love our friends, but without encroaching upon the love of GOD, which
must be the principal.
Pray remember what I have recommended to you, which is, to think often
on GOD, by day, by night, in your business, and even in your diversions.
He is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone. You would
think it rude to leave a friend alone, who came to visit you: why then
must GOD be neglected? Do not then forget Him, but think on Him often,
adore Him continually live and die with Him; this is the glorious
employment of a Christian; in a word, this is our profession, if we do
not know it we must learn it. I will endeavour to help you with my
prayers, and am yours in our LORD.
ELEVENTH LETTER
To one who is in great pain. God is the Physician of body and of soul.
þ Feels that he would gladly suffer at His wish.
I DO not pray that you may be delivered from your pains; but I pray GOD
earnestly that He would give you strength and patience to bear them as
long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to
the cross: He will loose you when He thinks fit. Happy those who
suffer with Him: accustom yourself to suffer in that manner, and seek
from Him the strength to endure as much, and as long, as He shall judge
to be necessary for you. The men of the world do not comprehend these
truths, nor is it to be wondered at, since they suffer like what they
are, and not like Christians: they consider sickness as a pain to
nature, and not as a favour from GOD; and seeing it only in that light,
they find nothing in it but grief and distress. But those who consider
sickness as coming from the hand of GOD, as the effects of His mercy,
and the means which He employs for their salvation, commonly find in it
great sweetness and sensible consolation.
I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense)
nearer to us and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in
health. Rely upon no other Physician, for, according to my
apprehension, He reserves your cure to Himself. Put then all your trust
in Him, and you will soon find the effects of it in your recovery, which
we often retard, by putting greater confidence in physic than in GOD.
Whatever remedies you make use of, they will succeed only so far as He
permits. When pains come from GOD, He only can cure them. He often
sends diseases of the body, to cure those of the soul. Comfort yourself
with the sovereign Physician both of soul and body.
I foresee that you will tell me that I am very much at my ease, that I
eat and drink at the table of the LORD. YOU have reason: but think you
that it would be a small pain to the greatest criminal in the world, to
eat at the king's table, and be served by him, and notwithstanding such
favours to be without assurance of pardon? I believe he would feel
exceeding great uneasiness, and such as nothing could moderate, but only
his trust in the goodness of his sovereign. So I assure you, that
whatever pleasures I taste at the table of my King, yet my sins, ever
present before my eyes, as well as the uncertainty of my pardon, torment
me, though in truth that torment itself is pleasing.
Be satisfied with the condition in which GOD places you: however happy
you may think me, I envy you. Pains and suffering would be a paradise
to me, while I should suffer with my GOD; and the greatest pleasure
would be hell to me, if I could relish them without Him; all my
consolation would be to suffer something for His sake.
I must, in a little time, go to GOD. What comforts me in this life is,
that I now see Him by faith; and I see Him in such a manner as might
make me say sometimes, I believe no more, but I see. I feel what faith
teaches us, and, in that assurance and that practice of faith, I will
live and die with Him.
Continue then always with GOD: "tis the only support and comfort for
your affliction. I shall beseech Him to be with you. I present my
service.
TWELFTH LETTER