Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/304

 not frighten yon. and prevent  your  fulfilling  the  obligations  which the  Christian  religion  imposes.]

“ I do not blush  at  the  Gospel.” — Romans  i.

“ Why should you  fear  or  be  ashamed,  when  armed  with  the  sign of  the  cross? ” — St. Austin ,

1. We  have  nothing  to  fear  so  much  as  ourselves. Our own  weakness  is  more  alarming  than  the  united powers of  hell. A thought, a word,  a single  look,  is enough  to  overcome  us. Angels have  rebelled; Adam hath  fallen; Solomon  hath  bowed  to  idols; Peter hath  denied  his  Master. When cedars  have yielded, how  shall  the  reed  stand?

2. Our  own  heart  is  our  most  dangerous  enemy. Our senses  and  our  passions  are  always  conspiring against us;  we  are  vanquished  almost  without  a struggle. Let us,  then,  never  be  so  weak  or  foolish as to  trust  to  ourselves. Many, whom  torments could not  shake,  have  wretchedly  perished  in  a slight temptation: they were  victorious  over  tyrants,  but vanquished by  concupiscence.

3. There  is  no  man,  how  exemplary  soever  in  conduct, that  should  not  tremble  at  the  justice  of  God, because he  cannot  be  certain  whether  he  be  worthy of love  or  hatred. Sanctity may  be  lost  in  a single moment, and  the  saint  may  be  transformed  into  an odious  reprobate. We should  all,  therefore,  cry  out with St.  Philip  of  Neri: "Watch  me,  O Lord,  this day; for,  abandoned  to  myself,  I shall  surely  betray thee.”

[Beware of the  occasions  of  sin; the  most  dangerous  are  often what you  are  least  afraid  of.]

“Let him that  thinks  he  stands, take  heed lest he  fall.” — 1 Cor.iv.

“ Though you be  in  a place  of  safety,  do  not  on that  account think  yourself  secure."— St.  Bernard.