Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/22



ON THE  ESTEEM  AND  AFFECTION  WE  OUGHT  TO  HAVE  FOR  WHATEVER RELATES  TO  OUR  SPIRITUAL  ADVANCEMENT  ;  AND  ON MANY  OTHER  THINGS  CONDUCIVE  TO  IT.

"I wished  for  a  right  understanding  of  things,"  says  the  Wise Man, "  and  God  gave  it  me,  I  called  upon  him,  and  he  filled me  with  the  Spirit  of  Wisdom,  which  I  preferred  before  sceptres and  crowns,  and  believed  that  riches  and  precious  stones deserved  not  to  be  compared  thereunto ;  for  all  the  gold  and silver  upon  earth  is  nothing  but  a  little  sand  and  clay,  in  comparison of  wisdom." (Wis. vii.  7.)  The  true  wisdom  which  all of us  ought  to  desire  is  Christian  perfection. Now, this  consists in uniting  ourselves  to  God  by  love,  according  to  these  words of St.  Paul, — a  Above  all  things  I  recommend  charity  unto  you, which is  the  bond  of  perfection,  whereby  we  are  united  to  God." (Colos.  iii.  14.)  We  ought,  therefore,  set  as  great  value  on perfection,  and  on  everything  conducive  to  its  attainment,  as Solomon  says  he  set  on  wisdom  ;  and  we  ought  to  believe  with St.  Paul, — "  That  if  we  gain  Jesus  Christ  it  is  enough ;  for  all the rest  is  nothing  but  dirt  and  ordure."  (Phil.  iii.  8.)  This  is the  best  means  we  have  of  attaining  perfection.  For  the  degree to  which  this  esteem  ascends  in  our  hearts  will  be  the  measure of  our  own  spiritual  advancement  in  particular,  and  of  that  of religion  in  general.  The  reason  is,  because  we  desire  nothing but  according  to  the  estimation  we  hold  it  in.  For  our  will being  a  blind  faculty  that  pursues  nothing,  but  what  the  un-