Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/54

 and minds  wholly  taken  up  with  God,  to  be  continually  absorbed  in him,  and  to  employ  all  the  powers  of  our  soul  in  only  loving  and adoring him,  is  what  cannot  be  well  done  by  us  but  in  heaven. In this life  the  weakness  of  our  nature,  and  the  necessity  of  supplying the wants  of  the  body,  hinder  us  from  attaining  so  high  a  degree  of perfection. However, though  this  commandment  is  the  consummation of  all  the  rest,  yet  God  has  vouchsafed  to  place  it  at  the head of  them  all,  that,  at  first  sight,  we  may  know  what  we  ought  to aspire  to,  and  how  far  we  must  endeavour  to  advance. "Why," says St.  Austin,  "are  we  commanded  to  love  God  with  all  our  heart, which  is  a  command  we  cannot  fully  perform  in  this  life?  It  is because  a  man  never  runs  well,  if  he  knows  not  how  far  he  has  to go." (Lib. de  Perf.  torn,  vii.)  Almighty  God  has  set  immediately before our  eyes  the  greatest  of  all  the  commandments,  that  aiming at an  object  so  sublime,  at  perfection  so  complete,  we  may  constantly endeavour  to  reach  it;  and  if,  through  weakness,  we  are unable to  reach,  the  higher  we  aim,  the  nearer  shall  we  approach the object. St. Jerom  explaining  these  words  of  the  Psalmist: " Blessed  is  the  man,  O  Lord,  whose  help  is  from  thee;  his  heart is  always  thinking  how  to  raise  itself  higher  and  higher "  ( Ps. lxxxiii.  6);  says,  the  just  man's  heart  is  always  towering  aloft,  and the sinner's  heart  is  perpetually  sinking. The just  man  has  his eyes continually  raised  to  the  things  most  sublime  in  virtue;  he aspires  to  increase  in  perfection;  and  it  is  this  he  perpetually  thinks on, according  to  the  saying  of  the  Wise  Man:  "  The  thoughts  of the  strong  are  always  carried  to  an  abundant  increase." (Prov. Xxi. 5.)  But  no  thought  is  less  present  to  the  mind  of  the  sinner  than this; he  is  content  to  live  like  the  rest  of  the  world;  at  the  utmost he proposes  to  himself  but  an  ordinary  degree  of  virtue,  he  grows tepid, his  spirits  sink,  and  he  attains  not  his  object. This, says Gerson (Gers.  3,  p.  Tract,  de  Myst.  indust.  seu  consid.  4),  is  the language used  by  many:  It  is  enough  for  me  to  live  as  people  in general  live;  I  desire  only  to  be  saved;  the  sovereign  degree  of perfection  and  glory  I  leave  to  the  apostles  and  martyrs;  I  do  not pretend to  soar  so  high,  but  am  content  to  walk  upon  the  plain ground. Such is  the  language  of  sinners  and  imperfect  men,  who, in number,  far  exceed  the  just  and  perfect:  "For  many  are  called," says our  Saviour,  "  but  few  are  chosen." (Matt, xx.  16.)  "And wide  is  the  gate  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction, and  many  there  are  who  enter  by  it.  How  narrow  is  the  gate  and strait  is  the  way,  which  leadeth  to  life,  and  few  there  are  who find  it." (Matt. vii.  13.)    St.  Austin,  speaking  of  such  as  walk  on