must hinder my falling, and mend what is amiss. That after this, he
gave himself no further uneasiness about it.
That we ought to act with GOD in the greatest simplicity, speaking to
Him frankly and plainly, and imploring His assistance in our affairs,
just as they happen. That GOD never failed to grant it, as he had often
experienced.
That he had been lately sent into
for the society, which was a very unwelcome task for him, because he had
no turn for business and because he was lame, and could not go about the
boat but by rolling himself over the casks. That however he gave
himself no uneasiness about it, nor about the purchase of the wine.
That he said to GOD, It was His business he was about, and that he
afterwards found it very well performed. That he had been sent into
how the matter passed, but that it proved very well.
So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had naturally
a great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for
the love of GOD, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to
do his work well, he had found everything easy, during the fifteen years
that he had been employed there.
That he was very well pleased with the post he was now in; but that he
was as ready to quit that as the former, since he was always pleasing
himself in every condition, by doing little things for the love of GOD.
That with him the set times of prayer were not different from other
times: that he retired to pray, according to the directions of his
because his greatest business did not divert him from GOD.
That as he know his obligation to love GOD in all things, and as he
endeavoured so to do, he had no need of a director to advise him, but
that he needed much a confessor to absolve him. That he was very
sensible of his faults, but not discouraged by them; that he confessed
them to GOD, and did not plead against Him to excuse them. When he had
so done, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love and adoration.
That in his trouble of mind, he had consulted nobody, but knowing only
by the light of faith that GOD was present, he contented himself with
directing all his actions to Him, i.e., doing them with a desire to
please Him, let what would come of it.
That useless thoughts spoil all: that the mischief began there; but
that we ought to reject them, as soon as we perceived their impertinence
to the matter in hand, or our salvation; and return to our communion
with GOD.
That at the beginning he had often passed his time appointed for prayer,
in rejecting wandering thoughts, and falling back into them. That he
could never regulate his devotion by certain methods as some do. That
nevertheless, at first he had meditated for some time, but afterwards
that went off, in a manner that he could give no account of.
That all bodily mortifications and other exercises are useless, but as
they serve to arrive at the union with GOD by love; that he had well
considered this, and found it the shortest way to go straight to Him by
a continual exercise of love, and doing all things for His sake.
That we ought to make a great difference between the acts of the
understanding and those of the will; that the first were comparatively
of little value, and the others all.
That our only business was to love and delight ourselves in GOD.
That all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the love
of GOD, could not efface a single sin. That we ought, without anxiety,
to expect the pardon of our sins from the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, only
endeavouring to love Him with all our hearts. That GOD seemed to have
granted the greatest favours to the greatest sinners, as more signal
monuments of His mercy.
That the greatest pains or pleasures, of this world, were not to be
compared with what he had experienced of both kinds in a spiritual