ut optimi cujusque pedes dilabantur aliquando, declinentque tantillum à sacro hoc tramite ; qui tamen illico recolligit sese, prioremque stationem recuperat, et, sanctâ quâdam indignatione percitus, ex hoc lapsu meliorescit: quòd si quis sit, cujus vestigia continuo incessu callem sibi in noto quovis peccato triverint, perduraverintque; is se cum Diabolo, humani generis hoste, ambulare noverit.

(3.) ALACRITER. Neque verò expedit, ut tristi quis corde ac vultu ambulet cum omnis Consolationis Deo; quasi ægrâ quâdam angariatione impulsus: neque potest fieri, ut ejusmodi comitis præsentia non animos nobis indat, addat, excitet. Illud est, quod sæpe jubet Apostolus, Tavlore xaigav, In Domino lætari semper: et certè, si quis rem æquè perpenderit, ecquis mortalium est, cui par lætitiæ causa possit oboriri, ac verè Christiano; qui Deum sibi cernit comitem, viam salutarem, finem gloriosum ? cui Pater Deus, Redemptor Christus, Consolator Spiritus, ministri angeli, mundus mancipium, cœlum patrimonium? cui hostes benefici sunt, mala medicinæ, mors denique lucrum? Sunt quædam animi dispositiones, pro variâ etiam humorum temperie, aliis hebetiores, naturalique. cuidam mæstitiæ magis obnoxia: sed et istæ, ubi valere cœperit gratia, Deo leniter saltem arrideant oportet, quantumlibet se tristes torvasque habuerint seculo. Eleva super nos, inquit Psaltes, ô

cannot but happen, that the feet even of the best of men may sometimes slip, and decline a little from this sacred track; yet he immediately recollects himself, and recovers his steps, and, struck with holy shame and indignation, is benefitted by this fall: but if there be any one, whose steps by continued treading have worn a path for him in any known sin, and have long persevered therein; let that man know that he walks with the Devil, the enemy of the hu

man race.

(3.) We must walk with God CHEERFULLY. It is incongruous, that any one should walk with the God of all Comfort, with a heavy heart and a sad countenance; as if constrained by oppressive violence: nor is it possible, but that the presence of such a companion should infuse, augment, and animate courage. This is what the Apostle frequently commands: Rejoice in the Lord always: and indeed, if we consider seriously with ourselves, what mortal is there, who can have so much reason to rejoice, as the true Christian; who has God for his companion, his way to salvation, and his glorious end? to whom God is a Father, Christ a Redeemer, the Spirit a Comforter, angels his servants, the world his slave, and heaven his inheritance? whose enemies are rendered beneficial, afflictions salutary medicines, and death itself his gain? There are certain dispositions of mind, according to the different temperature of the humours, more dull than others, and more prone to a certain natural melancholy but even these, when grace hath begun to prevail, ought moderately at least to rejoice in God, however sad and sorrowful they may appear to the world. Lord, says the Psalmist, lift

Domine, lucem vultus tui. Dedisti mihi inde plus gaudii, quàm illis à tempore frumenti vinique multiplicati obtigerit. En messis, en vindemia cujusque fidelis; solatium illud certissimum, quod à divini favoris lumine exoriri solet.

(4) CONSTANTER, denique. Neque, enim, intermitti debet ambulatio hæc; sed ita indesinenter continuari, ut à virtute in virtutem usque procedamus, donec tandem coram Deo in cœlesti Sione fœliciter comparuerimus. Odit nempe Deus matutinos quosque rores pietatis; illaque nimis violenta devotionis initia, qua, furiosi cujusdam zeli ostro perciti, fecerunt quidam, statim postmodo desituri. Non est aut Saulus, aut Herodes, aut Judas quispiam, quin cum Deo, aliquot saltem passibus, ambulaverit, perdideritque operam. Perpetuus quidam sanctorum affectuum ardor ille est, qui aut Deo gratus, aut nobis esse potest salutaris: Oculi mei ad Dominum semper, inquit Propheta Regius; Ps. xxv. 15: semper, absque diversione, absque intermissione ullà. Quòd si intervenerit fortè tentatio aliqua, beatificique hujus objecti adspectum pro tempore interceperit: eclipsis tamen illa non ita vel universalis est, ut totam Dei faciem à nobis prorsùs abscondat; vel ita obscura, ut toto nos privet ipsius lumine; vel ita, demum, diuturna, ut causam nobis ullam præbeat, de præsentaneo luminis pristini reditu quicquam dubitandi. Etiam dum nictare solemus, cernimus tamen; neque,

thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Behold the harvest and vintage of every faithful man; even that most unfailing consolation, which proceeds from the light of the divine favour.

(4) Lastly, we must walk with God coNSTANTLY. For, in this walking there must be no intermission; but we must persevere so incessantly in it, as to be ever making a continual progress from strength to strength, till at last we appear with joy before God in the heavenly Sion. God hates indeed the morning dews of piety; and all those violent beginnings of devotion, which some, roused by the fury of an outrageous zeal, have entered on, the next moment about to abandon them again for ever. There is no Saul, nor Herod, nor Judas, but who, may have walked some few paces with . God, though to no purpose. It is the perpetual fervency of holy affections, that will be either acceptable to God, or advantageous to ourselves: Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord, saith the Royal Prophet; Ps. xxv. 15: ever, without being diverted, and without any intermission. But if any temptation should intervene, and intercept for a season the sight of this blessed object: yet this eclipse will not be either so total, as entirely to hide the whole face of God from us; nor so dark, as to deprive us of all his light; nor, lastly, of so long continuance, as to give us any reason to doubt, of the speedy return of the former glory. Even whilst we wink with our eyes, we perceive some small glimmerings of light; nor, whilst

dum vel somno distringimur, vel phantasmate aliquo illudimur, virtutis ullius titulum deposuimus. Vidimus zelotas quosdam præcociores, qui adeò animosè strenuèque quadamtenus ambulaverint, ac cæteros omnes in hoc stadio facilè præcursuri; quorum affectus, ubi tempore ac tentatione paululum deferbuerint, remiserunt illi statim hunc impetum; et, languida post se crura ægerrimè trahentes, sociis longè à tergo fuerunt derelicti. Paulinâ quidem virgulâ excitandi sunt hi scilicet; Cucurristis benè: quis impediit? Rarò admodum constans ac durabilis est nimia studii cujusvis vehementia; quinimmò, in pigrâ quâdam tarditate ac ignominiosâ lassitudine vulgò desinit. Ut indefessa nobis semper est Dei benignitas; ita nostra qualiscunque bonitas fallit planè, nisi fatigari nesciat.

II. Sic nunc se habet nostra cum Deo ambulatio, cùm quoad Rem, tum quoad Modum. Quippini modò putem, solam divinæ hujusce conversationis mentionem lectoris cujusque pectus accendisse fervido quodam desiderio, et tam sacræ provincia obeundæ, et acquirenda tam certæ fœlicitatis? Certè, formæ hujus sive pretium sive elegantia nemine indiget parario aut licitatore: ipsa una sufficit attrahendis omnium oculis, omnium pectoribus inflammandis : quoniam tamen, quod suis olim discipulis Christus, veuμα πρόθυμον, σὰρξ ασθενής; non abs re quidem fuerit, paucula quædam,

we are either fast asleep, or deluded by the appearance of some phantasm, do we give up our right and title to the use of that faculty. We have seen some rash zealots, who have walked on to a certain point with great resolution and vigour, as if they intended vastly to outstrip all others in this course; whose affections, when they have grown a little cool again by time or temptation, have caused them immediately to slacken their pace; and, feebly drawing their weary limbs after them, they have been left by their companions at a great distance behind. Such persons need to be quickened with St. Paul's reproof; Ye did run well; who did hinder you? Too great vehemence of any affection is very seldom constant and durable; but it generally ends in stupid inactivity and ignominious indolence. As the benignity of God towards us is ever unwearied; so our goodness, whatever it may be, will assuredly deceive us, unless persevere untired.

it

II. Thus have I expatiated upon our walking with God, both with respect to the Duty itself, and the Manner of it. And why may I not reasonably suppose, that the bare mention only of this divine conversation has inflamed the breast of every reader with an earnest desire, both of performing so holy a duty, and of obtaining such certain felicity? Surely, the value and excellency of this beautiful object require no one to urge the bargain or to enhance the price: of itself alone it may suffice to attract every eye, and to enflame every heart but because, as Christ said to his disciples, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak; it cannot be improper, by way of

ILLICII loco, adtexere, quibus ad cœlestem hanc vitæ instituendæ rationem excitemur.

1. Illud verò, imprimis, seriò pensitemus, ambulationem hanc cum Deo, præter intrinsecam ipsi virtutem bonitatemque quæ exacuendis quibusque affectibus abundè sufficit, MAXIMO NOBIS HONORI ESSE.

Etiam inter principum famulos asseclasve numerari non mediocris esse dignitatis arbitramur; familiari, autem, modo cum magnatum quopiam incedere, eximium quiddam videtur, dignumque elatiore supercilio: quantum igitur, quàmque supra modum honorificum fuerit, cum magno Terræ ac Coeli Rege ac Domino, sociali quodam consortio, jugiter ambulare! Privilegio quidem illud non vulgari erat duodecim Apostolis, selectos fuisse è reliquo orbe, Christi domesticos, qui ipsum, in humili hâc servilique conditione, quâquâ in terris iret, usque sectarentur: majus tamen quiddam illud erat, Petro, Jacobo, Joanni, è consociorum reliquis evocari, qui cum Domino suo montem Taborem conscenderent, divinæ ipsius transfigurationis testes: sed et hortum Gethsemani cum ipso demum ingrederentur, tristissimæ etiam agoniæ testes insuper futuri; non hoc quidem indultum cæteris. Oh, quàm sortem omnem humanam longè exuperans, prærogativa nobis obtingit, qui, è mundo, potentissimâ Dei gratiâ, eximimur, ut Omnipotentem et Gloriosissimum Cali Creatorem ac Dominum semper

INCITEMENT, to subjoin a few motives, to stir us up to the practice of this heavenly profession.

1. Let us, therefore, in the first place, seriously consider with ourselves, that this walking with God, besides its own intrinsic virtue and goodness which may of itself abundantly suffice to excite and quicken our affections, WILL PROMOTE US TO THE GREATEST HO

NOUR.

We esteem it no small degree of dignity to be ranked amongst the servants and attendants of princes; but, to converse in a familiar manner with one of the nobility, seems to be something dignified, and a much higher exaltation: how much more abundantly honourable, to walk continually, in a friendly converse, with the great King and Lord of Heaven and Earth! It was no common privilege granted to the twelve Apostles, that they should be chosen out of the whole race of mankind, to be Christ's servants, always to attend him, whithersoever he went, whilst in this state of humiliation but it was a much greater, which was granted to Peter, James, and John, to be singled out from the rest of their companions, that they might ascend with their Lord into mount Tabor, to be witnesses of his divine transfiguration with him they likewise entered the garden of Gethsemane, about to be witnesses of his most doleful agony; a favour not granted to the rest. But Oh, what a prerogative, far exceeding all human glory, is bestowed on us, who are delivered out of this world, by the powerful grace of God, always to attend on the Almighty and most Glorious Creator and Lord of the Heavens! That which was granted to the

comitemur! Quod illis centum quadraginta quatuor millibus sanctorum, redemptorum à terrâ, Deique nomine inscriptorum, summæ præeminentiæ loco, concessum est, Sequi Agnum quacunque demum proficisceretur, nostrum planè est, ni nobis ipsi defuerimus: nempe nos cum Agno Dei Jesu Christo, cum Patre ipsius Coæterno, cum Spiritu ejus Sanctissimo indesinenter ambulamus. Quid nos nunc cum bestiis versari malumus, homines miselli, quibus optio liberrimè facta est ambulandi cum Deo?

2. Neque verò plus est in ambulatione ista honoris, quâm

SOLATII.

Tristis res est solitudo. Va soli, inquit concionator maximus. Est tamen, ubi et societas (qui nobis obvenire possunt comites) displiceat magis. In sodalem incidisse honestum, alacrem, disertum, non minimi beneficii loco haberi solet: contrahit hic talis nobis viam, laboremque minuit. Quàm ergo jucundum nobis fuerit, cum illo semper versari, cui titulus est Consolator! Certè, nisi foret ipsi inexhausta consolationis certissimæ copia; nisi nulla, præterquam ab ipso, dimanare posset vera consolatio; parùm illi competere posset is, quem sibi soli meritissimò vindicat, stylus Paracleti. Etiam illa qualiacunque solamina, quæ vel à naturali ratiocinatione, vel à resolutione quâdam morali oriuntur, non alia sunt, quâm communes quædam Consolatorii hujusce Spiritûs influxus; sine cujus inoperatione, pectus nullum solido quidem

hundred and forty-four thousand saints, which were redeemed from the earth, and had the name of God written in their foreheads, by way of pre-eminence, To follow the Lamb whithersoever he shall go, will certainly be our lot, if we are not wanting to ourselves: for we shall walk continually with the Lamb of God Christ Jesus, with his Coeternal Father, and with his Most Holy Spirit. What then, shall we, miserable wretches, who have it freely proposed to our choice, whether or no we will walk with God, prefer to hold converse with beasts?

2. But there is not more honour, than there is COMFORT, in this walking.

Solitude is miserable. Woe to him that is alone, says the great preacher. Yet there may be a time, when society itself may be more unpleasant; especially if we meet with bad companions. To light upon an honest, cheerful, and eloquent companion, is generally reckoned no small advantage: such an one shortens our way, and lessens its fatigue. How pleasant then must it be to us, always to have converse with him, whose title is the Comforter! Certainly, unless he were an inexhaustible fountain of most sure consolation; unless no true consolation can proceed from any one, but from him; that appellation of Paraclete, which he so justly challenges to himself alone, would but very ill suit him. Even all those degrees of comfort whatsoever they be, which proceed either from our natural reasoning, or a moral resolution of doubts, are no other, than the common influences of that Spirit of Comfort; without whose inoperation, no breast can glow with any solid joy.