Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/20



St. Gregory  being  desired  to  write  some  spiritual  instructions for the  conduct  of  certain  religious  houses,  excuses  himself  in  his (&gt;th Book  and  27th  Epistle  in  these  terms : — "  The  exercises  of mortification  and  prayer,  practised  by  religious,  produce  such  a source  or  fountain  of  wisdom  in  their  hearts,  that  they  stand  not in  need  of  being  watered  with  those  few  drops  our  ardity  is  able to  impart  to  them.  For  as  the  fountain  in  the  midst  of  the  terrestrial paradise  watered  all  parts  thereof,  and  kept  it  continually fresh  and  green  without  the  help  of  rain,  which  it  needed  not ;  so those  who  are  in  the  paradise  of  religion  have  no  need  of  being watered  from  without,  because  prayer  and  mortification  produce in  them  such  a  source  or  fountain  of  grace,  as  is  always  sufficient to  maintain  their  virtues  in  their  full  splendour  and  beauty.'*

I might,  RR. FF., upon  this  account,  with  far  more  reason than St.  Gregory,  excuse  myself  after  the  same  manner  he  did, to those  faithful  souls  our  Lord  has  planted  in  the  garden  of  the Society of  Jesus — souls,  he  has  cultivated  and  watered  by  the help of  that  mental  prayer  they  daily  make. But though  this excuse would  doubtless  be  a  very  just  one,  if  I  imagined  you  expected anything  new  from  me,  yet  I  am  prevented  from  making it, as  I  propose  to  myself  nothing  else  in  this  work,  than  to  revive in your  memories  what  you  already  know  and  daily  practise. In doing  this,  I  shall  pay  obedience  to  our  holy  founder,  who  in one  of  his  Constitutions  ordains  that,  "  once  a  week,  or  at  least, once  a  fortnight,  there  should  be  one  appointed  to  lay  before  our eyes  the  obligations  of  a  spiritual  life,  lest  human  frailty,  which daily  inclines  us  to  relax  in  our  duties,  might  cause  us  to  forget, and  to  discontinue  them." (Cons. p.  3.)  The  Constitution,  God be praised,  is  exactly  observed  throughout  the  whole  Society,  and produces great  fruit  therein. Having, therefore,  above  those