Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/351

 my worship  and  honour. But where is  that  zeal  now? that inebriation of  the  spirit,  that peace and  joy  in  the  Holy Ghost? Alas, how  has  the gold become  dim,  the  finest colour changed!

O ye sons  of  men,  how  long will you  he  dull  of  heart? Why do  you  love  vanity  and seek after  lying? Why do you  quit  the  tree  of  life? Why forsake the  fountain  of  living water, and  seek  for  yourselves broken cisterns  that  can  hold no water? Truly, if  you  knew the gift  of  God,  and  who  he is  that  invites  you,  and  who offers himself  to  you  for  food, with great  haste  you  would run to  him: and  there  would be no  need  to  force  you  to come  to  this  great  supper, this marriage-feast. But now are these  things  hid  from  the wise and  prudent  of  this world, who  relish  not  the things that  are  of  God. Yet are they  known  by  the  few poor in  spirit,  who  in  this  one heavenly morsel  find  greater delights than  in  all  the  joys of the  world.

. I blush,  O Lord,  and am ashamed  within  myself, whenever I hear  and  think upon this; when I look  upon the ways  of  the  first  faithful and our  own,  alas,  how  great is the  difference! But do  not thou despise  us,  O God  our Saviour; make us  such  as  thou wouldst have  us  to  be; quicken the  slothful,  enlighten  the blind, raise  up  the  lame,  compel the  slow  to  come  in,  that thy table  may  he  filled. Teach me to  do  thy  will,  for  I am thy  servant,  that  I may  freely sacrifice to  thee,  and  give praise to  thy  name,  O Lord, that my  soul  may  pant  after thee, as  the  hart  after  the fountains of  water; that  my soul  may  long  and  faint  for thy courts,  O Lord. For why should not  I come  of  my  own accord, and  run  to  draw  water out  of  the  Saviour’s  fountains? Why shall  I not  gladly go in  to  the  altar  of  God,  to God  who  gives  joy  to  my youth?

. Be  resolute,  therefore, in  breaking  through  with the sword  of  zeal  and  of love  all  obstacles  by  which thou seest  that  others  are every where  held  back. But first set  bounds  to  this  world’s business and  cares,  with  which, as with  thorns,  the  mind  of man  is  torn,  and  avoid  meddling in  many  matters! For to what  purpose  wouldst  thou so miserably  and  manifoldly distract thy  heart,  when  life is made  far  happier  by  its  devotion to  one  object? Why art thou  troubled  about  many things, and  neglectest  the  one thing that  is  necessary  to  thee above all,  and  that  too  the most acceptable  to  me,  the