Year: 1863

D cry and rotaliatory feelings towards gu
D enemies.


J Such feelings do not arise when we ar,
looking at things in a spiritual light, o
7 in the light of spiritual thingsi and when
t in any case, they have arisen, looking a
things in a spiritual light will enable u
to subdue them. In order, then, to main


tain that spirit that is above all thing.


desirable in eases OF injurious and mali
cious treatment from others, it is essen.
tial that we do in reality seek first the


kingdom of God; that is, that goodness


may dwell, and truth may reign, spi1:n


ourselves, for, the kingdom of God is


within" US. When this is done, we there


by take away all power from our enemies


of really injuring US, and not only so, but


we ourselves do, thereby, have power to


turn the utmost Of their efforts to our own


advantage What makes US angry with


others is because they have some power


over US that we do not wish them to have.


IF our supreme object be our own spirit


ual advancement, tits impossible for them


to thwart us in the accomplishment Of that


object; and we put ourselves in the pow


er OF our enemies just SO far as we set our


hearts on any merely earthly object.


The reason is, because over merely earth
! ly things our enemies may have power,


and may thwart us in the accomplishment


of such objects; but if goodness and truth,


which are spiritual things, be what we
primarily seek, or what alone our hearts
are set on, then our enemies will have no


power to prevent our accomplishment Of


what we desire. 1t may be thought that


we ought not always to seek primarily


our own spiritual advancement; but if
this seems to conflict with the principle


that we should seek the good of otheas,


it is only SO in appearance, for the only


way we can ctfectually do good to others


rs by laboring to purify first ourselves,


tor good tree cannot bring forth cor


rupt fruit, neither can corrupt tree


bring forth good fruit" Now, the mali


cious actions of our enemies serve, as


nothing else can, to show to US whether
our hearts are set on worldly and perish
able thingsi and, if we regard such ac-
tons on their part, as means, in the
Lords pcrmissiyo providence, by which
our own inward state is shown to US,
instead of having our attention wholly
occupied with the evil conduct of those
who do US the injury, we shall make it |
an occasion for crucifying our worldly
and sensual loves, and thus of purifying
our hearts If, by reason of our hearts
being set on things that our enemies
cannot reach, they cannot succeed in
making us unhappy; We then have room
in our hearts for pity for them. It is
ill-becoming in those who themselves do
evil to be angry at others for doing the
same. But these are the only ones who
are so, for the good will not indulge such
a disposition. In order, therefore, to
avoid the unhappiness caused by an In
diligence of angry and revengeful feel
ings and the display Of weakness on our
part, which such an exhibition furnishes,
we should, by every means in our power,
see to it that our affections are not set on
what lies in the power of others; that is,
shat we should desire above all things a
right disposition under all circumstances,
SO that our object shall, in no case, be to
alter circumstances over which we have
no control, but to maintain a right dis
position under the circumstances that
exist.


We shall further consider that our
enemies have no power over US except
what is given them from heaven. It was
BY this means that the Lord himself
.voided sin. He said to PLATE, in his
that he had power either to
.rucify or release him. " Thou couldest
lave no power against me except it was
,iyen thee from above" So ON. enemies
lave no other power than that which is !
;iren them and that which they have
'ver US is allowed them by the Lord, so
IS its effect on as in concerned, solely for -,
or the sake of our publication. Thus
he Lord is constantly "educing the sane
ifcation of the christian from the tran :.
.ressions of the sinner" But the Lord :.
annot produce this desirable result in
S, except we regard the evils that men
o to us, in the light Of his providence, +
nd suffer ourselves to be reminded by
uch things, of our own evils, and coop .
rate with Him in remoying them. The
RE was to look at things in the light of
ivine providence is to consider, that =
very circumstance that is about US. and
very event that effects US, is, so far as
,e are concerned, ordered by the Lord in a
nfnite wisdom as perfectly adapted, if h
-e improve them, to remove all that is fc
vii from US, and establish us forever in h
OOdness and consequent happiness. If