temptation. When the Soul then findeth that she hath some disease, she is grieved of it, and that is sadness; and presently she desires to be freed from it, and to find means to disburden herself; and hitherto she hath reason, for we naturally desire that which is good, and fly from that which we believe to be evil. If the Soul seek means to be freed from this evil for the love of God, she will seek them with patience, meekness, humility, and tranquillity, expecting her deliverance more from the providence and goodness of God, than from her own industry, labor, and diligence; but, if she desire ease for love of herself, then will she heat and tire herself in seeking those means of her deliverance, as though this blessing depended more upon herself than upon God: I say not that she thinks so, but that she vexes herself as if she thought so. And if she meet not suddenly with that which she desireth, then she falls into great unquietness and impatience, which not curing but rather increasing the former disease, the Soul entereth into anguish, distress, and such faintness, and loss of all courage, that she grows desperate of her cure. Thou seest then that sadness, which in the beginning was just, afterward begets unquietness, and unquietness an increase of sadness, which is extremely dangerous.

Unquietness is the greatest evil that can come to the Soul excepting sin. For as seditions and civil discords of a Commonwealth ruin it entirely, and disable it to resist a stranger; so our heart being troubled and disquieted in itself, loseth strength to maintain the virtues which it had gained, and with it the means to resist the Temptations of

the Enemy, who at that time useth all kind of endeavors to fish (as they say) in troubled waters.

My soul is always in my hands, O Lord, and I have not forgotten thy Law, said David. Examine more than once every day, at least morning and evening, whether some passion or unquietness hath robbed thee of it. Consider whether thou have thy heart at command, or whether it be not escaped out of thy hands, to engage itself in some inordinate affection of love, hatred, envy, covetousness, fear, joy, sadness; and if it be strayed, seek it presently, and bring it back gently to the presence of God, subjecting thy affections and desires to the obedience and direction of his Divine pleasure.

When thou perceivest unquietness to come, commend thyself to God, and resolve to do nothing at all of that which thy desire demands, until that disquiet be entirely passed, unless it be something that cannot be deferred, and then thou must by some gentle and quiet means stop the current of thy affection, temperating and moderating it as much as is possible; and then do that which is required, not according to thy desire, but according to

The Enemy makes use of sadness to exercise his temptations against the just; for as he endeavors to make the wicked rejoice in their sins, so he labors to make the good sorrowful in their good works. And as he can never procure evil to be committed, but by making it seem pleasant; so can he not divert us from goodness but by making it appear unpleasant. He taketh delight in sadness and

melancholy because he is so himself, and so shall be eternally; therefore desires he that every one should be like himself.

This mischievous sadness troubles the Soul, puts it into disquiet, brings inordinate fears, gives a distaste of Prayer, dulls the brain, depriveth the Soul of counsel, resolution, judgment, and courage, and ruins her strength. To be short, it is like a hard winter that moves away all the beauty of the field, and devours all living creatures: for it ravishes all sweetness from the Soul, and renders her lame and impotent in all her powers. If thou chance to be assaulted with this dangerous sadness, Philothea, Prayer is a sovereign remedy, for it lifteth up the Soul to God, who is our only joy and consolation. And in praying, use affections and words which tend to confidence and the love of God.

Resist vigorously the inclinations of sadness, and although it seem to thee that all which thou doest at that time be performed coldly, heavily, and loosely, yet omit nothing of it; for the enemy who pretends to make us of good works by sadness, seeing that we cease not to do them, forbears to afflict us any more.

weary

ness.

Seek the company of Spiritual persons, and frequent them as much as thou canst during the time of thy sadAnd last of all resign thyself up to the hands of God, preparing thyself to suffer this troublesome sadness patiently, as a just punishment of thy vain mirth and pastimes; and doubt not at all but God, after he shall have tried thee, will deliver thee from this evil.

De Sales.

Finally, thou art to know that temptation is thy great happiness. The greatest Temptation is to be without Temptation. Molinos.

The habitual conviction of the presence of God is the sovereign remedy in temptations; it supports, it consoles, it calms us. We must not be surprised that we are tempted. We are placed here to be proved by temptations. Every thing is temptation to us. Crosses irritate our pride, and prosperity flatters it; our life is a continual warfare, but Jesus Christ combats with us. We must let temptations, like a tempest, beat upon our heads, and still move on; like a traveller surprised on the way by a storm, who wraps his cloak about him, and goes on his journey in spite of the opposing elements.

In a certain sense, there is a little to do in doing the will of God. Still it is true that it is a great work, because it must be without any reserve. This spirit enters the secret foldings of our hearts, and even the most upright affections, and the most necessary attachments, must be regulated by his will; but it is not the multitude of hard duties, it is not constraint and contention that advances us in our Christian course. On the contrary, it is the yielding of our wills without restriction and without choice, to tread cheerfully every day in the path in which Providence leads us, to seek nothing, to be discouraged by nothing, to see our duty in the present moment, to trust all else without reserve to the will and power of God.

DANGEROUS MOMENTS.

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Let us pray to our heavenly Father that our wills may be swallowed up in his.

Fenelon, translated by Mrs. Follen.

A weak mind sinks under prosperity, as well as under adversity. A strong and deep one has two highest tides, when the moon is at the full, and when there is no moon. Hare.

St. Paul constantly refuses to be placed alone in matters of trust, into which, from the absence of examination and inspection, it was possible abuse might creep. Here is a great example: here is the rarest of unions, the mixture of Prudence and Enthusiasm. This should be a principle with all men in matters of Trust. We should put our Integrity into safe Custody. No man should lay himself open to a possible temptation of unknown power, or feed the evil spirit of suspicion and calumny by rash and inconsiderate self-exposure. Thom.

An accession of wealth is a dangerous predicament for a man. Presumptuous carelessness venturing on the borders of danger,- popularity - self-indulgence — a disposition to gad about like Dinah - stupidity of conscience under chastisement all these are symptoms of spiritual danger. A man is in imminent danger when, in suspected circumstances, he is disposed to equivocate.

A man often gives evidence to others that he is giddy,