Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/71

 with great  facility  the  most  difficult  undertakings,  and  daily advance more  and  more  in  virtue. Thus both  the  one  and  the other verify  in  themselves  that  saying  of  the  Wise  Man:  "  The slothful  hand  hath  wrought  poverty;  but  the  hand  of  the  industrious getteth riches." (Prov. x.  4.)  "  The  soul  of  those  that labour  shall  grow  fat." (Prov. xiii.  4.)

A great  servant  of  God  was  wont  to  compare  the  tepid  and fervent religious  to  two  sorts  of  courtiers. He said  that  the lukewarm who  think  themselves  entitled  on  account  of  their seniority to  ease  and  indulgence,  and  who  labour  to  advance  no farther  in  perfection,  were  like  those  old  domestics,  who,  from their former  services,  were  allowed  a  place  in  court,  but  on account  of  their  present  inactivity,  receive  no  further  preferment from their  prince,  or  are  hardly  admitted  into  his  presence;  but the fervent  he  compares  to  those  wise  and  active  young courtiers, who  continually  waited  upon,  and  applied  all  their thoughts to  discover  what  was  most  pleasing  to  their  prince,  and by their  diligence  and  assiduity,  insinuated  themselves  so  far into his  good  graces,  that  they  were  at  length  raised  to  very high honours  and  dignities.

St. Basil,  and  many  other  holy  men  say,  that  in  order  to acquire  perfection,  it  is  very  advantageous  to  consider  attentively the  lives  of  the  most  perfect,  and  propose  them  to  ourselves as models  for  our  imitation. St. Anthony  also  says,  that  as  the bee settles  upon,  and  extracts  from  every  flower  its  most  pure and exquisite  substance  to  make  honey;  so  a  religious  ought  to observe  every  man  in  his  community,  and  learn  from  one modesty, from  another  silence,  from  a  third  fervour,  from  a fourth  obedience  and  resignation;  in  fine  he  ought  to  imitate what he  finds  most  commendable  in  each,  and  endeavour  to  conform in  all  things  to  the  proposed  model. It was  thus  St. Anthony  himself  acted,  and  by  this  means  became  so  great  a saint. Good example  is  one  of  the  greatest  advantages  we  have in religion. When St.  Jerom  advised  men  to  live  in  community rather than  in  solitude,  "it  was,"  as  he  said,  "  to  the  end  that  they