Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/354

 sician? Does any  one  get  the warmer the  farther  he  removes from  the  fire? But the physician  who  has  borne your infirmities  is  myself; it is  I who  came  to  cast  fire upon the  earth,  and  what  will I but that  it  burn  and  inflame your hearts?

But I will  speak  with  thee more plainly,  my  son,  that  in this  thou  mayest  know  how seriously thou  errest  in  common with  others. The Sacrament of  my  Body  and  Blood confers grace: this  doubtless thou wilt  admit,  if  no  obstacle be interposed  by  the  receiver. Is it  not  the  fact,  that  the oftener thou  receivest,  the greater the  grace  thou  obtainest? But with  increase of grace  there  is  increase  of faith,  hope,  charity,  devotion, reverence, purity,  and  the other virtues,  which  enlighten the understanding,  awaken the affection,  purify  the  heart, &amp;c. And is  not  this  the  apparel, this  the  wedding  garment, which  I chiefly  require of thee,  in  order  to  come  worthily to  my  table?

Thou seest,  therefore,  how one communion  disposes  to another,  so  that  he  comes  best disposed for  to-morrow’s,  who brings with  him  the  effects  or the  fruit  of  to-day’s. Nor hast thou  reason  hence  to  fear contempt. True, among  men, contempt easily  springs  from familiar conversation,  because by frequent  intercourse  the faults, failings,  and  imperfections  of  every  one  become  better known. But the  more frequently and  closely  thou art united  to  me,  the  greater and more  numerous  are  the perfections thou  wilt  find  in me,  and  hence  the  greater the honour  and  reverence which thou  wilt  render  me.

But this  is  too  plain  to  need proof, although  the  father  of lies  would  persuade  you  otherwise, as  he  does  persuade many, who,  caring  little  for  my glory,  and  less  for  their  own salvation, walk  in  the  desires of their  own  heart. Hence, because they  know  that  closer self-watchfulness and  continual fear  should  accompany frequent communion,  they, who hate  discipline,  choose rather themselves  to  abandon frequent communion  than  a bad  habit,  that  thus,  unchecked as  it  were,  they may be  the  more  free  to  go after  their  own  evil  desires. For they  reckon  it  a sort of freedom  to  be  without communion and  sacrifice,  although to  serve  me  is,  in  fact, to reign. But if,  perchance, on some  solemn  festival,  or when  requisite  for  the  fulfilment of  a duty,  they  communicate or  sacrifice,  they practise devotion  for  a little while, until  they  have  discharged their  duty,  soon  again to return,  like  the  dog  to his  vomit  and  the  sow  to  her wallowing, to  their  first  disposition and  habits. Hear, O ye heavens,  and  give  ear,