Chapter VI. Divers counsels

Article I

Advice to a teacher of young religious on their coming oiU of the noviciate.

The glory of Gbd demands that as soon as ever our brethren have completed their noviciate, they should be taught to walk in the ways of that holiness which is peculiar to our Company. This is the object of the following counsels.

1. He who is entrusted with their direction must first ascertain what progress they have made in the interior life, and whether they have really begun to enter thereon, or whether their advancement still consists only in avoiding the ordinary sins of young persons, together with a certain exactness in carefully performing their spiritual exercises of prayer, reading, and examination of conscience. Generally speaking, they have not made much progress in prayer. Further, he must examine whether they be not ignorant of the ways of God, knowing no other perfection than that which they themselves practise, or whether they do not even perform their actions without any idea of perfection. In fine, he must learn, as far as is possible, the disposition of their soul : all this information being necessary, in order to judge in what way they must be directed, and to aid them in fulfilling the designs of God.

2. Treat them with a fatherly kindness, and try to win their heart by offering to assist them in every way, even as regards exterior things, procuring for them, if possible, whatever they need. Then, having secured their affection, let them perceive the ardent desire you feel for their perfection, how you long to see them wholly given up to God, and how anxious you are to contribute to this end with all your power.

3. Apply yourself to the unravelling their conscience, extricating them from that perplexity and darkness incident to souls that have not yet entered upon the ways of perfection. For this purpose it will be useful to read the treatise De ReformcUione Vitce, contained in F. GJAudier's book of Spiritual Exercises. If God shall cause some light to shine into their soul, however little it may be, it will be a great gain. Be on the watch for this j and reckon it much if, after earnest application, their mind becomes enlightened ever so little. God commences by small beginnings, to which a high value must ever be attached when the spirit of perfection has once been formed in a soul.

4. As soon as you perceive that they are beginning to emerge from their darkness, lead them on to great purity of conscience, as being the surest way, and the one best calculated to bring them to union with God. Allow them the frequent use of confession, since you have the power of doing so. Lay it down to them as ^ a maxim not to conceal the least faults they may have deliberately conamitted, and even to confess every time they shall fall into such. Give them much encouragement in the alternations and changes to which they shall be subject. Blame them also sometimes with discretion when they are in fault, especially when the fault is of any moment ; and apply this corrective in confession, that it may be more effectual. Never dismiss them, however, without encouragement. This is a course which should generally be pursued with regard to souls that are as yet beginners, viz. always to temper the sharpness of reproof with the sweetness of exhortation ; for such souls should be furnished with every possible aid.

5. Seek to animate them with a spirit of penance, and bring them to a resolution of never passing over any thing in themselves which is fitting matter of public self-accusation, earnestly recommending this practice to them. And with regard to bodily mortification, labour to inspire them with a high esteem and strong desire for it, so that they may ask you for much, and you may often, grant them some, but little at a time, as, for instance, to take the discipline frequently, but only for the space of a Fater or an Ave. Make them to understand that the frequent j>ractice of these little mortifications is of great use in keeping the flesh subject to the spirit, and the spirit subject to God; but take care to restrain them within strict bounds of moderation. For if you gave them full permission, the least temptation might create disgust for them ; and they would then speedily come to have a horror of the spiritual life. And further, it is prudent, in granting them these permissions, to comport yourself in such a way as to give them the impression that you concede what they ask with reluctance. By this means you will obviate a thought which) is apt to suggest itself to the minds of many, and is a great hindrance to their advancing in the way of God.

6. Inure them to much self-privation in all things. This will not be diff&cult, if from the first you can contrive to free them from certain little attachments which are natural to us, as preferring one room to another, fondly retaining certain pictures, either on account of their beauty, or from affection for the givers. Shew them clearly the great advantages enjoyed by those souls which are attached to nothing. Induce them to be contented, according to the rule, with whatever is meanest in the house; let them accustom themselves to ask for it, and rejoice to fare the worst of all. Provide them, so far as prudence allows, with opportunities of practising this self-renunciation ; and when you meet with one whose mind is strong enough to endure it, subject him to trials of a rather sharper nature.

7. Beware of shewing a preference for some over others. Treat all with equal affection and sweetness, rendering them with a tender charity all such services as the rule and obedience will allow. Be assured that you will have done more towards their perfection if you have won their heart, than if, without that, you had given them all the best instructions possible. By such means you will oblige them to regard you in turn with a filial love and confidence which will make them open their whole heart to you, and freely give up to you all little private preferences. Above all, it is important that you should never listen to their mutual complaints, or pay the least attention to the reports they may bring you. Nothing is more detrimental to peace and the union of charity, which you are bound to preserve among them, than accusations of this sort.

8. Keep them employed in such moderation as neither, on the one hand, to excite them to great eagerness in study, nor, on the other, to leave them too much leisure. Never set them a task to be done in any limited time, as in a day or a week. Next to sin and the passions, nothing is so injurious to a soul as eagerness in study ; and this is occasioned when haste is required to finish some work in a given time. While you think to push forward these poor children in knowledge, you will cramp the Spirit of Gbd within them> and force them to leave His ways to throw themselves into those of nature, and into a state at once profane and opposed to their vocation. God desires to possess them without hindrance, and in perfect liberty; and His whole work is directed to detach them from time and the things of time, in order to unite them to Himself, and to bind them absolutely to the sole interests of His love and service.

9. Take care they do not form particular friendships, either with the members of our own house, or with extems. As long as they have such engagements, they will never make any progress in virtue. For this reason you must make them break off at once all those little intimacies which tend to produce attachments of this kind. If, however, you should observe that some who have a true desire of perfection are benefited by the conversation of particular persons, you must not hinder them from private conversation, provided that the individuals with whom they contract this intimacy are really capable of being of use to them in the way of improvement.

10. Endeavour to make them entertain a great respect and much deference for each other; as though they were princes, who, entertaining a tender mutual affection, were nevertheless to converse together but this once in their life; or as though it was our Lord Himself with whom they were speaking. This sort of intercourse, decorous and religious, and this spirit of holy courtesy, are extremely pleasing to God, and banish from society many of the puerilities and faults into which people commonly fall when they follow their natiu'al inclinations.

Such is pretty nearly the sum of those general prine2 ciples which may dispose them to be led by the Spirit of God. In the next place, observe carefully in what direction the attraction of grace would lead them. Whether it is to a spirit of penance, or to a horror of one of their own vices, or to the love of some particular virtue; and as soon as you have ascertained the designs of God in this regard, second the operations of His grace, and give them the necessary instructions for combating this vice or practising this virtue. Then, when they are sufficiently instructed, bid them after communion note down in writing to what acts of this virtue they feel themselves most drawn, or what acts of this vice they would desire to combat. Always attach importance to whatever they shall make known to you as communicated to them by God, unless you presently discover therein some temptation or some deceit of the enemy.

Sometimes it will not appear that these souls are making process ; and then it is necessary gently to inquire into their practices, and see what preparation they make before their prayers, as well as before confession and communion : they must be exhorted to some holy exercise, to devotion to our Lord, to the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, and to their angel-guardian ; they must be reminded from time to time of what you have thus recommended them to do; and when occasion offers, it would be well always to insinuate some word or other, to encourage them more and more in the holy work they have undertaken.

Article II

Advice to ifie Fathers of the third yea/r for tJie time of their noviciate.

The third year of noviciate is so important, that only God and the Fathers who have the direction of it know how necessary it is, not only for the perfection, but for the salvation of our members ; and good reason indeed has our Father General for refusing to dispense any one from passing through it.

It is a year's retreat, and must be spent in silence aud recollection. Whoever enters upon it without a thorough determination to continue therein of his own free will, and to avoid all occasions of talking, conversing, and distracting his mind, will never make much progress, because it is necessary to keep aloof from all occasions, so long as virtue is still weak.

After this year of retreat, we shall pass the rest of our days in the employments of the exterior life j therefore we cannot apply ourselves too much meanwhile to the exercises of the interior life.

Most Saints and religious who arrive at perfection generally undergo two conversions ; one by which they give themselves up to the service of God ; the other by which they devote themselves entirely to perfection. This is observable in the Apostles, when our Lord called them, and when He sent down upon them the Holy Spirit ; in St. Theresa and her confessor, F. Alvarez, and in many others. This second conversion does not take place in all religious, and it is owing to their own negligence. The time of this conversion in our case is generally the third year of noviciate. Let us, then, animate ourselves at this time with a new courage, and let us not be sparing of ourselves in the way of God's service, because it will never be more difficult to us than it is now. As time goes on, it will become gradually easier, and difficulties will be smoothed away. For as we purify our hearts more and more, we shall also receive graces in greater abundance.

There are three things to the acquirement of which we must particularly apply ourselves in the Company. The first is the love of our Lord, whom we must acknowledge as our founder, St. Ignatius being only His deputy. The second is a sincere contempt of ourselves, which should make us seek to have the refuse of every thing and the last place everywhere, and give up all desire for honourable employments, great successes, and the esteem of men. If we have no ambition to rise above a state of ordinary virtue, and have no true love or wish for our own abjection, we shall never be fitted to receive the great graces which God would bestow upon us, if He did not find this obstacle in us. To have this love and this desire of contempt, we must seek them at their source in the Heart of Jesus Christ, often entering therein by recollection, to contemplate the Word Himself and His Most Sacred Humanity in a state of self-annihilation. And if some should say, that there is danger lest such a habit of recollection should interfere with the active duties of zeal to which our vocation obliges us, I reply that the very reverse is the case, and that it is certain that a man of prayer will do more in one year than another will do in his whole life. We must be continually asking these three things of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and of St. Ignatius, especially during the octave of his feast.

We must apply ourselves all our life to three things. The first is the love of God. Many even of those who pass for excellent religious, spend their time in the employments of God's service without scarcely ever, or at least in a very slight degree, raising their attention to God Himself. Alas, what is every thing that may occupy us out of God, as compared with God Himself ! Every thing which is not God is nothing. The thought of a God is something so exalted, that if a man had done and suffered for the glory of God, every thing that all mankind have done and suffered from the beginning of the world, all would still be nothing to offer to a Being of so much majesty. This is what Saints have felt. The second is a constant contempt of ourselves, our actions, and every thing that concerns us, together with a holy hatred of every thing in us which is opposed to God. The third is a horror and a detestation of sin and of every thing that leads us to sin, looking upon ourselves habitually as a sink and a sewer of all evils.

Two things there are to which we must devote our constant attention all our life long. The first is, to purge ourselves more and more from venial sins ; the second, to seek God, as well by prayer, employing therein all the time we have to spare, as by fervour and fidelity in acquitting ourselves of the duties of obedience, not tolerating in our heart any passion, any affection, any desire for other places or other employments, but those to which obedience binds us. To reach this point, it is absolutely necessary to have the gift of prayer.

Three things there are which are peculiarly incumbent upon us during the whole course of our spiritual life. The first is, to be perpetually cultivating purity of heart by vigilance in discovering and mortifying our passions. The second, to devote ourselves more and more to the knowledge and love of our Lord, without which we can never attain to any solid or exalted spirituality. The third, not to spend our time in contemplating and dwelling with complacency on the lights and sentiments which God gives us ; because favours of this kind produce their effect the moment we receive them, and it is useless, therefore, to stop to consider them; to do so, serves only to nourish self-love. We ought to refrain from making reflections on what God operates within us, except to strengthen ourselves in the good with which He inspires us ; and that we may stand confounded at the favours which He confers upon us, in order to practise that self-abnegation which He asks of us, viz. that we set our hearts on God only, and not on His gifts.

"What the Father director constantly recommends to us," says F. Kigoleu, " is purity of heart, recollection, and prayer ; to avoid venial sins ; to burden ourselves with few exterior occupations, unless obedience obliges us to undertake more ; to devote ourselves to such exercises of humility as are the meanest and the most despised, and to cherish always a great disengagement of mind."

Article III

Advice to Fathers of the third year, on completing their noviciate, for their condtict during the rest 0/ their life.

The year which immediately follows our third year's noviciate is full of danger, especially the first three or four months. It is the critical time, on which the rest of our life depends. The fervour and regularity which we display are distasteful to those who have not so tender a conscience. Sometimes we have not the courage resolutely to uphold the cause of perfection ; we are afraid of displeasing men, we get weary of going against the stream, we relax, we fall, we rise and fall again, and at last we encounter more powerful obstacles, which little by little ruin all the good designs we have formed ; so that after a certain time we find that we have relapsed into our former state, and then we follow, as before, the usual course of the imperfect.

After our third year's noviciate, it must be our principal care to preserve ourselves in great purity of heart. by avoiding the smallest venial sins ; and in great disengagement of spirit, by mortifying every kind of irregular affection and attachment to creatures, even to the extent of not desiring more graces than it pleases God to bestow upon us.

Let us often examine the state of our heart, and see whether it be quite free from all eagerness, all disquietude, all disorderly movement. When we find ourselves burdened with too many occupations, let us ask the Superior to relieve us at least from some portion for a time. Let us give up such as are not enjoined us ; let us watch ourselves at this time more narrowly, and fortify ourselves more diligently by prayer and by our other exercises of devotion and penance.

"The following," says F. Kigoleu, "are the points which he used to urge upon us most frequently and most earnestly."

1. Purity of heart, which is acquired by a strict watchfulness over our interior, and by daily confession, to which we must attach much importance. For the oftener we confess, the more we purify ourselves, the grace proper to this sacrament being purity of conscience. Thus every confession, besides the increase of habitual grace and spiritual gifts, imparts also a fresh sacramental grace, that is to say, a new title to receive from God both actual graces and the aids necessary for emancipating ourselves more and more from sin.

2. A full and unreserved fidelity towards God, giving Him always the best affections of our heart, not introducing subtlety and double-dealing into our intercourse with Him, not seeking to walk in His ways by bypaths, serving Him as much as possible with a whole heart, making God alone the end of all our designs and all our undertakings. Saul had not sinned more grievously than David ; and yet God rejected Saul and forgave David, because David, although a sinner, had an upright heart, and Saul did not deal sincerely with God.

3. A desire and hunger after our perfection, a determined "will to be constantly tending towards it with all our strength ; — let this be always our chief object and our greatest care. Let us bear in mind that this care is more of the essence of religion than vows themselves ; for it is on this that all our whole spiritual progress depends. Herein consists the difference between true religious and those who are so only in appearance and in the sight of men. Without this care to advance in perfection, the religious state does not secure our salvation ; but nothing is more common than to deceive ourselves on this point. We say we are striving after perfection, and in reality we are not striving after it at all.

4. A diligent endeavour to make progress in prayer, and to become solidly spiritual ; and to this end, to free ourselves as far as lies in our power from the embarrassment of such exterior things as may be matter of our own choice ; to avoid too great familiarity either with our own members or with strangers, particularly children, and still more especially women; to give ourselves much to recollection, and prepare ourselves carefully for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ; to strive to draw therefrom all the fruit which it is fitted to produce ; not to shorten the time allotted to the thanksgiving, which, well made, may repair much that is defective in our penances.

Not to relax in the practice of penance. A sincere and pure observance of our vows, without burdening our consciences with certain things opposed to their spirit, whence arise great scruples at the hour of death. On the contrary, it is a great consolation in this extremity, when we are about to appear before God, to have notluDg to reproach ourselves with on the subject of our vows, and to see that we have strictly observed them j their end being, as some have considered, to retrench every thing which might hinder us in tending to and reaching perfection itself.

6. To follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, His will, His inspirations, according as they become known to us, concerning ourselves about nothing else. For if we make a good use of such light and knowledge as we possess, God will favour us therewith more abundantly in a more excellent degree ; and thus we shall be enlightened in proportion as we are faithful in cooperating with grace.

7. Never to attribute or appropriate to ourselves the favours which God bestows upon us, nor glorify and exalt ourselves thereupon, any more than for the success of our occupations and labours, as a speech^ a tragedy, a declamation, or a sermon. God leaves us the profit of these things, but the glory He reserves to Himself; it is due to Him, and it is insufferable vanity in us to take it to ourselves.

8. When we come out of our year of retreat, let us take care not to appear to wish to teach or reform others. Let us do, on our part, whatever we can, and desire to do infinitely more. Let us speak discreetly on the subject of exalted perfection with those who are capable of it. Let us not be anxious to put forward, at first, the best thai we know ; for in this there would be vanity, and it would be profitable to no one.

It is of the utmost importance in the Company to be firmly persuaded that no dispensation from our vows is valid before God without a legitimate cause, and unless it be such as can pass the judgment of God. So much so, that every Jesuit who obtains such a dispensation without just cause is actually an apostate before God, although in the sight of men, and, as the phrase is, inforo extemo, he is justified.

Article IV

Advice to preachers.

If a preacher be not a man of prayer, he will never produce much fruit, because his discourses, in the matter of design, thoughts, style, action, and on account of the imperfect views and mixed intentions with which all will have been done, will be full of sins, at least such as are venial.

The advantage to the hearers depends very greatly on the holiness of the preacher, and his union with God, who can give him in a quarter of an hour's prayer more thoughts, and thoughts better calculated to touch hearts, than he would derive from a year's reading and study.

People weary themselves to death with labouring to compose fine sermons, and nevertheless scarcely any fruit results. How is this 1 Because preaching is a supernatural work, as much as the salvation of souls, which is the end proposed ; and the instrument must be adapted to this end. Now it is not knowledge, nor eloquence, nor other human talents, but holiness of life and union with God which make us fitting instruments to effect the salvation of souls. Most preachers have sufficient knowledge, but they have not sufficient devotion or holiness.

§ n- The true way of acquiring the science of the Saints, and possessing matter wherewithal to fill a sermon, an exhortation, or a spiritual conference, is to have recourse, not so much to books, as to inward humility, purity of heart, recollection, and prayer.

This was the practice of the holy Fathers who explained Scripture; the holy scholastic Doctors who taught theology with most success ; the holy preachers who announced the Gospel with the greatest fruit.

When a soul has attained to perfect purity of heart, God Himself acts as its instructor, one while by the unction of spiritual consolations and interior delights, at another by sweet and touching illuminations, which teach it how to speak to the hearers' hearts better than study or other human means can do. It is thus that God has dealt with the apostolic labourers of our Company. Father Edmund Auger, for example, although overwhelmed with business, and having scarcely any leisure for study, electrified all France with his preaching, by which he wrought wonderful conversions.

This path, being the shortest and the easiest for producing fruit in souls, is the one we ought to follow, abandoning that which is longer and more difficult, viz. such great application to study as dries up the spirit of devotion. But we cannot rid ourselves of our self-sufficiency, or trust entirely to God.

§ ni.

A preacher must speak well, and not neglect elocution. The reverence which is due to the word of God demands this of him. He must avoid, however, too studied an elegance of style, lest the ear of his audience should stop short at mere words and eloquence, which would hinder the whole fruit of the sermon. He would thus preach himself and not Jesus Christ.

When he has acquired a good style, his whole attention must be directed to this one object, viz. that grace may enliven what art and nature have formed, and that the Spirit of God may reign in his whole discourse as the soul animates the body.

To this end he must ask the Holy Spirit to suggest such thoughts as He knows to be calculated to move the hearts of his hearers.

He must neither love, nor value, nor commend any thing save Jesus Christ and what belongs to Him ; he must not seek to be himself loved, commended, or esteemed by any body, nor have any other object in view than to make our Lord be known and loved, and draw the whole world to His service.

§iv.

It is a fearful sight to see men who are called to the apostolic life carrying ambition and vanity into the sacred ministry of preaching. What fruit can they produce ? They have gained what they have been pursuing for the space of six or seven years. They have accomplished their end at the cost of innumerable sins and imperfections. What a life ! What manner of union with God! How is it possible that God should make use of such instruments 1 Hence come dissatisfaction, vexation, disquietude, fatal falls. One man falls in this way, another in that. One man into scruples and torments of conscience which allow him no repose. Another into complainings against superiors and rebelliousness of spirit, which renders the yoke of obedience intolerable to him. A third abandons the Company. Their unhappiness arises from their not having entered upon their employment by the way of obedience.

Article V

Advice /or va/rious employments in the Company.

The Company being a supernatural state, in order that the means which it employs and the end at which it aims may be mutually proportioned, its government must also be supernatural. Hence, superiors who are guided only by natural prudence are often deceived. Josue was deceived by the Gabaonites because he asked not counsel of the Lord. Every superior must act on supernatural principles ; and so^ in his degree^ must a regent and a director. lt is the interior spirit^ and not regulations^ which requires to he increased in the Company. The multiplication of rules springs out of himian prudence^ which relies more on its own inventions than on such means as are supernatural and divine. It is very injurious to true regularity, which must proceed from interior principle, and be based on the love and desire of perfection. For this great number of regulations, in addition to the rules, disgusts the mind, and leads to their being slighted so much the more readily, as they are not always uniform, some being often not in harmony with others. St. Ignatius also lays greater stress on the interior law which the Holy Spirit writes in the heart, than on the constitutions and exterior rules.

In giving the Exercises to a spiritual person, it is necessary above all things to consider what particular state of grace his soul is in, that we may accommodate ourselves thereto. We must do the same in our own case at the commencement of our retreats ; and, generally speaking, it is of great consequence to ascertain what state of the spiritual life those souls are in which we have to direct, seeing that God commonly proportions His graces to the state of the soul ; so that if it be in a state of penance. He bestows upon it graces of penance ; if it be in a state of union. He bestows upon it graces of union.

The advantage of a retreat entirely depends on the attention paid by the director to ascertain what is passing within the soul to which he is giving the Exercises j and for this reason he ought, if possible, to hold communication with it several times a day, and see what grace, nature, and the devil are working within it, and aid it according to its needs.

Two extremes must be avoided in the direction of spiritual persons. One is, the giving too easy credence to souls who, from reading the marvellous operations of grace in the Saints, at feeling the least sensible sweetnesses, imagine they are already being favoured with the like. Dangerous vanity ! The other is the keeping minds down too low, and never allowing them to rise to the height of perfection to which God calls them. There are directors who will not listen to any mention of contemplation, or heavenly visitations, or extraordinary favours. Illusion most prejudicial to the advancement of souls !

§ ni.

In deciding cases of conscience, more dependence must be placed on the lights of the Holy Spirit, which constitute the science of Saints, than on human reasoning. They who in this matter rely on parity of reasoning often fall into error. It is allowable, for instance, to slay a man who tries to rob you of your goods ; then it is allowable to slay one who seeks to rob you of your reputation by calumny. Such reasoning is not sound : in cases still more parallel one conclusion does not follow from the other. In matters of morality it is sufficient that two cases should differ, for us not to judge of the one as of the other, however little diversity there may seem to exist between them.

§iv. If in our classes we appear to treat the children of the rich with peculiar attention on account of their advantages of fortune, we shall do very wrong ; we shall inflict a very great injury on the children themselves, for we shall foster in them that spirit of pride which wealth inspires ; and we sliall scandalise the others^ who will perceive that we allow ourselves to be dazzled, like the rest of mankind, by the splendour of this world's greatness, for which we are bound by our profession to feel and to shew nothing but contempt and aversion.