give himself to you as your reward for having left all things and yourself with them for his sake.

But Ŏ how little doth he leave who leaves all! Since he leaves but that which he must quickly leave whether he will or no; yea, and even the enjoying of it is a misery; since all that is not God, is but a weight of sorrow to the soul. God only is sufficient for you; open therefore your heart and enjoy him; you shall find him more sweet, and much more full of love than you could have thought.

Sometimes I wonder how one can or doth wish ill to another, since Christ our Lord is in the midst between them both. How can he be disgusted with the body who loves the head? Do you not know that we cannot do, yea, or even desire to hurt any body, but that it must first pass through Him?

Conceive that your neighbours are a certain thing which nearly concerns Christ our Lord; that they are his images, and the creatures for which he gave his blood. And therefore say, how shall I wish ill to him whom my Lord loves? How shall I desire death to him, to whom my Lord will give life? My Lord died for those persons, and would yet again die for them if it were needful; and shall I then fail to love that man, who is so much beloved by him? What doth it import me, if they do me ill offices? For I love them not for what they are, nor for any thing which they do to me: I love them for Christ's sake; and what then have their ill deeds to do towards the making me take that love from them, which I carried to them for Christ's sake? I beseech God they may be great

in his presence, and that they may enjoy him, and he them: that so there may be more temples wherein my Lord may dwell, more souls which may praise and serve him, and more hearts which may love him, for he deserves them all. And whensoever you see them, say, O Lord, do thou possess those souls, and let them be only thine. O Lord let them enjoy thee, for thou hast a mind to communicate thyself, to all. O Lord, they are so many images of thee, make them like thee more and more, and both to them and me, and to all, give pardon, grace, and glory.

The scruples you mention, are a temptation wherewith the devil torments you, and deprives you of the sweetness of your soul, and leaves you without life in the things of God. For he who is scrupulous, is not fit either to love God, or to confide in him; nor doth he like the way which God holds with him, and then he goes to look other ways which may please himself better. And himself is in fault, for he raises the storm where there was a calm; and he found it in his own way, and not in the way of God, which is very smooth and plain.

Shall I be plain with you? Make haste, make haste to love, and the scruples will fall away, which rise from a fearful heart. For perfect love casts out fear. Pray to our Lord and say, My God enlighten my darkness. And confide in his mercy, that serving him he will be good to you; and will be daily giving you to understand your faults that you may mend them.

As to the temptation of vain glory, say to it, neither will I do it, nor leave to do it for thee. Oh Lord to thee it is that I offer whatsoever I can do,

or say; or think. And when vain glory comes again, say to it thus, thou comest too late, for it is already given to God.

For conclusion, I recommend to you, that you cast all out of your heart which is not God; and that in this world you love tears, solitude, humility, and repentence; and let your eyes be ever turned to our Lord, that your feet may be delivered from the snare. Put the law of God in practice, and you shall see he will sweeten your way; and will cast your enemies under your feet. And by working you shall grew to understand that which you know not how to conceive, either by speaking or hearing. For in the way of God, these luke-warm talking people learn little; but they who are diligent in putting the hand to work learn much. Our Lord Jesus Christ goes before you; follow him here with your cross; and one day you shall be with him in heaven.

Extract from a letter to a friend in the near prospect of death.

I have been reading the account in the Pilgrim's Progress of the manner in which the pilgrims passed over the river in sight of the celestial city, and the angel bands which were ready to receive them at the other side. I have thought that it might be strengthening to you to remind you of it; and I shall just copy out the account of the passage of the pilgrim Standfast, who may be considered as a type of every believer who is able to lay hold on the strong Deliverer from sin, and from death.

"When Mr. Standfast had thus set things in order, and the time being come for him to haste him away, he also went down to the river. Now there was a great calm at that time in the river; wherefore Mr. Standfast, when he was about half way in, stood awhile and talked with his companions that had waited upon him thither; and he said, 'this river has been à terror to many; yea, the thoughts of it have often frighted me, also; now, methinks, I stand easy; my foot is fixed upon that on which the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant stood, while Israel went over this Jordan, (Joshua iii. 7.) The waters are, indeed, to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold, yet the thoughts of what I am going to, and of the conductors that await me at the other side, lie as a burning coal at my heart. I see myself now at the end of my journey; my toilsome days are ended. I am going to see that head that was crowned with thorns, and that face that was spit upon for me. I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith; but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be with him in whose company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his foot upon the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too. His name has been to me most sweet; yea, sweeter than all perfumes; his voice to me has been delightful; and his countenance I have more desired, than they that have most desired the light of the sun. His words I did use to gather for my food, and for antidotes against faintings.-He has held me, and hath kept me from my ini

AN ACT OF RESIGNATION.

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quities; yea, my steps have been strengthened in his ways.

As he went through the river, he said "Death where is thy sting?" and as he went down deeper, he said, "Grave where is thy victory?" So, he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him at the other side."

An act of Resignation.

Oh righteous Judge and Disposer of all events, who shall presume to dictate to thee? We are the clay in thy hands, and Thou the Potter;-Lord! what is man, that he should dare to reply against God?

Great God, thy ways are unsearchable! I am dumb, I open not my mouth, because Thou hast done it. Thou that gavest life, hast a right to take it away. Thou that givest health, success, friendship, and endearment, hast a right to recall them when Thou pleasest. Thou gavest them without desert, Thou hast a right to take them away without our mourning or repining. Be silent, O my soul, hush every thought that would arraign infinite goodness, or would dispute with infinite wisdom.

The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Be this the language of my soul, and may my grief find alleviation.

Help, O help me to believe that this very trial is thy appointment; it is what thy wisdom approves, thy goodness ordains, and though I see not the reason of what Thou dost now, yet I shall know it hereafter. There the mystery will be un