CHAP. X.

Of avoiding Superfluity of Words.

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Ecline crowds and company, and the ordinary converfation of the world, as much as poffibly thou canft: For discourse about worldly affairs, tho' innocently meant, is a great hindrance to our proficience. For we are foon defiled and captivated by vanity. I could wish I had held my peace many times, and not been in company. But how comes it to pass, that we are fo forward to talk, and to discourse one with another; when yet these converfations rarely end without fome wound of confcience? For this reason we are so fond of talking, because by mutual conferences, we feek comfort one from another: And defire to ease our heart tir'd and oppressed with fundry thoughts. And we take great delight in talking, and thinking of those things, which we love much, or defire vehemently, or which we feel to be grievous

to us.

II. But alas! Often in vain, and to no purpose. For this outward confolation is no fmall obftacle to the inward, and the

divine confolation. Wherefore we must watch and pray: left our time pass away idly and unprofitably. If it be proper and expedient to fpeak, fpeak thofe things which belong to edification. An evil habit, and our neglect and unconcernedness to profit daily, and to grow in grace, is in great meafure the caufe of our being fo lavish and unguarded in our fpeech, and that we keep not the door of our lips. Nevertheless godly and fpiritual conferences are a mighty furtherance of our fpiritual growth: Efpecially when perfons, like in temper and fpiritual mindedness, affociate together in God.

CHAP. XI.

How to obtain Peace of Mind; and of Zeal and Fervour as to Spiritual Proficience.

I.

"W

E might enjoy much Peace, if we would forbear troubling ourselves with what other people fay and do, and in which we are no way concern'd. How is it poffible for that man to continue long in Peace, who intermeddles with other mens concerns?

concerns? Who feeks occafions of difquiet abroad?Who but little, or but rarely recollects himself, and defcends into his own breast? Bleffed are thofe that walk in fimplicity: For they fhall enjoy a profound peace.

II. Whence was it, that fome of the Saints became fo perfect, and contemplative? Even because they made it their whole business to mortify all earthly defires; and for this reason they were at liberty to cleave unto GOD with the whole bent of their foul, and to attend themselves and their own hearts without the leaft diftraction. For our parts, we are too much taken up with our own paffions, and too tenderly affected with the tranfitory things of this world. We feldom overcome perfectly fo much as one vice, and are not enflam'd with a defire of advancing daily more and more in the fpiritual life And this is the reafon why we remain fo cold and lukewarm.

III. If we were perfectly, dead unto our felves, and nothing hamper'd and intangled us inwardly. Then fhould we be in a capacity alfo to relifh the things of GoD, and to experience a little the fweets of Heayenly contemplation. The grand or only impediment is this, that we have not

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entirely

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entirely fubdu'd our paffions, and inordinate defires: And that we endeavour not to walk in the perfect way of the Saints. When any little misfortune comes acrofs us, we are too foon dejected, and have recourfe to human confolations.

IV. Did we endeavour, like men, to ftand our ground in the battel; doubtless We should find the Lord fending in his fuccour from above. For he is always ready to affift thofe who ftrive, and place their hope in his grace: Yea, he creates us occafions of ftriving, to the end we may overcome. If we place our Proficience in relgion only in outward obfervances, our devotion will quickly be at an end. But let us lay the axe to the root of the tree; that being purg'd from our paffions, we may poffels our fouls in peace.

V. If every year, we did but root out one vice, we fhould quickly become perfect men. But now we are many times fenfible of the direct contrary; and find our felves to have been better and holier men at the beginning of our converfion, than after many years Profeffion of a religious life. The fervour of our affection, and our progrefs in holinefs, ought in all reafon to advance daily; but now we reck

on

on it a great matter, if any man has been able to retain fome degree of his first Zeal. Did we but offer a little violence to our felves at the beginning, we should foon after be able to do all things with cafe and delight.

VI. It is hard to part with things to which we have been accuftom'd; but harder yet, to oppofe and ftem our own will. But if thou canst not overcome leffer difficulties, how wilt thou furmount greater? Refift thy inclinations at the very firft, and unlearn all thy evil cuftoms; left they bring thee by little and little to a great difficulty. O if thou didst but confider what peace thou wouldeft bring to thy felf, and joy to others, by living as thou oughtest; I verily think thou wouldst be more careful and zealous of profiting in the fpiritual life.

CHAP. XII.

Of the Benefit of Adversity.

T is good for us that we have fometimes grievous uneafineffes and croffes; because these often call a man's thoughts home to himself, and give him to underG 2

stand