Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/150

 III. The third  class  are  actuated,  as  they  should  be, by both  principles,  and  in  this  follow  the  example  of their  Lord  and  Master,  who  exhorts  all,  "  Let  your  light so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven." (Matt. v. 16.)  Examine  each  one  of  your  actions  in  particular, and see  what  actions  you  perform  merely  to  please  men, and what  again  to  please  God  alone,  even  to  the  disedification  of  others,  and  their  spiritual  disadvantage; and form  a  well-founded  resolution  of  pleasing  God  by a  pure  intention,  and  of  edifying  others  by  good  example.

I. All  the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ  ought  to  make  continual progress  in  virtue. Not to  advance  in  the  way  of virtue  is  to  recede,  as  all  the  saints  teach  us. As a  boat in the  swift  current  of  a  river  will  infallibly  be  carried down the  stream  unless  continually  propelled  by  oars, so, unless  you  continually  struggle  against  the  impetuous current  of  a  vitiated  nature,  you  will  certainly  be carried  along  with  it. St. Bernard  justly  observes, "  not to  gain  ground  is  to  lose  it;"  and  hence  you  will  ultimately fall  again  into  the  hands  of  your  enemies,  whom you wished  to  escape,  if  you  do  not  continually  advance.

II. The second  motive  for  continually  advancing  in virtue  is  because  such  is  the  will  of  God,  who  wishes that we  should  be  pure  and  holy  in  His  divine  sight. "Be ye  therefore  perfect,"  says  Christ,  "  as  also  your heavenly  Father  is  perfect.',  (Matt.  v.  48.)  No  one  can be  perfect  or  eminent  in  any  thing  on  a  sudden,  but  by