to be so stupid and melancholy? Thou wilt
be the scorn of everybody, and they will laugh at thy folly; and so thou
wilt pass thy days in mere sorrow and heaviness, which is pleasing
neither to God nor Nature. I pray thee, look upon the beauty of the
World, for God hath so erected and placed thee in it, to be a Lord over
all Creatures and to rule them. Gather store of temporal goods
beforehand, that thou mayest not be beholden to the World, or stand in
need hereafter. And when old age cometh, or that thou growest near thy
end, then prepare thyself for repentance. God will save thee, and
receive thee into the heavenly mansions there. There is no need of such
ado in vexing, bewailing, and stirring up thyself, as thou makest."

THE CONDITION OF THE SOUL

In these and the like thoughts the Soul was ensnared by the Devil, and
brought into the lust of the flesh, and earthly desires; and so bound as
it were with fetters and strong chains that it did not know what to do.
It looked back a little into the World and the pleasures thereof, but
still felt in itself a hunger after Divine Grace, and would rather enter
into repentance and favour with God. For the Hand of God had touched and
bruised it, and therefore it could rest nowhere; but always sighed in
itself after sorrow for the sins it had committed, and would fain be rid
of them. Yet could not get true repentance, or even the knowledge of
sin, though it had a mighty hunger and longing desire after such
penitential sorrow.

The Soul being thus heavy and sad, and finding no remedy or rest, began
to cast about where it might find a fit place to perform true repentance
in, where it might be free from business, cares, and the hinderances of
the World; and also by what means it might win the favour of God. And at
length purposed to betake itself to some private solitary place, and
give over all worldly employments and temporal things, and hoped that by
being bountiful and pitiful to the Poor, it should obtain God's mercy.
Thus did it devise all kinds of ways to get rest, and to gain the love,
favour, and grace of God again. But all would not do; for its worldly
business still followed it in the lusts of the flesh, and it was
ensnared in the net of the Devil now, as well as before, and could not
attain rest. And though for a little while it was somewhat cheered with
earthly things, yet presently it fell to be as sad and heavy again as it
was before. The truth was it felt the awaken