312

TAKING PILLS.

CCII.

Taking Pills.

N invalid who had been ordered a couple of pills, took them very absurdly; for, in place of swallowing them at once, he rolled them about in his mouth, ground them to pieces, and so tasted their full bitterness. Gotthold was present, and thus mused: The insults and calumnies of a slanderer and adversary are bitter pills, and all do not understand the art of swallowing without chewing them. To the Christian, however, they are wholesome in many ways. They remind him of his guilt; they try his meekness and patience; they show him what he needs to guard against, and at last they redound to his honor and glory in the sight of Him for whose sake they were endured. In respect to the pills of slander, however, as well as the others, it is advisable not to roll them about continually in our minds, or judge of them according to the flesh, and the world's opinion. This will only increase their bitterness, spread the savor of it to the tongue, and fill the heart with proportional enmity. The true way is to swallow, keep silence, and forget. We must inwardly devour our grief, and say: I will be dumb and not open my mouth, because Thou didst it.1

1 Psalm xxxix. 2, 9.

THE BIRD OF PREY.

313

The best antidotes to the bitterness of slander, are the sweet promises and consolations of Scripture, of which not the least is this: Blessed are ye when men shall revile and persecute you, and shall you, all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.1

say

Alas, my God! how hard it is to swallow the pills of obloquy! to bless them that curse me, to do good to them that hate me, and to pray for them that despitefully use me! But, Lord, as Thou wilt have it so, give it as Thou wilt have it; for it is a matter in which, without Thy grace, I can do nothing.

CCIII.

The Bird of Prey.

FRIEND mentioned to Gotthold that he had seen a kite hovering in the air, and marking its quarry, and inquired of him, whether so rapacious a bird could furnish him with a

theme for edifying thought. To this Gotthold replied: Why not? Such a bird delights in the free air, and soars aloft, as if it would fain approach to

1 Matt. v. 11, 12.

314

FEEDING THE HENS.

heaven; all the while, however, it keeps its sharp eye continually directed to the earth, if haply it may there spy and seize a prey. And like it are hypocrites; they love to speak of heavenly and spiritual things; they go to church, and take the holy supper; they read, and pray, and sing; but, nevertheless, their heart retains its earthly inclination, and they seek that which is temporal more than that which is eternal.

眼

CCIV.

Feeding the Hens.

OR amusement, a gentleman used to throw

crumbs of bread, and occasionally a handful

of barley, to his hens, from the parlor window. By this means they had not merely learned the custom of rushing to it the mo

ment it opened, but likewise often stationed themselves beneath it, and signified by their cries that they had a boon to beg. Gotthold saw this, and observed: Hens do to us as we do to God. He has often heard our cry, and given us the blessings we required for our spiritual and bodily nourishment, and has thereby, so to speak, habituated us to resort to

THE CONCLUSION.

315

Him on all occasions, and never to desist till we again receive His gifts; and this He does, although we are less profitable to Him than hens are to us. I have often wondered at the boldness shown by His children in their intercourse with Him, and not less at the loving-kindness and benignity of so great a potentate, in not only bidding us pray, but declaring that He is well pleased when, in our prayers, we are not merely bold, but, if I may so say, shameless.

CCV.

The Conclusion.

Y God! I conclude this book, as I began it,

in the name of Jesus. Its good thoughts, if

any such it contain, are but sparks of Thy heavenly light; and whither ought the flame to point, or to whom aspire, but to Thee? All glory, honor, and praise, are justly Thine; and seeing, as I do, that of myself I am unequal to the task of praising Thee for the goodness which Thou hast shown me all my life, I have tried if I could not by these meditations stir up the hearts of others, and prevail upon them to unite with me in praising Thee as the

316

THE CONCLUSION.

glorious, loving, merciful, only wise, and righteous God. As the fire was mine which kindled their oblation, I wished to look upon it, although offered upon another's altar, as in some measure coming from me. O my God! could I publish Thy praise with a thousand tongues and hearts, and prolong it through all eternity, it would still fall short of Thy deserts. Thou hast merited infinitely more at my hands. Let this book, then, praise Thee; or rather, let it be a testimony how willingly I would publish and extend Thy praise, and show forth Thy goodness to all the world, not only during my life, but even after my decease. If, however, there be anything in the book which has not been meditated on with the devotion, humility, and awe, nor imparted to others with the tender affection required by Thy majesty and my own duty, mercifully forgive it; and remember that even the holiest thoughts have been pondered in a sinful heart, the words uttered by a human tongue, and the pen wielded by an unclean hand. Yet still I am, and forever shall be, Thy servant.

THE END.