Letter 15

To the Same.

To the Same Person.

GOD knoweth best what is needful for us, and all that He does is for our good. If we knew how much He loves us, we should always be ready to receive equally and with indifference from His Hand the sweet and the bitter: all would please that came from Him. The sorest afflictions never appear intolerable, except when we see them in the wrong light. When we see them as dispensed by the hand of GOD, when we know that it is our loving FATHER who abases and distresses us, our sufferings will lose their bitterness, and become even matter of consolation.

God knows best what we need, and everything he does is for our good. If we knew how much he loves us, we would always be ready to accept both sweetness and bitterness equally from his hand. We would welcome everything that came from him. Even the worst suffering never seems unbearable unless we see it in the wrong light. When we see it as coming from God’s hand, we know that our loving Father is humbling and distressing us. Then our suffering will lose its bitterness and even become a source of comfort.

Let all our employment be to know GOD: the more one knows Him, the more one desires to know Him. And as knowledge is commonly the measure of love, the deeper and more extensive our knowledge shall be, the greater will be our love: and if our love of GOD were great, we should love Him equally in pains and pleasures.

Let all our work be to know GOD. The more we know him, the more we desire to know him. And since knowledge is usually the measure of love, the deeper and broader our knowledge, the greater our love. If our love for GOD were great, we would love him equally in pain and pleasure.

Let us not content ourselves with loving GOD for the mere sensible favors, how elevated soever, which he has done, or may do us. Such favors, though never so great, cannot bring us so near to Him as faith does in one simple act. Let us seek Him often by faith. He is within us: seek Him not elsewhere. If we do love Him alone, are we not rude, and do we not deserve blame, if we busy ourselves about trifles which do not please and perhaps offend Him. It is to be feared these trifles will one day cost us dear.

Let us not be content to love God merely for the favors we can feel, however exalted they may be. He has given us such favors and may give us more. Yet no matter how great they are, they cannot bring us as close to him as one simple act of faith. Let us seek him often through faith. He is within us, so let us not look elsewhere for him. If we love him alone, are we not rude and deserving of blame when we occupy ourselves with trifles? These trifles do not please him and perhaps offend him. We should fear that these trifles will one day cost us dearly.

Let us begin to be devoted to Him in good earnest. Let us cast everything besides out of our hearts. He would possess them alone. Beg this favor of Him. If we do what we can on our parts, we shall soon see that change wrought in us which we aspire after. I cannot thank Him sufficiently for the relaxation He has vouchsafed you. I hope from His mercy the favor to see Him within a few days.⁴ Let us pray for one another.

Let us begin to devote ourselves to him in earnest. Let us cast everything else out of our hearts. He wants our hearts for himself alone. Ask him for this favor. If we do what we can, we will soon see the change in ourselves that we long for. I cannot thank him enough for the relief he has granted you. I hope that, in his mercy, he will grant me the favor of seeing him within a few days.⁴ Let us pray for one another.

I am, in our LORD, Yours, &c.

Yours in the Lord, etc.