Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/276

 us. Far be  it  from  me  henceforward not  to  have  God always in  my  sight; be  thou at my  right  hand,  that  I may not be  moved. Oh, how great a necessity  has  been pointed out  to  me  for  living a good and  holy  life,  since  all that I do,  always  and  in  all places, is  done  in  the  sight of a Judge  who  beholds  all things!

Take care,  then, to do  all  that  thou  dost  decently, and  according  to  order. For one  who  knows that some  great  person  is  an observer,  nay  censor  of  his actions, is  earnestly  cautious of offending  his  sight  by  confusion and  disorder  in  his conduct. How wilt  thou  act, then, in  my  presence,  who  see all that  thou  dost? First, arrange thy  actions  in  due course, and  also  lay  out  for thyself, as  far  as  possible, every hour  of  the  day. Provide what is  to  be  done  in each,  and  do  whatever  thou dost at  the  time  appointed.

Dost thou  wonder  at  advice of this  kind,  as  though  it  were too scrupulous  and  particular? Yet know  that  whatever is  from  God  is  regular. Knowest thou not  how  great a lover of  order  am  I,  who have created  all  things  in  due order, weight,  and  measure? But my  enemy,  Satan,  is  a hater  of  order  and  author  of confusion,  for  his  looks  are ever directed  to  the  place where dwells,  not  order,  but everlasting horror. It is, therefore, merely  his  artifice, when thou  art  engaged  in  any holy occupation,  to  suggest to thee  something  else  to  be done  and  attended  to,  to  distract thee  from  it. But, to elude  him,  abandon  thyself  to the  one  thing  thou  art  about; cast away  or  set  aside  awhile the care  of  other  matters. Do every  thing  at  its  proper time. Apply thyself  to  business as  it  arises. Matters of greater  importance  and  necessity, those,  for  instance, which concern  my  glory and thy  own  salvation, doubtless require  deservedly a due, and  the  better  portion of thy  time. Avoid the  absurd conduct  of  many,  who bestow the  greatest  attention on things  of  the  least  moment, and the  least  on  those  of  the greatest. They spend  the best part  of  their  time  in worldly  business  and  the  care of their  person,  and  the  worst they reserve  for  me. Oh, how wrongly  they  calculate! Hence is  it  that  they  are seized with  shame; hence they are  troubled,  and  reel like drunken  men,  and  all their wisdom  is  swallowed up. But thou,  do  not  so, but arrange  thy  conduct  with piety and  prudence,  and  seek first the  kingdom  of  God  and his justice; so  shalt  thou en-