The Letter that Sparked Revival (Part III)
Henry Scougal (1650-1678) — Modernized Edition
This is a continuation of The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal.
To read the previous chapter, click here.
Part III (continued from last week)
The next branch of the Divine Life is a universal love and generosity for others.
It’s a beautiful kind of grace, because what’s more noble than a heart so wide it can hold the whole world?
A soul like this genuinely wants to see others thrive.
It treats other people’s needs and hopes as if they were its own.
Someone who truly loves their neighbor as themselves would never entertain selfish or harsh thoughts. They’re quick to give, slow to take. They’d rather be wronged a thousand times than do wrong even once. Their joy doesn’t come from personal gain, but rather from lifting someone else up.
Even when others respond with anger or ungratefulness, this kind of love doesn’t fade. Instead of getting bitter, it feels compassion, recognizing that hostility often comes from a place of hurt or blindness.
And rather than seeking revenge, it chooses to repay evil with kindness. The only kind of “payback” it wants is to flood its enemies with so much love that even they can’t ignore it.
Is it any surprise that such a person is respected, admired, even beloved by others?
This kind of deep, internal goodness gives a radiant peace and sweetness to the face itself, making it gentle and beautiful. It fills the soul with courage and resolve, empowering the person to attempt and accomplish the most noble sacrifices.
The most heroic acts we admire in history were driven by love, whether for a country, lover, family, or friend.
How much more powerful, then, is a love that extends to everyone? A universal, selfless affection like that must surely be capable of even greater things.
Again, as Love flows from a noble heart and content soul, the greatest satisfactions and pleasures soon follow, enlarging the soul and delivering it from those disturbing emotions such as anger, hatred, and envy to instead become gentle, kind, and full of compassion.
If I could choose anything to increase my happiness right now, it would be this: to have my heart filled with the deepest love and kindness toward every person in the world.
I’m convinced that such a heart would allow me to share in everyone else’s happiness. Their unique gifts, success, and delights would all become a source of joy to me.
And while I would no doubt often encounter grief and heaviness along the way, even sorrow would carry a sweetness when it comes from genuine love.
It's far better than being cold or indifferent.
Besides, reflecting on God’s infinite goodness and purpose, which governs everything, would help soothe excessive sorrow that I might feel over a tragedy. Not to mention the hope and joy we find in expecting our future redemption from the pain and suffering of this life.
Truly, after the love and presence of God, deep love and affection shared among many brothers is one of the greatest joys imaginable. If that kind of love were to fill the world, it would give us a foretaste of heaven here on earth.
The third branch of the spiritual life I mentioned is purity.
You might remember earlier that I described it as a rejection of sensual pleasures, and a courage to endure difficulty in doing what is right. Just naming this virtue alone is enough to show how noble and excellent it is.
There is no slavery more degrading than being enslaved to our own desires. And there’s no victory more glorious than overcoming them.
Anyone who is caught up in carnal or fleshly pleasures and enchanted by shallow, fleeting fantasies, is unequipped to perform anything truly noble.
But the soul that seeks God looks for things above. It yearns for the truth and refuses to stray even slightly from the path of holiness to chase after those lesser pleasures.
And with this purity comes its own form of pleasure.
The things that so often pollute our soul also come with a hidden sting, leaving behind guilt, pain, and unrest. Even from a purely human perspective, things like gluttony, lust, and laziness all harm both body and mind so clearly that a rational person might choose to avoid them just for the sake of their health or reputation.
But those with Divine Life venture further. They not only abstain from harmful pleasures, but often choose to set aside even innocent ones.
Once again, not because they’re forced to, but because their heart is captivated by something far more fulfilling: peace and contentment.
Just as someone who’s madly in love is prone to set aside food, wealth, comfort, or entertainment, so too does one with divine love lose interest in worldly pleasures.
Such a soul can even feel reluctant to spend time on the basic needs of the body, seeing them as distractions from the deeper joy they are pursuing.
As for hardships and trials, these don’t discourage them. In fact, they welcome them as opportunities to express and prove their love for God.
Since they feel they can do so little for Him, they’re thankful for the honor of suffering for His sake.
The final branch of the Divine Life is humility.
And although worldly or shallow minds see humility as something weak or foolish, in truth, the human soul is not capable of a more noble or elevated quality.
Pride is often the result of ignorance (and arrogance).
Humility, on the other hand, grows from a close acquaintance with what is truly excellent.
It protects us from becoming obsessed with trivial things or thinking too highly of ourselves because of a small accomplishment.
Truly noble souls don’t place much value on wealth, physical beauty, strength, or other worldly advantages.
They don't use things to elevate themselves or look down on others who lack them.
And when it comes to their inner worth and spiritual growth, their awareness of God’s perfection makes them see how far they still have to go.
They constantly strive to rise above themselves and draw nearer to the perfection that they see in Him.
I don’t know what everyone thinks about humility, but I notice that almost everyone wants to appear humble.
Most people avoid saying or doing things that might make them seem outright arrogant or boastful. Even those who are eager for praise try not to praise themselves openly.
Isn’t this why our daily interactions are filled with polite expressions, going out of our way to downplay ourselves and show respect for others?
“Oh no, after you…”
“I’m just happy to help.”
“Don’t worry about me, after all…”
What are these social customs if not shadows of humility, and yet we see them as essential to good manners.
So how excellent must real humility be, if even its imitations are so widely valued?
Most importantly, humility brings with it a deep sense of peace and happiness.
Proud and arrogant people are a burden not only to those around them, but most of all to themselves. Everything seems to bother them, and nothing can truly satisfy them.
They act as if they’re so important that God Himself should arrange everything to please them, and the entire universe should cater to their desires.
They’re like tall trees that shake violently at the slightest breeze; every insult, every harsh word disturbs their peace and stirs up an argument.
But the one who is humble has a great advantage.
If others look down on them, it doesn’t trouble them, because they already see themselves as low. No one can insult them more than they’ve already humbled themselves in their own heart. The insults that would crush a proud person seem to slide off their back like water on a duck.
The proud always seem wander into endless contention and trouble.
As Scripture tells us “Where there is strife, there is pride” (Proverbs 13:10).
But those of meek and lowly heart sidestep most of these traps simply by the way that they live their life and treat others.
This humility earns respect and affection from the wise and discerning, while pride, ironically, ruins the very honor it tries to gain.
And finally, the greatest expression of humility is one directed toward God.
It’s impossible to describe the pleasure that truly humble soul feels when they bow down before the Lord.
In those sacred moments, they are filled with awe at His majesty and glory, and they sink into the depths of themselves, feeling their own smallness, and vanishing into God's overwhelming presence.
They confess, with heartfelt sincerity, how limited and flawed they are.
They tangibly experience the meaning behind the Psalmist’s cry:
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:4)
And no proud or ambitious person ever enjoyed the praise of others as much as the humble believer rejoices in rejecting praise, saying:
“Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” (Psalm 115:1)
And so I’ve shared something of the beauty and benefits of the Divine Life, specifically in its branches of Love for God, Love for others, purity, and humility.
But I’d be doing the subject a disservice if I claimed to have said all that could be said.
The best way to understand these things is to actually live them, and experience will teach you more than any book or speech ever could.
Part IV will be continued in the following week.
Henry Scougal (1650–1678) was a Scottish theologian, minister, and professor of divinity at King’s College, University of Aberdeen. Fluent in Latin, Hebrew, and several Asian languages, he was known for his love, intellect and piety. Scougal died of tuberculosis at the age of 28, leaving behind a brief but powerful legacy of a life devoted to Christ and His Kingdom.
Zurbarán, Francisco de. Allegory of Charity. Circa 1655, Museo del Prado, Madrid.
Can’t wait till next week? Read the rest of the original letter here.
Part IV:
https://puritansfortoday.substack.com/p/the-letter-that-sparked-revival-part-85d