Saturday, July 17, 2010

A right spirit

"There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things. in hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltations and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations. As it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in thoughts to any other. If it is betrayed, it bears it, for its ground and spring is the mercies and forgiveness of God. Its crown is its meekness, its life is everlasting love unfeigned: it takes its kingdom with entreaty and not with contention, and keeps it by lowliness of mind. In God alone it can rejoice, though none else regard it, or can own its life ... When I was weak Thou stayedst me with Thy Hand, that in Thy time Thou mightest present me to the world of Thy strength in which I stand, and cannot be moved. Praise the Lord, O my soul. Let his be written for those that come after. Praise the Lord.

James Naylor. A Collection of Sundry Books, Papers and Epistles. 1716.

No comments:

Post a Comment