tile to himself, when he indulges hatred, and meditates revenge against those of whose hostility he complains, inasmuch as he thereby makes an enemy of God, who hates all implacable and malevolent dispositions. With consideration, your supposed enemy may become the means of doing you so much good, that you will have reason to esteem him as your friend, and thank God on his account. An enemy is often like a medicine, which at first sickens and disorders the stomach, but afterwards removes the malady, and restores the health. An enemy teaches us to walk circumspectly; we must always be afraid of his sharp and hostile observation, and know that he will mark our halting, and publish it abroad to our shame and injury. An enemy impels us to prayer, and teaches us to place a higher value upon the friendship of God. An enemy exercises us in patience, confirms our faith, tests our charity, implants meekness, crushes pride, weans us from the world, and sweetens to us the prospects of heaven. Unless the fire and hammer do their part, the shapeless lump of gold can never become the goblet which graces a monarch's table; and just as little, without tribulation, can carnal men be converted into pious Christians. Look less, then, at the hammer than at the hand which wields it for your good. My God! how shall I thank Thee, for having made even the wrath and bitterness, the slander and envy, of my enemies subservient to my best interests! They thought it for evil against me, but Thou

hast turned their malice into the means of my edification. The world's enmity has made Thee and me the best of friends.

CLXXII.

The Division.

COTTHOLD, hearing that several relatives were soon to meet, for the purpose of dividing a considerable inheritance, took occasion to say to

them: Take heed that you do not divide hearts as well as property. The eye of a man often looks askance, when others attempt to share with him that of which he would fain appropriate the whole. A philosopher not improperly calls self-love a dissolvent, because it often disunites the hearts of the nearest relatives, and converts their love into hatred. In Paris, not many years ago, two gentlemen, at the division of a property of which they had been left joint heirs, proceeded from words to blows, when one of them killed the other with a pestle, and afterwards cut his own throat. In this way, Satan came in for a share. I myself was once present at the implementing of a will, when the minds of the relations became exasperated to

such a pitch, that they broke to pieces the most costly vessels, and tore into shreds beautiful tapestries and hangings, neither wishing to give anything to the other. Nor did they ever afterwards in their lives meet or exchange words. O cursed wealth! of which the devil makes an apple of discord. O unhallowed inheritance! which breaks the bond of Christian love, and forfeits the inheritance in heaven.

CLXXIII.

Second Meditation on the Division.

B

ELOVED Saviour, Gotthold proceeded, most unjustly did the world divide with Thee. It gave Thee only what Thou couldst not likepoverty, contempt, disgrace, the cross, the thorny crown, the scourge; and yet Thou didst not demur, fully satisfied with Thy Father's love and holy will. And still it does the same. Small is the share of the good things that perish which falls to the believer's lot. Generally it is little greater than Thine. But with this he is content, anticipating another division which will take place at death, and in which body and soul, wealth, honor, and all else will

270

GOD AND THE WORLD.

be divided, and nothing left to man but what he shall have treasured in his inmost soul. Happy he who shall then be able to say, the Lord is my portion and mine inheritance. For myself, I shall easily arrange shares with the world. It will give to me my crucified and insulted Saviour, with His poverty and thorny crown, and I will let it keep the rest. We shall then be quits.

C

CLXXIV.

God and the World.

ONTINUING, Gotthold said: Alas, ye children of men! why do you so fondly love the world? Why forsake the fountains of living waters, and hew out cisterns, broken cisterns

1

that can hold no water? Why spend money for that which is not bread, and labor for that which satisfieth not?? Why forsake the God of all consolation, and set your heart upon the world, which is like the apple of Sodom, beautiful to look upon, but inwardly full of ashes; or not less like decayed timber, which, no doubt, glistens in the dark, as if it were some precious thing, or replete with fire, but disap

points him who stoops to pick it up, or hopes that it will warm his hands?

Jesus, my Lord! Thou hast the words of eternal life;1 Thou hast strong and lasting consolation; Thou hast a loving heart, lips to comfort, and hands to help. With Thee there is both counsel and might. I have often found the world false, but never Thee. Thou art an unfading flower of strength and refreshment, and with Thee is the fountain of life that never runs dry. Let who will then forsake Thee: for my part I have no wish, and know as little where, to better my condition. Be this, then, my resolution forever: Jesus, I will not forsake Thee.

CLXXV.

The Wasp.

NE day a wasp had entered Gotthold's study, and for a time fluttered and buzzed before the

window. At last he rose, caught it, and cut it into three parts. He then observed, with astonishment, that these three parts — the head, the breast and wings, the stomach and sting-although wholly separate from each other, had all, nevertheless,

1 John vi. 67, 68.