LETTER VI.

ABELARD to HELOISE.

Abelard having at laft conquered the Remains of his unhappy Paffion, had determined to put an End to fo dangerous a Correfpondence as that between Heloise and himself. The following Letter therefore, though written with no lefs Concern than his former, is free from Mixtures of a worldly Paffion, and is full of the warmest Sentiments of Piety, and the moft moving Exhortations.

RITE no more to me, Heloife, write W no more to me; 'tis Time to end a Commerce which makes our MortifiXXcations of no Advantage to us. We retired from the World to fanctify ourselves; and by a Conduct directly contrary to Chriftian Morality, we become odious to Jefus Chrift. Let us no more deceive ourselves, by flattering ourselves with the Remembrance of our past Pleasures we fhall make our Lives troublefome, and we fhall be incapable of relishing the Sweets of Solitude. L 4

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Let us make a good Use of our Austerities, and no longer preferve the Ideas of our Crimes a mongst the Severities of Penitence. Let a Mortification of Body and Mind, a ftrict Fafting, continual Solitude, profound and holy Meditations, and a fincere Love of God, fucceed our former Irregularities.

Let us try to carry religious Perfection to a very difficult Point. 'Tis beautiful to find in Christianity Minds fo difengaged from the Earth, from the Creatures and themselves, that they seem to act independently of thofe Bodies they are joined to, and to use them as their Slaves. We can never raise ourselves to too great Heights, when God is the Object. Be our Endeavours never so great, they will always come fhort of reaching that exalted Divinity, which even our Apprehenfions cannot reach. Let us act for God's Glory, independent of the Creatures or ourselves, without any Regard to our own Defires, or the Sentiments of others. Were we in this Temper of Mind, Heloife, I would willingly make my Abode at the Paraclete. My earnest Care for a Houfe I have founded, would draw a thousand Bleffings on it. I would inftru&t it by my Words, and animate it by my Example. I would watch over the Lives of my Sifters, and would command Nothing but what I myself would perform. I would direct you to pray, meditate, labour, and keep Vows of Silence;

Silence; and I would myself pray, meditate, labour, and be filent.

However when I spoke, it fhould be to lift you up when you should fall, to ftrengthen you in your Weakneffes, to enlighten you in that Darkness and Obfcurity which might at any Time furprife you. I would comfort you under those Severities used by Perfons of great Virtue. I would moderate the Vivacity of your Zeal and Piety, and give your Virtue an even Temperament: I would point out those Duties which you ought to know, and fatisfy you in thofe Doubts which the Weakness of your Reafon might occafion. I would be your Master and Father; and by a marvellous Talent, I would become lively, flow, foft, or fevere, according to the different Characters of those I should guide in the painful Path of Chriftian Perfection.

But whither does my vain Imagination carry me? Ah, Heloife, how far are we from fuch a happy Temper? Your Heart ftill burns with that fatal Fire which you cannot extinguish, and mine is full of Trouble and Uneafinefs. Think not, Heloife, that I enjoy here a perfect Peace; I will, for the laft Time, open my Heart to you; I am not yet difengaged from you; I fight against my exceffive Tendernefs for you, yet in Spite of all my Endeavours, the remaining Frailty makes me but too fenfible of your Sorrows, and gives me a Share in them. Your Letters have indeed moved me, I could not read with Indifference Characters

wrote

wrote by that dear Hand. I figh, I weep, and all my Reason is fcarce fufficient to conceal my Weakness from my Pupils. This, unhappy Heloife! is the miferable Condition of Abelard. The World, which generally errs in its Notions, thinks I am easy, and as if I had loved only in you the Gratification of Senfe, imagines I have now forgot you; but what a Miftake is this! People indeed did not miftake in thinking when we feparated, that Shame and Grief for having been fo cruelly ufed made me abandon the World. 'Twas not, as you know, a fincere Repentance for having offended God, which inspired me with a Defign of retiring: However, I confidered the Accident which happened to us as a fecret Defign of Providence, to punish our Crimes; and only looked upon Fulbert as the Inftrument of divine Vengeance. Grace drew me into an Asylum, where I might yet have remained, if the Rage of my Enemies would have permitted: I have endured all their Perfecutions, not doubting but God himself raised them up in order to purify me..

When he faw me perfectly obedient to his holy Will, he permitted that I fhould justify my Doctrine; I made its Purity public, and fhewed in the End that my Faith was not only orthodox, bet alfo perfectly clear from even the Sufpicion of Novelty.

I fhould be happy if I had none to fear but my Enemies, and no other Hindrance to my Salvation

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but their Calumny; but, Heloife, you make me Trouble, your Letters declare to me that you are enflaved to a fatal Paffion; and yet if you cannot conquer it, you cannot be faved; and what Part would you have me take in this Cafe? Would you have me fifle the Infpirations of the Holy Ghoft? Shall I, to footh you, dry up thofe Tears which the Evil Spirit makes you fhed: Shall this be the Fruit of my Meditations? No: let us be more firm in our Refolutions; we have not retired but in order to lament our Sins, and to gain Heaven; let us then refign ourfelves to God with all our Heart.

I know every Thing in the Beginning is difficult, but it is glorious to undertake the Beginning of a great Action, and that Glory increases proportionably, as the Difficulties are more confiderable. We ought upon this Account to furmount bravely all Obstacles which might hinder us in the Practice of Chriftian Virtue. In a Monaftery Men are proved as Gold in the Furnace. No one can continue long there, unless he bear worthily the Yoke of our Lord.

Attempt to break thofe fhameful Chains which bind you to the Flefh, and if by the Affiftance of Grace you are so happy as to accomplish this, I entreat you to think of me in your Prayers. Endeavour with all your Strength to be the Pattern of a perfect Chriftian; it is difficult, I confefs, but not impoffible; and I expect this beautiful Triumph