7. "In the pursuit of philosophy many difficulties are encountered. These the student must expect to meet; but he must not relinquish the investigation of truth, because it seems to elude his search. He may knock at the gate of science, and apparently without being heard. But let him knock again, and he will find an entrance."
LESSON XXVII.
The same subject, concluded.
1. "Do you ever pray to God? I hope and trust you do. God commands and encourages us to pray to him. But he does not always answer our prayers at the time, or in the way, we expect.
2. "What then? We know that he hears them. We know that he is a gracious God, a reconciled Father in Christ. Let us knock again. Let us ask in faith, and, if what we ask be pleasing in his sight, he will grant it in his own good time.
3. "You know who it was that said, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.'
4. "Once more: our progress in the Divine life, even after we have wholly given ourselves to the Lord, does not always equal our wishes or expectations. We find much indwelling sin, much remaining corruption, to struggle with.
5. "But let us not despond. The grace of our Lord is sufficient for us, and his strength is made perfect in our weakness. Let us knock again.
6. "Let us continue, with humble confidence, to do what we know to be pleasing in our Master's sight. Let us work out our own salvation, with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure."