X.
ANENT JOHN PATTERSON.
"One Faithful, meek fool, who is led to the burning,
He cumbered us sorely in Vanity Fair."
—MISS MULOCH.
"Look out for rocks, Madam Celia," was Patient's enigmatical comment when she heard what Philip had said.
"I do not understand you, Patient."
"Madam, there is nothing harder in this world than humility, because there is nothing so near to the Lord. There are but two places wherein He dwelleth—the high and holy Heaven, and the humble and contrite heart. Paul, you mind, was sent a thorn in the flesh because of the abundance of the revelations. I have near always found that when I have had some work to do for the Lord which was like to make me think well of myself, there has either been a thorn in the flesh or a thorn in the spirit sent to me, either just before or just after. Most commonly just before. And it does not need abundance of revelations, neither, to set up poor fools like us. Anything can do that. If we are trying to walk close to the Lord, and give no occasion for stumbling, the Devil can make pedestals of our very graces whereon to stick us up and cause us to fall down and worship ourselves. Ay, of our very sins he can! Many's the time when I have been set up in the forenoon on account of some very thing which, when I was calmer, had to be laid open and repented of before the Lord at night. Depend upon it, Jonah was no feeling over lowly when he thought he did well to be angry.[[1]] And then, when a little breeze of repentance does stir the heavy waves of the soul, the Devil whispers, 'How good, how humble, how godly you are!' Ah, 'his devices!' Thank God 'we are not ignorant' of them.[[2]] Look out for rocks, Madam. I am no true prophet if you find not a keen wind soon after this."
"Tell me, Patient, does my brother Edward fear God?"
"Yes, Madam."
"You know he does?"
"I have no anxiety about Sir Edward, Madam. I only wish I were half as sure of Mr. Philip."
"Do you think?"—