roke on distracted reason's ear. It comes not to charm with a false
hope, but with the full authority of God. None but His Son who had
lain so long in His Father's bosom that He knew its blessed heart-beats
thoroughly, could speak such words--"Are not five sparrows sold for two
farthings." Here are poor worthless things indeed that may be truly
called creatures of chance. "Time and doom" must surely "hap" to
these. Indeed no; "not one of them is forgotten before God." Ponder
every precious word in simple faith. God's _memory_ bears upon it the
lot of every worthless sparrow; it may "fall to the ground," but not
without Him. He controls their destiny and is interested in their very
flight. If it be so with the sparrow, that may be bought for a single
mite, shall the _saint_, who has been bought at a price infinitely
beyond all the treasures of silver and gold in the universe, even at
the cost of the precious blood of His dear Son,--shall _he_ be subject
to "time and doom"? Shall his lot not be shaped by infinite love and
wisdom? Yes, verily. Even the very hairs of his head are all
numbered. No joy, no happiness, no disappointment, no perplexity, no
sorrow, so infinitesimally small (let alone the greatest) but that the
One who controls all worlds takes the closest interest therein, and
turns, in His love, every thing to blessing, forcing "_all to work
together for good_," and making the very storms of life obedient
servants to speed His children to their Home.

Faith _alone_ triumphs here; but faith _triumphs_; and apart from such
tests and trials, what opportunity would there be for faith _to_
triumph? May we not bless God, then, (humbly enough, for we know how
quickly we fail under trial,) that He _does_ leave opportunity for
faith to be in exercise and to get victories?

God first reveals Himself, and then says, as it were, "Now let Me see
if you have so learned what _I am_ as to trust _Me_ against all
circumstances, against all that you see, feel, or suffer." And what
virtue there must be in the Light of God, when so little of it is
needed to sustain His child! Even in the dim early twilight of the
dawning of divine revelation, Job, suffering under a very similar and
fully equal "evil time," could say, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath
taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord:" accents sweet and
refreshing to Him who values at an unknown price the confidence of this
poor heart of man. And yet what