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10 - The Imitation of Christ - Thomas Kempis · Sacred Texts Archive

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Book three, chapters forty one to fifty. Chapter forty one, of contempt
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of all temporal honour, My son, make it no matter of thine if
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thou see others honored and exalted, and thyself despised and humbled, lift up
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thine heart to me in heaven. And then the contempt of men upon earth
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will not make THEE sad. O Lord, we are in blindness, and
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are quickly seduced by vanity. If I look rightly within myself, never was
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injury done unto me by any creature. And therefore I have naught whereof to
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complain before THEE. But because I have many times and grievously sinned against THEE,
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all creatures do justly take arms against me. Therefore to me, confusion
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and contempt are justly due. But to THEE praise and honor and glory.
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And except I dispose myself for this, namely, to be willing that every
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creature should despise and desert me, and that I should be esteemed altogether as
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nothing, I cannot be inwardly filled with peace and strength, nor spiritually enlightened,
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nor fully united to THEE. Chapter forty two. That our peace is
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not to be placed in men, my son, If thou set thy peace
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on any person, because thou hast high opinion of him and art familiar with
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him, thou shalt be unstable and entangled. But if thou betake thyself to
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the ever living and abiding truth, the desertion or death of a friend shall
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not make THEE sad. In me ought the love of thy friend to subsist,
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And for my sake is every one to be loved, whosoever he be,
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who appeareth to THEE good and is very dear to THEE. In this
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life without me friendship hath no strength or endurance. Neither is that love true
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and pure which I unite. Not thou oughtest to be so dead to such
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affections of beloved friends, that as far as in THEE lieth, thou wouldst
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rather choose to be without any companionship of men. The nearer a man approacheth
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to God, the further he recedeth from all earthly solace. The deeper also
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he descendeth into himself, and the violer he appereth in his own eyes,
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the higher he ascendeth towards God. But he who attributeth anything good to himself
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hindereth the grace of God from coming to him, because the grace of the
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Holy Ghost ever seeketh the humble heart. If thou couldst make thyself utterly nothing
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and empty thyself of the love of every creature, then should it be my
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part to overflow into thee with great grace. When thou settest thine eyes upon
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creatures, the face of the Creator is withdrawn from thee. Learn in all
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things, to conquer thyself for the Creator's sake. Then shalt thou be able
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to attain unto divine knowledge. How small soever anything be, if it beloved
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and regarded inordinately, it holdeth us back from the highest good, and corrupteth
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three against vain and worldly knowledge. My son, let not the fair and
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subtle sayings of men move thee. For the Kingdom of God is not in
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word, but in power. One Corinthians four, verse twenty. Give ear
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to my words, for they kindle the heart and enlighten the mind. They
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bring contrition, and they supply manifold consolations. Never read thou the word that
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thou mayest appear more learned or wise, but study for the mortification of thy
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sins, for this will be far more profitable for thee than the knowledge of
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many difficult questions. When thou hast read and learned many things, thou must
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always return to one first principle. I am he teacheth man knowledge Psalm ninety
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four, verse ten. And I give unto babes clearer knowledge than can be
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taught by man. He to whom I speak will be quickly wise, and
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shall grow much in the spirit. Woe unto them who inquire into many curious
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questions from men and take little heed concerning the way of my service. The
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time will come when Christ will appear, the Master of masters, the Lord
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of the angels, to hear the lessons of all, that is, to
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examine the consciences of each one. And then will he search Jerusalem with candles
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Zephaniah one, verse twelve. And the hidden things of darkness one Corinthians four,
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verse five. And the hidden things of darkness shall be made manest,
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and the arguings of tongues shall be silent. I am he who in an
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instant lift up the humble spirit to learn more reasonings of the eternal truth than
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if a man had studied ten years in the schools. I teach without noise
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of words, without confusion of opinions, without striving after honor, without clash
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of arguments. I am he who teach men to despise earthly things, to
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loathe things present, to seek things heavenly, to enjoy things eternal, to
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flee honors, to endure offenses, to place all hope in me, to
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desire nothing apart from me, and above all things, to love me ardently.
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For there was one who, by loving me from the bottom of his
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heart, learned divine things and spake things that were wonderful. He profited more
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by forsaking all things than by studying subtleties. But to some I speak common
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things, to others, special to some, I appear gently in signs and
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figures, and again to some I reveal mysteries in much light. The voice
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of books is one, but it informeth not all alike, because I inwardly
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am the teacher of truth, the searcher of the heart, the discerner of
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all thoughts, the mover of actions, distributing to each man, as I
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judge meet Chapter forty four, of not troubling ourselves about outward things, my
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son, in many things, it behooveth THEE to be ignorant, and to
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esteem thyself as one dead upon the earth, and as one to whom the
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whole world is crucified. Many things also thou must pass by with deaf ear,
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and must rather think upon those things which belong unto thy peace. It
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is more profitable to turn away thine eyes from those things that displease, and
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to leave each man to his own opinion, than to give thyself to discourses
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of strife. If thou stand well with God and hast his judgment in thy
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mind, thou wilt verily easily bear to be as one conquered. O Lord,
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to what have we come? Behold? A temporal loss is mourned over
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for a trifling gain. We labor and hurry, and spiritual loss passeth away
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into forgetful and we rarely recover it. That which profiteth little or nothing is
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looked after, and that which is altogether necessary is negligently passed by. Because
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the whole man slideth away to outward things, and unless he quickly recovereth himself
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in outward things, he willingly lieth down Chapter forty five, that we must
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not believe everyone, and that we are prone to fall in our words.
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Lord be thou my help in trouble, for vain is the help of man
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Psalm sixty, verse eleven. How often have I failed to find faithfulness where
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I thought I possessed it. How many times I have found it where I
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least expected Vain. Therefore is hope in men. But the self invasion of
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the just O God is in THEE. Blessed be thou, o, Lord,
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my God. In all things which happen unto us, we are weak
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and unstable. We are quickly deceived and quite changed. Who is the man
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who is able to keep himself so warily and circumspectly as not sometimes to come
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into some snare of perplexity? But he who trusteth in THEE, O Lord,
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and seeketh THEE with an unfeigned heart, doth not so easily slip.
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And if he fall into any tribulation, howsoever he may be entangled, yet
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very quickly he shall be delivered through THEE, or by THEE, shall be
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comforted, because Thou wilt not forsake him that trusteth in THEE. Unto the
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end. A friend who continueth faithful in all the distresses of heith friend is
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rare to be found. Thou, O Lord, Thou alone art most faithful
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in all things, and there is none other like unto THEE. Oh,
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how truly wise was that holy soul who said, my mind is steadfastly fixed,
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and it is grounded in Christ Saint Agatha. If thus it were with
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me, the fear of man should not so easily tempt me, nor the
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arrows of words move me. Who is sufficient to foresee all things? Who
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to guard beforehand against future ills? If even things which are foreseen sometimes hurt
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us, what can things which are not foreseen do but grievously injure? But
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wherefore have I not better provided for myself? Miserable that I am? Why
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two have I given such heed to others? But we are men? Nor
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are we other than frail men, even though by many we are reckoned and
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called angels. Whom shall I trust? O? Lord, whom shall I
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trust? But THEE Thou art the truth and deceivest not, nor canst be
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deceived. And on the other hand, every man is a liar Psalm one
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hundred and sixteen, verse eleven, Romans three, verse four, weak,
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unstable, and frail, especially in his words, so that one ought scarcely
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ever to believe what seemeth to sound right on the face of it. With
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what wisdom hast thou warned does beforehand to beware of men, And that a
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man's foes are they of his own household Matthew ten, Verses seventeen and thirty
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six. And that we must not believe if one say unto us lo here
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or lo there Matthew twenty four, verse twenty three. I have been taught
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by my loss, and oh that I may prove more careful and not foolish.
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Hereby be cautious, sayth some one, be cautious, keep unto thyself
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what I tell THEE. And whilst I am silent and believe that it is
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hid with me, he himself cannot keep silence concerning it, but straightway betrayeth
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me and himself, and goeth his way. Protect me, O Lord,
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from such mischief making and reckless men. Let me not fall into their hands,
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nor ever do such things myself. Put a true and steadfast word into
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my mouth, and remove a deceitful tongue far from me. What I will
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not suffer. I ought by all means to beware of doing. Oh,
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how good and peace making a thing. It is to be silent concerning others
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and not carelessly to believe all reports, nor to hand them on. Further,
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How good also to lay oneself open to few, to seek, ever,
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to have thee as the beholder of the heart, not to be carried
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about with every wind of words, but to desire that all things inward and
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outward be done according to the good pleasure of thy will. How safe for
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the preserving of heavenly grace to fly from human approval, and not to long
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after the things which seem to win admiration abroad, but to follow with all
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earnestness those things which bring amendment of life and heavenly Further, how many have
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been injured by their virtue being made known and too hastily praised. How truly
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profitable hath been grace preserved in silence in this frail life, which, as
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we are told, is all temptation and warfare. Chapter forty six of having
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confidence in God When evil words are cast at us, my son, stand
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fast and believe in me. For what are words but words? They fly
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through the air, but they bruise no stone. If thou art guilty,
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think how thou wouldst gladly amend thyself. If thou knowest nothing against thyself,
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consider that thou wilt gladly bear this for God's sake. It is little enough
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that thou sometimes hast to bear hearts, for thou art not yet able to
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bear hard blows. And wherefore do such trivial matters go to thine heart,
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except that thou art yet carnal, and regardest men more than thou artest.
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For because thou fearest to be despised, thou art unwilling to be reproved for
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thy faults, and seekest paltry shelters of excuses. But look better into thyself,
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and thou shalt know that the world is still alive in THEE and the
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vain love of pleasing men. For when thou fleest away from being abased and
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confounded for thy faults, it is plain that thou art neither truly humble nor
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truly dead to the world, and that the world is not crucified to THEE.
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But hearken to my word, and thou shalt not care for ten thousand
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words of men. Behold, if all things could be said against THEE which
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the utmost malice could invent, what should it hurt THEE? If thou wert
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altogether to let it go, and make no more account of it than of
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a mote. Could it pluck out a single hair of thy head. But
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he that hath no heart within him, and hath not God before his eyes,
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is easily moved by a word of reproach. But he who trusteth in
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Me and seeketh not to abide by his own judgment, shall be free from
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the fear of men. For I am the judge and the discerner of all
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secrets. I know how the thing hath been done. I know both the
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injurer and the bearer from me went forth that word by my permission. This
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hath happened, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Luke to
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thirty five. I shall judge the guilty and the innocent, But beforehand I
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have willed to try them both by a secret judgment. The testimony of men
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often deceiveth My judgment is true. It will stand, and it shall not
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be overturned. It commonly lieth hid, and only to few in certain cases
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is it made known. Yet it never erreth, nor can err. Although
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it seemed not right to the eyes of foolish men to me. Therefore must
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men have recourse in all judgment, and must not lean to their opinion.
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For there shall no evil happen to the just Proverbs twelve, verse twenty one.
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Whatsoever may be sent to him by God, even though some unjust charge
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be brought against him, he will care little. Nor again will he exalt
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above measure, if through others he be clearly vindicated. For he considereth that
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I am he who try the hearts and reigns Psalm seven, verse nine,
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who judge not outwardly and according to human appearance. For often in mine eyes
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that is found blameworthy, which in the judgment of men is held worthy of
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praise. O, Lord God, O judge, just, strong and patient,
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who knowest the frailty and sinfulness of men. Be thou my strength and
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my whole confidence. For my own conscience sufficeth me not. Thou knowest what
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I know not, and therefore ought I under all rebuke to humble myself and
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to bear it meekly. Therefore, mercifully forgive me as often as I have
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not done this, and want me the next time. The grace of greater
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endurance for better unto me is Thine abundant pity for the attainment of Thy pardon
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than the righteousness which I believe myself to have for defense against my conscience,
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which lieth weight against me. Although I know nothing against myself. Yet I
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am not hereby justified One Corinthians four, verse four, Because if thy mercy
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were removed away in thy sight, should no man living be justified. Psalm
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one hundred and forty three, Verse two, Chapter forty seven. That all
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troubles are to be endured for the sake of eternal life. My son.
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Let not the labors which thou hast undertaken for me break THEE down, nor
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let tribulations cast THEE down in any wise. But let my promise strengthen and
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comfort THEE. In every event. I am sufficient to reward THEE above all
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measure and extent. Not long shalt thou labor hear, nor always be weighted
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down with sorrows. Wait yet a little while, and thou shalt see a
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speedy end of thine evils. And hour shall come when all labor and confusion
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shall cease. Little and short is all that passeth away with time. Do
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earnestly what thou dost labor faithfully in my vineyard. I will be thy reward.
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Write, read, sing, weep, be silent, pray, endure
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adversities, manfully eternal life is worthy of all these conflicts, YEA, And
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of greater peace shall come in one day, which is known to the Lord,
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which shall be neither day nor night Zachariah fourteen, verse seven. But
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light, eternal, infinite clearness, steadfast peace, and undisturbed rest. Thou
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shalt not say, then, who shall deliver me from the body of this
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death Romans seven, verse twenty four, Nor cry out woe is me?
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For my sojourning is prolonged Psalm one hundred and twenty, because death will be
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utterly destroyed, and there shall be salvation which can never fail. No more
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anxiety, happy, delight, sweet and noble society. O. If thou
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sawest the unfading crowns of the saints in heaven, and with what great glory
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they now rejoice, who aforetime were reckoned by this world contemptibly, and as
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it were unworthy of life, Truly thou wouldst immediately humble thyself even to the
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earth, and wouldst desire rather to be in subjection to all than to have
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authority over one. Nor wouldst thou long for pleasant days of this life.
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But wouldst more rejoice to be afflicted for God's sake, and wouldst esteem it
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gain to be counted for naught amongst men. Oh, if these things were
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sweet to thy taste and moved thee to the bottom of thine heart, how
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shouldst thou dare even once to complain? Are not all laborious things to be
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endured for the sake of eternal life? It is no small thing the losing
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or gaining the Kingdom of God. Lift up therefore thy face to Heaven.
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Behold I and all my saints with me, who in this world had a
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hard conflict, now rejoice, are now comforted, are now secure, are
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now at peace, and shall remain with me evermore in the Kingdom of my
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Father. Chapter forty eight. Of the Day of Eternity and of the straitnesses
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of this life, Oh, most blessed mansion of the city which is above,
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Oh, most clear day of Eternity, which the night obscureth not but
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the supreme Truth, ever enlighteneth day, always joyful, always secure, and
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never changing its state into those which are contrary. Oh, would that this
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day might shine forth, and that all these temporal things would come to an
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end. It shineth indeed upon the saints, glowing with unending brightness, but
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only from afar, and through a glass upon those who are pilgrims on the
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earth. The citizens of Heaven know how glorious that day is, the exiled
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sons of Eve grown, Because this is bitter and wearisome. The days of
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this life are few and evil, full of sorrows and straits, where man
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is defiled with many sins, ensnared with many passions, bound fast with many
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fears, wearied with many cares, distracted, with many questionings, entangled with
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many vanities, compassed about with many errors, worn away, with many labours,
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weighed down with temptations, enervated by pleasures, tormented by poverty. Oh,
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when shall there be an end of these evil? When shall I be
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delivered from the wretched slavery of my sins? When shall I be mindful,
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O, Lord of THEE alone? When shall I rejoice in THEE to the
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full. When shall I be in true liberty without any impediment, without any
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burden on mind or body? When shall there be solid peace, peace,
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immoveable and secure peace within and without peace, firm on every side, Blessed
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Jesus, When shall I stand to behold THEE. When shall I gaze upon
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the glory of Thy kingdom? When shalt thou be to me all in all?
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O? When shall I be with THEE in thy kingdom, which thou
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hast prepared from the foundation of the world for them that love THEE. I
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am left destitute and exile in a hostile land, where are daily wars and
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grievous misfortunes. Console my exile, mitigate my sorrow for towards THEE. All
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my desire longeth. For all is to me a burden. Whatsoever this world
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offereth for consolation. I yearn to enjoy THEE intimately, but I cannot attain
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unto it. I long to cleave to heavenly things, but temporal things and
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unmortified passions press me down. In my mind, I would be above all
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things, but in my flesh I am unwillingly compelled to be beneath them.
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So wretched man that I am. I fight with myself and am made grievous
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even unto myself. While the spirit seeketh to be above and the flesh to
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be beneath. Oh, how I suffer inwardly, While with the mind I
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discourse on heavenly things, and present a crowd of carnal things rushes upon me.
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While I pray my God, be not thou far from me, nor
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depart in wrath from thy servant. Cast forth thy lightning and scatter them.
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Send out thine arrows Psalm one hundred and twenty one, verse twelve. And
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let all delusions of my enemy be confounded. Recall my senses unto thyself.
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Cause me to forget all worldly things. Grant me quickly to cast away and
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despise the imaginations of sin. Succor me O eternal truth, that no vanity
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may move me. Come unto me, O heavenly sweetness, and let all
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impurity flee from before thy face. Pardon me also, and of thy mercy
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deal gently with me whensoever in prayer I think on anything besides THEE. For
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truly I confess that I am wont to be continually distracted, For often and
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often wherein the body I stand or sit, there I myself am not,
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But rather am I there whither I am born by my thoughts. Where my
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thought is there am I? And there commonly is my thought? Where that
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which I love is that readily occurreth to me, which naturally delighteth or pleaseth
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through custom. Wherefore thou who art the truth, hast said plainly, where
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your treasure is, there will your heart be also Matthew six, verse twenty
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one. If I love Heaven, I gladly meditate on heavenly things. If
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I love the world, I rejoice in the delights of the world, and
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are made sorry by its adversities. If I love the flesh, I am
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continually imagining the things which belonged to the flesh. If I love the Spirit,
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I am delighted by meditating on spiritual things. For whatsoever things I love,
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on these I readily converse and listen, and carry home with me the
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images of them. But blessed is that man who, for thy sake,
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O Lord, is willing to part from all creatures, who doth violence to
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his fleshly nature, and crucifieth the lusts of the flesh by the fervor of
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his spirit, so that with serene conscience he may offer unto thee a pure
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prayer and be made worthy to enter into the angelic choirs, having shut out
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from himself both outwardly and inwardly, all worldly things. Chapter forty nine of
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the desire after eternal life, and how great blessings are promised to those whose
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strive, my son, When thou feelest the desire of eternal happiness to be
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poured into THEE from above, and longest to depart from the tabernacle of this
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body, that thou mayst contemplate My glory without shadow of turning. Enlarge thine
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heart and take in this holy inspiration with all thy desire. Give most hearty
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thanks to the Supreme Goodness, who dealeth with THEE. So graciously visiteth THEE,
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so lovingly stirreth THEE up, so fervently raiseth THEE so powerfully, lest
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thou sink down through thine own weight to earthly things. For not by thine
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own meditating or striving dost thou receive this gift, but by the soul gracious
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condescension of supreme grace and divine reward, to the end that thou mayest make
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progress in virtue and in more humility, and prepare thyself of future conflicts,
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and cleave unto me with all the affection of thine heart, and strive to
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serve me with fervent will, My son, Often the fire burneth, but
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the flame ascendeth not without smoke. So also the desires of some men burn
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towards heavenly things, and yet they are not free from the temptation of carnal
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affection. Thus, therefore they are not acting with an altogether simple desire for
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God's glory when they pray to him so earnestly. Such too, is sometimes
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thy desire when thou hast imagined it to be so earnest. For that is
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not pure and perfect, which is tainted with thine own self seeking. Seek
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thou not what is pleasant and advantageous to thyself, but what is acceptable and
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honorable unto me. For if thou judgest rightly, thou must choose and follow
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after My appointment rather than thine own desire. Yea rather than anything that can
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be desired. I know thy desire, and I have heard thy many groanings.
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Already thou longest to be in the glorious liberty of the children of God.
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Already the eternal home delighteth thee and the heavenly country full of joy.
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But the hour is not yet come. There remaineth still another season, even
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a season of warfare, a season of labor and probation, Thou desirest to
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be filled with the chief good, but thou canst not attain it immediately.
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I am that good wait for me until the Kingdom of God shall come.
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Thou must still be tried upon earth and be exercised in many things. Consolation
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shall from time to time be given THEE, but abundant satisfying shall not be
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granted. Be strong therefore, and be thou brave, both in working and
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in suffering things which are against thy nature. Thou must put on the new
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man and be changed into another man. Thou must often do what thou wouldst
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not, and thou must leave undone what thou wouldst do. What pleaseth others
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shall have good success, what pleaseth THEE shall have no prosperity. What others
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say shall be listened to. What Thou sayest shall receive no heed. Others
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shall ask and receive. Thou shalt ask and not obtain. Others shall be
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great in the report of men. But about THEE shall nothing be spoken to
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others. This or that shall be entrusted. Thou shalt be judged useful for
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naught. For this cause. Nature shall sometimes be filled with sadness, and
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it is a great thing, if thou bear it silently. In this and
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many like things, the faithful servant of the Lord is wont to be tried,
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how far he is able to deny himself and bring himself into subjection in
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all things. Scarcely is there anything in which thou hast need to mortify thyself
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so much as in seeing things which are adverse to thy will, especially when
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things are commanded THEE to be done which seem to THEE inexpedient or of little
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use to THEE. And because thou darest not resist a higher power being under
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authority, therefore it seemeth hard for THEE to shape thy course according to the
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nod of another, and to forego thine own opinion. But consider my son,
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the fruit of these labors, the swift end, and the reward exceeding
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great. And thou shalt find it no pain to bear them, then,
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but rather the strongest solace of thy patience. For even in exchange for this
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trifling desire, which thou hast readily forsaken, thou shalt always have thy will
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in Heaven. There Verily thou shalt find all that thou wouldst all, that
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thou canst long for There thou shalt have all good within thy power, without
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the fear of losing it. There Thy will, ever at one with mine,
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shall desire nothing outward, nothing for itself. There No men shall withstand
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THEE, none shall complain of THEE, none shall hinder, nothing shall stand
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in thy path. But all things desired by THEE shall be present together,
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and shall refresh thy whole affection and fill it up even to the brim.
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There I will glory for the scorn suffered here, the garment of praise for
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sorrow, and for the lowest place a throne in the kingdom. For ever
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there shall appear the fruit of obedience, the labor of repentance, shall rejoice,
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and humble subjection shall be crowned gloriously. Now therefore, bow thyself humbly
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under the hands of all men. Nor let it trouble THEE who said this
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or who ordered that. But take special heed that, whether thy superior,
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thy inferior, or thy equal, require anything from THEE, or even show
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a desire for it, take it all in good part, and study with
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a good will to fulfill the desire. Let one seek this another that,
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let this man glory in this and that man in that and be praised a
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thousand thousand times. But rejoice thou only in the contempt of thyself and in
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mine own good pleasure and glory. This is what thou art to long for,
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even that, whether by fire or by death, God may be ever
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magnified in thee. Philippians one, verse twenty, chapter fifty. How desolate
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man ought to commit himself into the hands of God, O Lord, Holy
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Father. Be thou blessed now and evermore. Because as thou wilt, so
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it is done, and what thou doest is good. Let thy servant rejoice
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in THEE, not in himself nor in any other. Because thou alone art
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the true joy. Thou art my hope and my crown. Thou art my
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joy and my honor. O Lord, What hath thy servant which he receiveth
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not from THEE, even without merit of his own. Thine are all things
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which thou hast given, and which thou hast made. I am poor and
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in misery, even from my youth up Psalm one hundred and thirty eight,
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verse fifteen. And my soul is sorrowful unto tears. Sometimes also it is
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disquieted within itself because of the sufferings which are coming upon it. I long
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after the joy of peace. For the peace of thy children do I beseech,
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For in the light of thy comfort they are fed by thee. If
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thou give peace, if thou pour into me holy joy, the soul of
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thy servant shall be full of melody and devout in thy praise. But if
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thou withdraw thyself, as too often thou art wont, he will not be
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able to run in the way of thy commandments. But rather he will smite
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his breast and will bow his knees, because it is not with him as
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yesterday and the day before, when Thy candle shined upon his head Job twenty
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nine, verse three, and he walked under the shadow of thy wings.
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Psalm said seventeen, verse eight, from the temptations which beset him, O
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Father, Righteous and ever to be praised. The hour cometh when thy servant
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is to be proved, O beloved Father. It is well that in this
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hour thy servants suffer somewhat for thy sake, O Father, ever more to
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be adored, as the hour cometh, which thou foreknowest from everlasting, when
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for a little while thy servant should outwardly bow down but always live inwardly with
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THEE, when for a little while he should be little regarded, humbled,
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and fail in the eyes of men, should be wasted with sufferings and weaknesses,
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to rise again with THEE in the dawn of the new light, and
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be glorified in the heavenly places. Oh, Holy Father, thou hast ordained
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it so and so hast willed it. And that is done which thou thyself
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hast commanded. For this is thy favor to thy friend, that he should
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suffer and be troubled in the world for thy love's sake, how often soever,
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and by whomsoever, and whosoever thou hast suffered it to be done.
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Without Thy counsel and providence, and without cause, nothing cometh to pass on
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the earth. It is good for me, Lord, that I have been
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in trouble, that I may learn Thy statutes Psalm one hundred and nineteen,
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verse seventy one, and may cast away all pride of heart and presumption.
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It is profitable for me that confusion hath covered my face, that I may
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seek to THEE for consolation rather than unto men. By this also I have
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learned to dread Thine unsearchable judge, who afflictst the just with the wicked,
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but not without equity and justice. Thanks be unto THEE, because thou hast
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not spared my sins, but hast beaten me with stripes of love, afflicting
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pains and sending troubles upon me. Without and within. There is none who
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can console me of all things which are under heaven, but thou only,
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O Lord, my God, Thou heavenly physician of souls, who dost scourge
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and hast mercy, who leadest down to hell and bringest up again Job thirteen,
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Verse two. Thy discipline over me, and thy rod itself shall teach
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me. Behold, O, Heavenly Father, I am in thy hands.
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I bow myself under the rod of thy correction. Smite my back and my
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neck, that I may bend my crookedness to thy will make me a pious
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and lowly disciple, as thou wert wont to be kind, that I may
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walk according to every nod of thine to THEE. I commend myself and all
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that I have for correction. Better is it to be punished here than Hereafter
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Thou knowest all things and each of them, and nothing remaineth hid from THEE
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in man's conscience before they are. Thou knowest that they will be, And
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thou needest not that any man teach THEE or admonish THEE concerning the things which
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are done upon the earth. Thou knowest what is expedient for my profit,
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and how greatly trouble serveth unto the scrubbing off the rust of sin. Do
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with me according to Thy desired good pleasure, and despise, not my life,
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which is full of sin, known to none, so entirely and fully
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as to THEE alone. Grant me, o, Lord, to know that
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which ought to be known, to love that which ought to be loved,
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to praise that which pleaseth THEE most, to esteem that which is precious in
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thy sight, to blame that which is vile in Thine eyes. Suffer me
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not to judge according to the sight of bodily eyes, nor to give sentence
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according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men, but to discern in
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true judgment between visible and spiritual things, and above all things, to be
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ever seeking after the will of Thy good pleasure. Oftentimes the senses of men
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are deceived in judging The lovers of the world also are deceived in that they
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love only visible things. What is a man better, because by man he
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is reckoned very great. The deceiver deceiveth the deceiver, the vain man,
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the vain, the blind man, the blind, the weak man, the
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weak when they exalt one another, and in truth, they rather put to
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shame while they foolishly praise. For as humble Saint Francis saith, what each
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one is in Thine eyes, so much he is, and no more.
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End of Chapter fifty