Of the desire after eternal life, and how great blessings1 are promised to those who strive
“My Son, when thou feelest the desire of eternal happiness to be poured into thee from above, and longest to depart from the tabernacle of this body, that thou mayest contemplate2 My glory without shadow of turning, enlarge thine heart, and take in this holy inspiration with all thy desire. Give most hearty3 thanks to the Supreme4 Goodness, who dealeth with thee so graciously, visiteth thee so lovingly, stirreth thee up so fervently6, raiseth thee so powerfully, lest thou sink down through thine own weight, to earthly things. For not by thine own meditating7 or striving dost thou receive this gift, but by the sole gracious condescension8 of Supreme Grace and Divine regard; to the end that thou mayest make progress in virtue9 and in more humility10, and prepare thyself for future conflicts, and cleave11 unto Me with all the affection of thy heart, and strive to serve Me with fervent5 will.
2. “My Son, often the fire burneth, but the flame ascendeth not without smoke. So also the desires of some men burn towards heavenly things, and yet they are not free from the temptation of carnal affection. Thus therefore they are not acting12 with an altogether simple desire for God’s glory when they pray to Him so earnestly. Such, too, is oftentimes thy desire, when thou hast imagined it to be so earnest. For that is not pure and perfect which is tainted13 with thine own self-seeking.
3. “Seek thou not what is pleasant and advantageous14 to thyself, but what is acceptable and honourable15 unto Me; for if thou judgest rightly, thou must choose and follow after My appointment rather than thine own desire; yea, rather than anything that can be desired. I know thy desire, and I have heard thy many groanings. Already thou longest to be in the glorious liberty of the children of God; already the eternal home delighteth thee, and the heavenly country full of joy; but the hour is not yet come; there remaineth still another season, even a season of warfare16, a season of labour and probation17. Thou desirest to be filled with the Chief Good, but thou canst not attain18 it immediately. I AM that Good; wait for Me, until the Kingdom of God shall come.
4. “Thou must still be tried upon earth, and be exercised in many things. Consolation19 shall from time to time be given thee, but abundant satisfying shall not be granted. Be strong therefore, and be thou brave both in working and in suffering things which are against thy nature. Thou must put on the new man, and be changed into another man. Thou must often do what thou wouldst not; and thou must leave undone20 what thou wouldst do. What pleaseth others shall have good success, what pleaseth thee shall have no prosperity. What others say shall be listened to; what thou sayest shall receive no heed21. Others shall ask and receive; thou shalt ask and not obtain. Others shall be great in the report of men, but about thee shall nothing be spoken. To others this or that shall be entrusted22; thou shalt be judged useful for nought23.
5. “For this cause nature shall sometimes be filled with sadness; and it is a great thing if thou bear it silently. In this and many like things the faithful servant of the Lord is wont24 to be tried, how far he is able to deny himself and bring himself into subjection in all things. Scarcely is there anything in which thou hast need to mortify25 thyself so much as in seeing things which are adverse26 to thy will; especially when things are commanded thee to be done which seem to thee inexpedient or of little use to thee. And because thou darest not resist a higher power, being under authority, therefore it seemeth hard for thee to shape thy course according to the nod of another, and to forego thine own opinion.
6. “But consider, My Son, the fruit of these labours, the swift end, and the reward exceeding great; and thou shalt find it no pain to bear them then, but rather the strongest solace27 of thy patience. For even in exchange for this trifling28 desire which thou hast readily forsaken29, thou shalt always have thy will in Heaven. There verily thou shalt find all that thou wouldst, all that thou canst long for. There thou shalt have all good within thy power without the fear of losing it. There thy will, ever at one with Mine, shall desire nothing outward, nothing for itself. There no man shall withstand thee, none shall complain of thee, none shall hinder, nothing shall stand in thy path; but all things desired by thee shall be present together, and shall refresh thy whole affection, and fill it up even to the brim. There I will glory for the scorn suffered here, the garment of praise for sorrow, and for the lowest place a throne in the Kingdom, for ever. There shall appear the fruit of obedience30, the labour of repentance31 shall rejoice, and humble32 subjection shall be crowned gloriously.
7. “Now therefore bow thyself humbly33 under the hands of all men; nor let it trouble thee who said this or who ordered that; but take special heed that whether thy superior, thy inferior, or thy equal, require anything from thee, or even show a desire for it; take it all in good part, and study with a good will to fulfil the desire. Let one seek this, another that; let this man glory in this, and that man in that, and be praised a thousand thousand times, but rejoice thou only in the contempt of thyself, and in Mine own good pleasure and glory. This is what thou art to long for, even that whether by life or by death God may be ever magnified in thee.”1
1 Philippians i. 20.
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1
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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2
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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3
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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4
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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9
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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cleave
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| v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋 | |
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12
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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13
tainted
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| adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏 | |
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14
advantageous
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| adj.有利的；有帮助的 | |
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15
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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16
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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probation
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| n.缓刑(期)，(以观后效的)察看；试用(期) | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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mortify
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| v.克制，禁欲，使受辱 | |
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adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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28
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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29
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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30
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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31
repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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32
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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33
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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