Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/208

 liveth by  faith,'  says  the  Apostle  (Gal.  iii.  11). It is  faith  that  makes  the  just  live  in  the  grace of God,  and  that  gives  life  to  their  souls,  by detaching  them  from  earthly  affections,  and  reminding them  of  the  eternal  goods  which  God holds out  to  those  who  love  Him.

" St.  Teresa  used  to  say  that  all  sins  had  their origin  in  a  want  of  faith.  Therefore,  in  order to  overcome  our  passions  and  temptations,  we must  frequently  revive  our  faith  by  saying:  'I believe  in  the  life  everlasting.  I  believe  that after  this  life,  which  for  me  will  quickly  finish, there  is  an  eternal  life,  either  full  of  delights,  or full  of  torments,  which  will  be  my  lot,  according to  my  merits  or  demerits.'

"St. Augustine,  also,  was  wont  to  say  that  a man  who  believes  in  eternity,  and  yet  is  not converted  to  God,  has  lost  either  his  reason  or his  faith.  'O  eternity!'  (these  are  his  words) 'he  that  meditates  upon  thee,  and  repents  not, either  has  no  faith,  or,  if  he  has  faith,  he  has  no heart.'  In  reference  to  this,  St.  John  Chrysostom  relates  that  the  Gentiles,  when  they  saw Christians  committing  sin,  called  them  either liars  or  fools."

4. Raise  your  heart  to  God  by  meditation, by mental  prayer. Only in  this  way  will  your hope, as  well  as  your  faith,  be  maintained  and kept from  degenerating  into  presumption  or despair.

5. The  sinner  often  resembles  the  ostrich, which lives  in  the  sandy  deserts  of  Africa. When it is  pursued  it  buries  its  head  in  the  deep  sand, that it  may  not  perceive  its  pursuer,  and  imagines itself to  be  unseen;  all  too  late  it  discovers  its mistake, when  the  fatal  bullet  has  inflicted  a mortal  wound. After a similar  fashion  do