out of me, and above all things ardently to love me. I am within, the Teacher of truth, the Searcher of the heart, the Discerner of the thoughts, the Promoter of good actions, distributing to every one as I judge meet.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Of putting our Trust in God, when we are evil spoken of.

Christ.-SON, stand firm, and put thy trust in me : for what are words but words? They fly through the air, but hurt not a stone.

If thou be guilty, see that thou be willing to amend thyself; if thou be innocent, suffer this willingly for the sake of God.

It is but a small matter to suffer sometimes a few words, if thou hast not yet the courage to endure hard stripes.

Give diligent ear to my words, and thou shalt little regard ten thousand words spoken by men.

2. Christian.-O Lord God, thou just Judge, strong and patient, thou who knowest the frailty and wickedness of man, be thou my strength and my whole ti ust; for my own conscience sufficeth me not.

Thou knowest that which I know not; and therefore, in every reproof, I ought to have humbled myself, and to have borne meekly.

Vouchsafe mercifully to pardon me, as often as I have failed herein, and give me grace to bear it better hereafter.

For thy abundant mercy is more available to me

for the obtaining of pardon, than my fancied justice for my defence, since I cannot see to the bottom of my conscience.

Although I know nothing by myself, yet I cannot hereby justify myself; for without thy mercy no man living shall be justified in thy sight.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Of Eternity, and the Shortness of this Life. Christian.-O MOST blessed mansion of the heavenly city! O most clear day of eternity, which night obscureth not, but the highest truth ever enlighteneth! a day of continual joy, of perpetual quietness, and never changing into a contrary state! O that the day would once appear, and all these temporal things be at an end.

To the saints above, it shineth with everlasting brightness; but to those that are pilgrims upon earth, it appeareth only afar off, and through a glass.

O good Jesus, when shall I stand to behold thee! when shall I contemplate the glory of thy kingdom! When wilt thou be unto me all in all!

O when shall I be with thee in thy kingdom, which thou hast prepared for thy beloved, from all eternity.

2. Comfort my banishment, assuage my sorrow; for my whole desire sigheth after thee.

My God, be not far from me; depart not in thy wrath from thy servant.

Cast forth thy lightnings, and disperse them; shoot out thine arrows, and consume all the imaginations of the enemy,

Gather in, call home, my senses unto thee; make me forget all the things of this world; grant me to cast away speedily the imaginations of wickedness. Succour me, O thou the everlasting Truth, that no vanity may move me.

Come, heavenly sweetness, and let all impurity flee before thee.

Pardon me, also, and mercifully forgive, as often as I think upon any thing beside thee in prayer. I truly confess, that I am wont to be subject to many distractions.

For sometimes I am not there where I stand or sit; but I am rather there whither my thoughts carry me.

Where my thoughts are, there am I.

But blessed is that man, that for thee, O Lord, dismisseth all creatures, violently resisteth nature, and through fervour of spirit crucifieth the lusts of the flesh, that so with a serene conscience he may offer pure prayer unto thee, and be meet to be admitted into the angelical choirs, all earthly things both outwardly and inwardly being excluded.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Of the Desire of everlasting Life, and how great rewards are promised to those who fight valiantly. Christ.-SON, when thou perceivest the desire of everlasting bliss to be given thee from above, open thy heart wide, and receive this holy inspiration with thy whole soul.

Give most ardent thanks to the heavenly good

ness, that dealeth with thee so favourably, visiteth thee mercifully, stirreth thee up fervently, sustaineth thee powerfully, lest through thy own weight, thou shouldest fall down to the things of the earth. Neither dost thou obtain this by thine own thought and endeavour, but by the mere condescension of heavenly grace and divine favour:

To the end that thou mayest make a farther progress in holiness and humility, and prepare thyself for future battles;

And that thou mayest cleave unto me with the whole affection of thy heart, and serve me with a fervent desire.

2. Ask not that which is delightful and profitable unto thee; but that which is acceptable to me, and for my honour.

For, if thou judge aright, thou oughtest to prefer and follow my appointment rather than thy own desire, or any desired, thing; for I know thy desire, and have heard thy frequent groans.

Thou wouldest now enjoy the everlasting habitation; and thy heavenly country, replenished with all joy, now delights thee.

But that hour is not yet come: as yet there is another time, to wit, a time of war, a time of labour and trial.

Thou desirest to be filled with the Supreme Good; but thou canst not attain it for the present.

I am the Supreme Good; patiently wait for me, until the kingdom of God comes.

3. Now, therefore, be humbly obedient unto all, and regard not who said or commanded this:

But take great heed, that whether thy superior, inferior, or thine equal, require any thing of thee, or do insinuate their desire, thou take it all in good part, and endeavour to fulfil it with a sincere will.

Let one seek this, another that; let him glory in this, the other in that, and be praised a thousand times; but do thou neither rejoice in this nor in that, but in the contempt of thyself, and in my good pleasure and honour alone.

This art thou to wish; that, whether it be by thy life, or by thy death, God may always be glorified in thee.

CHAPTER XXXV.

How a Person in a state of Affliction ought to give up himself into the Hands of God.

1. Christian.-LORD God, holy Father, be thou blessed, both now and evermore; because, as thou willest, so it is done, and what thou doest is good.

Let thy servant rejoice in thee, not in himself, nor in anything else; for thou alone art the true gladness, thou art my hope and my crown, thou art my joy and my honour, O Lord.

What hath thy servant, but what he hath received from thee, even without any merit of his ?

Thine is all that thou hast given, and whatsoever thou hast made.

I am poor, and in labour from my youth: and sometimes my soul is sorrowful even unto tears: sometimes, also, it is troubled, by reason of the evils which hang over my head.