for thy name's fake, walk in the strait and narrow way, and have bid adieu to all worldly cares and incumbrances.

VI. O agreeable and delightful fervice of GOD, whereby Man is render'd truly free, truly holy! O bleffed dependence, which enters us of the Family of the Moft High, raifes us up to a level with the Angels, reconciles us to the Almighty, makes us a terror to evil Spirits, and recommends us to the love of all the Faithful! O to be embrac'd, and ever to be wifh'd fervice, that gains us the fovereign Good, and procures us a joy which never shall have end!

CHAP. XI.

That we ought to examine and regulate the Defires of our Heart.

1.

JESUS-CHRIST.

ON, thou art ftill to learn many things, which thou haft not yet

been thoroughly taught.

THE SOUL.

What are thofe, Lord?

P 3

JESUS

JESUS-CHRIST.

To conform thy felf in all thy defires to my good pleafure: and not to be a lover of thy felf, but a zealous imitator and religious obferver of me and of my will. Defires often inflame thee, and push thee on violently; but confider, whether my glory, or thy own intereft, be thy chief motive. If I am the principal Mover, thou wilt be well contented, howfoever I difpofe the event; but if there be any lurking principle of felf-feeking, or private and by-refpects, behold, this is that very thing which encumbers and difquiets thee.

II. Beware therefore of laying too much ftrefs upon any defire form'd and conceiv'd in thy own breaft, without firft confulting me; left perchance it repent thee afterwards, or thou difapprove of that, which at first thou didst approve, and foughtest with as great eagerness and zeal, as tho' it had been the best thing in the world. For not every inclination that feemeth good, is prefently to be purfued; no, nor every inclination neither, that feemeth evil, rafhly and at first fight to be rejected. It is expedient fometimes to ufe the rein, and to check thy felf, even in good defires, and pious

pious inclinations, for fear of incurring diftraction and confufion in thy devotions, through an impetuous excefs of zeal; for fear also of giving offence to others by thy extravagant heats, and indiscreet fervours: for fear laftly, of being ruffled and discompofed, by an unexpected oppofition, the furprize whereof may fhake thy conftancy, and cause thee to fall.

III. Sometimes again it is convenient to ufe violence, and manfully to combat the fenfitive Appetite: To bear no manner of regard to the flesh, or to what may be agreeable, or difagreeable to it: but to make it our business rather, to bring it into fubjection to the fpirit whether it will or no. And fo long ought it to be buffeted, and conftrained to pay a fervile obedience, even until it acquire a readinefs of fubmitting tamely to whatever fhall be impofed upon it; till it learn to be contented with few things, and to be delighted with ordinary things, and not to murmur in the least against any inconvenience or hardship whatfoever.

CHAP. XII.

An Inftruction as to Patience; and of the Neceffity of combating our Paffions and Appetites.

I.

MY

THE SOUL.

Y Lord, and my GOD, Patience, I perceive, is exceeding neceffary for me, upon account of the numerous calamities and crofs accidents of life. For in what manner foever I order my peace, my life can be no other than a state of warfare and trouble.

JESUS-CHRIST.

So it is, my Son. But I would have thee afpire after, not fuch a peace as is exempt from temptations, or undisturbed with afflictions: But to make account that thou haft even then found peace, when thou hast been exercised with various tribulations, and proved by fundry croffes and fufferings.

II. If thou fay, thou art not able to fuffer much, how then wilt thou be able to endure the fire of Hell? Of two evils the

a

In the Original: The Fire of Purgatory.

lefs

lefs is always to be chofen. Therefore that thou mayft escape the eternal torments of the world to come, fet thy felf to bear with fubmiffion and patience, for the fake of GOD, the evils of this prefent world. Doft thou imagine, that the men of this world have little or no trouble? Thou wilt not find it fo, tho' thou look among the delicatest, and most luxurious of them all. But they have, thou wilt fay, delights and enjoyments in abundance, and follow their own inclinations without controul; and there-, fore their tribulations make but a flight impreffion upon their fpirits. Be it fo, grant that they have whatsoever they defire; yet, how long, thinkeft thou, will it laft?

III. Behold, the rich of this world fhall vanifh like fmoak, and there fhall be no remembrance of their paft joys. Yea, during their very life, they reft not in them, without bitterness, and fatiety, and fear. For the very thing, from whence they draw their pleasure, is frequently the fpring and occafion of as much pain and forrow to them. And this by a juft Judgment; it being but reasonable that they fhould find confufion and bitterness in the enjoyment of thofe pleasures, which they feek and pursue inordinately.