Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/45

 obligation of  aspiring  to  perfection;  and  because  he  who  strives not to  become  perfect,  and  who  does  not  apply  himself  in  good earnest to  it,  cannot  be  said  to  be  a  true  religious,,  as  he  does  not do the  only  thing  for  which  he  should  have  embraced  that  profession. I will  not  here  discuss  the  question,  whether  a  religious would sin  mortally  who  should  say,  "I  content  myself  with being  faithful  to  the  commandments  of  God  and  to  my  essential vows;  but  as  for  other  rules  not  binding  under  pain  of  sin,  I design  not  to  observe  them." My intention,  I  say,  is  not  to decide  this  point,  as  it  is  a  disputed  question. Some divines maintain that  he  would  sin  mortally;  others  say  he  would  not. unless he  acts  through  some  kind  of  contempt  on  the  occasion. But what  is  certain,  and  what  they  all  agree  in,  is,  that  a  religious in  such  a  disposition  of  mind,  and  who  would  make  such a resolution,  would  give  very  bad  example,  and,  morally  speaking, would be  in  great  danger  of  falling  into  mortal  sin. " For  he that  despiseth  small  things  will  by  little  and  little fall  into  great." (Ecclus. xix.  1.)

To explain  this  the  more  clearly,  St.  Chrysostom  gives  several familiar examples:  If  a  servant,  says  he,  were  not  a  thief  nor drunkard, nor  gamester,  but  trusty,  sober,  and  without  vice;  yet, if he  should  idle  his  time,  sit  down  all  day,  without  performing the duties  of  his  state,  there  is  no  doubt,  but  he  would  deserve  to be  severely  punished;  for  though  he  did  no  positive  harm,  yet  it  is fault  enough  to  neglect  what  he  ought  to  do. Again, if  a husbandman,  though  exceedingly  well  conducted  in  every  other respect, should  nevertheless  stand  with  his  arms  across,  and neither plough  nor  sow,  it  is  certain,  though  he  did  no  other harm, he  would,  on  this  account  alone,  be  culpable;  for  it  is fault  enough  to  neglect  one's  duty. In fine,  if  one  of  our  hands gave us  no  pain,  but  were  paralytic,  and  absolutely  of  no  use  to us,  should  we  not  consider  that  circumstance  alone  to  be  of  great detriment? It is  just  so  in  spiritual  matters. If a  religious  remains idle — if  he  makes  no  effort  to  advance  in  virtue,  he  is much  to  be  blamed,  because  he  fulfils  not  the  obligations  of  his profession. To conclude,  what  greater  fault  can  we  find  with land, than  that  it  is  barren  and  bears  no  crop,  though  it  had  been well tilled? In the  same  manner,  if  land,  like  your  soul  continually cultivated  by  so  many  good  instructions,  watered  by frequent  showers  of  heavenly  graces,  and  warmed  by  the  rays of the  sun  of  justice,  produces  no  fruit,  but  remains  dry  and barren, will  you  not  think  that  dryness  and  barrenness  a  great