Letter, number unidentified. To a Cavalier his friend

THE news of this messenger, who is parting, takes me by night, and without paper, and full of my ordinary indispositions. I beseech our lord, who is omnipotent, to tell you that by himself, which he was to have told you by my pen; since in me there is no ability to do it, nor have I indeed any opportunity. The complaints you make against yourself, upon the opinion which you had of your own prudence, are just. You must admit them, & do them justice; ever esteeming that opinion for a crafty enemy, and counting up every pace it makes, that so you may understand the deceits thereof. For in these temptations, to know them, is to overcome them. Make that very account with yourself, which was made by that Monk, in this namer; I came not to judge any, but to be judged by all. Say thus to yourself; I came not to have zeal of others but of myself. God places not me in the office of a guide, but in the duty of being guided. And who is so maddly impertinent, as that he will think to hit right, in that, where God puts him not; since every plantation which is not made by the heavenly father, shall be rooted up.

But now, if by Obedience you be commanded to deliver your mind, first beg you light of our lord, and then declare it, but not without fear, and as a thing which you do but offer, to the end that it may be examined by others. And you are not to shoot it out, with such a kind of resolution, and authority, as if it must needs be approved, and executed, because forsooth you thought it fit. No nor that it ought to have any force at all, upon that reason; but only, that things may so be done, as others may take to be most convenient, whether they approve or disallow your opinion. And you must conceive, that by doing thus, you comply with the duty of your Obedience, and that you have nothing more to do in that business.

They, who either be endwed with light from heaven, or have else been taught to see, by the many falls, which they have taken; do no less fear, even some good desires of particular things, than the executing of some desires, which are not good. Yea, and in some sort, they apprehend them more because of the two, it is harder to understand and master the deceit, which lurks in them. Now this fear, takes order that they run not instantly to entertain them, but to keep their stand; recommending that desire of theirs to our lord, and ask council of him. This fear is the beginning of wisdom, and it is also the end thereof. It is hard to declare this point by letter but for him who hath a superior, whom he obeys, it is easily declared, by putting the case, and following his counsel.

When you shall be come to know, that such a business concerns the service of God, and that it is fit to be dispatched, yet still even that must be done in such sort, as that his Majesty be not offended, for whose service the business it to be undertaken. For if the heart be thereby filled, with cares and distractions, and especially if they come at wrong times, the thing itself may well be just, but the manner of doing it, will not be so. It is a good thing, for a man to carry himself like a person who is at the command of another; and not as a guide of the business. Not as if you were some great master, but rather like some young fellow, who were bidden, either to come, or go when the care of any particular shall put itself unseasonably upon you; say to it, to this effect, Our lord commands me nothing, about that matter at this time; For my part, I have nothing to think; all will go into error, if it be done after my fancy when our lord shall command me to do it, I will do it, and I will both hear, and speak. For this purpose it is good to set out some determinate time, to think of these things, which require care; that so they may not come upon a man, in troops, when he were to be in silence with God. If they bring any affliction with them, which much disquiet; we may well conceive that that is not the way, wherein God walks: nor do we comply with his word, which saith, Nolite solicit● esse, labour enim exercendus, sollicitudo tollenda: you must not be over careful, for pains must be taken but solicitude is forbidden; and for the taking of it away, our lord wills us to confide in our heavenly Father.

He who hath this confidence, perceives well, that the business depends upon God; and that his divine wisdom, knows how to address him, and therefore a Christian man, is to be persuaded, that it gives no advantage, even to the very business itself, if we fall into any unquiet kind of anguish; or even to superfluity of thinking of it, which is thus forbidden, by holy scripture. Ne affligas temetipsum in consilio tuo: Do not afflict thyself in thine own counsel: but say thus to yourself, It is God who must do it, and not I Perhaps our lord will not have it remedied by this means. And if he will, yet his will also is that it be done with peace, and with my spiritual gain, and without my loss. And so procure, that your heart may ever go, in celebration of that. Christian Sabaoth, whereof S. Paul speaketh; and then we may say to our lord, Descend ●hou into my heart, for it is all free for thee: and it hath nothing which may distract me from hearing thee, and from speaking to thee. You have reason to desire the help of prayers to this purpose: for it is not so easily obtained. I beseech our lord, who called you to his own service, continue you in his grace, and carry you afterwards, with himself to eternal rest.