are an object both of Satan's enmity and the Lord's fatherly discipline: Heb. xii. 6, 7.

A stubborn and rebellious mind in a Christian, must be brought low; and if naked blessings do not humble us, they are sent disguised in afflictions. You are now called to be a hero, not in action, but in suffering; you are in God's school under education; where you are being instructed by chastisement. Bear it patiently.

"The trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire." Pet. i. 7.

MANY things may rob a Christian of his happy frame, yet nothing can deprive him of the foundation of his happiness; for it is founded in the unchangeable love and truth of God. Here is a stream flowing to the citizens of heaven from the shoreless ocean of God's love : Ps. xlvi. 1-5. Observe,

1st. God's design is, not to destroy you, but, to refine you, and has afflicted you, for "the trial of your faith." Faith that is not tried is hardly worth calling "faith." The fire tries gold; afflictions try faith. By the trial of your faith your christianity is tried; and without faith all our pretensions to religion are vain: Heb. xi. 6. There is a mock-faith, which, with some, passes for real faith; but, when tried, is always found to be good for nothing; and will not stand the fire. But your's is "precious faith: " 2 Pet. i. 1. A grain of faith is worth a ton of gold. Yea, it is "much more precious than gold;" for this plain reason, "gold perisheth;" but faith never will perish. Gold, "though it be tried in the fire," does not increase in the fire; and faith does : James i. 3. It is not all gold that looks like gold; neither is that all faith which looks like faith; the fire will prove them both. When the formalist is told that he must be tried, he cries out, "This is a hard saying; who can bear it?" John vi. 60. But when the believer is in the furnace he confidently says, When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold: Job. xxiii. 10.

The Lord, in afflicting you, designs your good; not your ruin. The most valuable, pure, useful, and durable of all metals, is tried-gold; so is tried-faith among all the christian virtues. The trial of both, gold and faith, is intended to seperate the dross from that which is valuable. Gold rather diminishes in the trial; but faith is improved, established, and multiplied, by its oppositions and afflictions. The best of gold must perish at last : Luke xxii. 32. The enemy of your soul may be permitted to go the full length of his chain, and greatly annoy you during your sickness; but he can go no farther; and a faithful God will never suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, for "the trial of your faith is precious."

"And even to your old age, I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made and I will bear, even I will carry, and will deliver you." Isa. xlvi. 4.

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POOR soul, art thou, not only almost at thy journey's end, but, perhaps too, at thy wits end? Do men insult and Satan triumph over thee, till thou art almost drunk with trouble and intoxicated with affliction? Are they accusing thee with being a hypocrite; asking, now, where is thy religion; and calling upon thee to bow down that they may go over thee? Do they impudently ask thee, "Where is thy God?" and perplex thee till thou art almost ready to ask thyself the same question? Ps. xlii. 3. Here you have an answer to all such questions, from your God himself. "I am He." I formed you; gave your being; sustained you while an helpless infant at the breast; I marked your infant path with mercy; regarded you, and brought you safely through the slippery path of youth; conducted you in safety to manhood; led you on to maturity ; "And even to your old age Though your strength might decay, my love shall not diminish: Jer. xxxi. 3. Infirmities may load your body, but my grace is sufficient: 2 Cor. xii. 9. I not only made you, but have redeemed you; therefore "I will bear" you; yea, and more than that, when you cannot walk for old age and infirmity, "I will carry you" Isa. xli. 14. Are you unfit for business? let that give you no concern; even to hoar hairs," your bread shall still be given you: Isa, xxxiii. 16. Are your friends grown weary of supporting you? still trust in me; my friendship shall never grow cold: Heb. xiii. 5. Are you desiring that some friend would come and "deliver you?" "I am he," who has brought you thus far on your journey through life: and I am not going to leave you now you need my help most. You change often, but I change never : Heb. i. 10 .12. Let not your heart be troubled; from all your griefs and infirmities, "I will deliver you." O, how does his grace shine in this gracious speech! Canst thou help loving and adoring so gracious a master? He never turns his servants off, to shift for themselves, in old age, No, for when they are unable either to work or walk, he will keep them if it be only to look at,

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"And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt. xxviii. 20.

ALL the promises of God, as well as the threatnings, were made to characters; hence, we must always know that we sustain the character before we lay our claim to the promise. This precious promise (or declaration) was made to the Apostles, and, as such, belongs to them exclusively; but being made to them as ministers of the gospel may be claimed by all who truly sustain that character; and being given to them as disciples or christians, all the faithful followers of Christ have an equal claim to it. Let us then, aged soldier of the cross, consider,

First, the great privilege possessed by all real believers in JESUS, "I am with you always. They have not only his general presence, which all have, but his special presence. 1st. His guiding presence. He guides his people, as he did Israel of old, through this world, which would be a dreary wilderness without his presence: Deut. viii. 2. He guides us by his providence and grace: John iii. 35: his word and spirit: Isa. xlii. 16. And 2d. His protecting presence is with them; so that you shall, not only be guided in the right way, but, be preserved from those enemies and snares which beset you : Ps. xlvi. i. Rest assured nothing can harm you while Christ is with you: 1 Pet. iii. 13. You may be bending under the weight of many years; and worn down with cares; but let none of those things trouble you. For, 3d. His sustaining presence is with you. He is your gracious Saviour, and has engaged to richly supply all your needs; all you have to do, is to place your whole dependence upon him, and ask, in his name, the things you need: John xiv. 13, 14. And, 4th. You have his abiding presence. He is with you always, "even to the end of the world." So that you will have his company and aid to the end of your journey: Ps. lxxiii. 24. And hence we may learn,

Secondly. The happiness of believers. 1st. The presence of Christ gives rest in this life: Matt. xi. 28, 29; and peace that the, world knows nothing of: John xvi. 33. And 2d. His presence gives victory over sin, death, and the grave: 1 Cor. xv. 55, 57.

"He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee; he will also bless the fruit of thy womb. " Deut. vii. 13.

PERMIT me, dear sister, to remind thee of that near relation in which the God of all comfort stands to thee. For thy maker is thy husband: the Lord of hosts is his name: Isa. liv. 5. And what more can you desire to complete your happiness, than what he has promised?

1st, "He will love thee." The Lord has loved thee; and given unnumbered proofs of his love, and "He," having fallen in love with thee, "will love thee: 1 John iv. 9, 10. "He will love thee," notwithstanding thou art so very homely in thy own eyes; for he looks upon thee as a perfect beauty, through his comeliness which he has put upon thee: Ezek. xvi. 6 14. 2d. Thou shalt have further proof of his love too, than mere words; for "He will bless thee," yea, and thou shalt be blessed. Do not talk about ill-requited love, now, you have only to do better for the time to come; and evince your love to him by keeping his commandments; and the desire of your heart shall be granted; Ps. xxxvii. 4. For, 3d. "He will multiply thee ;" and, if he sees it will be for thy good, he will never suffer thee to have an estate without an heir; nor an heir without an estate. Let not your present trying situation cause you any uneasiness; but rest assured, that he who formed thee knows well how to form thine. You know he has loved you; and, in numberless instances blessed you, and interposed in your behalf; and you have a good right to expect that he will bless your's; for he says he will; and surely his word is sufficient to remove all your scruples and dispel your fears: Matt. xxiv. 35. 4th. He has blessed the tree, and says, "He will bless the fruit;" so that he has put the matter beyond dispute. He is acquainted with every ache and pain you feel; and when the time of your extremity arrives, "He will love thee, and bless thee and multiply thee; he will also bless the fruit ;" and take the best of care of the tree. Your feelings you cannot avoid; they are peculiar to your present situation; but it is your privilege to live above them; though you cannot live without them. While it is your duty quietly to submit to your trial, let you fears be given to the winds: Isa. xli. 10. He will bless both thee and thine.