hast said, so I beseech thee let it be with me; let thy truth teach me and keep me, and bring me safe to a happy end.

Let it deliver me from all evil affections and inordinate love; and I shall walk with thee in great freedom of heart.

2. Christ. I will teach thee those things that are right and pleasing in my sight.

Think of thy sins with great displeasure and grief, and never esteem thyself any thing for thy good works.

Thou art in very deed a sinner, thou art subject to, and incumbered with, many passions.

Of thyself, thou always tendest to nothing: thou art quickly cast down, quickly overcome, quickly troubled, quickly dissolved.

Thou hast nothing wherein thou canst glory, but many things for which thou oughtest to despise thyself; for thou art much weaker than thou art able to comprehend.

3. Make no account, therefore, of any thing that thou doest.

Let nothing seem great, nothing precious and wonderful; let nothing seem worthy of estimation, nothing high, nothing truly praiseworthy and desirable, but that which is everlasting.

Let the eternal truth above all things please thee. Let thy own great unworthiness always displease thee.

Fear nothing, flee nothing, so much as thy vices

and sins.

Some walk not sincerely in my sight; but will

know my secrets, and understand the high things of God; neglecting themselves and their own salvation.

These often, because I resist them, fall into great temptations and sins.

4. Fear the judgments of God: dread the wrath of the Almighty. But discuss not the works of the Highest. Search thine own iniquities, how much thou hast offended, and how much thou hast neglected. Some place their religion only in books, some in outward forms and ceremonies.

Some have me in their mouths, but little in their hearts.

There are others that, being illuminated in their understandings, and purged in their affections, continually pant after things eternal; these perceive what the Spirit of Truth speaketh in them:

Because it teacheth them to despise earthly and love heavenly things; to neglect the world, and all the day and night to desire heaven.

CHAPTER V.

Of the wonderful Effects of Divine Love

Christian.-I PRAISE thee, O heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for thou hast vouchsafed to remember me a poor creature.

O Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, thanks be unto thee, who with thy comfort refreshest me, that am unworthy of all comfort.

I ever bless and glorify thee, with thy only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever.

O Lord God, the holy lover of my soul, when thou shalt come into my heart, all that is within me will rejoice.

Thou art my glory, and the joy of my heart. Thou art my hope and refuge in the day of my tribulation.

2. But, because I am still weak in love, I have need to be strengthened and comforted by thee. Visit me, therefore, often, and instruct me with thy holy discipline.

Deliver me from evil passions, and heal my heart of all inordinate affections, that being healed within, I may be made fit to love, strong to suffer, and constant to persevere.

3. Christ.-Love is a great thing, which alone maketh every burden light, and beareth all the vicissitudes of life.

For it carrieth a burden without a burden; and maketh things that are bitter sweet and savoury. The love of Jesus impelleth to do great things, and stirreth up continually to desire greater perfection.

Love will be aloft, and not keep down with any earthly thing. Love will be free, and loose from all worldly affection, lest its inward sight be hindered, lest it be entangled by any temporal prosperity, or subdued by adversity.

Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing is stronger, nothing higher, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller or better in heaven or in earth :

Because love is born of God, and cannot rest but in God, above all creatures.

4. He that loveth, flieth, runneth, and rejoiceth; he is free, and not bound.

He giveth all for all, and hath all in all; for he resteth in the Supreme One, from whom all good proceedeth.

He respecteth not the gifts, but turneth himself above all goods unto the Giver.

Love often knoweth no measure, but is inflamed above all measure.

Love feeleth no burden, weigheth no pains, desireth above its strength; complaineth not of impossibility; for it thinketh all things possible.

It is therefore able to undertake all things, and performeth and bringeth many things to pass; whereas, he that doth not love, fainteth and sinketh under them.

5. Love watcheth, and, sleeping, sleepeth not: being tired, is not weary; straitened, is not pressed; but like a lively flame, it bursteth out aloft, and securely passeth through all. If a man love, he knoweth what this meaneth. The ardent affection of the soul crieth aloud in the ears of God, when it saith, "My God, my Love, thou art wholly mine, and I am wholly thine."

6. Christian.-Enlarge me in love, that with the inward mouth of my heart, I may taste how sweet it is to love, and to be melted and swim in thy love.

Let me be possessed by love, mounting above myself with exceeding fervour and admiration. Let me sing the song of love, let me follow thee on high, my Beloved let my soul die away in thy praise, rejoicing through love.

Let me love thee more than myself, and not myself but for thee, and all in thee that truly love

thee, as the law of love commandeth, which shineth out from thee.

7. Christ.-Love is swift, sincere, pious, pleasant, and delightful; strong, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, manly, and never seeking itself. For where one seeketh himself, there he falleth from love.

Love is circumspect, humble, and upright; not soft, nor light, nor attending unto vain things; but sober, chaste, constant, quiet, and guarded in all the senses.

Love is subject and obedient to superiors, vile and despicable to itself; devout and thankful unto God, trusting and hoping always in him.

8. He that is not ready to suffer all things, and to stand to the will of his Beloved, is not worthy to be called a lover. A lover ought to embrace willingly all that is hard and distasteful, for his Beloved.

CHAPTER VI.

Of a Proof of a true Lover.

Christ.-SON, thou art not yet a valiant and dent lover.

Christian.-Wherefore, Lord?

pru

Christ. Because thou givest over thy undertaking for a small difficulty, and too greedily seekest after comfort.

A valiant lover standeth firmly in temptation, and giveth not credit to the crafty persuasions of the enemy.