"Be patient in tribulation."-ROM. xii. 12. "An example of fuffering, affliction, and patience. Behold, we count them happy who endure."-JAMES v. 10, 11.

PATIENCE AND LONG-SUFFERING.

With fore afflictions, and with injuries too,
One deeply loaded, in the pisture view;
Above, beneath, and reigning all around,

Trouble, and chains, and flanderous foes are found;
Her own fweet home no more a fhelter ftands,
Confumed by fire, it falls by cruel hands:
Amid this widely devaftating stroke,

No cry is heard, no voice of murmur fpoke;
Like the mild lamb that crouches by her fide,
She bears with meeknefs all that may betide;
She leans on Hope, and upward cafts her eyes,
Expecting fuccour from the distant skies.

THE above engraving reprefents a female, loaded with a heavy burden of afflictions and

injuries; fast bound by chains and fetters of iron, fhe is unable to help herfelf. Before her lie whips, chains, and flanders; behind, her house, her only afylum, is on fire. Ignited by wicked hands, it falls a prey to the devouring flames ; while the barking cur affails her with all his spite. In the midst of her wide-fpread calamity, fhe murmurs not, fhe makes no complaint. Like the innocent lamb at her fide, fhe bears all without repining. She leans on the anchor of hope, and looks upward.

This is an emblem of Patience and Longfuffering. The figure represents one who is oppreffed with manifold wrongs, upon whose fhoulders is laid a heavy burden of grievous outrages, and who is incapacitated, by the force of circumstances, from extricating herself; at the fame time, she discovers that she has not yet drunk the full cup of her woes. Other evils lie in prospect before her.

One, who, instead of receiving the commiferation and affistance of her neighbours in the season of adverfity, is affailed with the venom of the flanderer, the malice of the backbiter, and the wickedness of the incendiary; but who, in the midst of her fufferings, refufes to complain. Though caft down, perfecuted, and perplexed, fhe yields not in despair. With lamb-like meekness, she arms her breast, and poffeffes her foul in patience. All-fuftaining hope imparts new ftrength to her fpirits; the commits herself to God, who judgeth righteously; and looking to

God for grace to enable her to endure till he shall fend deliverance, calmly awaits the iffue.

Wicked and unreasonable men abound in the world, and the path of duty is often beset with prefent difficulties and dangers; yet it ends where all is eafy and delightful. Let no one recede from the path of duty, nor tamely yield to despair. We may be tempted to flee, like the prophet Jonah, from our proper work; like Joshua, we may throw ourselves on the ground, and exclaim, defpondingly, "Alas, O Lord God!" Like David, we may fay, "I fhall perish by the hand of Saul;" or like Elijah, the fearless advocate of truth, fay inquiringly, "What good shall my life. do me?" Yet let us remember, that "light is fown for the righteous." The feed of deliverance is already in the ground; the crop is not far diftant; we fhall reap, if we faint not.

The conduct of Job affords the most perfect example of patience. Defpoiled of his worldly property, his children taken from him at a ftroke, his body tormented with one of the most painful and loathsome diseases, diftreffed by the foolish infidelity of his wife, and flandered by his profeffed friends; yet his patient foul triumphed over all. Still clinging to God his Rock, he exclaimed exultingly, Though he flay me, yet will I truft in him. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taketh away bleffed be the name of the Lord."

"In your patience, poffefs ye your fouls."-LUKE xxi. 19.

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“ Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.”

JAMES V. 7.

"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of fuffering affliction, and of patience."-JAMES V. 10.

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"Let us run with patience the race fet before us looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was fet before him, endured the cross, defpifing the fhame, and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God."-HEB. xii. 1, 2.

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My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."JAMES i. 2, 3, 4.

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

TEMPTATION.

See where the tree its richeft foliage wears,
And golden fruit its laden branches bears;
Behold conceal'd beneath its fhade fidelong,
The gloffy ferpent, with his poisonous tongue;
The fimple boy, far from his father's care,
Is well-nigh taken with the gilded fnare.
The tempting fruit, outspread before his eyes,
Fills him with rapture and complete furprise;
Nor hidden dangers will he wait to fee,
But onward haftens to the fatal tree.
His father fees him, and, with faltering breath,
Recalls his loved one from the brink of death,
Nor waits reply, but on the fpot he fprings,
And faves his darling from the ferpent's ftings.

THE tree rich in foliage, and rich in fruit, fpreads out its delicious produce to the paffer by.