Book IV. Cf T E S U S C H R T S T. 3x5-

Difcourfe ; but ratl.er chufe to retire into thy Cham- ber, and conVerfe much with God in Solitude und Si- lence. When thou halt Him, thou haft a Treafure which nothing can take from thee. I am worthy of thee all, and I expedi thee all. Divide not thy felf between me and the World, but let Me he thy Love, thy Joy, thy Defire. So (Jjalltby Life he hid -^vith Chrifi in GoJ ; and, tho* thuu canft Colcf.'ni. not live in thy Self, yet thou (halt live in Me, full of Tranquility and Peace, and above the diforderlv Paf. fions and ruffling Cares of fenfual and earthly-minded Men.
Chap. XIII.
The Soul's Defire rf Union with Chrifl.
DJfcipIe.'] T Hear thy gracious Words , my deareft X Lord, and eaflly believe the inexpreffible Happinefs of Them, whofe Souls thy heavenly Pre- fence fills. But how. Oh ! how (liall I attain that Blifs ? How fliall I feek and find my God aione ? How open my Heart to entertain Thee, fo as to ex- clude all other intruding Guefts ? O ! that no Man, no Creature might from henceforth find place in my Aifections and Defires, fo as to interrupt my Conver- fation with thee .' When fhall I break loofe from Com- pany and Care, and Enjoy and Talk v/ith Thee alone, in Language free and kind, as that of dearefc Friends; and foft and tender, fweet and charming, as the un- referved Retirements and endearing Whifpers of the moft pnflionate Lovers ^ 1 his is my earnelt Wifh, This my conftant Prayer, that my Heart may be l^nit entirely to Thee, and, weaned from every earthly and fenfual Delight, learn to tade heavenly and eter-
Y rial
3i^ gpf t!)e gimitation Book i v.
nal Joys by frequent Returns to thy Holy Communion Ah when^ my God, fhall I be wholly thine, regard- lefs of my felf, fvvallowed up quite in a blifsful indiC- foluble Union v»^ith Chrift ? Jku,.Lord^
'John xvu. . , ^ 1 1 • -ri j i_
m Ahy and I m Thee ^ and thus may we continue One for ever.
Thou verily arc my Beloved^ my Chofen^ the Chief- eft among Ten thoufand ^ the Friend or my Bofom , with whom I ^iefire to dwell all the Days of my Life. Thou arc my Peace, and only Comfort ^ Without thee I find nothing bat Labour and Sorrow^ Vexation and Torment^ and Mifery infupportable. Thou art a God, tL:t huiefp thy felf -, Nat dQ^Ving thy Bleflings promifcuoufly^ but^ v/ith wife and juft diftin(5lion_, fa- tisfying the Humble and Meek with the Pleafures of thy Word,v/hile thou concea4eft thy Counfel from th& Wicked, and leavelt them to Groan and Howl in the Angui fn and Horror of their guilty Souls. O ! how great is thy Bounty ! how fweec thy Mercy ! who re-
fredieit thy hungry Servants with the de- yohi vi. licious Bread, which came down from
Deia. IV. Heaven, that thy Faithful might eat there-
of and not die. Surely there is no Nation under Heaven, which hath God fo near to them, as the Lord our God is unto Us,in all that we call upon him
for. For he healetb the broken in Hearty Pfalm cxlv'n. ^^ /^_,.^ reffe^I^ imto the Lo7ply, he lifeth
Needy from the Dunghil, to fet them jvlth Vrinces^ to equal them with Angels • nay, to give them his Flefh for the fatisfying their Flunger, and, when they are thirfty, the Wine of his Blood to drink.
What Society of Men can boaft of Privileges wor- thy to be named wichthofe of the Chriftian Church ? What Creature under Heaven, whofe Excellence and Flappinefs is comparable to the Pious and Devout Soul^ vyhere God takes up his Refidence, and luitains the
Hearc