"Sam": or The history of mystery./ By C. W. Webber.

"SAM:" OR, THE HISTORY OF MIYSTERY.
that (to the best of our power) we seek not health more than
sickness, nor prefer riches to poverty, honor to contempt, a
long life to a short one. But it is fitting, out of all, to choose
and desire those things only which lead to the end." And
again, at page 33, "the third (article for meditation) is, to
consider myself; who or what kind I am, adding comparisons
which may bring me to a greater contempt of myself; as if
I reflect how little I am when compared with all men, then
what the whole multitnde of mortals is, as compared with
the angels and all the blessed: after these things I must
consider what, in fact, all the creation is in comparison with
God, the Creator, himself; what now can I, one mnere human
being, b3! Lastly, let me look at the corruption of my whole
self, the wickedness of my soul, and the pollution of my body,
and account myself to be a kind of ulcer or boil, from which
so great and foul a flood of sins, so great a pestilence of vices
has flown down.
"The fourth is to consider what God is, whom I have thus
offended, collecting the perfections which are God's peculiar
attributes and comparing them with my opposite vices and
defects; comparing, that is to say, his supreme power, wisdom, goodness, and justice, with my extreme weakness,
ignorance, wickedness, and iniquity."
But then the above Exercises are followed by certain Additions, which are recommended as conducing to their better
performalnce. Some of these are very strange; for instance,
the fourth is, "to set about the Contemplation itself, now kneeling on the ground, now lying on my face or on my back, now
sitting or standing, and composing myself, in the way in
which I may hope the more easily to attain what I desire.
In which matter, these two things must be attended to; the
first that if, on my knees or idl any other posture, I obtain
what I wish, I seek nothing further. The second, that on
the point in which I shall have attained the devotion I seek,
I ought to rest, without being anxious about pressing on until
I shall have satisfied myself. The sixth, that I avoid those
thoughts which bring joy, as that of the glorious resurrection
of Christ; since any such thought hinders the tears and grief
for my sins, which must then be sought by calling in mind
rather death or judgment. The seventh, that, for the same
reason, I deprive myself of all the brightness of the light,
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