direct; no strength availeth, without thy support; no chastity is safe, without thy protection; no watchfulness effectual, when thy holy vigilance is not our guard. No sooner are we left to ourselves, than the waves of corruption rush upon us, and we sink; but if thou reach forth thy omnipotent hand, we walk upon the sea. In our own nature we are unsettled as the sand upon the mountain; but in thee, we have the stability of the throne of heaven: we are cold and insensible as darkness and death; but are kindled into light and life by the fire of thy love.

How worthless and vain should I deem the good that appears to be mine! With what profound humility, O Lord, ought I to cast myself into the abyss of thy judgments, where I continually find myself to be nothing! O depth immense! Where, now, is the lurking-place of human glory; where the confidence of human virtue? In the awful deep of thy judgments which cover me, all self-confidence and self-glory are swallowed up for ever!

Lord, what is all flesh in thy sight? Shall the clay glory against him that formed it?

Can that

heart be elated by the vain applause of men, that has felt the blessing of submission to the will of God? The whole world has not power to exalt that, which truth has subjected to himself; nor can the united praise of every tongue move him, whose hope is established in thee: for those that utter praise, behold they also are nothing, like those that hear it! they shall both pass away and be lost, as the sound of their own words; but " the truth of the Lord endureth for ever!"

CHAPTER X.

Resignation to the Divine Will.

:

CHRIST.

LET this, my son, be the language of all thy requests: "Lord, if it be pleasing to thee, may this be granted, or withheld. Lord, if this tend to thy honor, let it be done in thy name. If thou seest that this is expedient for me, and will promote my sanctification, then grant it me, and with it grace to use it to thy glory but if thou knowest it will prove hurtful, and not conduce to the health of my soul, remove far from me my desire." For every desire that appears to man right and good, is not born from heaven; and it is difficult always to determine truly, whether desire is prompted by the good Spirit of God, or the evil spirit of the enemy, or thy own selfish spirit; so that many have found themselves involved in evil, by the suggestions of Satan, or the impulse of self-love, who thought themselves under the influence and conduct of the Spirit of God.

Whatever, therefore, presents itself to the mind as good, let it be desired and asked in the fear of God, and with profound humility; but especially, with a total resignation of thy own will, refer both the desire itself and the accomplishment of it to me, and say, "Lord, thou knowest what is best : let this or that be done, according to thy will. Give me what thou wilt; and in what measure, and at what time thou wilt. Do with me as thou knowest to be best, as

most pleaseth thee, and will tend most to thy honor. Place me where thou wilt, and freely dispose of me in all things. Lo, I am in thy hands ; lead and turn me whithersoever thou pleasest: I am thy servant, prepared for all submission and obedience. I desire not to live to myself, but to thee: O grant it may be truly and worthily!"

DISCIPLE.

Send thy Spirit most merciful Jesus, "from the throne of thy glory," that it may be "present with me, and labor with me," and illuminate, sanctify, and bless me for ever! Enable me always to will and desire that which is most dear and acceptable to thee. Let thy will be wholly mine: let it reign sc powerfully in me, that it may not be possible for me to oppose it, nor to like or dislike anything but what is pleasing or displeasing in thy sight!

Enable me to die to the riches and honors, the cares and pleasures, of this fallen world; and in imitation of thee, and for thy sake, to love obscurity, and to bear contempt. But transcending all I can desire, grant that I may rest in thee, and in thy peace possess my soul! Thou art its true peace, thou art its only rest; for, without thee, it is all darkness, disorder, and disquietude. In this peace, O Lord, even in thee, the supreme and everlasting. good, I will "sleep and take my rest."

12

CHAPTER XI.

True Comfort to be found only in God.

DISCIPLE.

WHATEVER I can desire or conceive as essential to my peace, cannot be the production of this world, and in this world let me not seek it. If all the good of the present life was within my reach, and I had both liberty and capacity for its enjoyment, I know that it is not only changeable and evanescent, but is bounded by the grave. Thy full consolation and perfect delight, therefore, O my soul, are to be found only in God, the comfort of the poor, and the exaltation of the humble. Wait a little while, wait with patience for the accomplishment of the divine promise, which cannot fail, and thou shalt enjoy the plenitude of good in heaven. By the pursuit of earthly and finite good, thou losest that which is ce lestial and infinite: use this world, therefore, as “ a pilgrim and a stranger," and make only the next the object of desire.

It is impossible thou shouldst be satisfied with temporal good, because thou wert not formed for it; and though all that the creatures comprehend was in thy possession, thou wouldst be still unblessed. It is in the Creator, the supreme God alone, that all blessedness consists; not such as is extolled and sought after by the foolish lovers of the world, but such as the faithful Christian admires and sighs for; such as

the pure in heart, whose "conversation is in heaven," are sometimes permitted to foretaste.

How vain and transient is all human comfort! how substantial and permanent, that which is derived from the Spirit of Truth living and ruling in the soul! The regenerate man continually turneth to Jesus, the comforter within him, and saith, “Be present with me, Lord Jesus! in all places, and at all times. May I find consolation, in being willing to bear the want of all human comfort. And if thy consolation also be withdrawn, let thy will and righteous probation of me, be to me as the highest comfort; for "thou wilt not always chide, neither wilt thou keep thine anger for ever!"

CHRIST.

Son, suffer me always to dispose of thee, according to my will; for that which is most profitable and expedient for thee, is known only to me. Thy thoughts are the thoughts of a man, and partial affections pervert thy judgment.

DISCIPLE.

Lord, all thy words are truth! Thy care over me is infinitely greater than all the care I can take for myself. His dependence is utterly vain, who casteth not all his care upon thee.

Bring my will, O Lord, into true and unalterable subjection to thine, and do with me what thou pleasest; for whatever is done by thee, cannot but be good. If thou pourest thy light upon me, and turnest my night into day, blessed be thy name; and if thou leavest me in darkness, blessed also be thy