THE RANUNCULUS. 219 



Nor does 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 instrunnent, 

 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 WTath 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 iitler 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 wuh nettles, concealed among the rose-bushes? 



