CHAP. IX. That all Things ought to be referr'd unto GOD, as to their ultimate End. 1. S JESUS-CHRIST. ON, I must be the fupreme and ultimate End of all thy actions and defires, if thou haft a mind to be truly hap py. This intention will refine and purify thy affections, which otherwife, by an evil byafs are many times bow'd and warp'd to thy felf, and to the creatures. For if thou feek thy felf, immediately in, and of thy felf, thou faileft, and becomeft feeble, dry, and heartlefs. Refer therefore all things. unto me principally, because I am he that have given all things. Regard every thing, as derived and flowing from the first and fovereign Good: and therefore all things ought to be return'd back, and referr'd to me, as to their fource and original spring. II. Out of me, the little and the great, the poor and the rich, draw, as from a living fountain, the water of life: and they who serve me voluntarily and freely, shall receive grace after grace. But he that glo ries in any thing out of, and besides me, or places his fatisfaction in any private and particular good, fhall never be established in true joy, nor have any ease and enlargement of heart, but fhall always be in perplexity and distress of foul, and be embarrafs'd and encumber'd a thousand ways. Thou oughtest therefore to appropriate nothing of good to thy felf, nor to attribute any thing of virtue to any other person; but afcribe thou the whole to GOD, without whom Man hath nothing. I gave all, I will have all again; and do with great ftrictness require the tribute of acknowledgment and thanksgiving. III. Lo, this is that truth, that puts to flight all pride and vain-glory. And if my grace, together wih true charity, once enter the heart, there will be no more envy, nor narrowness of fpirit, nor will self-love, or private respects, find room there any longer. For divine charity furmounts all things, and dilates and enlarges all the powers of the foul. If thou art truly wife, in me alone wilt thou rejoice, in me alone wilt thou hope: because there is none good but GOD only, who is to be blefs'd and prais'd above all, and in all. Matth. xix. 17. CHAP. CHAP. X. The Delightfulness of defpifing the World, and ferving GOD. I. I Will again prefume to fpeak, O Lord, and will not be filent; I will fay in the ears of my GOD, of my Lord, and of my King, who fitteth in the highest Heavens; O how plentiful is thy goodness, O Lord, which thou haft laid up for them that fear thee! But what art thou to them that love thee? What to them that ferve thee with their whole heart? Beyond all doubt, the pleafure of contemplating thee, which thou indulgest to thofe that love thee, is impoffible to be exprefs'd. In this principally didst thou manifeft the tenderness of thy loving-kindness to me, in that when I was not, thou madeft me: and when I erred and ftrayed far from thee, thou broughteft me back again, to the end I might ferve thee: And haft commanded me to love thee. II. O thou overflowing fpring of everlafting Love, what fhall I fay of thee? How a Pfal. xxxi. 24. can can I ever forget thee, who didft condefcend to remember me, even after I was dead, and loft, and become like a branch 'dry'd up and wither'd? Thou haft fhewn mercy unto thy fervant, beyond all that he could hope; and beyond all defert, haft prevented him with the offers of thy grace and tendereft Love. b What fhall I render back unto thee for all thy benefits? If I refolve to dedicate my felf to thy fervice, what a poor feturn is that to thee, whom all created Nature is bound to ferve? I ought not to imagine that I do any great thing in ferving thee; but this rather appears to me great and wonderful, that thou fhouldnt Vouchsafe to admit to thy service so poor and worthless a creature, and to make him one of the number of thy well-beloved fer vants. III. Behold, all that I have, and every thing wherewith I do, or can ferve thee, is thine. Yea rather contrariwife, thou ferveft me more than I ferve thee. Behold the Heaven and the earth, which thou haft created for the fervice of Man, are always b In the Original Latin: What shall I render back unið, thee for this grace For it is not given to all, to renounce the world, with all the things thereof, and to enter upon a Monaftick life. P 2 ready, ready, and daily execute whatsoever thou haft commanded them: but this is not enough; for farther yet, thou haft ordained even the Angels for the fervice of Men. But what tranfcends all is, that thou thy felf haft vouchfafed to ferve Man, and haft promised to give thy self unto him. IV. What fhall I return unto thee, for thefe innumerable benefits? I wish I could ferve thee all the days of my life! I wish I were fufficient to do thee worthy fervice, even for but one day! Verily thou art worthy of all fervice, all honour, and praise eternal. Verily thou art my Lord, and I thy poor fervant; who am bound with all my ftrength to serve thee, nor ought I ever to be weary in chanting thy praifes. This is my perfuafion, this the defire of my foul: and whatever is wanting in me, do thou vouchfafe to fupply and make up.. V. A great honour, a great glory is it, to ferve thee, and to defpife all things for thy fake. For they fhall enjoy large meafures of grace, who have freely fubmitted to thy most holy fervice. They fhall find the most ravishing confolations of the Holy Spirit, who for love of thee, have renounced all carnal delights. They fhall obtain great liberty and enlargement of foul, who, |