for all is one to him, provided that the heart which offered them be perfectly resolved to love him. De Sales.

Many say they have no peace nor rest, but so many crosses and trials, afflictions and sorrows, that they know not how they shall ever get through them. Now he who in truth will perceive and take note, perceiveth clearly, that true peace and rest lie not in outward things; for if it were so, the Evil Spirit also would have peace when things go according to his will, which is nowise the case.

Therefore we must consider and see what is that peace which Christ left to his disciples when he said: "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you."

Christ meant that inward peace which can break through all assaults and crosses of oppression, suffering, misery, humiliation and what more there may be of the like, so that a man may be joyful and patient therein; and what was bitter to him before, shall become sweet, and his heart shall remain unmoved under all changes, at all times. Theologia Germanica.

As soon as a man turneth himself in spirit, and with his whole heart and mind entereth into the mind of God which is above time, all that ever he hath lost is restored in a moment. And if a man were to do thus a thousand times a day, each time a fresh and real union would take place, and in this sweet and divine work standeth the truest and fullest union that may be in this present time.

Ib.

One evening Luther saw cattle going in the fields, in a pasture, and said: Behold there go our preachers, our milk-bearers, butter-bearers, cheese and wool-bearers, who do daily preach unto us the faith towards God, that we should trust in him, as in our loving father, he careth for us and will maintain and nourish us. Luther.

I, said Luther, would fain see one that could make these two agree together; (to be joyful) and (to be afraid ;) I cannot behave myself in that manner towards God; but my little son John can show himself so towards me; for when I sit in my study and write, or do something else, then my boy sings me a song, and when he will be too loud, then I check him a little, yet nevertheless he singeth on, but with a more mild and softer voice, and somewhat with fear and reverence. Even so will God likewise have us to do, that we should always rejoice in him, yet with fear and reverence towards God. Ib.

The most acceptable service that we can do and show unto God, and which he only desireth of us, is that he is praised of us; but he is not praised except he be first loved; he is not loved unless he be first bountiful and doth well; he doth well when he is gracious; gracious he is, when he forgives sins. Now (said Luther) who are those that do love him? They that are the small flock of the faithful, that do acknowledge such graces, and do know that through Christ they have forgiveness of their sins. Ib.

The heart is to be given unto God. The Will hath never more freedom, than when it moves toward God. And heavenly duties, and spiritual performances are to flow freely from the soul like those voluntary drops that come from the Honeycomb of its own accord, without any pressing, without any crushing at all. It is only the dregs of Obedience that come forth with squeezing and wringing. There should be no need now of binding the sacrifice with cords unto the Altar, unless it be with the cords of love, those soft and silken knots of affection.

Give it, do not lend it. There are some that will lend their hearts to God upon some special occasions, for an. hour at a sermon, for a little while in prayer, lend it him upon a Lord's day, upon a day of Humiliation, and then call for the heart again and bestow it upon their lusts. But so great a Majesty will not borrow of creatures; he will not receive hearts unless they be wholly given to him.

Give it, do not sell it. - 'Tis very sordid and odious to be hirelings in Religion. They sell their hearts unto God, that serve him only for by-ends, and self-respects. This is Donum Hamatum, a gift with a hook in it; they give somewhat that they may catch more. Whereas Religion should be loved for her beauty, and not for her dowry. God should be loved for those excellencies and transcendencies that are in himself; for those treasures of goodness and wisdom that are stored up in his own glorious Essence.

Thou shouldst love him though he did not love thee again. Why shouldst thou not love a thing truly amiable

though thou hast no benefit by it. For thy happiness is but an inferior and secondary thing, and is not to have so much of thy heart as he is to have.

The heart, the whole heart.-Not a piece, not a corner of it only. The true Mother would not have the Child divided. God indeed loves a broken and Contrite heart; but he won't accept a divided heart. But the Devil observes the other rule; Divide et impera. He would seem to be very moderate, to be content with a piece of the heart only; but 'tis because he knows by this means he shall have all. And this is one great happiness that comes by Religion; the heart is thus united, and fixed upon one supreme object. Lusts, they do divide the heart and distract it. The soul does, as it were, bite at two baits at once, and is caught with two several hooks; this pulls that way, and that pulls another way. Pride calls for this thing, but Covetousness forbids it; which must needs breed great confusion and tumult in the Soul. But when a Saviour comes into the Soul, the winds and the storms, and the waves obey him.

Give thy heart to him that he may make it better.—It may be thou hast a flinty and unmalleable heart; give it him, and he will melt it and dissolve it. It may be thou hast a barren and unprofitable heart; give it him, and he will make it fruitful. It may be thou hast an unquiet and discomposed heart; give it him, and he will tune it. It may be thou hast a narrow and contracted heart; give it him, and he will enlarge it. It may be

thou hast a drossy and corrupt heart; give it him, and he will purify and refine it.

Give it him, that he may make it happy.—It hath toiled already sufficiently, and wearied itself among vanities; it hath gone from flower to flower, and can extract nothing but bitterness, and still desire, which is hiatus cordis, opens its mouth wide, and cries Give, Give. Go then to the Fountain, to the Ocean, and fill thyself.

Nature hath taught us all to pant after a summum bonum, and 'tis the voice put into every one's mouth, Who will shew us any good? indeed 'tis the errand for which we are sent into the world, to find out happiness, and yet we seek it so as if we were loth to find it.

Nathaniel Culverwel.

There is a generation in the world that are all for a competency in goodness and are afraid of too much holi

A Master called Boetius saith "It is of sin that we do not love that which is Best." What is in truth the noblest and best of all things, should be also the dearest of all things, and that for no other cause than that it is the noblest and best. Theologia Germanica.

"Ino, bishop of Chartres, walking abroad one day at noon, met a woman, tall, barefooted, and of a majestic aspect, carrying a torch in one hand, and in the other a cruise containing water. Being asked why she carried