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Show - i ; ), tyi fHf. ,f-.vi;l7,v .p : CHAPTER XXXIII. ( Son, trust not to thy feeling; what- 1 soever it may be now it will be quickly ' changed into another. As long as thou livest thou art subject sub-ject to change, even against they wiil; so as to be sometimes joyful, at other srmes sad; now at peace, again troubled; trou-bled; at one time devout, at another indevout; sometimes fervent, at other times sluggish; one day heavy, another day elated. But he that is wise and well in-structe in-structe in spirit stands above all these changes, not minding what he feels in himself, nor on what side the wind of instability bloweth; but that the whole bent of his sou! may be made conducive towards the due and wished for end. For thus one and the same and unshaken un-shaken can he stand, directing, through all this variety of events, the single eye of his intention unflinchingly toward Me and the purer the eye of thy intention inten-tion is, with so much greater constancy wilt thou pass through these diverse storms. Hut in many the eye of pure intention inten-tion is dark; for men quickly look towards to-wards something delightful as it conies in their way: and seldom will you find anyone altogether free from all blemish of self-seeking. So of old the Jews came into Eel llama, ll-ama, to Martha and Mary, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazurus also. The eye of the intention must therefore there-fore be purified, that it may be single and right, and it must be directed unto Me, beyond all various objects that come between. In order to fix our hearts in what regards the service of God, and the care of our salvation, we should first, mistrust ourselves and confide in God; secondly we should have recourse to Him and implore His assistance on all occasions: thirdly, we should often renew our intention .of pleasing Him, without wishing to please ourselves. |