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Show ! -jU t -; . " Stomas CL'Kinp'5.: BOOK III. CHAPTER III. I That the Words of God Are to be Heard With Humility and That Many Weigh Them Not. My son, hear my words, words most fiweet, excelling all the learning of philosophers, j.n3 of the wise men of this world. My words are spirit and life, and not to be estimated according to human perception. They are not to be drawn forth for vain complacency, but are to be heard in silence, and to be received with all numinty ancl great aficction. 2. And I said: Dlerurd is the man whom thou. O Lord, shalt instruct, and tihilt teach him Thy law; that thou mcyst give him rest from the evil days, and that he may not be desolate upon , arth. I, saith the Lord, have taught the Prophets from the beginning, and even, till now I cease not to speak to all. But many are deaf and hardened to my voice. The gi eater number listen more will-.ngly will-.ngly to the world than to God; and .ire readier to follow the desires of .r.eir ileah than the good pleasure of ;od. The world piomiseth things temporal .md of small value, and i,s served with ji-eat eagerness; I promise things most excellent and everlasting, and yet men's hearts remain topid. 3. Who is there that serveth and abeyeth Me in all things with that i'reat care with which the world and .is lords are served? Be ashamed, O Sidon, eaith the sea. And if thou ask the cause, hear wherefore. , For a scanty sustenance, men run a reat way; for eternal life, many will uarce lift foot once from the ground. A petty gain is sought after; for a single coin sometimes men shamefully quarrel. For men will brave toil day and night, yea, for some mere tritle or a slight promise. 4. But, alas! for an unchangeable good, for an inestimable reward, for the highest honor and never-ending glory, ;hey are loth to undergo a little fatigue. fa-tigue. Blush, then, thou slothful, querulous servant, that they are actually mor ready to labor for death than thou for life. They rejoice more ini vanity than thou in the truth. Sometimes, indeed, they are disappointed disap-pointed of their hopes; but My promise deceiveth no man, nor sendeth away empty him that trusteth in Me. What I have promised I will give; what I have said, I will make good; if only a man continue to the end faithful faith-ful in My love. I am the Rewarder of all the good, and the Mighty Prover of all the devout. de-vout. 5. Write my words in thy heart, and think diligently on them; for they will be very necessary in the time of temptation. temp-tation. What thou understandest not when thou readest, thou shalt know in: the day of visitation. I am accustomed to visit My elect in two manner of ways, namely, by trial and by consolation. And I daily read to them two lessons: les-sons: One to rebuke their voices, and the other to exhort them to the increase of virtue. He that hath My words, and slighteth them, he tshrdlumxzfiflffffi fiflffffiffifa them, hath One who ehall judge him. at the last dav. CHAPTER IV. That We Ought to Walk Before God In Truth and Humility. Son, walk before Me in truth; and always seek Me in the simplicity of chv heart. H; that walketh before Me in truth shall be secured from evil incursions, and the Truth shall deliver him from Foducen-, and rom thy detractions of the wicked. If the truth -shall have made thee fall, thou sh:ilt be indeed free, and shalt make no account of the vain words o- men. Lord, it is true as Thou sayes.t; So, I beseech Thee, iet It be done unto me; Let Thy Truth teach nie, let it guard me. and preserve me unto a loving end. Let it deliver me from all evil affections af-fections and ir.iridante love, and I siaH walk with Thee in great freedom of heart. 2. I will teach thee, saith the Truth, those thinga that are right and pleai-ing pleai-ing in My sisht. Think on thy aiiis with great displeasure displeas-ure and sorrow, and never esteem thyself thy-self to be anything on account of thv good works. Of a truth tnou art a fcinner, subject to and entangled with many passions. Oy thveelf thou always tendest to nothing; speedily dost thou fail, speedily speed-ily art thou overcome; speedily disturbed, dis-turbed, speedily dissolved. Thou hast not anything in which thou canst glory, but many things for which thou oughtest to abase thyself, for thou are much weaker than thou canst com-orehend. com-orehend. 3. Let nothing then, eeem much to thee of all that thou doest. Let nothing appear great, nothing valuable or admirable, nothing worthy of esteem, nothing hi,gh, nothing truly praiseworthy or desirable, but that which is eternal. Let the eternal truth please thee above all things, and thy own exceeding exceed-ing great vileness ever displease thee. Fear nothing so much, blame and and flee nothing so much as thy vices and sins. Which ought to displease thee more than the Iosh of anything whatsoever. Some persons walk not sincerely not before Me; but, led by a certain curiosity cu-riosity and arrogance, desire to know My secrets, and to understand the high things of God, neglecting themselves them-selves and their own salvation. These often, when I resist them, fall into great temptations and sins through their pride and curiosity. 4. Fear the judgments of God; dread the anger of the Almighty; yet presume pre-sume not to examine the works of the Most high, but search diligently thine own iniquities, in how great things thou hast offended, and how much good thou hast neglected. Some only carry their devotion in their books, some in pictures, and some in outward signs and figures. Some have Me in their mouths, while there is little of Me in their hearts. Others there are who. enlightened in their understanding and purified in their affection, always pant after the things eternal; are unwilling to hear of earthly things, and grieve to be subject sub-ject to the necessities of nature; and such as- these perceive what the Spirit of Truth speaketh inthem; for it teacheth them to despise the things of the earth, and to love the heavenly things; to disregard the world, and day and night to aspire after heaven. |