THIRD LETTER

 

We have a God who is infinitely gracious and knows all about our wants. I always thought that He would reduce you to extremity. He will come in His own time, and when you least expect it. Hope in Him more than ever; thank Him with me for the favors He does you, particularly for the fortitude and patience which He gives you in your afflictions. It is a plain mark of the care He takes of you. Comfort yourself, then, with Him, and give thanks for all.

 

I admire also the fortitude and bravery of Mr.-, God has given him a good disposition and a good will; but there is in him still a little of the world and a great deal of youth. I hope the affliction which God has sent him will prove a wholesome remedy to him, and make him enter into himself. It is an accident which should engage him to put all his trust in Him who accompanies him everywhere. Let him think of Him as often as he can, especially in the greatest dangers. A little lifting up of the heart suffices. A little remembrance of God, one act of inward worship: though upon a march, and a sword in hand, are prayers, which however short, are nevertheless very acceptable to God; .and far from lessening a soldier’s courage-in occasions of danger, they best serve to fortify it.

 

Let him then think of God the most he can. Let him accustom himself, by degrees, to this small but holy exercise', No one will notice it, and nothing is easier than to repeat often in the day these little internal adorations, Recommend to him, if you please, that he think of God the most he can, in the manner here directed. It is very fit and most necessary for a soldier who is daily exposed to the dangers of life. I hope that God will assist him and all the family, to whom I present my service, being theirs and

Yours. . .

 

SEVENTH LETTER

 

I pity you much. It will be of great importance if you can leave the care of your affairs to-, and spend the remainder of your life only in worshiping God. He requires no great matters of us: a little remembrance of Him from time to time; a little adoration; sometimes to pray for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, and sometimes to return Him thanks for the favors He has given you, and still gives you, in the midst of your troubles, and to console yourself with Him the oftenest you can. Lift up your heart to Him, sometimes even at your meals, and when you are in company; the least little remembrance will always be acceptable to Him. You need not cry very loud; He is nearer to us than we are aware of.,

 

It is not necessary for being with God to be always at church We may make an oratory of our heart wherein to retire from time to time to converse with Him in meekness, humility, and love. Every one is capable of such familiar conversation with God, some more, some less. He knows what we can do. Let us begin, then. Perhaps He expects but one generous resolution on our part. Have courage. We have but little time to live; you are near sixty-four, and I am almost eighty. Let us live and die with God. Sufferings will be sweet and pleasant to us while we are with Him; and the greatest pleasures will be, without Him, a cruel punishment to us. May He be blessed for all. Amen.

 

Accustom yourself, then, by degrees thus to worship Him, to beg His grace, to offer Him your heart from time to time in the midst of your business, even every moment, if you can.  Do not always scrupulously confine yourself to certain rules, or particular forms of devotion, but act wit a general confidence in God, with love and humility.  You may assure – of my poor prayers, and that I am their servant, and particularly.

 

                                                                                    Yours in our Lord…

 

           

ELEVENTH LETTER

 

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 your fastened to the cross.  He will loose you when He thinks fit. Accustom yourself to suffer in that manner, and 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 favor 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 effect of His mercy, and the means which He employs for their salvation—such 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 the soul and body.

 

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 pleasures 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; it is the only support and comfort for your afflictions. I shall beseech Him to be with you. I present my service.

 

 

TWELFTH LETTER

 

 

If we were well accustomed to the exercise of the presence of God, all bodily diseases would be much alleviated thereby.  God often permits that we should suffer a little to purify our souls and oblige us to continue with Him.

 

Take courage; offer Him your, pains incessantly; pray to Him for strength to endure them.  Above all, get a habit of entertaining yourself often with God, and forget Him the least that you can. Adore Him in your infirmities; offer yourself to Him from time, and in the height of your sufferings beseech Him; humbly and affectionately (as a child his father) to make you conformable to His Holy will. I shall endeavor to assist you with my poor prayers.  

 

God has many ways of drawing us to Himself.  He sometimes hides Himself from us; but faith alone, which will not fail us in time of need, ought to be our support, and the foundation; of our confidence, which must be all in God.

 

I know not how God will dispose of me. I am always happy. All the world suffer; and I, who deserve the severest discipline, feel joys so continual and so great that I can scarce contain them.

 

I would willingly ask of God a part of your sufferings, but that I know my weakness, which is so great that if He left--me one moment to myself I should be the most wretched man live.  And yet I know not how He can leave me alone, because faith gives me as strong a conviction as sense can do that He never forsakes us until we have first forsaken Him.  Let us fear to leave Him. Let us be always with Him. Let us live and die in His presence. Do you pray for me as I for you. I am,

 

Yours …

  

THIRTEENTH LETTER

 

(To the Same)

 

I am in pain to see you suffer so long. What gives me some ease and sweetens the feelings I have for you griefs is that they are proofs of God’s love toward you. See them in that view and you will bear them more easily. As your case is, it is my opinion that you should leave off human remedies, and resign yourself entirely to the providence of God. Perhaps He, stays only for that resignation and a perfect trust in Him to cure you. Since, notwithstanding all your cares, physic has hitherto proved unsuccessful, and your malady still increases, it will not be tempting God to abandon yourself in His hands and expect all from Him.

 

I told you in my last that He sometimes permits bodily diseases to cure the distempers of the soul. Have courage, then; make a virtue of necessity.  Ask of God, not deliverance from your pains, but strength to bear resolutely, for the love of Him, all that He should please, and as long as He shall please.

 

Such prayers, indeed, are a little hard to nature, but most acceptable to God, and sweet to those that love Him. Love sweetens pains; and when one loves God, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage. Do you so, I beseech you; comfort yourself with Him who is "the only Physician of all our maladies. He is the Father of the afflicted, always ready to help us. He loves us infinitely, more than we imagine. Love Him, then, and seek no consolation elsewhere. I hope you will soon receive it. Adieu. I will help you with my, prayers, poor as they are, and shall always be, in our Lord.

 

Yours…

 

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