CHAPTER XXIV.

SOME RULES OF DISCRETION WITH REGARD TO EXERCISES.

BE careful not to lay upon thy weak shoulders too heavy a weight, lest, oppressed and overpowered by the burden, thou shouldst be forced to faint and give way. Even in tears of devotion a measure should be observed, lest the head be weakened, especially if those tears are accompanied by strong emotion.

If thou perceivest thy spirit to be wearied with even a single stroke of sensible compunction, thou must warily avoid it. When thou hast the grace of devotion, urge not thy spirit unseasonably to greater fervour; but persevere in tranquil love.

Bind not thyself irrevocably to any great and in tolerable number of prayers to be said daily, but rather diminish or increase thy exercises according to thy disposition; unless otherwise obliged by vow or by obedience. If, for some reason, thou hast even entirely omitted these same private and voluntary exercises, be not much grieved on that account, but study to be ever free and tranquil in the Lord.

Why art thou distressed that thou canst not be al ways occupied in prayer? If thy life is good, if thou carefully abstainest from sin, if thou employest thy time usefully, if thou dost truly humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and sigh after God and thy heavenly home, thou dost always pray; for a holy life and holy 63desires are a continual prayer before God. It is, how ever, fitting that thou shouldst be devoted to the practice of prayer, so that thou mayest, if not continually, at least frequently, use pious doxologies and prayers.

When thou desires t to pray at greater length for any of the living or the dead, or when thou wouldst dwell longer on the worship of any Saint, if thou hast not leisure, or if, for any other reason, thou fearest disturbance of mind, it will not be necessary to change the usual order of thy pious exercises; but it will be sufficient if thou dost determine before God to otter them for the welfare of those persons, living or dead, or for the honour of that Saint. For thy works will be valued and received by the Lord according to thy intention. We truly venerate the Saints, when we worship God, who made and sanctified them; so, again, we truly worship God, when we venerate the Saints, in whom He dwells, and whom He has already united to Himself in heaven.

Thou shouldst not deny to thy body the necessary indulgence of food and sleep; thou shouldst not be very severe in that respect, unless thou hast learnt for certain by a revelation of the Holy Spirit that thou wouldst please God by a singular abstinence. For an excessive diminution of those refreshments (like too great exertion of a moderate intellect, or too vehement use of the imagination,) injures for the most part both the spirit and the weak body, and often causes madness. Fasts, vigils, and exterior works, are, indeed, pleasing to God, when they are undertaken 64with discretion for the sake of God Himself; yet purity of heart is far more pleasing to Him, humility and charity far more acceptable, For these observances are commanded for the sake of the virtues, not the virtues for the sake of them. Therefore, as far as in thee lies, arrange, regulate, and dispose all things, so that thou mayest never lose thy interior liberty, never confuse thy mind, never overtask thy strength; and yet never rashly omit those things to the observing or doing of which thou art bound by vow or by obedience.