Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/43

 several days,  would  feel  inclined  to  go  back,  particularly  when he calls  to  mind  the  sentence  the  Saviour  of  the  world  pronounces against  him,  "  Whosoever  puts  his  hand  to  the  plough and  looks  back  is  not  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven?" (Luke, ix. 62.)    These  are  the  words  which  should  make  us  tremble;  and the great  St.  Austin,  upon  this  occasion,  says,  we  cannot  possibly prevent  ourselves  from  descending,  but  by  always  striving to ascend;  for  as  soon  as  we  begin  to  stop,  we  descend,  and not to  advance,  is  to  go  back;  so  that  if  we  wish  not  to  go  back, we must  always  run  forward  without  stopping. (Ep. 113  to Dem.  V)    St. Gregory, St. Chrysostom, St.  Leo  Pope,  and many other  saints,  say  the  same,  and  express  themselves  almost  m in  the  same  terms. But St.  Bernard  enlarges  on  this  subject in two  of  his  epistles,  wherein  addressing  himself  to  a  negligent and tepid  religious,  who  contents  himself  with  leading  an  ordinary life,  and  struggles  not  for  his  advancement,  he  thus  discourses with  him  in  the  following  dialogue:  Well! will you  not advance? No. What then? Will you  go  back? By no means. What will  you  do  then? I will  remain  as  I  am,  and grow neither  better  nor  worse. Then you  will  do  what  is impossible,  for  in  this  life  there  can  be  no  state  of  permanency. This is  a  privilege  appertaining  to  God  alone,  "With  whom there  is  no  change  nor  the  least  shadow  of  vicissitude." (Jas. i. 17.)    "I am  the  Lord,"  says  he,  "and  I  do  not  change." (Mai. iii.  6.)    But  all  things  in  this  world  are  subject  to  a perpetual  change. " All shall  grow  old  like  a  garment,"  says the Psalmist,  speaking  of  the  heavens,  "  and  as  a  garment  thou shalt  change  them;  but  as  for  thee,  O  Lord!  thou  art  always the  self-same,  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail." (Ps. ci.  28.)  Man, above all,  according  to  the  testimony  of  holy  Job,  is  never  long' in the  same  condition;  "  He  passeth  like  a  shadow,  and  never continueth  in  the  same  state." (Job,xiv.2.)   Jesus  Christ  himself, as  St.  Bernard  adds,  as  long  as  he  lived  here  on  earth  and conversed with  man,  was  never  stationary;  "He  grew  in wisdom,  age,  and  favour,  before  God  and  men." (Luke, ii.  52.) That is  to  say,  that  as  he  grew  in  age,  he  gave  more  signal proofs of  his  wisdom  and  holiness,  "  And  prepared  himself  as  a champion  to  run  his  race"  (Ps.xviii.7)  of  labour  and  sufferings. St. John  also  declares,  that  "Whoever  saith  he  abideth  in  him ought  himself  also  to  walk  even  as  he  walked." (1 John,  ii.  6.) But if,  while  our  Saviour  runs  on,  you  stop,  is  it  not  clear  that you will  remain  behind  him  instead  of  approaching  near  him?