A Paragraph for Each Day.
1—If thou wouldst find much favor and peace with God and man, be very low in thine own eyes. Forgive thyself little, and others much.—Leighton. 2—In all thy actions think God sees thee; and in all His actions labor to see Him.—Quarles. 3—It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are, the more gentle and quiet we become towards the defects of others.—Fenelon. 4—Meditation is the soul's perspective glass, whereby, in her long removes, she discerneth God, as if he were near at hand.—Feltham. 5—The do-nothingness of Christians is the bane of the church. Live with respect to business and society as you do the church, and there will soon be neither shop nor store, nor will there be a fireside to invite you to its comforts. 6—There is a third silent party to all our bargains. The nature and soul of things takes on itself guaranty of the fulfillment of every contract, so that honest service cannot come to loss. If you serve an ungrateful master, serve him the more. Put God in your debt. Every stroke shall be repaid. The longer the payment is withholden, the better for you, for compound interest on compound interest is the rate and usage of this exchequer. 7—There is no kind of vocation, no degree either spiritual or temporal, no estate and condition of life, which can lack this excellent virtue—Christian patience. For, as it is some time day, some time night, other whiles cold and frosty winter, other whiles pleasant and lusty summer, and other whiles springtide, so the life of man and woman is mingled of sweet and sour things. It hath commodities and pleasures, and it hath griefs and displeasures. There be things which delight and refresh us, and there be as many things which molest, sting, and vex us. For who is there living, either temporal or spiritual, who can truly report that he hath had continual health and prosperity, without any storm of adversity? Wherefore patience is necessary unto all sorts of men.—Sel.