They who fight the Lord's battles, must be content to be in no respect accounted of; to be in no respect encouraged by the prospect of human praise.
If you make an exception, that the children of God will praise. on, whatever the world may say; beware of this, for you may turn them into a world, and find in them a world, and May "sow to the flesh," in sowing to their approbation; and you will neither be benefited by them, nor they by you, so long as respect for them is your motive. All such motives are poison and a taking away from you the strength in which you are to give glory to God. It is not the fact that all that see the face of the Lord, do see each other. It is not the fact that the misapprehension of the world is the only misapprehension the Christian must be contented to labor under; he must expect even his brethren to see him through a mist, and to be appointed of their sympathy and cheers of approbation.
The man of God must walk alone with God; he must be contented that the Lord knoweth— that God knows. It is such a relief to the natural man within us to fall back upon human countenances and human thoughts and sympathy, that we often deceive ourselves and think it "brotherly love," when we are just resting in the earthly sympathy of some fellow worm! You are to be followers of Him Who was left alone and you are, like Him, to rejoice you are "not alone" because the Father is with you, that you may give glory to God. Oh! I cannot but speak of it, it is such a glory to God to see a soul that has been accessible to the praise of men, surrounded by thousands of his fellow creatures, every one of whom he knows how to please, and yet that he should be contented, pleased and happy in doing, with a single reference to God, that which he knows they will all misunderstand! Here Was the victory of Jesus! There was not a single heart that beat in sympathy With His heart, or 'entered into His bitter sorrow, or bore His grief, in the hour of His bitter grief; but His Way was With the Lord—His judgment wag With His God; His Father, who said, ‘This is My beloved Son in whom it I am well pleased."'
This was the perfect glory given to the Father the Son, that in flesh and blood such a trust in God was manifested; and this is What you are called to, and you are not called to it as He was; but you are called to see God in Hint 'God bas Come near to you in Christ, and here you have a human, heart—a perfect sympathy—the heart of God in your nature, and to this you are ever carried. And if there be any, other sympathy with you in the Wide universe, whether On the sea of glass, or still on earth, it is only as the pulsation of the blood that flows from Christ to His members that is to you of any account. Feed upon, it; and remember you are thus to walk in, the world—not hanging upon one another.
Oh! Jesus; Master! take my fevered hands in Thine, Said' keep Me With Thee, with Thee, walking above the worthless din of human praise or disapproval.
Then shall it be in my ear the empty sound which it is in Thine; and I shall walk in sweet unconsciousness,—too far for some—not far enough for others,—but with Thee; putting my whole weight into that which in Thine eye' is service; no, longer' Offering Thee, the blind, the lame, the maimed desires of a spirit dreaming of the great things Which it would do, but my waking rejoicing energies.
Lord! shine upon Thy poor plant,—say unto me With power, "Arise! Follow Me.”
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