Wisdom Vault — onlinknow.co.za

r FX Heartcan find no Reliſn in. My every Word is of Wei ight; and ſpoken, not to entertain the Curious, aud tickle Itch ng I | Fars, but to ſubdue the Heart, and command a ſtrict Obe- dience. Hear therefore, but hear as becomes thee, with reſpectful Silence, and entire Submiſſion ; with profound and awful Humility; with an earneſt Deſire to be taught; and ſincere and vigorous Reſolutionsof doing as thou art {= taught, 7 L 5 eiple.] J own the mighty Favour, and heartily ack- nowledge, with thy Holy Prophet, That Bleſſed is the Man whom thou chaſineſl, O Lord, and teaches him in thy Law; That thou mayeſt give bim Strength in time of Adverſity, leſt he fall away with the Ungodly, Pal. xciv. | Chriſt.) That Prophet ſpoke what I inſpired, and ſo did all theſe Holy Men of old; for they were all of my ſending.

Nor is my Care at all abated now, tho' the Effects of it may be leſs viſible. For I, who taught them then, continue teaching ſtill; Nay, I direct my Speech to All, but All will not hear it. For there are Many deaf to all my Charms; and therefore deaf, becauſe they ſtop their Ears; hate wy Inſtru- * Gions, and will none of my Reproofs, Prov. i.

They liſten to the World much rather than to God, and are more diſpoſed = to obey their own Corrupt and Senſyal, than his Pure and Heavenly Will. The World invites them with ſhort and tranſitory, trifling and empty Joys, and they greedily en- gage in its Service; I coycnant for Eternal and Excellent ewards; and the inſenſible Wretches will not conſider, or think them worth their Acceptance.

This Folly is univer- ſal; For who among the Sons of Men, expreſſes half that Zeal and Earneſtneſs, that ſollicitous Deſire to plcaſe, and dutiful Fear to offend, in his Deportment towards me, which he does in Matters relating to this World, or in Obe- dience to Maſters upon Earth?

Conſider this, and bluſh for ſhame; for What, but ſhame and Confuſion of Face, can be the Effect of thy Reflection upon this unworthy Uſage, this moſt abſurd Folly? þ | A ſmall Preferment is eſteem'd a valuable Conſideration for long and painful Journeys.

Men fly for it eagerly, and haſten all they can to get ground of their Competitors; This is every one's Care, and it is accounted a Reproach to be R negligent —— — CY Mas ' "AS. o_ I 0D 0 ww vs C © ww _ . new T3 CD — — - —— — — 2 : . — ———— 1 = 2 OT <5 1 r CCC ET Xe Sha = = \ — — - — - =, bs fi | þ o 1s ki | k, W 3 — 4 — — — — 8 o — IG, > wii ane - — ̃ —.:n — — — ——— ] Uẽ. —˙¹] — ear — broils them in ro4 Of the Ymitation Book III. negligent in ſuch Purſuits.

But, when Advancement to Heaven and Eternal Happineſs is offer'd, they are ſlothful and unactive, and ſcarce a Man is tobe found, who thinks it worth the while to mend his Pace, or ſets one Step forward to meet, or to ſecure ſo glorious an Advantage, A little ſordid Gain cNgages all Mens Inquſtry; a trifling Sum em- tedious and expenſive Suits; And Promiſes of things ſcarce worth their having, they are content to drudge for; to loſe the Eaſe of their Days, and the Sleep of their > ag and think their Toil and Anxious Care wel! paid, if they can compaſs them at laſt : But a ſubſtancial and unchangeable Good, a Recompence greater than they know how to value Jenn Immortal Glory, and the Honours ot the Saints, are ſunk ſo low in wretched Men's Eſteem, that the leaſt Pains and Hardſhip are thought too much for them.

And art thou not aſhamed, lazy, inſenſible, grumbling Wretch, that the Children of this World ſhould purſue : Death and Ruin, with a more vigorous Induſtry and Zeal, than thou canſt find in thy Heart to beſtow upon Life and Happineſs ? ſhall Toys the Vanities win more upon their At- fections, than ſolid and true Good can upon Thine ?

Nay, even thoſe Vanities, whoſe very Enjoyments are empty, do often mock their Hopes, and are never enjoyed at all; Their Fr iends promiſe and deceive : They labour but cannot at- tain : But my Promiſes are without Repentance; None taxeth me with Breach of Faith, or can complain, that his Dependance upon my.

Word hath at any time diſappointed him. For I require only Love and Perſeverance: And, it theſe be not wanting, I anſwer to the full, nay, I far excced my Servants largeſt Wiſhes and longing Expectations... Yet falſe and fickle Men can eaſily perſuade; and the God, who cannot lye, calls and promiſes in vain.