Divine Humanity is made known, that the dominion and glory are given Him. But when the perfect unity of the Divine, as existing in the Saviour, is manifested, then that kingdom is set up,—is an everlasting kingdom, and shall never be destroyed.
December Sixteenth.
OUR FAITH MUST BE PROVED.
"Who fed thee in the wildeness with manna which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do the good at thy latter end."—Deut. viii. 16.
TO humble us and prove us, by our being led through the wilderness, is done to make us good at our latter end. Our faith and love must be proved.
It is an easy matter to be religious, when, in worldly phraseology, "all things go well with us;" when the world smiles, and we have no trials and conflicts—no internal anxieties about "what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or wherewithal we shall be clothed;" when we have no outward annoyance, and everything goes smoothly on, as though we trod on velvet. But these are conditions not likely to prove our love either to God or our neighbour; but more frequently are seen to puff up the mind with arrogance, and imagined righteousness—a righteousness akin to that of the Pharisee, who thanks God that he is not as other men are. Therefore the Lord sees fit to prove, as well as to humble us. He permits frequent trial from the world without, as well as from the world within. The world frowns; internal and external persecutions take place; evils within plead more potently for gratification;
