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CHAPTER XXVIII.

That Love will sweeten as well as produce the truest Penitence: and that true Wisdom, not Melancholy, is the Guide of sincere Penitents.

UCH considerations and soliloquies as these

SUCH

will produce not only tears of grief, but also tears of love and true contrition; and moreover will make pleasant all the severities of Repentance, which are so unacceptable and so repugnant to nature. Those things that would be ungrateful, as acts of justice on ourselves, or obedience and submission to a severe Master, will become delightful as acts of love to a gracious, beloved LORD. In love, all things are sweet that are done or suffered for the sake of the beloved. "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distress for CHRIST's sake," saith S. Paul, (2 Cor. xii., 10,) that great lover of JESUS; not that those things are of their own nature

pleasant, whether inflicted by ourselves or others: t'was for CHRIST's sake that he liked them. He likewise that by self-denial, and revenge on himself, expressing his sorrow for his sins, shews his love to JESUs, is certainly delighted with the most afflictive of those voluntary sufferings, as they are expressions of his love. Accordingly 'tis said of some religious persons, that their watchings, and fastings, and all the severities to which they had tied themselves as exercises of true repentance, became in process of time so pleasant to them by the devoutness of their affections, that they were afraid of having their Paradise here in this world, and consulted their Spiritual guide about it. And certainly nothing but love could carry the primitive solitaries and cœnobites through that uneasiness and hardship they willingly undertook, and endured many years, and rejoiced in, and would not have exchanged for all the pleasures in the world; they being persuaded that thereby they recovered and secured the favour of JESUs, Whom they loved, and Whose love they esteemed more than all worldly enjoy

ments.

Perhaps it will be said by some, that such things are the effect of melancholy, or a forward and misguided zeal, not of piety. But let it be considered, that natural love itself hath done, and still doth wonderful things. The love of friendship, the love of lust, the love of riches and ambition, have set men upon difficult attempts, have made them despise great dangers, have carried them through many labours and sufferings, and perhaps as great as the most mortified Christian ever undertook for JESUS and eternity. This hath been and is still the effect of Natural Love, and surely Divine Love, whose object is so infinitely more excellent, may do at least as much.

Besides, things temporal seem great at a distance; but near at hand they appear as they are indeed, mean and contemptible; whereas, contrariwise, things eternal, as they seem small and despicable afar off, so near at hand they appear great and immense; they overwhelm the mind. Hence it is, that dying men who are on the brink of eternity are amazed at the thoughts and near prospect of it, and express great regret for their past inconsideration, and promise great

things for the future, if they might live longer: looking upon the world as an empty nothing, not to be regarded where eternity appears; and hence it is also, that they, who approach things eternal, and view them by meditation and contemplation, are of the same mind, have the same apprehensions of them, and act accordingly; doing those things which dying men repent they have not done. For indeed, it is no illusion or deceit, but a great and real truth, that the world and all its concerns are nothing, compared to eternity; and that we can never be too careful to obtain eternal joys, and avoid eternal sorrows.

How much the blessed Apostles and primitive Christians were acted on by this consideration, S. Paul gives us to understand, saying, that whilst they looked not on things visible and transitory, but on things invisible and eternal, then their afflictions were light and "but for a moment," 2 Cor. iv., 17; though they lasted many years, and were so great, that the very thoughts of them can make us tremble, yet they were light and momentary, whilst they looked on eternity and they fainted not, though their outward man decayed daily, by their great morti

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fications, and their laborious zeal to serve GOD; and all this, "while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." So that it is the effect of a wise and most rational consideration, to value and love Him above all things, Who by dying for us, hath rescued us from eternal ruin, and obtained eternal happiness for us and to make it appear by all means possible, doing or suffering anything that may manifest our love to JESUS, and assure us of a blessed eternity. It may justly be feared that the indevotion and lukewarmness of very many, not the worst of Christians, will not make them acceptable to GOD, Who declares that He will 66 spue them out of His mouth, that are neither hot nor cold," Rev. iii., 16; and that their carelessness and indifferency in religious duties will hardly secure their eternal interest. However, I think that it is a shame to see Benedictines, Franciscans, Carthusians, and others, forsake the merriments, pleasures, and honours of the world, rise up early, and late go to rest, wear nothing but cilices and coarse cloth, feed poorly

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