and rejoicing, this is not the place for it, but the next World. For there the poor fhall eat, and be fatisfied, and all fhall praife me, who diligently fought me in holy Poverty. It is not for the Servants of GoD to rejoice in the good things that are prefent, and to be conformed to the pomps and vanities of the World, but defpifing the delights thereof, to have recourfe to the fweets of my Poverty. For my Poverty and Humility are fweet and delicious to thofe hearts, which make no account of, and find no guft nor relish in earthly riches. Wouldst thou with the rich man be cloathed in purple and fine linen, and fare fumptuoufly every day? Take care it be not thy fortune alfo to be tormented with him eternally in Hell. For this is an Ordination of my Justice, that their Works follow them.

IV. One thing is yet lacking, that thou bear thy prefent want patiently; otherwife thou shalt not be of the number of my poor. I have fhewn a beautiful way to the poor, to those that labour and knock I have open'd a Gate: To the humble I have fet open the Door of a Kingdom, and the rich fhall not pass through it. Wouldst thou fee him that

d Luke xvi. 19: *

e Mark x. 21.

entereth?

entereth? Open thine eyes, and behold. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bofom. Is not this a pleasant Vision?

THE DISCIPLE.

Pleasant indeed, and exceeding defirable. And how could he afcend up thither? And who is the Man that may follow him?n^

JESUS-CHRIST.

Remember, Son, that that Lazarus was full of fores and miferies, who hungry and thirsty lay before the gates of the rich man. And was it not meet, that one, who fuffered fo great things for my Name's fake, fhould enter into my joy? Imitate him, if thou fee fit. For if his foul was acceptable and wellpleafing unto me, how could this be, but because his Poverty and Patience pleafed me first? Go and do thou likewife. Verily I fay unto thee, unlefs thou art converted, and become like unto Lazarus, or as one of my poor ones, thou fhalt in no wife be taken up by the Angels and carried to Heaven. None fhall enter, unless he be clean. And if he be unclean, my Father fhall purge him in the Crucible of Poverty, and the water of Temptation fhall purifie

him, and being thus cleanfed, he shall after death enter the Manfions of the Saints. V. Comprehendeft thou thefe Truths? THE DISCIPLE.

Yea, Lord.

JESUS-CHRIST.

And now what fhall I fay? The hour is coming, and now is, that many shall not receive this found doctrine; but every one feek rather, what is pleafing and delightful to him. But thou haft not fo learnt Jefus Chrift, whofe Poverty is fet before thine eyes as a pattern, to thee. Yet hear again what I fhall fay unto thee. My familiar friend and acquaintance Poverty, which, when I was upon earth, I fingularly loved+ and embraced, and meant to recommend to my friends; is become fuch a ftranger and fo odious to many, that there is scarce a place for the fole of her foot to reft on; And if perchance she seem now and then to fojourn with fome perfons, no fooner do they ob ferve her to love mean and abject things, but they are feiz'd with a certain terror, and from a defire of better fare, cry out Depart from us, we will hearken to none of thy counfels: For thou art the reverfe

of

of our defires; thy ways are ways of difficulty, and thy paths full of ruggedness. Why art thou come to us? What, to flay us and our cattel? The flesh they call their cattel,

VI. Behold, O Poverty, what thefe fay, and how much they detract from thee. Yet know I well, that thou never meanteft them any evil, but wert fent by me unto those finners, to cure their wounds, and to improve their Virtues if they had any. The Holy Prophet had far different fentiments, when he faid: Thou, O GOD, haft of thy goodness prepared for the poor. And again he fung with joy Because I am poor and in miferys. And; the poor and needy fhall rejoyce in thy Name Neverthelefs, my friend Poverty, let not thine heart be troubled. For they have not rejected thee, but me: For he that defpifeth, thee, defpifeth me: And he that receiv-. eth thee, receiveth me. I know that thou art not beloved of all; yea, thou art chafed away by many with indignation. All things they do unto thee, because they know not me, nor of what merit thou art in my fight. But be not thou afraid, because it is I, that have chofen thee. I

f Pfal. lxviii. 10.

g Pfal. lxxxvi. 1. h Pfal. lxxxix. 13.

bought

bought thee, and held thee more precious than all riches and fweeter then all manner of delights. I fought thee out from my infancy, and when I was old and gray-headed, I departed not from thee.

CHAP. IV.

A farther Commendation of Poverty from the Example of Chrift.

All ye, that pass by the way, behold and fee, if there be any Poverty like unto my Poverty'. Go forth, O ye Daughters of Sion, and behold king Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned himb: How the laid him in a manger, who had been always in the Kingdom of his Father: How the wrapped him in fwadling-cloaths, who fpanned Heaven and Earth with his hand. Behold my rags and my clothes, which cover'd me yet an Infant; and if ye have feen any one like unto me, make it appear against me and my Poverty. Behold the fign, which I had made known unto you, which had

• Lam. i. 12.

b Cantic. iii. II.

been