Religion removes those little desires which are constant hectic of a fool." Cecil.

"the

The Christian often thinks, and schemes, and talks, like a practical Atheist. His eye is so conversant with second causes, that the great Mover is little regarded. And yet those sentiments and that conduct of others, by which his affairs are influenced, are not formed by chance and at random. It is the mighty grasp of a controlling hand, which keeps every thing in its station. Were this suspended, there is nothing adequate to the preservation of harmony and affection between my mind. and that of my dearest friend, for a single hour.

Ib.

Desire ofttimes makes us unthankful; for whoso hopes for that he hath not, usually forgets that which he hath. I will not suffer my heart to rove after high or impossible hopes; lest I should in the mean time contemn present benefits. Bishop Hall.

The heart is a small thing, but desireth great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite's dinner; yet the whole world is not sufficient for it.

Quoted from Hugo de Anima.

Every excessive desire either blinds us to some duty,

or makes us deaf to its call.

A great step is gained, when a child has learned that there is no necessary connection between liking a thing and doing it. Hare.

Higher considerations have taught us the God Wish is not the true God.

Carlyle.

The poorest education that teaches self-control is better than the best that neglects it. Sterling.

In the west of Africa I saw a schoolmaster of a sour aspect and bitter speech, crabbed, misanthropic, beggarly, and intemperate; in so much that the sight of him would derange the ecstacies of the orthodox; and his manner of reading the Koran cast a gloom over the minds of the pious. A number of handsome boys and lovely virgins were subject to his despotic sway, who had neither the permission of a smile, nor the option of a word; for this moment he would smite the silver cheek of one of them with his hand, and the next put the chrystalline legs of another in the stocks. In short, their parents, I heard, were made aware of a part of his disloyal violence; and beat and drove him from his charge. And they made over his school to a peaceable creature, so pious, meek, simple, and good-natured, that he never spoke till forced to do so; nor would he utter a word that could offend any body. The children forgot that awe in which they had held their first master, and remarking the angelic disposition of their second master, they became one after another as wicked

as devils; and, relying on his clemency they would so neglect their studies, as to pass most part of their time at play, and break the tablets of their unfinished tasks over each other's heads: "When the schoolmaster relaxes in his discipline, the children will stop to play at marbles in the market-place."

A fortnight after, I passed by the gate of that mosque, and saw the first schoolmaster, with whom they had been obliged to make friends, and to restore him to his place. I was in truth offended; and calling God to witness, asked, saying; "Why have they again made a devil the preceptor of angels?" A facetious old gentleman, who had seen much of life, listened to me, and replied, Have you not heard what they have said? - "A king sent his son to school, and hung a tablet of silver round his neck; on the face of that tablet he had written in golden letters, The severity of the master is more useful than the indulgence of the father." Sadi.

Be assured, he who helpeth a man to his own will, helpeth him to the worst that he can. For the more a man followeth after his own self-will, and self-will groweth in him, the further off he is from God, the true Good; for nothing burneth in hell but self-will. Therefore it hath been said, "Put off thine own will, and there will be no hell."

When it is said that Lucifer fell from Heaven, and turned away from God and the like, it meaneth nothing else than that he would have his own will, and would not

be at one with the Eternal Will. So was it likewise with Adam in Paradise. And when we say Self-will, we mean, to will otherwise than as the One and Eternal will of God willeth. Theologia Germanica.

Self-will is so ardent and active, that it will break a world to pieces to make a stool to sit on. Cecil.

The only way of setting the will free is to deliver it from wilfulness.

Hare.

A character is a completely fashioned Will.

Novalis.

St. Augustin says, "Omnes nihil aliud quam voluntates sunt." And he cites the instance of the good and bad angels, of whom the nature is the same, the will different. Ages of Faith.

All that in Adam fell and died, was raised again and made alive in Christ, and all that rose up and was made alive in Adam, fell and died in Christ. But what was that? I answer, true obedience and disobedience. But what is true obedience? I answer, that a man should so stand free, being quit of himself, that is, of his I, and Me, and Self, and Mine, and the like, that in all things he should no more seek or regard himself than if he did not exist.

Disobedience is itself sin. But when a man entereth

into the obedience of the faith, all is healed, and blotted out and forgiven, and not else. Insomuch that if the Evil Spirit himself could come into true obedience, he would become an angel again, and all his sin and wickedness would be healed, and blotted out and forgiven at once. And could an angel fall into disobedience, he would straightway become an evil spirit, although he did nothing afresh.

In brief; whether a man be good, better, or best of all; bad, worse, or worst of all; sinful or saved before God; it all lie in this matter of obedience.

If all men abode in true obedience, there would be no grief nor sorrow. For if it were so, all men would be at one, and none would vex or harm another; so also none would lead a life or do any deed contrary to God's will. Whence, then, should grief or sorrow arise?

Theologia Germanica.

The Virtue of Paganism was strength; the Virtue of Christianity is Obedience. Hare.

An ordinary Life under Obedience is worth more than that which of its own will doth great Penance; because Obedience and Subjection, besides that they are free from the deceits of Satan, are the truest Holocaust which can be sacrificed to God on the Altar of our Heart.

Molinos.

The Scripture, and the Faith and the Truth say, Sin is