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that made it. As, contrarily, what an uncomfortable thing is darkness! insomuch as we punish the greatest malefactors with obscurity of dungeons; as thinking they could not be miserable enough, if they might have the privilege of beholding the light yea, hell itself can be no more horribly described, than by outward darkness. What is darkness, but absence of light? The pleasure or the horror of light or darkness, is according to the quality and degree of the cause, whence it ariseth.

And if the light of a poor candle be so comfortable, which is nothing but a little inflamed air gathered about a moistened snuff; what is the light of the glorious sun, the great lamp of heaven! But, much more, what is the light of that infinitely-resplendent Sun of Righteousness, who gave that light to the sun, that sun to the world! And, if this partial and imperfect darkness be so doleful, which is the privation of a natural or artificial light; how unconceivable dolorous and miserable shall that be, which is caused through the utter absence of the all-glorious God, who is the Father of Lights! O Lord, how justly do we pity those wretched souls, that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; shut up from the light of the saving knowledge of thee, the only True God! But, how am I swallowed up with horror, to think of the fearful condition of those damned souls, that are for ever shut out from the presence of God, and adjudged to exquisite and everlasting darkness! The Egyptians

obscuritate

nostræ; imò, creatoris, Dei. Uti, è contrà, quàm tristes sunt tenebræ ! adeò ut sceleratissimos quosque carcerum punire soleamus; utpote, quos satis miseros esse posse non arbitremur, modò lucis hujusce privilegio frui liceret: sed, et ipsi damnatorum cruciatus non atrociore quopiam, quàm extimarum tenebrarum nomine, describi solent. Quid aliud sunt tenebra, quàm mera lucis absentia? Lucis verò tenebrarumve sive jucunditas sive horror, secundum qualitatem gradumve causæ, unde ortum habet, solet æstimari.

Quòd si pauperis lucernæ igniculus, qui nihil aliud est nisi pauxillum inflammati aeris fuliginosi cujusdam lini oleaginosa pinguedini circumfusi, ita oculos animumque afficiat; quantò magis gloriosis solis radiis, cœlestis lampadis splendore delectamur! Quantò, verò, adhuc magis supremi illius æternùmque splendentis Justitiæ Solis, qui hoc lumen soli visibili, hunc solem mundo donavit, beatificâ luce refocillamur! Et, si dubiæ hæ imperfectaque tenebræ, quæ præter luminis sive naturalis sive artificialis privationem nihil omnino sunt, tantum tristitiæ secum afferre solent; quantum horroris incutient diræ illæ tenebræ, quæ ab æternâ gloriosissimi Dei, Patris Luminum, absentiâ oriuntur! Quantâ, ô Domine, quàmque justâ miseratione prosequimur infœlices illas animas, quæ in ignorantiæ tenebris ac umbrá mortis securè usque sedent; ab omni salutari tui, Veri nempe Dei, cognitione miserrimè exclusa! Sed, quanto horrore concutior planèque consternor, ubi subit animum tremenda damna

were weary of themselves in their three days' darkness; yet we do not find any pain, that accompanied their continuing night what shall we say to those woeful souls, in whom the sensible presence of infinite torment shall meet with the torment of the perpetual absence of God?

O thou, who art the True Light, shine ever through all the blind corners of my soul; and, from these weak glimmerings of grace, bring me to the perfect brightness of thy glory.

On the same occasion.

As well as we love the light, we are wont to salute it, at the first coming in, with winking or closed eyes; as not abiding to see that, without which we cannot see. All sudden changes, though to the better, have a kind of trouble attending them. By how much more excellent any object is, by so much more is our weak sense mis-affected in the first apprehending of it.

O Lord, if thou shouldest manifest thy glorious presence to us here, we should be confounded in the sight of it: how wisely, how mercifully hast thou reserved that for our glorified estate; where no infirmity shall dazzle our eyes; where perfect righteousness shall give us perfect boldness both of sight and fruition!

tarum illarum animarum conditio, quæ à facie divinâ perpetuò arcentur, exquisitissimis sempi ternisque caliginibus adjudicata! Pigebat sui Egyptios etiam ob tenebras triduanas; nusquam tamen comperimus cruciatuum genus ullum, longam illam noctem fuisse comitatum: quid igitur dicemus de illis deploratissimis animabus, in quibus infinitorum torminum sensus cum summo perpetuæ Dei absentiæ cruciatu, horrendo planè modo, conjungetur?

O tu, qui solus es Vera Lux, diffunde radios tuos per cæcas omnes animæ meæ latebras anfractusque; meque, per debiles quasdam gratiæ emicationes, ad perfectum gloriæ tuæ splendorem perducito.

XXI.

De cádem.

QUANTUMLIBET lucem diligamus, solemus tamen eam, primo ingressu, conniventibus clausisque oculis salutare; non sustinentes videre illud, sine quo nihil videmus. Subitæ mutationes, tametsi fortè in melius, aliquid secum semper molestiæ ferre solent. Quanto spectaculum aliquod excellentius est et splendidius, tanto magis debilis oculo. rum nostrorum acies primo illius obtutu offenditur.

O Domine, si tu gloriosam præsentiam tuam nobis istic agentibus patefaceres, hujus nos intuitu prorsùs confunderemur illico quàm sapienter, quàm gratiosè istoc reservasti glorifica tionis nostræ conditioni; ubi nulla oculos nostros debilitabit infirmitas, aut perstringet gloria; ubi absoluta justitia perfectam nobis et visionis et fruitionis fiduciam æternùm præstabit!

XXII.

On the blowing of the fire. WE beat back the flame; not with a purpose to suppress it, but to raise it higher, and to diffuse it more.

Those afflictions and repulses, which seem to be discouragements, are indeed the merciful incitements of grace. If God did mean judgment to my soul, he would either withdraw the fuel, or pour water upon the fire, or suffer it to languish for want of new motions: but now, that he continues to me the means and opportunities and desires of good, I shall misconstrue the intentions of my God, if I shall think his crosses sent rather to damp than to quicken his Spirit in me.

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Accenso igne.

REPERCUTIMUS flammam; non supprimendi quidem animo, sed excitandi potiùs, augendique.

Afflictiones illæ repulsæque, quæ dejicere nobis animum aut planè demere videntur, revera nihil aliud sunt quàm benignissima gratiæ incitamenta. Si judicii vindictam animæ meæ intenderet Deus, aut fomitem (gratiæ motus) mihi subduceret, aut frigidum igni suffunderet, aut bonorum subinde motuum defectu flammam languere sineret et interire: nunc verò, ubi adminicula opportunitatesque boni et desideria sancta mihi continuò subministrare voluerit, malè profectò mentem Dei mei interpretabor, si afflictiones hasce, ad restinguendum potiùs quàm ad accendendum vivificandumque Spiritum in me suum, immissas judicavero.

O Deus, nisi folles tui aliquando in me sufflando vehementiùs, spirituali quâdam repercussione, animam mihi exercerent; conditionem equidem meam meritò suspectam haberem: paucula illæ minimæque gratiæ scintillæ, quæ animæ meæ superstites sunt, citò extinctæ forent, nisi hoc modo excitarentur: perge, ô Domine, adflare illis fortiter, do

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XXIII.

On the barking of a dog. WHAT have I done to this dog, that he follows me with this angry clamour? Had I rated him, or shaken my staff, or stooped down for a stone, I had justly

Ad canis latratum.

Quid verò feci ego cani huic, qui me sic irato clamore prosequitur? Si illum increpuissem acriùs, baculumve ei intentassem, aut pronus quæsissem lapidem

drawn on this noise, this snarling quo illum impeterem, meritò irimportunity.

But, why do I wonder to find this unquiet disposition in a brute creature, when it is no news with the reasonable? Have I not seen innocence and merit bayed at, by the quarrelsome and envious vulgar, without any provocation, save of good offices? Have I not felt, more than their tongue, their teeth upon my heels; when I know I have deserved nothing, but fawning on? Where is my grace, or spirits, if I have not learned to contemn both ?

O God, let me rather die, than willingly incur thy displeasure; yea, than justly offend thy godly-wise, judicious, conscionable servants: but if humour, or faction, or causeless prejudice fall upon me, for my faithful service to thee; let these bawling curs tire themselves, and tear their throats, with loud and false censures: I go on, in a silent constancy; and, if my ear be beaten, yet my heart shall be free.

ritâssem hunc strepitum, hosque nimis importunos latratus.

At verò, quid mirum vid ri debet in brutis hanc inquietam dispositionem comperire, cùm hoc idem in hominibus ratione præditis usu veniat? Annon vidi ego sæpiùs innocentiam, ac bene-merita, rixosi invidique vulgi allatrationibus, absque omni, nisi bonorum forsan officiorum provocatione, exceptam? Annon sensi ego, non linguas modò, sed et dentes istorum nihil suspicantis mei calcibus infixos; qui nihil interea, nisi meras blanditias meruerim? Ubi aut virtus mea, aut animus, si non didicerim utrumque horum contemnere?

Moriar ego, ô Deus, moriar priùs, quàm volens quicquam patravero, quod iram tuam, justamque piorum cordatorumque servorum tuorum offensam proritet mereaturque: quòd si malus cujusquam genius, factiove, aut injustum fortè præjudicium, fidelitatis erga te meæ causâ, impetierit; fatigent sibi, quantum volunt, disrumpantque guttura clamosi hi canes, falsis canorisque censuris: silenti quâdam constantiâ, pergam ego interim; et, si aures mihi vapulent, cor sanè liberum ac securum conquiescet.

XXIV.

On sight of a cockfight. How fell these creatures out? Whence grew this so bloody combat? Here was neither old grudge, nor present injury. What then is the quarrel? Surely, nothing, but that which should rather unite and reconcile them; ope common nature: they are

Visa ἀλεκτρυομαχία sive gal-
lorum pugná.

QUID verò est quòd ita dissident isti alites? Unde tam cruenta hæc pugna? Certè nec vetus aliqua simultas, nec recens injuria in causâ est. Quorsum ergo hæ tam dira lites? Nihil, profectò, hos inter se committit, nisi quod unire potiùs ac conciliare

both of one feather. I do not see either of them fly upon creatures of different kinds; but, while they have peace with all others, they are at war with themselves: the very sight of each other was sufficient provocation. If this be the offence, why doth not each of them fall out with himself; since he hates and revenges in another, the being of that same which himself is ?

Since man's sin brought debate into the world, nature is become a great quarreller. The seeds of discord were scattered, in every furrow of the creation; and came up in a numberless variety of antipathies: whereof yet none is more odious and deplorable, than those which are betwixt creatures of the same kind. What is this, but an image of that woeful hostility, which is exercised betwixt us reasonables; who are conjoined in one common humanity, if not religion? We fight with and destroy each other, more than those creatures, that want reason to temper their passions. No beast is so cruel to man, as himself: where one man is slain by a beast, ten thousand are slain by man. What is that war, which we study and practise, but the art of killing? Whatever Turks and Pagans may do, O Lord, how long shall this brutish fury arm Christians against each other? While even Devils are not at enmity with themselves, but accord in wickedness; why do we men so mortally oppose each other in good?

deberet; communis natura: eas dem utrique species est. Non video horum alterutrum in diversi generis volucres involantem; sed, ubi cum aliis omnibus pacem alunt, bellum secum ipsi gerunt: nec aliâ quidem provocatione, quam mutuo sui conspectu irritantur. Quòd si hoc in culpâ sit, cur non unusquisque secum ipse dissidet; dum id quod ipse est, in alio odit ac ulciscitur?

Ex quo hominis peccatum litem in mundum intulit, plena est natura rixarum dissidiorumque. Nullus est in totâ creatione sulcus, in quem non jacta sunt discordiæ semina; inque vix finitam antipathiarum varietatem excreverint: quarum certè nulla vel odiosior est vel deploratior, quàm quæ inter creaturas ejusdam generis intercedere solet. Quid verò hoc aliud est, nisi imago tristis illius inimicitiæ, quæ inter nos rationis compotes, non communi modo humanitatis, sed et religionis etiam vinculo conjunctos, passim exercetur? Pugnamus, ilicet, nobiscum nosque perdimus mutuò, plus quàm animalia illa, quæ ratione domandis moderandisve affectibus destituuntur. Nec quæ bellua ita homini crudelis est, ac homo ipse: ubi unus ferarum sive dente sive ungue perit, multæ myriades humanâ manu trucidantur. Quid est bellum illud, quod tam studiosè gerimus, nisi ars occidendi? Quicquid Turcæ ac Pagani faciant, quousque, ô Deus, brutus iste furor armabit contra se invicem gentes Christianas? Etiam diabolis quidem ipsis inter se parùm disconvenit; concordes sunt illi in malo, nimis; unde fit, quòd nos homines ita nobismet in bono lethaliter adversemur?

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