Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/271

 ills to  provide  against  his own. Turn, therefore,  thy eyes away  from  beholding vanity. Or rather,  like  Job, make a covenant  with  thy eyes, that  by  them  thou  mayest  not  let  in  any  blind  love or hurtful  affection. It will be easier  for  thee  not  to  admit it  at  all,  than,  after  it  has been admitted,  to  cast  it  out. Hedge in  thy  ears  with  thorns, that they  may  not  be  open to the  beasts  that  tear  the heart, as  detractors,  railers, or filthy  talkers. When thou sittest down  to  eat,  put  a knife  to  thy  throat,  that  is, bridle thy  appetite;  set  not thy heart  upon  tasting  every meat, and  be  careful  to  take food in  obedience  to  the  necessity rather  than  the  gratification of  nature. Deprive also thy  appetite  of  a portion of thy  food,  and  offer  it  to  me in  my  members.

Think what  delights  I forsook, what  bitter  sufferings  I underwent  for  thy  sake; and therefore deny  thyself  also many things  that  are  agreeable to  the  flesh,  but  hurtful  to the  spirit; and  that  thou  mayest  the  more  easily  refrain from things  unlawful,  curb  thy appetite sometimes  even  in things  lawful,  knowing  that  I have  prepared  far  greater  joys for those  who,  for  my  love, have despised  such  vanities.

. Shame  has  covered my face,  O Lord,  to  see  thee occupied in  labours  from  thy youth, every  where  pursuing that which  is  hard  and  rough, and ourselves,  who  in  name are Christians,  so  much  degenerated from  thy  example. For in  thy  whole  life  what else hast  thou  taught  us,  who, for the  joy  that  was  set  before thee, enduredst  the  cross,  despising the  shame,  than  to despise  pleasures,  deny  ourselves, bear  our  cross,  and follow thee? Thou knewest indeed how  to  refuse  the  evil and choose  the  good,  but  chosest  that  which  was  most  painful and  troublesome  to  the flesh. That, therefore,  is  best, most profitable,  and  most  to be  chosen.

But in  this  how  few  follow thee! All seek  their  own, that is,  what  is  pleasant  to the  flesh,  and  we  are  not ashamed to  be  sensual  members under  a head  that  is crowned  with  thorns. We wish to  be,  and  to  be  esteemed, thy  servants  and  disciples. But alas! how much  readier are we  to  listen  to  the  world and its  prince; how  earnestly we fulfil  the  desires  of  the flesh! O Lord, all  my  desire is before  thee,  and  my  groaning is  not  hid  from  thee.

But henceforward follow thou  my  steps,  and bear constantly  in  thy  body the mortification  of  my  cross. Chastise thy  body,  and  bring it into  subjection. Behold how those  men  of  virtue, my elect,  hated  their  lives  in this  world,  that  they  might keep them  to  life  eternal;  yet