illuminatest, let thy brightest beams descend upon my heart, and penetrate its inmost recesses! O purify, exhilarate, enlighten, and enliven my spirit, that with all its powers it may adhere to thee in raptures of triumphant joy! O when will the blessed and desirable moment come, in which thou wilt satisfy me with thy presence, and be in me and to me all in all? Till this is granted me, my joy cannot be full. Wretched creature that I am! I find the old man still living in me; he is not yet perfectly crucified, he is not yet dead. The flesh still strongly lusteth against the spirit, still kindles the rage of war, and suffers not "thy kingdom within me" to be at peace. But do thou, O God!" who controllest the power of the sea, and stillest the raging of its waves," arise and help me! "Scatter thou those that delight in war!" O break them in pieces with thy mighty power! Show forth, I beseech thee, the wonders of thy greatness, and let thy right hand be glorified! for there is no hope nor refuge for me, but in thee, O Lord, my God! CHRIST. always have need of Thou art encompass As long as thou livest in this world, my son, thou canst not live secure, but wilt "the whole armor of God." ed with enemies, who assault thee behind and before, on the right hand and on the left; and if thou dost not defend thyself on every side with the shield of patience, thou canst not long escape some dangerous wound if thy heart is not fixed upon me, with a true and unalterable resolution of suffering all things for my sake, thou wilt never be able to sus : tain the fury of the conflict, nor obtain the palm of victory. Thou must, therefore, with a lively faith, and a holy resolution of conquering all opposition, pass through the various dangers that surround thee. "To him that overcometh, I will give to eat of the hidden manna," while for the slothful and unbelieving is reserved the portion of endless misery. If thou seekest rest in this life, how wilt thou attain to the everlasting rest of the life to come? Prepare thy heart for the exercise of many and great troubles, not for the enjoyment of continual rest : true rest is to be found, not on earth, but in heaven; not in the enjoyment of man, or any other creature, but of God. For the love of God, therefore, thou must cheerfully and patiently endure labor and sorrow, persecution, temptation, and anxiety, poverty and want, pain and sickness, detraction, reproof, humiliation, confusion, correction, and contempt. By these, the virtues of "the new man in Christ Jesus, are exercised and strengthened; these form the ornaments of his celestial crown; and for his momentary labor, I will give him eternal rest, and endless glory for transient shame. "The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that should be revealed in us." "O wait on the Lord; be of good courage; and he shall strengthen thy heart." Distrust me not, neither depart from me; but continually devote both soul and body to my service, and my glory. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me!" and till I come, my Spirit will be thy comforter in every tribulation. CHAPTER XXVI. Against the Fear of Man. CHRIST. My son, fix thy heart steadfastly upon the Lord; and while conscience bears testimony to thy purity and innocence, fear not the judgment of man. It is good and blessed to suffer the false censure of human tongues; nor will the suffering itself be grievous to the poor and humble in spirit, who confideth not in himself, but in God. The opinions and reports of men are as various as their persons, and are, therefore, entitled to little credit. Besides, it is impossible to please all: and though Paul endeavoured to please all men in the Lord, and was "made all things to all ;" yet, with him, it was "a very small thing to be judged of man's judgment. This faithful servant labored continually to promote the edification and salvation of men; but their unjust judgments, and cruel censures, he was not able to restrain he therefore committed his cause to God, who knoweth all things; and sheltered himself against the false suggestions of the deceitful, and the more open reproaches of the licentious, under the guard of patience and humility: yet he sometimes found it expedient to support his character, that he might not give occasion of scandal to the weak, who are too apt from silence to infer guilt, Who," then, "art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man, that shall be made as grass, which to-day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven?" Fear God, who is a "consuming fire;" and thou wilt no longer tremble at the terrors of man. What hurt can man do thee, by his most malignant censures, or his most cruel actions? He injureth himself more than he can injure thee; and whoever he be, he shall not escape the righteous judgment of God. Set God, therefore, continually before thy eyes, and strive not with the injustice of man: and though at present thou art overborne by its violence, and sufferest shame which thou hast not deserved; yet suppress thy resentment, and let not impatience obscure the lustre of thy crown. Look up to me in the highest heavens, who am able to deliver thee from all evil, and will render to every one according to his deeds. མས་ CHAPTER XXVII. God is our Refuge in all Difficulties. CHRIST. ENDEAVOUR, my son, in every place, and in every external employment and action, to be inwardly free, and master of thyself; that the business and events of life, instead of ruling over thy spirit, may be subject to it. Of all thy actions, thou must be, not the servant and slave, but the absolute lord and governor; a free and genuine Israelite, translated into the inheritance and liberty of the sons of God; who stand upon the interests of time, to contemplate the glories of eternity; who cast only a hasty glance on the transitory enjoyments of earth, and keep their eye fixed upon the permanent felicity of heaven; and who, instead of making temporal objects and interests an ultimate end, render them subservient to some purpose of piety or charity, even as they were ordained by God, the sovereign mind, who formed the stupendous fabric, in which nothing disorderly was left. If thus, in all events, thou sufferest not thyself to be governed by appearances, nor regardest what is heard and seen with a carnal purpose; but in every difficulty and danger enterest immediately into the Tabernacle with Moses, to consult the Lord, thou shalt often receive an answer from the divine Oracle, and return deeply instructed both in things present and things to come. And as Moses always retired to that holy place, for the determination of doubtful and disputed questions, and fled to prayer, for aid in times of danger and wickedness, so shouldst thou also enter the sacred temple of thy heart, and, on the same occasions, fervently implore the guidance and support of divine wisdom and strength. Thou hast read, that Joshua and the children of Israel, "because they asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord," were betrayed into a league with the Gibeonites, being deluded by fictitious piety, and giving hasty credit to deceitful words. Commit thy cause invariably to me, and I will give it a right issue in due season. Wait patiently the disposals of |