I ^
 
 THE LITTLE ^ 
 
 GARDEN OF ROSES,
 
 Lately Published, 
 
 Of the size and price of the 
 
 "LITTLE GARDEN OF ROSES," 
 
 THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST, 
 
 IN FODE BOOKS, 
 AND 
 
 LIFE OF THOMAS A KEMPIS, 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES BUTLER, ESQ. 
 With a beautiful Vignette.
 
 /e,,^e^W/2*'^t!^&X^ 
 
 ,■ THE LITTLE 
 
 GARDEN OF ROSES, 
 
 VALLEY OF LILIES, 
 
 TRANSLATED FBOM THE ORIGINAL LATIN OF 
 
 ^1ftotna0 a i^^tttpi0» 
 
 Ego flos campi, et lilium convallium. 
 Fulcite me floribus — quia amore langueo. 
 
 Ex Cant. Cant. ii. 
 
 13'=' ft 
 
 ILontron : 
 
 T. JONES, PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
 M.DCCC.XL. 
 
 f W^
 
 ENT AT STA. HML. 
 
 RICIIAKPS, rKIXTFr., ST. MAHTIN-
 
 ' i.^t^ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 It is a matter for wonder, that so few 
 of the works of the B. Thomas a 
 Kempis are known to the English 
 reader ; and this the more, that they 
 all hreathe the same meek and warm 
 spirit of piety and devotion we meet 
 with in that golden book attributed so 
 popularly to his name, and this more- 
 over to such an extent, that it is diffi- 
 cult to believe that there should ever 
 have been any hardy enough to deny, 
 that the author of these, and of " The 
 Imitation of Christ," were identical. 
 Into this controversy, which, like too 
 many others, has given rise to much 
 unseemly bitterness, we have no desire 
 to enter, as such a theme w'ould be 
 unfitting and disproportionate both to 
 the spirit and size of this little volume ; 
 
 2123676
 
 but, waiving all discussion, we subjoin 
 the follo%\-ing catalogue of his works, 
 that the English reader may from their 
 number judge and share in our sur- 
 prise that there are so many unknown 
 to him, when the great majority are 
 willing to take the household name of 
 a Kempis, for all that is sublime in 
 piety and beautiful in devotion. 
 
 *]. Sermones ad Novitios, 3 partes. 
 
 *2. Sermones novem, ad Fratres. 
 
 *3. Conciones et meditationes triginta sex 
 
 xitilissimae. 
 
 *1. Soliloquium Animae. 
 
 o. Hortiilus Rosarum. 
 
 *G. A'allis Lilionun. 
 
 *7. De tribus Tabemaculis. 
 
 8. De Disciplina Claustralium. 
 
 9. De fideli Dispensatore. 
 
 10. Hospitale Pauperum. 
 
 11. Dialogiis T^OA-itioriim. 
 
 12. Exercitia Spiritualia. 
 
 13. Doctrinale Juvenum. 
 
 * 14. De vera Compunctione. 
 15. De Solitudine.
 
 16. De Silentio. 
 
 17. De Recognitione Propriae fragiUtatis. 
 
 18. Enchiridion Monachorum. 
 
 19. Manuale Parvulorum. 
 
 20. De Elevatione Mentis in Deum. 
 
 21. Alphabetum parvum Monachi in 
 
 Seliola Cliristi, 
 
 22. Consolatio Pauperum. 
 *23. Orationes Pise. 
 
 24. De mortiiicatione siii ipsius. 
 26. De humilitate. 
 
 26. De Vita bona et Pacifica. 
 
 27. Vita boni Monachi (in rhyme). 
 
 28. Cantica Spiritualia. 
 
 29. Vita Gerardi magni. 
 
 30. — Florentii. 
 
 31. — I/uberti Berneri. 
 
 32. — Henrici Brune. 
 
 33. — Amilii Burensis. 
 
 34. — Jacobi de Viana. 
 
 35. — Johannis Cacabi, (Ketel). 
 
 36. — Amoldi Schoonehoven. 
 
 37. — B. Lidwini, Virginis. 
 
 38. Epistolse Sex. 
 
 39. Orationes Pise. 
 
 40. Cantica Spiritualia.
 
 Of these the greater number (some 
 from their very title, such as that De 
 Disciplina Claustralium) would appear 
 at first sight to be more exclusively 
 addressed to such as had embraced a 
 religious state ; yet there is so much 
 practical piety, such a warmth of de- 
 votion, and knowledge of the interior 
 life, suited to all, both lay and cleric, 
 that any or all are well worthy of an 
 English dress, and such as might 
 ripen the good seed into goodly fruit 
 in the heart of the reader. Moreover, 
 we should remember, that however 
 unpalateable to the world the strict- 
 ness of a religious life may be, and 
 this the more so, perhaps, from our 
 long estrangement from the example 
 of such a state in these countries, that 
 notwithstanding the leaven of the mo- 
 nastic virtues is equally applicable to 
 ourselves, and as necessary to us who 
 live in the world, as their practise is to 
 the monk, who aims at a higher grade
 
 of perfection within the bounds of his 
 convent. Of these none are more fre- 
 quently inculcated by our author than 
 humility. Humility is as the key- 
 stone of his mind. Every sentiment 
 he breathes is held up thereby, and as 
 St. Gregory says she is " the mother 
 and queen of all virtues," so in every 
 page of his writings, the heart of the 
 reader is sweetly led to seek an in- 
 crease of virtue by the path of hu- 
 mility, that leads through the Valley 
 of Lilies and the little Garden of 
 Roses. 
 
 Those works marked by an asterisk 
 have already been before the public in 
 a selection entitled, " Viator Chris- 
 tianus, or the Christian Traveller," 
 8vo. Dublin, 1804. But of the two 
 now translated from the original, that 
 of " The little Garden of Roses," ap- 
 pears for the first time. Should the 
 present be approved of, it is not un- 
 likely that others may follow, for there
 
 are many in the above list much akin 
 to the two now presented to the rea- 
 der's notice, equally worthy of atten- 
 tion, and equally filled with maxims 
 of virtue upon which all may meditate 
 ■with profit, and convert to a practical 
 result 
 
 Of the manner in which the follow- 
 ing work appears, there is little to be 
 said, but to crave the indulgence of the 
 reader, and, perhaps to apologise for 
 rendering into rhythm some detached 
 passages, wherein the author seemed 
 to rise ^^^th his subject into greater 
 breadth of style, sentiment, and ex- 
 pression, and as it were to allure the 
 translator to adopt a measure more 
 suited to express such a change. If 
 he has done wrong, he trusts that the 
 opportunity it gives him of quoting the 
 original in the appendix, will more 
 than make amends for the error he may 
 have committed. 
 Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, ISIO.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 GARDEN OF ROSES. 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 1. Ou seeking the company of the good, 
 
 and flying that of the bad . 1 
 
 2. On flying the world, and the snares 
 
 of the de\dl . . .5 
 
 3. On true wisdom to be sought of God 9 
 
 4. On warring against our own vices' . 11 
 
 5. On the needful grace of devotion . 15 
 
 6. Of hearing and reading the divine 
 
 word . . .18 
 
 7. On divine consolation in tribulation 21 
 
 8. Of the joy of a good conscience in 
 
 the Holy Spirit . . 24 
 
 9. On the good conversation of an hiun- 
 
 ble brother . . .29 
 
 10. On the instabihty of the humian 
 
 heart . . .35 
 
 11. On trust in God in time of trouble 39 
 
 12. On the \'irtue of prayer, and the pro- 
 
 fit of holy reading . . 43
 
 13. On the praises of charity, and its 
 
 fruits . . .53 
 
 14. On watching and striving against 
 
 temptations . . .61 
 
 15. On bearing one another's burthens . 6-1 
 
 16. Of the love of Christ, and of hatred 
 
 of the worid . . .70 
 
 17. On the imitation of the most holy 
 
 life of our Lord Jesus Christ . 79 
 
 18. Of the eternal praise of God . 89 
 
 THE VALLEY OF LILIES. 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 Prologue . . .107 
 
 1. On the three-fold state of human Ufe 109 
 
 2. Of the praise of God, in the poverty 
 
 of devotion . . .114 
 
 3. On the proA"ing of the devout by 
 
 contraries . . .117 
 
 4. Of the true lover of God . .119 
 
 5. On the gratitude of the soul, for 
 
 every good • . . 122 
 
 6. On the conformity of the devout soul 
 
 to the cross . . .124
 
 7. On tlie walking of a pure soul with 
 
 God . . .126 
 
 8. On the peace of heart, and rest in 
 
 God . . . 138 
 
 9. Of recollection of heart with God . 131 
 
 10. On watching and prayer against 
 
 temptations , . ,134 
 
 11. On the fear of eternal punishment, 
 
 as a preservative against the vices 
 
 of the flesh and pride of spuit, . 138 
 
 12. On the memory of our Lord's pas- 
 
 sion ; as a remedy against dissipa- 
 tion. . . .143 
 
 13. On the invocation of the holy name 
 
 of Jesus, and of the hlessed Mary, 
 his Virgin Mother . .146 
 
 14. On the mighty struggle against vice, 
 
 after the example of the saints . 153 
 
 15. On steadfastness . .157 
 
 16. On divine consolation in tribulation 
 
 for Christ's sake . . 161 
 
 17. On watching over the conscience. In 
 
 every place and at all times . 163 
 
 18. On solitude and silence . .171 
 
 19. On the refuge of the poor, in God 
 
 their helper . . . 180 
 
 20. On the poor and sick Lazarus . 186
 
 xu 
 
 21. On the clear understanding of the 
 
 Holy Scriptures . .191 
 
 22. On the great merit of patience for the 
 
 sake of Christ . . 199 
 
 23. On the good conversation of the hum- 
 
 ble monk . .201 
 
 24. On cautious speaking, and brotherly 
 
 compassion . . • 205 
 
 25. On the uncertain hour of death, and 
 
 the speedy end of this life . 211 
 
 26. Of the eternal praise of God, and 
 
 the desire of eternal glorj' 219 
 
 27. Of the praise of the holy Angels in 
 
 Heaven . . .226 
 
 28. A prayer of the devout lover of God 232 
 
 29. On union of the heart ^vith God . 236 
 
 30. On true peace, to be sought for in 
 
 God alone . . .241 
 
 31. On directing the intention to God . 246 
 
 32. The prayer of a humble and contrite 
 
 spirit . . .251 
 
 33. Of holy fellowship with Jesus and 
 
 with his saints . • 257 
 
 84. On placing your sovereign good and 
 
 farthest aim in God alone . 267 
 
 Appendix . . • 275
 
 TfiE 
 
 GARDEN OF ROSES.
 
 THE LITTLE 
 
 GARDEN OF ROSES. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 On seeking the Company of the good, 
 and flying that of the bad. 
 
 " Cum sancto sanctus eris, et cum 
 perversa perverteris, (Psalm xvii. 26.) 
 
 " With the holy., thou wilt be holy ; 
 and ivith the perverse., thou wilt he 
 perverted.''^ 
 
 Be diligent, beloved brother in 
 Christ, lest ye be seduced by the com- 
 pany of false and wicked men, or of 
 those who live without discipline ; but 
 draw near to the virtuous, to those who
 
 are friends of order, and well in- 
 structed, from whom you will only 
 hear words that are good, full of com- 
 fort and edification. 
 
 For as the unkindled coal warms 
 and glows when thrown on a hurning 
 fire, so a lukewarm Christian, in the 
 company of a pious and fervent brother, 
 often recovers his piety and fervour, 
 and as he grows in the knowledge of 
 good, acquires also the sweet odour of 
 virtue. 
 
 It was thus that the apostles, from 
 following Christ, became holy men, 
 and received the fulness of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 It was thus that Mark from fol- 
 lowing St. Peter, became learned in 
 the holy gospel, which with much 
 gladness he heard from the veiy lips 
 of that blessed apostle. 
 
 It was thus that from his infancy 
 Timothy, by following St. Paul, be- 
 came learned in the Holy Scriptures ;
 
 and farthermore, when the grace of 
 God advanced in him, was ordained 
 bishop, at Ephesus, by the Master who 
 loved him, as a loving father does his 
 only child. 
 
 It was thus that Polycarp, the dis- 
 ciple of Saint John the Apostle, became 
 a glowing preacher of the faith to 
 the people, and suffered with Saint 
 Ignatius a glorious martyrdom, — 
 that our blessed father Augustine, in- 
 structed and baptized by Saint Am- 
 brose, became that glorious doctor of 
 holy Church, whose fame is spread 
 over all the earth, — and so of that 
 holy youth Maurus, who, following 
 the footsteps of Saint Benedict, was 
 thereafter, by God's blessing, a holy 
 abbot, as famed for his virtues as for 
 his miracles. 
 
 And thus it was that Bernard, that 
 
 man well beloved of God, in the 
 
 school of the venerable Stephen, Abbot 
 
 of Citeaux, became the light of reli- 
 
 b2
 
 gion in his order, where he shone like 
 a clear star in the heavens. 
 
 Innumerous are the examples, both 
 ancient and modern, which prove that 
 the society of the good tends to the 
 safety of the soul, and that of the 
 wicked to its perdition ; that good in- 
 struction is profitable, and evil con- 
 versation dangerous ; and that silence 
 and solitude increase our spiritual ad- 
 vancement, while the dissipation and 
 tumult of the world retard its growth. 
 
 Live then alone, and labour in the 
 semce of God; or join thyself to the 
 devout and holy, with whom you may 
 discourse on the virtues of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 But see that ye fathom not through 
 vain curiosity the holy mysteries of 
 religion ; seek ye rather to search into 
 your own faults, and to apply to the 
 wounds of your soul, such means and 
 remedies as may restore it to healthful 
 soundness.
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 On flying the world, and the snares of 
 the devil. 
 
 " Audiens, sapiens, sapientior eritJ^ 
 (Prov. i. 5.) 
 
 " A wise man shall hear, and shall 
 be wiser.^^ 
 
 Ye young who yet love virtue, 
 hearken to the words of eternal wis- 
 dom ; from these you will draw more 
 instruction than from the combined 
 discourse of all earth's wisdom. 
 
 According to the words of the 
 Apostle St. John : " Love not the 
 world, nor the things which are in 
 the world." (1 John, ii. 15.) Cast them 
 from you as dung — reject them as 
 poison. 
 
 Think of eternity, and their temp- 
 tations shall cease to allure.
 
 6 
 
 Avoid every thing that may hurt 
 your soul; be uot an object of scan- 
 dal to any one, and watch well 
 that ye let not drop one unbecoming 
 word. 
 
 Should your father according to 
 the flesh seek to turn you from the 
 service of God, answer him that you 
 have a Father who is in heaven. 
 Should your mother or sister oppose 
 the execution of your designs, tell 
 them they are mortal, and may be 
 deceived, but " He who made me. He 
 shall guide me." 
 
 He that gives himself up to the 
 service of God, shall want for nothing. 
 
 Commend to the keeping of God 
 all your friends ; pray for their con- 
 version and perseverance in well- 
 doing ; ask above all that their attach- 
 ment to the things of this world 
 may never make them offend God, 
 and thereby lose the kingdom of 
 heaven.
 
 The dissipation of frequent visits 
 will bring trouble on your souls, but 
 " the world passes away, and the con- 
 cupiscence thereof." (1 John ii. 17.) 
 
 Even so you also shall pass away, 
 and all that are dear to you. 
 
 2. " Many are the snares of the devil, 
 and they that will become rich, or 
 great, fall into temptation, and many 
 unprofitable and hurtful desires." 
 (1 Tim. vi. 9.) 
 
 We have daily snares in our meat 
 and drink, in our wandering eye, 
 our idle tongue, the inconstancy of 
 our hearts, and distaste for good 
 works. 
 
 Honour, riches, and power, are but 
 vanity, and what seek you in the 
 world ; or what do you desire to see 
 in the world, which is nothing and 
 vanity ? for all is vanity, frailty, and 
 deceit; but the love of God, and per- 
 severance in well-doing. 
 
 You cannot love God perfectly, 
 till you despise yourself, and the
 
 8 
 
 world, for the love of God, who will 
 render to you " an hundred fold now 
 in this time, and in the world to 
 come life everlasting." (St. Mark x. 30.) 
 
 3. Oh, fellow pilgrim and brother, 
 let it not seem hard to be withdrawn 
 from your friends and acquaintance, 
 which are often an obstacle to your 
 eternal salvation, and the means of 
 lessening the divine consolations. 
 
 Where are those with whom you 
 have laughed and sported ? — They 
 are gone, and I am left alone. Where 
 are the visions of yesterday? — They 
 have melted away. Wliere is our meat 
 and our drink ? They are past for 
 ever. And ha^e your privations been 
 your bane, or your abstinence been 
 hurtful ? — You must reply that they 
 have hurt you not at all. Acknow- 
 ledge then that he is Nnse who re- 
 nounces the world and its pleasures 
 for the service, the reasonable service, 
 of God ; and woe to those whom the
 
 9 
 
 world inebriates with its charms ; for 
 soon all pleasant company flies away, 
 and is lost in death. All those I 
 loved are dead, and will come no 
 more again, and I shall follow them 
 at the call of God. They were as 
 passing guests on earth — I too am a 
 pilgrim. They have left all — as I 
 must forsake all. As a shadow they 
 past away — I too like them shall pass. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 On true wisdom to be sought of God. 
 
 " Beatusvir, qui invenit sapientiarn.^^ 
 (Prov. iii. 13.) 
 
 " Blessed is the man that jindeth 
 ivisdom " 
 
 1. Seek ye the true wisdom, which 
 Christ hath taught, and pointed out 
 to you by his example.
 
 10 
 
 He is truly wise who hates iniquity, 
 who speaks the truth, and w^orks the 
 works of justice; and he that leads a 
 sober and chaste life, who is pious, 
 humble and devout, and who shuns 
 the perilous rocks of temptation, pos- 
 sesses true wisdom, and the favour 
 of God and of men. His conscience 
 is pure — sorrow assails him not — 
 peace is his possession — and God often 
 pours into his breast, consolations, 
 that the world can neither know nor 
 relish. 
 
 2. But the wisdom of the world is 
 vanity, and foolishness in the sight of 
 God. It leads into error those that 
 love it, and to final sorrow those whom 
 it crowns with its shouts of triumph. 
 For the wisdom of the flesh is the 
 death of the soul, and striketh alike 
 all those who give themselves up to 
 the alluring pleasures of sense ; for 
 pain and sorrowful regret are all 
 that remain after the shameful enjoy- 
 ments of the flesh.
 
 11 
 
 But true wisdom is drawn from 
 the profound words and holy actions 
 of Christ, which invite us to despise 
 the world, to fly from its pleasures, 
 to curb our flesh, to bear with sorrow, 
 to bow to toil, and to cherish virtue. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 On warring against our own vices. 
 
 " Regnum ccelorum vim patitur.'^ 
 (St. Matth. xi. 12.) 
 
 " The kingdom of heaven suffereth 
 violence^ 
 
 Many begin, but few persevere ; 
 how very small a number attain per- 
 fection ! 
 
 For either we too easily fall before 
 the allurements of the flesh, or pride 
 lifts up its head, or we are cast down 
 by adversity.
 
 12 
 
 Alas! how seldom is found one 
 who loves God purely, overcomes 
 himself completely, and makes an 
 entire renunciation of himself. 
 
 " Perfection," said a devout per- 
 son, " is a rare bird ; it is too dif- 
 ficult to overcome oneself." But he 
 that works not hard to become vir- 
 tuous, shall never be filled with the 
 sweetness of virtue. 
 
 Every virtue has its particular sweet- 
 ness to refresh him that worketh well ; 
 but he that clings to vice, begets an 
 evil end, makes shipwreck of his ho- 
 nour, destroys repose, lays up for 
 himself a store of infirmities, increases 
 sorrow, and deprives himself of the 
 relish of what is good and virtuous ; 
 but he that denies himself lawful 
 pleasures, increases the surety of re- 
 sisting such as are unlawful. 
 
 2. He that muzzles the mouth of 
 the hound, need not fear his bark; 
 so he that keeps strict silence shall 
 not ofi'end with his lips.
 
 13 
 
 He that lives retired and in silence, 
 is far removed from falsehood and 
 bickering; from cursing and detrac- 
 tion ; from anger and murmuring. 
 
 He that hearkens not to evil dis- 
 course, and shuts his eyes on the 
 vanities of this world, more easily 
 avoids its snares, and turns away his 
 thoughts from its vain imaginations ; 
 for a watch over the senses is the foun- 
 dation of purity, the discipline of 
 peace, the mirror of devotion. 
 
 When wrath takes possession of 
 the breast, wisdom takes to flight 
 even from the wise. He that speaks 
 hastily is like a snarling hound ; but 
 a meek answer breaks the violence 
 of wrath, and gives to the afflicted 
 roses in the stead of thorns. 
 
 Blessed is the prudent tongue, for 
 it heals the wounds of the hasty. 
 
 3. He that resisteth his evil in- 
 clinations in their birth, when they 
 show themselves but young and lim-
 
 14 
 
 ber, shall more easily destroy them 
 than when their roots are deep. 
 
 He that is constant in the heavenly 
 exercises of prayer and meditation, is 
 like the prudent gardener, who plants 
 roses and lilies in his borders — both 
 ha^ e sweet joy in store ; but he with 
 the holy angels, in the heavenly para- 
 dise. 
 
 He that preserves purity in soul 
 and body is like God's angels; but 
 he that yields to his evil inclinations, 
 and takes pleasure in the depravity 
 of his thoughts, is the bondslave of 
 Satan. 
 
 It may be a hard struggle to resist 
 the seductions of vice ; but it shall 
 be much harder to awake in the fire 
 of hell, there to be tormented for ever. 
 
 One heat allays another ; and nail 
 drives out nail ; but laughter is put 
 to flight by sorrow. 
 
 When the love of God enters the 
 heart, all earthly and passing affec- 
 tions flee far away.
 
 15 
 
 He is wise that can despise the 
 countless lures of earth, for the dig- 
 nities of the tiara or the crown, with 
 all their privileges, are as nothing ; 
 the end of all is, death and the grave, 
 worms and ashes. How high soever 
 man may exalt himself, he is nothing — 
 death strips him of all. But happy 
 is that pilgrim whose home is in 
 heaven. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 " On the needful grace of devotion." 
 
 " Va vobis, qui ridetis, quia Jle- 
 Utis.'" (S. Luc. vi. 25.) 
 
 " Woe to you that laugh., for you 
 shall weep.'''' 
 
 1. As virtue cannot exist with vice, 
 so devotion is not to be acquired in
 
 16 
 
 the joyousness of feast and festival, but 
 in sorrow and silence. 
 
 Perfection in virtue cannot be ob- 
 tained at once, but by little and little, 
 by much groaning and sorrow ; upheld 
 by the firm resolve of increasing in 
 virtue every day; by doing violence to 
 ones'self; yet oftener by fasting, 
 watching, prayers, meditation, study, 
 holy reading, manual labour, abstain- 
 ing from idle talk, and remaining 
 willingly in secret. 
 
 2. All joy that comes not from 
 God, passes quickly away, and leaves 
 the soul stained and wounded. 
 
 Words that edify, bring joy to those 
 that hear them ; harsh words give 
 pain to our friends ; but idle words 
 rob us of the fruit that time would 
 have produced. 
 
 Be diligent in doing good ; patient 
 in bearing with evil ; and you will be 
 happy all the days of your life, for in 
 both you will ever praise God.
 
 17 
 
 It seldom happens that you are not 
 in one or other of these states, sad- 
 ness or joy; but hapjDy is he who 
 turns all to good, and who draws 
 profit from adversity. 
 
 Whoever loves God, receives from 
 His hand, the bitter as well as the 
 sweet ; and both with equal gratitude : 
 and he who holds little by man, or 
 by his own exertion, but puts all 
 his trust in God, walketh in the way 
 that is right and good, and nothing 
 shall turn him out of it.
 
 18 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Of hearing and reading the Divine Word. 
 
 " Bead, qui audhtnt Verbum Dei^ 
 (S. Luc. xi. 28.) 
 
 " Blessed are they who keep the 
 word of God.'''' 
 
 Human consolations are worthless 
 if they hinder such as are divine. 
 
 When you hear the Holy Scripture 
 read, remember it is God who speaks 
 to you ; humble yourselves then, and 
 receive his words with a grateful 
 heart. 
 
 The truth is not to be despised 
 because of the simplicity and want of 
 learning in him who declares it ; but 
 he that leads a good life teacheth 
 well ; and he that readeth well, is a 
 messenger from God. 
 
 A faithful teacher passes over in
 
 19 
 
 silence what would be hurtful, and 
 proclaims what is profitable, without 
 pretence or varnish ; for pure simple 
 truth always sounds pleasant in the 
 ear. 
 
 Subtle discourses are hurtful to 
 simple souls ; and those which flatter 
 vanity often lead the spirit into error. 
 
 He who aims at point in his dis- 
 course, at the expense of truth, is the 
 enemy of peace, and those who hear 
 him shall hardly avoid scandal. 
 
 He thatpasseth judgment with dis- 
 cretion is worthy of praise, but he 
 that judges harshly and without 
 mercy, is unworthy of mercy. 
 
 He that is of a hasty tongue does 
 himself much hanu — he oppresses the 
 innocent without a cause — lays him- 
 self open to his hidden enemies, and 
 casts ridicule in the face of day on 
 those whose conduct is good. 
 
 2. He that is of deceitful lips, 
 abuses the confidence of those that 
 c 2
 
 20 
 
 listen to him, and so his friends shall 
 be few. 
 
 Publish not scandal ; for it is well 
 to be silent : proclaim the truth, for 
 it is salutary ; be modest, for it is rea- 
 sonable; hurt no one, for it is just; 
 be useful to all, for such is piety ; 
 and edify thy neighbour by word and 
 deed, for such is religion. 
 
 The prudent man thinks before 
 he acts ; changes not unreasonably ; 
 speaks with reserve of what he is ig- 
 norant of; and affirms not lightly 
 what is doubtful. 
 
 The silence of the mouth is most 
 profitable to the peace of the heart : 
 but the mouth of the fool is always 
 open and ready for strife. 
 
 He that seeks to please God, watches 
 over his heart and lips ; and trem- 
 '■'les lest he lose the grace of devotion, 
 or give offence to the repose of love. 
 
 Fair words, albeit many fill not 
 the bag; nor shall a blaze of eloquent
 
 21 
 
 words sanctify the idle or the proud ; 
 but he that doeth good shall find 
 good. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 On Divine consolation in tribulation. 
 
 " Juxta est Dominus his, qui trihu- 
 lato sunt corde.^^ (Ps. xxxiii. 19.) 
 
 " The Lord is nigh unto them that 
 are of a contrite heart.^^ 
 
 1. How far advanced soever in 
 the practice of virtue and devotion, no 
 one is exempted from the burthen 
 of sorrows in this world. 
 
 But if thou be in tribulation and 
 sorrow of heart, remember that thou 
 art with Jesus Christ, nailed to the 
 cross ; and if in prayer you receive 
 the consolations of the Holy Spirit,
 
 22 
 
 then are you raised again from the 
 dead : like Christ, you celebrate the 
 Pasch with him in newness of life, 
 rejoicing in heart. 
 
 When Avords of harshness are ad- 
 dressed to you, think that you are 
 made to drink of the chalice of the 
 Lord, for the salvation of your souls. 
 
 2. Murmur not, but drink the bitter 
 draught with resignation — the Lord 
 himself will l)e your sure defence in 
 life and in death. 
 
 God will never forget you. 
 
 For oh ! what is more glorious, 
 than by silence and patience, to close 
 the mouth of him who speaks evil 
 against you : by the example of Jesus 
 Christ, who was silent before Pilate, 
 when they brought false witness 
 against him. (St. Matth. xxvi.) 
 
 You are not better, doubtless, than 
 your God, who, for the love ojf you, 
 was scourged Avith cruel mockings, 
 and at last put to death by tiie 
 wicked.
 
 23 
 
 Man knows not how far his virtue 
 and worth may go till he has heen 
 tried in the furnace of tribulation. 
 
 Christ has many servants, who 
 come to him, and seat themselves lo- 
 vingly at his table ; but he finds few 
 who would follow him into the desert 
 fasting. 
 
 3. The true lover of the crucified 
 Jesus refuses not to suffer, and to be 
 persecuted by the wicked ; to the end 
 that he may become more conformable 
 to the likeness of his Saviour, who 
 bowed himself to the ignominy and 
 scandal of the cross. 
 
 " For to live is Christ ; but to suffer 
 and die for him is the greatest gain." 
 (Ad, Phil. i. 21.) 
 
 The more thy love for God is fer- 
 vent, the less shall you dread death ; 
 and the more lively shall be thy desire 
 for the dissolution of the body, that 
 you may live happy with Christ, and 
 share in the joy of his holy angels for 
 all eternity.
 
 24 
 
 Happy is the soul that loveth Jesus 
 tenderly ; in whom the love of eternal 
 good, begets contempt for such as 
 pass away; who endures with patience 
 the evils of this life for the name of 
 Jesus ; who prostrates himself humlily 
 at his feet, and beseeches him to make 
 him advance still more and more with 
 perseverance and constancy in the 
 paths of virtue. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Of the joy of a good conscience in the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 " Gaudete in Domino semper.'''' 
 (a.d. Phil. iv. 4.) 
 
 " Rejoice in the Lord always.'''' 
 
 Drive far from you that gloomy 
 melancholy which begets disgust and 
 rancour in the soul.
 
 25 
 
 Learn the sweet and holy practice 
 of meditating- on tlie life and passion 
 of Jesus Christ ; you will find in this 
 exercise real consolation both against 
 the heaviness of your hearts, and 
 against temptations. 
 
 A good life is worthy of praise, but 
 a lukewarm conversation is burthen- 
 some to all. 
 
 A good conscience begets inward 
 joy; but an evil conscience engenders 
 remorse. 
 
 Strive always to do well, and you 
 shall enjoy a good and lasting peace. 
 
 You have nothing to fear from the 
 malice of the sinner, if you yourself 
 keep steadfast in the path of justice. 
 
 A good conversation produces joy 
 of heart, and his just praise is spread 
 abroad. 
 
 Undeserved praise soon melts away 
 in the mouth of him who giveth it. 
 
 For the flattery of a fool is more 
 hurtful than the harsh censure of the 
 just.
 
 26 
 
 2. Humble prayer pierces the hea- 
 vens, disaiiiis the anger of God, obtains 
 his mercies, and makes the snares of 
 the evil one of none avail. 
 
 A humble confession deserves for- 
 giveness ; but a frivolous excuse ag- 
 gravates the offence. 
 
 Sincere contrition wipes away the 
 stain of sin ; and fervent meditation 
 shortens the penance. 
 
 Idle talk weakens the grace of 
 devotion, but good discourse increases 
 the joy of our soul. 
 
 We ought in every place to keep a 
 cautious watch over our senses ; and 
 a spiritual retreat is profitable to him 
 Avhose occupations call him abroad. 
 
 Frequent prayer is a sure pro- 
 tection ; but the silence of the lips is 
 the very roof-tree of peace (domici- 
 lium pads.) 
 
 Many begin their course with ar- 
 dour, but only those who persevere unto 
 the end shall obtain the crown of glory. 
 
 The yoke of Christ is sweet to those
 
 27 
 
 who love ; but burthensome to the 
 lukewarm : it is bitter to the proud, 
 but light to the meek, and dear to the 
 humble. 
 
 Sweet Jesus, maketh all things 
 sweet and light. 
 
 The carnal man seeks only sensual 
 gratifications : but the spiritual man 
 has a horror of such things, and avoids 
 them. 
 
 The most heavy affliction of the 
 just is that he cannot extinguish in 
 his soul all vicious emotions : but 
 why does God permit this to be so ? 
 it is that he may be continually hum- 
 ble, and that he may implore the Divine 
 aid unceasingly. 
 
 3. Even as the proud man glories 
 in his honours, and the rich in his 
 riches, so he that is truly humble re- 
 joices in poverty, and in self-abase- 
 ment. 
 
 Christ, the King of Heaven, is the 
 exceeding glory and riches of the ser- 
 vants of God.
 
 28 
 
 Out of God, all affection is corrupt, 
 all pleasure vain, all abundance 
 poverty, 
 
 Nothinsf, indeed, can satisfy the 
 thirst of tlie soul, but God alone, who 
 created it. 
 
 The spirit of that man is truly free, 
 which covets none of the things which 
 are of this world. 
 
 To act well, and suffer evil, to 
 praise God in all things, and never to 
 draw vanity from his good gifts — such 
 is the life of the just. 
 
 He that despises himself, and 
 ascribes to God all that he has of 
 good in his thoughts, words, or ac- 
 tions, gives to Him the praise that is 
 truly His due. 
 
 When thoughts, then, of vain gloiy 
 come over you, consent not to them, 
 but forthwith cry out humbly with 
 the prophet, " Not unto us, not unto 
 us, but to thy name be the glory." 
 (Ps. cxiii. 3.)
 
 29 
 
 Man's most glorious triumph con- 
 sists in overcoming his affections, 
 in surmounting his dislikes, and in 
 bearing with resignation whatever 
 grievously afflicts him. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 On the good conversation of an humble 
 brother. 
 
 " Humilihus autem Deus dat gra- 
 tiam.''^ (Sti. Jacob, iv. 6.) 
 
 " God giveth grace to the humble" 
 
 1. A person consecrated to God, 
 ought to be adorned with humility and 
 modesty in all his words and actions, 
 and should never be occupied in 
 trifles. 
 
 There is every reason to believe that 
 a young man engaged in the service of
 
 30 
 
 God, will lead a holy life, when, during 
 his noviciate, he practices humility, 
 and speaks little, above all in the pre- 
 sence of his elders. 
 
 He that does not accustom himself 
 to listen, and who learns not to keep 
 silence, w^ll seldom attain to know- 
 ledge and wisdom. 
 
 Many pass for ignorant, for this 
 only reason, that they are unman- 
 nerly. 
 
 To obey readily, to pray fervently, 
 to meditate devoutly, to work with di- 
 ligence, to study with pleasure, to fly 
 the tumult of the world, to love soli- 
 tude — such are the virtues that give 
 true devotion and inward peace to such 
 as are consecrated to God. (Ad mo- 
 nachum.) 
 
 We read in Genesis, " That God 
 had respect to the ofi"erings of Abel, 
 but rejected those of Cain ;" and why ? 
 because Abel was innocent and hum- 
 ble, Cain envious and perverse.
 
 31 
 
 Be then as Abel, in bearing pa- 
 tiently with such as oppress you ; 
 strive not with Cain, lest you lose the 
 peace of your soul, and the reputation 
 of a good name ; for it is better for 
 you to lose your property, than to 
 offend God, to outrage your brother, 
 and to wound charity. 
 
 2. If you would have treasure in 
 heaven, cast from you the burthen of 
 earth ; and if your aim be eternal 
 glory, despise the passing grandeur of 
 this world. 
 
 If you desire peace, beware of the 
 house of contention, and the root of 
 wrath — if you would be great in 
 heaven, be as a little one on earth. 
 
 Seek not to be justified in the eyes 
 of man, for their praise is delusive, 
 when the witness of your conscience is 
 against you. 
 
 The bold and the babbler are alike 
 blame-worthy, both oerstep the bounds 
 of rectitude.
 
 ;32 
 
 The fool-hardy perish in heaps, for 
 they presume on their own strength : 
 but many of the weak are strength- 
 ened, for they call on the name of the 
 Lord, and put their trust in him. 
 
 The humble and the meek are lo^ed 
 by all — but the severe and hard man 
 is shunned by his neighbours. 
 
 The patient and the silent man 
 triumphs over his enemies by courteous 
 charity. 
 
 He that willingly lends his service 
 to others, and pities them in their 
 sorrows, increases the number of his 
 friends ; but he that cannot keep 
 silence in season, shall be covered with 
 confusion before many. 
 
 3. He that knows how to advance 
 in virtue, to amend himself, and to 
 deserve the esteem of his brethren by 
 the practice of virtue — that man is 
 wise, and possesses true knowledge. 
 
 He is strong who resists his vices 
 with all his power ; he is a sovereign
 
 33 
 
 Lord who reigns over the depraved 
 affections of his heart — he is a brave 
 soldier, and armed at point, who by 
 the arms of continence subdues his 
 flesh ; but he that lives chastely on 
 earth, deserves a place among the 
 angels of heaven. 
 
 The chaste man is the friend of 
 God, the companion of angels, the 
 brother of virgins, the beloved fellow- 
 citizen of the saints, for he that joins 
 humility to chastity, triumphs over the 
 evil one, while he puts to flight the 
 immodest. 
 
 That prelate is truly eminent, who 
 rules over himself with the rod of 
 virtue, and gives a good example to 
 those that are subject to him. 
 
 He that imitates the virtuous is 
 worthy of their praise ; and that man 
 is truly noble and free, who is en- 
 nobled by virtue. 
 
 That man is fair and comely, who 
 is pure from sin, but however well 
 
 D
 
 34 
 
 adoraed the sinner be outwardly, he 
 still is foul and hideous mthin. 
 
 He that is full of the grace of God, 
 and lusts not after this world's ho- 
 nours, is hoth rich and happy; but 
 both ignorance and folly is the lot of 
 him who refuses the good, and em- 
 '' races the bane of his soul. 
 
 To seek the things which are eternal, 
 and to despise such as " perish in the 
 using," this is divine wisdom. 
 
 4. He is wise who departs not 
 from the doctrine of the fathers, and 
 who preserves in its integrity the de- 
 posit of the faith. 
 
 The love of God, and the keeping 
 of his commandments — this is true 
 wisdom. 
 
 If any one apply to you for in- 
 struction, point out to him the path of 
 humility, and walk yourself before 
 him therein. 
 
 He that is truly humble, knows not 
 vanity — disclaims praise — rejoices in
 
 35 
 
 contempt — and keeps no place in his 
 memory for wrong or insult. 
 
 CHAR X. 
 
 On the instability of the human heart. 
 
 " Qui manet in me, et ego in eo, hie 
 fert fructum rmiltum.^^ (St. Job.xv. 5.) 
 
 " He that abideth in me, and I in 
 him, the same beareth much fruit.^^ 
 
 The thoughts and affections of man 
 change and vaiy unceasingly ; but all 
 are vain and impure which come not 
 from God. 
 
 Oh lustful and insatiable heart of 
 man ! what misery and bitterness is 
 thine in forsaking thy God ! why toil 
 after empty trifles that can bring thee 
 no consolation, nor fulfil thy wants? 
 d2
 
 36 
 
 What do you do, or whither do you 
 go astray to look for happiness ? 
 
 Return, return speedily into your 
 own hearts ; see in how many things 
 you have offended, and look that you 
 repair the evil you have done. 
 
 Make ready in your soul a dwelling- 
 place for thy God ; and cast away the 
 rush of vain imaginings, and all eter- 
 nal cares, that you may be filled ^nth 
 the consolations of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 2. He that often goes abroad is 
 rarely the better for it ; for all that 
 glitters so fair in the world, leads to 
 nothing real. 
 
 The eye is not satisfied \vith what it 
 sees ; and what strikes the ear filleth 
 not the heart ; and if all be not re- 
 ferred to the praise of the Creator, 
 all that you see is but an empty 
 vision. 
 
 Hence the holy David sings — 
 " Thou hast given me, O Lord, a 
 delight in thy doings, and in the works
 
 37 
 
 of thy hands, I shall rejoice." (Ps. 
 xci. 5.) 
 
 No created thing is steadfast ; there 
 is nothing abiding but God, our so- 
 vereign good. 
 
 Abide in the truth ; it will deliver 
 you from falsehood, from iniquity, and 
 from thy wandering fancies. 
 
 The slander that is falsely coined 
 against one's neighbour, shall return 
 on the head of him that invents it. 
 
 Christ is the truth; and he that 
 follows him loves the truth, and all 
 virtue. 
 
 He that sacrifices truth to temporal 
 advantage, fortune or honours, makes 
 shipwTeck of his faith, and bids adieu 
 to the glory which is virtue's rever- 
 sion. 
 
 God is truth, and permits not false- 
 hood to remain long concealed. 
 
 The wicked may for some time veil 
 his conduct under the mantle of dis- 
 simulation ; but truth shall prevail at 
 E 3
 
 38 
 
 last, and the hypocrite be confounded 
 in the hour he thinks not of. 
 
 Let not your thoughts or your de- 
 sires be set on any thing but what is 
 just or pleasing to God; so shall you 
 practise virtue, and work good works 
 for the gloiT of God. 
 
 3. He that speaks the truth, and 
 hates iniquity, shall be great in the 
 kingdom of' heaven : but he that 
 works iniquity, and hates the truth, 
 shall be tonnented with eternal pu- 
 nishment. 
 
 Abide in truth and in charity, and 
 thus you shall be pleasing to God, to 
 angeis and men. 
 
 Fear not — the wicked may happily 
 gain over you some passing advan- 
 tage, but God will grant to him who 
 suffers from his injustice, goods that 
 are infinitely greater and eternal. 
 
 Do you wish your soul to dwell in 
 peace, and your conscience to reproach 
 you in nothing ? Be humble, be 
 patient, be obedient — for
 
 39 
 
 There is no enemy to be dreaded so 
 dangerous as yourself, when your 
 passions are roused. 
 
 Look carefully into your own faults, 
 and you will find little leisure or in- 
 clination to weigh in the balance the 
 actions of others. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 On Trust in God in time of trouble. 
 
 " Spera in Domino, et fac boni- 
 tatem." (Ps. xxxvi. 3.) 
 
 " Trust in the Lord, and do good.^^ 
 
 1. Gloiy not in the temporal ad- 
 vantages you may enjoy, nor put your 
 trust in friends and familiars ; for all 
 things are uncertain, and full of peril ; 
 but he that puts his trust in God, and
 
 40 
 
 calls upon Him in the time of need, 
 shall not be forsaken in his worst tri- 
 bulation. 
 
 He whose life is good, whose words 
 are edifying, who offends no one, who 
 keeps a strict watch against iniquity, 
 and over his evil thoughts, shall enjoy 
 much peace. Shut the door of thy 
 house, and thou shalt sleep in peace. 
 
 He that provides not every day 
 some good action, to oppose as a 
 shield to the attacks of the evil one, 
 shall fall an easy prey to the enemy. 
 
 !Mauy cease to pray, and to resist 
 temptations, when all goes not well 
 with them; but virtue is not to be ac- 
 quired without pain and strife, nor 
 maintained without assiduous care. 
 
 A dissipated and inconstant mind 
 abhors discipline and flies from its cell, 
 like a bird from captivity. 
 
 Are you violently tempted or hardly 
 pressed, or mocked, or loaded with 
 confusion ? despair not : reflect forth-
 
 41 
 
 with that your sins justly deserve the 
 censure and despite of men ; suffer 
 patiently, and say trustfully, " It is 
 good for me that thou hast humbled 
 me, O Lord, that I may learn thy jus- 
 tifications." — (Ps. cxviii. 71.) 
 
 In temptation or tribulation, man 
 learns how needful to him is God : for 
 then he acknowledges his wants, and 
 feels the greatness of his defects. For 
 he is both an unfaithful and a foolish 
 servant, who makes use of his mas- 
 ter's goods to minister to his own va- 
 nity, and through them to despise 
 others. 
 
 3. He that despises his brethren, or 
 thinks himself better than they, out- 
 rages God and all his saints ; and we 
 shall fall into the like error, should 
 we cease to be humble, and cast aside 
 the remembrance of our own faults, or 
 cease to weep over them. 
 
 It is enough for each to bear his 
 own burthen ; why then do we busy
 
 42 
 
 ourselves with the conduct of others ? 
 Why charge ourselves with a hurthen 
 heavier than Ave can hear ? 
 
 It happens sometimes, that the 
 faults, the errors, and the negligences 
 of a brother, become public, in order 
 to make him more humble, and more 
 compassionate to the weaknesses of 
 his brethren, and to dispose him to 
 guide with all charity into the way of 
 peace, those who err. Taught by his 
 own experience, he says, " He is a 
 man, and not an angel ; it has hap- 
 pened to him, as it has already hap- 
 pened to me ; we are brethren — my 
 intentions were bad, and his may per- 
 haps have been good. God is the 
 only one who can never err, nor ever 
 do ill." 
 
 Why do you mock when your bro- 
 ther falls ? " Let him that* thinketh 
 himself to stand, take heed lest he 
 fall."— (1 Cor. X. 12.) Here it was 
 that you fell.
 
 43 
 
 The shame of an open fall often 
 entirely extinguishes all emotions of 
 vain-glory. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 On the virtue of prayer, and the profit 
 of holy reading. 
 
 " Sine intermissione orataj'^ (I Tlies. 
 V. 17.) 
 
 '■'■Pray without ceasing.^''— And ivhyp 
 Because we are girt about by tribula- 
 tions and temptations ; by the snares 
 aad suggestions of evil angels. 
 
 Tidings of good come rarely, war 
 pervades all ; fear within ; comhat 
 without; there is no day which has 
 no toil, no hour that we may not have 
 the horrors of death under our eyes. 
 
 By the just judgment of God, are 
 the nations around us ravaged by fire
 
 44 
 
 and sword ; for by these scourges he 
 would punish the crimes of the wicked, 
 and lead his elect to seek for eternal 
 blessings. 
 
 Unceasing prayer, then, is of the 
 highest importance, to oppose as a 
 breastplate of proof against the fiery 
 darts of the enemy. 
 
 He that ceases to pray, renounces 
 the conflict ; and he that strives not 
 in battle, is already overcome, and has 
 lost the crown of victory. 
 
 But, who can pray always? and 
 fight always ? 
 
 All things are possible to him that 
 calls on the Lord, and puts his trust 
 in him ; for " the Lord is nigh unto all 
 that call upon him, — to all that call 
 upon him in truth." (Ps. cxliv, 18.) 
 
 If you cannot pray always ^^^th the 
 lips, pray with the spirit, and in the 
 heart ; by the fervour of your desires, 
 and the purity of your intentions. 
 
 A firm desire to do good, and to
 
 45 
 
 serve God, is as a continual sacrifice 
 offered to him on the altar of your 
 hearts : for he " prays without ceas- 
 ing," who never ceases to do well. 
 
 He that mourns not over his past 
 transgressions, and who sighs for far- 
 ther growth in virtue, " ceases not to 
 pray." Say then with holy David : — 
 " Lord, all my desire is before thee, 
 and my groaning is not hidden from 
 thee." (Ps, xxxvii. 10.) 
 
 2. The word of God, and holy read- 
 ing, is most useful to recal our spirit, 
 when it is distracted by external cares, 
 or by some passion from within, that 
 would domineer over it. 
 
 Good reading teaches us the right 
 path of life ; good examples excite our 
 imitation, and prayer obtains from hea- 
 ven the needfulgrace to follow these. 
 
 Reading of God is well ; prating to 
 God is better; but prayer for God, 
 is the best of all. 
 
 Blessed is he, who in all his words
 
 46 
 
 and actions, proposes to himself no 
 other end than the glory of G od ; de- 
 siring that in all and above all, he 
 may be praised and blessed for ever. 
 
 3. How can it be said that a reli- 
 gious is devout? and how can he be- 
 come so, if he prefer idle babbling 
 before reading, study, and prayer ? 
 
 He that takes pleasure in speaking 
 or listening to frivolous things, bar- 
 ters his soul for a pitiful price. 
 
 In all temptation or tribulation, fly 
 to prayer, as to your soul's harbour. 
 The more readily you have recourse to 
 it, the more will it be efficacious. The 
 more you delay, the less advantage 
 shall you obtain : the more frequent 
 it be, the more profit will you draw 
 from it : the more fervent it be, the 
 more pleasing to God. 
 
 God, who is good and merciful, 
 loves us to ask of him : he furnishes 
 us with occasions for prayer, and he 
 hath promised that we shall be heard ;
 
 47 
 
 since he hath said " Ask and you shall 
 receive." (Matt. xvii. 17.) 
 
 He invites us to prayer by his dis- 
 courses, — leads us thither by his ex- 
 ample, — constrains us by his threats, 
 and encourages us by his favours. He 
 punishes our negligence by adversity ; 
 rewards our submission by prosperity ; 
 and in this morning and evening ojf 
 pains and consolations, is our one clay 
 of life accomplished. (Gen. i.) 
 
 Moreover, God often communicates 
 to those who pray devoutly, who love 
 retreat and silence, interior consola- 
 tions, which he refuses to those who 
 love the world and its idle conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 3. But ye who love good tidings, come 
 and entertain you with Jesus Christ ; 
 listen to him as he speaks of the king- 
 dom of God, — of the judgment to 
 come, — of the Heavenly Jerusalem ; 
 of the happiness which the inhabitants 
 of heaven, the orders and choirs of
 
 48 
 
 angels, enjoy ; of the glory and ho- 
 nour of the elect, and of the recom- 
 pense of the saints, who shall spend 
 all eternity in joy and gladness. 
 
 Hearken to the prophets, as they 
 unfold the hidden mysteries of Christ, 
 and declare the chastisements which 
 lower over the sinner. 
 
 Listen to the apostles and evange- 
 lists, as they publish abroad the won- 
 derful works and miracles of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Listen to the doctors of the Church, 
 as they speak with eloquent tongues 
 of holy things, and explain what is 
 obscure in the Scriptures ; as they 
 give bright colours to the life of virtue, 
 and refute the vain reasoning of schism 
 and heresy. 
 
 May each one of us choose in these 
 instructions, the truths most suited 
 to our taste or wants. Pass not over 
 with disdain such as seem simple, 
 and censure not those which are above
 
 49 
 
 your intellect; for it is folly to re- 
 prove the wise, but it is impiety to 
 condemn the saints and men inspired 
 of God. 
 
 5. Labour steadfastly then to learn 
 the most simple truths, and humbly 
 resolve to practise the least, however 
 small ; and if it be to thy advantage, 
 God will give you soon the knowledge 
 of higher mysteries. 
 
 It is written : " To hi m who kuoweth 
 to do good, and doth it not, to him it 
 is sin." (St. James iv. 17.) 
 
 He that is stored with knowledge, 
 and makes not use of it to regulate his 
 conduct ; and he that reads, but profits 
 not by what he reads, are like those 
 who go away empty and famished, 
 •from a table that is abundantly spread. 
 
 As he that works little, shall be long 
 in want; so he that seldom prays, 
 shall be long lukewarm. 
 
 He that discourses against vice, 
 
 £
 
 50 
 
 and corrects not his own, scatters good 
 seed amongst thorns. 
 
 And little fruit w-ill he gathered 
 from many words, if one comes to 
 prayer without first casting out his 
 evil thoughts. 
 
 Happy is he that with earnest care, 
 casts forth from his soul all impurity ; 
 and who suffers nothing- to remain in 
 the secret of his heart, that can wound 
 the chaste regards of his heavenly 
 spouse. 
 
 The humhle confession of sin, pro- 
 ceeding from a heart truly contrite 
 and lowly, is a sure means of cleans- 
 ing it from vice. 
 
 6. The pious Christian finds plea- 
 sure in prayer; the studious man in his 
 books ; the devout soul, in the practice 
 of virtue ; the proud, in honours ; the 
 humble, in contempt : the rich, in his 
 riches ; the beggar, in his alms ; the 
 glutton, in his eating and drinking; 
 the idle in his frivolous talk : the sober
 
 51 
 
 man, in his temperance ; the wise, in 
 his wisdom ; the good monk, in sub- 
 mission to his rule ; — but none of these 
 enjoyments are to be compared with 
 those which flow from the love of God, 
 and the peace of a good conscience. 
 
 Would you triumph over your most 
 dangerous enemies ? fly, speak little — 
 be not angry — pray — fast — study — 
 work — be diligent. 
 
 A holy man thinks holily, speaks 
 truly, and acts justly ; despises things 
 present, and meditates on those that 
 are eternal. 
 
 The humble man receives the ad- 
 vice that is given to him ; the prudent 
 man avoids danger ; the patient suflers 
 with resignation, and the diligent 
 neglects not his occupation ; and he 
 that shuns not small faults, shall fall 
 into great ones. 
 
 7. If one be lukewarm in the morn- 
 ing, he will rarely be found fervent at 
 the close of the day.
 
 5a 
 
 He that springs from inaction to 
 put himself promptly to work, feels an 
 inward satisfaction, and if he be not 
 honoured by men, shall be well pleas- 
 ing in the sight of God, which is far 
 better and infinitely more to be prized ; 
 for God giveth himself to the saints, 
 to be their reward and the eternal re- 
 compense of their good works, their 
 toil, and sufferings. 
 
 The idle man is never satisfied in 
 his idleness, but the virtuous man de- 
 nies himself even of things that are 
 lawful. 
 
 He that is founded on humility, and 
 counts as nothing the honours of this 
 world, shall walk with an assured step 
 in the way that is good. 
 
 That man lives and acts wisely, 
 who, to please God alone, separates 
 himself from the world to live retired ; 
 and who, full of contempt and dis- 
 relish for earthly goods, longs only for 
 those of heaven, and ever places the 
 love of God above all.
 
 53 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 On the praises of Charity, and its fruits. 
 
 " Omnia vestra in charitate Jiant.^^ 
 (1 ad Cor. xvi. 14.) 
 
 " Let all your things he done in 
 chariti/." 
 
 1 . Charity is a noble virtue, and sur- 
 passes all virtues, knowledge and gifts. 
 
 It purifies the soul from sin; it 
 warms and inflames, and fills it with 
 a wondrous sweetness, making it love 
 God, with all its heart, and intellect, 
 and affections. 
 
 It justifies the sinner, and sets the 
 bond-slave free ; of an enemy it makes 
 a friend ; of a foreigner, a fellow- 
 citizen ; of a stranger, a familiar. It 
 teaches the inconstant, constancy ; 
 the proud, humility; the perverse, 
 meekness : it gives to the lukewarm,
 
 54 
 
 ferrour ; to the broken heart it brings 
 joy; it opens the hand of the avari- 
 cious ; it wakes the carnal man to 
 spiritual life; it gives wisdom and 
 knowledge to the ignorant. Such are 
 the effects of charity when it comes 
 into the soul of the faithful, through 
 the Holy Spirit, which is given to as 
 from heaven. 
 
 Its flight is bold and daring, for it 
 rises above the Cherubim and Sera- 
 phim, and all the angelic choirs. 
 
 It comprehends both the means and 
 the extremes ; forming but one and 
 the same whole of things most op- 
 posite. 
 
 It infuses joy into the heart of all 
 men — of one and all — not that joy 
 which has its foundation in personal 
 complacency, but that which maketh 
 glad the heart, whose every aff'ection 
 is for God. 
 
 Charity pervades both heaven and 
 earf 1, sea and land ; — all that the eye
 
 55 
 
 or ear can compreliend of the wonders 
 of creation, it makes use of to the 
 praise and glory of the Creator. 
 
 There is no living thing, however 
 small or contemptible, which, by the 
 perfection of its being, reveals not the 
 hand of its Sovereign Maker, the wis- 
 dom of the Disposer, and the provi- 
 dence of Him who rules and goeerns 
 all supremely well : and this thought 
 leads the devout soul to praise God, to 
 bless and celebrate his praises, at all 
 times and in every place. 
 
 As wax melts before the fire, so by 
 charity the soul is kindled inwardly : 
 it ceases to be chained to earth ; wings 
 are given to it, and it rises above the 
 stars of heaven, to seek the only object 
 of its love, — God, the creator and pre- 
 server of all things, in whom it can 
 rejoice in exhaustless happiness, and 
 repose in absolute security. 
 
 2. Oh, what sweetness and happi- 
 ness does he taste, who is joined with 
 God, and inwardly rejoices in Him !
 
 56 
 
 Oh ! how happy should we be, if we 
 could taste but a little of that eternal 
 blessedness, which appears unclouded 
 to the angels for ever. 
 
 But we are recalled to an active 
 life, and are obliged, with courage and 
 the arms of charity, to fight against 
 the temptations which daily assault us. 
 
 For we often pass from joy to afflic- 
 tion, from consolation to sadues*^, from 
 laughter to weeping, from peace and 
 repose, to inward war and trouble of 
 soul. 
 
 Great consolations are often suc- 
 ceeded by profound desolation, or by 
 an importunate temptation, or a cor- 
 poral infirmity, or some human con- 
 trariety : or the loss of friends, or the 
 triumph of our enemies, or trouble of 
 soul ; or the railleries of the younger, 
 the censure of the old, or the severe 
 reproof of our superior. 
 
 But these things are sent to humble 
 the pride of our hearts; or to make us
 
 57 
 
 shew compassion to the weak, or to 
 such as are in temptation or affliction. 
 
 Let us not then trust in ourselves, 
 nor be over wise, nor look to our own 
 advantage ; but let us be humble to 
 all, being subject to God, and to every 
 creature for God's sake. (1 Pet. ii. 13) 
 Such is true charity. 
 
 By charity God came down into the 
 world : by it were the gates of heaven 
 re-opened to man. 
 
 By charity, Christ came down to 
 save sinners. By charity and the 
 ignominy of the cross, he ascended to 
 the right-hand of his Father, and thus 
 assured to man the highest of honours. 
 
 3. Charity is never idle ; it is 
 busied with things the highest and 
 the most exalted : it comes down 
 graciously and willingly to the humble 
 and lowly. 
 
 It labours with diligence in honour- 
 able callings, and it delights in the 
 meanest employment that obedience 
 imposes.
 
 68 
 
 It sliows no repugnance to cleanse 
 the wounds of the sick, to wash their 
 feet, to make their beds, to clean their 
 clothes, or sweep up their filth. 
 
 It suffers in patience, and rejoices 
 in the midst of reproach and evil 
 speaking. 
 
 4. As fire burns faggots, so the fire 
 of charity consumes the fuel of vice. 
 It purifies the heart by contrition, 
 washes it by confession, cleanses it by 
 prayer, enlightens it by holy reading, 
 inflames it by devout meditation, fos- 
 ters it by holy retirement, and unites 
 it to God, by the fervour of its love. 
 
 Charity excites the mouth of man 
 to sing the praises of God, his hands 
 to labour for Him, his feet to walk, 
 his eyes to contemplate his beauty, his 
 memory to recal his benefits, all his 
 body to minister to him, and all his 
 faculties to love God above all that is 
 in heaven or on earth. 
 
 Charity, when joined with humility,
 
 59 
 
 repairs the past ravages of sin, fences 
 it against future dangers, gives it dis- 
 cernment of things present; delivers 
 it from many doubts, sets a guard 
 against curiosity, retrenches all super- 
 fluities, casts aside all vain things, 
 discovers such as are false, inspires 
 horror of such as are shameful ; 
 softens what is hard, gives under- 
 standing of things obscure, reveals in 
 prayer the secrets of heaven, and, in a 
 word, governs all, within and without. 
 
 In a holy soul, charity ceases not 
 to work for God, although the weak- 
 ness of human nature, and imperious 
 circumstances, peraiit it not always to 
 realize the designs of its heart. 
 
 5. How happy is the pure soul, to 
 whum God is all, who leels no plea- 
 santness nor worth out of God, and 
 who sees nothing that deserves its 
 affection — yea, rather, all bitter and 
 burthensome. God loves it, because 
 for His love it has renounced all,
 
 60 
 
 even its own affections, and fights 
 boldly to preserve its purity. 
 
 Free from all earthly affection, the 
 pure soul rises to God, and springs 
 above created worlds, where it can 
 find no worth or honour fit for its 
 desires. 
 
 Charity breaks all bonds that chain 
 it to the world : makes light its heavy 
 burthens, and hastens to fulfil -with 
 faithfulness whatever is pleasing to 
 God. 
 
 Its prayer is that of Christ. It 
 says with him : " Father, not my will, 
 but thine be done in eveiy place, and 
 for ever and ever. Amen. (Matt, xxv.)
 
 61 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 On watching and striving against 
 temptations. 
 
 " Resistita diabolo,et fiigiet a vohisy 
 (St, James iv. 7.) 
 
 " Resist the devils and he ivill fiy 
 from your 
 
 Wherever the just unites his soul 
 to God, by prayer and meditation, by 
 study and manual labour ; there are 
 on one side holy angels who rejoice 
 with him, and on the other, evil spirits 
 who send distractions and temptations. 
 
 When you begin to pray, the devils 
 take to flight, as from the fire of the 
 Holy Spirit ; but when you laugh and 
 make merry talk, they return fast and 
 quickly, blow the fire of your dis- 
 traction, and make it flame more 
 brightly.
 
 62 
 
 A good and watchful superior, will 
 reprove those who, by indulging in 
 idle talk, waste the precious hours, 
 and neglect good works. 
 
 Dwell in silence, and let God be in 
 all your thoughts, and all your con- 
 solation, and you will find no more 
 that disrelish for good works, which 
 hinders you from pursuing with ardour 
 your holy enterprize. 
 
 2. Be faithful in little things, and 
 your talent shall be vastly increased 
 in the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Be neither idle in solitude, nor a 
 babbler in public, and the evil one, 
 overcome by your diligence and 
 silence, shall depart from you ; for he 
 loves not a man who works and is 
 silent, who loves prayer and medi- 
 tation. 
 
 Wherever you may be, alone, or in 
 company of your brethren, it is indis- 
 pensable for you to fight, to watch, 
 and to pray, to overcome the temp- 
 tations of the flesh and the spirit.
 
 63 
 
 Fight valiantly, pray with fervour, 
 do your work with diligence, study 
 often, love silence, suffer patiently, and 
 put all your trust in God, how great 
 soever the tribulations or desolation 
 be, that may be sent to try you. 
 
 He that learns in every place, and 
 at all times, to practise patience, shall 
 overcome his enemies, and enjoy in 
 this world a peace which knows no 
 change, and in the world to come, a 
 fairer crown of joy with the elect.
 
 64 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 On bearing one another's burthens. 
 
 " Alte7' alterius onera portate.^^ (Sti 
 Pauli ad Gal. vi. 2.) 
 
 " Bear ye one another s hirclensJ'^ 
 
 As we all are hut oue body in Christ, 
 so we ought to be knit in the bonds of 
 brotherly charity and peace, and to 
 consent together in the pursuit of 
 virtue. 
 
 We are all members of Christ, re- 
 generated in baptism, by the grace of 
 the Holy Spirit ; redeemed by the 
 passion of Christ ; purified by the 
 blood of Christ ; fed by the body of 
 Christ; instructed by the words of 
 Christ ; confirmed by the miracles of 
 Christ ; and led to virtue by the 
 example of Christ ; why then would 
 vou seek to hurt one another ?
 
 65 
 
 My brethren, he that offers an 
 affront to his brother, be it in word or 
 deed, offers an affront to Christ ; and 
 He shall himself avenge and punish 
 it, if the wrong he has done be not 
 speedily repaired. 
 
 We all have God for our Father in 
 heaven ; we are consequently all 
 brethren in Christ ; whatever be the 
 country or state which gave us birth ; 
 and whether we be of low or noble 
 blood. 
 
 One God hath made us all ; it is 
 the same God who preserves and 
 governs us ; it is the same God who 
 calls us, who daily calls us still, by 
 Ms word from without, by contrition 
 from within, to the same beatitude. 
 It is the same God, who promises 
 to manifest himself eternally to us, 
 in the presence of his angels, and 
 to be our eternal recompense, in 
 the unanimous blessedness of all the 
 inhabitants of the heavenly Idnsrdom.
 
 00 
 
 Since we are all the senaiits of the 
 same God, redeemed by the same 
 price, sanctified by the same spirit, let 
 it be our constant endeavour to love 
 and serve one another. 
 
 If we would be pleasing to Christ, 
 " let us bear one another's burthens,'' 
 for Christ's love ; and let us pray one 
 for another in charily, for God is 
 equally in each of us, and each of us 
 in Him. 
 
 Whatever imperfection or folly we 
 observe in our brethren, we ought 
 piously to excuse them, as we would 
 that they would excuse us. 
 
 2. Beloved brother, bear with others, 
 and they ^vill bear Avith you ; excuse, 
 and you will be excused; pity the 
 weaknesses of the sinner, and you will 
 be pitied ; comfort the afflicted, and 
 you shall be comforted ; raise up him 
 that falls, and you shall be yourself 
 raised up by the help of God. 
 
 Verily just is the retribution of
 
 67 
 
 Divine justice, which says, " do unit? 
 others as you would they should do 
 unto you." 
 
 Be not astonished, nor indignant^ 
 if man, who is frail, fall in this 
 world ; angels fell in heaven ; and 
 Adam, in the earthly paradise, did not 
 resist the attraction of a pitiful apple. 
 
 A very little thing often tem])ts a 
 man violently : and a trifle that hardly 
 deserves notice, often grievously affects 
 him. God justly permits this to be 
 so, to teach us that if we do not resist 
 small trials, we cannot overcome great 
 ones. 
 
 3. Be full of indulgence and kind- 
 ness to your brother when he is 
 tempted ; and pray for him when he 
 is in tribulation. 
 
 The good which happens to you, 
 becomes mine, when I rejoice with you 
 for it, and your misfortunes are mine, 
 when 1 pity those in them ; for all men 
 are frail, and therefore it is the duty 
 f2
 
 68 
 
 of all charitably to pray one fof 
 another. 
 
 We must not upbraid others with 
 defects, and despise them for such, 
 when we overlook the like in our- 
 selves; 'for it would be as a blind man 
 mocking- the blind, or the deaf him 
 that cannot hear, or a fool that laughs 
 at a fool. 
 
 Never speak to the disadvantage of 
 one over whose conduct you have no 
 charge ; look rather to yourself, and 
 repair the evil you find there. 
 
 If your intention be good, and you 
 really mean to correct the faults of 
 your brother, begin by correcting your 
 own ; you may then proceed to the 
 reformation of his, not with ill-nature 
 and caprice, but with prudence and 
 modesty. 
 
 If you love me sincerely, and with 
 a brother's affection, be as indulgent 
 to me as you are to yourself, and pray 
 for me.
 
 He that would correct his brother, 
 and thinks that he is dispensed with 
 from prating- for him, and from having 
 compassion for his infirmities, is not a 
 sensible physician, but a cruel enemy 
 and a burthensome railer. 
 
 He that prays for others, as well as 
 for himself, does two good actions. 
 
 The more the sentiments of bro- 
 therly charity you carry in your heart 
 be true, and the more willingly you 
 pray for your brother, asking God to 
 grant him grace to amend, and to 
 cease to be a scandal to the weak ; 
 the deeper will your sorrow be, if he 
 refuse to listen to you, or if he take 
 your warnings ill. 
 
 For each one is to his brother, either 
 a rose which gives out a sweet per- 
 fume, or a thorn which pricks.
 
 CHAR XVI. 
 
 Of the love of Christ, and of hatred of 
 the world. 
 
 " Mane in dilectione meaP (St. John 
 XV. 9. 
 
 " Abide in my love.'" 
 
 It is sweet to hear, and salutaiy to 
 obey the voice of Christ. 
 
 The love of Christ is pleasantness 
 of spirit, and the soul's paradise ; it 
 shuts out the world, and overcomes 
 the evil one ; it closes the mouth of 
 hell, and opens wide the gates of 
 heaven. 
 
 The love of Christ, and the love of 
 the world, are contrary the one to the 
 other, and have nothing- in common ; 
 nor can they dwell together in the 
 same heart. 
 
 The love of Christ, like the chariot
 
 to hell 
 
 ; its 
 
 love 
 
 wound, 
 
 but 
 
 the 
 
 world, 1 leads 
 
 to 
 
 heaven. 
 
 
 
 The 
 
 flattering 
 
 71 
 
 of Elias, carries up the soul to heaven ; 
 but the love of the world is the con- 
 veyance of Satan, that drags it down 
 leaves a festering 
 forgetting of the 
 the discovery of 
 
 words of a false 
 friend, are more hurtful than the harsh 
 reproof of the just. 
 
 The imagination of the deceitful 
 invents falsehood, but the spirit of the 
 just man drinks truth at the foun- 
 tain. 
 
 He that scandalizes his brother, 
 shall himself be scandalized. 
 
 God, who knoweth and ruleth over 
 all, sufFereth not his poor sheep to 
 wander long, or to fill the air with 
 empty bleatings ; but either by the 
 staff of fear, leads back the strayed one 
 to the fold, or looking down on it 
 with the eyes of love, sweetly guides
 
 it home by the interior voice of con_ 
 science. 
 
 2. Where peace and concord dwell 
 together, God is tliere, and with Him 
 all good. 
 
 Where strife and dissension dwell 
 together, the devil is there, and with 
 him all evil. 
 
 " Where pride is, there also shall be 
 reproach ; but where humility is, there 
 also is wisdom." (Prov. xi. 2.) 
 
 Trample pride under foot, and you 
 shall find much peace. 
 
 Where wrangling words are heard, 
 the bowels of charity are wounded. 
 
 Where solitude and silence reign, 
 there dwells the repose of the monk. 
 
 As in the conventual life, where 
 labour is loved, and the rule observed 
 with strictness, religious souls make 
 fast progress in virtue ; so where 
 laughter and dissipation meet, the 
 sweets of devotion take wings and fly
 
 73 
 
 away ; for the idler and the babbler 
 are seldom contrite, and rarely free 
 from sin. 
 
 Where obedience is ready, the con- 
 science is joyful : but where frivolous 
 conversation is prolonged, work is 
 neglected. 
 
 . Where there are private gains, 
 there is a defect of charity ; but where 
 the doctrine of Christ flourishes, the 
 path of salvation is made secure. 
 
 Where brethren dwell together in 
 unity, there chords the most harmo- 
 nious rise to heaven. 
 
 Where moderation reigns, the virtue 
 of concord shall last the longer. 
 
 Where those who offend are re- 
 proved with prudence and moderation, 
 no one has a right to complain, or to 
 accuse his superior ; on this some one 
 hath said, " In all things be moderate, 
 for moderation is a most comely 
 virtue." 
 
 Where patience dwells, a great
 
 74 
 
 enemy is overcome ; hut where im- 
 patience enters, peace soon takes its 
 leave. 
 
 Put a guard on the entrance of your 
 mouth, and weigh well your words 
 before you give them utterance. 
 
 Where faith and truth meet toge- 
 ther, peace dwells secure; but with 
 fraud and iniquity, foolish imaginings 
 and blind prudence, alone, shall be 
 thy guests. 
 
 Where charity is, there is the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Where the disposition is mistrustful, 
 there will be no lack of fuel for anger 
 and strife ; but where there is the 
 knowledge of the truth, there wnll be 
 joy to those who are right of heart. 
 
 Under a feigned tongue often skulks 
 a false friend, but humble confession 
 obtains a ready pardon. 
 
 When the wisdom of man can do 
 nothing, it is then that we must implore
 
 75 
 
 with more earnestness the divine pro- 
 tection. 
 
 He that makes choice of the way of 
 malice and injustice, shall come to an 
 evil end ; but peace shall light abun- 
 dantly on him who follows the foot- 
 steps of virtue, and who strives to be 
 patient. 
 
 Woe to the impious man who does 
 evil ; woe to the hypocrite who seems 
 to do good ; and none suffer more 
 than themselves from their iniquity. 
 
 " A double-minded man is incon- 
 stant in all his ways," (St. James i. 
 8), and very wicked; but blessed is 
 the simple and the just, in whom there 
 is no guile : for God is with him to 
 assist him in all his works, and to 
 guide his feet into the right path. 
 
 When a man has once been faith- 
 less to his word, who shall lightly 
 trust him ? but he that renounces his 
 first vow for a better, breaks not the 
 word of truth.
 
 76 
 
 3. It is pleasant to listen to the 
 recital of acts of virtue, but it is more 
 praiseworthy to practise them. 
 
 The best examination of conscience 
 is that which leads to a change of life ; 
 and the fruits of a good examination 
 are, abstaining from sin, and advance- 
 ment in virtue. 
 
 The worthy fruits of devout prayer, 
 is the union of the heart with God, 
 in the fervour of the Holy Spirit, and 
 he prays devoutly who drives away all 
 frivolous thoughts. 
 
 He that places before him the image 
 of the crucifix, shall drive away the 
 illusions of the devil, and that soul 
 has a seemly employment, which thinks 
 continually of the passion of Christ. 
 
 He that meditates daily on the 
 sacred wounds of Jesus, pours a 
 healing and a cleansing balm on the 
 wounds of his soul. 
 
 He that utterly despises the goods 
 of this world, and thirsts not after its
 
 11 
 
 honours, shall ohtain purity of heart, 
 and give himself up ^\ithout hindrance 
 to the service of God. 
 
 He that would give perfect praise 
 and honour to God, let him practise 
 profound humility of heart, and medi- 
 tate, groan, and weep over all his 
 defects. 
 
 The sincere and humble contrition 
 of a sinner is as a strong voice which 
 penetrates to the ear of God. 
 
 4. Whatever good you do, do all 
 to the glory of God. 
 
 He tramples under foot, and 
 wounds to death, all pride, envy, and 
 vain glory, who refers simply and 
 wholly to the honour and gloiy of 
 God, all the virtues which he prac- 
 tices, and all the good works he does, 
 attributing nothing to his own merits, 
 nor to his own strength, but stripping 
 himself of all, acknowledges God as 
 the first author of all that is good in 
 him : for you renounce eternal honour
 
 78 
 
 andglovy, when you take coraplaisancy 
 in yourself, and not in God alone, 
 who is the sovereign good. 
 
 And thus it was that the blessed 
 Virgin ^Mary, when she sought to 
 express the delight of her heart, for 
 the iuestimahle l^enefits she had re- 
 ceived from lier Creator, exclaimed in 
 her sublime Canticle: "My spirit 
 hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." 
 (St. Luc. i. 47.) 
 
 " If any man think himself to be 
 something, whereas he is nothing, he 
 deceives himself," saith St. Paul 
 the Apostle, (Gal. vi. 31), who, even 
 though rapt to the third heaven, 
 gloried in nothing of himself, but 
 refers to God alone all the good that 
 he did whether by his preaching or his 
 \mtings: "by the grace of God," he 
 saith, " I am what I ara. (1 Cor. 
 XV. 10.)
 
 79 
 
 CHAR XVII. 
 
 On the imitation of the most holy life of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 " Quamdiu fecistis uni ex his fra- 
 tribus meis minimis, mihi fecistis.''^ 
 (St. Matth.xxv. 40.) 
 
 " As long as you did it to one of 
 these, my least brethren, you did it to 
 meP 
 
 Note these words, weigh well the 
 mysteries they contaiu, and let them 
 be unto you as a rule of life. 
 
 He that comforts his brother in 
 need, stretches out his hand to Jesus. 
 
 He that bears with patience the 
 burthen which Providence has laid on 
 him, carries on his shoulders Jesus, 
 and him crucified. 
 
 He that addresses words of conso-
 
 80 
 
 lation to the afflicted, gives to Jesus a 
 loving kiss. 
 
 He that mourns over the faults of 
 his brother, and supplicates for his 
 pardon, washes and wipes the feet of 
 Jesus. 
 
 He that turns the anger of his 
 brother to peace, prej)ares in his soul 
 a bed of flowers for Jesus. (Cant. 
 Lectula respersa fJoribiis. ) 
 
 He that at table gives up to his 
 brother the better portion set aside for 
 him, feeds Jesus ^^^th the bread and 
 honey of charity. 
 
 He that meditates with fervour on 
 God, introduces Jesus into the secret 
 chamber of his soul. 
 
 He that reads words of holy wis- 
 dom to his brother, offers choice wine 
 to the lips of Jesus. 
 
 He that restrains frivolous conver- 
 sation, drives away the flies from the 
 table of Jesus.
 
 8t 
 
 He that will not hearken to detrac- 
 tion, and reproves unseemly conver- 
 sation, arms himself with a staff to 
 drive away a savage hound from the 
 house of Jesus. 
 
 He that during refection reads to 
 his brethren correctly and distinctly, 
 serves up a heavenly cup to the guests 
 of Jesus, and inebriates them with the 
 wine of joy; but he that reads ill, 
 takes away the relish of the food ; and 
 he that stammers stains the cloth which 
 covers the table of Jesus. 
 
 He that hears his neighbour slan- 
 dered, and feels therefrom much 
 grief and deep sorrow, anoints with 
 balm the sacred wounds of Jesus. 
 
 He that speaks of the good example 
 and virtues of his neighbour, presents 
 to Jesus a nosegay of fair flowers 
 
 He that reads devoutly, and an- 
 nounces the words of Jesus, casts 
 sweet perfume in the nostrils of those 
 that hear him.
 
 62 
 
 He that bears charitably \\ith the 
 faults of his neighbour, and gives 
 them a favourable construction, shall 
 readily obtain mercy from Jesus. 
 
 He that throws a veil over the nces 
 or scandals of his neighbour, covers 
 the naked limbs of Jesus. 
 
 He that meditates on the humble 
 life and mu-acles of Jesus, and there- 
 with sweetly nourishes his soul, drinks 
 in milk and honey from the mouth of 
 Jesus. 
 
 Thus spoke the blessed Agnes, who 
 after experiencing it, had the hap- 
 piness of shedding her blood for the 
 love of Jesus. 
 
 He that reads or sings in the place 
 of his sick brother, sweetly plays on 
 the harp with the angels before the 
 cradle of Jesus. 
 
 He that prays devoutly, abstains 
 from delicate meats, and renounces 
 all, comes with the Magi kings to lay 
 three costly offerings in the hands of 
 the infant Jesus.
 
 63 
 
 He that washes the feet of his 
 brethren, and does the meanest offices^ 
 Avith St. John the Baptist, baptises 
 Jesus. 
 
 He that lives in the solitude and 
 silence of his cellj enters the desert 
 with Jesus. 
 
 He that does violence to his incli- 
 nations, and chastises his body, fasts 
 with Jesus* 
 
 He that speaks words of salvation 
 to his brethren, preaches with Jesus of 
 the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 He that prays constantly for such 
 of his brethren as are weak or in 
 temptation, visits Lazarus with Jesus, 
 and weeps with Martha and Maiy at 
 his tomb. 
 
 3. He that oilers the holy sacrifice 
 of the mass, for the faithful departed, 
 or recites the office for them, comes 
 with Jesus to the tomb of Lazarus, to 
 beg that his soul may be mercifully 
 delivered from suffering. 
 
 g2
 
 84 
 
 He that goes to the common re- 
 fectory with his brethren, to hear spi- 
 ritual reading, eateth and drinketh 
 with Jesus and his disciples. 
 
 He that lays up in his heart the 
 words of God, which he has heard in 
 the refectory, reposes with the Apostle 
 St. John, during the supper, on the 
 breast of Jesus. 
 
 He that submits humbly, and with- 
 out delay, to do what is painful to 
 him, follows Jesus with his disciples to 
 the ;Mount of Olivet, where he was 
 betrayed and delivered to his enemies. 
 
 He that has instant recourse to 
 fervent prayer in tribulation or temp- 
 tation, contends with Jesus in his 
 agony, against the assaults of Satan. 
 
 He that renounces his own will 
 entirely, fulfils the will of God the 
 Father, with Jesus, and with cou- 
 rageous resignation carries his cross 
 gven to Calvary.
 
 85 
 
 He that prays for his enemies, and 
 willingly pardons those that have 
 sinned against him, prays with Jesus 
 that his enemies may not perish, but 
 rather that they may be converted to 
 God and live. 
 
 He that voluntarily renounces the 
 things of this world, and casts aside 
 the flattery of the senses, expires with 
 Jesus on the cross ; and his spirit, like 
 that of the Apostle St. Paul, is rapt 
 even to Paradise. 
 
 4. He that keeps his heart clean 
 and peaceful, wraps up Jesus in fair 
 white linen, and entombs him in his 
 breast. 
 
 He that perseveres unto the end in 
 the service of Jesus, sweetly reposes 
 with him in peaceful slumber in the 
 sepulchre. 
 
 He that weeps for the sorrows of 
 the blessed Virgin Mary, deserves 
 that she and her holy Son should con- 
 sole him in affliction.
 
 86 
 
 He that in spirit recalls the words 
 and actions of Jesus, and makes thereof 
 a spiritual food, prepares sweet spike- 
 nard to soften the bitterness of his 
 passion. 
 
 He that gives humble and devout 
 thanks for the blessings he has re- 
 ceived, comes with Mary Magdalen, 
 bringing sweet perfume to the sepul- 
 chre of Jesus. 
 
 He that after contrition and con- 
 fession of sins, firmly resolves to amend 
 them, rises with Jesus from tire death 
 of sin. 
 
 He that casts aside his lukewannness, 
 and returns again to his first fervour, 
 celebrates in spirit a new pasch, and 
 sings with Him an hallelujah of joy. 
 
 He that despises the pleasures of 
 the world, flies from its dangers, loves 
 a religious life, and accepts its obli- 
 gations, enters with Jesus into " the 
 upper chamber," there to serve God in 
 freedom and in secret, there to lead a
 
 87 
 
 life more pure, and to receive more 
 abundantly the graces of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 He that is cold on earthly things, 
 and is enflamed through holy medi- 
 tation with such as are heavenly, 
 leaves the earth with Jesus, and 
 enters with Him into heaven. 
 
 Blessed is the soul in which " to 
 live is Christ, and to die is gain," 
 (Phil. i. 21,) for he that would live 
 to Christ, must die to himself: and he 
 that would he wise and happy in 
 Christ, must renounce all perishable 
 things. 
 
 Total separation from tlie things of 
 this world, is painful, and death is 
 grievous: but to reign in joy with 
 Christ, is salvation and life eternal. 
 
 Oh ! when shall the moment come 
 w hen God shall be my all ? when 1 
 shall be all for Him I when I shall be 
 united to Him !
 
 88 
 
 For ah ! the faithful soul cannot be 
 fully blessed, till it be united to God 
 in glory. 
 
 Follow, then, Jesus in the steps of 
 love, filled with a lively faith and a 
 burning charity, that you may be 
 worthy to see him face to face, there, 
 where he is himself, the blessing and 
 the joy of the angels. 
 
 To which beatific vision may 
 Jesus Christ our Lord lead us : He 
 who, for us, endured the bitter cross. 
 Amen.
 
 89 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Of the eternal praise of God. 
 
 " Semper laus ejus in ore meoy 
 (Ps. xxxiii, 1.) 
 
 " His praise shall he always in my 
 mouth.'*'' 
 
 How sweet in ears devout those 
 
 accents fall, 
 But, oh ! how sweeter far 'twere face 
 
 to face. 
 In God's own presence to repeat his 
 
 praise, 
 And sing the words, by holy angels 
 
 sung ! 
 Ah ! should all music lend its best, 
 
 combined. 
 To sing of else than God, how stale 
 
 should fall 
 The sweet concerted beauty on the ear, 
 And bring no joy to souls devout, or fill
 
 90 
 
 The heart's wann vows with satisfied 
 
 content ! 
 Like blessed Mary then, with pure 
 
 intent, 
 If you, like her, rejoicing would exult, 
 Come not to satisfy the corporal ear. 
 Sing unto God, but sing to praise his 
 
 might. 
 If you would offer unto him, like her, 
 Service acceptable, and pleasing 
 
 praise. 
 With heart and tongnie united, cele- 
 brate 
 In concert loud with all created things, 
 His goodness infinite, and boundless 
 
 might ; 
 'Till the vast harmony of grateful 
 
 praise, 
 One multitudinous hymn, fill earth 
 
 and heaven, 
 All earth with joy, with love increased 
 
 all heaven ! 
 Oh ! how our hearts should haste to 
 
 sing his praise,
 
 91 
 
 To love our God, at whose all-mighty 
 
 word, 
 The heavens and earth came forth ! — to 
 
 honour Him, 
 Who gave the gift of everlasting life, — 
 Him, whom the angels that surround 
 
 his throne. 
 In ceaseless hymns of gladness, laud 
 
 and bless ; 
 Who never tire of singing forth his 
 
 praise. 
 Nor sing his worth, without increase 
 
 of fi-uit. 
 There sing his holy saints, when 
 
 from the bonds 
 Of fleshly continent loosed ; from 
 
 Satan's snares 
 Escaped, and from temptation's press 
 
 secure. 
 To God, their God united, hymn his 
 
 praise, 
 And lost in beatific love, enjoy 
 A happiness that knows no change 
 
 nor end.
 
 92 
 
 There having reached the haven of all 
 rest, 
 
 With satisfaction sweet, they recollect 
 
 The bitter tribulations they have 
 passed, 
 
 The numberless dangers which around 
 them hung, 
 
 That miserable life, and all its lures. 
 
 From all of which now happily re- 
 moved. 
 
 Their groanings now give place to 
 songs of joy, 
 
 And their afflictions, once so burthen- 
 some, 
 
 Shine now the fairest jewels in their 
 crown. 
 And oh ! what words can tell their 
 happiness, 
 
 There in a place where sin comes not, 
 where none 
 
 Within that mount may hurt, and 
 none disturb. 
 
 Where eveiy breath breathes joy, and 
 where the ear
 
 93 
 
 Hears but the sweet concent of songs 
 
 divine. 
 Bless thon then also, faithful soul, 
 
 thy God ; 
 Pour blessings forth upon the God of 
 
 Heaven ; 
 While yet contained within the bonds 
 
 of flesh, 
 Thy loving Saviour, sing and cele- 
 brate 1 — 
 On Jesus call — beseech with earnest 
 
 voice, 
 And warm entreaty. Him — and He 
 
 shall come 
 With bands of holy angels to thy aid, 
 And from the perilous strife, thou shalt 
 
 arise 
 More pure, thy wily enemies repulsed. 
 Put on the shield of prayer, lest 
 
 while ye turn. 
 The evil one prevail against thee 
 
 sleeping ; 
 Lest the voluptuous lurements of the 
 
 flesh
 
 94 
 
 Deceive thy confidence, and make thee 
 
 fear 
 The over-strictness of a holy state, 
 And hardship of a life of diligence ; 
 Lest while the sun of prayer cease to 
 
 shine, 
 Thy zeal be chilled by the long wintry 
 
 night. 
 Oh '."by the love that Jesus bore ye, 
 
 help 
 To bear the burthen of his sacred cross, 
 And it shall ope for you the gates of 
 
 heaven, 
 What need you more ? — renounce your 
 
 headstrong will. 
 Bear with your brother's weaknesses, 
 
 and learn 
 To mortify your flesh, — such is the 
 
 road. 
 The royal road that leads the soul to 
 
 heaven, 
 V/here you assuredly shall find repose, 
 And ibr the light afflictions of a day, 
 Receive assured and everlasting rest;
 
 95 
 
 For dark humiliation, high respect. 
 And loud-tongued honours, for thy life 
 
 obscure ! 
 Oh ! may thy lips declare the praise 
 
 of God, 
 Whatever be thy lot — for good or ill 5 
 For in the train of seeming evil, borne 
 With meek submission to the will of 
 
 God, 
 Haply reward of fuller joy shall come ; 
 Then be thy pains or sorrows what 
 
 they may, 
 With tender gratitude embrace the 
 
 rod, 
 That from a loving Father comes, who 
 
 tends 
 With equal care the mighty and the 
 
 mean. 
 Since all to God's own image once 
 
 were framed. 
 All share his watchful eye and plastic 
 
 hand. 
 Then raise thy voice on high, to sing 
 
 his praise,
 
 96 
 
 Whose providence ordaineth all, whose 
 eye 
 
 Can pierce the heavens, and penetrate 
 the earth, 
 
 And fathom ocean's vast abyss pro- 
 found. 
 
 Praise Him who gave to thee a reason- 
 ing soul, 
 
 When well He might have left thy life 
 to die, 
 
 Lost in material death. — Still praise 
 were due. 
 
 Hadst thou but had the boon of pass- 
 ing life ; 
 
 Then praise Him for thy higher gift, 
 and bow. 
 
 In humble meekness to His sovereign 
 will. 
 The lion's gift is strength — but not 
 to boast, 
 
 Since the small insect on his tiny 
 wings, 
 
 Can soar above the mighty forest's 
 king.—
 
 97 
 
 Come then submissive in his several 
 
 state, 
 Come rich and poor, the mighty and 
 
 the mean. 
 Simple or wise, haronial or serf, 
 With equal gratitude unite to praise 
 The Lord of All, the common Lord of 
 
 All, 
 Who to his creatures gives his several 
 
 gifts,— 
 Beauty of wond'rous form, and varied 
 
 shape. 
 Wide spread, and marvellous, wherein 
 
 shines forth, 
 The wisdom of his vast creative power, 
 The glory and the honour of His 
 
 name. 
 Then, faithful soul, your high Re- 
 deemer praise. 
 Who by his passion, and adorable 
 
 Cross, 
 Has freed you from eternal death ! — 
 
 Alas ! 
 
 H
 
 How could you shew your weight of 
 gratitude. 
 
 Were you to die for him a thousand 
 times, 
 
 Each trebly welted on the bitter cross. 
 Praise then to Him, your guide, 
 protector, friend, 
 
 Who from so thick-strewn perils, 
 guards, preserves. 
 
 And keeps you from the depths un- 
 known of sin. 
 
 Praise Him whose gifts profuse, his 
 lavish hand. 
 
 Pours forth innumerous in daily 
 shower. 
 
 Fresh every morning, every night re- 
 newed ; 
 
 Praise Him who more than all exalted 
 gifts, 
 
 Vouchsafes his gift of gifts, most per- 
 fect, precious. 
 
 That gift of gifts when He, himself, 
 descends
 
 09 
 
 To rest upon our altars — heavenly- 
 sweet ! 
 
 Who feeds thee with Himself, yet asks 
 from Thee, 
 
 No token but thy heart, and love sin- 
 cere, 
 
 No other offering, but notes of praise ! 
 Then in that awful hour when He 
 descends, 
 
 The while thy heart is spread with 
 heavenly joy. 
 
 When purest, praise and thank his 
 holy name. 
 
 Whose loving mercy comes to succour 
 thee, 
 
 Lest in the way thy weary steps should 
 fail. 
 
 And resolution unsustained by Him, 
 
 Desert thee e'er ye reach the final 
 goal !— 
 
 Hence is his arm beneficent extended. 
 
 Hence does he feed thee with the bread 
 of heaven, 
 
 . H 2
 
 100 
 
 That hence repaired, and strengthened, 
 lesser aids, 
 
 Reading- devout, or meditation deep, 
 
 Or on the incarnate mystery, or those 
 
 Sad sorrows of his passion, may sus- 
 tain. 
 
 And he the daily, nightly, hourly 
 food, 
 
 Whereon thy soul may draw new fire 
 of love. 
 Then whatsoever be thy trials here, 
 
 Be thanks and praise thy grateful task 
 in all ; 
 
 Whether afilictions press thy soul 
 within. 
 
 Or corporal ailments be thy outward 
 lot. 
 
 These sent by Him, are sent in gra- 
 cious love. 
 To drive away the assaults of swelling 
 
 pride, 
 And guard thee from presumption's 
 fotal snare ;
 
 101 
 
 Remembering still that bodily suf- 
 fering, 
 
 Oft to compunction leads the humbled 
 soul. 
 Yet, if the gift of health and strength 
 be thine, 
 
 Praise Hira who gives thee such, that 
 you may work 
 
 With ardour for your own and neigh- 
 bour's good. 
 
 And shun the silken ease of idleness. 
 Praise Him in all, — in recreation's 
 hour. 
 
 When ye for needful health, go forth 
 to seek 
 
 Refreshment in the garden's tempered 
 air, 
 
 Praise Him who spreads the blossoms 
 to the sun, 
 
 The scented lily, and the roses sweet. 
 
 The bowering "trees and flowers that 
 fill the air 
 
 With sweetest perfume, verdure, goodly 
 shade .
 
 102 
 
 Raise up your hearts to God in tuneful 
 praise, 
 
 For all the marvellous beauties, that 
 fair earth, 
 
 By order of His teeming wisdom sent, 
 
 In various seasons, in her lap brings 
 forth. 
 
 Who in fair course supplies the wants 
 of men, 
 
 And pours forth proofs of His ex- 
 haustless bounty ! 
 Then be His praise forever in thy 
 mouth, 
 
 Praise Him whose majesty fulfils the 
 earth. 
 
 Whose glory is above the heaven of 
 heavens. 
 
 With all his saints in heaven praise 
 Him, whose praise 
 
 Is all the angels celebrate in heaven. 
 
 Be as thehighest intellects and powers. 
 
 To hymn His praise — lest thine in- 
 gratitude 
 
 Place thee beneath the brutes irra- 
 tional.
 
 103 
 
 The little birds sing sweetly forth His 
 
 praise, 
 The lowing cattle on a thousand hills, 
 The bleating sheep, and all that earth, 
 
 sea, air, 
 Fulfil with teeming life, — the very 
 
 winds 
 And unchained elements — His word 
 
 obey. 
 And all th' inanimate universe de- 
 clares 
 The wondrous might and glory of 
 
 their God. 
 Then let His holy presence guide 
 
 thy soul : 
 In thought, word, deed, look up to 
 
 God in fear, 
 Lest you offend against the all-seeing 
 
 God, 
 Thank Him for all the gifts you have 
 
 received. 
 And with a heart transpierced with 
 
 gratitude
 
 104 
 
 And love, exclaim, Praise be to thee, 
 
 OGod, 
 For ever blessed be thy holy name, 
 And every spirit praise the Lord. 
 
 Amen ! 
 
 THE END OF THE LITTLE (iAKDJ.N 
 OF UOSES.
 
 THE 
 
 VALLEY OF LILIES.
 
 THE PROLOGUE 
 
 TO THIS LITTLE BOOK. 
 
 '• Justus germinahit sicut lilium, et 
 florehit in aternum ante Dominum?' 
 (Osee xiv. 6.) 
 
 " The just shall spring as the lili/^ 
 and his root shall spread forth before 
 the Lord for ever J" 
 
 This little book may be called the 
 Valley of Lilies, to distinguish it from 
 that which precedes it, under the title 
 of the Little Garden of Roses; for as that 
 treats of many virtues which spring 
 forth as fair roses in the garden oiJesiis^ 
 so this discourses of many other vir- 
 tues, which, as so many lilies of ex- 
 ceeding whiteness, are planted by our 
 Lord Jesus in the valley of humility, 
 where they are bedewed and made 
 fertile bv the inward infusion of the
 
 108 
 
 Holy Spirit. For, according to the 
 testimony of St. Gregory, to seek to 
 acquire virtue, and not to be humble, 
 is to carry dust 'against the wind. 
 
 It i.s of .these lilies that the spouse 
 of Christ, out of the humility and de- 
 votion of hcr^ soul, speaketh, in the 
 Canticle of Canticles,^^when Vishing 
 to declare the inward consolations she 
 experienced from the visit] of the di- 
 >ine Spouse, and the graces he had 
 heaped upon^her.^she says : " I to my 
 beloved, and my beloved to me, who 
 feedeth among the lilies." (vi. 6.) And 
 again : " My beloved is white and 
 ruddy." (v. 10.) " So shall he repose 
 upon my bosom." 
 
 To him be praise, honour, and glory, 
 for ever and ever. Amen.
 
 tHE 
 
 VALLEY OF LILIES. 
 
 CHAR I. 
 
 On the three-fold state of human life. 
 
 " Ego Jlos campi, et lilium conval- 
 lium'' (Cant. Cantic. i. 1.) 
 
 " / am the flower of the Jield, and 
 the lily of the valleys.'''' 
 
 This is the voice of Christ, to his 
 holy Church in general, and to every 
 devout soul individually ; for Christ 
 is the sovereign Spouse of the Church, 
 and the head of all the faithful. He 
 is the flower of all virtues, the lily of
 
 no 
 
 tlie valleys, the lover of humility and 
 chastity. 
 
 If you would serve Christ, and 
 please the Heavenly Spouse, overcome 
 your passions, gather the lilies of vir- 
 tue, eschew idleness, study diligently, 
 write books, work at some useful 
 manual labour, pray often, turn away 
 from the turmoil of the world, love re- 
 tirement, and avoid all idle or hurtful 
 conversation. 
 
 2. If virtue be not in your heart, 
 how seemly soever your outward habit 
 be, it is worth nothing in the sight of 
 God. The vessel may be of outward 
 fair proportions but it is empty. 
 
 Even as a vessel filled with good 
 wine exhales a pleasing odour, so 
 from the good heart of a religious 
 man, whose affections are pure, spring 
 forth holy words and works, which 
 contribute to the glory of God, and 
 the profit of his neighbour. 
 
 Weigh well then, my brother, the
 
 Ill 
 
 greatness of the state you are engaged 
 in, the outward marks of which you 
 bear before the eyes of men, that so you 
 may study both to please God wor- 
 thily, and to edify your fellow-men by 
 your life and conversation : ever re- 
 membering that whether you do good 
 or evil, both are done in the sight of 
 God. 
 
 When you eat or drink, when you 
 sleep or take repose, when you fol- 
 low the bent of your desires, you 
 do the works of the flesh, and your 
 conduct is like that of the beasts of 
 the earth ; who wander about, who 
 eat, drink, and fill their belly, till they 
 be satisfied ; who butt with their horns, 
 who tear with their claws or teeth, who 
 scowl with threatening looks on those 
 who resist them, and fill the air with 
 hideous cries, — such are carnal men — 
 such the glutton — the miser — the 
 proud — the passionate and the brawler 
 — for the spirit of God is not in them.
 
 112 
 
 and they are sul)ject to their passions 
 only. 
 
 3. But when you watch or pray, 
 when you read or sing- psalms and 
 hymns to the glory of God and his 
 saints, when you fast, and abstain 
 from vice, when you make yourself 
 useful to your neighbour, when you 
 mourn and weej) over your own disor- 
 ders, or when you confess them, and 
 supplicate pardon of God ; then you do 
 the works of the Holy Spirit, you 
 follov/ his inspirations, and fulfil the 
 duties of a religious life. Such con- 
 duct is like that of the angels in heaven, 
 who ever sing to the praise and glory 
 of God, from whose face they never 
 turn away. 
 
 But when you give way to senti- 
 ments of anger; when you nourish 
 pride ; when you give loose to detrac- 
 tion and munnuring ; when you com- 
 mit fraud or practise lying; when you 
 disturb others or rejoice over the evil 
 that has happened to your neighbour ;
 
 113 
 
 when bis prosperity afflicts you, when 
 you despise him in your heart, or when 
 you labour dilig-eutly for your own 
 interest only ; then you follow the in- 
 spirations of the devil, and your con- 
 duct, full of malice and teeming with 
 disorder, resembles his : for that spirit 
 of iniquity owns no counsellor but his 
 passions, — no motive but his perverse- 
 ness. He does all the evil he can, or 
 dare ; and because there is no good in 
 him, he strives hard to seduce and 
 pervert the sons of men ; to make 
 them cleave to sin and l^atten there. 
 
 The life of the just is like that of 
 the angels, and the life of the carnal 
 man like that of the beasts ; but the 
 life of the proud is like that of devils. 
 
 Servants of God, take heed, lest you 
 fall into the snares which the spirits 
 of malice lay for you ; for you will be 
 betrayed by them, at the awful tribunal 
 of God, and you shall be there con- 
 founded. 
 
 I
 
 114 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the praise of God, iu the poverty of 
 devotion. 
 
 ^'■Pauper et inops laudahtint nomen 
 luiim, Dominey (Ps. Ixxiii. 21.) 
 
 " The poor and needy shall jnaise 
 ihy name.''^ 
 
 If iu prayer or holy meditation, you 
 should fall into a state of dryness, or 
 coldness, or sadness, be sure you g-ive 
 not way to despair, or cease to call 
 humbly on the name of Jesus. 
 
 But in poverty of spirit, persevere 
 in giving praise and thanksgiving- to 
 God ; and take comfort when you use 
 these words : " The poor and needy 
 shall praise thy name, O Lord!" 
 
 For many holy and devout souls 
 have been proved by dryness, and 
 seemed for a lon<? while as if it were 
 abandoned by God, that they might
 
 115 
 
 thereby learn patience and compassion 
 for others, by the sense of their own 
 sorrow and need, and not to presume 
 too much on themselves in the moment 
 of fervour, and in the season of spiri- 
 tual jubilation. 
 
 Say with the Psalmist, " I am needy 
 and poor." (Ps. Ixix. 6.) In the Lord 
 I will put my trust, for he is my 
 strength and my salvation, and all 
 good comes from God. 
 
 3. Restrain thyself then from pre- 
 sumption when gladness is vouchsafed 
 you, and beware of discouragement 
 when the clouds of sorrow gather 
 round you : receive each of these 
 as it shall please God to send them, 
 and be in all content ; for you have 
 nothing of thyself, but all from God. 
 
 When the grace of devotion is 
 granted to you, the sun of Justice 
 shines on thee from the heights of 
 heaven ; your soul walks in his bright- 
 ness and rejoices in its riches. But 
 1 2
 
 116 
 
 you will be indeed wretclied, if you 
 permit yourself to be deceived by any 
 feelinu: of vanity or presumption. 
 
 When tlie grace of devotion is with- 
 drawn from you, on account perhaps 
 of the abuse you have made of it, your 
 soul becomes really poor and weak, 
 capable of but very little, and with no 
 relish for prayer; but receive these 
 privations with gratitude, for in de- 
 spoiling of these gifts, and humbling 
 you, God giveth you a new proof of 
 his love. His hand strikes you wuth 
 the rod, with which he corrects his 
 children, for the hidden excesses of 
 which you are daily guilty, in order to 
 inspire you with a contempt for your- 
 self, and to hinder you from having so 
 high an estimate of your own merit ; 
 as St. Paul says, " Be not high- 
 minded, but fear." (Rom. xi. 20.) 
 
 The soul is a great gainer when it 
 is deeply penetrated with a sense of 
 self-contempt, and gives to God all the 
 glory of the good it may ha^'e done.
 
 117 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 On the proving of the devout by 
 contraries. 
 
 " Exultate justi^ in Domino^ (Ps. 
 xxxii. 1.) 
 
 " Rejoice in the Lord, O ye justy 
 
 Joy is eternal in heaven ; sorrow is 
 eternal in hell ; but both dwell occa- 
 sionally on earth, to prove the good 
 and the bad. 
 
 The sky is pure and serene in sum- 
 mer, dark and cloudy in winter; so 
 the devout soul has its summer and 
 winter. 
 
 When the grace of God comes and 
 illuminates it, it discovers many truths 
 which were before unknown, and un- 
 derstands what before it understood 
 not. It rejoices with great joy, and 
 expresses in songs of gladness the 
 happiness which it feels. But the
 
 118 
 
 season of trial comes at List, and tlie 
 grace of devotion is >\'itbdi"a\vn ; then 
 winter comes, in ice and cold, in tlie 
 ^loom of the intellect and fear of soul. 
 Then patience, most needful to our 
 v.ants as it is pleasing to God, comes 
 to our aid ; in such trials our advance 
 in virtue grows apace, and our eternal 
 recompense is increased. 
 
 2. The chastisements of God hum- 
 ble and purify the soul, confound our 
 pride, and dissipate vain-glory. 
 
 So long as the soul is united to the 
 body, so long is it subject in turns to 
 both, that it may make more progress 
 in the love of Christ. 
 
 Wherefore it is a proof of great know- 
 ledge and virtue to profit by adversity, 
 as well as prosperity. 
 
 My soul, bless tliou the Lord, at all 
 times. Sing, O Sion, day and night, 
 the praises of the Lord, and thy re- 
 ward shall be great in the sight of 
 God, in heaven and on earth; for all
 
 119 
 
 shall tend to tliy spiritual advantage, 
 whether prosperity or adversity, good 
 or evil, joy or sorrow, as the apostle 
 saith ; " We know that to them that 
 love God, all things work together 
 unto good, to such as are called to he 
 saints, and to those that fear hini." 
 (Rom. viii. 28.) And blessed are they 
 who in all things follow the will of 
 God. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the true lover of God. 
 
 " Diligite Dominum omnes sancti 
 ejus pusilli ct ma(jni.^^ (Ps. xxx. 24.) 
 " O Love the Lord, all ye his saints." 
 
 Love Him, rich and poor, love Him 
 great and small ; for it is He who 
 made both poor and rich, both small 
 and great.
 
 120 
 
 He that would truly love God, must 
 love Him purely, that is to say, must 
 love God for God, and with none 
 other wish but that of enjoying Him. 
 Such love must have for its end 
 neither temporal advantage nor profit, 
 nor inward consolation — no — not even 
 eternal recompense ; but wholly and 
 entirely for his infinite goodness and 
 surpassing worth. 
 
 It is for this reason that the Psalm- 
 ist, inviting us to sing the praises of 
 God, says and repeats so often, " Give 
 glory to the Lord, for he is good :" 
 (Ps. cv.) — words which are indeed 
 sweet to such as love God ;— but, for 
 the consolation of the contrite and re- 
 pentant mourner, he adds — " For his 
 mercy endureth for ever." (ibid.) 
 
 Ye weak and frail, taste ye the 
 sweetness of these words-^but what- 
 ever be your sins, despair not — "for 
 his mercy endureth for ever." 
 
 The deeper our humility, and the
 
 121 
 
 more fervent our love, the more pleas- 
 infj; shall we l)e to God. 
 
 Blessed is he that accounteth him- 
 self the vilest of creatures, and who 
 shuns every thing that is contrary to 
 the will of God. 
 
 Blessed is he who out of charity 
 and with a pure intention does every 
 action for God, and with a view to 
 please him ; and who proposes to him- 
 self no other end, than his honour, 
 praise, and glory. 
 
 Blessed is he who attributes nothing 
 that he possesses to his own merits, 
 l)ut freely returns to God all that he 
 has received from him.
 
 ]22 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 On the gratitude of the soul, for every 
 good. 
 
 " Magnificate Dominum mecum, et 
 exaltevms nomcn rjus in idipsum. {Ps. 
 xxxiii. 4.) 
 
 " O magnify the Lord with me ; 
 and let lis extol his name together. ^^ 
 
 He that for the least favour, is most 
 grateful to God, gives him worthy 
 praise, and appreciates the goodness 
 and houuty of Him, who above all is 
 infinitely great ; for no grace can he 
 small or contemptihle, that comes from 
 the liberal hand of the Most High. 
 
 God seeks and asks for nothing, but 
 that our love may be disinterested, 
 and that by carefully avoiding all of- 
 fence against him, we should give 
 proofs to him of our sincere gratitude. 
 
 2. Great in the sight of God is he,
 
 123 
 
 wlio is filled with deep liiuiiility, and 
 contempt for himself — who judges 
 himself unworthy to partake in his 
 gifts and benefits, and when he makes 
 use of such as he has received, neither 
 to satiate his vanity, nor to court the 
 esteem of men. 
 
 But greater is he, who although like 
 Job, afflicted, overwhelmed with con- 
 tempt and injuries, despoiled of his 
 goods, abandoned by his friends, 
 tempted by the devil, covered with 
 raillery and confusion, — yet rejoices in 
 tribulation, giving thanks to God, and 
 blessing his holy name ; reckons as 
 great gain to his soul, the evils and 
 calamities, which weigh heavy upon 
 him ; and endures them all without 
 one murmur, for the love of God. 
 
 3. Blessed is he, who after the ex- 
 ample of Job, learns to acknowledge 
 the hand which strikes him, and to 
 submit with resignation to the rod of 
 affliction, trusting wholly to the mercy
 
 124 
 
 of God, and bowing unrcsenedly to 
 his holy will. 
 
 Blessed is he Avho ever seelcs after, 
 and prefers before all, the will of God, 
 and ^^ho takes pleasure in being ac- 
 counted vile in the eyes of man : — who 
 rejoices in the midst of insult and in- 
 jury, and who receives temporal losses 
 as ministering servants to the good of 
 his soul. 
 
 CHAP. YI. 
 
 On the conformity of the devout soul to 
 the Cross. 
 
 " Cum ipso snm in trihulat'ioney 
 (Ps. xc. 15.) 
 
 " lam with him in trihulaiioiir 
 
 The Soul. — Lord, what mean those 
 words that I hear ? give to thy servant 
 a right understanding; unfold to me 
 all the consolation these words inclose
 
 125 
 
 The Lord. — Hearken unto me, ray 
 son. 
 
 When tliy heart is fallen into tri- 
 bulation or sorrow, then are you fas- 
 tened with Jesus to his cross. 
 
 When consolations return to your 
 soul, and fervour comes, and you are 
 constrained to express your joy, by the 
 singing of hymns and holy canticles, 
 then are you raised again with Jesus, 
 in newness of spirit ; you rise again 
 from the dead, singing alleluias of joy. 
 
 2. When on bended knees, with 
 groans and tears, you implore the 
 pardon of your sins ; then you knock 
 loudly at the gate of heaven. 
 
 When you turn away from the va- 
 nities of the world, and give yourself 
 up entirely to the meditation of the 
 good things of eternity ; then you 
 enter heaven with Jesus, to live there 
 in the company of the angels. 
 
 Be then nieek, humble, and re- 
 signed to the infirmities and reverses
 
 126 
 
 which may come upon j-ou ; hear pa- 
 tiently your cross with Jesus ; die 
 daily on the cross, for your eternal 
 salvation ; for every afiliction of the 
 flesh, when borne with patience, is a 
 remedy for the evils of the soul, a 
 satisfaction for sins, and the hope of 
 future blessedness and glory. Amen. 
 
 CHAR VII. 
 
 Ou the walking of a pure soul with God. 
 
 " Ambulate, dum lucem habctis.'''' 
 (Sti. Johan. xii. 35.) 
 
 " Walk u-hilst you have the light.^'' 
 
 1. He walketh with God, whilst 
 there is light, who has no desire for 
 what this world affords ; and who 
 fixes all his affections on God in 
 heaven : for the hidden treasure of the
 
 127 
 
 faithful soul is Jesus Christ our 
 Lord, in whom all goodness dwells. 
 
 However great the riches of him 
 who has not God for his friend, he is 
 always in indigence and want. 
 
 But he that would have God for 
 his friend, must love Him, and keep 
 his commandments. 
 
 2. You keep the commandments of 
 God when you avoid all useless words ; 
 when you show hy your works, an ex- 
 ample of those virtues you recommend 
 to their practice ; when, instead of seek- 
 ing your own glory, you refer all the 
 glory, and the good you may do, or 
 observe in others, purely and entirely 
 to the glory of God. 
 
 But he that is satisfied with himself, 
 pleases a fool, and displeases God. 
 
 Thus in all the good you say or do, 
 seek only the gloiy of God, that you 
 may receive from Him still greater 
 favours. 
 
 Why sliould you glory in natural
 
 128 
 
 advantages, -when you are mortal, and 
 presently sliall be the food of worms ? 
 Young man, hear the voice of an 
 ancient ; separate yourself from all 
 that might allure your soul to idle- 
 ness, for you shall only find repose, 
 when you descend into your heart, and 
 dispose it to seek God before all 
 things, and to love Him intimately. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 On the peace of heart, and rest in God. 
 
 " In pace f actus est locus ejiis.^^ (Ps. 
 Ixxv. 3.) 
 
 " His place is in peace^ 
 
 The Soul. — Lord, who is he that 
 dwelleth in true peace ? 
 
 The Lord. — He that is meek, and 
 humble of heart. But why do you
 
 129 
 
 inquire into what passes in the soul of 
 others, when you neglect so much 
 what is passing in thine own ? 
 
 Hearken then unto me ; it is the 
 heart the most humble, and the most 
 willing to suffer for the sake of God, 
 that enjoys the most abundant peace. 
 
 To such an one no burthen is 
 heavy, for God himself is in his 
 heart. 
 
 Blessed are they that converse with 
 God in prayer, in meditation, by 
 singing-, by reading, and who keep 
 silence on the vanities of the passing 
 world. 
 
 Wherever you are, wheresoever you 
 go, whithersoever you fly,your thoughts 
 still accompany you ; but the medi- 
 tation on what is good, brings joy to 
 the soul, while evil thoughts afflict it. 
 
 Anger brings forth trouble, and 
 envy blinds the soul ; but hatred 
 kills it. 
 
 Devout reading instructs ; prayer 
 
 K
 
 130 
 
 enflames it ; but good works are the 
 fulfilment of the law. 
 
 2. Holy words purify the heart ; 
 frivolous words defile it ; idle words 
 scaudalize it ; bitter words sadden it ; 
 words of mercy soothe disquietude ; 
 moral conversation edifies the heart ; 
 dogmatic {historialis) entertainments 
 strengthen the faith, and heavenly 
 words raise it up into heaven. 
 
 Cleanse your heart from all malice, 
 if you would enjoy sweet peace. 
 
 There is no sweet peace but what 
 comes from God ; and he is the peace 
 of the virtuous, who does all things 
 well for the sake of God, whom he 
 loves. 
 
 Abide in silence, and endure a little 
 for the sake of God ; and he himself 
 will free you from every burthen, and 
 from all disquietude. 
 
 A holy life and a pure conscience 
 beget confidence in God in tribu- 
 lation and death, but an evil con-
 
 131 
 
 science is always in fear, and tor- 
 mented by remorse. 
 
 The angry man falls quickly from 
 one evil into a worse ; but the patient 
 and the meek makes a friend of his 
 enemy, and God will be propitious 
 to him, for that he hath shewn mercy 
 unto him who offended him. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Of recollection of heart with God. 
 
 " Quis non colligit mecum, spargit." 
 (St. Matt. xii. 30.) 
 
 " He 2vho gatheret/i not ivith me^ 
 scattereth,^^ saith Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. 
 
 When through the multiplied temp- 
 tations of the evil one, the bitter pas- 
 sions of your heart, or the annoyances 
 k2
 
 132 
 
 you may suffer from your fellow-men, 
 you shall have fallen into lukewarm- 
 ness and great dissipation, retire into 
 solitude, and there prostrate and alone 
 at the foot of the Holy Cross, before 
 the image of the blessed Virg;in Mary, 
 or before any other picture which re- 
 calls either the honour of God, or the 
 memory of his saints, use your endea- 
 vour to gather up your soul by reci- 
 ting the Lord's Prayer, or the Angel- 
 ical Salutation. 
 
 Invoke especially Jesus and Mary, 
 beseech the holy angels, and all the 
 heavenly court, to obtain for you the 
 return of the graces and consolations 
 which you have been deprived of, and 
 say with holy David, " Lord, all my 
 desire is before thee, and my groaning 
 is not hidden from thee. (Ps.xxxvii. 10.) 
 " Lord, from my youth I have put my 
 hope in thee ; I fly unto thee in my tri- 
 bulation." 
 
 2. A devout prayer. — Teach me, O
 
 133 
 
 Lord, to follow thy commandments, 
 to do thy will, and to renounce my own, 
 for this is well-pleasing to thee, and 
 the safety of my soul demands it. 
 
 Lord, may I never think, nor desire, 
 nor do any thing to displease thee, or 
 to hurt my neighbour, and never to 
 act contrary to what thou hast com- 
 manded, or to the example of thy de- 
 vout servants. 
 
 If I transgress, correct me in thy 
 mercy, and destroy me not in thy 
 wrath. 
 
 For thou art my God, and I am thy 
 servant — ever poor — ever weak, and 
 ever most needy of thy grace and 
 mercy in all things. 
 
 Blessed be thy holy name above all, 
 now and for ever and ever. Amen.
 
 134 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 On watching and prayer against temp- 
 tations. 
 
 in teritationem." (St. Marci xiv. 38.) 
 
 " Watch and pray that you enter not 
 into temptation,'' either of the flesh, or 
 the spirit, of the world or the devil. 
 
 The flesh leads to concupiscence, 
 the spirit to pride, the world to vanity, 
 the devil to envy. 
 
 But Christ hath told us, that to 
 deserve heaven, and avoid the pains of 
 hell, we must practise chastity, humi- 
 lity, charity, and contempt for the 
 world. 
 
 To this end we must watch and 
 pray, at all times and in every place, 
 for no part is secure against the 
 attacks of our malignant enemy, who 
 sleeps not, nor rests from his temp-
 
 135 
 
 tations, " who continually goes about 
 seeking whom he may devour," (1 St. 
 Pet. V, 8), whom he may cast into 
 trouble and discouragement, and whom 
 he may inspire with disgust for prayer 
 or other spiritual exercises. 
 
 2. It is for this reason that our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who knew the 
 malice of the evil one, and the efficacy 
 of prayer ; the strength of the enemy, 
 and the weakness of man, admonishes, 
 in the most earnest manner, his dis- 
 ciples, and all the faithful, to watch 
 and pray, if we would not be overcome 
 by our enemies, — that is our vices. 
 
 Watch ye then and pray, that ye 
 enter not into the temptations of the 
 devil, nor consent unto him. 
 
 If you are unable to recite the whole 
 psalter, recite a psalm, a verse, a de- 
 vout hymn in honour of Jesus, of 
 Mary, or of some of the blessed saints, 
 that you may raise up your soul to 
 God, by the groanings of your heart
 
 136 
 
 or the holy words your mouth may 
 utter. 
 
 For God is nigh unto them that 
 call upon Him with humility ; and 
 " the prayer of hira that humbleth 
 himself shall pierce the clouds," (Ec- 
 cles. XXXV. 21), fill the soul with trust 
 in God, and thwart the schemes, the 
 efforts, the tlireats, and the vanities of 
 the devil. 
 
 3. If the presence of men keep you 
 from prayer, " Enter," according to 
 the counsel of Jesus Christ," into your 
 chamber, and having shut the door, 
 pray to thy Father in secret," (St Matt, 
 vi. 6), who already knoweth the 
 thoughts and desires of your heart, 
 and what you have need of. 
 
 Say to Him, then, every time you 
 address Him in prayer, " Father ! thy 
 will he ever done, and not mine; grant 
 me nothing hut what may he conform- 
 able to thy glory, and the good of my 
 soul."
 
 137 
 
 When thou art in choir with thy 
 brethren, read and sing with a recol- 
 lection like that of the angels before 
 the throne of God. 
 
 Sing in such a manner that thy 
 heart may be inwardly penetrated wath 
 compunction, and that you may please 
 men without displeasing God ; for 
 God prefers compunction of heart, to 
 the loud or tuneful voice ; and is 
 appeased by humble prayer, but of- 
 fended by vain-glory. 
 
 The groanings of a contrite heart 
 draw down the graces of the Lord, 
 and strengthen virtue; but the song 
 of a wandering heart quenches devo- 
 tion ; and for all such faults and 
 negligences we must give a strict 
 account. 
 
 May the divine mercy keep us from 
 all such offences, and lead us to the 
 kingdom of heaven. Amen.
 
 138 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 On the fear of eternal punishment, as a 
 
 preservative against the vices of 
 
 the flesh and pride of spirit. 
 
 " Co7ifif/e timore tuo carnes meas.^^ 
 (Ps. cxvii'i. 120.) 
 
 " Pierce thou my jiesh ivith thy 
 feary 
 
 Such a prayer is o:ood to repress 
 the evil inclinations of the flesh, and 
 to bring down the pride of the spirit ; 
 for these two enemies fight against 
 man, and vex him daily; sometimes 
 it is the flesh, which torments him by 
 its irregular appetites, and sometimes 
 it is the spirit which seeks the praise 
 of men, and applies its own good 
 >yorks to the satisfaction of its vanity. 
 
 Botli of these enemies are great
 
 139 
 
 evils, and there is imminent peril in 
 either. 
 
 When you are drawn to evil, by 
 that miserable flesh, whose being is so 
 frail, think of the torment of eternal 
 fire. Quench the fire of concupiscence 
 in the fire of hell, for it is happily 
 ordered that impressions more feeble 
 should disappear before those which 
 are stronger, that the soul may be 
 saved " so as by fire." (1 Cor. iii. 15.) 
 
 All carnal pleasure is of short dura- 
 tion ; beauty of body, glory, honours, 
 all the enjoyments of this world, are 
 vain and deceitful. 
 
 Even as a violent headache forces 
 complaints and groans, from one who 
 has been thoughtless and wandering, 
 so the fear of death, and the dread of 
 the punishment of hell, give to the 
 sinner power to resist temptation, and 
 to overcome his vicious inclinations. 
 
 2. He that is without fear, shall 
 quickly fall into evil, and he that
 
 140 
 
 refuses to humble himself, in the pre- 
 sence of God and his saints, shall be 
 confounded by devils in the day of 
 judgment, and cruelly tormented by 
 them for ever. 
 
 Listen to an irrevocable decree, 
 applicable to every creatiire, to angels 
 as well as to men : " God resisteth 
 the proud, and giveth grace to the 
 humble." (St. Junies iv. 6.) 
 
 But the mercy of the Lord is T^ith 
 his saints and elect, from eternity unto 
 eternity. 
 
 Tremble, then, ye proud, for the 
 judgment of God in all your actions, 
 and cease to glory in the vanity of 
 your passing reputation. 
 
 When you have done all that you 
 can, and all that you ought to have 
 done, there yet remain many things, 
 and scarcely could you restore one 
 for a thousand. 
 
 Tremble then for the rod and staff'
 
 141 
 
 of God's vengeance — tremble tor the 
 judgment to come. 
 
 Every virtue shall be rewarded, but 
 every bad action shall be punished. 
 
 If fire were to break out in your 
 dw^elling, would you not fear ? would 
 you not rise on the instant and fly ? 
 Such is the effect that ought to be 
 produced in your soul by the fear, and 
 dread and thoughts of the pains to 
 come, which shall never end; and who- 
 ever entertains in his heart a lively 
 horror of the punishments of hell, 
 shall, by means of these thoughts, 
 overcome lukewarmness, and rekindle 
 his fervour.
 
 142 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 On the memory of our Lord's passion ; 
 as a remed)' against dissipation. 
 
 " Bead qui lugent, quoniam ipsi 
 consolabuntur.^'' (St. Matth. v. 3.) 
 
 ^''Blessed are those who iveep, for 
 they shall be comforted?^ 
 
 By whom shall they be comforted? 
 most surely by Christ — in the secret 
 of the heart, and not by the world, 
 which can otfer but a vain and idle 
 consolation. 
 
 Light and idle discourse, and fre- 
 quent laughter, have no agreement 
 with the passion and bitter sufferings 
 of Christ. 
 
 If my head or my back w^ere 
 wounded, but by one of those sharp 
 thorns which formed the crown of 
 Jesus Christ, would I laugh and be
 
 143 
 
 merry ? no, surely, but rather weep 
 and cry aloud through very pain. 
 
 If my foot were pierced by one of the 
 nails which fastened Jesus to the 
 cross, would I have a fancy to go and 
 run in the world ? no, never ; I would 
 lay me down in sorrow, and learn, by 
 the experience of pain, to mourn over 
 the sufferings of my divine Saviour. 
 
 Happy should I be, if the abun- 
 dance and bitterness of my tears could 
 then efface my sins. 
 
 Oh ! how holy is the grief we feel, 
 when we weep over the sacred wounds 
 of our Saviour Jesus Christ 1 and how 
 sweet the tears we shed ! 
 
 2. When you are in distress, when 
 any temptation assails you, or when 
 you feel your own weakness, arm 
 yourself forthwith with the shield of 
 prayer, and the standard of the Holy 
 Cross ; take refuge in the sacred 
 wounds of Christ, and there in the 
 fervour of prayer, and in serious me-
 
 144 
 
 ditation on his passion, find a salutan' 
 remedy for all the wants of your 
 soul. 
 
 Consider well the high and heavy 
 cross, on which Jesus Christ hung 
 naked for the love of you, fostened 
 with nails which tore his sacred hands. 
 
 Behold his crown, count there the 
 numerous thorns, which pierced so 
 sadly and so deep his sacred head, 
 and dewed it with his sacred hlood 
 abundantly. 
 
 Place these, and all those instru- 
 ments which were used in the passion 
 of Jesus Christ, beside you, for your 
 safeguard by day and night : lest your 
 grievous enemy, finding your mind 
 stripped of these sacred imaginings, 
 enter in and pollute thy heart with 
 vain thoughts and sordid picturings. 
 
 3. Let not your bed be laid in soft- 
 ness ; in memory of the holy nativity 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, think of 
 that poor and narrow crib, where Jesus
 
 145 
 
 was born, and where were heard his 
 infant cries. He had no oniament 
 for his cradle but a little straw, and 
 no nourishment but a little milk from 
 his Virgin Mother. 
 
 Let the hardness and poverty of 
 your couch, recal in some sort the 
 hard and stony sepulchre of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ ; w^here was laid the body 
 of Jesus, crucified for you, truly dead 
 and buried in the bosom of the earth, 
 and covered with a great stone. 
 
 Sleep in the peace of the Lord, for- 
 getting the world and all its vanities ; 
 despising all that is reckoned great 
 and pleasing in the eyes of men ; that 
 when you rise from your slumber, you 
 may come forth refreshed in virtue 
 and grace, and at the last day be 
 raised again to share in the eternal 
 glory of the elect. Amen.
 
 146 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 On the invocation of the holy name of 
 
 Jesus, and of the blessed Mary, 
 
 his Virgin Mother. 
 
 " Perjice gressus meos in semitis 
 tuis ; ut 710U moveantur vestigia mea.'^ 
 (Ps. xvi. 15.) 
 
 " Perfect thou mi/ goings in thg 
 paths ; that my footsteps he not turnecV^ 
 
 Thy wavs, O Lord Jesus Christ, 
 are beautiful and pure; and to those 
 that walk therein thy paths are safe, 
 and right, and perfect. 
 
 All thy paths aie peaceful and holy, 
 and lead the faithful and humble of 
 heart, to the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Wherever you go, whatsoever road 
 you follow, wherever you rest or stop, 
 call upon Jesus, call upon Mary, his 
 holy Mother; with confidence repeat
 
 147 
 
 these words of the psahnist, as the 
 guide of thy way ; " Perfect thou my 
 goings in thy paths, that my foot- 
 steps be not moved :" and add to 
 them these, " Perfect thou my goings,'' 
 O Jesus, " in thy paths, that my 
 footsteps be not moved," to behold 
 vanity, or to wound my soul, by words 
 of idleness. 
 
 2. Let this prayer be for thy life's 
 viaticum, (provision for thy journey); 
 let it be as a staff to support you; say 
 it often, say it devoutly. * 
 
 /•Jesus and Maiy, be ever with me 
 in the way, as my good guards at all 
 times and in every place, lest haply 1 
 wander in bye-paths; lest my senses or 
 my heart be seduced by the many illu- 
 sions that surround me." 
 
 This holy prayei*,- " Jesus and 
 Mary," is short, and easy to remember; 
 it is easily carried about ; is sweet and 
 pleasing ; the poor pilgrim who flies 
 from the vanities of the world, will 
 L 2
 
 148 
 
 find in it the consolation, strength, and 
 protection which he is in need of, to 
 hold on his course in safety ; it will 
 refresh the fatigiieof the journey, and 
 calm the disquietude of his soul ; it 
 will fill him with comfort, and aid him 
 mightily in resisting the obstacles 
 which he may meet with ; and it will 
 lead him by a path direct to life 
 eternal. 
 
 This holy prayer is addressed to a 
 surer and more faithful escort, than all 
 ^e princes and counts of this world, 
 and to higher saints than all the saints 
 in heaven or earth. 
 
 This prayer spoken fervently will 
 gain you the favour of all the court of 
 heaven, who ever, with all reverence, 
 follow Jesus Christ their Lord, and 
 their holy lady, St. Mary, the blessed 
 mother of Jesus, most worthy of all 
 praise, and of the homage and bene- 
 diction of all created things. 
 
 He that has these for his com-
 
 149 
 
 panions in his earthly pilgrimage, 
 shall find in them devout patrons in 
 the hour of death. 
 
 Never depart from Jesus on earth, 
 if you would live and rejoice with 
 Jesus and Mary for ever in heaven. 
 
 Your steps \\i\\ he more secure, \^^th 
 less fear of wandering, if you have 
 Jesus and Mary in your heart; if 
 they he the ohjec't of your praise, your 
 henediction, your applause, your trans- 
 ports, your cries of delight, the joy of 
 your heart, your tears and sighs, your 
 aim, your emhraces, your regards, and 
 your adoration. 
 
 Blessed are those who call on Jesus 
 and Mary continually, who salute 
 them devoutly, who recall them lov- 
 ingly to their memoiy, who honour 
 them ahove all, who sing their praise 
 with lively joy, who glorify them 
 highly, who love them ardently, who 
 make their love the delight of their
 
 150 
 
 souls, and who deem it happiness to 
 sinjr and celebrate their hi^^h estate. 
 
 Oh, how sweet is Jesus ! how sweet 
 is holy jMary, his beloved mother ! 
 
 Blessed is the pilgrim, who in the 
 time of his exile, is ever mindful of 
 the celestial country, where Jesus 
 and Mary are surrounded by angels 
 and saints in joy ineffable and endless 
 glory. 
 
 Blessed is the pilgrim who seeks no 
 dwelling-place on earth, who desires 
 " to be dissolved and to be with Christ 
 in heaven." 
 
 Blessed is the poor and needy, who 
 every day beggeth the bread of heaven, 
 and who ceases not to stretch forth his 
 suppliant hands, till he receives the 
 crumbs which fall from the table of 
 his Lord. 
 
 Blessed is he that is invited to the 
 Supper of the Lamb, who here below 
 receives the sacrament of his love,
 
 151 
 
 and waits in patience until he he 
 called to sit down to the hanquet in 
 heaven. 
 
 4. He that receives the communion 
 devoutly, or the priest, who reverently 
 and devoutly offers to the honour of 
 God the holy sacrifice ; so often does 
 he sit at the table with Jesus and his 
 blessed Mother, to eat and drink spi- 
 ritually with them. 
 
 Such a one is the disciple of Jesus, 
 the minister of the blessed Virgin 
 Mary, the companion of the angels, 
 the fellow-citizen of the Apostles, the 
 servant of God, the relation of the 
 saints, and the friend of Heaven. 
 
 He flies the tumult of the world : 
 he turns away from idle talk ; he me- 
 ditates on the words of Jesus, and 
 watches carefully over his heart and 
 affections, that no thoug-lit shall enter 
 there to off"end Jesus, or Mary, or the 
 saints. 
 
 " He shall receive a blessing from
 
 152 
 
 the Lord, and mercy from God his 
 Saviour" (Ps. xxiii. 5.) Whensoever he 
 shall call upon Him, He shall hear him 
 from his holy heaven — wheresoever he 
 may be, and whatsoever danger may 
 oppress him. 
 
 For the disciples were on the sea, in 
 danger of sinking, and they called on 
 Jesus, and Jesus appeared forthwith, 
 and said to them, " Be not afraid," 
 (St. John vi. 20), " Be of good heart, 
 it is I, fear ye not," (St. Matt. xiv. 27.) 
 
 The voice of Jesus is full of sweet- 
 ness to biing consolation ; of power to 
 protect ; of joy to make the soul glad ; 
 of indulgence to pardon, and of grace 
 to lead to life eternal. 
 
 ?i
 
 153 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 On the mighty struggle against vice, after 
 the example of the saints. 
 
 " Viriliter a(/ite, et confortetur cor 
 vestruni" (Ps. xxx. 25.) 
 
 " Do ye manfully, and let your heart 
 be strengthened.^^ 
 
 As the passion and cross of Jesus, 
 and the sufferings of the martyrs, 
 teach us to bear the pains of this life, 
 so the purity of the blessed Virgin 
 Mary, the chastity of the holy virgins, 
 widows, and saints of God, show how 
 we may overcome temptations of the 
 flesh, despise the riches, fly the ho- 
 nours, and renounce all the vanities of 
 the world, to give ourselves up entirely 
 to the love and acquirement of hea- 
 venly things. 
 
 O servant of God, walk in the foot-
 
 154 
 
 steps of those courag-eous souls, who 
 have given you tlie example of invin- 
 cible patience — like them, resist the 
 devil and all his temptations. 
 
 Let the constancy with which vir- 
 gins, weak of body, strove, induce you 
 to cast from you with contempt all sen- 
 sual pleasures and every other vice. 
 
 If in his mercy God has granted to 
 you temporal riches — you, who are 
 nothing — use not these to satiate 
 vanity — beware lest ye fix on them 
 your foolish heart ; for you know not 
 how soon you may be taken away from 
 them, or how long you may enjoy 
 them. 
 
 Ask not long life nor riches, seek 
 rather for the witness of a good con- 
 science, which is better than all the 
 treasures of this world ; for the greater 
 thy riches on earth, the more rigorous 
 shall the account be that you must 
 render in heaven. 
 
 2. Ah! how deceitful is the favour
 
 155 
 
 of this world ! how short its glory ! 
 for after the riches, honours, dignities, 
 delights of this life, come the tears 
 and groans, and dreadful punishments 
 of hell, from whence there is no re- 
 demption. 
 
 But oh ! how great is the happiness 
 of the elect ! they are with God, with 
 his angels and saints, inebriated with 
 a happiness which comprehends all 
 joys and shall never end. 
 
 Happy men and wise virgins ! how 
 happy ye who have renounced all for 
 the love of Christ, to walk in the 
 narrow path that leads to the eternal 
 kingdom. 
 
 3. Learn, faithful and devout ser- 
 vants of Jesus Christ, that during this 
 life, ye must watch, and pray, and 
 fast, and labour, and fight against the 
 divers temptations of the flesh and the 
 spirit. 
 
 The flesh must be mortified, lest it 
 rise, and lust against the spirit; lest it
 
 156 
 
 seduce the soul, and prevailing over 
 it, draw it down to hell. 
 
 To wliat pui-jiose is the body pam- 
 pered delicately in this world, if when 
 it quits this passing life, it must 
 endure hell's fearful torments. 
 
 And what boots it to be praised and 
 honoured by men here below, if he 
 must be so soon humbled and con- 
 demned to dwell eternally with the 
 spirits of darkness, and the impious 
 sons of the evil one. 
 
 There shall the shame and con- 
 fusion be extreme, in the presence of 
 God and his saints, of those who pass 
 for great and learned, and yet are 
 cast out from the number of the elect; 
 but their's shall be true honour and 
 glory, when they appear before God 
 in the presence of all his saints, and 
 show what they have suffered for the 
 love of Christ. 
 
 Hear what words of consolation 
 Jesus Christ addresses to his dis-
 
 167 
 
 ciples, and to all who suffer injury or 
 distress for his sake: — "Blessed are 
 ye when they shall revile you, and per- 
 secute you, and speak all that is evil 
 against you (untruly) for my sake ; be 
 glad and rejoice, for your reward is 
 very great is heaven." (St. Matth. v. 
 11, 12. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 On Steadfastness. 
 
 *' Stabiles estate — in opere Domini 
 semper^ (St. Pauli ad 1 Cor. xv, 58.) 
 
 " Be ye steadfast — in the work of 
 the Lord always^ 
 
 Answer me, my dear brother : you 
 run here and there in the world, you 
 see and hear many things ; but to 
 what use is all this to you, whilst you
 
 158 
 
 withdraw yourself from tlie kingdom 
 of heaven ? what profit or holiness do 
 you draw from all, while you mth- 
 draw yourself from the kingdom of 
 heaven ? 
 
 Blessed is he that lives in retire- 
 ment and recollection, who enters into 
 himself, who keeps a strict watch over 
 his heart and body, and who asks 
 pardon of God with sighs and tears 
 the moment he perceives that his soul 
 has been wandering. 
 
 But woe to you that go out often 
 and heedlessly from your solitude, 
 who waste unprofitably a portion of 
 your precious time, and who are a 
 scandal to others. 
 
 God giveth inward peace abun- 
 dantly to him who loveth solitude; 
 who gives his heart in secret to God, 
 who prays frequently, who is employed 
 in useful occupations, who feeds his 
 soul with holy studies, and meditates 
 lovinufly on the truths of salvation.
 
 159 
 
 3. The idler and the hahl)ler de- 
 serve severe reproof, and their fellow- 
 ship must be shunned, for they will 
 corrupt the simple by the frivoHty of 
 their discourse ; or, by the depravity of 
 their manners, bring trouble and 
 scandal into the souls of the little 
 ones. 
 
 You, my brother, whose heart is 
 dissipated and fond of idle jests, 
 think on the pains of purgatory ; 
 where, for every trifling-, every idle 
 word or thought, each one of thy idle 
 actions must be punished by bitter 
 stripes. 
 
 It is better th^n to live here in fear 
 and trembling, in penance and tears 
 than to share the lot of the reprobate, 
 and to be tormented with them by 
 devils for all eternity. 
 
 There is surely no joy nor mirth in 
 the fire of hell, whence none can ever 
 draw thee out.
 
 160 
 
 3. He tbat would reflect often on 
 these truths, and meditate on them 
 seriously, would soon conceive a dis- 
 gust for all worldly vanities, and 
 abhor all sensual desires ; that so he 
 might avoid eternal punishment, and 
 after death obtain eternal happiness. 
 
 Woe unto those on earth, and 
 heavier woe to come on those who are 
 but lightly moved by the thought of 
 the divine judgments, and by the fear 
 of sufleiings which their body has not 
 yet tried. 
 
 -55|gKS8l^
 
 161 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 On divine consolation in tribulation for 
 Christ's sake. 
 
 " In mundo pressuram habebitis ; 
 sed confidite, ego vici mundum.^'' (Sti. 
 Johan. xvi. 35.) 
 
 " In the world you shall have dis- 
 tress ; but have confidence^ I have over- 
 come the world.^^ 
 
 It is a comfort to have a fellow in 
 misery, saith the proverb. But who 
 is that friend so tender and so good, 
 who shares our miseries and infirm- 
 ities ? it is Jesus Christ our Lord, 
 who suffered and was crucified for us ; 
 and who, in the gospel, calls himself 
 the physician and shepherd of our 
 souls, the comforter of the poor, the 
 weak and the afflicted : the physician 
 of the sick, and the stay of those that 
 
 M
 
 162 
 
 fall, for " tliey that are well," he says, 
 " have no need of a physician, but 
 they that are sick." (St. Mark ii. 17.) 
 And in like manner David speaks of 
 him, when he addresses these words 
 of comfort to afflicted souls, "the 
 Lord is nigh unto them that are of a 
 contrite heart ;" (Ps. ii.) and in ano- 
 ther Psalm, to give confidence to his 
 servant, proved by temptations and 
 tribulations, God himself says, "I 
 am with him in tribulation, I will 
 deliver him, and I ^^ill glorify him." 
 (Ps. xc. 15.) 
 
 Truly there is comfort and con- 
 solation to all that are sad or afflicted, 
 in Christ v.ho was himself tempted and 
 afflicted, and stricken with many sor- 
 rows. 
 
 God, who is sovereignly good and 
 just in all his ways, would not send 
 pains and tribulations in this life, if 
 they were not useful and salutary to 
 GUV souls.
 
 163 
 
 And who art thou, sinner, who aft 
 loaded with many sins ? who art thou 
 who dare, in affliction, to wince under 
 the hand of Him who spared not his 
 own Son ; for it is meet and just that 
 the guilty and unprofitable servant 
 should bear without murmuring the 
 light corrections which his master in-* 
 flicts on him ; since His well-beloved 
 Son, and He all innocence, w^as 
 Wounded with so many stripes. 
 
 It is meet and just that a sick man, 
 to recover his health, should sip some 
 drops from the bitter chalice, which 
 already his physician has drained be- 
 fore him, to neutralize the poison of 
 death, and with health of soul and 
 body, to free him from eternal death. 
 
 The heavy burthen of the servant 
 should be sweetened by the remem- 
 brance of the heavier burthen of sor- 
 rows that his innocent master has 
 borne ; and the sick should be much 
 comforted in his sufferings, when he 
 M 2
 
 164 
 
 reflects that these, if borne with resipf- 
 liation, shall serve to cleanse him from 
 sins, and to assure his hope of life 
 eternal. 
 
 3. It is, indeed, glorious for a slave 
 to be clothed 'snth the same cloth as 
 his master ; and to wear, as son and 
 heir, the royal purple, that will give a 
 title to assist at the eternal spousals of 
 the Lamb. 
 
 The cloth with which Jesus is 
 clothed, is humility of heart, the pri- 
 vation of things the most necessary, 
 patience in adversity, and perseverance 
 in virtue. 
 
 He that receives with gratitude the 
 chastisements which God inflicts on 
 him, finds in his sorrows the safety of 
 his soul, and shall receive in heaven a 
 fairer crown of glor}-. 
 
 " Blessed is he that understandeth, 
 concerning the needy and the poor," 
 jesus, (Ps. xl. 1) who, though richer 
 than all, willed, for the love of us, to
 
 165 
 
 become needy and poor. Blessed is 
 he, that despising the riches and ease 
 of this life, walks wisely in His foot- 
 steps, and takes up His cross daily to 
 the hour of his death for the safety of 
 his soul. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 On watching over the conscience, in 
 every place and at all times. 
 
 " Anima mea in manibus meis sem- 
 pcr:' (Ps. cxviii. 109.) 
 
 " My soul is continually in my 
 handsJ'' 
 
 Nothing is more useful or more 
 salutary for you, if you desire to come 
 to life eternal, then to meditate con- 
 tinally on the salvation of thy soul. 
 
 Open every book of piety — run
 
 166 
 
 through all the treatises on the spi- 
 ritual life, you will find that there is 
 no salvation but in God, and in a vir- 
 tuous liie. 
 
 Hence the fLord and Redeemer of 
 our souls said to his disciples, " What 
 doth it profit a man, if he gain the 
 whole world and sufier the loss^of his 
 own soul?" (St. Matth. xvi. 26.) 
 
 He that meditates often on these 
 words, and who is more seriously con- 
 cerned for the welfare of his soul than 
 for the increase of his fortune, or for 
 the entertainment of his body, is a 
 merchant truly wise, (St. Matth. xiii. 
 45), for he prefers spiritual riches, 
 which perish not, to the passing goods 
 of earth. 
 
 He is one of those good and fiiith- 
 ful servants of Christ, who makes his 
 two talents four, his five ten, instead 
 of despising its worth, and burying it 
 contemptuously in the earth ; but who 
 destributes it to the poor, that he may
 
 167 
 
 have part in their prayers, and to the 
 altiir of God, and so returns thanks to 
 the Lord, however small it may seem, 
 for the benefits he has received- 
 (St. Matth. XXV. 14.) 
 
 Blessed is the good servant who is 
 faithful in a little, (St. Luke xix. 17), 
 who employs every moment of his 
 life in a useful manner; who is not 
 busied in what concerns him not, and 
 who, to please God, becomes like one 
 that is deaf and dumb. He walks in 
 peace through the tumult of the 
 world, " having his soul continually 
 in his hands." 
 
 Take no thought then of the con- 
 duct of thy neighbour, but in as far 
 as the love of God and charity con- 
 strain you. 
 
 2. Covet not the praises of men, for 
 they are vain. Be not afraid of their 
 reproach ; for, far from hurting your 
 soul, humiliations purify, and make 
 it worthy to receive in heaven a more
 
 168 
 
 brilliant crown ; and none desen-e to 
 be glorified in the kingdom of heaven 
 who cannot endure reproach for the 
 love of God on earth. 
 
 A Med'xtat'ion and Prayer. — Since 
 then thou hast suffered for the love of 
 me, O my God, it is but fitting that I 
 should suffer for the love of Thee ; 
 and that I should walk in thy foot- 
 steps as far as I am able. 
 
 Thou hast said to St. Peter, "Follow 
 thou me," (St. John xxi. 23), but 
 alas ! how little can I bear for thee ! 
 
 I make many resolutions, but 
 scarcely one in ten I execute; I 
 speak much, but do little ; all blame 
 is mine, and I have no excuse; idle- 
 ness and indifference increase each 
 day the number of my sins. What 
 should I think or say ? alas ! nought 
 remains but to entreat thy mercy ; 
 and to cry, " Lord, I have sinned, 
 have mercy upon me." 
 
 Thus were led all the saints that
 
 ]69 
 
 have gone before us; such are the 
 lessons they have left us ; such, each 
 day, is still the conduct of all thy 
 faithful. 
 
 Oh all ye saints and friends of God, 
 pray for me, for I am weak, and I 
 humbly implore the assistance of all. 
 
 The Prayer of the Poor. 
 
 Holy of holies, Lord my God, 
 incline thine ear to the prayer of thy 
 poor servant, " Help me, and I shall 
 be saved, and I will meditate always 
 on thy justifications." (Ps. cxviii. 1 17.) 
 
 Oh that I deserved to be one of the 
 least of thy servants, in the kingdom 
 thou hast prepared for those who are 
 humble and who love thee. 
 
 1 love thee then, O Lord my 
 strength, with all my heart, as thou, 
 thyself, hast commanded by thy sacred 
 mouth. 
 
 Thou art my hope, and my sal-
 
 170 
 
 vation, and ray desire is ever towards 
 thee. 
 
 Keep me from all error, by a per- 
 fect understanding ; from all impurity 
 by a clean heart; from all kind of 
 doubt, by a right faith ; from all dis- 
 trust, by a steadfast hope; from all 
 disgust and negligence by a burning 
 charity ; from all disquietude by great 
 patience ; from all unclean thoughts 
 by holy meditation ; from the attacks 
 of the devil, by continual prayer; 
 from frequent distractions, by a sus- 
 tained attention in reading ; from 
 listlessness and drowsiness, by useful 
 occupation, and from thinking of sa- 
 tisfying my vices, by the remembrance 
 of thy holy passion. Come with all 
 these graces, O Lord, and confirm me 
 in all thy holy words. Amen.
 
 171 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 On Solitude and Silence. 
 
 " Ecce elnngavi fugiens, et manai in 
 solitudiney (Ps. liv. 8.) 
 
 " Zo, / have gone far off, J^y^^g 
 away, and I abode in the wilderness.''^ 
 
 1. And why? because of the nu- 
 merous advantages which will come 
 to my soul in so doing ; and to re- 
 strain my heart from the distractions 
 with which the world allures the 
 senses. 
 
 What we have never seen or heard 
 of, can neither excite our regret, nor 
 trouble the peace of our soul. 
 
 Solitude and silence therefore are 
 profitable to inward peace, and dis- 
 pose us for the gift of fervent prayer ;
 
 172 
 
 and it is much more easy to find so- 
 litude aud silence in the retirement 
 of the desert, than in the tumult of 
 the workl. 
 
 As the fish soon dies when taken 
 out of the water, so the monk out of 
 his cell becomes sullied, and lightly 
 gives way to distraction. 
 
 The wise hee abandons the flower 
 as soon as it has gathered the honey, 
 and returns, to deposit in its hive, the 
 provisions that are to nourish it in 
 the dearth of winter ; wherefore it lays 
 up carefully in its cell the treasure of 
 its sweetness, before it resumes its airy 
 course, lest it lose the fruit of its 
 labours ; for the precious perfume be- 
 comes more sweet by being put in a 
 close vessel, and loses, in a little time, 
 all its virtue when exposed to the open 
 air. 
 
 Flowers long preserve their beauty 
 in the inclosure of a garden, whose
 
 173 
 
 walls protect them, and they fade 
 when tiie hand of man gathers them. 
 
 Roses bloom freshly iu the sheltered 
 inclosure ; but are trodden under foot, 
 and wither in the public way. 
 
 2. So does the monk lose the sweet- 
 ness of devotion, whom lightness or 
 in constancy leads often into the world; 
 but he that flies from its distraction, 
 sheds abroad in his retreat the sweet 
 odour of sanctity. 
 
 Exposed to the wind the taper is 
 extinguished — enclosed in a lanthorn 
 it continues to burn ; so is it with 
 devotion; you may preserve it se- 
 curely in the secret chamber, but it 
 will soon dissipate if you expose it to 
 the agitation of worldly business. 
 
 Love then solitude and silence, if 
 you would enjoy devotion and peace 
 of heart; for he that would move 
 among men unhurt, must, indeed, be 
 well covered in strong armour of 
 proof.
 
 174 
 
 Like the blessed Virgin Maiy, who 
 dwelt alone in her chamber, enter- 
 taining her soul with the holy angel, 
 whom God had sent to her from 
 HeaAen ; may the love of devotion 
 keep you in solitude and in your cell, 
 that to you also may come the holy 
 angel, the messenger of heaven, and 
 faithful guardian of your soul, and 
 that you may keep off the evil one, 
 and all his illusions. 
 
 A devout lover of silence hath said, 
 " It is seldom, after much conver- 
 sation Avith men, that my conscience 
 has not something to reproach me 
 with." 
 
 And another, " Our words should 
 be very edifying, to be preferred before 
 silence." 
 
 And a third, " That a word is indeed 
 good when spoken in season." 
 
 Lastly, a fourth adds, " He that 
 keepeth his mouth closed, shall not be 
 guilty of detraction or lying."
 
 175 
 
 3. With what esteem and pleasure 
 does not one listen to the discourse of 
 a man who permits nothing bad, 
 nothing vain, nothing deceitful, no- 
 thing false, to pass his lips. 
 
 Many speak much, and of many 
 things; but never without peril, for 
 the tongue is naturally prone to evil. 
 If iheu you cleave to solitude^ and 
 there watch over your tongue, and 
 pray frequently, you shall find much 
 peace. 
 
 Esteem the good man who practises 
 virtue in silence ; rebuke the babbler 
 who gives himself up to idle words; 
 but avoid him that dissembles. 
 
 Fly from tumult; love retreat; 
 imitate the humble and devout ; bear 
 patiently with those that molest you 
 for the sake of Christ crucified for 
 you. 
 
 4. A novice (frater), asked an aged 
 brother which statute in the ordinal 
 was the most sure means of attaining
 
 176 
 
 true peace and devotion ? the old man 
 gave him this remarkable answer : 
 " Keep the silence enjoined by thy 
 fathers, avoid the tumult of men, and 
 shun idleness." 
 
 There are three things indispensable 
 in a religious life, and, moreover, are 
 most pleasing to God and his angels. 
 
 1st. Manual labour, to overcome 
 sloth. 
 
 2nd. The study and reading of holy 
 books, to prevent disrelish and wea- 
 riness of heart. 
 
 3rd. The continual use of prayer, 
 to scare the stratiigems of tlie devil. 
 
 The ancient fathers of a spiritual 
 life, taught, and the modern ones 
 repeat after them, that silence and 
 prayer draw down benediction from 
 God, give to the soul profound light, 
 and dispose it to meditate with much 
 fruit on the highest mysteries. 
 
 But he that lives in dissipation, and 
 fosters idleness by frivolous discourse.
 
 177 
 
 makes himself unworthy of the hea- 
 venly gifts, and becomes a trouble to 
 his brethren. 
 
 The vain man cannot long keep 
 silence, for he wishes to pass for wise, 
 and to be praised above others. 
 
 He that talks presumptuously is 
 worthily blamed by many, but he 
 that keeps a modest silence deserves 
 the esteem of all. 
 
 He that despises himself, and who 
 thinks others better than himself, 
 shows great humility of heart ; but 
 great is the pride of him who is self- 
 sufficient, and who persists in his own 
 opinion contrary to the will of God, 
 and in opposition to all his brethren. 
 
 This vice is the most dangerous 
 leprosy of all ; what God abhors and 
 often strikes with sudden death. 
 
 He that is simple and innocent, 
 and submits humbly to authority, 
 shall be always in joy, and nothing 
 «hall shake his security.
 
 178 
 
 Speak little; avoid frivolous con- 
 versation ; speak nothing hut what is 
 profitahle ; do all things with modesty ; 
 so shall your praise be great among 
 your hretliren. 
 
 " Be moderate in all things — mo- 
 deration is the fairest of virtues," 
 (Cato), and so Christ himself teaches 
 us : " Have salt in you, and peace 
 among you." (St. Mark ix. 49.) 
 
 And the apostle St. Paul : " Let 
 your speech be always in grace, sea- 
 soned with salt." (Coloss. iv. 6.) 
 
 And holy Job, when he says, " Can 
 an unsavoury thing be eateu that is 
 not seasoned with salt." (Job vi. 6.) 
 
 o. The chaste and modest man sets 
 a continual watch over his mouth and 
 heart, and all his affections, that natu- 
 rally incline to evil, lest he fall into 
 sin, and offend God, or his neighbour: 
 but there is no compunction in the 
 heart of him who takes pleasure in
 
 179 
 
 listening to idle tales, and repeating 
 them to others. 
 
 He that guards not his heart and sets 
 not a watch at the gate of his lips, shall 
 lose in a very little while the grace of 
 compunction ; and the monk who is 
 fond of talking, soon passes the bounds 
 of moderate conversation. 
 
 If you had the crucified Jesus in 
 your heart, your mouth would not lend 
 itself so easily to vain and idle conver- 
 sation ; but since you have not Jesus 
 steadfast in your heart, you seek abroad 
 for consolations, weak and illusory, 
 and but ill-adapted to calm the afflic- 
 tions of your heart, for Jesus alone can 
 afford it true consolation, and heal the 
 wound which sin has made. 
 
 In a little moment, with one word, 
 he can assuage all your infirmities; for 
 the virtue of His grace is more ready 
 and wider in its effects, than are the 
 ravages of sin. 
 
 Why do you lend your ears to the
 
 180 
 
 vain ramours of the world ; which so 
 often trouble and distract your heart? 
 Why do you refuse to listen to the 
 sweet instructions of Christ, who daily 
 and nightly offers to you consolation 
 and strength against all tribulation. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 On the refuge of the poor, in God their 
 helper. 
 
 *' Tibi derelictus est pauper, orphano 
 tu eris adjutor.^'' (Ps. ix. 36.) 
 
 " To Thee is the poor man left. 
 TTiou ivilt be a helper to the orphan.''^ 
 
 Blessed is the poor who has God for 
 his help and support in all his tribu- 
 lations ; and for his comforter in his 
 sufferings ; who puts all his hope and 
 trust in God, and in his last hour
 
 181 
 
 awaits from Him the crown of glory 
 in tlie kingdom of eternal bliss. 
 
 Voluntary jjoverty, assumed for the 
 love of Christ, is a precious virtue in 
 the sight of God. His everlasting 
 recompense is in heaven, under the 
 ward of the angels ; thieves cannot 
 steal it, nor the violent bear it away ; 
 nor can the murderer deprive him of 
 the gift in store for him. 
 
 By renouncing all the satisfactions 
 of the world, the servant of Christ 
 dwells beyond the circle of the daily 
 dangers and cares which surround the 
 rich on earth. 
 
 The faithful soul, who for the love 
 of Jesus Christ, and for his kingdom's 
 sake, despoils himself of every thing in 
 this world, enjoys true liberty, and 
 possesses all things in Jesus ; who for 
 the love of us became poor, and sub- 
 mitted to suffering ; who was hung 
 naked on the cross, and had not where 
 to lay his head, nor where to move his 
 feet and hands.
 
 182 
 
 Who amongst us can compare our 
 nakedness with His? assuredly no one; 
 wherefore, " His name alone is exalted, 
 the praise of Him is above heaven and 
 earth." (Ps. cxlviii. 13.) 
 
 O salutary poverty, thou no\v-a-days 
 wouldst meet nothing hut contempt 
 among- men, unless God had been the 
 first to submit voluntarily to thy pri- 
 vations ! 
 
 Oh happy poverty, that cuttest us 
 off from the pride of the eyes, and the 
 occasion of many sins ! 
 
 2. He is truly poor in spirit, who 
 neither from word nor deed draws forth 
 vanity, and Avho lest he fall thereby, 
 covets not the honours of the world. 
 
 O what an excellent virtue is volun- 
 tary poverty ! Having nothing of its 
 own, it opens to the soul the gates of 
 heaven, it adds new jewels to the crown 
 of glory, that is laid up in heaven ; it 
 makes us worthy to receive with the 
 martyrs the palm of patience, after we
 
 183 
 
 have past the strife of life, consum- 
 mated in the service of Christ. 
 
 For this is truly and faithfully to 
 labour in the service of God, when for 
 His love, we bear with want and all the 
 inconveniences which follow poverty. 
 
 Blessed is he who learns how to 
 profit by his wants and infirmities, and 
 who in all the privations he endures, 
 is still submissive to the will of God. 
 
 Let not poverty afflict your heart 
 when you sufier want. — If men mock 
 you, or friends desert you, give not 
 way to wrath — but turn your heart to 
 Jesus, who became poor and weak for 
 you. Take comfort in God — in God 
 alone, — if you would have your soul 
 rejoice for ever,— for there is no abiding 
 consolation out of Him ; and how great 
 soever it may seem, there is none to 
 answer your call in the hour of need. 
 
 3. Choose Jesus Christ for your only 
 friend and brother j renounce all to 
 follow Him.
 
 184 
 
 Avoid above all the fellowship of 
 those who would turn you from his 
 service ; and by leading- you again into 
 the world, lead you to the gates of hell. 
 " For wide is the gate, and broad is 
 the way that leadeth to destruction," 
 saith Jesus Christ, " and many there 
 are, who go in thereat." (Matt. vii. 13.) 
 
 From Him only can you find the 
 consolation you require; from Him 
 who is able to give the kingdom of 
 heaven to those who for His sake, re- 
 nounce the kingdom of this world, and 
 all its vanities; "^for the world passes 
 away, and the concupiscence thereof," 
 (l John, ii. 17), like smoke driven by 
 the wind, and like the flowers of the 
 field that wither away. 
 
 Thou, then, my brother, who hast 
 submitted to voluntary poverty, go on 
 boldly in your holy entei'prise; be con- 
 stant day and night in the service of 
 God, in the peaceful abode your piety 
 has made choice of. Remember that
 
 185 
 
 you have forsaken your parents and 
 your friends, to unite yourself wholly 
 to God : elsewhere you may find them 
 again, in the kingdom of Christ, and 
 rejoice with them in the company of 
 all the saints. 
 
 Your light afflictions and passing 
 sorrows here on earth, shall be recom- 
 pensed in heaven by the joy of eternal 
 rest. 
 
 Reflect often on the sacred wounds 
 of Christ ; think of the grievous sores 
 of the poor Lazarus ; that thereby 
 your last hour may be sweetened, 
 and the separation from this world 
 less severe. 
 
 ¥^'((<i
 
 186 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 On the poor and sick Lazarus. 
 
 " Ego sum pauper et dolens^ Deus 
 adjuva we." (P.s. Ixviii. 30.) 
 
 '■'■ I am poor and sorrowful^ let thy 
 salvation, O God, set me up.^^ 
 
 This is the prayer of one who is 
 poor and in sufferinp^; who seeks to 
 obtain tlie kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 Ye suffering poor, bear patiently, 
 for yet a little while, your sorrows and 
 privations ; you shall not have long to 
 wait the hour of your deliverance. 
 
 Give thanks to God, for it is better 
 to be afflicted on earth with the poor 
 and the sick, than to be tonnented in 
 hell with the wicked who revelled here 
 below in wealth and power. 
 
 Recal to mind your past trans- 
 gressions, whether against God or your
 
 187 
 
 neighbour, and bear the chastisement 
 which the Lord sends to afflict you, 
 in remission of such as you have not 
 fully repented of, or for which you 
 have not made sufficient satisfaction. 
 
 Comfort your soul by the memory 
 of the cruel sorrows and wounds of 
 Jesus Christ, Thy divine Saviour 
 has endured more bitter stripes for 
 thee, than thou canst suffer for the 
 love of Him. 
 
 Comfort your soul in Him, by re- 
 calling to your memory how Lazarus, 
 poor, and covered with sores in this 
 life, was, after death, joyously re- 
 ceived into Abraham's bosom; and 
 that it may fear the end of that rich 
 man, who fared sumptuously, but 
 who, after his feasting, was buried in 
 hell, whence there was no departure. 
 
 Make now thy choice — you must 
 either endure for a short while the 
 pains and privations of Lazarus, 
 which lead to joy eternal in Christ, or
 
 188 
 
 partcike in the dainties of the rich man 
 in full health, which end shortly, and 
 be buried in hell, to be tormented 
 eternally by devils. 
 
 Few words are needed by him that 
 is wise. 
 
 2. Blessed is he that understands 
 and purifies his heart from all de- 
 praved affections, whilst it is yet in 
 his power; lest he be condemned to 
 endure the horrible punishments which 
 await the impenitent sinner. 
 
 For he on Avhom holy instructions 
 make no impression, or awaken no 
 sentiment of penance, shall be given 
 over one day to cruel pains, which he 
 shall be constrained to endure fruit- 
 lessly for all eternity. 
 
 Lazarus, poor and suff'ering in this 
 life, was, after death, delivered from 
 these punishments, and was borne by 
 holy angels in joy to Abraham's 
 bosom. 
 
 Remark also in the life of the poor
 
 189 
 
 Lazarus, the multiplied consolations 
 which the merciful goodness of the 
 Lord offers to him in his misery. 
 
 I have never heard that he was 
 visited by rich friends to comfort him 
 in his misery ; that he had servants to 
 wait his orders; that he was sur- 
 rounded by anxious brethren; but 
 Jesus tells us, that the dogs came and 
 licked his sores ! these were all that 
 came to him in his misery ! no con- 
 solations from man, only the dogs mi- 
 nistered to him ! Can any misery be 
 worse than this ? Yet no murmuring 
 or impatient word fell from his lips, 
 but rather thanksgiving and praise ; 
 for he that was refused comfort from 
 the instrumentality of man, received it 
 meekly from the sensibility of beasts. 
 
 Thou then, my suffering brother, 
 murmur not, if, even for a season, you 
 may be deprived of consolation, or the 
 goadof your infirmities press yet more 
 heavily. Remember that the divine
 
 190 
 
 mercy so disposes it, in order that 
 " Cut and burned in this world, you 
 may not be lost in the next." 
 
 Lazarus, perhaps, was not guilty 
 in the sight of God, but of very slight 
 faults ; while thou hast often and very 
 grievously offended Him. 
 
 Bear then your infinuities with 
 patience; and if sometimes the con- 
 solations of man be withheld from 
 you, rejoice, nevertheless, that, ^\ith 
 Lazarus, thou mayest thereby be 
 worthy to enter the gates of the hea- 
 venly kinofdom.
 
 191 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 On the clear understanding of the Holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 " Declaratio sermonum tuorum illu- 
 minate et intellectum dat parvulisy 
 (Ps. cxviii. 130.) 
 
 " The declaration of thy words 
 giveth light, and giveth understanding 
 to little ones^ 
 
 1. All that is written in the Old 
 and New Testaments, has been written 
 for our instruction, and with the de- 
 sign of bringing us to serve God faith- 
 fully, to inspire in us a horror of what 
 is evil, and a love, boundless, pure, 
 and entire, in this world, and in that 
 which is to come, for Him who is our 
 sovereign good. 
 
 Ask humbly for a knowledge of 
 what you are ignorant of, and ask
 
 192 
 
 respectfully from those who are better 
 instnicted than yourself, for the right 
 understanding of what you do not 
 comprehend. " For the declaration 
 of the words of God giveth light to 
 the hearts of the little ones." 
 
 If you be not capable of rising to 
 the knowledge of the most sublime 
 truths ; learn witli " the little ones" 
 to know such as are small ; it is for | 
 such that our Lord Jesus hath said, 
 " Suffer the little children to come 
 to me, for the kingdom of heaven is 
 for such." (St. Matt. xix. 14. ) 
 
 Beware of rashly sounding what is 
 concealed from your understanding; 
 leave to the Holy Spirit the care of 
 discovering such to you. Follow his 
 inspirations with a lively faith ; for the 
 Holy Spirit is the source of all truth, 
 and He can never bear testimony to 
 error. 
 
 3. If you have doubts on some 
 points, attribute them to the blind-
 
 193 
 
 ness of your spirit, or to your ig- 
 norance, and not to the silence or 
 obscurity of the Holy Scriptures, 
 which unfold all the needful docu- 
 ments of eternal salvation. 
 
 Read then with pleasure the canon- 
 ical Scriptures ; and be attentive to 
 the explication of them which the 
 doctors of the Church have given, and 
 study to understand them well. 
 
 But, nevertheless, let not thy dili- 
 gence in this study withdraw thee 
 from prayer, or the celebration of the 
 holy mass ; for often during holy 
 mass, and in the fervour of prayer, 
 God communicates to devout souls 
 many hidden things which He con- 
 ceals from those who search curi- 
 ously, and full of self-sufHciency. 
 
 Simple words bring instruction to 
 the little ones and the ignorant ; but 
 subtle explanations, which they do not 
 understand, are profitless and vain. 
 
 Those that •in the refectory, or in
 
 194 
 
 the choir, listen attentively to the 
 reading, and seek with prudence to 
 penetrate the mystical sense of the 
 facts recited to them, extract, from 
 all they read or hear read, the honey 
 of the word of God. 
 
 Whence, though during life man 
 may ever add something to his know- 
 ledge, and discover every day truths of 
 a higher order ; yet he shall not attain 
 to the clear and perfect iutelligence of 
 the angels ; nor shall he enjoy the 
 heatific vision, till, by tiie help of 
 Christ, he shall have entered into the 
 glory of eternal bliss. 
 
 3. Strong and solid food is hurtful 
 to little ones, and the Aveak and babes 
 must be fed with light and delicate 
 food. 
 
 ►Simple music and moderate songs 
 touch sometimes the ear more plea- 
 santly than the swell of voices, which 
 break on the ear like peals of thunder, 
 and fatigue rather than* charm. 
 
 Too bright lightning dazzles the
 
 195 
 
 eye ; a moderate light keeps the vision 
 in activity. 
 
 The imprudcDt traveller, who would 
 rashly swim across a deep river, may 
 be drowned; but he that passes by 
 the brida:e, reaches the other side 
 without fear or danger. 
 
 The lamb passes freely in a narrow 
 path ; where the heavy bullock falls, 
 and is caught, but to be led to the 
 slaughter. 
 
 So the soul whose faith is simple, 
 and whose submission humble, findeth 
 grace ; where the soul full of con- 
 fidence in itself loses all it pos- 
 sesses. 
 
 High knowledge but too easily 
 puffeth up the proud ; and turns, at 
 last, to the confusion of those who 
 glory therein. 
 
 4. I have seen simple souls bathed 
 in tears in the fervour of prayer, while 
 those who sang with a loud and melo- 
 dious voice, felt nothing but dryness of 
 o2
 
 196 
 
 heart. And why this diflference ? be- 
 cause the simple and humble soul, in 
 all it says or does, seeks only the 
 glory of God. The voice of the sim- 
 ple in heart, is with God in heaven ; 
 the voice of the wandering and dis- 
 sipated singer, is with men in the 
 streets and public places. 
 
 He that attends seriously to the 
 spiritual sense of the Psalms, who 
 reads them slowly, or sings them with 
 attention, tastes, in abundance, the 
 sweetness of devotion. For the Lord 
 is sweet to such as are right in heart, 
 and to those who seek his glory, and 
 not the satisfactions of their vanity. 
 
 Blessed is the voice of him that 
 sings and declares the praises oi God 
 in such a manner, as to till llie hearts 
 of those who hear him with com- 
 punction. 
 
 5. Before cro\\-ing, the cock plumes 
 his wings, as if to prepare himself ; so 
 should the good brother correct his
 
 197 
 
 own faults before undertaking to cor- 
 rect those of others; and he that 
 would announce with prudence and 
 success the word of God, must begin 
 by correcting in himself those vices he 
 condemns in others. 
 
 It is thus that St. Paul, while in- 
 structing others, humbly calls him- 
 self the chief of sinners. " Jesus 
 Christ hath come into this world 
 to save sinners, of whom I am the 
 chief," (1 Tim. i. 15), and "who am 
 not worthy to be called an apostle." 
 And why, O most glorious saint ? 
 " because I persecuted the Church of 
 God." How then art thou now be- 
 come a vessel of election, filled with 
 holiness, and truly worthy of all 
 glory ? I owe it not either to myself 
 or to them, but by the vocation and re- 
 velation of Jesus Christ, from whom I 
 have learned to be meek and humble 
 of heart, and to be obedient to his
 
 198 
 
 gospel. I know of no good in my- 
 self; all that I do or teach, I attribute 
 to him, who, by his grace, hath called 
 me to the faith which I preach, and 
 to which I shall he foithful unto 
 death. For only " by the grace of 
 God I am what I am." (1 Cor. xv. 9.) 
 And his grace in me has not been in 
 vain ; but remains in me, and shall 
 remain till I come to him who hath 
 redeemed me and saved me by his 
 precious blood. 
 
 ^
 
 199 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 On the great merit of patience for the 
 sake of Christ. 
 
 " In patientid vestra jjossidebitis 
 animas vesirus.^^ (St. Luke xxi. 19.) 
 
 "//I 7/our patience i/ou shall possess 
 your souls.^'' 
 
 1. When you are spoken to over 
 harshly, or reproved unjustly, give not 
 way to the first emotion of anger, nor 
 reply sharply, but keep silence, or 
 speak humbly, or suffer witK patience 
 like your example Jesus, who was 
 silent when they brought false wit- 
 ness against him, and when he was 
 scourged, he murmured not. 
 
 Or if it be useful or necessary to 
 justify your actions, do it gently, and 
 in such a manner as Christ did : when 
 rudely struck by the servant of the 
 high-piiest, he answered meekly and
 
 200 
 
 reasonably ; so shall you edify others, 
 so shall you be freed from confusion. 
 
 In every circumstance or contra- 
 diction of ^\•icked tongues, be patient, 
 and piously silent to those who oppose 
 you. 
 
 2. In the spiritual interest of your 
 soul, never forget how precious a virtue 
 is patience, which adorns the soul 
 with all virtues, and leads to the mar- 
 tyr's palm. 
 
 This Christ hath taught in his 
 words ; tliis he hath explained in his 
 passion ; for when he was accused 
 before the princes of the priesthood, 
 and the ancients of the people, he 
 answered nothing, putting in practise 
 what he before taught, " Learn of me, 
 because I am meek and humble of 
 heart, and vou shall find rest to your 
 souls." (St.'Matt. xi. 29.) 
 
 You cannot find elsewhere sure 
 peace and true rest, but in God alone, 
 in the practice of gincere humility,
 
 201 
 
 and of an indulgent patience which 
 overcomes all adversaries. 
 
 Put then all your hope in God, and 
 not in any creature, great or small, 
 for without God all is but vanity; 
 and all good is in God. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 On the good conversation of the humble 
 monk. 
 
 " Fuge., dilecte mi, fugeP (Cant, 
 xviii. 14.) 
 
 " Flee aicay, O my beloved" 
 
 Why should I flee away? Because 
 of the many dangers which gird thee in 
 on every side in the world, and which 
 fall on those which converse therein. 
 
 He that _^vvould' give himself ^up to 
 the service of God, must love solitude,
 
 202 
 
 prayer, study and] labour ; 'and so by 
 useful employments, preserve his soul 
 from the perils of vice, spend his time 
 with fruit, and edify his neighbour. 
 
 But he that loves the world, and 
 willing-ly converses therein, seldom 
 keeps his heart unspotted, and always 
 returns to his peaceful cell, with less 
 devotion than when he went out. 
 
 Pious and modest conversation is 
 pleasing to all ; but harsh and in- 
 considerate words wound the ears of 
 our friends 
 
 He that loves virtue speaks the 
 truth, but he that makes use of lying 
 speech, deceives his neighbour, and 
 makes himself hated. 
 
 He that is truly humble, seeks not 
 praise for the good he has done ; but 
 refers to God all the good that there 
 is in his actions, and attributes to him- 
 self only what is e\il. 
 
 The liar drives Christ from his 
 heart ; and he that would fathom the
 
 203 
 
 mysteries of religion, confounds him- 
 self, and justly falls into error ; but he 
 that speaks frankly and straight for- 
 ward, is honoured and loved by all. 
 
 2. We are all brethren, created by 
 the same God; we are all sinners, 
 born of a guilty father ; but, by the 
 grace of Christ, we are called to the 
 faith : we are regenerated by the same 
 baptism ; and we are all but one body 
 in Christ. Let no one then despise, 
 or ridicule, or offend his neighbour in 
 any thing ; we ought rather to help 
 and instruct him, as far as we are 
 able, doing to him as we would be 
 done by, were we in want. 
 
 He that by words of edification 
 confirms the weak in the faith, feeds 
 the sick with the bread of heaven. 
 
 He that consoles the afilicted, gives 
 a life-cup to the thirsty. 
 
 He that calms the wrath of his 
 brother by meek words, stays a dog
 
 204 
 
 from biting, by anointing his tongue 
 with honey. 
 
 He that checks a wandering tongue, 
 brings much peace to his devout 
 brethren. 
 
 He that prefers himself before 
 others, shows that he has but little 
 judgment, and deserves confusion. 
 
 He that is humble in all things, 
 deserves to receive more abundant 
 grace and honour. 
 
 The pious and humble breaks the 
 snares of the evil one by prayer, and 
 escapes ; while the proud, led on by 
 vain glory, falls into his toils, and 
 perishes. 
 
 From which may the pious Jesus 
 ever preserve us, and grant us the joy 
 of heaven. Amen.
 
 205 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 On cautious speaking, and brotherly 
 compassion. 
 
 " Medice, cura teipsumJ^ (St. Luke 
 iv. 23.) 
 
 " Physician, heal thyself T 
 
 Keep in mind these words, before 
 you speak to, or rebuke your neigh- 
 bour; lest haply, in reproving him 
 indiscreetly or unjustly, you commit a 
 greater fault than his. 
 
 The mouth of the just and prudent 
 watches his opportunity, and seeks to 
 learn the character and habits of the 
 person to whom he wishes to give 
 advice, lest he hurt him whom he 
 would correct. 
 
 The mouth of the wise and dis- 
 creet man is worthy of honour, and 
 like a solid vessel enriched with gold.
 
 206 
 
 and filled with balm and odoriferous 
 perfumes. 
 
 The sanctity of your words, and 
 the regularity of your morals, edify 
 those who are in the world, excite the 
 indifferent, rebuke the negligent, 
 bring the wandering heart to com- 
 punction, instruct the ignorant, and 
 inflame the fervour of the devout. For 
 the example of good men persuades 
 more effectively to contempt of the 
 world, and amendment of life, than 
 the wordy eloquence of worldly learn- 
 ing. 
 
 2. It must not be thought, that a 
 desire to instruct and correct others, 
 is a proof of ability or virtue ; but to 
 govern oneself well, to receive reproof 
 with gratitude, and to labour fervently 
 in the reform of your heart, this is 
 great wisdom both before God and 
 men. 
 
 Leam to put a favourable inter- 
 pretation on what is doubtful ; never
 
 207 
 
 to pass judgment on what is un- 
 known to you ; to avoid all open evil ; 
 to eschew all scandal ; to bear pa- 
 tiently with the defects or faults of 
 your brethren ; and to commit to the 
 mercy of God what you cannot cor- 
 rect. 
 
 Reflect that God has borne with 
 you, and bears with you still every 
 day in a great many w^eaknesses ; and 
 notwithstanding- you do not amend 
 them, though you often declare your 
 intention, and that you have the will 
 to do so. But His mercy still awaits 
 you, to lead you to penance, and to 
 teach you your own infirmities, so 
 as you may humbly sue for pardon, 
 and learn not to despise or rashly 
 condemn your neighbour. 
 
 Be you then patient and merciful 
 to your brother in few things, as God 
 is to you in many things. 
 
 The devout and humble man speaks 
 little, lest his much speaking should
 
 208 
 
 be hurtful to the recollection of his 
 spirit. 
 
 The proud speaks harshly, and the 
 hasty man casts trouble in the soul of 
 those he corrects ; as he, himself, is 
 disturbed when corrected. But the 
 meek bears patiently with those he 
 would correct, makes use of entreaty 
 rather than reproach, is compassionate 
 for their sins, and shows himself, 
 indeed, the friend of their souls. 
 
 He that seeks to be first, exposes 
 himself to many perils, and makes him- 
 self despicable. 
 
 The lover of vain gloi-y, keeps not 
 long silence, lest he pass for ignorant ; 
 for he is ashamed of mean and servile 
 employments ; he cannot bear to put 
 himself in the last place, or to sit on 
 the lowest seat. And yet there is no 
 honour greater on earth than the prac- 
 tise of humility in all things, to place 
 oneself beneath other men, and volun- 
 tarily to fulfil the office of servant to
 
 209 
 
 others, for the sake of Christ, who has 
 said, " I am in the midst of you, as 
 he that serveth." (St. Luke xxii. 27.) 
 
 Learn then, young man, to be 
 silent, if you would not be covered 
 with confusion, when you speak in the 
 presence of your elders. 
 
 For it is more profitable to be silent, 
 than to speak foolishly. 
 
 4. It is a great art to receive cor- 
 rection in silence, and much wisdom 
 to speak modestly and in season ; and 
 to say nothing before enlightened men, 
 but what is just and fit. 
 
 The fool keeps neither time, nor 
 purpose, nor order ; moreover he often 
 suffers disquietude from the humilia- 
 tions his own unadvised discourse has 
 justly drawn upon him. 
 
 The presumptive young man, who 
 speaks inconsiderately, is like the 
 fool that stands on a precipice. If he 
 receive advice with docility, correction 
 in silence, and commands with sub-
 
 210 
 
 mission, tliere will be great hope 
 that he may mate much progress 
 in virtue, and one day flourish like 
 the lily of the valleys. 
 
 Great is the pride of him who per- 
 sists in his own designs, contrary to 
 the will of God, and who refuses sub- 
 mission to the wise counsels of the 
 aged. 
 
 Since it is difficult for man in all 
 his words and actions to keep always 
 within the bounds of moderation, and 
 to watch over his soul ; hence it is 
 that religious persons love solitude, 
 and seek retreat and silence, to give 
 themselves up to prayer apart from 
 the tumult of the world.
 
 211 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 On the uncertain hour of death, and the 
 speedy end of this life. 
 
 " Vigilate^ quia nescitis diem neque 
 horam:' (St. Matt. xxv. 13.) 
 
 " Watch ye^ therefore^ because you 
 know not the day nor the hour.''^ 
 
 Blessed is the soul that thinks often 
 of the last hour, when all must he ended 
 in this life ; joy and sorrow, honour 
 and despite. 
 
 Happy the soul that is as a poor 
 pilgrim travelling towards God, which 
 despises all the pomp of this world, 
 how great or alluring soever. For in 
 that last hour all shall perish, castles, 
 cities, villages, vessels of gold and 
 silver, all delicate meats, and varied 
 cups of perfumed wines. 
 
 p2
 
 212 
 
 Then shall be mute, lyre, trumpet, 
 pipe and harp. 
 
 Then shall be no more sport nor 
 mirth, no more dance nor shouting, 
 no more songs nor merry laughter, no 
 more the cry of revelry in street or 
 bower, for the hearts of all living shall 
 wither away, and the whole earth 
 tremble in the presence of God. 
 
 Oh how wise is he who meditates 
 daily on these things, and who pre- 
 pares, by tears, for the enjoyment of 
 blessings to come, and eternal joy. 
 
 2. Blessed is he who separates him- 
 self voluntarily from the many snares 
 and perils of this world, and from 
 all that may flatter his sensual ap- 
 petite. 
 
 Blessed is the pilgrim who, in his 
 exile, weeps, and mourns, and desires 
 to be dissolved, and to be with Christ 
 in the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Blessed is the man that hates the 
 world, and all that is therein that
 
 213 
 
 would allure him to sin ; and who flies, 
 like Elias, to his monastery in the 
 desert, from the face of numberless 
 dangers, which often drag down the 
 unguarded soul to hell. 
 
 Blessed is he that watches day and 
 night against temptation, and who 
 cries out with the prophet Elias, " It 
 is enough for me, Lord, take away my 
 soul," (3 Reg. xix. 4) ; for it is better 
 for me to die in thy grace, and when 
 my heart is full of trust in thee, than 
 to live in this world, surrounded by so 
 many dangers, a witness to evil ; 
 for so long as the soul is united to the 
 body, and the body is nourished with 
 the produce of earth, man cannot be 
 exempt from all sin, nor free from 
 temptation, nor assured that he may 
 not fall. 
 
 It is then to be deceived greatly, and 
 to err like a fool, only to desire to live 
 long here below, and to purpose 
 to do many things there, when he
 
 214 
 
 knows not where lie shall be on 
 the raoiTow. 
 
 3. Remember, ye rich and powerful, 
 ye who are girt with so many enjoy- 
 ments, what will become of you, when 
 you are dead and buried in the earth ? 
 what will all those riches which you 
 possess avail you '' 
 
 A king to-day, you live and reign ; 
 to-morrow you shall be no more, and 
 your voice shall be heard by no one. 
 
 To-day you sit upon a throne, 
 vested in a pall of cloth of gold, to- 
 morrow thou shalt be laid in the 
 tomb, and shalt be seen no more. 
 
 To-day, crowds do thee honour at 
 thy feet ; to-morrow thou shalt be 
 cared for no more. 
 
 To-day thou art magnified above 
 all ; to-morrow, neither riches, nor 
 honours, nor cities, nor castles, remain 
 to thee. 
 
 To-day thou art comely above other 
 men, and numbered with kings ; to^
 
 215 
 
 morrow thou art food for worms, and 
 a stench in the nose. 
 
 As you came naked into the world, 
 so, like a poor exile, thou shalt be 
 borne to the grave. 
 
 For short is the end of all the 
 pleasures and vanities of this world, 
 and death and grief, and mourning 
 and fear, is the lot of all. 
 
 Our Lord the Pope dies ; the Car- 
 dinals die ; and others succeed them, 
 in their turn to die. 
 
 No one can be assured of life for a 
 single day, nor obtain from the Pope 
 the privilege of not dying ; nor pro- 
 cure a benefice from which he can 
 never be ejected. 
 
 It often happens that after having 
 obtained favours and places, death 
 comes unexpectedly, and takes all 
 away, so that the supplicant comes 
 from Rome, as poor and naked as 
 when he first went to court. 
 
 4. We read in history of many who
 
 216 
 
 have lived long. " Such and such a 
 one lived ;'' and so of others ; but at 
 last it is said of all of them, '" and he 
 died ;" for " we all die, and like waters 
 that return no more, we fall down into 
 the earth," (2 Reg. xiv. 14), from 
 which we sprang. 
 
 What is our life but a short mo- 
 ment, a wind that passes away, a 
 morning brightness which fades away, 
 a traveller who retraces not his steps ? 
 
 Like a flash of lightning which 
 disappears in the twinkling of an 
 eye, so shall ages disappear, and 
 with them the kingdoms of the earth. 
 
 Reckon the hours, the days, the 
 months, and the years of your life; 
 and tell me whither are they all 
 gone? 
 
 Thy days have passed away like 
 a shadow ; thy years like the spider's 
 web ; the wind blew, and their works 
 could not stand against it. 
 
 There is nothing lasting, nothing
 
 217 
 
 abiclinc" on this earth, of which the 
 body of Adam and of his sons were 
 all fashioned. 
 
 5. Greatness, beauty, pleasures, all 
 in the world, is full of vanity and 
 frailty. 
 
 Then let not these attractions al- 
 lure you, nor their despite overwhelm 
 you. 
 
 The fairest colours fade in death, 
 and the richest ornaments, decked 
 with gold, silver, and precious gems, 
 in the dark tomb are valueless. 
 
 In all your works, whatever they 
 may be, wherever you go, whither- 
 soever you pass, be mindful of the 
 end of life, and of that last hour, 
 which shall come when you think 
 not. 
 
 Blessed is he, who, with the Apos- 
 tle 8t. Paul, " desires to be dissolved, 
 and to be with Christ ; a thing by far 
 the better" (Phil. ii. 23) for us, than 
 to remain a long time on the sea of
 
 218 
 
 this world, beat about by storms, a 
 stranger to God, and ever in fear. 
 
 If you bear Jesus continually in 
 your soul ; if you love him sincerely ; 
 if every day you address your prayers 
 to him ; then shall you be full of 
 trust, you shall enter into his king- 
 dom, for he hath said, " where I am, 
 there also shall my minister be." 
 (St. John xii. 26.) 
 
 Blessed is the servant, who, at his 
 last hour, shall deserve to hear those 
 sweet words of Jesus Christ, " Well 
 done, good and faithful servant, be- 
 cause thou hast been faithful over a 
 few things, I will place thee over many 
 things ; enter thou into the jov of thy 
 Lord. (St. Matt. XXV. 21.)
 
 219 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 Of the eternal praise of God, and the 
 desire of eternal glory. 
 
 " Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.^^ 
 (Ps. cxlv. 2.) 
 
 " Praise the Lord, O my soul^^ 
 from whom cometh all good, and shall 
 remain for ever. 
 
 Thus you ought to refer to Him all, 
 as to the first beginning- and last end 
 of all good. You ought to praise Him 
 with sentiments of utmost gratitude, 
 in order that the gift of His heavenly 
 grace may flow anew upon you in 
 larger streams, and may increase in 
 you, until you come to the fountain 
 of life eternal, to the country of 
 eternal charity ; and to the beatific 
 vision of His divine presence and 
 glory.
 
 220 
 
 There is nothing better or more 
 salutary, more sweet or agreeable ; 
 more worthy, more exalted, more 
 happy, more perfect, more blessed, 
 than to love God most ardently, or to 
 praise him without measure ; and this 
 I would tell you a hundred times, 
 would repeat to you a thousand 
 times. There is no study so fair, and 
 no employment so noble, as that of 
 loving and praising God, your Creator 
 and Redeemer, with all your heart, with 
 all your spirit, and with all your 
 strengtli. 
 
 Do this while you have life, and 
 being, and intellect; let His love and 
 His praise be the only object of all 
 your discourse, and of all your ac- 
 tions, night and day, at morning, and 
 mid-day, at eveiy hour, and every in- 
 stant. 
 
 2. Give yourselves wholly and 
 purely to Him ; unite yourself to Him 
 as strictly as your strength and know-
 
 221 
 
 ledge permit; in all, before all, and 
 above all, love Him, bless Him, praise 
 Him, celebrate Him eternally, and 
 the happiness you shall taste in Him 
 shall have no end. 
 
 ^Exult, O faithful soul, in the Lord 
 your God, as Mary rejoiced in Jesus 
 Christ her Saviour. 
 
 Exult and praise thy God, who has 
 made and redeemed thee, for to God 
 you owe all those many and ines- 
 timable benefits which you daily re- 
 ceive from his merciful bounty ; for 
 even were you a holy angel, your 
 gratitude as such should still be 
 beneath his goodness and infinite 
 grandeur. 
 
 Praise Him nevertheless, thank Him 
 with the weakness of a mortal man, 
 who has need of His mercy, and 
 who ever seeks and implores it con- 
 tinually. 
 
 Cease not to pray to Him and 
 to praise Him, and if you should fall
 
 2n 
 
 into sin, and your offences be multi- 
 plied, despair not, but ratber bumble 
 yourselves, and pray with more fer^ 
 vour. 
 
 Love, and you stall be loved ; love 
 purifies tbe soul from all past faults ; 
 cleanses and cures all its wounds — 
 enlightens the spirit — inflames the 
 heart — dissipates sadness, and begets 
 joy in the heart ; such as the world 
 kuoweth not of, and flesh and blood 
 can never feel. 
 
 Praise God, and you shall be 
 praised ; bless Him, and you shall 
 be blessed ; sanctify His name, and 
 you shall be made holy; magnify 
 Him and you shall be made great; 
 glorify Him, and you shall be glori- 
 fied by Him iii soul as well as in 
 body. 
 
 3. The Soul. — But when shall these 
 things be? when wilt thou open my 
 mouth, to sing thy praises for ever
 
 223 
 
 with thy saints ? when wilt thou fill 
 my heart with joy, my soul in glad- 
 ness with thy saints in g'lory ? 
 
 The Lord. — Wait yet a little while, 
 when the trumpet shall sound, you 
 shall see great wonders ; then shall I 
 give to my saints, in recompense of 
 their pains, and labours, rest and life 
 eternal, — what wish you more ? 
 
 The Soul. — Absolutely nothing, 
 Lord ; Thou alone art enough for me, 
 my God ; Thou who givest life eternal, 
 to those who love and praise Thee ; 
 Thou who renderest goods, vast, ines- 
 timable, and eternal, for what is value- 
 less and perishable. 
 
 The Lord. — Give then thyself to God, 
 and all that you have ; give Him all 
 that you have done, all that you have 
 of knowledge or strength ; and ye shall 
 be richer, and dearer to Him than you 
 ever yet have been. 
 
 Say with St. Paul, that " we are as 
 having nothing, and possessing all
 
 224 
 
 things" in God (Cor. vi. 10); poor 
 aflflicted, despised, in the eyes of men, 
 hut rich and " alwavs rejoicing" (iThes. 
 V. 16) in the Lord, and sure of receiv- 
 ing our reward in heaven. (2 Tim. 
 iv. 8.) 
 
 The Soul.—O Lord God, the sal- 
 vation of my countenance, and my 
 God! when shall my soul enjoy in 
 thy kingdom the gracious light of thy 
 countenance ? Oh ! when wilt thou 
 enlighten all the darkness of my spirit 
 in the splendour of eternal light? 
 
 O true peace, supreme blessedness, 
 perfect felicity, when wilt thou take 
 possession of my heart, and chase 
 away all that would turn it from 
 Thee? 
 
 O Lord, when shall I be able to 
 follow Thee, free from all hindrance 
 and restraint; and go wherever Thou 
 shalt call me ? 
 
 When shall I be able with mine 
 eyes to see Thee, without a glass, with-
 
 225 
 
 out a riddle, without a parable, with- 
 out a figure, without uncertainty, 
 without the doubts, and discussions, 
 and questions of the learned. 
 
 When shall it be given me to un- 
 derstand all the truths which I believe 
 in thy Holy Scriptures, and which the 
 doctors of thy Church explain in their 
 writings and their lessons ; all that 
 has regard to my God, to His angels, 
 and to all the choirs of angels, the 
 glories and beatitudes of heaven, and 
 come to the peace, and joy ineffable 
 of the heavenly inhabitants ? 
 
 When shall I be there ? when shall 
 I be able to enjoy thy blessed pre- 
 sence ; to contemplate thy glorious 
 countenance, and the brightness of 
 thy glory, with the cherubim and 
 seraphim, and all the saints ? 
 
 But the hour is not yet come ; the 
 gates of heaven are yet closed to me ; 
 wherefore, O my God, my heart is
 
 226 
 
 afflicted ; and my mouth uttereth 
 groanings, as long as I tarry here, 
 and until I come to Thee, my end. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 Of the praise of the Holy Angels in 
 Heaven. 
 
 " In conspectu angelomm psallam 
 tibiJ^ (Ps. cxxxvii. 1 .) 
 
 " / will sing to thee iii the sight of 
 the angels?^ 
 
 Oh King most High, God to be 
 
 praised supreme ! 
 Maker of all that live, angels or men. 
 How long, how long still must I dwell 
 
 on earth, 
 Apart from Thee, and all the blessed 
 
 throng
 
 227 
 
 Who circle round thy throne in 
 
 heaven's light ! 
 How long with man, still shall I 
 
 eat the bread 
 Of toil and sorrow in this vale of 
 
 tears ; 
 How long deprived of that angelic 
 
 food, 
 That heavenly manna that fulfils the 
 
 soul 1 
 
 2. 
 Once exiled in the Isle of Patmos, 
 
 Lord, 
 Thy holy apostle John the concert 
 
 heard 
 Of blessed spirits, who, in union, 
 
 thrice 
 Sang, Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Hosts. 
 Oh would to God, that I were one 
 
 with them 
 To hear the like, and add my voice to 
 
 theirs ! 
 Oh! were I joined to them, what 
 
 happiness ! 
 
 q2
 
 228 
 
 How would I sing with them ! oh I 
 
 desire, 
 With lively yearn to join my praise 
 
 with theirs, 
 To glorify with them, above the 
 
 heavens, 
 And celebrate through all eternity 
 Thee, and the greatness of thy holy 
 
 name! 
 Oh Cherubim and Seraphim, how 
 
 sweet. 
 How fair and glowing, and how grand 
 
 the song 
 Of jov, ye sing before the throne of 
 
 ^God. 
 These never tire, nor languish, nor 
 
 distaste, ^ 
 
 One and the same throughout the 
 
 eternal years. 
 
 Oh when I think of the eternal years, 
 Glory and bliss that knows no change 
 nor end :
 
 229 
 
 When I reflect how day and night the 
 song, 
 
 To the adored and glorious Trinity, 
 
 From angel voices universal springs, 
 
 How rude and harshly grates the voice 
 of man, 
 
 What discord in their choicest har- 
 mony. 
 
 What dearth of song, and sweetest 
 melody. 
 
 Their music instruments, when best 
 discoursed 
 
 Charm not mine ear, nor touch my 
 heart ; I see 
 
 But sadness in their joy, fatigue in 
 mirth. 
 
 In delicate meats, insipid nothingness. 
 
 Beauty of form is but incarnate frailty ; 
 
 Wormwood their delicate wines ; their 
 honey, bane ; 
 
 Their mirth and chosen pleasures, 
 bitterness; 
 
 Their grandeur, poverty, at best or- 
 nate
 
 230 
 
 With fast corruption — vanity and 
 
 smoke, 
 Pass with their honours, and most 
 
 dear-loved glory. 
 Beautv and grandeur fade away, and 
 
 tell 
 Their birthright is to fade — their 
 
 object base! 
 
 4. 
 
 But when I raise my heart above and 
 
 hear 
 The canticles sublime of heaven's 
 
 court, 
 My feeble intellect cannot digest 
 The depth of beauty, might, magni- 
 ficence ; 
 Wherefore with heart all sighs, and 
 
 soul fulfilled 
 With self-contempt, before thy throne, 
 
 O God, 
 I prostrate fall, and humble me to 
 
 men, 
 Thy mercy, Lord, beseeching — all I 
 
 do,
 
 231 
 
 Or may have done, is nought, but 
 
 what thy grace 
 And mercy have suggested to my will. 
 Which thou abundantly on all hast 
 
 poured. 
 In numberless times, and with un- 
 measured love 1 
 Wisdom and depth of God! how 
 
 deep and vast 
 Thy righteous judgments to the end 
 
 of time, 
 These, on the good, and on the wicked 
 
 fall, 
 On grateful as on thankless hearts — 
 
 devout 
 As on the wicked! Who can penetrate 
 O God thy secrets, who may e'er 
 
 complain, 
 If in thy will unsearchable, events 
 Fall not, as we unknowingly desire ? 
 Oh be thou blessed, God, eternally !
 
 232 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. 
 
 A prayer of the devout lover of God. 
 
 " Dirigatur, Damine^ oratio mea, 
 sicut incensinn in conspectu ttw." 
 (Ps. cxl. 2.) 
 
 " Let my prayer he directed as in- 
 cense in thy sight.''^ 
 
 I desire, O Lord my God, in every 
 place, and at all times, to join thy 
 saints, and all thy creatures, in de- 
 voutly praising and blessing thee ; in 
 publishing thine infinite perfections; 
 in loving Thee perfectly, in glorifying 
 Thee without ceasing, and in exalting 
 the greatness and glory of thy holy 
 name for ever : for thou, O Lord, 
 thou art my God, and I am thy poor 
 servant. 
 
 For thou art ray light and my hope, 
 O my God ; thou art my strength and
 
 233 
 
 my patience, my praise and my glory, 
 O my God. 
 
 Thou art my wisdom, my prudence, 
 my beauty, and all my sweetness, O 
 my God ! 
 
 Thou art my music and harp, my 
 organ and timbrel, O my God ! 
 
 Thou art the psalm that brings 
 gladness to my heart, my hymn, my 
 canticle, and my song of ioy, O my 
 God ! 
 
 Thou art my casque and breast- 
 plate, my bow and my sword, O my 
 God! 
 
 Thou art ray treasure, my gold and 
 silver ; and the talent with which I 
 am to pay all my debts, O my God ! 
 
 Thou art my dwelling-place, ray 
 fortress, and ray palace, O ray God ! 
 
 Thou art my shield and banner, 
 my tower of strength, and the defence 
 of ray life, O ray God ! 
 
 Thou art my garden and orchard,
 
 234 
 
 mv bower of green, and cool retrent, 
 O'my God ! 
 
 Thou, my refectory and table, my 
 meat and my drink, O my God ! for 
 all that is not prepared and seasoned 
 by tbee, seems to me stale and flat, O 
 my God ! 
 
 Thou art my aromatical plant, and 
 balsam of sweetness, my spikenard 
 and cboice myrrh, and most precious 
 ointment, O my God ! 
 
 Thou art my rose ^and lily, my 
 wreath and garland, O my God ! 
 
 Thou art my dormitory, and my 
 bed, my napkin and covering art thou, 
 O my God ! 
 
 Thou art my light and my lamp, 
 my lustre and star that enlightens 
 me, O my God! 
 
 Thou art my book written within 
 and without ; my Bible, in which all 
 the Holy Scripture is contained, and 
 the teacher who gives me under- 
 standing, O my God !
 
 235 
 
 For in Thee I find all things, and 
 all that I have is through thy mercy 
 and goodness ; and I feel that all that 
 I seek, or all that I desire out of 
 Thee, is of little or no profit to my 
 soul ! 
 
 Open then ray heart to thy holy 
 law ; " restore unto me the joy of thy 
 salvation ;" (Ps. 1. 14) ; enlarge my 
 heart that I may run in thy ways ; 
 confirm me by thy words, for thou 
 alone canst help me, and lead me to 
 eternal life. 
 
 O Lord, my God, hear the vows I 
 address to Thee, in joy, in tribulation, 
 in health, or sickness, I commend me 
 into thy hands, and desire to bless 
 Thee for ever and ever. Amen.
 
 236 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 On union of the heart with God. 
 
 " Convertere anima mea in requiem 
 tiiam, quia Dominus henefecit tihiy 
 (Ps, cxiv. 7.) 
 
 " Ttirn, O my soul, into thy rest, for 
 the Lord hath been bonntiful to thee^ 
 
 For verily He is thy rest, and thy 
 peace, thy life, thy salvation, and thy 
 happiness ; all, therefore, that you do, 
 all that you see, all that you hear of 
 that is ,2:ood, refer all to the glory of 
 God, that so you may have peace and 
 a good conscience. 
 
 Put not thy trust in thyself or 
 others, but cling to God alone, purely, 
 steadily, entirely; dwelhnth Him who 
 giveth and worketh all in all ; by the 
 might of his goodness, and the great- 
 ness of his mercy. 
 
 Oh, who will give me grace to refer
 
 237 
 
 all to the praise and honour of God? 
 with all my strength to do all the 
 good that I am bound, or am able to 
 do ; to be so insensible to the vanities 
 of earth, that none of them, whether 
 great or small, shall be able to draw 
 me from Him ; to turn me away from 
 his service, to overcast my soul with 
 trouble, or in anywise to hinder me ! 
 
 But, perhaps, it is not possible for 
 me to obtain such a state in this life ? 
 Oh, say not so, for all is possible to 
 God, and he can, instantly, by the 
 sweet cords of his love, unite the 
 devout soul to Himself ; for this, the 
 pure and perfect love of God, can so 
 act in a moment, whensoever it pleases 
 Him, that forgetful of all creatures, 
 the soul may be wholly united to Him 
 alone, and vehemently enflamed, yea 
 melted, by the fire of his love. 
 
 Oh, my God and my love, when, in 
 this place of exile, shall I be wholly 
 united to Thee? when shall I love
 
 238 
 
 Thee with ail the strength of my soul 
 which thou hast given and graciously 
 infused ? 
 
 May all created beings keep silence 
 before Thee, O my God ! Speak thou 
 only to my soul, O God, blessed 
 eternally ! assist it, help it, enlighten 
 it, thou that art all in all, and whose 
 brightness is above the stars of the 
 finnament ! 
 
 Happy is the soul which, being 
 afflicted in this world, is comforted of 
 God ; which, being unknown to men, 
 is known to the holy angels ; neglected 
 by the wicked, but sought after by 
 the good; despised by the proud, but 
 loved by the humble ; separated from 
 the children of the world, but united 
 to the servants of God; scorned by 
 the great, but honoured by the little 
 ones ; dead to the world, but alive 
 unto God ; afflicted in the flesh, but 
 rejoicing- in spirit ; weak in health, 
 but strong in mind ; downcast in
 
 239 
 
 countenance, but upright in con- 
 science ; burthened by toil, but 
 strengthened in prayer; bent under 
 the weight of infirmities, but raised 
 up again by interior consolations, 
 and prisoned in this world by the bonds 
 of the flesh, but in spirit rapt to 
 heaven, and joined with Christ. 
 
 Blessed is he who has Jesus and 
 Mary, the angels and saints of God 
 for his friends in this life ; for guides 
 on his way ; for advisers in doubt ; 
 for masters in his studies ; for readers 
 at his table; for companions in his 
 solitude ; for familiars in his conver- 
 sation; for fellow-singers in choir j 
 for guards in danger ; for help in 
 trials ; for defenders against his ene- 
 mies ; for intercessors after sin ; for 
 props in his last hour ; for comforters 
 in his agony ; for advocates in the day 
 of judgment ; for patrons before God; 
 and for welcomers to the courts of 
 heaven !
 
 240 
 
 religious and devout soul, who 
 hast forsaken the world, thy family, 
 and home, receive now God for your 
 father ; Jesus for your brother ; Mary 
 for your mother ; the angels for your 
 friends, and your fellow-religious for 
 your relations. 
 
 Look on all the faithful as your 
 neighbours, the old men as your uncles; 
 the young men as your brothers ; the 
 married women as your mothers; the 
 young maidens as your sisters ; the 
 poor as your friends ; the travellers as 
 your cousins ; the meek and humble 
 of heart as your companions ; the sober 
 and chaste as your mess-mates, the 
 sick and afflicted as your familiars ; 
 the distressed and despised and scorned 
 as the dear friends of your heart ; the 
 pious as those most worthy of honour ; 
 and all those who despise the world 
 and serve Christ, as co-heirs with you 
 in the kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 This is the holy generation and
 
 241 
 
 noble oflfspring, bora of God, pleasing 
 to God, founded on faith; and 
 strengthened by hope ; adoraed by 
 charity ; armed with patience, proved 
 by the fire of tribulation, and found 
 firm in constancy. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 On True Peace, to be sought for in 
 God alone. 
 
 " Pax vohis Ego sum^ nolite thnere^ 
 (John vi. 20.) 
 
 " Peace be to you. It is /, be not 
 afraid.^^ 
 
 1. In Christ Jesus is all salvation, 
 and the true peace of the soul. 
 
 He that loves Christ, enjoys peace 
 and rest in him — desires nothing out 
 of him, nothing more than him. 
 
 R
 
 242 
 
 The peace of the faithful soul con- 
 sists in sufiering for the love of God 
 and in the name of Christ ; and whoso 
 thinketli otherwise, is in error, and de- 
 ceives himself; you will only lose your 
 time and trouble, if God be not the 
 only object of all your desires, the sole 
 aim and end ot all your actions. 
 " There is no peace to the wicked, 
 saith the Lord God," (Is. Ivii. 21), but 
 those who love thy law, O Lord, shall 
 enjoy abundantly the sweetness of thy 
 peace. 
 
 2. The peace which Christ taught 
 and promised, is to be found in pro- 
 found humility, in a complete denial 
 of our OM n will, in the mortification of 
 our depraved inclinations, in the con- 
 tempt of worldly praise, and of all 
 consolation in perishable and passing 
 things. 
 
 Watch then over your heart within, 
 lest you be seduced by its attractive 
 deceit; and watch over your senses
 
 243 
 
 without, lest you seek for satisfactions 
 that shall hurt your soul. 
 
 And yet created things often serve 
 to our spiritual advancement, but it 
 is when we refer the use we make of 
 them directly and entirely to the honour 
 and glory of God ; when we use them 
 with moderation and discretion for our 
 own pressing necessities, or for the 
 good of our own brethren. 
 
 3, But their beauty often becomes 
 to us an occasion of sin, when we linger 
 over with looks full of curiosity, of 
 concupiscence, of passion ; for it pro- 
 duces in our souls desires and affec- 
 tions which are contrary to the purpose 
 and glory of God ; and often the un- 
 wary are overcome by evil, and fall, 
 where the wise and good are watchful 
 to preserve their virtue. 
 
 Remember that riches tempt, money 
 corrupts, and pleasure stains the soul ; 
 that much feasting chokes it ; know- 
 ledge puffeth it up ; the love of power 
 r2
 
 244 
 
 breeds self-sufficiency, and honours 
 beget pride. 
 
 Perverse souls are disgusted with 
 humility ; and vain, empty praise 
 seduces the light and unstable. 
 
 There is both folly and weakness in 
 those who love and seek after pleasure, 
 for it cannot satisfy the soul nor give 
 the heart repose ; for all that is of the 
 world shall fail, and is of short dura- 
 tion ; and nothing but God is perfect, 
 and nothing but Him that we should 
 regard as sovereign beatitude and 
 highest good. 
 
 4. Keep watch then over attractive 
 seducers, be they persons or things ; 
 l)eware, lest beauty of form, nobility of 
 birth, or height of office, if you would 
 not be deceived and lose the peace of 
 your heart, and the purity of your soul. 
 All things are vain, slippery, and hurt- 
 ful, at least, if you do not refer all to 
 God, from whom comethall good, and in 
 whom all things live and move, and be
 
 245 
 
 Glory not then, O frail and mortal 
 man, who in so many things art guilty, 
 so prone to fall into sin, — so weak 
 withal, and unable to stand in virtue ; 
 trust not yourself overmuch, nor be too 
 confident in thyself or others, by high 
 thoughts and vain presumjition, but 
 offer to God, without restriction or 
 reserve, all the good thou perceivest, 
 whether in thyself or others, or in any 
 other created thing. 
 
 Then will you find in Christ that 
 pea9e of heart, and sweet repose, which 
 you will seek for in vain in creatures ; 
 then will be accomplished in you and 
 of you, the sweet and holy promise of 
 Christ on the mount, when he said, 
 " blessed are the clean of heart, for 
 they shall see God." (St. Matth. v. 8.) 
 
 To Him be praise, honour, and 
 glory, from every creature, now and 
 for ages of ages. Amen.
 
 246 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 On directing the intention to God. 
 
 " Oculi rtiei semper ad Dominum, 
 quoniam ipse evellet de laqueo pedes 
 meosy (Ps. xxiv. 16.) 
 
 " My eyes are ever towards the 
 Lord ; for he shall pluck my feet out 
 of the snare.'''' 
 
 In all thy thoughts, words, and 
 actions, have ever a right and pure in- 
 tention towards God, that so you may 
 do all things to his praise, honour 
 and glory, and to the edification of 
 your neighbour. For God is the 
 source of all good, and the great giver 
 of eternal rewards; and if you would 
 not lose the fruit of your labours, He 
 alone ought to be the beginning and 
 sole end of all your good works ; and 
 if you were fully penetrated with the
 
 247 
 
 terror of God's righteous judgments, 
 vanity would never lake possession of 
 your hearts. Vanity is a most deadly 
 poison to your souls ; and he that 
 loves to have his praise rung in the 
 world, shows an excess of vanity, 
 and gives a most certain sign that he 
 is filled with pride, and not with the 
 grace of God. 
 
 What then wall you do ? or in 
 whom will you place your trust ? not 
 surely in yourself, nor in man, nor in 
 earthly creatures ; nor in the stars of 
 heaven ; but in God alone, your Crea- 
 tor, who made and sustains you, as 
 well as all created things, by the 
 might of his right hand, and He needs 
 none to help or support Him. Call 
 out then, with the holy king David, 
 " My eyes are ever towards the Lord ; 
 for He shall pluck my feet out of the 
 snare," (Ps. xxiv. 15), and add these 
 words from another Psalm, " Lord, all
 
 248 
 
 my desire is before thee, and my groan- 
 ing is not hidden from thee." (Ps. 
 xxxvii. 10.) 
 
 Renounce then the deceitful con- 
 solations and counsels of men, and 
 fly in thy need unto thy God ; place 
 ail your trust in him ; call upon Him 
 in fervent prayer and holy desires, 
 for " He will pluck thy feet out of 
 the snare, so that you be not moved 
 out of the way" of virtue and true 
 humility, and persevere steadfastly in 
 the service of God unto the end. 
 
 Every good work done for the sake 
 of God, maketh the conscience glad, 
 brings light to the mind, and me- 
 ritetli a greater increase of grace ; 
 but eveiy bad action brings sorrow to 
 him that commits it, stains his good 
 name, and hinders the influence of 
 divine consolation. 
 
 He that doth any thing through 
 motives of vain glorj-, puts out his
 
 249 
 
 light with the wind of ostentation ; 
 and he, who is virtuous that he may 
 please men, and stand high in their 
 esteem, shall quickly be overthrown 
 by an angry God, and grovel in the 
 mire 
 
 Rejoice not then, like fools, in the 
 smiles of the world, but rather let the 
 sense of your own frailty keep you in 
 the fear of God. But let the fre- 
 quent falls and errors which you so 
 readily commit, teach you to think 
 humbly and meanly of yourself. 
 
 Beware of giving too much praise 
 to any man in this life, for you know 
 not what he may become hereafter; 
 neither rashly condemn him that 
 falleth ; for touched by his tears, 
 God may shortly grant him grace to 
 rise again. 
 
 But pray for all men, and commend 
 all unto God. 
 
 Be vile in thine own eyes, so shall
 
 250 
 
 you be great in the sight of God, who 
 has respect to the humble, l)ut know- 
 eth the proud afar off, and suddenly 
 shall cast him down. 
 
 If men despise you, and esteem you 
 less than ■ your brethren, be not cast 
 down into the excess of sadness ; it is 
 better and safer, doubtless, to be 
 humbled by men, with the meek and 
 simple, than to be east off by God 
 \^ith the rich and the lofty-minded. . 
 
 Shun the praise of men ; fear to be 
 exalted ; blush, if honours be con- 
 ferred on you ; fly from human re- 
 spect ; strive rather to hide yourself, 
 and prefer, before all the service of 
 God, the study of holy books, and 
 perseverance in prayer. 
 
 That man is not ^^•ithout praise and 
 honour, who, for the sake of God, de- 
 spiseth praise and honour ; nor is he 
 without consolation, who holdeth all 
 the joys of this world as nothing, and
 
 251 
 
 who gladly endureth every thing that 
 is contrary to his inclination, for the 
 love of Christ, and whose daily 
 breathing is to be united to Him in 
 heaven. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 The prayer of a humble and contrite 
 spirit. 
 
 " Ad te, Domine, levavi animam 
 meam^'' (Ps. xxiv. 1), " qui hahitas in 
 ccelisy (Ps. cxxii. 1.) 
 
 " To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up 
 my soul," " who divellest in heaven.^'' 
 
 O Lord, my God, who wisely and most 
 
 well. 
 Angels and men, and all created 
 
 things,
 
 252 
 
 On heaven or earth disposest, hear 
 my sighs, 
 
 And in the place of praise, and thanks 
 most due. 
 
 Accept the straights and anguish of a 
 heart, 
 
 Mourning in true contrition for its 
 sins, 
 
 Now offered up to Thee, sufiused in 
 tears ! 
 
 Turn all its evil into good, and bless 
 
 The fruitful with a goodlier increase : 
 
 The more thy name to glory, and pro- 
 mote 
 
 The "everlasting safety of my soul ! 
 Thou knowest,Lord, my frailty, and 
 how great 
 
 INIy lack of light, — how oft my me- 
 mory 
 
 Unstable turns away, and here and 
 there 
 
 Wanders among the hills of vanity, 
 
 So oft apart from Thee, too far apart ;
 
 253 
 Yet by thy many mercies, spare me 
 
 yet, 
 
 And bring my wandering' footsteps 
 
 back to Thee ! 
 Possess my heart, O Lord, and night 
 
 and day. 
 As far as human frailty lets, by 
 
 prayer 
 Devout, or meditation's holy aid. 
 Sleeping or waking keep it warm in 
 
 Thee ! 
 Yet would I watch continual, to 
 
 appease 
 Thy loving countenance by holy 
 
 gifts, 
 And fervent prayer, but more by those 
 
 three mites. 
 All I can give — a widow's mite — 
 
 these three, 
 A contrite heart — lips to confess my 
 
 sin — 
 And satisfaction by r*iy humble 
 
 works !
 
 254 
 
 Oh ! Lord, my God, Thou who art 
 
 sovrauly good, 
 And to be loved supremely. Lord my 
 
 God, 
 Have pity on my lowly misery ! — 
 No holy anp^el I, but weak frail man, 
 No innocent lamb, but one who sins 
 
 in malice ; — 
 Not one, who with a glowing heart all 
 
 fire, 
 Thee contemplates continual — but 
 
 cold 
 And icey — a distracted worshipper — 
 I am not fit to be thy servant, Lord, 
 I am unworthy to be vowed to Thee, 
 To bear the stamp of virtue on my 
 
 front. 
 And seeming v/hat I am not, give the 
 
 lie 
 Within this sin-stained heart, to vir- 
 tue's name ! 
 God of my soul ! deign to receive 
 
 my prayer,
 
 255 
 
 Hear when I cry to Thee, humble and 
 
 low, 
 Here from the depths of grief I call, 
 
 and Thou, 
 Who ever dost within thy heaven of 
 
 love, 
 Pleasing-, receive the angels' jubilee. 
 And harmony unanimous of praise 
 From countless spirits that surround 
 
 thy throne 
 Continual ascending ! hear the prayer, 
 That from a broken and a contrite 
 
 heart. 
 Beseeches help, where help alone is 
 
 found '. 
 Albeit my falls are frequent — thou 
 
 art God ! 
 My v^eakness chills me, and my foot- 
 steps slow 
 To tread ^thy paths of justice — Thou 
 
 art God ! 
 Though thick temptations press, and 
 
 shadows cloud
 
 256 
 
 The atmosphere around — yet Thou art 
 
 God! 
 And though thou crush me, I shall 
 
 not despair, 
 Of pardoning mercy still, for — Thou 
 
 art God"! 
 Oh ! I shall never cease to praise 
 
 thy name, 
 And bless Thee, God ! till, from this 
 
 earth set free. 
 Thou call me home, to join the angel 
 
 throng. 
 Whose only joy is ceaselessly to 
 
 raise. 
 To Thee, one Catholic chord of voice- 
 
 ful praise !
 
 257 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 Of holy fellowship with Jesus and with 
 his saints. 
 
 " QucBsite Deum, et vivet anima 
 vestra.''^ (Ps. xv. 6.) 
 
 " Seek ye after God, and your soul 
 shall live.'''' 
 
 Nothing is more profitable than 
 this ; nothing- shall bless thee more ; 
 tor he that seeketh any other thing, 
 shall end by finding nothing. 
 
 If, therefore, thou wouldst have a 
 friend to give you true consolation in 
 affliction, go to Jesus ; approach 
 His crib with the shepherds, (Luke i.) 
 come with the magi, to adore Him 
 in the arms of his mother ; (Matt, ii.) 
 follow Him to the temple, with Si- 
 meon and Anna; (Luke ii.) to the 
 city, with Martha ; (Luke x.) to the 
 sepulchre, with Mary Magdalen*,
 
 258 
 
 (John XX.) or filled with sentiments 
 of the most sweet and lively joy, join 
 the apostles in the upper chamber, 
 to receive with them the Holy Spirit. 
 (Acts ii.) 
 
 Blessed is he, that in these places, 
 and elsewhere, so seeketh Jesus, not 
 in body only, but in spirit and in 
 truth. 
 
 Blessed is he who, at all times, and 
 in every place, seeketh Jesus from the 
 bottom of his heart, and who burns 
 with an ardent desire to enjoy his pre- 
 sence, and to prepare himself ever\- 
 day for the bright vision, and presence 
 of Christ. 
 
 Blessed is he who, in his life, fol- 
 lows Jesus to Calvary, and bears his 
 cross with Him ; for his divine Sa- 
 viour shall assist him in his last hour, 
 and he shall not have to fear that 
 sentence of reprobation, v>'hich shall 
 fall so heavily on sinners. 
 
 2. Seek not only Jesus, but the 
 disciples of Jesus, and all that love
 
 259 
 
 Jesus ; and to please Him, hear 
 patiently tlie pains and sorrows of tliis 
 life; for the love of Jesus maketh a 
 man despise the world, and drivetli 
 away all thr.t is impure or vain. 
 
 Renounce then those friends, those 
 acquaintances, those companions, who 
 would hinder you from living in soli- 
 tude and devotion, and for your sin- 
 gular consolation, in secret retirement 
 entertain thee with the holy apoi^tles, 
 and brethren of Jesus, that they may 
 speak to you of the kingdom of God, 
 and declare to you how great is the 
 happiness of the elect; and how, by 
 passing through the fire of many tri- 
 bulations, you may attain to such a 
 blessed end ! 
 
 Come then, before all holy saints, 
 men or women, citizens of the hea- 
 venly court; withdraw thee, from the 
 tumult of the world, and come into 
 the secret tabernacle and oratory of 
 the blessed Virgin Mary, and seek
 
 260 
 
 there, by prayer, for the consolations 
 you stand in need of. 
 
 Listen to the ang-el of the Lorrl, 
 who there announces to Mary the 
 incarnation of Christ, and the re- 
 demption of the human race. 
 
 O blessed day and happy hour, if 
 thou canst rest there in company with 
 the angel Gabriel, and the blessed 
 Virgin Mary, and learn from their 
 mouth the mysteries of heaven ; be- 
 lieve, most firmly, all things which 
 were declared by the angel to Mary, 
 even as she believed God, and Him 
 he sent from heaven. 
 
 Then turn to the desert, and seek 
 diligently John the Baptist, the pre- 
 cursor of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 where he lies hid ; prostrate yourself, 
 humbly, at his feet, and say with much 
 devotion : — 
 
 " Hail, John, the most holy and 
 beloved friend of Jesus Christ ; I 
 have often heard of thy virtues, and 
 of thy admirable life ; I have heard
 
 261 
 
 Of many great and holy wonders con- 
 cerning thee; I have heard of the 
 miraculous sanctity of thy birth; 1 
 have heard with what religious aus- 
 terity thou livedst in the desert from 
 thine infancy, that so thou mightest 
 preserve thy spotless purity in word 
 and thought." 
 
 Ask of him how long he remained 
 alone in the desert, and dwell with 
 him there as long as you can, or your 
 time will allow. 
 
 Learn of him what was his meat or 
 his drink, and who ministered to his 
 wants; see if his father or mother 
 sent any thing to him ; or when they 
 came to him, or he to them ; or w^he- 
 ther the angel Gabriel descended on 
 him to reveal to him many hidden 
 things, or even whether Jesus ap- 
 peared in person to him, and strength- 
 ened his hand, as it is written in the 
 gospel : " For the hand of the Lord 
 was with him." (St. Luke i. 66.) 
 
 Whatever verity there be, in regard
 
 262 
 
 to these particulars, in the life of St. 
 John the Baptist, yet commit thyself 
 wholly to the Holy Spirit, with whom 
 he was filled, by whom he was in- 
 structed, who formed him, and adorned 
 his life with all virtues ; who, in 
 the desert, in the world, in prison, 
 and in chains, watched over him, and 
 received his soul at last, as it bore the 
 fresh palm of martyrdom. 
 
 5. Approach ye then to the apostles 
 of Christ, seek out St. Peter, and fol- 
 low him to the temple to pray, or as- 
 cend with him into the upper cham- 
 ber, "to receive the Holy Spirit." 
 (Acts ii.) 
 
 Follow St. Paul to Damascus, to 
 Ephesus, and go with him to preach 
 the gospel of Christ, not in body, but 
 in spirit. 
 
 Behold how his labours exceed all ; 
 how often he prays, and how frequent, 
 in his prayers and meditation, he is 
 rapt up into heaven. 
 
 It is true these great favours are
 
 263 
 
 not granted to all ; and yet the apostle, 
 who had received them, says, " I do 
 not count myself to have appre- 
 hended;" (Phil. iii. 13,) and else- 
 where, when he teaches the Immhle, 
 that they ought to conform themselves 
 to the life and passion of Jesus Christ, 
 he says again, " I judged not myself 
 to know any thing among you, but 
 Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 
 (1 Cor. ii. 2.) 
 
 Follow, then, St Paul, for he will 
 lead you by the straight path (of the 
 cross), and by the way of the cross to 
 heaven. 
 
 Go then further, and in the parts of 
 Achaia, listen to the apostle Andrew, 
 preaching the faith of Christ ; hear 
 him in the words he addressed to the 
 cross on which He was nailed, for the 
 name of Jesus Christ ; engrave them 
 on your heart, and study to fulfil with 
 joy, through the inspiration and as- 
 sistance of the Holy Spirit, all that he
 
 264 
 
 declares to you of the passion of 
 Christ, and the praises of the holy 
 cross. 
 
 Seek then St. James the Greater, 
 ■Nvho suffered the death of martyrdom 
 under Herod ; drink, with him, of the 
 chalice of sorrow in this miserable 
 life, and bear patiently with all suf- 
 fering, for the love of God, and the 
 salvation of your soul. 
 
 Next proceed, and seek John, the 
 beloved apostle of Christ, who, for 
 the name of Jesus, was sent into exile.; 
 and separated from the world, and all 
 its cares and concerns; where, en- 
 lightened by divine revelation, he 
 wrote in symbolic and mysterious 
 style in the Apocalypse, the state of 
 the church militant and triumphant ; 
 and after this, he wrote his gospel, to 
 instruct and console all churches, and 
 all the faithful therein, and give testi- 
 mony, last of all, to the divinity of 
 Jesus Christ.
 
 265 
 
 Read and study well these, and the 
 other books of Holy Scripture, as 
 much as your understandini^ will 
 allow, and your wants require in this, 
 your exile, here on earth, not with a 
 view to pass for wise and learned, in 
 the eyes of men, but that you may 
 become meek and patient, humble and 
 obedient even unto death. 
 
 Go also, and for your consolation 
 seek the other apostles, whom you will 
 find employed in the service of God, 
 endurino: martyrdom for the faith and 
 love of Christ, and leading the faith- 
 ful to virtue, both by their example, 
 and by their words. 
 
 Behold St. James, the brother of 
 our Lord, writing his canonical Epis- 
 tle, wherein is contained the rule of a 
 Christian life, and the whole per- 
 fection of our religion. 
 
 Seek St. Thomas in the Indies; 
 that apostle w^ho reverently touched 
 the wounds of Christ, and w^ho, be-
 
 2(36 
 
 lieving fiiinly, cried out Avith an 
 ardent love, " My Lord and my God." 
 (St. John XX. 28.) 
 
 With a like holy zeal, seek the 
 holy apostle and learned evangelist 
 Matthew, writing, in the Hebrew cha- 
 racter, the gospel of Christ, for the 
 instruction of all the world, and for 
 the salvation of all people, and na- 
 tions, and tongues. 
 
 With an equal ardour and affec- 
 tion, follow the other holy apostles 
 and disciples of Jesus Christ; each 
 one, in their several relations and 
 places, preserving the word of life, 
 teaching the people, and labouring 
 unto death in the vineyard of the 
 Lord ! 
 
 Behold these are the saints and 
 friends of God, who, at the price of 
 their blood, and by the crown of mar- 
 tyrdom, merited eternal life, and de- 
 served to enter into heaven. Read 
 'Aixdh the recital of their labours and
 
 267 
 
 sufferings, ami you will be consoled 
 in your labour and light affliction ; 
 for whatever you do or suffer for your 
 salvation, it is as nothing in compa- 
 rison with that which the martyrs and 
 all the blessed have done and suf- 
 fered for Christ in the service of God. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 On placing your sovereign good and 
 farthest aim in God alone. 
 
 " Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria 
 tua.'' (Ps. cxvi. 15.) 
 
 " / shall be satisfied ivhen thy glory 
 shall appear!''' 
 
 1. The soul. — Lord, how shall 
 man attain to this glory ? 
 
 Jesus Christ. — By the contempt of 
 himself, and all earthly things, and
 
 268 
 
 by an ardent love of all heavenly 
 thinj^s. 
 
 The saints who rejoice in heaven, 
 and all the faithful who still comhat 
 here below, against the allurements of 
 sin, these are my witnesses for this. 
 
 But those who are far from at- 
 taining- the eternal glory and sovereign 
 beatitude, are the proud angels of 
 darkness, the infidel Pagans, the per- 
 verse Jews, hardened heretics, and 
 carnal men, who, seduced by the 
 pleasures of the world, neglect the 
 service of God, and propose no other 
 end in all their actions, than the en- 
 joyment of earthly goods, the honour 
 and esteem of men. 
 
 Ah! woe is me, O God, for such 
 are driven about in eveiy sense, in 
 painful journeys, in severe study, in 
 constant watchings, solicitous without 
 ceasing, and labouring without relax- 
 ation, to increase and preserve those 
 enjoyments which make them slaves
 
 269 
 
 to their desires ) and when they have 
 received a part of what they thirst for ; 
 vi^hen they have obtained directly or 
 indirectly the object of their labours, 
 still are they not satisfied ; they wish 
 to rise still higher, for their vanity will 
 leave nothing- below them ; they puff 
 themselves up, and think themselves 
 wise and Avorthy of the esteem of 
 man ; and to receive the homage of 
 their brethren. Howbeit in all this, 
 what is 'there but vanity, frailty, and 
 nothing ; whatsoever they desire, what- 
 ever they seek, is lost for the great 
 work of their salvation, and full of 
 danger to the welfare of their souls. 
 
 In very deed you are in error and 
 deceive yourselves, ye who in the 
 world find sweetness, ye for whom this 
 present world is full of pleasantness; 
 for none of these enjoyments are secure 
 to you, and every day you draw nearer 
 to death, and to the judgment of God. 
 
 For there is nothing- in this world
 
 270 
 
 but what has annexed to it somewhat 
 of bitterness ; whatsoever of loveliest, 
 best and sweetest, created thing-s can 
 offer you. These cannot satisfy the 
 soul ; they cannot deliver it from evil ; 
 they cannot lill it \nth good, nor keep 
 it in endless joy; God alone, who is 
 eternal, immense, and sovereignly 
 good, God can alone produce in us 
 these blessed effects. 
 
 For He is the creator of all things, 
 visible and invisible, of angels and 
 men, — before all — above all — and. in 
 all — God blessed for ever. 
 
 Can the blessed spirits in Heaven, 
 or those on earth, think or speak 
 worthily of Him ? Ah no ! for He is 
 above all that a created being can 
 conceive, and in His sight all things 
 are vain and valueless ; and the soul 
 deceives itself, when, apart from God, 
 it fosters those affections, which would 
 turn it away from the love and honour 
 of God, but which will leave it at
 
 271 
 
 the end in poverty and abject indi- 
 gence. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Great are Thy works, and wonderful, 
 
 O God, 
 That no created being, far less I, 
 Can fathom these, or understand Thy 
 ways ! 
 Far from the reach of my weak in- 
 tellect, 
 Thy truths extend, — Thy wonderful 
 
 decrees, 
 Beneath a veil lie hid; nor angel-like, 
 Can T Thine august count'nance con- 
 template. 
 What shall I do, God,— low in the 
 
 dust, 
 I shall with deep humility confess 
 Myself unworthy of Thy least regard, — 
 Unworthy of the heavenly happiness; 
 Unworthy I, to share in saintly joys. — 
 Here before Thee, and in the sight of
 
 272 
 
 I shall lay low my pride and shall 
 
 hecome 
 Vile and to he dispised, and Oh ! 
 
 mayest Thou 
 Have pity on a wretched sinner now, 
 Now and for ever, Lord 1 have mercy 
 
 still. 
 In bitterness of soul, I will recount 
 My years defiled in sin, fueled for 
 
 wrath ; 
 Henceforth ray groans shall burst, my 
 
 tears shall fall. 
 To Thee whom tongue, and ears, and 
 
 every sense 
 So frequent have offended, still offend. 
 Though Thou hadst granted me the 
 
 use of earth, 
 Thee solely, and ^yith all my heart to 
 
 serve. 
 With all my soul to love, until life's 
 
 end. 
 Oh when I look upon the depth of 
 
 sin, 
 In which my soul, foully and tainted 
 
 long,
 
 273 
 
 Lived on in unconcern, let not despair 
 Come to add increase to the vast 
 
 amount, 
 But while with tearful eyes I meditate 
 The heavy load, still let me forward 
 
 look 
 On that exhaustless mercy, endless love, 
 And infinite goodness, I so oft have 
 
 felt. 
 And feeling turned away; hear my 
 
 resolve 
 Still while I meditate on Thee, my 
 
 God! 
 Until returning, aided by Thy grace, 
 I may near Thee attain the port of 
 
 peace, 
 And come with joy into the haven of 
 
 rest ! 
 From every evil, Lord, deliver me. 
 Which may approach, to crush or turn 
 
 away 
 For some deceitful good, mv soul from 
 
 Thee, 
 And contemplation of Eternal good!
 
 274 
 
 God of all mercy ! help me ; by Thy 
 aid, 
 
 Now may I walk for ever in thy sight, 
 
 And may I never err nor go astray 
 
 Henceforth from Thee, who art the 
 sovereign good. 
 
 I can find happiness in Thee alone ! 
 
 Oh grant thyself to me, and with thy- 
 self 
 
 Sahation to my soul. — Then shall all 
 thoughts. 
 
 And all desires, be satisfied in Thee \ 
 Amen.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. I.^p. 89. 
 Cap. XVIII. — De a:ternd laude Dei. 
 
 " Semper laus ejus, in ore meo." (Ps. xxxiii.) 
 O (lulcis vox in auribus devotorum, sed diil- 
 cior in priEsentia Dei, et sanctorum Angelorum. 
 Si omnia organa musicorum canerent, et 
 laudem Dei non resonarent, in vanum con- 
 creparunt, nee animam sanctam recrearent, 
 neque satiarent. Oportet enim, quod Deus 
 et honor ejus sit causa canendi, et oninis va- 
 nitas sit exclusa, si laus debet esse Deo grata 
 et accepta. Si intentio tua fuerit pura, in 
 puteris exuUare in vera cordis J-a4itia cum 
 Maria. — (Luc. i.) 
 
 Dulcis symphonia in coelo, et in terra, 
 laudare Deum pura corde, et consona voce, 
 cum orani creatura, pro sua immensa bonitate, 
 ct excellcnti magniiicentia. Delectabile opus, 
 laudare Deum in omni tempore, diligerc Cre 
 fttorem couli et terrie, honorare maxime a;tcr-
 
 27(1 
 
 iicB ntae largitorera. Siquideiu SanctoruiC 
 Aiigelorum vita, honor, et gloria, laudarc 
 Deum totis praecordiis, et nunquain a laude 
 uessare qiii uimquam possunt latigare, nee 
 inaniter gloriari. Hoc etiam agunt sanctor- 
 um animee, in coelesti patria, liberate de Wu- 
 culis corporum, de laqueis Satanee, ab omni 
 tentatione ejus securee, et jam Deo unitse in 
 perfecta claaritate, et perenni laetitia ; et inel- 
 iabili beatitudine repletae. Recogitaut modo 
 liberae cum maxima dulcedine, in quanta 
 fuerunt tribulatione, et an\aritudine, et quanta 
 evaserunt pericula,et tentamenta hujusmiserse 
 ^'itae. Versa sunt eis omnia lamenta in can- 
 tica laetitiae, et dura verbera in augmenta 
 pulclmoris coronaj. O quam beata ilia patria, 
 ubi pacata sunt omnia, tristitia nulla, omnia 
 jucunda, di^ina laude, et dulci jubilo ; — Bene- 
 dic ergo, et tu emima fidelis, Dominum de 
 coelis, lauda Deum tuum, Sion, (Ps. cxliv.) 
 gravata pondere camis. Invoca sensum in loco 
 certaminis, ut adsit tibi a dextris tuis, et sinis- 
 tris cum Angelis Sanctis. Ora, ne praevaleat 
 contra te deemonum impetus, ne decipiat te 
 luoUities carnis, ne iraugat te rigor ordinis, 
 aut labor corporis. Suscipc pro Christt
 
 277 
 
 amore, onus sanctte crucis, quae aperiet tibi 
 portam regni coelestis. Quid amplius capis? 
 Via regia veniendi ad Christum, est vincere 
 propriam vohmtatem, sustinere defectum, non 
 qugerere camis commodum. Habebis certe 
 eetemam requiem pro parvo labore, seternura 
 honorem pro liumili statu, et infirmo loco. 
 Sit ergo semper laus Dei in ore tuo, in pros- 
 peris, et adversis ; multum enim in hoc potes 
 promereri, si plene te resignaveris ad volun- 
 tatem Dei. Quicquid graritatis tibi occur- 
 rerit interius, aut exterius, hoc accipe pie et 
 gratiose de manu benignissimi Creatoris, qui 
 curam gerit de omnibus nobis, pusilUs et 
 magnis. Qui te fecit ad imaginem suam.non 
 rehnquet te in necessitatibus tuis, propter im- 
 mensam bonitatem suam. Aperi, ergo, os 
 tuum in laudem Dei omnipotentis ; cujuspro- 
 ■\-identia reguntur omnia in coelo, et in terrti, 
 in mari, et in omnibus abyssis. Lauda Cre- 
 atorem tuum, qui te fecit hominem, et non 
 bestiam ; et si te muscam fecissit, adhuc lau- 
 dandus esset, et bene fecisset. Non potest 
 leo gloriari de fortitudine sua, contra muscam 
 et culicem ; quia si leo potest altius clamare, 
 non tamen potest tam alte sicutrauscavolare.
 
 278 
 
 Ne ergo sit contentio inter magnum et pur- 
 vum, inter divitem et pauperem, inter tortem 
 et debilem, inter sapientem et simplicem, in- 
 t^r regentem et sen-ientem: omnes pariter 
 laudemns Doniinum Denm nostrum, qui cre- 
 a\-it omnem creatviram, mira pulcliritudine, et 
 varietate, ad laudem nominis sui et gloriam, 
 et hominum utilitatem largiter et aperte de ■ 
 monstrandam. Lauda anima fidelis Redemp- 
 torem tuum, qui te redemit de manu aetemze 
 mortis, per passionem sueb Benedictae Cruces. 
 Cui digne regratiai'i non poteris, etiam si 
 millies pro ipso mori et crucifigi posses. Lau- 
 da Protectorem tuum, qui te a multis peri- 
 culis, et peccatis custodirit. Lauda, Bene- 
 factorem tuum, qui tanta beneficia tibi tribuit, 
 quae vix enumerare sufficis. Ecce adhuc 
 quotidie, nova dona tibi transmittit, et per se 
 etiam ad te in altare venit, in quo optimum 
 donum, quod ipse est et habet, tibi ad com- 
 municandum prjebet. Niliil aliud pro his a 
 te requirit, et tarn gratum habet; nisi ut 
 ipsum pure et intime propter se ipsum, ames 
 et laudes. Ciun fueris laetus, et bene tibi 
 successerit, lauda et gratias age ; quia pins 
 Dominus te consolari dignatus est, ne in via
 
 279 
 
 deficias. Nam toties, panem de coelo, tibi ad 
 refocillaudum spiritum tuum mittit, quoties 
 verbum Dei audis et legis, ac de incariiatione 
 et passione Cliristi devote meditaris. Cum 
 fueris tristis, aut debilis, lauda, et gratias age ; 
 quia Deus te visitat ; probat, et purgat, ne 
 superbias, et de te praesumas. Afflictio enim, 
 corporis, ssepe est reductio ad compunctionem 
 cordis. Cum fueris sanus et fortis, lauda et 
 gratias age ; quia Deus dedit tibi ^ires, ut 
 labores, et aliis ser\-ias, et tempus nunquam 
 otiose expendas. Ciim fueris in horto, vel in 
 pomario, widens diversas species, et arbores, 
 flores, et rosas, prra, poma, herbarum virores, 
 et lilia odorifera, lauda, et gratias age ; quia 
 ostendit tibi Deus, multa mirabilia opera sua, 
 in terra germinantia, quae omni anno, renovat 
 mira poteutia, ac sapientia sua, pro magna 
 sua bonitate, et hominum utilitate. In omni 
 ergo loco, et tempore, lauda Deum, et gratias 
 age: quia plena est omnis terra majestate 
 ejus, et super coelos gloria ejus. Lauda Deum 
 cum omnibus Sanctis in terris, quem laudant 
 omnes angeli in coelis. Si laudas, angelis 
 assimularis ; si non laudas, ingratus es, et 
 pejor bestiis. Ecce volucres ca^li cantant,
 
 280 
 
 pisces natant, canes latrant, pecora clamant ; 
 et omnia elementa ad landem Dei se movent, 
 et magnificentiam Creatoris siii, naturalihus 
 motibus demonstrant. In cunctis, ergo, quae 
 agis, habe Deum prae oculis tuis ; cave oifen- 
 sas : gratias age, pro beneficiis impensis, et in 
 line cujuslibet operis tui, corde tenus regra- 
 tiando Deo, sic conclude : Deo laus, nunc in 
 aetemum. Omnis spiriUis laudet Dominum. 
 Amen. 
 
 No. 11.— p. 226. 
 
 Cap. xxvii. — De Jaude Sanctorum Angel- 
 orum in ccelo. 
 
 1. " In conspectu Angelorum psallam tibi." 
 (Ps.cxlvii.) O Rex altissime.Deus summe lau- 
 dabilis, Creator omnium rerum, Angelorum, et 
 hominum ; quamdiu morabor in terns, et 
 elongabor a te, et ab omnibus angelis tuis in 
 ccelis? Heu me pauperem et infelicem, 
 quamdiu manducabo cum bominibus panem 
 terrenum, panem laboris et doloris, et privabor 
 pane angelorum, continenie omnis saporis sua- 
 vitatem ? (Sap. xvi.)
 
 281 
 
 2. O Domine, quando aiidiam vocem laudis 
 tufe, ex ore Angelorum tuorum in coelo, sicut 
 Beatns Joannes Apostolus, relegatus in exili- 
 um audivit vocem multorum angelorum, psal- 
 lentium in unum, sandus, sanctus, sanctus ? 
 (Apoc. xiv.) O utinam essem unus cum ipsis, 
 et talem vocem liaberem ! Quam libenter 
 vellem te laudare cum eis, et super omnia al- 
 tissima coeli cantica, cantare et magnificare 
 nomen sanctum tuum in setemum ! O clieru- 
 Itim, et seraphim, quam dulciter, quam pul- 
 cbiiter, quam ferventer, et excellenter, can- 
 tatis et jubilatis coram Deo, sine omni tsedio, 
 sine fatigatione, sine cessatione in setema feli- 
 citate ! 
 
 3. Ideo omnis vox huraana, est mihi rauca, 
 omnis cantus dissonus, omnis psalmus aridus, 
 omnis musica gravis, omnis cithara surda, 
 omne organum mutum, omnis mundi Isetitia 
 grandis tristitia, omnis lutus ululatus, omnis 
 cibus et potus insipidus ; omnis caro, foenum ; 
 omne vinum, fel, et acetum ; omne mel, vene- 
 num ; omne jucundum asperum ; omnis decor, 
 fiBtor ; omnis ornatus, stercus ; omnis honor, 
 et gloria, vanitas et fumus ; omne pretiosum 
 et nobile, vile et deforme ; imo omnia nulla,
 
 •282 
 
 comparatione feternge vitse, optemse gloria?, 
 aeteniBe Isetitia?, in conspectu Dei et Angel- 
 oruni ; qui altissime collaudant sanctam et 
 gloriosam Trinitatem die ac nocte sine fine. 
 
 4. Sed quia ad ista sublimia coeloruui can- 
 tica ascendere nequeo, nee plene ea compre- 
 liendere sufficio ; ideo meipsum plango, et 
 valde despicio ; et coram Deo, et omnibus ho- 
 minibus flecta genua mea, et humiliter veniam 
 peto. Nam opera mea rere nulla sunt, sine 
 gratia et misericordia tua, Domine, quam 
 maxime ostendis, super omnem creaturam 
 tuam sine numero et mensura. O altiturlo 
 divitiarum sapientics, et scienticB Dei (Rom.xi.) 
 Quam profunda sunt judicia tua, et vera a 
 SBeculo, usque in finem speculorum, super 
 bonos, et males, super gratos et ingratos, super 
 pios et impios ; ita ut nemo possit plene in- 
 vestigare opera tua, nee debeat juste conqueri 
 in aliquo facto improviso. Benedictus, ergo, 
 semper Deus mens.
 
 283 
 
 No. III.— p. 251. 
 
 Cap. XXXII. — Oratio hiimilis, et contriii 
 
 spiritus. 
 " Ad te Domine levavi animam vieam, qui 
 habitas in ccelis." 
 
 1. O Domine Deus, qui omnia provide ac 
 juste disponis in coelo, et in ten-a, cum An- 
 gelis, et hominibus, et omnibus creaturis tuis ; 
 accipe pro magnis laudibus, et gratification- 
 ibus tibi debitis, omnes tribulationes, et an- 
 gustias cordis mei, in vera contritione pecca- 
 torum meorum, tibi modo oblatas. Converte 
 mihi omne malum in bonum, et bonum sem- 
 per in melius, pro gloria nominis tui, et animee 
 mese seterna salute. Tu scis omnem infirmi- 
 tatem meam, et magnam ignorantiam meam, 
 et quotidianam instabilitatem memoriae meae ; 
 quam cito vagor hue illuc, longius a te ssepis- 
 sime. Parce mihi Domine, secundum multi- 
 tudinem miserationum tuarum, et reduc me 
 citius ad te. Converva cor meum apud te, 
 in devota oratione, et sacra meditatione, die 
 ac nocte, quantum mihi est possibile in hoc 
 fragili corpore. 
 
 2. Cupio placare benignissimam faciera
 
 284 
 
 tiiam, munerihus sacris, et prccibus, et prajci- 
 pue tribus pauperuin oculis,contrilione cordis, 
 confessione oris, et satisfactione humilis oper- 
 is. Domine Deus meus, summe amabilis, 
 memento mei pauperis ; quia homo sum fra- 
 gilis, non Angelus sanctus: peccator magnus, 
 non innocens agnus ; tepidus orator, non fer- 
 vidus contemplator, Et ideo, nee dignus ser- 
 vitor tuus : nee inter devotos oratores debeo 
 computari, nee videre, nee nominari. Domine 
 me cbarissime, accepta sit, tibi, bumilis oratio 
 raea, et amara eontritio peecatorum meorum, 
 pro dulei eanta, et jubilatione Angelorum, et 
 coneordi laudatione omnium ecelestium civi- 
 um supemonmi. Veruntamen non despero, 
 nee desperabo de veuia, et misericordia tua ; 
 quamvis saepius cado, et gravor in meipso, ex 
 infirmitate mea. Non cesso, nee eessabo a 
 laude tua, in \\ta mea : sed laudabo, et mag- 
 nifieabo te, donee ad te perveniat, (6 Deus) 
 anima mea. Nam te semper laudare, et su- 
 per omnia amare, summa felicitas est Angel- 
 orum, et beatorum in patria.
 
 265 
 
 No. IV.— p. 271. 
 Cap. XXXIV. — Juxtafinem. 
 
 ' Magna et mirabilia opera tua Domine; 
 
 et cogitare et perscrutari singula, non est milii 
 nee alicui creature possibile. 
 
 4. Quid igitur faciam, quia non possnm al- 
 tiora capere, nee secreta ccelestia penetrare, 
 neque cum Angelis faciem Dei luei contem- 
 plari ? Indignum me fateor tantis bonis frui, 
 et cum Sanctis in coelo conversari. Ideo me, 
 semper humiliabo, et despiciam coram Deo, 
 et omnibus liominibus, quamdiu fuero, et ero 
 vilis in oculis meis ; ut Deus misereatur mei 
 peccatoris, nunc et in omnibus boris. JReco- 
 gitabo omnes annos meos, in amaritiid'uie 
 animcB, quibus iram merui; et placabo in 
 gemitu et fletu Deum, quem offendi ssepius 
 verbis, factis, visu, auditu, et cteteris sensibus 
 meis : quos milii ad serviendum sibi dedit in 
 toto corde meo, quamdiu in corpore vivo. 
 Sed ne desperem, et dejiciar in malis meis, 
 recordabor, (Domine) omnium bonorum tuo- 
 rum, et omnium misericordiarum tuarum, 
 quae a saeculo sunt, donee ad te, auxiliante 
 gratia, tua merear salvus pervenire. Libera me
 
 286 
 
 ab omnibus iiialis irruentibus subito in me. 
 qtiaj retraliuiit siepius cor meum a coelestibus 
 bonis meditandis. Adesto mihi, pie Deus, et 
 pone me juxta te; ne incipiam vagari etelon- 
 gari a summo bono, quod tu es, Domine ; 
 nam in te solo, totum bouum meum. Da te- 
 ipsum mihi, et sufficit animse mea;, Domine 
 Deus salutis meee. — Amen. 
 
 C. KlCHAKUS, rUlMEK, ST. MillTINS LAXE.
 
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