me ; but because thou knowest not thyself, thou pleasest thyself and displeasest me. How many know much, yet know not themselves! yet all is vain which profits not for eternity. How many are engaged about others, and others’ affairs, while they neglect themselves! But thou, my son, if thou art wise, whatever becomes of others, set thy heart upon thy own ways, and have pity on thy own soul, than which thou hast nothing more dear or precious in thy life ; for what will it profit thee to lose it, songs thou gain the whole world?
Many. In many things, alas, O Lord, we all offend! But who shall understand his faults? If, indeed, we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Alas for the dulness of our heart, that we do not examine our ways, to try if our heart even do not reprehend us; but after having seared our conseiences, we dissemble our sins, as a nation that had done justice, and care so little for progress in the way of the Lord !
Christ. If you would judge yourselves, you certainly should not be judged. But because you excuse yourselves from self-examination, do you not receive the greater judgment? I exhort you, therefore, if, perchance, in the daytime you say any thing in your hearts, if (for out of the heart proceed all evil deeds) you think upon or consent to any evil in your mind, then recount, lament, and be sorry for this on your beds, when you are alone, out of the noisy crowd, composing your limbs to rest.
Oh, how miserably do they provide for themselves, who drag out the whole day in engagements, business, cares, and noise ; tired and drowsy, at last they hurry to rest ; so that it would be tiresome to them to devote ever so little time to prayer and examination! What shall I say of those who rise up early in the morning to follow drunkenness, and to drink till the evening, until they are inflamed with wine ; who close the day with eating, drinking, playing, jesting, and story- telling ; and so, at length, like the. besotted Holofernes, or a beast, lie down in their beds, buried in wine and sleep? Ah, fools! what if this very night death take you by the throat ; your poor souls, whither will they go? Shall not the tree lie where it fell? What, if that sleep be succeeded by a long and ever-lasting sleep, what, then, will those rich men find in their hands? What, if those unhappy persons be placed before their judge, still reeking with wine? Oh, how dreadful will it be for such people to fall into the hands of the
