Preservatives and Remedies against Sin

The most general prescriptions against all kinds of sin, are frequent and fervent prayer; meditation and consideration of the four last things, and of the other great Christian truths; frequenting the sacraments with due preparation; reading spiritual books; daily examining your conscience; devotion to the Passion of Christ, to his blessed mother, and to the saints; a continual watchfulness over yourself; giving alms according to your ability; daily mortifying your own inclinations, and chastising the flesh; and particularly taking care to fly the occasions of sin, and to resist the first motions of evil.

AGAINST PRIDE GAINST the sin of pride (which consists in an inordinate love of one’s own excellence, in thinking too well of one’s self, as if one took one’s self to be somebody) divines prescribe the following remedies: 1- To study and know one’s self, and often to consider the meanness of our extraction (as to the body, from dirt and corruption, and as to the soul, from nothing), the infection of sin; the many miseries of our present condition; our perpetual repugnance to good, and inclination to evil; the certainty of death, and uncertainty of our eternal lot; and above all to consider what a deplorable figure a soul in mortal sin makes in the sight of God; how often this has been our case, if it be not so at present: ah! what confusion then, what horrour, what an eternal damnation have we deserved? and after all, dare we lift up our head by pride?

2. To set before our eyes the example of Christ, who humbled himself to the death of the cross to cure our pride. And who particularly calls upon all his followers to learn of him to be meek and humble of heart, St, Matt. xi. 29, and declares that except they become as /ittle ones, they shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, St, Matt. xviii. 3.

To meditate often upon the manifold eee which the soul receives from pride, which corrupts its very vitals, and lays it open to all evils; because God resists the proud, and withdraws his graces from them.

4. To consider the dreadful punishments which Lucifer and his companions, which our first parents, &c. have incurred by pride.

5. To accustom one’s self both to interior and exterior acts of humility, and contempt of ourselves; highly to prize, and daily to beg of God this necessary virtue;; and willingly to embrace humiliations, as often as they are offered.

6. With regard to the things which most commonly nourish our pride, to consider how little reason we have to be proud of them: that they are generally things empty and — vain, fading and perishable; such as worldly — honours, riches, beauty, fine cloaths, &ec — which give no intrinsic value or worth to them that enjoy them; nor make them one whit the better; but on the contrary, if they are proud of them, make them odious and contemptible both to God and man. And as for any real and solid goods that we may have, we must ever remember whose gifts they are, what a strict account we must one day give for them; that humility is the best ornament and guardian of them; and that pride will not only make them useless, but even pernicious both to ourselves and others.

Tis also a great help towards overcoming pride, that we should be thoroughly sensible of our corruption in this kind. For many will not believe that they are proud, and such as these are in the most dangerous way of all: for how shall persons be persuaded to seek remedies, who will not believe they are sick.

AGAINST VAIN-GLORY GAINST the sin of vain-glory, which is near akin to pride, and consists in an inordinate desire and love of being praised and esteemed by others; divines prescribe, 1. That we should seriously consider how short, how inconstant, how empty and vain is all human glory, and all the praise and esteem of men; which adds nothing to us in the sight of God, the just and true and eternal judge of all merit: and what we are in his sight, that only we are, and nothing more.

2. That we should consider, how great and how pernicious an evil vain-glory is; which robs God of his glory, and man of the reward of his good works; which corrupts the best of actions, and makes the actors liable to the divine vengeance, Besides the cursed brood of vices which ordinarily are the offspring of vain-glory; such as envy, detraction, contention, hypocrisy, love of novelty, disobedience, &c.

3. That we should often repeat to ourselves that of the apostle, What hast thou, that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received?? 1 Cor. iv. 7.

Against Covetousness

Against avarice and covetousness, which is an inordinate love and desire of riches, or worldly goods, divines prescribe, 1. That we should often meditate on the danger and pernicious consequences of this vice, which St. Paul, 1 Tim, vi., calls, The root of all evil; where also he affirms, that such as have a mind to become rich, fall into temptation, and the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition.

Hence the wise man tells us, Ecclus, x. 10, that nothing is more wicked than to love money, because such a man will sell his very soul. And our Saviour himself assures us, that no man can serve both God and mammon, St. Matt. vi. 24.

2. That we should consider, that these riches (which worldlings so much covet) if we make a judgment of them, by the light of faith, and the maxims of the Gospel, are more to be feared than desired, by reason of the many occasions of sin, to which they commonly expose the soul. Hence our Saviour, St. Luke vi., pronounces a woe to the rich, because ` they have their comfort here. And St, Matt. — xix. declares that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

3. That we should set before our eyes the example of Christ, who chose to be born in poverty, and die in poverty, tho’ he was the Lord of all, whose chief favourites have generally been such as were the most poor and despised in this world; and who pronounces such blessed, St. Luke vi.

4. That we should often think of the treasures of a kapre ar oin prepared for the poor in spirit, St. Matt. v, And often reflect upon that sentence of Christ, St. Matt. xvi., What doth it profit a man, if he gain the who. world, and lose his own soul?

5. That we should have death always before our eyes, which will quickly strip us of all; and give us so much the more pain, in violently separating us from our riches, by how much the more our heart has cleaved to them. They have slept their sleep, and the men of riches have found nothing in their hands, Ps. lxxv. We brought nothing with us into the world, ana surely we shall not be able to carry anything out with us. Having then food and covering, let us be content, 1 Tim. vi.

6. That we should consider, that the riches of this world. which the Gospel calls deceitful, St. Matt. xiii are thorns, which prick and gore the soul with many cares, anxieties and solicitudes; which instead of satisfying, increase the thirst. Whereas a small matter is really sufficient for this transitory life; and this may be had without all this solicitude; truth itself having engaged his word, Seek first the kingdom of God, and the justice thereof, and all these things shall be added unto you, St. Matt. vi. Hence Heb. xiii. Let your manners, says the apostle, be without avarice, content with what you have, for he has said, I will not forsake thee nor leave thee.

J- The rich that are hard and unmerciful to the poor, ought to be put in mind of the last judgment, and of the sentence that shall then be pronounced against such as have not done alms:: that mercy is promised to the merciful; but judgment without mercy to such as have not shewed mercy, St. James ii, That the poor are the members of Christ, and that what we do to them, he takes as done to himself, St.

Matt. xxv.

8. On the other side, the poor who are uneasy under their condition, and are tempted to covet what the world calls a better fortune, ought often to set before their eyes their Saviour, either in the crib of Bethlehem, or on — the cross upon Mount Calvary; and contem- _ plating his poverty, embrace their own as the livery of Christ. g. But as it is the common misfortune of — such as are covetous, whether they be rich, or poor, that they don’t believe, and will not _ be persuaded, that they are covetous, but delude themselves under the specious cover of a pretended necessity, and of the prudent care, that every one ought to have of the main chance, as they very improperly call it;; therefore the first and most necessary prescription against avarice is, that a person should study and know himself, and by humble and fervent prayer obtain this self-knowledge of God, without which, it is to be feared, all other remedies will prove ineffectual.

AGAINST LUST GAINST the sin of /ust (which is an inordinate love of carnal pleasures) divines prescribe, 1. To fly the occasions; such as immodest books and plays, wanton dalliances, indiscreet freedoms, &c., and most particularly bad company, and all conversation with such persons as one has sinned with in this kind. — 2. To avoid idleness; and to be very temperate in eating and drinking.

3. To keep a watch over the eyes, that death may not enter in by those windows; and to resist with vigour the first beginnings of these temptations.

4. To be diligent in all spiritual exercises, such as meditation, prayer, spiritual reading, frequenting the sacraments, &&c.

5. To think often upon the Passion of Christ; and particularly, in the time of temptation, to have recourse to this meditation.

6. To be devout to the Blessed Virgin and to the saints.

7. To remember that God sees us, and that our guardian angels are present with us; and be ashamed to do before them, what we should be ashamed to do in the sight of any man.

8. To think of the dreadful punishments, which God has so often inflicted upon account of this vice; the many mischiefs it causes both to soul and body;;; the blindness and hardness of heart it usually produces; and in fine, the everlasting torments of hell, which such sinners without ` repentance will be plunged into.

9. To be very humble:: since it is a common judgment of God to suffer persons to fall into these shameful sins, in punishment of their pride.

10. In time of temptation, to turn away the eyes of the soul, as much as possible, from the temptation, and to run to Christ crucified; to hide one’s self in his wounds, and with all fervour to implore his mercy, Se.

AGAINST ANGER GAINST anger, hatred, and desires of revenge, divines prescribe, 1. That we should endeavour to humble and to despise ourselves; for anger springs from pride: and that we should often remember what our sins have deserved, and how little reason we have to take it ill, that any of God’s creatures should offend us, who have so often, and so grievously offended their creator and who, if we had our just deserts, should be trampled on by devils for all eternity.

2. That we should set before our eyes the meekness and charity of Jesus Christ; who particularly calls upon all his followers to learn these virtues of him: Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart, St. Matt. xi, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you, St. Jehn xiii. And who so often declares, that except we forgive injuries from our hearts, God will never forgive us.

3. That we should forecast in the morning what occasions may probably occur in the day, in which we shall be in danger of being provoked to anger; that so we may either lecline the occasions; or, if this cannot be, may prepare and arm ourselves against them by good resolutions grounded upon God, and by hearty prayers for his divine assistance.

4. That when one finds the motions of wrath arising in one’s heart, one should resist them without delay, and strive to bridle and keep down one’s passion, calling upon God to this purpose: and if possible, that one should go out of the company, or hold one’s peace, or at least speak nothing but what may be mild and humble.

5. That in all events we should not so much consider the man, from whom we think we have received an injury or a provocation; as God, ever good and ever just, without whose pleasure or permission nothing happens in this world, and who upon these occasions is pleased that we should be thus tried or chastised for our sins.

6. That we should often consider the many motives Christians have to love one another, and to bear with one another. We are all children of the same Father, the God of love and peace, and of the same mother, the church of God; we are all brethren in Christ and he has loved us all to that degree as to shed his blood for us; in return for which love, he desires that we should love one another:: we all partake of his body and blood, the sacrament of unity and love:: we all aspire to the same heavenly country, the place of everlasting peace and love. And therefore ’tis with reason, that our dying Lord has made this love the true test by which it is to be known whether we are his disciples or no, Jn this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another, St. John xiii. 35.

AGAINST IMPATIENCE GAINST impatience in poverty, sickness, pains, labours, and afflictions of what kind so ever, 1. °Tis proper to set before our eyes the poverty, labour, and Passion of Jesus Christ, who by his patience redeemed us; the sufferings of the martyrs, and the examples of all the saints, who through many tribulations have entered into the kingdom of heaven. And to remember that there is no other way to that kingdom of everlasting rest and joy, but the way of the cross: that the sufferings of this life bear no proportion with the happiness of the next: that these light and momentary troubles, borne with patience, work in us an eternal weight of glory.

2. To consider that these sufferings are sent us from God; and that it is in vain to resist his holy will, and foolish and sinful to repine at it. His infinite wisdom knows what is best for us; and his infinite goodness sends us that which he knows to be the best: impatience will only make our cross the heavier, and make us lose the reward of it.

3. To consider the great advantages of temporal afflictions, inasmuch as they wean us from the love of the world;; teach us to have recourse to God, and put our trust in him alone; make us enter into ourselves; and give us opportunity of exercising the great virtues of humility, patience, and resignation, and of doing penance for our sins.. How many are now saints in heaven, who would never have come thither, but by the occasion of afflictions?

4. To meditate often, in the time of our sufferings, upon the multitude and enormity of our sins, and what we have deserved for them; upon the eternal torments of hell; upon the shortness of the sufferings of this life, and the everlasting joys of heaven, which patient suffering will bring us to; whereas we cannot have our heaven both here and hereafter.

5. Under all sufferings to have recourse to Christ crucified; to beg of him the grace of patience; to offer up all we suffer to him, to be united to his sufferings, and to be sanctified and accepted through him. Lord give me grace to suffer with patience what thou sendest, and send what thou pleasest.

Against Gluttony and Drunkenness

Against the sins of gluttony and drunkenness, divines prescribe, 1- That such sinners should often consider the many evils that are the consequences of these sins, which change men into brutes; rob them of their i reason, destroy their health, shorten their lives, consume their substance, disturb the peace of their families, withdraw from their wives and children their necessary subsistence; give scandal and ill example to their neighbours; foment their passions, set open the gate to all other sins, make their souls dull and insensible to all that is good, unfit for prayer and contemplation, and perfectly slaves to their sensual inclinations. So that, as we daily see, of all vices there is none more difficult to be cured: for these sins when once come to a habit generally follow men to their graves, and plunge them into hell; where with the rich glutton they will thirst for all eternity, and never obtain so much as one drop of water to refresh them.

2. That they should often meditate upon the following sentences of holy writ: Isaiah ve Woe to you that are mighty at drinking wine; and stout men at mingling drunkenness. St. Luke xxi., Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be loaded with surfeiting and drunkenness—and that day come upon you on a sudden. Rom, xiii., Let us cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Let us walk decently as in the day, not in revellings and drunkenness, &e. Cor. vi, Don?t deceive yourselves: neither fornicators—nor drunkards—shall possess the kingdom of God. Gal. v., The works of the flesh are manifest, such as fornication,.. . drunkenness, revellings, and the like, of which I foretell you, as I have before told you, that they that do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God. Philip. iii, Many walk, of whom I have often told you (and now I tell you with tears) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, &c.

3. That they should carefully fly the occasions of these sins, such as taverns and other public houses, feasts, drunken companions, &c., and should stint themselves to a certain quantity, not to be exceeded; penancing themselves with fasting and abstinence, if they should transgress.

4. That by daily prayers and tears they should beg of God, through Jesus Christ, and his thirst upon the cross, and the gall and vinegar that he took for us, to show mercy to them, and to deliver them from so wicked and pernicious a habit.

AGAINST ENVY NVY is a repining at another’s good, which the envious man conceives to be an evil to himself, as lessening the excellence and esteem which he aims at: so that envy, tho’ commonly reckoned amongst the capital sins, because of the many other sins that spring from it, is indeed a daughter of pride and vain-glory. Against envy, divines prescribe, 1. To consider the heinousness of this (0)

210 Remedies against Sin sin, directly opposite to charity the queen of virtues; for charity is a joy in the glory of God, and the good of our neighbour; whereas envy grieves at both the one and the other.

2. To consider the dreadful consequences of this sin, when once it has got the mastery of the heart. It was envy that made Cain murder his brother bel: it was envy that made the brethren of Joseph sell him into Egypt; and that made Sau/ so often seek the life of David: it was through envy that the Jews crucified Christ. It is the devil’s sin, who continually seeks our ruin, out of pure envy, without any advantage to himself.

2. To consider, that the nature of this sin is such, as to yield no manner of pleasure or profit to the sinner; but only to gnaw and torture his soul, and to make him miserable both here and hereafter. Ah! how unhappy are they, who become evil themselves by the occasion of another’s good; and how wilfully blind, to prefer the bitterness and racking pains of envy before the joy and sweetness of charity!

4. To lay the axe to the root of the evil, by applying proper remedies to pride and vainglory, from which envy springs. And te learn to despise this transitory world, and its petty honours, and to aspire after eternal glory.

5> To watch and pray continually against so dangerous an enemy. ‘To pray also foi those whom we are tempted to envy, and to speak well of them upon all occasions.

Against Sloth

Sloth, in the sense in which it is number’d by the divines amongst the capital sins, is a certain laziness of mind, opposite to the love of God and devotion;; loathing as it were the beginning, or going on with such things as appertain to God’s glory and our soul’s salvation. Against sloth it is proper to consider, 1. How very short the time of this life is, which is given us in order to /abour for eternity, and to send before us a stock of good works, on which we may live for eternity: how precious then is every moment of this short time, upon the good use of which an endless eternity depends. Ah! let us not then lose one moment of it every moment is worth an eternity; because in every moment we may purchase an additional degree of eternal glory: but when once the time is passed, it never more returns.

2. To remember the strict account that will be one day demanded of us, by an all-seeing judge, of the employment of the whole time of our lives; and to reflect seriously upon the sentence that was passed upon the barren fig-tree, and upon the slothful servant, that hid his talent in the ground.

3. To set before our eyes the examples of Christ, and of his saints; and often to read and meditate on their lives.

4. To meditate also upon such other subjects as may help to move us to the love of God, and to fervour in his service: such as the considerations of the divine perfections; of the love of God to us, and of his benefits; of the Passion of our Redeemer, and of the glory of his heavenly kingdom, prepared to reward our short labours here.

5. To reflect upon the pains that worldlings take, and the dangers they go through for a little dirt of the earth; and shall not we do much more for a happy eternity?

6. To remember in all our actions, that our great master’s eye is ever upon us; and therefore to labour to perform them all with perfection, in order to please him.

7. To prescribe to one’s self a regulation of one’s time, and a variety in one’s good exercises, and so by the help of good custom, to make that easy and agreeable, which otherwise would be tedious and distasteful.