A Manual for Lent (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 Excerpt: ...Samaritan, came to recall to life the dying, but not yet dead, image of God, robbed, wounded, but whose life was still in him. The great kings and conquerors, who had gone before Him, and who called themselves, and whom men accepted as "benefactors," were but thieves and robbers; they could but destroy; but He came that men might. have life. He seemed always to lay hold upon that which was good in man, that He might make it better. The inquiring Scribe He encouraged, by telling him that he was "not far from the kingdom of God." If He worked miracles of healing, He made the faith of the sufferer the pivot upon which all turned; or He took the little lad's poor, inadequate store of five loaves, and made it the germ and foundation of His bounty; or the water that they had, to give them the wine they had not. If He must needs upbraid, He will not break the bruised reed by harshness; He fans up the smoking flax. When Peter had thrice denied, He only alludes to it by thrice asking, whether he loved Him. Love was Peter's strong point; it was the smoking flax when all else had gone out, and stank. Upon this then His Lord dwells; here He rests the foundation of repentance for the past, and amendment for the future. And such is His policy still. His Spirit strives with our spirit, especially where it is naturally best disposed towards Him, and His will and ways. It is no part of Christianity to crush out the sweet things of nature. All the highest graces of the saint are rudimentary in every one of us; they were not creations in them, but only luxuriant natural growth, wonderfully developed by the great grace of God faithfully and constantly used. We shall get on most rapidly, if we cultivate those good things, which are already most advanced in u...