Book III. ofjssus Christ. 217

don Self-conceit, and wean thy Heart from all Fond- nefs for the Creatures, it is not to be imagined what Comforts, what overflowing Joys I would infufe into thy Soul; But^ while thefe employ thy Thoughts and Defires^ thou art diverted from all higher Objeds^and, by being too intent upon his Works, lofelt and for- getteft the Almighty Maker. Learn then to fubdue thy own Will, that thou may'ft clearly underltand, and readily comply with mine. For any other Objcif}, though never fo trifling and inconfiderable in its own nature, yet, if unduly priz'd, and immoderately lo- ved, corrupts the Mind, and checks its Afpiring af- ter the Chief, the only Good.
CHAP. XL VIII. Againji Vain^ and Pompous Learning.
C^rii?.]r^O not, my Son, fuppofe, that the Excel- JL/ lence of a Man confills in Subcilty of Wit, or Quaintnefs of Expreflions. For the Kingdom of God does not lie in Elegance of Speech, or Fine- nefs of Parts, but in Innocence of Life and good Works. Let my Words be thy Principal Study \ for thefe awaken Attention, enlighten the Underftand- ing, kindle a holy Zeal, provoke true Contrition, and heal the Wounds they make, with the Spiritual Balm of Grace and folid Comfort. Let not the growing Wifer and more Learned be the End thou propofeft to thy felf in Reading \ but read, that thou may 'ft be qualify'd to pradife, and let thy Knowlege be feen by fubduing thy Vices and Paffions. For this is Improvement indeed, and will turn to better Account than the niceftand moftdiftinguifhing Skill, in all the Controverfies and difficult Points, that ever employed
the
x8 €>f tue Simttation BookiiL
the Tongues and Pens of wrangling Logicians, Philo- fophers, and Divines. And, when thou haft run thro' the whole Compafs of Learning, yet all will turn at lalt upon one fmgle Point ; and the whole Profit of thy Pains lies in a narrow room.
If thou wilt be knowing indeed, learn of Me ,• for I am the only Matter that teach Men Knowledge. I give more perfed, more fublime Underftanding to Babes, to the Humble and Sincere, than all the Cele- brated Sons of Art have ever been able to do: And thofe whom I inflrud, grow truly wife, are prefent- ly enlightned and refined, and, by an aftoniftiing Pro- ficiencc in Virtue, outftrip all the admired Schemes of Morality. Moft wretched are thofe Vain Men, who with infinite Toil and Time, lay themfelves out upon the unprofitable Curiofities of Human Wifdom, and take no Pains to inform themfelves in their Duty to Me. The Hour, alas ! draws on apace, when their Matter Chrift fhall come with terrible Pomp, and call each Man to ftrid Account,, and found every Con- Zeph i fcience to the bottom. ThQnJhall Jem-
falem befeauhed with Candles ,• then fhall the hidden things of Darknefs be brought to Light ,• and no Man's Eloquence or Subtilty of Arguing ihall do him any Service before that All-feeing Judge. I raife the Meek, and Man of Mean Senfe, in an inttant; and teach him at once the Grounds of Eternal Truths, better than a Courfe ofmany Years fpent in Laborious Study, and the moft exquifite Methods of Schools and Univerfities. I bring Men to Right Apprehenfions ?>f Things, without any Noife of Words, without the Formality of Syftcms, or Vain Oftentations of Ca- viling Sophiftry, or Regular Difputing. Of Me a- lone Men learn to defpife the World, to think Things prefent below their Pains and Care, to love and leek thofe that are Heavenly and Eternal ; to de- cline Honours, to bear Injuries and Affronts, to
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Book HI. of J E s u s Christ. 2x9
trufl and hope in Me alone^ to wifh for nothing bujt my Favour, and to esteem all things but pj^-/ -^ Drofs and Dungy fo they may win Chrifi,
Some Difciples of mine have made fuch wonder- ful Improvements under me, as even to fpeak things above Humane Comprehenlion ; and grp-vv vvifer in Solitude and Cloifters, than any Converfation of Learned Men, or Volumes and Libraries never fo carefully perufed, could have made them. But this is not every Man's Cafe ,• for I do not communicate to all alike. Some I initrud in common Matters, Others in abftrufe and peculiar Notions. And, as the Meallire and Quality of the Matter, lb the Manner of Imparting it, is very different. To Some I flievv my felf in Figures and Parables, Dreams and myllick Reprefentations ^ to Others I reveal the molt impor- tant Secrets in the molt clear intelligible Method. Books fpeak alike to all, but all are not qualified to be taught by them alike. But I, initead of dead Letters prefented to the outward Senfes, perform my Bufinefs within. I fill the Mind with Truth, luit my felf to each Man's Genius and Capacity, fearch every Corner of the Heart, urlderftand their molt retired Thoughts, infpire Good Defires, promote and tinilh thofe Defires by bringing them to Action, and deal to every one the various Gifts of my Spirit, in fuch kinds and proportions^ as I fee moll ufeful and feafo- nable.
Q CHAP.
^3o ®i ttie gjmttatton BookiiL
Chap. XLIX.
Of MeMirfg ivjtb the World as little as may he.
Chr'ifi.'] T^j[ mciny things, my Son, content thy felf J. with being ignorant, and chufe to live as a Man Dead, while among the Living ,• One, whofe Thoughts and Affe and all the World to Them. Many things are to be overlock'd , as if you faw them not : Thy Mind drawn off from the diftrading Variety of Objed:s, and faftened clofe down to the things that make for thy Peace and Salvation. In controverted Points, 'tis generally much better to c^nt^ait one's felf with avoiding Erroneous Opinions^ and' their Vicious Con- fequences, arK^ 4e-ave others to abound in their own Senfe^ (where their Difference from thpe does not apparently hazard their Souls) than to engage in hot Difputes, and fpend thy precious Hours in wrangling and fierce Contention. And even in Difputes, npt to be hot and pertinacious ,• For, if God and Truth be on $-hy fide, and thou canfl: with Comfort appeal to thy Judge above, thy Concern -will not be great for yi(5lory and Approbation below. -U s'loi!.
p i fci pj e. y Ahs ! Lord, what a wretched Cafetsi'this World in? How diftant from this meek- andabftrad:- gd Temper pf Mind ! Trifling Lofs is ferioufly lamen- ted. A little fordid Gain engages Mens Time, and Labour, and Thoughts. The Day is top fhort for their Vigorous Purfuits, and Anxious Cares break their Sleep,- vvhile all their Spiritual Concerns lie negled- pd and forgotten. Their Diligence and Study is de- termin'd to Matters of fmall or no Importance ; and •the Qn€ thing Neceffa^y is laid afide, as if it were |ipt worth a llngle Thought. So vain is Man, lb total- ly immersed in fcnfibleObjeds and worldly Cares 3 and