fore, who had only a name to live, and were dead. I think there is
more discrimination now. But take care and be not proud, for that goes
before a fall. Take care of censorious judging of others, as if all
must be converted in the same way.

"God moves in a mysterious way. He hath mercy on whom He will have
mercy. To Him alone be glory."

He thus stated his views on another occasion. Referring to Song 6:3,
"My beloved is mine," following "My beloved is gone down into his
garden," he said, "This is the faith of assurance,--a complete,
unhesitating embracing of Christ as my righteousness and my strength
and my all. A common mistake is, that this clear conviction that
Christ is mine is an attainment far on in the divine life, and that it
springs from evidences seen in my heart. When I see myself a new
creature, Christ on the throne in my heart, love to the brethren,
etc., it is often thought that I may begin then to say, 'My Beloved is
mine.' How different this passage! The moment Jesus comes down into
the garden to the beds of spices,--the moment He reveals himself, the
soul cries out, 'My Beloved is mine!' So saith Thomas, John 20:27, 28.
The moment Jesus came in and revealed his wounds, Thomas cried out,
'My Lord and my God.' He did not look to see if he was believing, or
if the graces of love and humility were reigning; but all he saw and
thought of was Jesus and Him crucified and risen." At a subsequent
period, when preaching on Matt. 11:28, "Come unto me," he said, "I
suppose it is almost impossible to explain what it is to come to
Jesus, it is so simple. If you ask a sick person who had been healed,
what it was to come and be healed, he could hardly tell you. As far as
the Lord has given me light in this matter, and looking at what my own
heart does in like circumstances, I do not feel that there is anything
more in coming to Jesus, than just believing what God says about his
Son to be true. I believe that many people keep themselves in darkness
by expecting something more than this. Some of you will ask, 'Is there
no _appropriating_ of Christ? no _putting out the hand of faith_? no
touching the hem of his garment?' I quite grant, beloved, there is
such a thing, but I do think it is inseparable from believing the
record. If the Lord persuades you of the glory and power of Emmanuel,
I feel persuaded that you cannot but choose Him. It is like opening
the shutters of a dark room; the sun that moment shines in. So, the