Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/21

 forty years  been  employed  in  the  function  of  exhorting  the novices, or  other  religious  ;  and  having  gathered  divers  things together for  this  purpose,  my  superiors,  and  many  other  persons to whom  I  owe  a  deference,  were  of  opinion  that  I  might  render great service  both  to  God  and  to  religion,  and  that  the  advantage  drawn  from  my  labours  would  be  more  lasting,  if  I  should take care  to  review  and  put  in  order  what  I  had  already  composed.

I considered  also,  that  in  the  Constitution  before  cited,- St. Ignatius  puts  this  alternative  : — "  Let  there  be,"  says  he,  6i  one appointed to  deliver  these  spiritual  exhortations  to  the  religious, or at  least  let  the  religious  be  obliged  to  read  them."  I  was still  more  encouraged  in  my  undertaking,  when  I  reflected  that it  is  a  practice  established  in  the  Society,  and  very  much  recommended by  saints,  to  read  something  every  day  that  may promote our  spiritual  advancement.  This  being  the  principal  design  of the  following  work,  I  have  for  this  reason  laid  before  you  as clearly  and  briefly  as  I  was  able  such  things  as  are  more  essential, and  more  common  to  our  profession.  These,  I  trust,  will serve  us  as  a  mirror,  wherein,  if  we  daily  view  ourselves,  we shall  be  enabled  to  correct  our  imperfections,  and  decorate  our souls  in  such  a  manner  as  will  render  them  more  pleasing  to  the eyes  of  Divine  majesty.

Moreover,' though  my  principal  intention  was  to  fulfil  the particular obligation  I  have  to  serve  those,  whom  religion  has constituted my  fathers  and  brethren  in  Jesus  Christ;  yet,  because we  ought  to  extend,  as  far  as  we  can,  the  effects  of  charity, and being  particularly  obliged  to  it  by  our  Institute,  I  have  endeavoured to  dispose  this  work  after  such  a  manner,  as  that  it  may be useful  not  only  to  our  Society  in  particular,  but  to  all  other religious, and  even  to  all  persons  in  general,  who  aspire  to  Christian perfection. Wherefore that  the  title  may  correspond  to  the work, and  may  indicate  that  it  is  a  profitable  and  useful  book  for all the  world,  I  have  entitled  it,  Practice  of  Christian  Perfection. I call  it  Practice,  because  things  are  treated  in  it  after  such  a manner,  as  may  render  the  practice  very  easy.

I hope,  by  the  mercy  of  our  Lord,  that  my  labours  will  not  be unprofitable ;  and  that  this  grain  of  seed  of  the  word  of  God, being sown  in  the  good  soil  of  souls  aspiring  to  perfection,  will render not  only  thirty  or  sixty,  but  even  a  hundred  fold.