CHAPTER VI.

OF THE JOY OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE.

HE glory of a good man, is the testimony of a good conscience.

Have a good conscience, and thou shalt ever have joy.

A good conscience is able to bear very

much, and is very cheerful in adversities.

An evil conscience is always fearful and unquiet.

Thou shalt rest sweetly, if thy heart do not condemn thee. Never rejoice, but when thou hast done well.

Sinners have never true joy, nor feel inward peace; because There is no peace to the wicked," saith the Lord.

66

And if they should say, "We are in peace, no evil shall fall upon us, and who shall dare to hurt us?" believe them not; for upon a sudden will arise the wrath of God, and their deeds shall be brought to nought, and their thoughts shall perish.

2. To glory in tribulation, is no hard thing for him that loveth; for so to glory, is to glory in the Cross of the Lord. That glory is short, which is given and received from men. Sorrow always accompanieth the world's glory.

The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the tongues of men. The gladness of the just is of God, and in God and their joy is of the truth.

He that desireth true and everlasting glory, careth not for that which is temporal.

And he that seeketh temporal glory, or despiseth it not from his soul, sheweth himself to have but little esteem of the glory of heaven.

He enjoyeth great tranquillity of heart, that careth neither for the praise, nor dispraise of men.

3. He will easily be content and at peace, whose conscience is pure.

Thou art not the more holy though thou be praised; nor the more worthless for being dispraised.

What thou art, that thou art; neither by words canst thou be made greater than what thou art in the sight of God.

If thou consider what thou art in thyself, thou wilt not care what men talk of thee.

Man looketh on the countenance, but God on the heart. Man considereth the deeds, but God weigheth the intentions. To be always doing good, and to esteem little of one's self, is the sign of an humble soul.

To be unwilling to be comforted by any creature, is a sign of great purity and inward confidence.

4. He that seeketh no witness for his behalf from without, doth shew that he hath wholly committed himself unto God. "For not he that commendeth himself is approved (saith Saint Paul), but whom God commendeth."

To walk in the heart with God, and not to be held in bondage by any outward affection, is the state of a spiritual

man.

CHAPTER VII.

OF THE LOVE OF JESUS ABOVE ALL THINGS.

LESSED is he that understandeth what it is

above all things.

to love JESUS, and to despise himself for JESUS' sake.

Thou oughtest to leave thy beloved for the Beloved; for JESUS must be loved alone

The love of things created is deceitful and inconstant t; the love of JESUS is faithful and constant.

He that cleaveth unto creatures, shall fall with that which is subject to fall; he that embraceth JESUS shall stand firm for ever.

Love Him, and keep Him for thy friend, Who, when all go away, will not forsake thee, nor suffer thee to perish. Sometime or other thou must be separated from all, whether thou wilt or no.

2. Keep close to JESUS both in life and in death, and commit thyself unto His faithfulness, Who, when all fail, can alone help thee.

Thy Beloved is of such nature, that He will admit of no rival; but will have thy heart alone, and sit on His own Throne as King.

If thou couldst empty thyself perfectly from all things created, JESUS would willingly dwell with thee.

Whatsoever trust thou reposest in men, out of JESUS, is all little better than lost.

Trust not nor lean upon a reed shaken by the wind; for that all flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof shall wither away as the flower of the field.

3. Thou wilt quickly be deceived, if thou only look to the outward appearance of men.

For, if in others thou seekest thy comfort and thy profit, thou shalt often feel loss.

If thou seekest JESUS in all things, thou shalt surely find JESUS.

But if thou seekest thyself, thou shalt also find thyself, to thine own destruction.

For if a man do not seek JESUS, he doth more hurt himself, then could the whole world and all his enemies.

CHAPTER VIII.

OF FAMILIAR CONVERSE WITH JESUS.

HEN JESUS is present, all is well, and nothing seems difficult; but when JESUS is absent every thing is hard.

When JESUS speaks not inwardly to us, all other comfort is worth nothing; but if JESUS

speak but one word, we feel great consolation.

Did not Mary Magdalene rise immediately from the place where she wept, when Martha said to her, "The Master is come, and calleth for thee"?

Happy hour! when JESUS calleth from tears to spiritual joy.

How dry and hard art thou without JESUS! How foolish and vain, if thou desire anything out of JESUS!

Is not this a greater loss, than if thou shouldst lose the whole world?

2. What can the world profit thee without JEsus?

To be without JESUS is a grievous hell; and to be with JESUS, a sweet paradise.

If JESUS be with thee no enemy shall be able to hurt thee. He that findeth JESUS findeth a good treasure, yea, a good above all good.

And he that loseth JESUS loseth much indeed, yea more than the whole world!

Most poor is he who liveth without JESUS; and he most rich who is dear to JESUS.

It requireth great skill to know how to hold converse with JESUS; and to know how to retain JESUS, is great wisdom. Be thou humble and peaceable, and JESUS will be with thee.

Be devout and quiet, and JESUS will stay with thee.

Thou mayest soon drive away JESUS, and lose His favour, if thou wilt turn aside to outward things.

And if thou shouldst drive Him from thee and lose Him, unto whom wilt thou flee, and whom wilt thou then seek for thy friend?

Without a friend thou canst not well live; and if JESUS be not above all to thee, thou shalt indeed be sad and desolate.

Therefore thou doest most foolishly, if thou trust or rejoice in any other.

It is preferable to have all the world against us, rather than to have JESUS offended with us.

Amongst all therefore that be dear unto us, let JESUS alone be especially beloved.

4. Love all for JESUS, but JESUS for Himself.

JESUS Christ alone is singularly to be loved; and He alone is found Good and Faithful above all friends.

For Him, and in Him, let friends as well as foes be dear