must see and consider wherein we judge amiss, and upon what we ground our particular fears; for that is the easiest way to remove them.

VIII. Let us weigh the virtue of the physic which must cure our disease; to wit: First, the infinite goodness of God and the merits of Christ; and what soul can then fear, having so gracious a God and so great a ransom? Secondly, the credit and compassion of the Blessed Virgin and the prayers and patronage of saints and angels, who being themselves secure are solicitous for for us. Thirdly, the testimony and sweet promises of holy Scripture; for how often hath God told us :-'I am prone to pity; I am ready to receive sinners; I will help those who strive manfully?' If, therefore, He denies not His mercy to them that seek it, and if they seek it who do what lies in them, O, let us be confident that He will not deny us His mercy. He also frequently calls upon us:-Turn ye to Me, and I will turn to you. Now, He cannot but speak the truth and fulfil His promise; and doth not that soul convert herself to God who doth her best to get His grace and be reconciled unto Him? Who, then, can choose but be of good comfort if he be of good will?

7. By this doctrine and these prescribed remedies,

A summary of the foregoing

it appears that the only way to overcome doctrine. scruples is:

I. To obey our spiritual director.

II. To make every exertion on our part.

Zach. i. 3.

But here arise two difficulties in this easy lesson. 8. The first is :-If our director's knowledge be slight, his experience less, and his conscience First diffi not very good, how dare we trust our souls to his dictum ?

culty.

To this Gerson answers:- -Thou wise judge, I say thou errest and art deceived, for thou hast not Answer. committed thyself and thy soul to a man because of his discretion and learning, but to God Himself; and for His love thou obeyest man because he is by Him ordained thy prelate and superior. Therefore our obedience will be oftentimes so much the more pleasing to God and profitable to our souls by how much the more infirm and unworthy he is whom we refuse not to obey for God's sake.'*

* When we have commenced the career of piety and obedience, let us no longer judge the actions of the virtuous director who has been the object of our choice, although we may occasionally see in him the slight faults incident to every mortal and wayfaring man; for we shall certainly derive no fruit from our obedience if we continually sit in judgment upon his actions.

'It is absolutely necessary for those who desire to preserve an entire and unshaken confidence in their directors to engrave so indelibly on their hearts the good deeds which they see them perform, that nothing may be able to efface them from their memory; so that when the wicked spirits would inspire us with mistrust in these our spiritual guides, we may at once arrest their accusations by recollecting the virtues which we have witnessed in these servants of God. For the more prompt and active the body is in its exercises, the more is confidence strengthened and increased in the heart. But if any one loses this confidence he will fall, because that which has not faith for its foundation is not solid, is not worthy of a supernatural reward. If the thought of judging your director in some particular circumstance arise in your mind, reject it as you would the sin of impurity, and never give the least encouragement, the least admittance, the least opening to this baneful serpent. Say boldly to this monster, that you

9. The other difficulty is:-If we cannot satisfy Second ourselves that we do our uttermost, and know not whether we have performed our duty.

difficulty.

St. Thomas answers :—' We must first remove that Answer. which hinders grace, to wit, sin. Secondly, we must convert our hearts from creatures to our Creator. In a word, we must detest sin and choose God, and follow the ordinary means which He has appointed in His Church for our direction; and this is the summary of our duty.'

THE TWENTY-SECOND DOUBT.

If we fear we detest not sin sufficiently, because we feel not as great a sorrow for an offence against God as we do sometimes for a temporal loss.

salutary di

Let us assure ourselves: First, we can never have Six most as much sorrow for our sins as God's justice in rections. rigour requires. Secondly, God doth not exact it of us, because it is not in our power. Thirdly, true sorrow consists not in feeling, but in reason and free will. Fourthly, it is better sometimes to have sorrow only in desire than in feeling. Fifthly, it is not necessary this corporal or sensible grief be as great for a spiritual as for a temporal loss; but it sufficeth to use human and moral diligence, with a firm purpose of avoiding sin. Sixthly, it is dangerous for weak and

have received no authority to judge the actions of your spiritual father; on the contrary, he has been appointed to sit in judgment upon yours. I am not commissioned to be his judge; but he is deputed to be mine.' St. John Climacus, Ladder of Perfection, deg. iv. § 6, 7.

timid consciences to make such comparisons and reflections as these: If such a thing should happen, what should I do? Should I rather choose death than such a sin?' And the like. I say there is no obligation to make such acts.*

THE TWENTY-THIRD DOUBT.

If we cannot ground ourselves in a firm hope of mercy, because we are so frail and inconstant; sin daily and amend not our lives; receive God's blessings and repay ill for good; promise, protest, and vow fidelity, and practise little or nothing.

We must

be cour

ageous and

draw hu

Tell me, afflicted soul, should you see Christ die daily for your daily sins, would you despair of His mercy? Even so efficacious is His former death. If you fall hourly, rise courageously, mility out and purpose to stand more constantly, and fear frailty. nothing; but draw humility out of your frailty, saying:

of our

-'What am I proud of now? Where are my strong resolutions? Why do I judge others? Who is so feeble, fickle, frail as I am? O Lord, this is the worm that is so proud!' Then cast all into Christ's sacred wounds, and leaving all there, go on with as much quiet and confidence as if you had not sinned.

Yea, it is rash and foolish to do so. For strength to resist temptation does not depend upon man's endeavours, but upon God's grace; and since grace is a pure gift of God, which He sometimes is sparing of, and at other times mercifully bestows in an extraordinary and superabundant measure, it follows that it is impossible to tell the issue of a temptation or trial until it be over and past. Therefore timid souls, instead of troubling their minds and wasting their time upon these vain speculations, should rather study to know and perform God's will in their actual duties of the present, and confidently rely on His mercy and goodness to surmount the dangers which lie concealed in the dim and uncertain future.

THE TWENTY-FOURTH DOUBT.

If we go not on with alacrity, because we know not that our sins are forgiven, that our confessions are good, and that we are in the state of grace.

How peace is

sometimes

very search

after it.

1. We must take notice that in seeking these assurances we may oftentimes directly lose them. lost in the First, in seeking them too eagerly and unquietly. Secondly, in being self-lovers, and unwilling to be troubled. Thirdly, in being ignorant of what we are bound to know; for it seems that we conceive those works nothing worth which are performed without relish, content, satisfaction to ourselves, and quiet.

acquire true

2. The way, then, is briefly this, To seek true peace: Means to First, in God. Secondly, from His mercy, peace. not our own industry. Thirdly, to be resigned to want peace if He so please. Fourthly, to omit nothing we would or should do, because of the trouble

we feel.

THE TWENTY-FIFTH DOUBT.

Though we cannot in this life be infallibly certain that we are in a state of grace, yet if we could comfort ourselves with most probable tokens of grace whereby we might feel the pulses of our hearts, and somewhat ease our anguish.

Four signs of a good conscience.

1. St. Thomas and St. Bernard give these four signs of a good conscience:

1. To feel a ready willingness in our hearts to hear God's word, and to learn the means to love and serve Him.

II. To feel a forwardness to do good works.