Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/598

 journey that  he  has  begun. But if,  from  time  to  time,  he takes  rest  and  refreshment, it is  rather  for  necessity  than pleasure, that,  when  he  has recovered his  strength,  he may  proceed  and  walk  on  the way more  briskly  afterwards.

Do thou  act  in  like  manner, and redeem  the  time  from those vain  and  transitory things in  which  there  is  nothing but  vanity  and  affliction of spirit,  and  devote  it  to  the thing that  is  above  all  things serious and  necessary,  — the care of  a good  death  and  a happy  eternity. For thou knowest not  how  long  thou mayest continue,  and  whether after a while  thy  Maker  may take thee  away. Therefore, whatsoever thy  hand  is  able to do,  do  it  earnestly; for  the night is  coming,  in  which  no man  can  work. For neither work, nor  reason,  nor  wisdom, nor  knowledge,  shall  be in  hell,  whither  thou  art hastening. Do now  what thou wilt  wish  done  when thou canst  do  it  no  longer, and wilt  passionately  lament that thou  hadst  not  done  when thou couldst.

Man. O Lord! who art rich in  mercy,  I am  distressed on every  side; do  not  abandon me. Reach out  thy  right  hand to the  work  of  thy  hands,  and draw me  out  of  the  mire, that I may  not  stick  fast. For behold,  I cry  to  thee  out of the  depths. I resolve daily to  amend  my  life,  but I am ever  putting  it  off  from day to  day; and  while  I purpose to  do  this  in  future, it happens  that  this  future  is always  future,  nay,  perhaps will never  take  place.

Lord Jesus,  how  long  shall I take counsels  in  my  soul? What profit  is  there  in  my blood,  if  I go  down  to  corruption? Enlighten my  eyes, that I may  never  turn  them away from  the  sight  of  death, that I may  see  the  dangers that hang  over  me,  and  that  I may  never  sleep  unto  death, lest at  any  time  my  enemy say, I have  prevailed  against him!

Christ. Oh, if  thou  didst but know  how  greatly  the mind of  one  who  is  at  tho point of  death  is  agonised  by the  remembrance  of  the  time that has  been  so  unprofitably lost! Oh, if  thou  couldst  but see and  hear  the  anguish,  the complaints, and  the  wailings of the  damned,  that,  alas! are useless, in  their  torments, what counsel,  thinkest  thou, wouldst thou  take? Lo! the thing they  deplore  the  most  of all  is  this,  that,  when  they  could have redeemed  themselves from torments  so  horrible,  by a labour  that  was  short  and easy, still,  regardless  of  death, they clung  fast  to  vanities, and meanwhile  neglected  the time for  putting  oil  in  their