CHAP. XXXIII.

Of the Inftability of the Heart: And that: our Intention is to be directed fully and finally to GOD alone:

JESUS-CHRIST.

ON, depend not much upon

the pre

fent difpofition of thy mind; becaufe it will foon change to the direct contrary. So long as thou liveft, thou wilt be fubject to change, whether thou wilt or no. Sometimes thou wilt find. thy felf difpofed to mirth, fometimes to melancholy; fometimes thou wilt be fedate and calm, at other times diforder'd and confus'd; this hour fervent and devout, the next lukewarm and cold; diligent and active to day, flothful and heavy to morrow; grave and ferious now, and anon again, light and trifling. But the man that is wife and well inftructed in the Spirit, is advanced above this changeable Region; not heeding what he feels within himself, nor from what quarter the wind of inftabillity blows; but being ever careful to direct the whole intention of his mind, that is, all his defigns and actions,

to

to one right and excellent end. For by this method he fhall be able to continue always the fame, always unfhaken and unmoved; the single eye of his intention, amidst sọ many various events, being continually, without bending or turning, pointed and fix'd upon me alone.

II. Now by how much the purer this eye of the intention is, with fo much the more firmness and steadiness will men pafs through the fundry storms of life. But in many the eye of the pure intention is dim: For it is eafily diverted to fome object of pleasure, that prefents it felf: It being very rare to find any one entirely free from the blemith of felf-feeking. Thus the Jews heretofore came to Bethany, to Martha and Mary; not for the fake of Jefus only, but to fee Lazarus alfo. The eye of the intention therefore must be purified and cleanfed, to the end it may be fimple, and right; and beyond all the various profpects of pleasure or profit, which lie between, muft be directed to, and kept intent upon me only.

CHAP. XXXIV.

That the Soul that loves GOD tastes him in all things and above all things.

I.

'L

O my GoD, and all things! What would I have more, and what greater felicity can I poffibly defire? O fweet and favoury Expreffion! But to him that loveth the Word; and not the world, neither the things that are in the world, My GoD and all things. To him that understandeth, enough is faid: And to repeat it a thousand times, is pleafant unto him that loveth. For when thou art prefent, all things are delicious: But when thou art abfent, every thing is naufeous. Thou calm-: eft the troubled heart, and giveft unto it great peace, and the joy of harvest. Thou caufeft us to have a right judgment in all things, and to make every thing matter of thy praife: Nor can any thing without thee pleafe long; but if it be agreeable and of grateful relifh, to make it fo, thy Grace must be present, and it must be feasoned with the seasoning of thy Wisdom.

II. To him that relifhes thee, what can relifh amifs? And to whom thou art difguftful, what to fuch a palate can poffibly be relifhing? But the wife of this world, and fuch as favour the things of the flesh, are defective in thy Wifdom; for in the world is found abundant vanity, in the flesh death. But they who follow thee by a contempt of the things of the world, and mortification of the fleth, prove themfelves the true wife men: Because they are tranflated from vanity to Truth, and from the flefh to the fpirit. Thefe are the men that. relifh GOD: And whatsoever of good or delectable is found in the creatures, they refer it all to the praife and glory of their Creator. Notwithstanding great, infinitely great is the difference between the taste and relifh of the Creator, and of the creature; of eternity, and of time; of light uncreated, and light illuminated.

III. O Light eternal, incomparably furpaffing all created lights, fhoot down thy bright beams from the highest Heavens, and penetrate with thy almighty radiancy, the very innermoft folds and recesses of my heart! Purifie, rejoice, illuminate, quicken and enliven my fpirit with all its powers and faculties, to cleave unto thee with ravishments

ravishments and ecftafies of triumphant joy. O when will that bleffed, that most defirable hour come, that thou mayft fatisfy me with thy prefence, and be unto me all in all! As long as this fhall not be granted, fo long fhall my joy not be full. Alas! alas! The Old Man ftill liveth in me, he is not wholly crucified, he is not perfectly dead. Still he lufteth ftrongly against the Spirit. He raifeth wars in the Region within, and fuffereth not the Kingdom of my Soul to be in peace.

IV. But do thou, who controlleft the power of the fea, and ftilleft the raging of the waves thereof, arife; affift me. Scatter the Nations that delight in war Break them in pieces with thy mighty power: Difplay, I beseech thee, thy marvellous greatnefs, and let thy right hand be glorified; fince there is no other hope, nor refuge for me, but in thee my Lord GOD.

5 Pfal. lxxxix. 10,

c Pfal. lxviii. 30.

CHAP.