[OT for these sad issues

NOT

Was Man created; but to obey the law Of life, and hope and action.

4

113

And 'tis known That when we stand upon our native soil, Unelbowed by such objects as oppress Our active powers, those powers themselves become Strong to subvert our noxious qualities. They sweep distemper from the busy day, And make the chalice of the big round year Run o'er with gladness; whence the Being moves In beauty through the world; and all who see Bless him, rejoicing in his neighbourhood. WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

WHILE thou art in the world, and hast an honest employment, thou art certainly by the order of Providence obliged to labour in it, and to finish the work given thee, according to thy best ability, without repining in the least; seeking out and manifesting for God's glory the Wonders of Nature and Art. Since, let the Nature be what it will, it is all the Work and Art of God. And let the Art also be what it will, it is still God's Work and His Art, rather than any art or cunning of man. And all both in Art and Nature serveth but abundantly to manifest the wonderful Works of God, that He for all and in all may be glorified. Yea, all serveth, if thou knowest rightly how to use them, only to recollect thee more inwards, and to draw thy Spirit into that majestic Light wherein the original patterns and forms of things visible are to be seen.

Let the hands or the head be at labour, thy Heart ought nevertheless to rest in God. God is a Spirit; dwell in the Spirit; work in the Spirit; pray in the Spirit ; and do everything in the Spirit ; for remember thou also art a Spirit, and thereby created in the image of God. JACOB BEHMEN

THE

HE Lord hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri; . . . and He hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; and to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver and in brass, and in the cutting of stones to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. . . . Him hath He filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer in blue, and in purple, in scarlet and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work and of those that devise cunning work.

...

Exodus

As

S for matters of Huswifery, when God puts them upon you it would bee sin either to refuse them or perform them negligently, and therefore the ignorance of them is a great shame and Danger for women that intend Marriage. But to seek these kinds of Businesses for pleasure, and to make them your delights, and to pride yourselves for your care and curiositie in them, is a great vanitie and Folly at the best, and to neglect better things and more necessarie by pretence of being imployed in these things is surely though a common Practize, yet a peice of sinfull Hypocrisie. Doe them therefore when God puts them upon you, and doe them carefully and well, and God shall reward you, however the things themselves bee but meane, accepting them at your hands as if they were greater matters, when they are done and undergone out of Obedience to His Command. But let your Delight bee onely in the better part.

MARY FERRAR

NEVER talk with any man, or undertake any trifling employment, merely to pass the time away; for every day well spent may become a "day of salvation," and time rightly employed is an "acceptable time." And remember that the time thou triflest away was given thee to repent in, to pray for pardon of sins, to work out thy salvation, to do the work of grace, to lay up against the day of judgment a treasure of good works, that thy time may be crowned with Eternity. JEREMY TAYLOR