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fear of God, with humility of heart. And, above all, thou oughtest to resign thyself, and to commit the whole unto me, and say,

"Lord, thou knowest what is best; let this or that be done as thou pleasest.

"Give what thou wilt, and how much thou wilt, and when thou wilt.

"Deal with me as thou thinkest good, and as best pleaseth thee, and as is most for thy honour.

"Set me where thou wilt, and deal with me in all things according to thy will.

"I am in thy hands; turn me, and turn me again, which way soever thou pleasest.

"Behold, I am thy servant, prepared for all things: for I desire not to live unto myself, but unto thee: aud, O that I could do it worthily and perfectly!"

3. "Grant me thy grace, O most gracious Jesus, that it may be with me, and continue with me unto the end.

"Grant me always to desire and will that which is most acceptable unto thee, and best pleaseth thee. Let thy will be mine, and let my will ever follow thine, and agree perfectly with it.

"Let my will and nill be all one with thine; and let me not be able to will or nill any thing else, but what thou willest or nillest."

4. "Grant that I may die to all things that are in the world, and for thy sake love to be contemned and not to be known in this world:

"Grant that above all things which can be desired, I may rest in thee, may quiet my heart in thee.

"Thou art the true peace of the heart, thou art the only rest; out of thee all things are troublesome and unquiet.

"In this very peace that is in thee, the one chief, eternal Good, may I sleep and rest.

CHAPTER XIII.

Amen."

True comfort is to be sought in God alone.

My soul, thou canst not be fully comforted, nor have perfect delight, but in God, the comforter of the poor, and the helper of the humble.

Wait awhile, O my soul, wait the divine promises; and thou shalt have abundance of all good things. Use temporal things; desire eternal.

Thou canst not be satisfied with any temporal goods, because thou art not created to enjoy them.

Although thou hadst all created good, yet wouldest thou not be happy: but in God who hath created all things, thy whole happiness consisteth.

Vain and short is all human comfort.

Blessed and real is that comfort which is received inwardly from the truth.

"Be

A devout man every where carrieth with him Jesus his Comforter, and saith unto him, present with me Lord Jesus, in every place and time." Let this be my comfort, to be willing to want all human comfort.

And if thy comfort be wanting, let thy will be unto me as the greatest comfort: for thou wilt not be angry always, neither wilt thou threaten for ever.

CHAPTER XIV.

That all our Care is to be cast on God.

Chrst.-SON, suffer me to do with thee what please: I know what is expedient for thee.

Thou thinkest like a man, thou judgest in many things as human affection persuadeth thee.

Christian.-Lord what thou sayest is true. Thy care for me is greater than all the care that I can take for myself.

For he standeth totteringly, that casteth not his whole care upon thee.

Lord, so that my will may remain right and firm towards thee, do with me whatsoever shall please thee.

For it cannot but be good, whatsoever thou doest with me.

2. If it be thy will I should be in darkness, be thou blessed; and if it be thy will I should be in light, be thou again blessed.

If thou vouchsafe to comfort me, be thou blessed; and if thou wilt afflict me, be thou equally blessed.

Christ.-Son, such must be thy disposition, if thou wilt walk with me. Thou must be as ready to suffer as to rejoice. Thou oughtest to be as willing to be poor and needy, as full and rich.

3. Christian.-Lord, I willingly suffer for thee, whatsoever thy pleasure is shall befal me.

I will receive indifferently from thy hand, good and evil, sweet and bitter, delightful and sorrowful, and give thee thanks for all that befalleth me.

Keep me from all sin, and I will neither fear death nor hell.

So thou dost not for ever cast me from thee, nor blot me out of the Book of Life, what tribulation soever befalleth me, shall not hurt me.

CHAPTER XV.

Of suffering Injuries; and who is proved to be truly patient.

Christ.-WHAT is it thou sayest, son? Cease to complain, consideriug my passion, and that of my other saints.

Thou hast not yet resisted unto blood.

Do not say, "I cannot suffer these things at the hand of such a person, nor ought I to suffer such things; for he hath done me great wrong, and upbraided me with those things which I never thought of; but of another I will willingly suffer, as proper occasious of suffering shall offer."

Such a thought is foolish: it considereth not the virtue of patience, nor by whom it shall be crowned; but rather weigheth the persons and the injuries offered.

2. He is not truly patient, that will not suffer but as much as he thinketh good, and by whom he listeth.

But the truly patient man mindeth not by whom he is exercised, whether by his superior, or some of his equals, or by his inferior; whether by a good and holy man, or by a perverse and unworthy person.

But indifferently from all creatures how much

soever, or how often soever, any adversity befalleth him, he taketh all thankfully from the hands of God, and esteemeth it great gain :

Seeing nothing, how little soever, so it be suffered for God, shall pass without its reward from Him. 3. Be thou therefore prepared for the fight if thou wilt have the victory.

Without a combat, thou canst not attain unto the crown of patience.

If thou wilt not suffer, thou refusest to be crowned. But if thou desire to be crowned, fight manfully, and endure patiently.

Without labour there is no coming to rest, nor without fighting can victory be obtained.

4. Christian.-Lord, let that be made possible to me by thy grace, which seemeth impossible to me by nature.

Thou knowest, that I can suffer but little, and that I am quickly dismayed when a small adversity ariseth.

Let every exercise of tribulation be made amiable unto me, and be welcome for thy name; for to suffer and to be troubled for thy sake are very profitable for my soul.

I will confess against me my unrighteousness; I will confess unto thee, O Lord, my infirmities.

It is often a small matter that dejecteth and grieveth me. I purpose to act with courage; but when a small temptation cometh, it bringeth me into great straits.

It is sometimes a very trifle from whence great temptations. And whilst I think myself somewhat

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