e wounds, and closes the arteries, but the purpose
of both acts is one.

The diurnal revolution of the earth brings the joyful sunrise and the
pathetic sunset. The same annual revolution whirls us through the
balmy summer days and the biting winter ones. God's purpose is one.
His methods vary. The road goes straight to its goal; but it
sometimes runs in tunnels dank and dark and stifling, and sometimes
by sunny glades and through green pastures. God's purpose is always
love, brother. His withdrawals are gifts, and sorrow is not the least
of the benefits which come to us through the Man of Sorrows.

So again, let these thoughts teach us to live by a very quiet and
peaceful faith. We find it a great deal easier to trust God for
Heaven than for earth--for the distant blessings than for the near
ones. Many a man will venture his soul into God's hands, who would
hesitate to venture to-morrow's food there. Why? Is it not because we
do not really trust Him for the greater that we find it so hard to
trust Him for the less? Is it not because we want the less more
really than we want the greater, that we can put ourselves off with
faith for the one, and want something more solid to grasp for the
other? Live in the calm confidence that God gives all things; and
gives us for to-morrow as for eternity; for earth as for heaven.

And, last of all, make you quite sure that you have taken _the_
great gift of God. He gives it to all the world, but they only have
it who accept it by faith. Have you, my brother? I look out upon the
lives of the mass of professing Christians; and this question weighs
on my heart, judging by conduct--have they really got Christ for
their own? 'Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not
bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not?' Look how you
are all fighting and scrambling, and sweating and fretting, to get
hold of the goods of this present life, and here is a gift gleaming
before you all the while that you will not condescend to take. Like a
man standing in a market-place offering sovereigns for nothing, which
nobody accepts because they think the offer is too good to be true,
so God complains and wails: I have stretched out My hands all the
day, laden with gifts, and no man regarded.

'It is only heaven may be had for the asking;
It is only God that is given away.'

He gives His Son. Take Him by humble faith in His sacrifice and
Spirit; take Him, and with Him He freely give