"It

dimly, by a vague thought of Him in my heart; yet let me know Him at once. He may come in a way He never came before: yet let me know Him at once. It was the faith of the disciples that was in fault; Jesus was there, but faith to know Him failed them; they judged by sight instead. O God, from Whom all faith comes, let not my faith fail; increase my faith; when my Saviour comes to me in my darkness, give me faith to know Him; let no darkness of soul hide Him from me, or make me afraid of Him. But when He spoke, they knew Him. is I; be not afraid." When they heard that, they gladly received Him into the boat, and all their fear was gone. He was with them; and even the darkness was no darkness to them now. O Saviour, Thou dost speak to me too may Thy voice bring light and comfort to my soul. Even in my gloom I may call to mind a thousand words of Thine; while I lie awake, and one dark thought after another crowds in upon me, let some sweet word of Thine be brought to me, and tell me Thou art near. Fulfil Thy gracious promise,

"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." Gracious Master, do not leave me in darkness of soul; come to me by Thy Spirit; let me hear Thy voice say to me, "It is I; be not afraid.”

The night was far advanced when Jesus came to them. "It was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them," was a state of things that lasted a long time. But at length He came. Let me not be impatient. If comfort does not come at once; if I cry, and seem to get no answer; if I wait, and my Saviour does not come; if my darkness still continues for a while; yet let not faith fail. Is not darkness the very time for faith? In the light we can see; in the darkness we are to believe. Let me be patient, let me wait under the cloud; dark, but not quite dark; desiring my Lord, asking Him to come, believing that He will. But let me keep eye and ear on the alert, the eye and ear of faith. If I cannot yet see Him, or if I scarcely see Him in the dim distance, yet let faith whisper, "He is coming." And let me wait patiently, prayerfully, and trustfully, till I hear His

voice. He will surely speak to me in the darkness, and give me the light of His presence. Soon, if I thus ask and wait, soon shall I hear His voice, "It is I; be not afraid." No more darkness then!

CHAPTER XX.

JOY AND HEALTH.

The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the

righteous: the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. The right hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence: the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened and corrected me: but He hath not given me over unto death."-Psalm cxviii. 15–18; P.B. version.

THE Psalmist includes himself, when he says "the righteous." May I do so too? Dare I number myself among the righteous? None are righteous in themselves; the righteous are those who truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and desire and strive to serve God with an upright and undivided heart. Such are accounted righteous for Christ's sake. Most truly do I believe in my Saviour, and place my whole hope in

Him; most truly do I desire to love and serve God. Then, unworthy as I am, I need not fear to take to myself this name; nay, I trust that God Himself gives it to me.

ance.

These words plainly refer to a great deliverThe dwelling of this righteous man has lately been a sick-house. He himself has been ill, he has been chastened with sickness; but now, against all expectations, as it seems, he who appeared to be given over unto death is restored to health. And now once more the voice of joy and health is in his dwelling. God has restored him to health, and so to joy; and, instead of the sounds of mourning and weeping, he and all his household speak cheerful words, and break forth in praise to God; "the voice of joy and health " is in the dwelling again.

I

I too have experienced the like mercy. was very ill, I suffered much, I lay helpless, wearisome days and nights were appointed to me; they thought I was nearing death, and I thought so myself. The voice of prayer went up from my dwelling then, prayer mixed with tears and sounds of sorrow. But now