united completely with God, it matters but little what he knows, or even what he

possesses.

Long will he be little and lie low who esteems anything as great, unless it be the sole, immense, eternal Good. For whatever is not God is naught, and ought to be looked upon as naught.

For great is the difference between the wisdom of a devout man, illumined from on high, and the knowledge of a well-read and studious divine. Much nobler is that learning which flows down from above through divine influence, than that which is laboriously acquired by human intellect.

3. Many are to be found who desire contemplation, but they do not desire to exercise those qualities which are requisite for its attainment.

This is a great impediment, that great score is set upon symbols and objects of sense, and little importance attached to thorough self-mortification.

I know not how it is, and by what spirit we are led, and what goal we aim at, we who profess to be spiritually minded, that we take so much care, and undergo so much labour, for things which are worthless and transitory, whilst we scarcely ever, or but rarely, summoning our senses together, consider our internal condition.

4. And sad to say, forthwith, after short recollection, we rush out of doors, not having subjected our actions to a scrutinizing investigation. We take no heed where our affections are attached, neither do we weep over the wickedness of everything. Because "all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth,"1 therefore followed the mighty deluge.

1 Genes. vi. 12.

When therefore our affections are very corrupt, it follows as a matter of course that our actions are corrupt, for our actions become the index of deficient strength of mind. From a pure heart proceeds the fruit of a good life.1

5. Inquiry is made as to how much a man has done; but from what motive he acts is not so carefully considered. Inquiry is made whether a man is brave, rich, handsome, clever; whether he is a good writer, a good singer, a good workman but no mention is made by most of how poor he is in spirit, how patient, how meek, how devout, and how self-contained.

Nature looks at the outer man, Grace turns to the inner man. The former is frequently mistaken, the latter hopes in God, that it may not be deceived.

CHAPTER XXXII.

ON THE ABNEGATION OF SELF AND RENUNCIATION

M

OF EVERY DESIRE.

Y son, thou canst not attain perfect liberty unless thou totally deny thyself.

Enslaved are all

owners of property, all lovers of self, all the covetous, all the curious, all those who wander from place to place, all who constantly seek ease, all who

11 Tim. i. 5. "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart."

2 S. Matth. xvi. 24. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

plan and devise what will not stand,' and not the things pertaining to Jesus Christ. For whatever is not of God will perish.

"Hold this short and excellent precept: Renounce everything, and thou shalt find everything; abandon desire, and thou shalt find rest. Pore over this in thy mind, and when thou hast carried it out thou shalt comprehend all.” 2. "O Lord, this is not the work of a single day, nor is it child's play; surely, in this short sentence is included the perfection of the godly."

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3. "My son, thou must not be turned aside, nor immediately cast down, because thou hast heard of the road of the perfect, but rather must thou be stirred up to higher attainments, or at least to long for them.

“Would that it were thus with thee, and that thou hadst arrived at this point, that thou wert not a lover of self, but that thou stoodest entirely at My nod, and under the direction of the spiritual father, whom I have placed over thee! "Then truly wouldest thou please Me, and thy whole life would be passed in joy and peace.

"There are besides many things which thou must relinquish, and unless these things are completely resigned to Me, thou wilt not obtain what thou seekest. That thou mayest become rich, I counsel thee to buy of Me tried gold, that is, heavenly wisdom, which despiseth all grovelling things. Postpone worldly wisdom, and all pleasure, human and individual.

4. I have said that what is of less value is to be bought

2 Tim. iii. 2. "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers." Philip. ii. 21. "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's."

instead of the valuable and lofty in human affairs. For true heavenly wisdom seemeth to be vile indeed, and small, and almost forgotten; the wisdom that doth not exalt itself, nor seek to be magnified on the earth, wisdom which many honour with their mouths, but very much neglect in their lives; she is indeed a precious pearl, hidden from many."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

ON THE INSTABILITY OF THE HEART, AND ON TURNING

M

TO GOD ALONE.

Y son, trust not thy feeling; for that which is now thy feeling will quickly be changed into another. Throughout the whole course of thy life thou hast been subject to change, even though contrary to thy wish; so that thou hast been found now joyful, anon sad; now peaceful, presently disquieted; at one time full of devotion, at another without any devotional feeling; now anxious, now careless; sometimes sad, at other times cheerful.2

"But the man of wisdom and enlightened mind standeth firm above these changes, waiting, not for any sentiment which may arise in his mind, nor for any direction which the breath of fickleness may give, but that the whole bent

1 S. Matth. xiii. 46. "Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

2 Rom. viii. 20. "For the creature was made subject to vanity."

and bias of his mind may lead him to approximate to the necessary and best goal. For thus will he be able to remain consistently the same, fixing the eye of his intention simply and persistently on Me through the many varying events of life.1

2. "But in proportion to the purity of the eye of intention is the consistency of a man's walk through the various storms. In many men the eye of pure intention waxeth dim, because the attention is quickly directed to anything pleasant which occurreth.

"For rarely is a man found completely free from the stain of some personal inclination.

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"Thus in times past the Jews had come to Bethany to Martha and Mary, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also.'2

"The eye of the intention must therefore be purified that it may be simple and right, and be directed to Me above all the various objects that interpose themselves."3

1 S. Matth. vi. 22. "If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."

2 S. John xii. 9.

3 Orig., "Atque ultra omnia varia media ad me dirigendus." The Italian version has it, "E a me di la' da tutti i diversi mezzi dirigerlo."