Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/280

 wert going  to  travel  in  dark midnight by  an  uuknown road, wouldst  thou  wish  for a guide who  was  unacquainted with the  way? If thou  wert ill of  a dangerous  disease, wouldst thou  desire  to  have an ignorant  and  inexperienced or  tender  physician, who, by  sparing  thee,  would kill thee? No one  entrusts his horse  or  his  ox  to  the  care of any  but  an  honest  and  experienced person; yet  thinkest  thou  that  it  is  of  small consequence to  whom  thou entrustest thy  soul? It will, then, be  safest  for  thee  to  entrust thy  soul  to  one  able  to take  care  of  his  own. If the blind lead  the  blind,  do  not both fall  into  the  ditch? For who will  be  good  to  one  who is evil  to  himself?

. To  err  and  be  deceived is,  I confess,  O Lord, the lot  of  man. Oh, that thou wouldst  provide  mo a guide  who  has  a zeal  of God  according  to  knowledge, able  to  instruct  me  in the  spirit  of  gentleness  and meekness, who  seeks  not  his own, but  the  things  of  Jesus Christ; one, I say,  who,  for love of  thee  and  of  his  neighbour, would  not  spare  me, that thou,  O Lord,  mayest spare us  both. Let the  just man correct  me  plainly  in mercy,  and  reprove  me; but let not  the  oil  of  a flatterer anoint my  head. In him  I shall  hear  not  so  much  the man as  thyself  speaking  in him; for  truth,  come  whence it may,  is  from  thee,  who  art the first  truth.

There is  yet  one thing to  which  thou  must daily and  earnestly  attend, or thy  labour  upon  others will seem  thrown  away. This is the  daily  examination  of conscience,  which  is  of  such consequence, that  without  it there  can  be  no  hope  of  thy long continuance  in  a holy and spiritual  life,  or  of  thy solid progress  in  virtue. For since the  knowledge  of  sin  is the  beginning  of  salvation, how shall  one  who  does  not even care  to  know  his  defects think  seriously  of amendment  of  life,  compunction, or  advancement  in  piety? How shall  one  who  knows not when  he  has  offended  me, be anxious  to  obtain  of  me forgiveness  and  remission  of sins? How shall  one  seek  to be  cured  who  is  ignorant  of his  disease,  and  rather  flatters himself  that  he  is  perfectly well; and  is  pleased with himself,  as  though  he were  a good  man,  and  had done no  evil; and  says,  I am rich,  and  have  need  of  nothing, and  knows  not  that he is  wretched,  and  miserable, and  poor,  and  blind,  and naked?

My son,  if  thou  wouldst look into thyself,  thou  wouldst displease thyself  and  please