THE FRIENDLY QUIVER. 66 5 It was a warning arrow that reached Joseph in a dream, when he was forced to fly from his home: Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him," Matt. ii. 13. The arrow was regarded, and the infant Redeemer saved. Warning arrows are merciful things, and often prevent much of sin and sorrow. Be quick to discern them, prompt to apply them, and ever ready to profit by their friendly instruction. There are BROKEN arrows, that shiver in pieces or ever they reach the heart. Such are, particular threatened evils and expected calamities that, after all, come not upon us; dangers in which we are protected, and destructions from which we are snatched as brands from the burning, in consequence of prayer. Are we threatened with a lawsuit that will ruin us, but it is given up? Are we at sea in a storm, with nothing but shipwreck before us, yet reach the land in safety? Are we afflicted with a disease that seems to be unto death, and yet we recover our health? These are broken arrows, that would have destroyed us had they not been shivered in pieces. It was such an arrow as this that was directed against Nineveh, "that great city," wherein were more than six score thousand persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle, Jonah iv. 11. Such an arrow also was aimed against Hezekiah: "Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live," Isa. xxxviii. 1; but it was broken ere it reached him, for he turned his face to the wall and prayed, and the word of the Lord came to him by Isaiah, "I will add unto thy days fifteen years," Isa. xxxviii. 5. Value prayer, love prayer, practise prayer. Hast thou Turn to the sinned? Is the arrow about to smite thee? Lord with full purpose of heart, that the arrow may be broken. Turn to the Lord, for he will have mercy; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Isa. lv. 7. There are SWIFT arrows, that reach us almost as soon as the sin is committed which calls them forth. When a child touches the fire with his finger, it is a swift arrow that wounds it. These arrows have smitten God's people and God's enemies in all ages; they have been curses to the latter, and blessings to the former. It was a swift arrow that struck Pharaoh when the river was turned into blood; when he was visited with a murrain on the cattle, with boils and blains, with frogs and flies, hail, locusts and darkness; when the first-born of Egypt were slain, and when his host was overwhelmed in the Red Sea, Exod. xiv. 23–28. It was a swift arrow that smote those who mocked the prophet Elisha. "Go up, thou bald head," had scarcely passed their lips before the bears came that tore them in pieces, 2 Kings ii. 23, 24. And it was a swift arrow that struck Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 1-11. Tempt not the Lord, lest an arrow, not only swift, but fatal, go forth from his quiver: lest he say, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee," Luke xii. 20; or swear in his wrath, Ye "shall not enter into my rest," Heb. iii. 11. There are STRONG arrows, that are not to be resisted; they come as shot by the hand of a strong bowman, weighty and powerful, and bear down all opposition. Truth is a strong arrow, and its flight is irresistible. It is like the spear of Abishai, that slew three hundred men, 2 Sam. xxiii. 18. All sudden convictions are strong arrows, whether they proceed from God's holy word or God's providences. Job was struck by a strong arrow when he cried out, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee: wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes," Job xlii. 5, 6. for " It was a strong arrow that our blessed Lord drew against the Pharisees when he was at Jerusalem; and sorely it wounded them; no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions," Matt. xxii. 46. Saul was struck to the heart by one of these arrows as he journeyed to Damascus, breathing out persecutions and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. Well might he fall to the ground when he saw the great light, and heard the words, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? THE FRIENDLY QUIVER. 7 it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks," Acts ix. 4, 5; for then it was that a strong arrow entered his bosom. Struggle not against convictions, but humble thyself beneath the mighty power of God; then shall his strong arrows be suspended, or otherwise prove a blessing to thy soul. There are SHARP arrows, that win their way freely, and inflict pain, smarting, and agony. They make the wounded writhe, for they pierce even to the dividing asunder of the joints and the marrow, even though no mortal part be touched. Bodily affliction is a sharp arrow, as all know who have lain beneath the knife of the surgeon, or are acquainted with the rheumatism, gout, gravel, stone, and other painful diseases. Job knew something of a sharp arrow when he took a potsherd to scrape himself withal, and when his friends sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him, Job ii. 13. Bereavements are sharp arrows, and no doubt they have wounded thee in thy time; for few altogether escape them. Loss of property is a sharp arrow, too, and not many are there who endure its smart patiently. And then what sharp arrows are a wounded spirit and sorrow for sin. The apostle Paul discourses eloquently about the last of these when he cries out, in the bitterness of his spirit, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. vii. 24. As the sharpest arrow, however, will not, without God's grace, be profitable to thy soul, seek that grace in whatever way thou art wounded. There are POISONED arrows, that not only wound and tear us with their sharp points, but that rankle and fester within us on account of some burning quality that attends them; such as heavy afflictions and overwhelming trouble that we bring on ourselves by our thoughtlessness, our folly, or our sins. When God sends affliction, the arrow may be sharp, and yet not be poisoned; but when we bring affliction on ourselves, it poisons the arrow, and destroys our peace, The arrow of a guilty conscience is indeed a poisoned arrow. It was a poisoned arrow that struck David when Nathan said unto him, "Thou art the man," 2 Sam. xii. 7. And it was another that wounded the poor prodigal, when he was constrained to return home to his compassionate parent, and to say, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son," Luke xv. 21. And, oh! what a poisoned arrow must that have been which struck home to the heart of Judas, when "he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself," Matt. xxvii. 5. Sanctified affliction is a precious thing; but pray fervently, pray incessantly, that thou mayest never be wounded by a poisoned arrow. If, however, it should be the case that thou shouldest ever be struck down by one of these rankling and raging shafts, go to the Great Physician. "Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time," 1 Peter v. 6. Besides these arrows that I have mentioned, there are many more; and thou must make up thy account to be wounded by them. Servant of God! believer in Christ! disciple of the Redeemer! whether the gray hairs of age or the ruddy cheek of youth be thine-whether thou art bending with infirmity or walking erect with health and strength-the threatening arrow shall hang over thee, the warning arrow shall fall near thee, the broken arrow shall be shivered in pieces at thy feet, and the swift arrow, the strong arrow, and the sharp arrow, shall wound thee for thy good. So sure as thou sinnest, a poisoned arrow will overtake thee, and bring thee to the ground; yet, though cast down, thou shalt not be destroyed; though sorely perplexed, thou shalt not be in despair; for He whom thou servest is mighty to redeem. He has found a ransom for thy sins; a price is paid for thine iniquities. Here thou shalt share his grace, and hereafter his glory. "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence THE GOD OF HOPE. 9 that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee," Psa. xci. 4-7. Though arrows of all kinds fly around thee, humbly, hopefully, trustfully_go on thy way, thinking lightly of earthly calamity. Let this be the language of thy heart to the Lord of glory : O God of grace! whate'er may be my woes, Thy powerful arm shall shield me from my foes; THE GOD OF HOPE. A WORD FOR A NEW YEAR. FROM A LETTER BY REV. W. ROMAINE. I HAVE observed the public mind too much agitated about the signs of the times, and my own friends rather uneasy about what was coming on the earth. Come what may, I have always an infallible antidote, and I gave for my word this year (1794), "THE GOD OF HOPE," Rom. xv. 13. This is one of his high titles. The God from whom believers in Christ may hope for all possible good, and to be saved from all possible evil. This is his character, a promise keeping God." And may he render this year famous for the exercise of Christian hope, well-grounded, sure and certain, built upon immutable things, and bringing the words into happy experience, even that the God of hope may fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 66 This hope is his gift, a grace of his power, the fruit of believing. Whatever God has promised, be it ever so great, ever so much, he enables the believer to hope for its accomplishment, and to wait God's time. This is the hope which never maketh ashamed. All worldly hopes may disappoint, but this cannot, Rom. v. 5. The believer looks at sin, and triumphs, Rom. viii. 31-34; looks at the troubles arising from sin, for they all come from it; and he carries on his triumph, Rom. viii. 35, to the end. He looks at death, and still is happy, for he has hope in his death, Prov. xiv. 32. He looks beyond death to a God of hope; he looks for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, with a hope full of glory and immortality, |