erstanding according to thy word.'

"While thou art calling thus, the Lord hear thee: while thou art yet
speaking, he shall say, 'Behold I am here.' If then thou attain to
such prayer, blessed shalt thou be; for it is impossible for a man
praying and calling upon God with such purpose not to advance daily in
that which is good, and soar over all the snares of the enemy. For, as
saith one of the Saints, 'He that hath made fervent his understanding,
and hath lift up his soul and migrated to heaven, and hath thus called
upon his Master, and remembered his own sins, and spoken concerning the
forgiveness of the same, and with hot tears hath besought the Lover of
mankind to be merciful to him: such an one, I say, by his continuance
in such words and considerations, layeth aside every care of this life,
and waxeth superior to human passions, and meriteth to be called an
associate of God.' Than which state what can be more blessed and
higher? May the Lord vouchsafe thee to attain to this blessedness!

"Lo I have shown thee the way of the commandments of the Lord, and have
not shunned to declare unto thee all the counsel of God. And now I,
have fulfilled my ministry unto thee. It remaineth that thou gird up
the loins of thy mind, obedient to the Holy One that hath called thee,
and be thou thyself holy in all manner of conversation: for, 'Be ye
holy: for I am holy,' saith the Lord. And the chief prince of the
Apostles also writeth, saying, 'If ye call on the Father, who without
respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time
of your sojourning here in fear; knowing that ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.'

"All these things therefore store thou up in thine heart, and remember
them unceasingly, ever keeping before thine eyes the fear of God, and
his terrible judgement seat, and the splendour of the righteous which
they shall receive in the world to come, and the shame of sinners in
the depths of darkness, and the frailty and vanity of things present,
and the eternity of things hereafter; for, 'All flesh is grass, and all
the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the
flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for
ever.' Meditate upon these things alway and the peace of God be