eternal Good. For whatsoever is not God, is nothing, and ought to be accounted as nothing.

Christ.-Son, thou canst not possess perfect liberty, unless thou wholly renounce thyself.

All who are lovers of themselves are fettered in bondage, full of desires, curious wanderers, seeking self-indulgence, and not the things of Jesus Christ; but often devising and framing that which shall not stand.

For all that is not of God shall perish.

Keep this short and perfect saying, Forsake all, and thou shalt find all: Leave desire, and thou shalt find rest.

Consider this well, and when thou hast fulfilled it, thou shalt understand all things.

Christian.-Lord, that is not one day's work ; yea, in this short word is contained all perfection.

Christ.-Son, thou must not go back, nor straightways be dejected, when thou hearest the ways of the perfect; but rather be stirred up to higher things, and at least desire and sigh after them.

I would thou wert come to this, that thou wert no longer a lover of thyself, but that thou stoodest merely at my beck.

Then thou wouldest please me, and all thy life would pass away in joy and peace.

Thou hast yet many things to forsake; which unless thou wholly resign up unto me, thou shalt not attain that which thou desirest.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest become rich; that heavenly wisdom, which treadeth underfoot all earthly things.

Cast away earthly wisdom, and always study to please others, not thyself.

He that is wise, and well instructed, standeth fast. not heeding what he feels in himself, but that the whole attention of his mind may tend to the right end.

For this he may continue one and the selfsame, and unshaken in the midst of many various events, directing continually the single eye of his intention

unto me.

3 And the purer the eye of the intention is, the more steadily doth he pass through various storms.

But in many things the eye of a pure intention waxeth dim; for it quickly looketh upon any delightsome object that occurs.

And it is rare to find one that is wholly free from all blemish of self-seeking.

So the Jews of old came to Bethany to Martha and Mary, not for Jesus alone, but to see Lazarus also.

The eye of the intention, therefore, is to be purged, that it may be single and right, directed unto me, beyond the manifold earthly objects that come between.

CHAPTER XXVI.

That God is sweet above all things, and in all things to him that loveth.

Christian. My God, and my all; what would I have more, and what greater happiness can I desire?

sweet and pleasing word! But to him that loveth

the word; not the world, nor those things that are in the world.

My God, and my All! enough is said to him that understandeth ; and to him that loveth, it is pleasant to repeat it often.

For when thou art present, all things please: But when thou art absent all things disgust. Thou givest quiet of heart, and much peace, and pleasant joy.

Thou makest us think well of all things, and praise thee in all things; neither can any thing please long without thee.

But that any thing may be pleasant, thy grace must be pleasant, and it must be seasoned with the sweetness of thy wisdom.

2. What is not tasteful unto him who tasteth thee? And him who delighteth not in thee, what can delight.

3. O thou everlasting Light, surpassing all created lights, dart the beams of thy greatness from above, piercing the most inward parts of my heart!

Purify, rejoice, and enliven my spirit, with all the powers thereof, that I may cleave unto thee with abundance of joy and triumph.

O when will that blessed hour come, when I shall be filled with thy presence, and thou be unto me all in all?

As long as this is not granted me, I shall not have full joy. Alas! the kingdom of my soul is not yet in peace.

4. But thou that rulest the raging of the sea, and stillest the waves thereof when they rise, arise and help me.

Scatter the people that delight in war: destroy them in thy might.

Display thy greatnesss, and let thy right hand be glorified; for there is no other hope nor refuge for me, but in thee, my Lord God.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Of a pure and entire Resignation of ourselves for the obtaining Freedom of Heart.

Christ.-SON, forsake thyself, and thou shalt find

me.

Stand without choosing any thing, and without Seeking to have any thing as thine own. Resign thyself, without resuming thy claim.

Christian.-Lord, how often shall I resign myself? And wherein shall I forsake myself?

Christ-Always, and every hour, as well in little things as in great: I except nothing, but require that thou be naked and void of all things.

Otherwise how canst thou be mine, and I thine, unless both within and without thou art free from all self-will ?

2. Some resign themselves, but with some exception; for they put not their whole trust in God, and therefore they study how to provide for themselves.

Some also at first offer all; but afterwards being assaulted with temptation, return again to that which they had left, and therefore they go not forward in virtue.

These shall not attain to the true liberty of purity

of heart, nor to the favour of my sweetest familiarity, unless they first make an entire resignation, and a daily oblation of themselves unto me.

3. I have often said unto thee, and now again I say the same, Forsake thyself, resign thyself, and thou shalt enjoy much inward peace.

Give all for all seek nothing, require back nothing: abide purely and with a firm confidence in me, and then thou shalt enjoy me.

Thou shalt be free in heart, and darkness shall not have any power over thee.

Let this be thy prayer, let this be thy desire, that being stripped of all selfishness, thou mayest follow naked the naked Jesus, and, dying to thyself, mayest live eternally with me.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Of the good Government of ourselves in outward things, and of recourse to God in Danger.

Christ.-SON, thou oughtest with all diligence to endeavour, that in every place and action of business, thou be inwardly free, and master of thyself, and that things be under thee, and not thou under them.

That thou mayest be lord of thy actions, not a servant or a hireling; but rather a freeman and a true Hebrew, enjoying the liberty of the sons of God:

Who stand above the things that are present, and view the things which are eternal: who look on transitory things with the left eye, and with the right behold the things of heaven: