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A85367
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Good thoughts for every day of the month. Translated out of French By Mrs. D.S.
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1656
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Wing G1082; Thomason E1716_2; ESTC R209652
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20,927
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thy Dog thy Iudge go to school to thy Dog he may be thy Master to instruct thy reason and inform thy heart 4. Finally there is not one hour nor one moment in which wee are not indebted to Iesus Christ for an eternity of good or for preserving us from falling and losing it and for giving us grace to obtain it were not hee worse then a bruit beast that would not esteem these things thank and love him Examine seriously if in your heart there is a true love to Iesus and what assurances you have of it If there is none what are you How hard S. Aug. Ep. 52. Of that Wisdom which alone is true what I have I have from God c. Not incredulous of that which he hath not given nor unthankful for that which he hath given The XII Day Of Conformity to the wil of God 1. THat which GOD wills or permits is willed permitted done out of a most particular designe of his glory and with resentments of infinite goodness towards us I beleeve this O my God most firmly And how can it bee otherwise that thou shouldst bee as thou art our most dear Father if thou didst use us otherwise 2. All things should be alike to us in God why should not wee loye even his Iudgements which are good and amiable why should we separate our selves from them by bitter thoughts which make us afraid and to them are injurious Let us put our selves on his side and his judgements will please us our disquiet comes from this that we will that God be and our selves also there must be but one God and wee in him To will this and will that as if it were ours and our business is to make something of our selvs besides God that will must perish there must bee none but that of God 3. I will then onely what God wils I have nothing to say or except against any thing in the world all is to my liking see am I more wise more clear of sight and better then God who governs all I am on his side I will never say O unhappy time it is too hot it is too cold all things praise God why should I find fault What is it to me My little Bark is not so difficult to steer and if it were God could well manage it she wil get to the Haven in spight of the tempest to conclude what ever happens though hee should take the sword to kill me I know his hand is guided by his heart and that heart loves me ought I not therefore to live content Put your self in the posture that is requisite to conform your self to the wil of God But give it not over til you finde your heart turned straight and even towards him and in quiet S. Aug. in Psal 122. He onely securely pleaseth who pleaseth God and who is it that pleaseth God He that is pleased with God The XIII Day Of Imitation of Christ. 1. NO Man that is predestinated but ought to wear the Livery of Iesus Christ and above all his Humility and Cross Our eternal Father hath set him before us as a Pattern Though I should have all other perfections that can be imagined if I have not this I cannot please him this is a necessity undispensable He that is not for him is against him 2. But what a misery is it and how deplorable that so many souls study the fashions of the world to conform themselves to them and so few cast their eyes upon the incomparable Model of al vertues Iesus Christ We should be Images of him Ah the Image if it were capable of sence would it not bee ashamed not to be like its Prototype 3. What wrong do we do the Son of God to his Wisdom as if he could not choose the best life to his Goodness as if he should counsel us to that which is the worst to his Power as if he had commanded us without fortifying our weakness what a reproach is it to have Iesus go before us and hardly one follow him 4. O what shal I say at the day of judgement when I shall come to bee conferred with my Law and my Pattern Iesus When my life shall be compared with his his Humility with my Pride his Wounds with my Delicacy his Sweetnesse with my Anger c. Ah what a Monster a Christian without Christianity the Slave of the Devil under the Character of the Cross Wel I must choose one of these to bee my rule either my own sancie or Iesus wee cannot live with both and we cannot live without both what choice shal we make See if there appear in you any resemblance of the Son of God if hee that looks on you would take you for a Disciple of Jesus Christ The same way that the Head hath gone the other parts of the Body must follow If the Head go in at the Gate the Arm goes not in at the Window Iohn 12.26 If any Man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be The XIV Day Of Love to our Neighbour 1. Who loves not his Neighbour cannot say truly that he loves God if we do all and not love our Brethren wee do nothing all the devotions in the World without that are but deceit 2. This is my commandment said Iesus our most amiable Saviour that you love one another as I have loved you Though there were nothing to be loved in all persons in the world but the cordial desire thou hast that I should love thē O Iesus I would love them with al my heart But besides this they are all thy Children all proceeding from thy bosom I were very nice if I did not love that which thou cherishest shest more then thy self or life 3. Do I love my Neighbours truly without exception of any as Iesus loves us that is to say to be ready to give my life for them and my own goods c. This devotion is very rare this is that which is proper to Iesus and his Gospel Endeavour to possesse your soul with such affections as Jesus Christ hath for all souls to love them with tendernesse and not to have an indifference for any S. Aug. Serm. 42. de Temp. If thou love all mankind as thy self there wil remain no gate for Sin to enter into thee The third Week The XV. Day Of Love towards Enemies 1. GOD did so love the world though it was his mortal Enemy that he gave his only Son in testimony of his Love even to the terrible death of the cross What a prodigious love was this do I truly believe it 2. Upon this JESUS commanded me that for love of him I should love my Enemies to this example command what can I answer 3. As I forgive God will forgive me not otherwise I must then either hate my self or pardon others thus I am obliged by all Motives that can be imagined to wish well to my
but having but one I will not lose it Search whether your desire of salvation be absolute or imperfect A traveller that when hee should go on the right hand goes on the left c. Salvian l. 3. ad vales What madness is it to undervalue your own souls which even the Devil accounts precious c. They who neglect their soules have lesse esteem of themselves then the Devil hath The XIX Day Of the presence of God 1. THE eyes of God consider mee at present and alwayes as attentively as if I were alone in the world yea he is in me and every where like an infinity of eyes an infinity of ears an infinity of understandings he seeth with the same sight wherewith he comprehendeth himself and with as strong an application of spirit as if he left the contemplation of himself to reach me with all his beams to study the depth of me and to comprehend me I believe this I adore God who is present with me searching the bottom of my soul 2. Ah it is a thousand times more shame for me that my disloyalties are seen by God then if they were represented upon all the threatres in the world and in an assembly of a Million of Kings his onely sight and approbation or condemnation is more to be valued then the judgements of all Creatures together Ah that we should nevertheless so much fear the eyes of the world not those of God! 3. Then when we would offend him let ut find Curtains to hide us from his eyes â—or if he see us ah what â—mpudence is it to conâ—pire against him beâ—ore him and by himâ—elf and in his bosome 〈◊〉 the place where hee â—â—rms and pronounâ—eth actually the senâ—ence of my Predestiâ—ation or Reprobatiâ—n Were not I out â—ut of my wits and deâ—perate O the great â—ye of God hee sees â—s let us bee upon our Guard Endeavour to accustome your self to this pious contemplation of the presence of God To respect and love the eyes of God is the mark of a predestinated Person S. Aug. Serm. 46. De verb. Dom. If thou wilt sin seek out a place where God may not see thee and do what thou wilt The XX. Day Of the account we must give of Gods graces 1. WE have not the least sence of God and of our salvation which JHSUS bought not with his blood and requested especially for us of his Father when he gave up his soul on the Cross Consider hereupon what obligation we have to make good use of it we manage his designs and traffick with his blood 2. Yea we are indebted to God for all the Graces which hee intended to have given us if we had not hindred him we are obliged to him since the fault was not his the Sun shines we shut our windows we are noâ— the less beholding tâ— him for his light 3. It may be thaâ— this ten or twentâ— years God hath inspired me with things that I have not yet had the heart to execute So long at the School of the Holy Ghost and to have learnt nothing yet So often sollicited touched threatned and to have done nothing Let us remember that God is a Creditour whom none can make Bankrupt and though he do not constrain us so soon to the payment of all our debts hee will ask us interest for them and besides there is a measure which being filled to the top God will withdraw himself Alass when we would we shall not then be able If our souls be pure never so little and the ear of our heart attentive God never ceaseth to speak to us Hearken now what he demands of you and execute it S. Greg. lib. 18. Mor. c. 7. God first calleth mildly then rebuketh terribly and lastly damns irrevocably The XXI Day Of Fervour 1. LEt us have such desires as God hath of our advancement God is alwayes soliciting us without omitting any moment or the least occasion to furnish us out of his infinite affection with all things needfull for our progress in his love Is it not a monstrous poorness of spirit to cool in the midst of so many flames 2. When I work coldly I profess that God doth not merit much and that his recompences are slight matters what can we think of a Master whom his servants even in his presence neglect to serve 3. One act done for God be it never so little is worth more then all the Victories and Triumphs of Alexanders and Caesars and of all the Men in the world In this employment therefore you must stir up your self with honour and courage 4. Sin surmounts all in this life outbraves all subsists even in the flames of Hell without altering or consuming what an abominable constancy The servants of the Devil of what stamp are they not to spare themselvs not to complain whatsoever they suffer for offending God and for the World and never to change Ah Hel shal be my School and my Academy to love God as the Devils hate him is it too much To serve God as they do the Devil and the World is not this pattern reasonable Question those actions wherein you are most remiss and stir up your self to do them better Isaiah 31.6 Turn ye unto him from whom the Children of Israel have deeply revolted The fourth week The XXII Day Of the use of the Sacrament 1. THE Sacraments are the Fountaines of Grace the most necessary and important that concern our salvation and when wee abuse them we render our salvation impossible 2. How comes it that there are so many Communions which make so little change in hearts To dip so often in the blood of Jesus to eat that divine food and nevertheless to live alwayes in the same languishments in the service of God the same ties to the world No vertues Thou hast these ten years confessed the same sin c. after a thousand confessions not to have pluckt away one hair of vanity 3. O without doubt the fault cannot come from Iesus next the bosome of his Father he hath no retreat more agreeable then our Hearts and he communicates himself to us with infinite desire to do us good therefore there cannot but be an invincible resistance on our part or some malignant Hectick-Feavour which renders us incurable we approach the Sacrament without purity without apprehension without great desires without generous resolutions without care to hear God and to apply his graces to opportunities and occasions He that hath communicated but once hath done that for which he is in this life I have done it so often what hath Iesus Christ operated in my soul Let us reflect a little seriously upon our selves Ah Lord why shouldst thou spil the divine unction of thy blood upon a heart so hardned What horrour when we must make amends to the blood of Jesus Christ and pay the interest of that infinite debt And instead of eating the fruit of life wee shall find that we have eaten our own judgement