_glory_ in my infirmities"--"I take _pleasure_ in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses for Christ's
sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong." I think this a great
attainment; but that His disciples may reach it, though only through a
humbling, painful process. Then as to God's glory. We say, "Man's chief
end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Now, can we enjoy Him till
we do glorify Him? Can we enjoy Him while living for ourselves, while
indulging in sin, while prayerless and cold and dead? Does not God
directly seek our highest happiness when He strips us of vainglory and
self-love, embitters the poisonous draught of mere human felicity,
and makes us fall down before Him lost in the sense of His beauty and
desirableness? The connexion between glorifying and enjoying Him is,
to my mind, perfect--one following as the _necessary sequence_ of the
other; and facts bear me out in this. He who has let self go and lives
only for the honor of God, is the free, the happy man. He is no longer a
slave, but has the liberty of the sons of God; for "him who honors me, I
will honor." Satan has befogged you on this point. He dreads to see you
ripen into a saintly, devoted, useful man. He hopes to overwhelm and
ruin you. But he will not prevail. You have solemnly given yourself to
the Lord; you have chosen the work of winning and feeding souls as your
life-work, and you can not, must not go back. These conflicts are the
lot of those who are training to be the Lord's true yoke-fellows.
Christ's sweetest consolations lie behind crosses, and He reserves His
best things for those who have the courage to press forward, fighting
for them. I entreat you to turn your eyes away from self, from man, and
look to Christ. Let me assure you, as a fellow-traveller, that I have
been on the road and know it well, and that by and by there won't be
such a dust on it. You will meet with hindrances and trials, but will
fight quietly through, and no human ear hear the din of battle, no human
eye perceive fainting or halting or fall. May God bless you, and become
to you an ever-present, joyful reality! Indeed He will; only wait
patiently.

In glancing over this, I see that I have here and there repeated myself.
Do excuse it. I believe it is owing to the way the flies harass and
distract me.

_August 17th._--I feel truly grateful to God if I have been of any
comfort to you. I know only too well the shock of seei