(adapted from Octavius Winslow's, "The
Glory of the Redeemer in His Resurrection")

The happy secret of retaining our mercies is
to receive and enjoy Christ in them; to turn every
blessing bestowed into an occasion of knowing, and
loving, and enjoying more of Jesus; apart from
whom, poor indeed were the most costly blessing.

Blessed indeed would our blessings then be!

Leading our affections up to God; giving us a deeper
insight into a Father's love; laying us lower in the
dust at His feet; filling the spirit with secret contrition
and tender brokenness, the heart with adoring love,
the mouth with grateful praise; endearing the channel
through which it descends, and the mercy seat at
which it was sought and given; encouraged and
stimulated by the gift, to devote person, time,
influence, and property, more simply and unreservedly,
to the glory of God; then should we keep a longer
possession of our sanctified blessing, nor fear the
thought, nor shrink from the prospect of its removal;
or, if removed, we should be quite satisfied to have
God alone as our portion and our all.