To the same.
_My dear Friend_,
THE variety of trials you have lately met with, are but a specimen of what you are to expect, in some form or other, so long as you breathe the air of this fallen world.――The longer we are without them, the more our need of them is increased. And they never give great smart, but where something is to be torn off that sticks too close to us.――One reflection upon these sacred words, “My kingdom is not of this world: ――The Son of man hath not where to lay his head,” are sufficient to take not only the sting out of every cross that can here befall us, but even to make us afraid and ashamed of being pleased with any thing, that has the name of worldly honour and prosperity.
You have no reason to wonder at any thing you see or hear, of the partiality, selfishness, envy, and enmity, that so soon breaks out between brothers and sisters of the same blood.――For if _blood-relations_, considered as such, could have any true goodness, or unselfish regard to one another, we should not be under the necessity of being born again.
Will it do you any good to tell you, that thus says my heart, without speaking a word, _Let nothing live in me, but the redeeming power of thy Holy Jesus, nothing pray in me but thy Holy Spirit_.――This is my ship, in which I would be always at sea.――All that I seek, or mean, either for myself or others, by every height and depth of divine knowledge, is only for this end, that we may be more willing and glad to become such little children, as our Lord has told us, are the only heirs of the kingdom of God.
The piercing critic may, and naturally will grow in pride, as fast as his skill in words discovers itself. And every kind of knowledge that shews the scholar, the orator, the disputer, the commentator, the historian, his _own powers_ and _abilities_, are the _same_ temptation to him, that _Eve_ had from the serpent; and he will get no more good by the love and relish of such knowledge, than she got by her love of the tree, that was so desirable to make one wise.
But he whose eyes are opened to see into this _mystery of all things_, sees nothing but _death to himself_, and to every thing that he had called or delighted in as his own. This is the _bold depth_ of his knowledge. And if you would know its _aspiring height_, it consists in learning to know, that which the angels and twenty-four elders about the throne of God knew, when they cast down their crowns before him that sat on the throne, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, thou art worthy to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.――It is to know, that the triune majesty of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are the three-fold power, life, glory, and perfection of every creature that sings praises to God, in heaven and in earth. This is the _proud_ knowledge of those, who are let into the holy of holies. Which goes no deeper, than to see the _nothingness_ of man, ascends no higher, than to know that God is _all_; which begets nothing in man, but that which was begotten in _Paul_, when he cried out, _God forbid that I should glory in any thing, but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ_.
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