Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/33

 very efficacious;  for  let  the  duties  be  ever  so  difficult  in  themselves, a  strong  attachment  to  them  makes  them  easy  and  sweet. For example,  how  comes  it  to  pass,  that  a  religious  should  feel so little  pain  on  quitting  the  world,  and  entering  religion,  but because he  desired  with  his  whole  heart  to  become  religiouB? God had  inspired  him  with  an  exceeding  great  desire  thereof, which is  the  grace  of  vocation,  and  plucked  out  of  bis  heart all attachment  to  the  world,  planted  therein  a  love  of  retirement and religion,  and  everything  became  easy. On the  contrary, the very  same  thing  appears  extremely  painful  to  persons  in  the world, because  they  have  not  been  favoured  by  God  with the desires,  and  the  grace  of  vocation,  you  have  been  favoured with. As, then,  what  rendered  our  entrance  into  religion  so easy  and  pleasant,  was  the  fervour  we  had  at  the  time,  and that determined  will,  which  nor  parents,  nor  friends,  nor  the Whole earth  together,  could  change,  or  pervert;  in  like  manner, it  is  by  persevering  in  this  original  fervour  we  shall advance in  virtue,  and  render  the  practices  of  devotion  easy  and delightful. So long  as  this  fervour  shall  last,  the  performance of all  religious  duties  will  become  easy;  but  this  once  cooling, they will  seem  painful  and  insupportable. What, think  you, is the  reason,  why  the  same  man  is,  at  one  time,  dejected  and disgusted, and  at  another  time  is  content  and  at  ease  in  the  performance of  his  religious  duties? Let him  not  attach  the  blame thereof to  the  duties  themselves,  nor  to  the  superiors,  but  let  him impute this  inconstancy  to  himself,  and  to  the  little  relish  he has  for  virtue  and  mortification. A strong,  healthy  man,  says Father Avila,  will,  with  ease,  carry  that  burden,  which  a  child or sick  person  cannot  raise  from  the  ground. It is  only  then from the  different  dispositions  of  our  souls,  that  the  difficulty springs. The duties  are  always  the  same. They seem  to  us,  for a time,  so  easy,  that  they  cost  us  no  trouble;  and  if  they  appear different now  from  what  they  had  been  before,  we  are  to blame  ourselves,  who,  instead  of  being  perfect  men,  as  long since we  ought  to  have  been,  are  still  children  in  virtue — are fallen  sick,  and  have  suffered  that  fervour  to  cool,  which we had  on  entering  religion.