Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/61

 the soul  by  this  or  that  breach,  all  being  equal  to  him,  provided  he attains  his  end,  and  brings  you  to  a  miserable  shipwreck. St. Bonaventure says,  "  That  of  many  small  drops  of  rain  great  torrents are  formed,  which  undermine  and  tumble  down  strong  walls;  and that  a  small  chink  by  which  the  water  gets  into  a  ship,  oftentimes causes  the  loss  of  the  vessel;"  (Bon.  sup:  Ps.  Ixvi.)  Wherefore  St. Austin  tells  us,  that  as  when  a  ship  springs  a  leak,  we  must immediately pump,  in  order  to  get  out  the  water  and  prevent her from  sinking;  so  we  also,  by  fervent  prayer,  and  a  strict examination of  conscience,  must  continually  endeavour  to  root out of  our  heart  whatever  imperfection  or  impurity  had  found  its way into  it,  which  if  neglected  would  at  last  cause  our  ruin. This should  be  the  continual  exercise  of  a  religious;  he  must incessantly labour  to  amend  his  faults,  and  continually  put  his hand to  the  pump,  otherwise  he  will  be  in  great  danger  of  perishing. " You  are  armed,"  says  St.  Austin  in  another  place,  "  and prepared  to  defend  yourself  against  great  sins;  but  what  care  do you  take  to  avoid  small  faults?  Are  you  not  afraid  of  them  also? You  have  already  thrown  overboard  those  heavy  bales,  which  would have  sunk  your  ship;  but  take  care  that  the  small  heap  of  sand,  still in  the  hold,  does  not  bring  you  down." (Aug. sup.  Ps.  xxxix.  13.) You have  happily  escaped  all  the  storms  raised  against  you,  in  the tempestuous sea  of  the  world;  but  take  precaution  lest  you  be wrecked  in  the  harbour  of  religion. For as  it  would  avail  nothing that a  ship  should  have  weathered  all  the  storms,  and  escaped  all the rocks  at  sea,  if  she  is  wrecked  in  port;  so  it  would  be  of  no advantage  to  you  to  have  resisted  all  the  assaults  of  the  strongest temptations, if  afterwards  you  yield  to  weaker  ones and  thereby  lose your soul.

Another very  cogent  reason,  why  we  should  apply  ourselves with great  care  and  attention  to  the  smallest  thing  conducive  to  our perfection, is,  that  if  we  neglect  to  perform  it,  it  is  to  be  feared that God  will  refuse  us  these  special  graces,  which  we  stand  in need  of,  both  to  preserve  us  from  sin,  and  to  assist  us  in  attaining the perfection  we  aim  at,  and  for  want  of  which  graces  we  shall  be