August 10

Third Saturday after Trinity

But the God of all grace, Who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. I S. PETER v. 10.

WITH this beautiful sentence, containing the fulness of blessing and the highest exhortation to all patience, S. Peter ends this appeal. "The call to eternal glory," and the "suffering for a while," seem here set against each other, as in S. Paul's expression, "our light affliction, which is but for a moment," is weighed in the balance with "an eternal weight of glory." The four words, "perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you," are very forcible in describing the good effect of tribulations and afflictions. The effect of such trials in persons duly exercised thereby, is to render more secure the foundations on which their faith is built; to induce them as it were to go deeper until they come to the rock, which rock is Christ. The spiritual house to be blessed with Christ's presence, must, as the material temple of old, "be built in troublous times," otherwise there will be but the fair structure whose foundation is on the sands. But God be praised that He is ever wont to give us not only what the world calls blessings, and which appear so in their coming on, but such also as are known to be blessings in their going away, those sharp and severe trials which, in some shape or other, are calculated to find out our weak points. And if we be but faithful in making the most of them, they will, by God's blessing, and in His own good time, "perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle us;" then

Earth may reel and men may fear, Still to thee thy God is near; Keep the choice thy soul has made, Fear not then, nor be afraid!