of God's grace he endeavours to subdue them also; and this victory he is attaining more and more. Hence he does not speak with a noble pride, nor with a proud self-feeling; but as the Apostle saith: "If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmity, that the power of Christ may dwell in me;" and He said unto him; "My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity." (Cor. xi. 30; also xii. 9.)

17. An experienced guide in the way of salvation thus beautifully speaks: "The humble man God protects and delivers; the humble man He loves and comforts; to the humble He inclines Himself; to the humble He gives grace; and, after he has been depressed, raises him to glory. To the humble He reveals His secrets, and, sweetly draws and invites him to Himself. The humble man, having received reproach, maintains himself well enough in peace; because he is fixed in God, and not in the world." 1

18. The world has no inclination for this virtue, and hence, generally speaking, for no genuine virtue at all; for without humility no virtue is meritorious before God. He only that ascribes every good to God, in what he thinks, speaks, and does, speaks and acts in a manner pleasing to God. But he that courts the applause of men in what he thinks, speaks, and does, he "hath already received his reward."

'Thomas à Kempis, book ii. 2.

19. So also he that walks righteously, not for God's sake, but for his own flattering selffeeling, hath already received a temporary reward.

20. "I am the Almighty God: walk before Me, and be perfect," saith the Lord unto Abraham.

21. It is only by this offering of our heart to God that we can please Him: only by thus walking before Him during life, can we securely pass unto Him over the dark stream of death.

22. With this holy feeling did David sing: For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death I will fear no evils, for Thou art with me." And in another place: "For Thou lightest my lamp, O Lord; O my God, enlighten my darkness."

23. True humility dwelleth only with true simplicity. The lowly and meek are free from all frivolous thoughts and views, because they look only to God, and desire to please Him alone.

24. All men endowed with a will and understanding have a certain object in their actions. This regulates the merit of the action. The Son of God compares it with the eye: "The light of thy body is thy eye," He saith; "if thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome. But if thy eye be evil, thy whole body shall be darksome. If, then, the light that is in thee be darkness, the darkness itself, how

G

great shall it be!" And, in another place, our Saviour continues: "Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If, then, thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness, the whole shall be lightsome, and, as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee." (St. Luke xi. 35, 36.)

25. Here our Saviour speaketh, if I am not deceived, of those actions which are good in themselves, the merit or demerit of which God judges by the intention. The will to do an act good in itself He calls "the light." But should this will not be influenced by the love of God, but by a vain desire of pleasing men, or by proud efforts after self-pleasure in our virtue, then this will is not merely light, it is dark

ness.

26. On this account, therefore, does the Son of God so much enjoin simplicity and a childlike mind. On this account it is that He loved children so tenderly. On this account it was that He rebuked His disciples when they harshly treated those mothers who brought their children unto Him: Suffer the little children to come unto Me," He saith, "and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into it. And embracing them, and laying His hands upon them, He blessed them." (St. Mark x. 14-16.)

27. Let us conclude this chapter with the

example of humility which the Mother of our Saviour hath given us. When the Archangel had announced to her the highest dignity which could be given to a mortal being, she was not elated thereat; she looked not to herself, but only to the fulfilment of God's will; and she said, in the sweetest words of the most exalted and lowliest simplicity: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy word." (St. Luke i. 38.)

CHAPTER X.

1. HERE some one may perhaps ask, how this sweet and sacred relation of love between God and man (which the Holy Spirit itself in so many passages of Scripture compares to the relation a father holds to his children, a married man to his wife, and a bridegroom to his bride)-how this Divine relationship can agree with the fear of God, of which the same holy Scripture speaketh so often and so emphatically, and commandeth also so strictly; that the expression, "the fear of God," frequently implies the possession of every virtue ?

2. Many there are who seem to incline to the opinion that the old Covenant was grounded almost entirely in fear, but that the new Law is established almost on love alone. Although these opinions seem very plausible, yet it ap

pears to me, that neither on the one side nor on the other should they be pressed too far, as is often the case.

3. On this point St. Augustine appears to express himself as clearly as he does beauti. fully : "Manifold and solid are the proofs that in the Old Testament fear' prevailed most; whilst in the New 'love' predominates: although in the Old the New lay concealed, and in the New the Old.”1

4. Many often confound the restraint which was placed on the Jews by the code of rites and ceremonies, with the essence of the old Law, the Ten Commandments, which embrace the doctrine of God and His promises. This restraint was placed upon them as a punishment for their apostacy, when they worshipped the golden calf; that is, by punishment I mean a wholesome discipline; and the object of this was partly, that, by means of these ceremonies, the Israelites might be the further separated from the Gentiles; and partly, in order to bind the levity of their wicked inconstancy by tiresome observances, as well as to bend their stiff necks under a yoke, which would not have been imposed on them had they remained obedient to God. Thus the Almighty Himself speaks by the mouth of His prophet : "There

"Multum et solide significatur, ad Vetus Testamentum timorem potius pertinere, sicut ad Novum dilectionem; quamquam et in Vetere Novum lateat, et in Novo Vetus pateat."