in which he broke asunder the chains that tied him to sin, and embraced a life of prayer? Listen to his own words: For me,' says he, 'I have found more pleasure in weeping over my sins at the foot of the crucifix, than I ever experienced in attending the theatre, which formerly afforded me such delight.' Dulciores mihi sunt lacrimæ pœnitentium quam gaudia theatrorum.

That which happened to St. Augustine after his conversion to God is daily being renewed in the case of hundreds and thousands of Christians, who, after arousing themselves from the state of sin, and turning in good earnest to the practice of prayer, have found therein a hidden manna, which is unknown to all but him who tastes it; who thus enjoys a foretaste of that ineffable sweetness in which the blessed inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem are ingulfed. And whenever it pleases God in His inscrutable wisdom to try His faithful servants, by withdrawing from them all sensible delights, and permitting them to suffer desolation in their prayers, He does not deprive them of all comfort, but even then He leaves them, in the bottom of their hearts, a deep and solid feeling of satisfaction in the consciousness that they are fulfilling His holy and adorable will even by their sufferings and aridities; and besides this, He causes His light to shine occasionally amidst their darkness, letting them from time to time experience the inestimable blessing of His Divine presence.

But here it must be observed that, in order to enjoy the sweetness of prayer, we must disentangle ourselves from the ties of the world, and from all inordinate affections to created things, and rest with all our heart and soul in God alone. "Delight in the Lord," says holy David,

"and He will give thee the requests of thy heart."1

6

'Be pure and free interiorly,' says the Imitation of Christ, ' without being entangled by any creature. Thou must be naked, and carry a pure heart to God, if thou wilt attend at leisure, and see how sweet is the Lord."2 As soon as thou hast delivered thyself up to God with thy whole heart, and neither seekest this nor that for thy own pleasure, but wholly placest thyself in Him, thou shalt find thyself united to Him and at peace; for nothing wilt thou relish so well, and nothing shall please thee so much, as the good pleasure of the Divine will. Whosoever, therefore, with a single heart, shall direct his intention upwards to God, and purify himself from all inordinate love to created things, he shall be the most fit to receive grace, and worthy of the gift of devotion. For the Lord bestows His blessings there, where He finds the vessels empty. And the more perfectly a soul forsakes things below, and the more she dies to herself for the contempt of herself, the more speedily grace cometh, the more plentifully it entereth, and the higher it elevates the free heart. Then shall he see and abound, he shall admire, and his heart shall be enlarged within him; because the hand of the Lord is with him, and he hath put himself wholly into His hands for ever. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that seeketh God with his whole heart, and taketh not his soul in vain.'3

1 Psalm xxxvi. 4.

2 Book ii. c. 8.

3 Book iv. c. 15.

ARTICLE V.

ON THE PRINCIPAL DISPOSITIONS WHICH SHOULD ATTEND

OUR PRAYERS.

Experience teaches that there are some Christians who often call upon God, and ask for His blessings, and yet God refuses to hear them. This happens not through any want of good will on the part of God, who is ever faithful to His promises, but through our own fault, because we do not take sufficient care to endow our prayers with those holy dispositions, which are required to render them acceptable to God and profitable to our souls. "You ask, and receive not," says the Apostle St. James, "because you ask amiss."

There are five qualifications which our prayers ought to possess: 1, solidity; 2, devotion; 3, humility; 4, confidence; 5, perseverance.

SECTION I.

On solidity in our prayers.

The solidity of our prayers consists in asking of God real and substantial blessings; namely, such graces as are truly conducive to the salvation of our souls, and available to the attainment of eternal life. It is most certain that the only thing really good for man is, to serve and love his sovereign Lord here upon earth, and to enjoy Him hereafter in His eternal kingdom. This is the great, the only object for which he was created, and all besides this is vanity and deceit, darkness and illusion. "Fear the Lord," says the Holy Ghost, "and keep His com

James iv. 3.

mandments, for this is the whole man."

'Vanity and vanity,' says the Imitation of Christ, and all is vanity, except to love God, and to serve Him alone. This is the highest wisdom, to despise the world, and to tend to the everlasting kingdom.'

Setting out from this principle, that all happiness and perfection essentially consist in nothing else but loving and serving our sovereign Lord in this life, and enjoying Him for ever in the life to come, it follows that we should never ask any thing from God but what can really help and assist us in serving and loving Him, and in securing our eternal salvation. Well did the prophet David understand this truth, when he prayed to the Lord but for one thing, and that earnestly and frequently, which was, that he might obtain the possession of His eternal kingdom. "One thing," says he, "have I asked of the Lord; and this will I seek as long as I live, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord." 66 Why art thou careful," said Jesus to Martha," and troublest thyself about many things? there is but one thing necessary.' 991 We read in holy Scripture, that the holy Tobias, thinking that he was going to die, called to himself his only son, and spoke thus to him "Bless God at all times, and desire of Him to direct thy ways, and that all thy counsels may abide in Him.' The same I say to you, O Christian soul,bless the Lord at all times; and let your mind and heart dwell upon Him alone. In your prayers, ask Him for His grace, His love, His kingdom, and He will not fail to supply all your wants, if expedient for your eternal welfare. "Seek first the kingdom of God," says our divine Redeemer, "and His justice; and the rest shall be added unto you.' Solomon did not ask God either 3 Matt. vi. 33.

, Luke x. 42.

113

2 Tob. iv. 20.

for long life or riches, or for the overthrow of his enemies, but he petitioned only for wisdom, and the Lord vouchsafed to grant with it long life and riches, and fame and peace, together with a most glorious and prosperous reign. So, in like manner, will He do for you, if you ask for His friendship and love, which are the only true and real wisdom; for in this case you will receive besides them a supply for all your wants, if this be expedient to His glory and to the salvation of your soul. "Inquirentes Dominum," says holy David, "non minuentur omni bono.1 -Those who seek the Lord shall not fail to be enriched with every good." "Blessed are they," says Jesus, “that bunger and thirst after justice, for they shall have their fill."2 "He that spared not even His own Son," writes the Apostle St. Paul, "but delivered Him up for us all, how has He not also with Him given us all things!" Behold, then, how the solidity of our prayers properly consists in asking of God such substantial and solid blessings as are conducive to His glory, and as will be profitable to our immortal souls.

To understand this point better, it will be well to observe, that there are several things which we are certainly assured that are conducive to God's honour and glory, and are useful to our souls; such, for instance, as the knowledge of ourselves, the detestation of sin, the victory over temptations, the fulfilment of His holy will, the attainment of His love, and final perseverance in His holy grace. Now, for these and other such blessings we ought to ask, in the first place, and without any limitation or condition, because we are sure that they cannot do us any harm, but will certainly prove beneficial to our eternal salvation. But as regards those things about which we 1 Psalm xxxiii. 11. 3 Rom. viii. 32.

2 Matt. v. 6.

D