thou judge of men by outward fhow and appearance only. For if thou feek thy confolation and intereft in others, thou wilt moft commonly be disappointed, and experience the quite contrary. If in all thy ways thou feek Jefus, thou fhalt moft infallibly find fefus. But if thou feek thy felf, thou fhalt find thy felf indeed, but to thy own deftruction. For a man does himfelf more mischief, if he feek not Jefus, than the whole world, and all his enemies together could ever bring upon him.

CHAP. VIII.

Of intimate Converfation and Friendship with Jefus.

"W

HEN Jefus is prefent, all is well, and nothing feems difficult: But when Jefus is not prefent, every thing is hard. When Jefus fpeaketh not inwardly, poor and miferable is our comfort: But let Jefus fpeak one word only, and a marvellous confolation prefently fpringeth up and diffuseth itself throughout the heart. Did not Mary Magdalene immediately arise from the place where she wept, when Mar

tha

tha faid unto her, The Mafter is come and calleth for thee? Happy the hour when Jefus calleth from tears to the joy of the Spirit! How dry and barren art thou without Jefus! How unwife and vain, if thou seek any thing out of Jefus! Is not this a greater lofs, than if thou fhouldst lose the whole world?

II. What can the world profit thee without Jesus? To be without Jefus is an infupportable Hell; and to be with Jefus a ravishing Paradife. If Jefus be with thee, no enemy will be able to hurt thee. He that findeth Jefus, findeth a good treafure, yea, a good that furpaffeth all goods. And, he that lofeth Jefus, lofeth exceeding much, even more than the whole world. He is the pooreft man in the world that liveth without Jefus, and he the richest that ftandeth well with Jefus.

III. It is a great art to know how to converfe with Jefus; and great wifdom to kno whow to keep Jefus. Be humble and peaceable, and Jefus will be with thee. Be devout and quiet, and Jefus will ftay with thee. Thou mayft foon drive away Jefus and lofe his favour, if thou turn afide to

· John xi. 28.

outward

༤.

outward things. And if thou haft once chas'd away and loft him, unto whom wilt thou fly, and what friend wilt thou then feek? Without a friend thou canst not not live comfortably; and if Jefus be not thine efpecial friend above all others, thou wilt be exceeding fad and defolate. Wherefore thou doft foolishly, if thou place thy confidence or joy in any other. It is more eligible to have the enmity of the whole world, than the difpleasure of Jefus. Of all therefore that may be dear unto thee, let Jefus alone be thy peculiar and chiefeft Beloved.

t

IV. Love all mankind for the fake of Jefus, and Jefus for the fake of himself. It is Jefus Chrift alone that ought to be loved without referve, and without meafure, because he alone infinitely furpaffes in goodness and faithfulness all others that you can poffibly love. For him, and in him, let thine enemies as well as friends be dear unto thee: And for all thofe he is to be prayed to, to the end all may know and love him. Never covet the extraordinary praife or love of men, because this is God's peculiar alone, who hath none like unto himfelf: Neither do thou defire that any one's affections may be fix'd upon, and taken

up

with thee; nor be thou thy felf taken up with the love of any one; but let Jefus be in thee, and in every good man.

V. Be pure and free in thy inner man, and wholly difengaged from all creaturely intanglements. Thou must be entirely strip'd of all fpiritual incumbrances, and carry a clean and pure heart towards GOD, if thou wouldst be at liberty to fee and taste how fweet the Lord is. But certain it is thou wilt never arrive at this bleffed eftate, unlefs thou be prevented and inwardly drawn by his grace; to the end thy heart having empty'd itself, and taken its final leave of all the creatures, thou mayft become one with him, and he with thee. For when the grace of GoD vifiteth a man, then is he enabled to do all things. And when it is withdrawn, then again he is poor and destitute, naked and feeble, is left to the fcourge and lafh of every adverfity, and becomes as it were the fport of affliction. When this is his cafe, he ought not to be dejected, nor to lofe hope; but to refign with evenness and calmness of fpirit to the will of GOD; and whatsoever happens unto him, to bear it out manfully for the glory of Jefus Chrift: Because fummer fucceeds winter, day comes again after night,

544

and

and storms are hufhed into a profound calm.

CHAP. IX.

Of the Abfence of all Comfort.

ITT is no hard matter to defpife human comfort, when we have divine: But it is a great, yea a very great attainment, to be able to want both human and divine comfort at once; and for the glory of GoD willingly to bear defertion, and defolation of heart; and to feek himself in nothing, nor to entertain the leaft thought of his own merit. What extraordinary thing is it, if thou art chearful, and devout, whilft the light of GOD's countenance is lifted up upon thee: This is an hour welcome unto all. Smooth and pleasant is his journey, whom the grace of GOD conducts and carries. And what wonder, if he feel no burden, who is ftrengthened and fupported by the Almighty, and led by the fovereign Guide?

II. We would gladly have fome exterior confolation; and it is with pain and difficulty that a man divefts himself of himself. St. Laurence the Martyr overcame the world,

in