Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/262

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of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands, then let me sow and let another eat, let my offspring be rooted out."

The steps of a good man are in a contrary direction to those of the wicked. So very opposite are they to each other that, while it may be said of the good man he is constantly ascending, it may be said of the wicked he is constantly descending: hence the good man ascends to heaven, the wicked man descends to hell. Spiritual steps are the progressions of man's spiritual life. Every single truth a man derives from the Word of God, and applies to the amendment of his heart and to the regulation of his life and conduct, makes him increase in heavenly wisdom: and every increase of wisdom admitted into his understanding and exemplified in the life, may be said to be a step towards heaven, that step being ordered or directed by the Lord; and each step so taken increases the blessedness he feels, inasmuch as the source of all blessedness—the Divine presence—appears nearer and nearer to him. The good man's steps are ordered by the Lord, because his advancement towards perfection is made through his obedience to the Divine Truth of the Holy Word. The Divine Truth is the Divine speech, in which is embodied all that is required of man. The Divine Truth is the guide by which his steps are directed in the way. Jesus is the way, and whoever walks by Him, "none of his steps shall slide."

When we conduct our steps in conformity to the Divine precepts of the Lord, when our delight consists in bringing our will into conformity to the Divine will, then our steps are ordered by the Lord: and the man