THE RANUNCULUS. 219 



Nor ioes it end here : whatever be the rod, the 

 chastisement is ordered and over-ruled by a loving 

 Father, that it may yield to his children who are 

 exercised thereby, the peaceable fruit of righteous- 

 ness. To overlook the rod as a mere instrument, 

 in itself utterly contemptible, and from the permit- 

 ted chastening to draw sweets, is a very delightful 

 privilege. Thus it is that the wrath of man is 

 made to praise the Lord, beyond whose permission 

 it cannot extend — no, not to the fraction of a hair's 

 breadth. The remainder of wrath he restrains ; 

 where malice purposed to pour down an over- 

 whelming torrent, to drown its devoted object, God 

 suffers a few drops to fall, sufficient only to refresh 

 and fertilize ; and then, with his mighty breath, 

 drives off the swelling cloud to vent its rage be 

 yond the precints of His garden. "Ye shall have 

 tribulation ten days," is Jehovah's award, to those 

 whom Satan marked out for utter destruction ; 

 and surely these ten days should be days of re- 

 joicing, to the souls who hear not only the rod, but 

 him who hath appointed it. How sweet are those 

 lines ! 



Man may trouble and distress me, 



'Twill but drive me to thy breast ; 

 Life with trials hard may press me, 



Heaven will give me sweeter rest. 



Dear Reader, have you ever yet come into con- 

 tact with nettles, concealed among the rose-bushes? 



