Book II, Chapter IV

Presume not upon thyself. B. i. c. 7-

j (On these words) — w Presume not upon thyself.” B. i. c. 7.

Question. — How can we presume upon ourselves?

Answer. — In three manners principally. The first is very gross, the second somewhat less so, the; third is more subtle and more spiritual.

J The first, then, is that of those who seek only their 1 own interests, who love themselves alone, who in all their affairs reckon only on their own industry, their own carefulness; who think and labour for nothing but their own pleasure and glory, and in nothing else show activity, resolution, and ardour.

These people show great weakness when what they love is taken from them, when they are shown how little ground they have for confidence in themselves, and are deprived of that vain satisfaction which they derive from the temporary possession of those good, things in which the world delights: then are they i most sad and dejected.

A learned and eloquent man glories in his; knowledge and his talents; a Cavalier in his va- lour, his great exploits, his family, his handsome

68 WHEREIN WE PRESUME UPON OURSELVES.

appearance, his magnificent train, and other such things. Deprive them of that which renders them so vain, and which feeds their pride, you will see them weak, annoyed, confused. A richly dressed woman, who thinks herself handsome, and who is considered witty, is always proud and disdainful; but deprive!

her of these sources of vanity, she will instantly be

so changed that you cannot recognize her: a sure symptom that she presumes upon herself, and that ’ her trust in these natural advantages is the cause I 1 that she desires to rule everywhere, and that in all I conversations she speaks first, and with the tone of; one who will make herself heard. In fact, without this she would care neither for balls, nor for the society in which she is desirous to appear, to shine, and to attract admiration.

The interior man cares not for all these things ’ his only support is virtue, and the testimony of a good consience his designs, his affections, his dis- i courses turn upon this; and as one who desires to 1 ’ lift a heavy weight rests his lever on something solid, i thus, in all his undertakings, he rests on God, and not on himself; on truth, and not on vanity far i different from the wise men of this world, who expect i all from their own skill, their industry, their cleverness, and who thus feed their pride and self-love.

One who desires to give himself wholly to God, is i completely detached from self, and values a good conscience and a firm resolve to please the Lord, in- comparably more than all the advantages either of nature or of fortune.

i 2. There is a second manner of presuming upon oneself, which is not gross, like that of worldly people, but more spiritual, and is found in those who addict

themselves to good works. These are not discouraged when some temptation of the evil one comes upon * them their resource is the recollection of the good I

1 WHEREIN WE PRESUME UPON OURSELVES. 69 i that they have done; and they rest on this, instead of going directly to its principle, which is God. As for the worldly, when they are in sorrow, they recal to their mind the grounds of comfort which they can find in themselves, and thus support themselves with ideas chimerical enough of many things flattering to their self-love.

Those of whom we speak have a more subtle kind of self- trust for desiring comfort; they say to themselves, “ I have long employed myself in good works;

I hate the amusements and vanities of the world; I do penance, and communicate often.’ * Thus they try to recover themselves from the dejection into which they fall at times. Truly, a good conscience is a joy to those who have no cause for self-reproach; but a pure and really virtuous soul makes no such reflections. Persuaded that those works which we think holy are but as filthy rags, (Is. lxiv. 6,) to eyes enlightened from above, she goes to God, and is lost in Him; totally forgetful of self, thinking neither of the good nor even of the evil that she has done.

We must then beware of these two different methods of proceeding; the one gross, and seen in the imperfect, who are filled with esteem for their own good qualities, and make them their comfort and their rejoicing; the other more subtle, and observed in people who are not without virtue, but who having, as yet, too little, reckon much on their good works.

In the most holy communities people are to be found, who, thinking that they have acquired much virtue, say in their hearts, I am not like many who do nothing, for 1 alone fill many offices; the superiors; are well pleased with me, and I am at peace with all.

They form and cherish in their imagination vain ideas of their merit, and instead of obliterating them to remember God only, they recal them constantly, principally in seasons of dejection, when they desire com- fort. This is a sure sign of being still very far from I perfection. We should bury these things in eternal i oblivion, and meditate attentively on fhis saying of;

I the Saviour, When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable i servants. Luke xvii. 10.

; It is indeed dangerous to set our own virtues before us, as is often done without much reflection, instead of ( quickly turning away our eyes from them. If we closely examined those whose secret pride triumphs in their * own good works, and displayed to them their hidden imperfections, they would be much astonished for I on meeting with the smallest mortification, or feeling i themselves despised, they show extreme vexation,

because they are accustomed to believe themselves 1 I exempt from failings. A sovereign remedy for their I I presumption is to do what our Author elsewhere re- commends; so completely to renounce ourselves, that “ retaining nothing*,” attributing nothing to our- selves, we may entirely forget all that may tend to our honour. It is truly giving ourselves to God to ‘ quit ourselves in this manner.;

Lastly, those who presume not at all on themselves are those holy and perfect persons who find nothing solid but the love of God, who give a place in their heart to no creature, in order that Jesus may fill it all, that He may be their only support, and 1 His Cross their sole dependence. You must put no i trust, said Saint Vincent Ferrier, in yourself, nor in all the actions of your life, nor in all your possessions, but must rest on Christ Alone, Who made Himself most poor and most abject, and endured the extremest shame and death itself for you. This is truly resting, not on self, but on Christ. God commonly takes from the soul which zealously seeks

»B. ii. c. 11.!

WHEREIN WE PRESUME UPON OURSELVES.

perfection all matter for vain-glory and instead of those good things of which she thinks herself pos- sessed, which can only be an occasion of pride, He communicates to her His Sacred Love, to the end that she may live and act by love, full of fervour, resolved to serve her God, to honour Him, to please; Him, to fulfil His Divine Will, which supplies to her the place of all.

When the soul finds nothing ehe whereon to build, or whereto to cling, when she is in such a state that neither the favour of man, nor honours, nor health, nor the delights of the senses, nor even spiritual joys, 1 can satisfy her, then is she compelled to have re- course to Him Who is her only refuge, she throws herself into the arms of her Lord; Whose good plea- sure is more dear to her than her own life, and she completely fulfils this precept, “ Presume not upon I I thyself.” Thus stripped of all, she is hid with Jesus i I Christ in the Bosom of the Father, there to dwell peacefully with Him, according as He said to His Apostles the evening before His Passion, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may he also a for ever.