briers; and how, amid so many cares and matters of business, the spiritis quenched by degrees, devotion dried up, and all relish for holy things gradually and insensibly destroyed. This is the way to hardness of heart, from thence to aversion, and finally to contempt and perdition. And what wonder! Strangers have devoured their strength, and they knew it not.[1]
If thou wouldst be wise at others’ cost (and this is true wisdom), take time to reflect that I am a God worthy to be adored by thee above all things. Where will be thy advantage, if, by neglecting me to be troubled about many things, thou gain the whole world, and with it the loss of thy soul? But be it that thou hast a vocation to labour, and canst not disengage thyself entirely from1 business, it is not my will for thee to neglect the duties of thy calling. Only try to be engaged in nothing but what is useful, honest, and necessary; so wilt thou find thyself rather failing the time, than the time thee. Or let thy soul at least turn oftener to its rest, and see to whom thou art most a debtor. Doubtless to the Lord, who, above all others, is thy benefactor.
Every day, therefore, go up at least once with Moses to the mountain, to converse with me. Withdraw a little from the crowd, and enter into thy chamber, and betake thyself, as it were, to a haven of rest after a storm; and when thou hast shut the door, speak to me in secret, and there, as in a desert, I will speak to thy heart what is for thy peace. Behold, even that pious heroine Judith had an oratory in the upper part of her house, which it was her daily custom to enter with her maids for the purpose of prayer. Thinkest thou that this was prejudicial to her plans and to her affairs? No, there was not a man so wise or successful,— none of the princes of the people brought to all that country so much aid and security as she.
Wouldst thou have a profitable exercise in this daily retreat? Such will readily occur to thee, when thou hast begun to be more intimate with me, and less engaged with men. See, then, pray and read. When thou prayest, thou speakest with me; when thou readest good books, I speak with thee: and what can be more noble, more profitable, or more pleasant to man?
Man. Ah, that is little indeed which thou requirest of us, O Lord! True it is, that the whole of our lifetime is thine alone. For as there is not moment but we enjoy
- ↑ Osee vii. 9.
