O Lord! of what small account are the best of men apart from Thee! How
high they rise when Thou liftest them up! How low they fall if Thou
withdraw Thy hand! It is our joy, amidst distress, when Thou enablest us
to say, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him;” but if Thou take
away Thy Spirit, we cannot even trust Thee in the brightest day. When
storms gather round us we can smile at them, if Thou be with us; but in
the fairest morn which ever shone on human heart, we doubt and we
miscarry if Thou be not with us still, to preserve and strengthen the
faith which Thou hast Thyself bestowed.