Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/383

 2. In the first place, let me point out to you the trusty sentinels who will help you to conquer in the fight. The first is the holy fear of God and humility of heart. Happy are you, if you are constantly filled with this holy fear, and never forget that you bear about you the treasure of chastity in very frail vessels.

Take care that you do not talk like so many young men, who indeed are not evil minded, but thoughtless and inexperienced. Such a one witnesses the sad fall of one of his friends. What does he say? " Oh! this will not happen to me," he remarks, " I am not so stupid as he is." Or he exclaims in his conceit: "How can a reasonable being so far forget himself! I should not have believed so and so to be capable of it! No, indeed, I am cast in a very different mold!"

Thus it never occurs to the foolish and conceited young man that a similar misfortune may overtake him. He does not believe that he stands in need of warnings and exhortations; he throws them to the wind. Behold these are the lying utterances of Satan: "You shall not die."

But do you, my friend, be firmly convinced that every one who trusts in himself, and believes that his footing is firm, and therefore does not fly from the. tempter, is certain to be lost. Let him remember those words of Holy Writ: "He that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall;" let him