Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/32

 direct his  thoughts  to  his  studies,  to  business,  to  trifles? When he is  afterwards  to  give  an  account  of  the  state  of  his  conscience, cannot he  say  what  he  pleases,  and  conceal  what  is  most  essential to be  revealed? Cannot he  make  us  believe,  that  his  conscience is in  a  good  state,  while,  perhaps,  it  is  in  a  state  of  all  others  the most deplorable? It is  in  vain,  then,  we  take  all  possible  care and precaution  to  make  a  man  virtuous,  unless  he  sincerely  desires, and strenuously  endeavours,  to  become  so  himself.

The answer  of  St.  Thomas  of  Aquin  to  one  of  his  sisters  is very  well  adapted  to  the  present  subject. She asks  him,  "  How she  could  save  her  soul?" (Hist. Pr.  v.  37.)  He  answered,  " By willing  it if  you  desire  it,  you  will  be  saved,  if  you  desire  it, you  will  make  progress  in  virtue,  you  will  render  yourself perfect.  All  then  depends  on  our  willing  it,  t.  e.,  on  our  willing it  seriously  and  effectually,  and  on  exerting  ourselves  with  all possible  diligence  to  secure  our  salvation.  For  Almighty  God is  always  ready  to  assist  us;  but  if  our  own  will  is  wanting,  all the  exertions  of  our  superiors  are  unavailing.  It  is  you  yourself, therefore,  that  must  take  your  salvation  to  heart — it  is  your  own affair — it  is  you  alone  that  are  concerned,  and  it  is  for  this  alone you  entered  religion.  Let  every  one,  then,  be  persuaded,  that  as soon  as  he  begins  to  grow  tepid  and  negligent  in  what  relates  to his  spiritual  advancement — as  soon  as  he  abstains  from  the exact performance  of  his  exercises  of  devotion,  and  feels  not interiorly a  great  desire  of  making  progress  in  virtue  and  of mortifying  himself — from  that  very  moment,  he  conducts  badly the business  of  his  eternal  salvation. This doctrine  is  conformable to  a  rule  laid  down  by  St.  Ignatius  in  the  beginning  of  his Constitutions. " It  is  the  interior  law,"  says  he,  "  of  charity and  of  the  divine  love  imprinted  and  engraven  on  our  hearts  by the  Holy  Ghost,  which  ought  to  support,  guide,  and  make  us advance  in  the  way  of  God's  service." (Proem. Const.  §  1.)  It is  this  fire  of  his  love,  this  insatiable  desire  of  his  greater  glory, which ought  continually  urge  us  to  elevate  ourselves  towards him, and  make  us  advance  in  virtue.

This desire  once  truly  imprinted  in  the  soul  makes  us  exert ourselves with  fervour  and  diligence  to  attain  what  we  wish  for. For we  are  naturally  active  in  seeking  and  finding  out  the things we  have  an  inclination  for;  and  it  is  for  this  reason the Wise  Man  says,  a  The  beginning  of  wisdom  is  to  excite in our  hearts  an  earnest  desire thereof. (Wis. vi.  18.)  But  in this  we  find  another  advantage,  also  which  renders  this  means