misfortune to yourself? It is of this the Psalmist complains, when he says, " They returned me evil for good, and afforded me nothing but barrenness." (Ps. xxxiv. 14.)
Another comparison is also made use of, which suits the present purpose, and strongly confirms what has been already said. As sailors on the main ocean dread nothing so much as a calm, because then they consume all their provisions, and afterwards feel themselves in want of the necessaries of life; so by those who navigate the tempestuous sea of the world, and steer towards heaven, there is nothing more to be dreaded than an unhappy calm, which stops them in the midst of their course, and prevents them from making sail. Because the small provision they had laid in for their voyage is soon consumed, and the little virtue they had begins to fail them; and afterwards amidst the storms and temptations which assail them on all sides, they find themselves, even in their deepest distress, destitute of all help, and in the greatest danger of perishing. Wo to such as are surprised by a calm so dangerous. " You did once run well," says the apostle, " who has hindered you from obeying the truth?" (Gal. v. 7.) You went at first in full sail, what calm or sand-bank has stopped you? Certainly " you are satiated, you are become rich." (1 Cor. iv. 8.) You fancy you have done enough; feeling yourself tired, you think yourself entitled to repose; you imagine that your present stock is sufficient. But reflect and consider well, that you have still a great way to go, for " that part of your journey that still remains is very long." (3 Kings, xix. 7.) Be persuaded that many occasions will still offer, wherein you will have need of more perfect humility, more courageous patience, more absolute detachment, and more constant mortification; and perchance you will be surprised and found unprovided, at the time of your greatest distress.
CHAPTER VII.
That a good Means of attaining Perfection is to continually think on what we are deficient in — without thinking on what we have acquired.
"Let him that is just become still more just, and let him that is holy become still more holy." (Apoc. xxii. 13.) St. Jerom and venerable Bede tell us, that our Saviour in saying, " Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled,"
