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compariſon of Him ? What are thy Agonies and Tryals, the very worſt of thine, in compariſon of His? | El C H AP, XXXVI. - of ſeeking God alone. | | 5 Diſciple, THY Mercy, Lord is reat, which hath thus i 1 far aſſiſted me; but ſtill, I feel I want alarg- . er Portion of thy Grace, which may conduct me to ſuch a State of Perfection, as may ſecure and ſet me at Liberty, „tom all the Obſtructions, which the Creatures lay in my 4 Way.

For, ſo long as J retain an Affection or Concern for any thing in this World, I find my Soul checkt and reſtrained in her Mountings to thee and Heaven. How often do L 8 ; make the Prophet's Wiſh my Own, Oh that I had Wings liks e.

Dore, for then would I fly away and be at reſt ? Lo K ben world I get me away far off, and remain at a diſtance ry {rom the World. Now what is more at caſe, more abſtra- id add from the World, than a true ſingle-hearted Honeſty ? What can boaſt of Freedom equal to His, who covets no- us thing upon Earth?

All created Beings ſhould indeed be paſted over, and left behind in this Flight; and a Man muſt makea 7's Stretch, even beyond himſelf, andabandon his own Natural e lnclinations and Defects, in order to get a diſtinct View of by the Creator, and thoſe Perfections in him, to which no Creature bears any Reſemblance.

Now thisis the very Rea- in. on, Why fo few employ their Thoughts in Heavenly Con- ot templations with any ſenſible Delight; becauſe when they dus attempt it, they do it unskilfully. For they bring thoſe my 5 orldly Affections along with them, that damp and diſguſt % bem in the Undertaking, | = i eis not, 1 confeſs, an caſy Matter, nay, tis not poſſible hen eo Ficſh and Blood, by its own Strength, thus to purge the in. ffections.

Nothing leſs than a liberal and very powerful at ME ipration of Divine Grace can thus exalt the Mind, and as „ih ere carry the Man out of himſelf, But, till fuch Exal- mM of the Soul have diſengaged one from all Temporal . Intereſts, and fixt down his Deſires to that One Object io orthy of them, God himſelf; all his Knowledge and i. on. gined Excellencies are very little worth.

For, . | elle 166 Pt the Imitation Book 11. falſe Notions of Honour and Greatneſs Men may delude themſelves with, yet ſtill alas! They have poor and little Souls and dote upon that which ought to be diſdained, who allow any thing, beñdes the Infinite ard Eternal God, a very ho- nourable Place in their Affections and Eſteem.

For Al, which is not God, is Vanity and Nothing, and ought to be nothing regarded. How vaſt a difference is there between the Wiſdom of a mortified pious Man, enlightned from a. bove; and the pompous Learning of a profound and ſtudious Divine?

That Knowledge, which deſcends from above, ſpeaks its heavenly Original, by marvellous and noble Ef- ects ; and works a greater Change in the Man, a greater Improvement in profitable Knowledge; than all that Com- prehenſion, which the beſt Capacities, and the moſt indefa- tigable Induſtry, can ever attain to.

We often hear very glorious Characters of Divine Con- templation, and the wonderful Delights and Tranſports at- tending it; and Theſe a great many appear very fond of. But then they have no regard to the neceſſary Preparations for it; their Minds are full of ſenſible Ideas, and poſſeſsd with the things of this preſent World, and the Subduing and Mortify ing their Deſires and Paſſions is a Matter they take no Care about.