Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/56

 blood and  life  to  repair  the  losses  felt  by  all  our  race,  and  to restore  it  to  its  former  splendour. But if  so  great  an  example dazzles you,  look  upon  your  other  brothers  who  are  as  feeble  as yourself,  born  in  sin  as  you  were,  subject  to  passions,  temptations, and evil  inclinations  as  you  are. They fought  against  them  constantly;  they  conquered,  and  they  gained  a  crown  of  glory;  and our mother  the  Church  proposes  these  examples  to  you,  and celebrates their  feasts  in  order  to  encourage  you  to  imitate  them. And if  you  wish  to  have  set  before  your  eyes  the  example  of  those still nearer  to  you,  consider  your  brethren,  who  were  born  in  the bosom of  the  same  mother  you  were,  i.  e.,  who  were  of  the  same order you  are  of;  look  upon  St. Ignatius, St. Xaverius, St.  Francis of Borgia,  the  great  Edmund  Campian,  and  so  many  others  who flourished in  the  society. Endeavour all  you  can  to  imitate  them, and do  not  be  a  dishonour  to  your  race  and  society. He that  with all these  motives  cannot  be  encouraged  to  perform  extraordinary acts of  virtue,  but  will  continue  to  live  in  the  ordinary  way,  is  it not  true  that  he  gives  just  cause  of  indignation  to  his  Father, who i3  God  himself,  and  great  occasion  of  scandal  to  his  brethren, and deserves  that  his  heavenly  Father  should  disown  him,  and  his brothers not  acknowledge  him?

For this  reason,  therefore,  we  say  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  direct our thoughts  high;  to  raise  our  eyes  and  hearts  to  sublime  things, that if  unable,  through  weakness,  to  reach  them,  we  may  not  at least  be  kept  back  at  so  great  a  distance  from  them. Let us  act  on this  occasion  like  merchants  who  ask  a  great  deal  more  than  it  is worth,  to  induce  the  buyers  to  give  the  value  of  the  article;  or  like referees, who,  to  bring  the  parties  at  variance  to  a  reasonable settlement, demand  at  first  too  much,  that  they  may  obtain  only what is  equitable. But what  I  desire  you  to  demand  is  not  too much; it  is  just  and  moderate. Ever keep  your  eye  fixed  on  it, that you  may  at  least  obtain  what  is  absolutely  necessary. Propose to yourself  the  attainment  of  great  treasures,  that  you  may  be able  to  acquire  a  competency. For if  you  propose  to  yourself at first  only  what  is'  of  little  value,  you  will  be  far  from  acquiring it.

By this  discourse  we  easily  see  how  important  it  is,  that  in  our spiritual exhortations  we  speak  of  that  only  which  is  perfect  in  a sovereign  degree. If we  preach,  for  example,  on  humility,  it  must be that  humility  which  is  most  profound,  and  which  reaches  to contempt  of  one's  self. If we  preach  on  mortification,  it  must  be on  that  which  subjects  all  our  passions  to  reason;  if  we  preach  on