Chapter III. The motives that induce us to labour at our perfection

Article I

The desire of our own salvation.

The salvation of a religious is inseparably connected with his perfection ; so that if he ceases to attend to his spiritual advancement, he draws nearer and nearer to his destruction and ruin. If he is not utterly lost, it is because God, willing to save him, mercifully prevents him before his fall. All the masters of the spiritual life agree in this maxim, that not to advance is to fall back. But as some have already made a certain progress, they are often a considerable time before they are aware they are losing ground, because this takes place imperceptibly.

Article II

The order of a toeU-regulated zeal.

Our first care as well as our chief study must be our own perfection, which should be preferred before every thing ; then making a due distribution of what we have to spare of active exertion and mental energy, we shall apply ourselves to the service of our neighbour under the influence of a true zeal regulated by prudence. Whoever acts otherwise may rely upon it, that though he wears the habit of the Company, he possesses none of its spirit, seeing that our rule and our profession oblige us to set more value on those means of perfection, which, as instruments, imite us to God, the First Cause,, from whom every movement should proceed, than on all other exercises. Thus all else must be regulated in subordination to that which is first, viz. the interior.

An apostolical vocation like ours demands the renunciation on our part of all friendships, all studies, all pursuits, which neither assist us on our own way to God, nor enable us to lead our neighbour to Him.

ARTICLE III. TJie fruit of our labours, God does not employ the imperfect in the execution of His great designs, and this lest they should ruin their own souls. For were He so to employ them, they would take occasion to wax proud, and their vanity would prove their destruction. But do you labour effectually at your perfection ; cleave to God ; seek only to please Him, and then, were you even in a desert, should He wish to make use of you, He will know how to find you ; and He will make you work wonders, even though your state and your vocation would not naturally lead you to the functions of the apostolic life. In the time of St. Bernard, how many bishops were there, how many prelates and doctors distinguished for their knowledge and prudence ; nevertheless God did not cast His eyes upon them. He went and took the Abbot of Clairvaux in his solitude, to employ him in the highest affairs of the Church. And of what a variety of good works was not the blessed Mary of the Incarnation made the instrument !

Article IV

How many persons a/re interested in our perfection.

It furnishes us with a powerful motive to fervour to consider how many persons are interested in our perfection.

1. Our Lord, who gave His blood and His life to purchase for us the perfection to which God destined us, and who would not that the fruit of His death should be lost.

2. The Blessed Virgin, who procures us so many graces to make us perfect, and looks forward to the day when we shall be her crown and her glory.

3. Our good angels, who labour with so much zeal to lead us along the path of perfection, that they may have us for companions in a blessed eternity.

4. St. Ignatius and our holy patrons, as well as the other friends we have in heaven, who so ardently desire that we should walk in their steps, and assist us so powerfully with their intercession.

5. The souls in Purgatory, who would receive so much more assistance from us if we were more perfect.

6. Religion, which we should serve so much better, if we were more closely united to God.

7. The Church, to which we should be of so much greater service, if we had arrived at the degree of sanctity to which we are called.

How many souls will God shew us hereafter, whom He would have saved by our means, had we been perfect instruments of His glory ! How many whom we should have aided in sanctifying themselves, had we ourselves been saints ! How many others, who will have remained long in Purgatory, and who, by our assistance, would have obtained their freedom sooner, had we possessed a greater degree of merit before God !

Who can set a limit to the fruit which our ministrations might have produced, had they been animated •^th a perfect charity ! The souls we should have won to God would have won others, and these others again through a long course of years. If such have not been their effect, the fault is ours ; we must render account thereof to God ; but we are so blind, that this we do not understand.