March 7

Fourth Thursday after Epiphany

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant. Psalms 25:14.

Now if thou wishest to live more with and to God, and that God should dwell more in thee, and be thy God, these few brief rules may help thee.

Be with God in thy outward works, refer them to Him, offer them to Him, seek to do them to Him and for Him, and He will be with thee in them, and they shall not hinder but rather invite His presence into thy soul. Collect thyself from time to time in God, whatever thou doest, and thou shalt feel Him to be with thee in all. Seek to see Him in all things, and in all things He will come nigh to thee. Look to Him and not to man, and thou shalt see His good Hand in all evil, His healing Hand in all things painful, His love in all man's unkindness, Himself overruling all evil, giving all good. Then thou must seek His love for His love's sake. Not for the praise of man, not for boastfulness, not to be satisfied with ourselves, not to have high places in His kingdom, not to be above others or thought well of, not even for inward consolations in themselves must we desire the secret love of God. Self, not God, is our end if we seek God for anything except Himself. He loveth not God purely who loveth God for anything but God. Yet only the humble can so love God. The humble only abase themselves the more, the more good God is to them. Empty thyself of thyself if thou wouldest that God should fill thee.

Study the best and highest things that are,

But of thyself an humble thought retain.

Cast down thyself, and only strive to raise

The glory of thy Maker's sacred Name:

Use all thy powers that blessed Power to praise,

Which gives thee power to be, and use the same.