CHRISTIAN LACONICS

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 28, 1861

CHRISTIAN LACONICS.

Long afflictions will much set off the glory of heaven. The longer the storm, the sweeter the calm; the longer the winter nights the sweeter the summer days. The new wine of Christ's kingdom is most sweet to those who have long been drinking gall and vinegar. The higher the mountain, the gladder we shall be when we get to the top of it. The longer our journey is, the sweeter will be our end; and the longer our passage is, the more desirable will the haven be.

A murmurer is an ungodly man; he is an ungodlike man; no man on earth more unlike to God than the murmurer; and therefore no wonder if, when Christ comes to execute judgment, he deals severely and terribly with him. Let him make what profession he will of godliness, yet if murmuring keeps the throne in his heart, Christ will deal with him at last as with ungodly sinners. A lazy Christian will always want four things—comfort, content, confidence, and assurance. Assurance and joy are choice donatives that Christ gives to laborious Christians only. The lazy Christian has his mouth full of complaints, when the active Christian has his heart full of comforts.

God loves to smile most upon his people when

the world frowns most. When the world puts its iron chains upon their legs, then God puts his golden chains about their necks; when the world puts a bitter cup into their hands, then God drops some of his honey, some of his goodness and sweetness into it. When the world is tearing their good names, then he gives them a name that is better than that of sons and daughters.—Spurgeon's Smooth Stones.