Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/58

 Not so  very  many  others my friends,  who  study  to please  me  rather  than  men, to whom  the  life  is  more  than food, or  drink,  or  raiment; but esteem  all  things  to  be but  loss,  and  count  them  but as dung,  that  they  may  gain me. Willingly they  withdraw themselves from  their  occupations when  they  are  able, or take  care  so  to  arrange their occupations,  that,  amid all their  exterior  business, time may  not  be  wanting  for the one  which  outweighs  all the rest,  the  business  of  the soul. Accordingly, at  stated hours, they  enter  into  their chamber, and  having  shut  the door, pray  to  me  in  secret, pouring out  their  hearts  before me;  and  in  the  early morning they  keep  watch  to me,  that  the  best  part  of  the day, when  the  mind  is  freest and purest,  may  be  devoted to the  noblest  work,  the  work of prayer. And these  are  they who receive  from  me  a fuller light of  understanding,  by which  they  may  be  directed in their  ways; these  are  they who taste  more  abundantly how sweet  is  the  Lord,  and that there  is  no  weariness  in his  society.

So thou  too,  my  son,  consider what  it  will  profit  thee, if thou  shouldst  gain  the whole world,  and  neglect the one  thing  necessary,  the care of  thy  soul. Set bounds, therefore, to  thy  worldly  prudence, and  be  not  engaged  on many  things  at  once; for  he shall  find  wisdom  whose  engagements are  few. Seek first the kingdom  of  God  and  his justice, in  the  confidence  that all other  things  shall  be  added to thee. Why art  thou  careful and  troubled  about  many things? Why waste  thy strength with  profitless  toil? Have pity  on  thy  own  soul in pleasing  God. To whom wilt thou  be  good,  if  thou  art evil to  thyself?

To what  purpose  dost  thou, to the  loss  of  prayer,  pursue with such  anxiety  of  thought the projects  in  which  thou  art engaged? Be sure  of  this, that no  human  reason  will avail like  earnest  prayer  to bring  thy  plans  to  a happy accomplishment. Cast all  thy solicitude upon  me,  for  I have care of  thee,  all  the  greater in proportion  to  the  assurance with  which  thou  reliest upon me,  and  committest  thy designs to  my  providence. True it  is,  that  unless  I build the house,  they  all  labour  in vain  that  build  it. Dost thou believe this? Blessed is  he who  understands  it. For many receive  not  this  word; that is  to  say,  those  who  trust in their  own  strength,  and torture themselves  with  different cares  and  toils,  but  are as unfortunate  in  the  plans which they  contrive,  as  the spiders which  exhaust  the substance of  their  bodies  to weave  their  fruitless  webs; because they  repair  not  with