Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/62

 exposed to  great  danger. In order  to  comprehend  this  better,  we must  premise  the  doctrine  of  St.  Paul,  who  teaches,  that  God never refuses  that  supernatural  assistance,  which  is  necessary  and sufficient for  every  one  to  overcome,  if  he  wishes,  the  strongest temptation. "God is  faithful,"  says  the  apostle,  "  who  will  not suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  which  you  are  able:  but  will make  also  with  temptation  issue,  that  you  may  be  able  to  bear  it" (i Cor.  x.  13.)  Besides  this  general  assistance,  the  apostle  here speaks of,  there  is  another  more  particular  one;  and  though  we could  have  resisted  and  overcome  the  temptation,  without  this particular grace,  if  we  make  the  good  use  we  ought  of  the  general, yet it  often  happens,  that  we  do  not  overcome  the  temptation, unless God  adds  this  special  grace. It is  not  but  we  could  resist the temptation,  if  we  wished,  because,  according  to  the  apostle,  the first general  grace  is  sufficient;  so  that  we  fall  through  our  own fault, because  we  fall  wilfully;  yet  we  would  not  have  fallen,  had we been  at  the  time  assisted  by  the  special  grace. But as  this special and  efficacious  grace  is  the  pure  gift  of  God's  great  mercy and liberality,  he  is  not  pleased  to  give  it  to  all  men,  nor  upon all occasions,  but  only  to  whom  he  pleases,  and  to  such  as  act generously and  liberally  towards  him,  according  to  these  words  of the  prophet:  "  With  the  holy,  you  will  be  holy;  with  the  innocent you  will  be  innocent;  with  the  elect  you  will  be  elect;  and  with the  perverse  you  will  be  perverted." (Ps. xvii.  26,  27.)  Another version has  it,"  With  the  meek,  you  will  be  meek:  with  the  liberal, you  will  be  liberal:  with  those  who  deal  sincerely  and  candidly, you  are  sincere  and  candid:  and  with  those  who  are  perverse,  you are  also  perverse." St. Ignatius  in';  his  Constitutions  declares the same,  where  he  says:  "  The  stricter  union  we  make  with  God, and  the  more  liberal  we  shew  ourselves  to  the  Divine  Majesty,  the more  bountiful  shall  we  find  him  to  us,  and  we  shall  dispose  ourselves to  receive  daily  more  and  more  graces  from  him." (Ign. reg. 19.) St.  Gregory  Nazianzen,  and  many  other  fathers  of  the  Church, maintain the  same  doctrine. (Greg. Naz.  horn.  19.)

In order  to  understand  what  it  is  to  be  liberal  towards  Almighty God, we need  but  consider  what  it  is  to  be  liberal  towards  man. " To  be  liberal  is  to  give  to  another  more  than  we  owe  him,  and more  than  we  are  obliged  to  give  him for  to  give  him  barely what  is  his  right,  is  not  called  liberality  but  justice.  Whosoever then  makes  it  his  chief  care  to  please  God,  not  only  in  matters  of duty  and  obligation,  but  also  in  those  things  which  are  of  supererogation, and  which  tend  to  a  more  eminent  perfection,  and  this