Page:HalfHoursWithTheSaints.djvu/46

 point out  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  where  he  says, " We  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  in  fear, but  we  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption  of  sons  of  God." The spirit  of  bondage  is  that  which  creates  fear,  the  spirit of adoption  is  that  of  love;  fear  makes  us  slaves,  love makes us  as  children. The Jews,  who  acted  only  through fear of  punishment,  were  slaves;  the  Christians,  who  love, are the  true  children.

The new  law,  imprinted  on  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit, regulates the  interior  feelings;  whilst  the  laws  engraven  on stone  can  only  regulate  exterior  actions.

Fear is  not  capable  of  changing  the  interior  feeling;  it can  only  act  outwardly,  and  thus  forces  the  will  to  do  what it would  not  do,  or  even  what  it  might  do. So that  exteriorly it  submits  to  force,  interiorly,  it  resists. If deeds and words  conform  to  the  law,  the  heart  is  opposed  to  it. If the  mouth  and  hands  obey,  the  will  is  disobedient.

This is  the  reproach  that  God  makes  to  the  Jews  when He says  through  His  prophet,  "This  people  honour  me with  their  lips,  but  their  hearts  are  far  from  me."

The two  usual  methods  adopted  to  govern  mankind are fear  and  hope. This is  why  the  old  law  does  not solely make  use  of  threats  to  ensure  obedience,  but  it  adds to them  promises;  but  these  promises  were  for  temporal welfare, for  sensual  and  gross  men  who  sought  for  fleeting prosperity.

Thus we  read  in  the  23d  chapter  of  Exodus  that  Moses, in order  to  induce  them  to  observe  the  law  he  was  about to promulgate,  promises  them  every  kind  of  prosperity — health, long  life,  a  numerous  progeny,  abundance  of  everything necessary,  and  protection  from  enemies,  so  that  they may enjoy  in  peace  and  quiet  all  these  blessings.

Now, on  the  contrary,  the  Son  of  God  begins  by  preaching penance,  and  speaks  only  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven and to  make  us  understand  that  His  wish  was  that  Chris-