Book III. of J E S U S C H R I S T. 2Q7

falfe Bottom, feeks her felf what fhe values in others, and is oftentimes deceived and diiappointed : The latter repofes her whole Hope and Love in God, and is never miftaken^ never deluded by falfe Expeda- tions.
Chap. XXXVII.
Of Self-denial.
C/&n/.]*npHou canft not, 5ow, be entirely free, tLIl 1 thou haft firft attained to fuch a Maft ry, as entirely to fubdue, and deny thy felf. For covetous Perfons, and Lovers of thenifelvi2s,the Luft- ful, and Bufie, and unfettlcdMen, the lov^srs of Plea- fure more than lovers of God, are all Slawes ,• Vile and Unprofitable Slaves ; condemned to fruitlefs end- lefs Toil ,• feeking what they cannot find, and con- triving what they cannot compafs ; or if they could, what they cannot long enjoy. For every thin^.^, which is not of God, is foon brought to nought. (Dbferve this fhort, but certain, Aphorifm : Forfake ally c:nd thou jlniltfind all. Let go Defire, and thou fhalt lay hold on Peace. Confider this Rule diligently, and tran'icribe it into thy Prad:ice,for Practice will explain and prove it to thee.
DifcipU.'] This, Lord, is not the Work of a fingle Day, a Maxim not fitted for weak Capacities , but fuch, as in one fhort Sentence contains the utmoft Per- fection of a pious and refigned Chriftian.
Chrijl^ And why, my Son, fhould that PerfecSlion affright or difcourage thee } Call up thy Zeal, afpire to true Greatnefs of Soul, and, the nobler the Virtue is, the more eager and generous Refolucion do thou exprefsof attaining to it. Oh! that thou wert of that
happy
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happy Difpofition, which utterly difcards all narrow and felfifh Confiderations, and fubmits it felf entirely to the Obedience of my Commands, and the Difpofals of my Providence I So fliould thy Perfon and thy Be- haviour be acceptable to thy God ; fofliould'ft thou en- joy great Satisfaction, and Peace in thy own Breaft. Alas ! there are ftili many things, which muft be aban- doned ; Many, which till thou haft Sacrificed to me, the Happinefs thou aimeft at can never be obtained. Buy therefore of me the pure.refined Gold of a hea« venly and refined Difpofition ; for that fhall make thee Rich, above all the Treafures of this World. Caft off the WiCdom of this Generation, and do not footh thy felf with their foolifh Imaginations : for they pur- fue Shadows, and take delight in Vanity and Nothing. Remember I have told thee, that the things which are lightly eftcemed, muft be purchafed at the expenceof thofe, which this World efteems moft precious. For, whu is miore defpifed and mean in common Reputa- tion , wiiac more neglecled and forgotten^ than that true he^Avenly Wifdom, which renounces all. Merit of its own, and is content to be difregarded by the Men of this World ? This mortified and humble State of Mind is what indeed ibme People profefs, and in Words commend , but their Pradice plainly condemns it, and gives, the lie to all their diffembled Praifes. Mauh xiii A^^ y^^ ^^^^ Wifdom, poor and defpica- * ble as ic appears to common Eyes, is that Pearl of great Price, for which all other Poffeflions are wifely given in exchange. That hidden Trea- fure, which is always like to continue hid, fmce it ties low, and few either do, or care to, find it.
CHAR