Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/65

 image indeed, but sufficient to convey to man the force of the words, "I have loved you; I have loved you, saith the Lord." Never does the heart intermit its labour. Night and day—onward it goes, and has a considerable resistance to overcome. Never does the divine love diminish in affection towards us; it has loved and will continue to love us. In states of elevation and depression, in states of illumination and obscurity, night and day, it never intermits—it never sleeps; and how much perverse resistance has it to overcome! how many opposing influences on the part of man himself, and of man's spiritual enemies. Yet were the love of God to cease, the man, the real man, would perish: so were the heart to cease, the body would perish.

While thy heart beats, think of the love of thy God, and let gratitude distinguish thee in all thy actions. Ever should we remember, that there is a spiritual pulsation, as well as a natural one; and we should therefore be often feeling the pulse of our spirits, to discover the state of our health. Whatever causes the pulse of the spirit to beat highest, will determine at all times the true state of our affections.

Look up to heaven, then, O man! and tremblingly rejoice at the vast superiority, which the Creator of the world has connected with such a simple principle as thy upright form. Didst thou walk prone like a brute; were thy head gluttonously formed for thy mouth and nose, and the structure of thy limbs answerable?—where would be the higher powers of thy mind? to what would not the image of the Deity in thee be degraded? The wretch who ranks himself