8. “Though I dare not chuse or bring sufferings upon myself, (says he in a letter to his director) yet having always before my eyes how little I render to God for his favours, I am inflamed to suffer with our Lord. In every other thing we are receivers from God. But in this though we receive the grace to suffer, yet the suffering is that which we can in a manner give to God, and which is the best gage and proof of our love.” But he very wisely adds, “although I know this, yet I cease not to know what I am: and amidst all my inclinations and desires, I dare not to beg to suffer the least thing: Or, if I happen to do so I revoke it afterwards, as having done foolishly. I have too much experience of my weakness. I give myself only to my God for every thing he pleases. By his order I will all: With him I can do all: and that which is ordered by him is always accompanied by grace.” 9. The same spirit he earnestly recommended to all who were studious of Christian perfection. To one of whom he said, “It is a great favour to suffer; that is if you suffer in the spirit of Jesus Christ. But there are very few that do so; very few that with a perfect resignment to what God ordains concerning them; very few without some inquietude, and dwelling in their thoughts upon their pressures: few that give all events to the conduct of God, to employ themselves entirely in his praise, and to give way by their acquiescence and submission, for him to exercise all his rights and power ever them.” *10. One that was in great pain he encouraged thus: “Many are called Christians, but few have a Christian spirit. Many look up to heaven in their prayers, but in their lives they are children of nature, looking only upon the earth. If they do lift up their eyes to heaven, it is only to complain; to pray God to condescend to their desires, not to shew their acceptance of his. Or perhaps they will give some small things to God; but not those on which they have fixed their affection. If he separates them from them, it is a dismembring which he must make, and to which they cannot consent. As though the life of Christians were not a life of sacrifice, a continual imitation of a crucified Saviour. *“God, who knows our wretchedness, takes from us for our good, the cause of our evil, a parent, a child, a husband, that he may by another evil, affliction, draw us to himself, and make us see that all these ties to whatsoever it be that separates us from him, are so many obstacles to our real happiness: and such obstacles that we shall one day own in the face of all the creation, the greatest mercy he ever did us was, to free us from them. But we must beware not to count this mercy a chance or misfortune; for this would be to turn the remedy into poison.