7. On divine consolation in tribulation

" Juxta est Dominus hts, gut tribulato sunt corded* *' The Lord is nigh unto them that ore of o. contrite hearth 1 . There is no one in this world, howsoever good and pioii.s he may be, who has not some burthen,— some trouble to endure.

When therefore thou shalt \w, in tribulation and sorrow of heart, then art thou with Jesus Christ on the cross. But on the other hand, whenever in tlie time of prayer, thou art sweetly consoled by the grace of the Holy Spirit, then as it were, art thou raised again from the dead ; coming forth like Christ from the sepulchre ; and together with Him thou celebratest the Pasch in newness of life, rejoicing in heart.

When words of harshness or of : insult are addressed to thee, then art thou made to drink of the chalice of the Lord, for the welfare of thy soul.

2. Murmur not, but drink the bitter draught of thy salvation in silence and resignation — the Lord himself will be thy sure defence in life and in death. God will never forget thee.

For oh! what is more glorious, than by silence and patience, to close the mouth of him who speaketh evil against thee : following the example of Jesus Christ, who was silent before Pilate, when they brought false witness against Him.* * Matt. xxvi.

Thou art not bettcir, doubtless, than thy God, who, for the love of thee, was cruelly scourged, mocked and at last put to death by the wicked.

Man knows not how far his virtue and worth may go, till he has been tried in the furnace of tribulation.

Christ has many servants, who willingly come to Him, and seat themselves at His table ; but He finds few who would follow Him fasting, into the desert.

3. The true lover of the crucified Jesus refuses not to suffer, and to be persecuted by the wicked ; that he may thereby become more conformable to his Saviour, who bowed Himself to the ignominy and scandal of the cross.

Because for him who lives the life of Christ, it is a great gain to suffer and to die for Christ.* The more fervent is thy love for God, the less shalt thou fear death ; and the more lively shall be thy desire for the dissolution of the body, that thou mayest live happy with Christ, and share in the joy of His holy angels for all eternity.

Happy is the soul that loveth Jesus tenderly ; — in whom the love of eternal good begets contempt for such as pass away ; — who endures with patience the evils of this life for the name of Jesus ; — who prostrates himself humbly at His feet and begs of Him the grace, to advance still more and more with perseverance and constancy in the paths of virtue. o o