Chapter 15

I cannot tell you how much I love you. But that which of all things I have most at heart, with regard to you, is the real progress of your soul in the divine life. Heaven seems to be awakened in you. It is a tender plant. It requires stillness, meekness, and the unity of the heart, totally given up to the unknown workings of the Spirit of God, which will do all its work in the calm soul, that has no hunger or desire but to escape out of the mire of its earthly life into its lost union and life in God. I mention this, out of a fear of your giving in to an eagerness about many things, which, though seemingly innocent, yet divide and weaken the workings of the divine life within you.

WM. LAW.

October 31

_And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him_.--GEN. v. 24.

Oh for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb!

W. COWPER.

Is it possible for any of us in these modern days to so live that we may walk with God? Can we walk with God in the shop, in the office, in the household, and on the street? When men exasperate us, and work wearies us, and the children fret, and the servants annoy, and our best-laid plans fall to pieces, and our castles in the air are dissipated like bubbles that break at a breath, then can we walk with God? That religion which fails us in the every-day trials and experiences of life has somewhere in it a flaw. It should be more than a plank to sustain us in the rushing tide, and land us exhausted and dripping on the other side. It ought, if it come from above, to be always, day by day, to our souls as the wings of a bird, bearing us away from and beyond the impediments which seek to hold us down. If the Divine Love be a conscious presence, an indwelling force with us, it will do this.

CHRISTIAN UNION.

November 1

_Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named_.--EPH. iii. 15.

One family, we dwell in Him; One church above, beneath; Though now divided by the stream,-- The narrow stream of death.

One army of the living God, To His command we bow: Part of His host has crossed the flood, And part is crossing now.

C. WESLEY.

Let us, then, learn that we can never be lonely or forsaken in this life. Shall they forget us because they are "made perfect"? Shall they love us the less because they now have power to love us more? If we forget them not, shall they not remember us with God? No trial, then, can isolate us, no sorrow can cut us off from the Communion of Saints. Kneel down, and you are with them; lift up your eyes, and the heavenly world, high above all perturbation, hangs serenely overhead; only a thin veil, it may be, floats between. All whom we loved, and all who loved us, whom we still love no less, while they love us yet more, are ever near, because ever in His presence in whom we live and dwell.

H. E. MANNING.

November 2

_Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us_.--HEB. xii. i.

When the powers of hell prevail O'er our weakness and unfitness, Could we lift the fleshly veil, Could we for a moment witness Those unnumbered hosts that stand Calm and bright on either hand;

Oh, what joyful hope would cheer, Oh, what faith serene would guide us! Great may be the danger near, Greater are the friends beside us.

ANON.

We are compassed about by a cloud of witnesses, whose hearts throb in sympathy with every effort and struggle, and who thrill with joy at every success. How should this thought check and rebuke every worldly feeling and unworthy purpose, and enshrine us, in the midst of a forgetful and un-spiritual world, with an atmosphere of heavenly peace! They have overcome--have risen--are crowned, glorified; but still they remain to us, our assistants, our comforters, and in every hour of darkness their voice speaks to us: "So we grieved, so we struggled, so we fainted, so we doubted; but we have overcome, we have obtained, we have seen, we have found,--and in our victory behold the certainty of thy own."

H. B. STOWE.

November 3

_Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another_.--EPH. iv. 25.

In conversation be sincere; Keep conscience as the noontide clear; Think how All-seeing God thy ways And all thy secret thoughts surveys.

THOMAS KEN.

The essence of lying is in deception, not in words; a lie may be told by silence, by equivocation, by the accent on a syllable, by a glance of the eye attaching a peculiar significance to a sentence; and all these kinds of lies are worse and baser by many degrees than a lie plainly worded; so that no form of blinded conscience is so far sunk as that which comforts itself for having deceived because the deception was by gesture or silence, instead of utterance.

J. RUSKIN.

He that is habituated to deceptions and artificialities in trifles, will try in vain to be true in matters of importance; for truth is a thing of habit rather than of will. You cannot in any given case by any sudden and single effort will to be true, if the habit of your life has been insincerity.

F. W. ROBERTSON.

November 4

_A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger_.--PROV. xv. i,

_Doest thou well to be angry_?--JONAH iv. 4.

Renew Thine image, Lord, in me, Lowly and gentle may I be; No charms but these to Thee are dear; No anger mayst Thou ever find, No pride in my unruffled mind, But faith, and heaven-born peace be there.

P. GERHARDT.

Neither say nor do aught displeasing to thy neighbor; and if thou hast been wanting in charity, seek his forgiveness, or speak to him with gentleness. Speak always with mildness and in a low tone of voice.

L. SCUPOLI.

Injuries hurt not more in the receiving than in the remembrance. A small injury shall go as it comes; a great injury may dine or sup with me; but none at all shall lodge with me. Why should I vex myself because another hath vexed me? Grief for things past that cannot be remedied, and care for things to come that cannot be prevented, may easily hurt, can never benefit me. I will therefore commit myself to God in both, and enjoy the present.

JOSEPH HALL.

November 5

_The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are_.--I COR. iii. 17.

Now shed Thy mighty influence abroad On souls that would their Father's image bear; Make us as holy temples of our God, Where dwells forever calm, adoring prayer.

C. J. P. SPITTA.

This pearl of eternity is the church or temple of God within thee, the consecrated place of divine worship, where alone thou canst worship God in spirit and in truth. When once thou art well grounded in this inward worship, thou wilt have learned to live unto God above time and place. For every day will be Sunday to thee, and, wherever thou goest, thou wilt have a priest, a church, and an altar along with thee. For when God has all that He should have of thy heart, when thou art wholly given up to the obedience of the light and spirit of God within thee, to will only in His will, to love only in His love, to be wise only in His wisdom, then it is that everything thou dost is as a song of praise, and the common business of thy life is a conforming to God's will on earth as angels do in heaven.

WM. LAW.

November 6

_He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them_;--PS. cxlv. 19.

_Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart_.--PS. xxxvii. 4.

Though to-day may not fulfil All thy hopes, have patience still; For perchance to-morrow's sun Sees thy happier days begun.

P. GERHARDT.

His great desire and delight is God; and by desiring and delighting, he hath Him. _Delight thou in the Lord, and He shall give thee thy heart's desire,_--HIMSELF; and then surely thou shall have all. Any other thing _commit it to Him_, and He shall bring it to pass.

R. LEIGHTON.

All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired, although not in the hour or in the measure, or the very thing which they ask; yet they will obtain something greater and more glorious than they had dared to ask.

MARTIN LUTHER.

November 7

_I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision_.--ACTS xxvi. 19.

_The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey_.--JOSH. xxiv. 24.

I will shun no toil or woe, Where Thou leadest I will go, Be my pathway plain or rough; If but every hour may be Spent in work that pleases Thee, Ah, dear Lord, it is enough!

G. TERSTEEGEN.

All these longings and doubts, and this inward distress, are the voice of the Good Shepherd in your heart, seeking to call you out of all that is contrary to His will. Oh, let me entreat of you not to turn away from His gentle pleadings.

H. W. SMITH.

The fear of man brings a snare. By halting in our duty and giving back in the time of trial, our hands grow weaker, our ears grow dull as to hearing the language of the true Shepherd; so that when we look at the way of the righteous, it seems as though it was not for us to follow them.

J. WOOLMAN.

November 8

_Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God_.--HEB. x. 9.

_Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God_.--PS. cxliii. 10.

Lo! I come with joy to do The Father's blessed will; Him in outward works pursue, And serve His pleasure still. Faithful to my Lord's commands, I still would choose the better part; Serve with careful Martha's hands, And loving Mary's heart.

C. WESLEY.

A soul cannot be regarded as truly subdued and consecrated in its will, and as having passed into union with the Divine will, until it has a disposition to do promptly and faithfully all that God requires, as well as to endure patiently and thankfully all that He imposes.

T. C. UPHAM.

When we have learned to offer up every duty connected with our situation in life as a sacrifice to God, a settled employment becomes just a settled habit of prayer.

THOMAS ERSKINE.

"_Do the duty which lies nearest thee_," which thou knowest to be a duty. Thy second duty will already have become clearer.

T. CARLYLE.

November 9

_Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures_?--ECCLESIASTICUS xvi. 17.

Among so many, can He care? Can special love be everywhere? A myriad homes,--a myriad ways,-- And God's eye over every place?

I asked: my soul bethought of this;-- In just that very place of His Where He hath put and keepeth you, God hath no other thing to do!

A. D. T. WHITNEY.

Give free and bold play to those instincts of the heart which believe that the Creator must care for the creatures He has made, and that the only real effective care for them must be that which takes each of them into His love, and knowing it separately surrounds it with His separate sympathy. There is not one life which the Life-giver ever loses out of His sight; not one which sins so that He casts it away; not one which is not so near to Him that whatever touches it touches Him with sorrow or with joy.

PHILLIPS BROOKS.

November 10

_In Him we live, and move, and have our being_.--ACTS xvii. 28.

_Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence_?--PS. cxxxix. 7.

Yea! In Thy life our little lives are ended, Into Thy depths our trembling spirits fall; In Thee enfolded, gathered, comprehended, As holds the sea her waves--Thou hold'st us all.

E. SCUDDER.

Where then is _our_ God? You say, He is _everywhere:_ then show me _anywhere_ that you have met Him. You declare Him _everlasting:_ then tell me _any moment_ that He has been with you. You believe Him ready to succor them that are tempted, and to lift those that are bowed down: then in what passionate hour did you subside into His calm grace? in what sorrow lose yourself in His "more exceeding" joy? These are the testing questions by which we may learn whether we too have raised our altar to an "unknown God" and pay the worship of the blind; or whether we commune with Him "in whom we live, and move, and have our being."

J. MARTINEAU.

November 11

_Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness_.--COL. i. 10, ii.

To be the thing we seem, To do the thing we deem Enjoined by duty; To walk in faith, nor dream Of questioning God's scheme Of truth and beauty.

ANON.

To shape the whole Future is not our problem; but only to shape faithfully a small part of it, according to rules already known. It is perhaps possible for each of us, who will with due earnestness inquire, to ascertain clearly what he, for his own part, ought to do; this let him, with true heart, do, and continue doing. The general issue will, as it has always done, rest well with a Higher Intelligence than ours. This day thou knowest ten commanded duties, seest in thy mind ten things which should be done for one that thou doest! _Do_ one of them; this of itself will show thee ten others which can and shall be done.

T. CARLYLE.

November 12

_I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work_.--JOHN ix. 4.

_Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task_?--EX. v. 14.

He who intermits The appointed task and duties of the day Untunes full oft the pleasures of the day; Checking the finer spirits that refuse To flow, when purposes are lightly changed.

W. WORDSWORTH.

By putting off things beyond their proper times, one duty treads upon the heels of another, and all duties are felt as irksome obligations,--a yoke beneath which we fret and lose our peace. In most cases the consequence of this is, that we have no time to do the work as it ought to be done. It is therefore done precipitately, with eagerness, with a greater desire simply to get it done, than to do it well, and with very little thought of God throughout.

F. W. FABER.

Sufficient for each day is the _good_ thereof, equally as the evil. We must do at once, and with our might, the merciful deed that our hand findeth to do,--else it will never be done, for the hand will find other tasks, and the arrears fall through. And every unconsummated good feeling, every unfulfilled purpose that His spirit has prompted, shall one day charge us as faithless and recreant before God.

J. H. THOM.

November 13

_Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of Thy law_.--PS. xciv

_Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it_.--JER. x. 19.

Hold in thy murmurs, heaven arraigning! The patient see God's loving face; Who bear their burdens uncomplaining, 'Tis they that win the Father's grace.

ANON.

Do not run to this and that for comfort when you are in trouble, but bear it. Be uncomfortably quiet--be uneasily silent--be patiently unhappy.

J.P. GREAVES.

Hard words _will_ vex, unkindness _will_ pierce; neglect _will_ wound; threatened evils _will_ make the soul quiver; sharp pain or weariness _will_ rack the body, or make it restless. But what says the Psalmist? "When my heart is vexed, I will complain." To whom? Not _of_ God, but _to_ God.

E.B. PUSEY.

Surely, I have thought, I do not want to have a grief which would not be a grief. I feel that I shall be able to take up my cross in a religious spirit soon, and then it will be all right.

JAMES HINTON.

November 14

_Thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me_.--ISA. xliv. 21.

Oh, give Thy servant patience to be still, And bear Thy will; Courage to venture wholly on the arm That will not harm; The wisdom that will never let me stray Out of my way; The love, that, now afflicting, knoweth best When I should rest.

J. M. NEALE.

Supposing that you were never to be set free from such trials, what would you do? You would say to God, "I am Thine--if my trials are acceptable to Thee, give me more and more." I have full confidence that this is what you would say, and then you would not think more of it--at any rate, you would not be anxious. Well, do the same now. Make friends with your trials, as though you were always to live together; and you will see that when you cease to take thought for your own deliverance, God will take thought for you; and when you cease to help yourself eagerly, He will help you.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

Ah, if you knew what peace there is in an accepted sorrow!

MADAME GUYON.

November 15

_Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness_.--ISA. xli. 10.

Lord, be Thou near and cheer my lonely way; With Thy sweet peace my aching bosom fill; Scatter my cares and fears; my griefs allay, And be it mine each day To love and please Thee still.

P. CORNEILLE.

What if the wicked nature, which is as a sea casting out mire and dirt, rage against thee? There is a river, a sweet, still, flowing river, the streams whereof will make glad thy heart. And, learn but in quietness and stillness to retire to the Lord, and wait upon Him; in whom thou shall feel peace and joy, in the midst of thy trouble from the cruel and vexatious spirit of this world. So, wait to know thy work and service to the Lord every day, in thy place and station; and the Lord make thee faithful therein, and thou wilt want neither help, support, nor comfort.

I. PENINGTON.

November 16

_Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee_.--ISA. xxvi. 3.

What comforts, Lord, to those are given, Who seek in Thee their home and rest! They find on earth an opening heaven, And in Thy peace are amply blest.

W. C. DESSLER.

God is a tranquil Being, and abides in a tranquil eternity. So must thy spirit become a tranquil and clear little pool, wherein the serene light of God can be mirrored. Therefore shun all that is disquieting and distracting, both within and without. Nothing in the whole world is worth the loss of thy peace; even the faults which thou hast committed should only humble, but not disquiet thee. God is full of joy, peace, and happiness. Endeavor then to obtain a continually joyful and peaceful spirit. Avoid all anxious care, vexation, murmuring, and melancholy, which darken thy soul, and render thee unfit for the friendship of God. If thou dost perceive such feelings arising, turn gently away from them.

G. TERSTEEGEN.

November 17

_Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever_.--PS. cxlv. 2.

_Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established_.--PROV. xvi. 3.

Lord, I my vows to Thee renew; Disperse my sins as morning dew; Guard my first springs of thought and will, And with Thyself my spirit fill.

THOMAS KEN.

Morning by morning think, for a few moments, of the chief employments of the day, any one thing of greater moment than others, thine own especial trial, any occasions of it which are likely to come that day, and by one short strong act commend thyself beforehand in all to God; offer all thy thoughts, words, and deeds to Him--to be governed, guided, accepted by Him. Choose some great occasions of the day, such as bring with them most trial to thee, on which, above others, to commend thyself to God.

E. B. PUSEY.

Will you not, before venturing away from your early quiet hour, "commit thy works" to Him definitely, the special things you have to do to-day, and the unforeseen work which He may add in the course of it?

F. R. HAVERGAL.

November 18

_Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He bath given us of His Spirit_.--I JOHN iv. 13.

Within! within, oh turn Thy spirit's eyes, and learn Thy wandering senses gently to control; Thy dearest Friend dwells deep within thy soul, And asks thyself of thee, That heart, and mind, and sense, He may make whole In perfect harmony.

G. TERSTEEGEN.

Wait patiently, trust humbly, depend only upon, seek solely to a God of Light and Love, of Mercy and Goodness, of Glory and Majesty, ever dwelling in the inmost depth and spirit of your soul. There you have all the secret, hidden, invisible Upholder of all the creation, whose blessed operation will always be found by a humble, faithful, loving, calm, patient introversion of your heart to Him, who has His hidden heaven within you, and which will open itself to you, as soon as your heart is left wholly to His eternal, ever-speaking Word, and ever-sanctifying Spirit within you. Beware of all eagerness and activity of your own natural spirit and temper. Run not in any hasty ways of your own. Be patient under the sense of your own vanity and weakness; and patiently wait for God to do His own work, and in His own way.

WM. LAW.

November 19

_If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain_.--JAMES i. 26.

_I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue_.--PS. xxxix. I.

No sinful word, nor deed of wrong, Nor thoughts that idly rove; But simple truth be on our tongue, And in our hearts be love.

ST. AMBROSE.

Let us all resolve,--First, to attain the grace of SILENCE; Second, to deem all FAULT-FINDING that does no good a SIN, and to resolve, when we are happy ourselves, not to poison the atmosphere for our neighbors by calling on them to remark every painful and disagreeable feature of their daily life; Third, to practise the grace and virtue of PRAISE.

HARRIET B. STOWE.

Surrounded by those who constantly exhibit defects of character and conduct, if we yield to a complaining and impatient spirit, we shall mar our own peace without having the satisfaction of benefiting others.

T. C. UPHAM.

November 20

_Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the--will of God, ye might receive the promise_.--HEB. x. 36.

Sweet Patience, come: Not from a low and earthly source,-- Waiting, till things shall have their course,-- Not as accepting present pain In hope of some hereafter gain,-- Not in a dull and sullen calm,-- But as a breath of heavenly balm, Bidding my weary heart submit To bear whatever God sees fit: Sweet Patience, come!

HYMNS OF THE CHURCH MILITANT.

Patience endues her scholars with content of mind, and evenness of temper, preventing all repining grumbling, and impatient desires, and inordinate affections; disappointments here are no crosses, and all anxious thoughts are disarmed of their sting; in her habitations dwell quietness, submission, and long-suffering, all fierce turbulent inclinations are hereby allayed. The eyes of the patient fixedly wait the inward power of God's providence, and they are thereby mightily enabled towards their salvation and preservation.

THOMAS TRYON.

November 21

_Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God_.--MATT. iv. 4.

_A man's life conisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth_.--LUKE xii. 15.

Whate'er God does is well, Whether He gives or takes! And what we from His hand receive Suffices us to live. He takes and gives, while yet He loves us still; Then love His will.

B. SCHMOLCK.

Is that beast better, that hath two or three mountains to graze on, than a little bee, that feeds on dew or manna, and lives upon what falls every morning from the storehouse of heaven, clouds, and providence?

JEREMY TAYLOR.