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p450 [From the French.] * * * As one advances in age, Christ becomes all; always all in principle, He becomes it more in the habits of the soul. The apostle does not say 'I believe' but "I know whom I have believed," a sweet word that discloses the certainty and the realisation of what Christ is in the soul. There is a calmness in heavenly things which is not found elsewhere, even in the activity of love, most blessed as it is. Things are hurrying headlong in the world. Infidelity in England displays a boldness to which we have not been accustomed. In America it is the same thing, but the word, the promise, and heaven remain as they were, and we are a little nearer. I wait for the Lord, but as long as there is something for me to do, I am here for His work. I have a deeper feeling than ever of what we are, and of the times in which we live. The struggle against infidelity pre-occupies me, but I go on my way as always, as far as my strength permits me.

For my part I believe that we scarcely know what Paul was. We have the same salvation, the same Saviour, the same grace, and for the end the same glory, namely, to be like Christ - but to bear always in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that shews a life of continual abnegation and of devotedness. He was separated from the Jews and the Gentiles to be connected with the glorified Christ, the alone source, and point of departure of his whole life; but whilst he was in the body he had always the sentence of death in himself. Death wrought in him, and life wrought thus from him in others. This is saying a great deal, but he was an elect vessel, and the Lord shewed him how many things he must suffer for His name. There is this true and deep consolation for you and me and for all who are His, that, be as it may, He will be perfectly glorified in us all according to the counsels of God. For me, I know it well, it will be His grace that will be glorified, and I shall be satisfied with it. . . . God knows by what road He is leading His own; one thing is certain, it is that Jesus will rejoice in the travail of His soul, and will be fully satisfied with it; and He will not be satisfied, His love will not, without seeing His own in the most perfect blessedness near Him. If His love is satisfied, we may well be. We shall enter into the rest of God, where His love, His fixed purpose, His character, will be fully glorified in all that surrounds Him, and "He shall rest in his love," as He works now according to that love. For the rest, I believe that we shall rejoice more in the fact, that Christ is fully glorified, than in our own glory.

Zurich, June 7th.

[52302F]

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