Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/72

 might learn  humility  from  one and paitence from another; that one should  teach  us  silence,  and  another  meekness and docility." Charillus,  King  of  Lacedaemon, being asked what sort of republic he  considered  to  be  the  best. "That," said he, "wherein the Citizens live  without  strife  or  sedition,  and  strive  with  emulation who shall  become  most  virtuous."  We  are  all  assembled  in  religion under  a  happy  form  of  government,  which  differs  from,  and  far excels  all  other  governments  in  the  world.  In  the  governments of  the  world,  men  are  eagerly  employed  in  procuring  wealth, honours,  dignities,  and  preferment,  and  scarce  make  any  efforts to  acquire  virtue.  But  in  religion  all  their  study  is  to  deny their  own  will;  all  their  application  is  to  discover  the  means whereby  to  become  more  perfect;  every  man  lives  in  peace  and charity,  without  contention,  without  murmuring,  without  complaint;  their  only  emulation  is  to  excel  each  other  in  obedience, humility,  and  virtue.  Certainly  God  has  conferred  on  us  no small  favour,  in  calling  us  to  a  state  where  virtue  alone  is esteemed:  where  neither  doctor  nor  preacher  is  valued  for  extensive knowledge  or  profound  eloquence,  but  for  humility  and mortification; where  every  man  endeavours  to  advance  in  virtue, and where,  in  fine,  by  mutual  good  example,  they  encourage  each other to  live  well. Let us  then  embrace  so  favourable  an  opportunity of  becoming  perfect;  and  making  good  use  of  the  examples we daily  receive  from  our  brethren,  let  us  consider  that  we  also are obliged  to  edify  them  by  our  example.

This is  the  second  means,  which  I  shall  propose  in  this  chapter, as  conducive  to  your  spiritual  advancement. In order  to know  its  utility  and  importance,  we  need  only  consider  in  what manner our  Saviour  speaks  of  it  in  the  gospel. "Let your light,"  says  he,  "so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven." (Matt, v. 16.)  Every  one  sufficiently  knows  the  force  of  good  example. A perfect  religious  does  more  good  in  a  community  by  his  example, than  the  most  eloquent  sermons  or  pathetic  exhortations. Men are  much  more  affected  by  what  they  see,  than  by  what they hear;  and  being  easily  convinced  that  the  thing  is practicable,  when  they  see  another  perform  it,  they  are  strongly encouraged to  undertake  it. That fluttering  of  wings,  of which  the  prophet  Ezechiel  speaks  when  he  says,  that  "  he  heard the  wings  of  living  creatures  striking  one  against  the  other" (Ezech. iii.  13),  is,  properly  speaking,  the  good  example  by which  you  touch  your  brother's  heart,  move  it  to  piety  and