(An Extract.)
IS Christ precious to you? If Christ is not precious to you, you are at war with God. If He is not more precious to you than everything beside, then you are in a bad state as a saint. If you are tired of hearing of Him, then what God delights in wearies, you, and heaven could have no charm for you. For heaven itself would not make you happy, if you have no delight in Christ; for there He is the chief object of delight. Is it still true of you, that you see no beauty in Christ that you should desire Him? In God’s sight He is perfect beauty―all loveliness; and where there is anything of God in the soul, He is the desired one; to see Him, not that we may be charmed for a moment as with a beautiful picture, but to know Him, to love Him. He has laid hold of the affections.
We may not have the answer yet, but there is the desire, there is the thirst in the soul after Him, which He done can answer. If you have no desire after Christ, and can do without Him, then your heart is still alienated from God, who delights in Him done, and there is not a common thought between you and God; for when He is saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” you have no delight in Him, and do not know Him as the desire of your heart. I am not speaking of duties, nor of victory over this and that; but I ask whether day by day Christ is the desire of your heart?
THE TAMIL BRICKMAKER. ―He was working at his brick-kiln. A Missionary was passing, and said to him, “My friend, as you have given a form to clay, so has God fashioned you; and as you can destroy the work of your own hands, so is it in your Creator’s power to preserve or destroy you. If you will know Him, and receive His word, you shall live.” These were words in season for the poor man. He began to inquire about the great God and His word, and soon became desirous of becoming a Christian. Shortly after he became almost blind. He was conveyed to Tranquebar, but the doctors were unable to cure him. There he received more scriptural instruction. The eyes of his understanding were opened. His knowledge of the gospel increased, and he gave evidence of a regenerated heart. His wife also discontinued her opposition, and began to seek the Lord. One day he said, “Although it has not pleased God that I should recover my sight, yet He has, by the power of His Spirit, lighted up the darkness of my heart, and that of my wife, whereby we are enabled to see the wickedness of worshipping idols. Is not this better than if He had put one hundred eyes in my head?”