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as a bird: whence it is, that both it spends so much time in singing, and is more apt to imitate those modulations which it hears from men.

Frequent practice, if it be voluntary, argues a delight in that which we do; and delight makes us more apt to practise, and more capable of perfection in that we practise.

O God, if I take pleasure in thy Law, I shall meditate of it with comfort, speak of it with boldness, and practise it with cheerfulness.

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imè delectari: quo fit, ut et istæ tantum temporis cantando deterant, et imitandis hominum modulationibus haud parùm sint aptiores.

Actionum frequentia, modò voluntaria fuerit, arguit voluptatem quandam complacentiamque in iis quæ facimus; voluptas verò illa nos reddit et agendi peritiores, et magis capaces perfectionis cujusdam in iis quibus jugiter exercemur.

O Deus, si in Lege tuâ delectationem meam omnem locavero, hanc unam meditabor alacer, audax eloquar, præstabo sedulus fælixque.

Conspecto quodam osci

tante.

Si quis realem effectum fortemque operationem sympathiæ, etiam ubi nullus intercedit contactus corporeus, sedulò observaverit, haud parùm sanè mirabi

tur.

Ita, unius mæstitia totum conventum tristitiâ quàdam afficit: ita, unius oscitatio aperit distenditque plurimorum aspectantium fauces: ita, lipporum intuitus oculum inficit pari lippitudine.

Facilè hinc videmus, quâ fretus ratione, Servator noster cum insectatore suo tam vehementer expostulaverit, Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris? Ecclesia patitur in terrâ: is sentit in cœlo; quiritaturque. Quanto magis persona sensu valet et apprehensione, tanto acriùs afficiatur ne

cesse est.

Non potes tu, O Servator Benignissime, non exquisitissimè sentire miserias infirmitatesque nostras: ni nos itidem illatas tibi

wants of our brethren, we have injurias, fratrumque nostrorum no part in thee.

necessitates senserimus, nihil sanè nobis tecum fuerit commercii.

CXVI.

On the sight of a tree lopped. In the lopping of these trees, experience, and good husbandry, hath taught men, to leave one bough still growing in the top; the better to draw up the sap from the root.

The like wisdom is fit to be observed in censures; which are intended altogether for reformation, not for destruction. So must they be inflicted, that the patient be not utterly discouraged, and stript of hope and comfort: but that, while he suffereth, he may feel his good tendered; and his amendment both aimed at, and expected.

O God, if thou shouldest deal with me as I deserve, thou shouldest not only shred my boughs, but cut down my stock, and stock up my root; and yet thou dost but prune my superfluous branches, and cherishest the rest. How unworthy am I of this mercy; if, while thou art thus indulgent unto me, I be severe and cruel to others, perhaps less ill-deserving than myself!

Visá arbore quâdam resectá. In frondatione hâc, experientia, reique rustica peritia, homines edocuit, ramum saltem unum in arboris summitate relinquere; quo succus ab imâ radice attrahatur retineaturque.

Eadem plane prudentia in censuris observanda est; iis nimirum quæ corrigendis moribus, non personis destruendis inserviunt. Ita nempe infligendæ sunt illæ, ut non animum prorsùs despondeat reus, speque omni ac solatio destituatur: sed ut sentiat quas patitur pœnas, ad animæ suæ bonum intendi universas; reformationemque suam et unicè propositam agnoscat, et exinde expec

tatam.

O Deus, si sic mecum agere velles ac ipse merui, non solùm ramos mihi omnes resecares, sed stirpem etiam ipsum rescinderes, penitùsve eradicares; tu verò superfluos mihi quosdam ramusculos amputare miserecors voluisti, stolones reliquos fovere. Quàm indignus fuero ego hâc gratiâ; si, dum tua sic mihi favet indulgentia, ipse aliis, minùs fortasse malè meritis, severum me crudelemque præstitero!

On a scholar that offered violence to CXVII. De studioso quodam qui cim sibi

himself.

HAD this man lain long under some eminent discontentment, it had been easy to find out the motive of his miscarriage. Weak nature is easily over-laid with im

intulerat.

Si gravi aliquâ insignique ægritudine laborâsset iste, tanti hujusce mali causam adinvenire haud difficile fuisset. Imbellis natura hæc facilè quidem obrui

patience: it must be only the power of grace, that can grapple with vehement evils, and master them. But here, the world cannot say, what could be guilty of occasioning this violence. This man's hand was full; his fame untainted; his body no burden; his disposition, for ought we saw, fair; his life guiltless: yet something did the Tempter find, to aggravate unto his feeble thoughts, and to represent worthy of a dispatch.

What a poor thing is life, whereof so slight occasions can make us weary! What impotent wretches are we, when we are not sustained! One would think this the most impossible of all motions. Naturally, every man loves himself: and life is sweet; death abhorred. What is it, that Satan can despair to persuade men unto, if he can draw them, to an unnatural abandoning of life, and pursuit of death? Why should I doubt of prevailing with my own heart, by the powerful over-ruling of God's Spirit, to contemn life and to affect death, for the sake of my Saviour, in exchange of a few miserable moments for eternity of joy: when I see men, upon an unreasonable suggestion of that Evil Spirit, cast away their lives for nothing; and so hastening their temporal death, that they ha

zard an eternal?

tur impatientiâ: unica sit oportet vis divinæ gratiæ, quæ cum maximis malis conligere possit, deque illis denique devictis triumphare. Istic verò, nemo omnium suspicari potest, quid tandem fuerit quod hominem hunc ad tam immanem aloxтóvav impulerit. Supellex illi non curta fuit; fama illa sa; sat sanum corpus; animi verò dispositio, quantum quidem nobis apparuit, candida ac serena; vita denique inculpata: aliquid tamen invenit Tentator, quod suggereret impotenti huic animæ, tantâ violentiâ non indignum.

Quàm misella res est vita nostra, cujus nos ita facilè tædeat! Quàm nos mera sumus debilitas, ni à supremâ illà manu sustentemur! Ex omnibus illis tentationibus, quæ mentem humanam invadere solent, quis non autumaret hanc maximè impossibilem; "Occide te?" Diligit se nempe quisque, naturæ instinctu: vita suavis est; mors infesta. Quid est, quod non speret Diabolus persuadere hominibus, cùm inducere ipsos possit, ut vitam abdicare, mortem ambire mavelint? Aut quid desperem ego tantum apud me valere, ut aliquando possim, potenti Spiritûs Divini efficaciâ, vitam contemnere, causâque Servatoris mei, oppetere mortem illam, in quâ pauca quædam pœnarum momenta cum æternitate gaudii commutantur: cùm alios quosdam videam, quantumlibet improbabiliter suggerente Satana, gratis prodigere animam; atque ita temporalem sibi mortem accelerantes, ut æternæ periculum interea incurrere non dubitent?

De judicis adventu. PROUT afficiuntur spectatorum animi, sic planè homines humanæque actiones construi solent. Eadem facies Judicis, absque ullâ sui mutatione, à reis non sine terrore quodam, non sine gaudio fiduciâque ab insontibus oppressis, conspicitur: eadem Sponsi labia et mel simul et myrrham distillant; benè quidem dispositis animis mel dulcissimum, myrrham verò rebellibus præfractisque: uti et poculum idem optimè sapit sano, febricitanti displicet: verbum idem, his doun bevárs, illis wйs; euwdía tamen Christi utrobique: idem solis radius fortem oculi aciem refocillat, perstringit debilem.

On the coming in of the judge. CXVIII. THE construction of men and their actions, is altogether according to the disposition of the lookers on. The same face of the Judge, without any inward alteration, is seen, with terror by the guilty, with joy and confidence by the oppressed innocent: like as the same lips of the Bridegroom drop both myrrh and honey at once; honey to the welldisposed heart, myrrh to the rebellious and the same cup relishes well to the healthful, and distates the feverous: the same word is, though a sweet, yet a contrary, savour to the different receivers: and the same sun comforts the strong sight, dazzles the weak.

For a man to affect, either to do or speak that which may be pleasing to all men, is but a weak and idle ambition; when we see him, that is infinitely good, appear terrible to more than he appears lovely. Goodness is itself, with whatever eyes it is looked upon. There can be no safety for that man, that regards more the censure of men, than the truth of being. He, that seeks to win all hearts, hath lost his

own.

Id sibi demum ut quisquam hominum proponat, sive facere sive loqui quod omnibus perplaceat, impotentis cujusdam et otiosa ambitionis est; quandoquidem videmus illum, qui infinitè bonus est, terribilem longè pluribus quàm amabilem apparere. Non est aliud à se bonitas, quibuscunque tandem oculis conspiciatur. Tutus profectò esse nusquam potest, qui pluris facit hominum censuram, quàm conditionis suæ veritatem ac justitiam. Qui omnium corda ambitiosè captat, suum perdidit.

CXIX.

On the sight of a heap of stones. UNDER such a pile it was, that the first martyr was buried: none of all the ancient kings had so glorious a tomb: there were many stones, and every one precious. Jacob leaned his head upon a stone, and saw that heavenly vision of angels ascending and

Conspecto lapidum acerco. SUB tali acervo, sepultus est primus martyrum: nullus antiquorum regum sortitus est tumulum æquè gloriosum: multi istic lapides erant, et pretiosi omnes. Jacob olim caput suum in lapidem reclinavit, viditque cœleste illud spectaculum, ascendentium des

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