THE CAGED BIRD.

107

no doubt more than I can say of myself. But that I earnestly wish to love Thee, I can with truth declare.

Yea, could I collect in

and all men, I would

my heart the love of all angels

pour forth the whole flood to

Thee, and Thee alone. Oh, then, let the reproaches of mine enemies become to me a praise, and their curse a blessing!

LIX.

The Caged Bird.

OTTHOLD had kept a singing bird for some time in a cage, so that at last it became habituated to its prison, and not only warbled its cheerful and pleasant notes, but even, when the

door was opened, showed no desire to escape. Observing this, he could not help saying to himself: Ah me! would that I could learn from this bird contentment with my condition, and submission to the Divine will! Would that I were habituated to the ways and dealings of my God, and believed in my heart that His designs towards me cannot but be good! This little bird is, indeed, imprisoned, but it receives abundance of food, and therefore is content,-hops about upon the perch, sings its song, and has no desire to

108

THE CAGED BIRD.

change its condition. Even so God often environs me with divers crosses and straits, but never yet has left me destitute of comfort or succor. Why, then, am I not happy? Why do I not sing, and thank Him with a - joyful heart, even in the midst of tribulation? One feels constrained to do, as Luther expresses it, lift the hat, and say to such a bird, "Dear doctor, I must confess that I greatly lack your skill. You sleep by night in your little nest, undisturbed by care. In the morning you rise, cheerful and merry, take your seat upon your perch, warble your song of praise and gratitude to God, and then seek and find your food."

Well then, my God, I too will be content and happy, and wish for nothing but what Thou wilt.

From my

ask to be

Thy good pleasure, sat

cross, my burden, my adversity, I will not relieved until it please Thee to relieve me. Nay, I have no desire even to be in heaven, so long as it is Thy pleasure that I should serve Thee and Thy church in this life of misery and toil. To me let Thy will be heaven; Thy counsel, wisdom; isfaction! The only wish I have is, that it may be well with me in time and eternity. But, as this my wish is also Thy will, our end and aim are one and the same, and it is only about the ways and means of attaining it that we sometimes disagree. No harm, however, is done, although the way Thou leadest me is different from that which my folly reckons good; provided Thou leadest me well, and I secure the object of my desire.

THE TREES IN BLOSSOM.

109

LX.

The Trees in Blossom.

ATE in spring, when the weather was beautiful, and the fruit trees showed one mass of blossom, Gotthold, walking in his garden, and feasting his eyes with their splendor, made the following observations to a friend: These trees bear much more blossom than they can possibly ripen into fruit. This shows in them an inward and natural disposition to pay liberally for the ground they occupy, but afterwards they are more or less hindered by outward circumstances, from carrying it into effect. It is the same with good men. Ah, me! how large, how keen, how many thousand-fold are often their good resolutions and inward desires to love and serve the Lord! O God, we hear them cry, had I the love of all angels and men, it should burn for Thee alone! Had I ten thousand hearts, to Thee should they be consecrated and resigned! Had I the tongues of all mankind, their only employment should be to praise and extol Thee, O God of glory! With what alacrity and joy I will henceforth serve Thee! Ah, me! why did I not know Thee sooner, O Thou pure and eternal love! Depart from me, ye evil doers, for I will keep the commandments of my God.' At such a time, the tree is in full blossom; and the in

1 Psalm cxix. 115.

110

THE BLOSSOMS AND THE BEES.

ward impulse of the Holy Spirit, and the constraining power of the love of Christ, are powerfully felt. Scarce a tithe of the blossom, however, ripens into fruit. But as man, notwithstanding, takes pleasure in beholding it upon the tree, so does God delight in a heart overflowing with fervor, and holy resolutions, and in the fruits and works of righteousness, though these may at first be few..

O Lord, my God and Father! have patience likewise with me, and be satisfied with the blossom and poor firstlings of my Christianity. Do Thou also purge me, and vouchsafe to me Thy blessing, that I may become more and more fruitful and productive.

LXI.

The Trees in Blossom, and the Bees.

URTHER discoursing upon this subject, they observed that the bees were haunting the trees in crowds, humming among the branches, and gathering honey in the flowers. See, said

Gotthold, here is an image of temporal pros

perity. So long as there is blossom on the trees, and honey in the blossom, the bees will frequent them in crowds, and fill the place with their music; but, when

THE CATERPILLARS.

111

the blossom is over, and the honey gone, they too will disappear. The same happens in the world among men. In the abodes of fortune and pleasure, friends will be found in plenty; but when fortune flies away, they depart along with it. Temporal gain is the world's honey, and the allurement with which you may entice it whithersoever you will; but where the gain terminates, there, likewise, do the love and friendship of the world stop. For this reason, let all good men be advised to fly to Christ crucified, who never forsakes, in their distress, those who truly seek him.

LXII.

The Caterpillars.

OTTHOLD had feasted his eyes upon the rich blossom of the trees, and indulged the hope that, in autumn, he would joyfully gather the fruit. In a few days, however, he dis

covered that a noxious mildew had bred a

multitude of caterpillars, and that these had consumed both blossoms and leaves, and left the branches as naked as if they had been scorched with fire. Such, thought he, is the fate of human hopes and pleasures, which vanish like vapor before we are aware.

Where