16. On the love of Christ, and hatred of the world

" Mane in dilcctione medy* ^^ Abide in my Jove^ 1 . These are the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ : sweet is the voice of Christ unto the hearing, and sahitary unto obedience for all.

The love of Christ is the joy of the mind, and the paradise of the soul ; it shuts out the world, and overcomes the devil ; it closes the mouth of hell, and opens wide the gates of heaven. o o o o The love of Christ, and the love of the world, are coiitrar}-, the one to the other, and have nothing in common ; nor can they dwell together.

The love of Christ, like the chariot of Elias, carries the soul lip to heaven ; but the love of the world like the conveyance of Satan, draors it down to hell. Self-love is like that of a suicide ; it is selfdestruction : — the total forgetfulness of the world conducts to the certain discovery of heaven.

The flattering 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 seeks truth at the fountain head.

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 correcting staff of fear, leads back the strayed one to the fold, or looking down on it wilh the eyes of love, sweetly guides it home by the interior voice of conscience.

2. Where peace and concord dwell together, there is God, and with Him all good.

Where strife and dissension dwell together, there is the devil and with him all evil.

" Where pride is, there also is the root of all evil ; but where humility is, there also is wisdom."* Trample pride under foot, and thou shalt find much peace.

Where harsh and wrangling words are heard, the bowels of charity are wounded.

I o Where solitude and silence reign, there persons devoted to God, find repose.

Where strict discipline and the love of labour prevail, religious souls make rapid progress in virtue. Where laughter and dissipation meet, the sweets of devotion take wings and fly away, for the idler and the babbler are seldom contrite, and rarely free from sin.

Where obedience is ready, the conscience is joyful : but where frivolous conversation is prolonged, work is neglected.

Where there is overmuch delicacy or self-seeking, there, is charity defective or cold : where the doctrine of Christ flourishes, the path of salvation is made secure.

Where brethren dwell together in unity, there, sounds the most harmonious rise to heaven.

Where moderation is observed, the virtue of concord shall last the longer.

Where those who offend are reproved with prudence and moderation, no one can justly complain, or accuse his superior : whence some one hath said, " In all things be moderate, for moderation is a most seemly virtue."

Where patience dwells, a great enemy is overcome ; but wdiere disquiet or disorder enters, peace soon takes its departure.

Put a guard on the entrance of thy mouth, and weigh well thy words before giving them utterance.

Where faith and. truth meet together, peace dwells secure ; but with fraud and iniquity, foolish imaginings and bootless 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 will be joy to the upright of heart.

Under a deceitful tongue often skulks a false friend ; the humble confession of a fault obtains a ready pardon.

When the wisdom of man can do nothing, it is then that we must implore with more earnestness the divine protection.

He that makes choice of the way of malice and injustice, shall come to an evil end ; but peace in abundance shall light upon him, who follows the footsteps 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: because none shall suffer more than themselves from their huquity.

"A double-niintled man is inconstant in all his ways,"* and very wicked ; but blessed is the simple and the just, in whom there is no guile : for God is with him assisting him in all his works, and guiding his feet into the right path.

When a man has once been faithless tj his word, who shall lightly trust him ? but he that changes his former opinion for a better, breaks not the word of truth.

3. It is pleasant to listen to the recital of acts of virtue, but it is still more praiseworthy to put them in practice.

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 advancement in virtue. o o The worthy fruits of devout prayer, is the union of the heart with God, in the fervour of the Holy Spirit : he prays devoutly who drives av/ay all frivolous thoughts.

He that places before him the image of the crucifix, shall drive away the illusicms of the devil ; and that soul has a most salutary employment, which meditates continually on 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 own soul.

He that utterly despises the goods of this world as mere dirt, and thirsts not after its honours, shall obtain purity of heart, and shall without hindrance give himself up to the service of God.

He that would give perfect praise and honour to God, will o o practice profound humility of heart, and constantly meditate, groan, and weep over all his defects.

The sincere and humble contrition of a sinner is like a powerful 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, purely, and wholly, to the honour and glory of God, all the virtues which he practices, as well as all the good works of others ; ascribing everything to God, and 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. That man renounces eternal honour who takes complacency and glory in himself, 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 inestimable benefits she had received from her Creator, exclaimed in her sublime Canticle : " My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."* " If any man think himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceives himself," saith St. Paul the Apostle;! who, even though rapt to the third heaven, gloried in nothing of himself, but refered to God alone all the good that he did, whether by his preaching or his writings : "by the grace of God," says he, " I am what I