Page:StVincentsManual.djvu/262

 should not  lead  us  to  the  other  extreme,  and  cause  us to  keep  ourselves  away  from  our  divine  Lord,  contrary to the  advice  of  our  spiritual  Father. To avoid  these snares of  the  enemy,  let  us  consider,  that  our  Lord absolutely commands  us  to  eat  his  body  and  to  drink his blood, under  pain  of  being  deprived  of  life,  (St. John  vi  54,)  that  is  to  say,  of  the  life  of  grace  and  of eternal  glory:  but,  we  must  also  weigh  well  the  words of St.  Paul,  who  forbids  us  to  approach  unworthily, under pain  of  eating  and  drinking  our  own  condemnation, and  of  being  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  our Lord. (1 Cor.  xi  29.)  These  two  oracles  should  be the  infallible  rule  for  communion:  the  first,  considered separately, might  inspire  a  dangerous  confidence,  and cause us  to  approach  too  often  and  with  little  preparation;  the  second,  considered  independently  of  the  first, might inspire  too  great  a  fear,  and  cause  us  to  deprive ourselves of  this  greatest  of  all  blessings. Let us then  be  obedient  to  the  first  precept,  which  commands us to  approach;  but,  let  us  also  be  equally  obedient  to the  second,  which  forbids  us  to  approach  unworthily. The error  of  considering  these  two  precepts  separately, has been  the  deplorable  source  of  much  loss  and  abuse of grace. In these two oracles is  comprised  a  rule which we  may  follow  without  any  fear  of  being  deceived. We maybe  certain,  that  we  cannot  go  to holy  communion  too  often,  provided  we  do  all  in  our power to  receive  worthily. But, to  communicate  often, without laboring  to  correct  our  habitual  faults,  without endeavoring to  overcome  any  attachment  which  we may  have  to  any  sin,  without  trying  earnestly  to  attain  to  the  perfection  of  our  state  of  life,  and  without fervor and  care  in  our  preparation,  is  a  dangerous  delusion, and  may  lead  the  soul  to  a  deplorable  abuse of this  holy  and  august  sacrament. But, to  allow  a false  humility,  which  is  often  a  pretext  for  sloth,  to prevent  us  from  communicating  often,  although  privileged to  do  so  by  our  rule  or  by  the  advice  of  our