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THE HELIOTROPIUM
THE
HELIOTROPIUM
("Turning to HIM")
OR
Conformity of the Ruman CCliU to the Divine
FROM THE LATIN OF
JEREMIAS DREXELIUS
EDITED BY
REV. FERDINAND E. BOGNER
NEW YORK
THE DEVIN-ADAIR COMPANY 1917
iPUBLIC .^Y a
' 785793 '
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Umprimatuc
REMIGIUS LAFORT. D.D.
Censor
JOHN CARDINAL FARLEY
Archbishop of New York
Copyright, 191 2, by The Devin-Adair Company
PREFACE
T N offering "The Heliotropium" to the public we -■- are not presenting a new book. It was first pub- Hshecl in Latin in 1627. An Enghsh translation, the basis of the present edition, appeared in 1862.
The author, Jeremias Drexelius, was the most dis- tinguished ascetical writer of Germany in the seven- teenth century. Born at Augsburg, Aug. 15, 1581, he entered the Society of Jesus at the age of seventeen years, became teacher of rhetoric, and afterwards court preacher at Munich — a position which he held for twenty-three years. He was a valued friend and ad- viser of the Elector Maximilian I. By the people he was esteemed as a saint. He died April 19, 1638.
The writings of Drexelius, without doubt, excel, in almost every respect, all other contemporary works of the same kind. Their popularity is attested by their wide sale. Of one treatise alone 20,400 copies were disposed of in Munich before the year 1642; while the total sale of his various writings reached the astound- ing figure of 1 70,700 copies. There were subsequently many reprints, besides translations into several foreign languages.
VI PREFACE
A great many, no doubt, will imagine that this book is a difficult one to read, to follow, and to understand, owing to the deep problem of which it treats. Quite the contrary is the case. The language is simple and pleasing, the statements are logically and forcefully placed, and interest is sustained throughout.
The volume is divided into five parts or books. A glance at the following summary will acquaint the reader with their contents : —
Book I brings home to us the necessity of seeing God's Will in everything. Understanding this well, we are taught in Book II how to unite our will, which al- ways remains free, to God's Will. The Third Book explains how we receive many benefits by uniting our will to God's. Whatever might hinder this union is clearly pointed out in Book IV. Numerous aids, help- ing us to attain to this true union with God, are sug- gested in Book V.
Going carefully over the pages of this book, I found in them a wealth of material suitable for the present day. The one great problem in life, which is not un- derstood as it should be, by the vast majority, is the question of the Divine Will. Of all the mistakes made by men, the failure to recognize God's Will is, un- doubtedly, the saddest and greatest. The keynote to happiness and peace of mind is the realization that this Will means everything. Doctrines of all kinds are being preached and taught. Our sympathy is quickly enlisted in the various methods of bringing help to man's troubled mind. But all the while we lost sight
PREFACE VU
of the fact that the Finger of God rules and dominates all things. When this becomes plain, then, and only then, will the heart of man find its long-sought rest.
Before turning the book over to the publishers, I made a thorough trial of its principles and illustra- tions, in my work in the confessional and in giving counsel, so often sought from the priest. It bore fruit, and I am convinced that such a work should be more widely known. My brother priests, especially, will, I am sure, be glad to know of it. There are many other good works on the same subject, it is true, all teaching the same truth, but not in so simple and convincing a manner. In this work a difficult theological problem has been placed within easy grasp of the ordinary reader.
The contents of this volume will prove a source of true spiritual joy to the reader. The confessor will find it invaluable in his direction of souls. The priest knows how difficult it is for the majority of people to see God's Will in the event of death, sickness, or other calamity. God's Will is the solution to such dif- ficulties when they arise — the only answer to rash, im- petuous questioning — a sweet and soothing answer! People struggling in the world need to realize this. They are anxious to know it. I feel, therefore, that the zealous priest will welcome "The Heliotropium." These pages will help Religious to see their life of cross and trial in the light of peace and comfort. No one, in fact, can tire of perusing the volume as spiritual reading.
VI 11 PREFACE
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus, His Agonizing Heart that prayed "Father, not My Will, but Thine be done," bless "The Heliotropium" and all its readers.
Ferdinand E. Bogner.
Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. September 21, 191 2.
CONTENTS
BOOK I
CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF THE DIVINE WILL
Chapter I
PAGE
A twofold Foundation is laid, and it is shown that all Punishments proceed from the hand of God . . 3
Chapter II
In what Way, and for what Reason, the Will of God
permits this or that ...... 18
Chapter III
How the Divine Will is to be recognized by means of the most secret Judgments of God . . .28
Chapter IV How the Will of God may be recognized in all things 40
Chapter V
Of how many kinds the Will of God is, and in what things chiefly it requires that ours should be con- formed to it 54
ix
X CONTENTS
BOOK II
CONCERNING THE CONFORMITY OF THE HUMAN WILL TO THE DIVINE
Chapter I page
The Commencement of Conforming the Human Will to the Divine 63
Chapter II
What kind of Human Will is most suitable to this
Conformity with the Will of God . . . .69
Chapter III
In what way the Will of man is to be conformed to
the Will of God .85
Chapter IV
With what Intention we must use the Prayer, — "Thy
Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven !" . 99
Chapter V
What are the Marks and Signs of a Human Will con- formed to the Divine no
BOOK III
CONCERNING THE BENEFITS ARISING FROM THE CONFORMITY OF THE HUMAN WILL TO THE DIVINE
Chapter I
How great Tranquillity of Mind Conformity of the
Human Will to the Divine produces . . . 137
CONTENTS Xl
Chapter II
PAGE
Whether or no it can be that one should never be sad, and whether this State is to be brought about in the same way in which we conform our own Will to the Divine 146
Chapter III
That this Conformity of the Human Will to the
Divine is a Sacrifice most acceptable to God . . 160
Chapter IV
That all Human Perfection consists in the Conformity of Man's Will to the Divine . . . .171
Chapter V
That Conformity of the Human Will to the Divine is
the supreme Good in Life ..... j^y
Chapter VI
That Conformity of the Human Will to the Divine is Heaven out of Heaven, and true Happiness of Life 187
BOOK IV concerning the hindrances to conformity of the
HUMAN will with THE DIVINE
Chapter I
The Chief Hindrances to Conformity of the Human
Will with the Divine 199
Xll CONTENTS
Chapter II
PAGE
To what Destruction Man's own Will draws him, if it does not allow itself to be broken .... 214
Chapter III
In what way Man's own Will is to be brought into
Subjection to the Divine in all kinds of Adversity 229
Chapter IV
A most remarkable Instance of a Man who refused to submit his own Will to the Divine . . . 244
Chapter V
What Things chiefly strengthen the Perversity of one's own Will ....... 253
Chapter VI
That nothing belonging to one's own Will is to be retained, as well in Difficulties of all kinds, as in Death itself 262
BOOK V
CONCERNING THE AIDS IN CONFORMING THE HUMAN WILL TO THE DIVINE
Chapter I
That there can be no Conformity of the Human Will to the Divine without great Trust in God . . 275
CONTENTS XIU
Chapter II
PAGE
Wherein Trust in God consists . . . . . 284
Chapter III
In what way Trust in God is to be confirmed and
encouraged in Adversity ..... 292
Chapter IV
How great Trust in God was exhibited by all the
Saints . 306
Chapter V
With how great Rewards God recompenses Man's
Trust in Him ....... 317
Chapter VI
That Trust in God without Knowledge of Divine Provi- dence is weak and uncertain .... 326
Chapter VII
How great the Providence of God is in reference to the Necessaries of Life ..... 335
Chapter VIII
How great is the Providence of God towards His
Friends 345
Chapter IX
How great is the Providence of God towards His
Enemies as well as Friends .... 358
XIV CONTENTS
Chapter X
PAGE
How great want of Trust in God is yet shown by very many ........ 368
Chapter XI
That from the Knowledge of Divine Providence there arises great Trust in God, and from this Trust true union with God and the Divine Will . . 387
BOOK I
CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF THE DIVINE WILL
"Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ? "
Acts IX. 6.
THE HELIOTROPIUM
Book I CHAPTER I
A TWOFOLD FOUNDATION IS LAID, AND IT IS SHOWN
THAT ALL PUNISHMENTS PROCEED FROM THE
HAND OF GOD
OF all the doctrine which Christ delivered in so many and such divine discourses this was the sum, — that man should absolutely and entirely conform himself to the Divine Will, in particulars as well as in generals. And this our Saviour most fully taught, both by precept and example, and gave Himself as a Pattern for our imitation. In order the more com- pletely to set forth this teaching of our Lord, I pro- pose, according to the custom of Theologians, to lay a twofold foundation. The first, — that the entire measure of our spiritual growth lies in the conformity and agreement of the human will with the Divine, so that in proportion as the one is more genuine, the other will be more luxuriant.
Now that a Christian man's entire perfection con- [3]
RECOGNITION OF THE
sists in Love (charity) is sufficiently evident, for the Holy Scriptures are full of testimonies to this. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment." (Matt, xxn, 37.) "And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greater of these is (Jiar- ity." (i Cor. xiii. 13.) "But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection." (Col. III. 14.) "Now the end of the commandment is char- ity." (i Tim. I. 5.)
But that exercise of charity which is by far the noblest, and the one to be most often repeated, is this very conformity with the Will of God in all things. To have the same likes and dislikes is firm friendship, according to the judgment of S. Jerome and all wise men.
The second foundation is, — that nothing whatever is done in the world (sin only excepted) without the Will of God. No power belongs to Fortune, whether she smile, or frown. These are but the dreams of heathen, who iised to feign that the changes of human life were disposed by some goddess or other. S. Augustine, ridiculing this idea, says (De Civif. iv. 18) : — "How then is the goddess Fortune sometimes good, and sometimes bad ? Is it that when she is bad she i? no longer a goddess, but is changed into some malignant demon?"
Christian wisdom treats all idea of Fortune with contempt.
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DIVINE WILL
"Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God." (Eccliis. xi. 14.)
But this truth, which is most clearly witnessed to in the Sacred Writings, must be unfolded a little more fully.
2. In this way Theologians teach that all evils in the world (sin excepted) are from God. In all sin there are two things to be considered, — the guilt and the punishment. Now God is the Author of the pun- ishment which attaches to sin, but in no way of the guilt. So that, if we take away the guilt, there is no evil belonging to the punishment which is not caused by God, or is not pleasing to Him. The evils then of punishment, like the evils of nature, originate in the Divine Will. We mean by evils of nature, hun- ger, thirst, disease, grief, and the like, things which very often have no connection with sin. And so God truly (and, as they say in the schools, effectively and positively) wills all the evils of punishment and na- ture for reasons of perfect justice, but only permits sin or guilt.
So that the latter is called His Permitting Will, the former His Ordaining Will. All, therefore, that we call evil proceeds from the Will of God. Thus Theologians teach; and this foundation must be laid as deeply as possible in the soul, for it is of the ut- most importance humbly to receive, and ever to hold, as an infallible truth, that the first cause of all punish- ments and evils is the Divine Will, always excepting guilt, as I have said already.
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RECOGNITION OF THE
Having carefully laid this foundation, we arrive at the following conclusion : — Since whatever is done in the world happens through the Permission or Com- mand of God, it is our duty to receive everything as from the Hand of God, so conforming our will to His most holy Will, through all things, and in all things, as to ascribe nothing to accident, chance, or fortune. These are but monstrous conceptions of the ancients, and are not for an instant to be endured among Chris- tians. And it is not only to fortune or chance that nothing is to be ascribed, but neither to the negligence or persevering care of man, as prime causes. Vain and idle are such complaints as, — "This or that hap- pened to me because this or that man hated me, or managed my affairs badly, or did my business care- lessly. Things would certainly have turned out dif- ferently if he had only been well disposed towards me, and had entered into the business with all his heart, and had not spared his pains." This kind of philosophy is vain and foolish. But true, wise, and holy is this, — "The Lord has done it all." For, as I have already said, good and evil things are from God.
3. And here very many persons deceive themselves through miserable ignorance, for they persuade them- selves that only those evils which arise from natuViil causes, — such as floods, earthquakes, landslips, barren- ness, scarcity of corn, damage caused by the weather, troubles arising from disease, death, and the like, — are inflicted by God, since in this case there very often is
[6]
DIVINE WILL
no sin which can be connected with the punishment; but that those evils which derive their origin from vice and human wickedness (as, for example, calumny, de- ceit, theft, treachery, wrong, rapine, oppression, war, murder) are not from God, and do not proceed from His Providence, but from the wickedness and per- verse will of those who devise such things as these against others. And hence those complaints so fre- quently in people's mouths of late years : — ''This scarc- ity of corn is not God's doing. It is caused by men immoderately greedy of gain, and not by God." Such ways of speaking are mad and impious; they are ut- terly unworthy of a Christian man, and should be ban- ished to the shades below the earth.
But in order to make my meaning as clear as pos- sible, I will illustrate it by an example. Take the case of a man who wishes his neighbour to be stripped of all his goods, and who, in order to put this abominable design into execution, creeps secretly into the house of the man he hates, sets fire to it, and immediately hurries away. Presently, when the house is in flames, he runs to the spot with others, as if with the inten- tion of helping to put out the fire, when all the while it is quite different : for, if occasion serves, he does not try to keep the flames under, but collects spoils for himself, and secretly removes from the fire plunder to increase his own property. All such designs as these, regarded by themselves, without perversity of will, and all such actions as these, considered ''in genere entis" (as the Schoolmen say) have God as their Au-
[7]
RECOGNITION OF THE
thor. God brings these things about, just as He brings about other things in creatures void of reason. For as these last can neither move, nor do anything without God, so cannot the incendiary either enter a house, or leave it again, or scatter fire in it, without God. But it does not follow that these several acts are evil in themselves, for they may also be compatible with virtue, but the will of the incendiary is evil; it is a most wicked design which that abandoned man has followed, and of this God is not the Author and Cause, although He has permitted this design to be carried into execution. He might indeed have hindered it, if it had so pleased Him. Since, however, God by His Own just Judgment did not hinder that wicked design, He permitted it. The causes of His Permission I shall give further on.
4. The same line of reasoning holds good also in reference to other sins; and this may, perhaps, appear the clearer from the following example. Take the case of a man who is lame in consequence of a wound which he has received ; he attempts to walk, it is true, but he moves over the ground with greater pain, and with a more awkward gait than a sound man. Now the cause of motion in the foot is the natural impel- ling force, but the cause of lameness is the wound, not the moving power of the soul. And just in like man- ner God is the Cause of that act which any one per- forms when sinning, but the cause of error and sin in this act is man's free will. God supplies help to the act, but not to that wandering and departure from
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DIVINE WILL
law and rectitude. Although, therefore, God is not, and cannot be, the Author of sin — for 'Thy eyes are too pure to behold evil, and thou canst not look on iniquity" (Hab. i. 13) ; . . . *'Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity" (Ps. xliv. 8) — yet it is, nevertheless, most certain that all the evil of punish- ment arising from second causes, whether rational or irrational (in whatever way, or for whatever reason it may happen), proceeds entirely from the Hand of God, and from His most benign Disposal and Providence. It is God, my good friend, it is God, I say, Who guided the hand of him who struck you. It is God Who moved the tongue of him who slandered you. It is God Who supplied strength to him who wickedly trampled you under foot. God Himself, speaking of Himself by the mouth of Isaias, declares (chap. xlv. 7) : — "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I, the Lord that do all these things." And how completely does the Prophet Amos confirm this, when he says (chap iii. 6), — ''Shall there be evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done ?" Just as if he had said, there is no evil which God does not do, by permitting the evil of guilt, and by ordaining and working out the evil of punishment.
Thus God, intending to punish the adultery and murder of king David by the sin of his incestuous son Absalom^ says (2 Kings xii. 11, 12) : — "Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes, and give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy
[9I
RECOGNITION OF THE
wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it se- cretly: but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun." Admirably has S. Augustine said: — *'In this way God instructs good men by means of evil ones." Thus it is that the Di- vine Justice makes wicked kings and princes its in- struments, as well for exercising the patience of good men, as for chastising the forwardness of bad. Exam- ples of this are ready at hand from every age, in cases where God works out His Own Good pleasure through the wicked designs of others, and by means of the injustice of others displays His Own just Judgments. And just as a father seizes a rod, and strikes his child, but a little while afterwards throws the rod into the fire, and becomes reconciled to the child, so God threatens by Isaias, and says (chap, x, 5, 6) : — "Woe to the Assyrian, he is the rod and the staff of My anger, and My indignation is in their hands. I will send him to a deceitful nation, and I will give him a charge against the people of My wrath, to take away the spoils, and to lay hold on the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. But he shall not* take it so, and his heart shall not think so ; but his heart shall be set to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few." How plainly does God declare Himself to be the Author of such great evils! *'My indignation," He says, ''is in their hands. The rod of My fury is the king of Assyria, for punishing the abominable wickedness of the Jews. I have sent him that he should carry away spoils, and should
[lO]
DIVINE WILL
bring down the surpassingly insolent and inflated minds of those who have cast aside their faith, and worshipped the idols of the Gentiles with a mad serv- ice. But the king of Assyria himself will have far different thoughts, and will not come to chastise, but to slay, and utterly destroy them. But when I have chastened My people by the Assyrians, then woe to this rod! woe to the Assyrians! for as the instru- ment of My anger will I cast them into the fire." The same may also be observed in other Divine chas- tisements.
Titus, the Roman Emperor, when he had shut up Jerusalem with the closest siege, determined upon making the circuit of the walls, and examining every- thing with his own eyes. When he saw the trenches full of dead bodies, and a deep stream of corruption flowing from the decaying corpses, he groaned aloud, and raising his hands and eyes towards Heaven, called God to witness that it was not his work. (Joseph. de Bell. Jiid. 1. vi. c. 14.)
5. But it may be objected — if this is the case, if the Will of God is the origin of all evils, why do we strive against it? Why do we attack disease with medicines? Why do we oppose armed battalions to the enemy? Why do we not at once open our gates and welcome destruction within our walls? Why do we not follow the example of that most holy Bishop Lupus, and address all our misfortunes in the same words as he did Attila, "Welcome, thou flail of God ?" It is good, my friend, not to be wiser than we ought,
[II]
RECOGNITION OF THE
but ''to think soberly." (Rom. xii. 3.) That war and deaths of all kinds are from God, it is clear enough. But the conclusion drawn from this, viz., that there- fore we must not resist an enemy, and must not grap- ple with disease, is bad. For the will of sign (volun- tas signi), I use the language of Theologians, is one thing, and the will of good-pleasure (voluntas bene- placiti) is another. Now concerning the will of sign, made known to us by laws, it is sufficiently clear for the most part, but concerning the will of good-pleas- ure it is not so, and we cannot at once tell how far it extends. But more of this further on. For the pres- ent let us take disease as an example. From whatever cause it arises, without the smallest doubt it proceeds from the Divine Will. Since, however, the sick man does not know how long God wills that he should be afflicted with sickness, he may very properly strive against it, and use any lawful remedy for recovering his health. But when he has tried all remedies, and has made no progress, nor recovered his health, let him feel fully persuaded that it is the Divine Will that he should be afflicted with a still more grievous and protracted sickness. This is the right way, then, to reason. God wills that you, my sick friend, should be ill; but because you know not whether He also wills that you should never be cured, you may, for that reason, lawfully use remedies. If, however, He wills that the disease should continue, He will withdraw all efficacy from the medicines, so that you may not be cured.
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DIVINE WILL
And the same is to be said about enemies. God of- ten willed that the children of Israel should be at- tacked, lest they should fall into sluggish ways; but as long as it did not appear that He willed that they should also be overcome, so long might they resist the enemy. It would have been otherwise if God had Avarned them, as He did by the Prophet Jeremias, that they should surrender themselves as servants to King Nabuchodonosor. In the same way, too, if a fire which has broken out cannot be extinguished by any amount of labour, it is a plain proof that God willed not merely that the house should catch fire, but that it should be burnt down, either to try His friends, or punish His enemies. And the same is to be observed in all other cases.
Then again, as it sometimes happens that a father puts a wooden sword into his son's hand, and says: — *'Come, my boy, defend yourself against me; let us see what progress you have made with your fencing- master." In this case it is not the son who is opposed to his father, but the fencer to an adversary; and just in the same way when any one desires that a fire should be extinguished, or an enemy destroyed, or a disease subdued, he does not resist the Divine Will which approves the punishment, but the guilt, which God hates. For a house is set on fire either to in- flict an injury, or from envy. To resist guilt of this kind is permitted to every one. And so he who tries to drive away disease constitutes himself an adver- sary, not of the Divine Will, but of human offence;
[13]
RECOGNITION OF THE
for there is scarcely any disease which has not been occasioned by some intemperance in living. Whoever then grapples with disease does not strive against God, but against intemperance, or certainly against its re- sult. So also he who resists an enemy with arms does not make himself an adversary of the Divine Will, but of him who has begun the unjust war. In such cases as this it is by no means forbidden to defend oneself and one's goods, unless on other grounds it appears that the defence will be displeasing to God.
6. But why should it be thought strange that Di- vine Providence and Justice should use wicked men as its instruments, when even devils themselves fulfil this office? *'It happens," says S. Gregory (Mor. ii. 14), *'by a wonderful dispensation of piety, that, through the very means by which the malignant enemy tempts the heart in order to destroy it, the merciful Creator disciplines it that it may live." It is said of Saul, — "the day after the evil spirit from God came upon Saul." (i Kings xviii. 10.) But how could that spirit be evil, if it was from God? How could it be of God, if it was evil? And this the same history explains, when it says — "An evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." (i Kings xvi. 14.) It was an evil spirit in consequence of the desire of his own perverse will, but it was a spirit of the Lord, because sent from the Lord to torment him. S. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (in Ps. xxxi. Exp. ii. 25), throws much light on this; nor will it be amiss to quote his
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DIVINE WILL
words at length. "What is right in heart?" he in- quires. ''Not resisting God. Attend, my beloved, and understand the right heart. I speak briefly, but yet a thing of all the most to be commended. Between a heart right, and a heart not right, there is this dif- ference:— Whatever man, let him suffer what he may against his will, afflictions, sorrows, labours, humilia- tions, attributeth them not but to the just will of God (let this be well observed), not charging him with foolishness, as though He knoweth not what he doth, because he scourgeth such an one, and spareth another; he indeed is right in heart. But perverse in heart, and froward, and distorted are they, who, what- ever evils they suffer, say that they suffer them un- justly, charging Him with injustice through Whose Will they suffer; or, because they dare not charge Him with injustice, take from Him His government. Because God, saith one, cannot do injustice, but it is unjust that I suffer, and such an one suffer not; for I grant that I am a sinner, yet surely there are some worse, who rejoice, while I suffer tribulation; be- cause, then, this is unjust, that even some worse than I should rejoice, while I suffer tribulation who am either just, or less a sinner than they, and it is certain unto me that this is unjust, and it is certain unto me that God doth not injustice; therefore God governeth not the things of men, nor is there any care for us with Him. They then who are not right in heart (that is, who are distorted in heart) have three conclusions. Either there is no God; for, *the fool
[15]
RECOGNITION OF THE
hath said in his heart there is no God.' (Ps. xiii. i.) Or, God is unjust, Who is pleased at these things, and Who doeth these things. Or, God governeth not human things, and there is no care for all men with Him. In these three conclusions there is great im- piety." And then a little further on the same Father continues : — "So that is the right heart, brethren. Let every man to whomsoever anything happens say, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.' (Job i. 21.) Lo, this is a right heart, 'As it hath pleased the Lord, so is it done. Blessed be the name of the Lord.' He said not, *The Lord gave, and the Devil hath taken away.' Attend, therefore, beloved, lest haply you should say, the Devil did this for me. Unto thy God alone refer thy scourge, for not even the Devil doth anything against thee, unless He permit Who hath power above, either for punishment, or for discipline : for the punishment of the ungodly, for the discipline of His sons. For 'He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.' (Heb. xii. 6.) Neither must thou hope to be without a scourge, unless haply thou wish to be disinherited; for 'He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.' What, every son? Where then wouldest thou hide thyself? Every one; and none will be excepted; none without a scourge. What? even to all ? Would you hear how truly He saith allf Even the Only-Begotten, without sin, was yet not with- out a scourge." This is, indeed, a noble piece of in- struction, and thoroughly worthy of Augustine. But since, according to that Father's meaning, neither devil
[i6]
DIVINE WILL
nor man has power against any one, except by the Permission of God, I must now briefly mention what sort of things God permits; for what reason, and on what grounds He permits them.
[17]
CHAPTER II
IN WHAT WAY, AND FOR WHAT REASON, THE WILL OF GOD PERMITS THIS OR THAT
HERE the greater part of men fall into the most miserable error, since with them the Divine Per- mission scarcely differs from human, inasmuch as it rests in idleness, doing nothing, and does not restrain those who wish to act, even though it can. From this one error countless evils spring. In consequence of this we rush one upon another, and, as though we were the artificers of every misfortune and the authors of every evil, we mutually assail one another with tongue, and hands, and teeth, as if God all the while were an indifferent Spectator of our quarrels, and al- lowed the most grievous acts of injustice when He could prevent them. This is the very seed-plot of all disorders, and for the purpose of uprooting it I pro- ceed to lay down three points to be considered in every Divine Permission. The first is the Will of per- mitting. The second, the Cause of permission. The third, the Will which co-operates with that which is permitted.
I. The better to understand this I must repeat that there are two kinds of evils. The first comprising
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those things which cause vexation, pain, loss, disgrace, such as poverty, imprisonment, disease, banishment, death, which are not to be called evils so much as bit- ter medicines administered by the Divine Hand. The second comprising those things which are properly called evils, as sin. The former kind God truly wills, either for the punishment of the wicked (as S. Au- gustine says, see above chap. i. 6), or for the cor- rection of His children. The latter God cannot be said to will, but to permit. For since God truly wills all things which truly exist (for by His Will all things are, and without it nothing exists), sin (which is im- properly said to exist) He cannot will, but permits. But since God most clearly foresees all things that will be, He could easily prevent whatever He wills to prevent. Since, however. He does not prevent num- berless things, we must conclude that God by His Own most just Will, from Eternity willed, and so decreed, to permit them. God, then, suffers any- thing to be done, not through being unwilling, but through willing it. Men, indeed, permit many things which they are either unable to prevent, or which they certainly would prefer not to be done. But not so the Supreme Ruler of all things. There is, there- fore, in God a Will of permitting, which I have set down as the first point under the head of Permission. And now the question arises, why God should will to permit sin, or what is the cause in God of this Per- mission.
2. Never certainly would such infinite Goodness [19]
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permit so great wickedness in the world, unless it could thence produce greater good, and turn to sal- vation things which were devised for destruction. God permitted the jealousy of his brethren to exercise its malice against innocent Joseph; but with how great good was this Permission, not merely tO' his parents and brethren, but to the whole land of Egypt! God permitted guiltless David to be harassed with the most cruel injuries by wicked Saul, but it was to the great- est advantage of David himself and the entire king- dom of Israel. God permitted Daniel, most unjustly accused, to be cast into the den of lions, but it was to his own great good and that of many others. But why do I mention such as these? God permitted His Own Son to be crucified by murderers, but His Per- mission was for the ineffable good of the whole human race. And so from every Divine Permission there flow the greatest increase to the Divine Glory, and the richest blessings to the human race. Hence the Goodness of God and His Mercy, hence His Bounty and Power, hence His Providence, hence his Wisdom and Justice shine forth in a way which is altogether wonderful. Hence it is that the courage of many grows, the contest thickens, rewards are multiplied, and crowns of victory are increased.
And how worthy of wonder does Divine Providence show itself in these daily Permissions! For what great thing is it if you have produced good from good? but it is great indeed if you produce good from evil. Any one can be a pilot in a calm sea, as the
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saying is. (Senec. Ep. 85.) It requires no great skill, when the wind is favourable, the ship stout, the sea calm, the stars shining brightly, and the rowers well- used to their work, to reach the harbour already in sight; but when the winds are raging, the ship dis- mantled, the sky thundering, pirates lurking around, the rowers unskilled in their work, and the stars hid- den from sight, still to reach the wished-for harbour, this in truth is a feat to be admired in a pilot. And such is God in His Permissions. By means of seem- ing contraries He conducts to a happy end. By means of so many sins of men he advances His Own Glory. In such an accumulation of wickedness He causes His Own dear ones to shine the more conspicuously. Under God's guidance, acts of fraud turn to the ad- vantage of the person who has been deceived; vexa- tions and injuries add strength to the vexed; the wickedness of so many abandoned men strengthens the piety of others, and preserves them from perish- ing; and where many are thought to be utterly swal- lowed up they emerge again. The dungeon and chains opened for Joseph the way to an exalted throne of dignity; the envy of his brethren was of more serv- ice to him than the kindness of all the world besides. The treachery of Saul conferred on David a kingly crown. The den of lions raised Daniel higher than any courtiers or kings could have done. From the Cross Christ passed to Paradise; from Olivet He ascended to the Throne with the Father. But if God did not permit sins, and did not ordain what He per-
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mitted, and did not by His Ordinance turn them into good, we should have difficulty in recognizing the avenging Justice of God. But in this way we are taught lessons of deeper wisdom, and are constrained to confess a most wonderful order and connection of causes, by which so many blessings emerge at length from evils of such magnitude. There are, therefore, manifold causes for the Divine Permission. And this was the second point.
3. The third point is the Will of God co-operating in everything which He permits. God decreed from eternity not only what in the course of time He would permit, nor only the most just causes of His Permission, but He also had, and still has, a Will which co-operates in all His Permissions. In the schools of Theologians it is a point most clearly laid down, that God is the Helper of all those things which really are done and exist. Nothing exists anywhere without the help of the First and Chief Cause.
Since, then, God from eternity decreed to permit all those things which He does permit, and this for the most just reasons; and furthermore since He makes Himself a Helper in His Permissions, why do we assail Heaven and men with so many and such foolish complaints? Why do we so often rail at the Providence and most just Permissions of God? Why do we not rather ascribe all events to the Divine Decree, feeling sure that most just and weighty grounds of Divine Permission are lying underneath, and that an end of the deepest moment is proposed,
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against which it ill beseems us to struggle? Good and evil wills alike serve God ; and among their vari- ous ends they all come to this, which, if I may so call it, is the End of ends.
Without question the holiest men have ever held it as the most certain truth that all things happened to them as if God were the Doer of them; because turning away the eyes of their mind from the thought of another's sin, they constantly viewed the Permis- sions of God as the actual and effifcient causes of what- ever happened. For God is so Good that on no account would he permit evil, unless he knew that from it He could produce greater good. S. Augustine speaks most admirably to the point (Ench. tom. iii. c. 27 et 11) : — *'God has judged it better," he says, "to work good out of evil, than to allow no evil. For since He is supremely Good, He would in no way allow any evil to be in His Works, unless He were as Omnipo- tent as Good, so as to be able to bring good even out of evil." Excellently, too, does Theophilus Bernar- dinus speak (De Persev. 1. xi. c. 4) : — "God," he says, "winds Himself in among our errors and sins in a most penetrating way, not indeed as approving and participating in them, but as turning us away from them and correcting them, since out of evil things He brings forth the more good, just as if it was fire out of water." And here we must reflect, as the same writer admonishes us, that all who hurt us (in what- ever way the injury is done) support a two-fold character. One in which they have zvicked intentions
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towards us, and devise no common mischief against us; the other, in which they are able to effect what they have devised, and are the instrument of the Di- vine Justice which punishes us. If they only acted out the first character, viz., of mahcious people, they would not hurt us at all; but because they support the other also, they do the work of God, Who justly punishes us, even though they act in ignorance of His designs. In this way Nabuchodonosor was a servant of God; and so, too, Attila, Totila, and Tamerlane, the scourge of God. Thus also Vespasian and his son, for the love of glory, and to increase their dominion, endeavoured to destroy the Jews; but they erred. In reality they were the executioners and ministers of the Divine Vengeance against that impious nation. The Jews could not digest their happiness without the help of these Imperial warm baths. But that we may follow out this line of reasoning more closely, let me ask a few questions.
3. I direct my questions to you, my Christian friend, to you particularly who so frequently disturb heaven and earth with your complaints. Be kind enough to tell me what you find fault with in the man who has injured you? Is it only with his will of injuring you, or only with his power, or both? With both, you will say. But I will instruct you not to find fault with either. Not with the will of injuring, for this without the power is vain, and has never done you any harm at all. Not with the power of injuring, for this is from God, and is just and right. You know that "there is
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no power but from God." {Rom. xiii. i.) Why do you then complain that one is able to do to you what God permits him to do? A great injury is done to me, you will say. But what sort of injury is it, let me ask? God punishes your sins, exercises your patience, multiplies your reward, and is an injury done to you? Yes, but, you say, I am filled with indignation at this wicked man, and his will which is so thoroughly cor- rupt. But you persist in looking at man, while I wish you to look at God alone. However corrupt the human will may be, what has it been able to do? What has it done ? You do not grieve on this account, because he willed to injure you, but because he actually did injure you, or was able to injure you. But why, I would ask, and how could he do this? Whence did he derive the power? And why had he the power? Was it not from the Divine Power and Permission? And if it is Divine, is it not also just, laudable, and holy? Therefore, either hold your peace, or else di- rect your complaints against the Divine Permission, and engrave this on your mind, that God never would permit that the wicked will of another should devise any evil against you, if it were not for your good, pro- vided that you yourself do not become a hindrance. "And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good?" (i Pet. iiL 13.) S. Augustine (in Ps. lxl 21) says, most admirably: — "Fear not the enemy; so much he doeth as he hath received power to do. Him fear thou that hath the chief power. Him fear that doeth ^s much as He willeth, and that doeth nothing
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unjustly, and whatever He shall have done is just. We might suppose something or other to be unjust: but inasmuch as God hath done it, believe it to be just. Therefore, thou sayest, if any one slay an innocent man, doth he justly or unjustly? Unjustly, certainly. Wherefore doth God permit this? Thou desirest to dispute before that thou doest anything, in considera- tion whereof thou mayest be worthy to dispute, why God hath permitted this. The Counsel of God to tell to thee, O man, I am not able. This thing, however, I say, both that the man hath done unjustly that hath slain an innocent person, and that it would not have been done unless God permitted it; and though the man hath done unjustly, yet God hath not unjustly permitted this."
And in the same way he speaks of the death of our Lord : — "Accordingly, my brethren, both Judas, the foul traitor to Christ, and the persecutors of Christ, malignant all, ungodly all, unjust all, are to be con- demned all; and, nevertheless, the Father hath not spared His Own proper Son, but for the sake of us all He hath delivered Him up. (Roin. viii. 32.) Order if thou art able; distinguish these things if thou art able. Render to God thy vows which thy lips have uttered. See what the unjust hath here done, what the Just One. The one hath willed, the Other hath permitted: the one unjustly hath willed, the Other justly hath permitted. Let unjust will be condemned^ just Permission be glorified. Do not therefore won- der; God permitteth, and in judgment permitteth. He
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permitteth, and in number, weight, and measure He permitteth. With Him is not iniquity. Do thou only belong to Him."
This then is the shortest way to attain tranquillity, — not to regard the man who inflicts an injury, but God Who permits it. It was the custom of the Saints to think, not of him who for any reason might do them a wrong, but of Him who did not hinder the wrong- doer. Thus they accounted even injuries to be bless- ings; "for the doers of injustice," they said, ''are those who make us blessed; but those who speak of us as blessed, deceive us." And so, with eyes ever fixed upon God, they rested on the Divine Will in everything, and waited to receive all things from God.
But understand from this that no man's sin merits pardon the more because God brings forth the greater good from it; — for man affords the occasion of good alone, not the cause; and even the occasion he does not afford of himself, but through the abundance of the Divine Goodness. H some wicked person has set fire to the cottage of a poor man, he has not on this account committed the less sin, because the poor man has borne his loss patiently, or some prince has erected in its place a ten times better house. Another per- son's virtue and a happy circumstance do not wipe out the guilt of the incendiary; and so sin does not acquire any excellence because it has afforded oppor- tunity for doing good. But that we may understand this the better, we must now consider how secret are the Judgments of God.
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CHAPTER III
HOW THE DIVINE WILL IS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY MEANS OF THE MOST SECRET JUDGMENTS OF GOD
AND here that saying of the Prophet must con- stantly be repeated, — "O Lord, Thy Judgments are a great deep." (Ps. xxxv. 6.) Great, great be- yond all measure! From ancient times the two serv- ants of the king of Egypt, the butler and the baker, pointed out this **deep," as it were with a finger. Both served the same king, both fell into disgrace, both were thrown into prison and bonds, and for no light reason, for with both was king Pharao angry ; both of them also he remembered during his feast ; to both he might have granted the favour of life, without preju- dice to his justice; or both he might have condemned to death. And yet he sentenced the one to a punish- ment of shame, while he restored the other to his former office. The baker he hanged, and exposed him as food for the birds ; the butler he restored to favour, and at last admitted him again to serve at the royal table. And such are the Judgments of God, Who banishes some from His Presence through Justice, but admits others to it through Grace. His Judgments are a great deep ! "Who is able to declare His works ?
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For who shall search out His glorious acts?" (Ecclus. XVIII. 4.)
I. How secret were the Judgments of God about Nabuchodonosor, and that Pharao which knew not Joseph! (Exod. i. 8.) S. Augustine (De Prcedest. ct Grat. 15) well says concerning them: — "Nabuchodo- nosor, having been scourged after his numberless in- iquities, merited repentance which brought forth good fruit ; while on the other hand Pharao was made more obdurate by the very scourges and perished. Both were kings and wicked ones; both were admonished by scourges ; and what, I pray, made their ends so dif- ferent? One of them, when he felt the hand of God, bewailed his sin, and came to his senses ; the other, re- fusing to acknowledge the Will of God, continued in his sins and perished." And so it is that the same medicine, compounded by the same hand, affects two persons, who are labouring under the very same dis- ease, in an entirely different way, and leads one to health, the other to the grave. Thus the two thieves who were crucified with Christ were equally guilty, and were punished in the same way by the self-same death, and yet after death they shared habitations as different as it was possible to be! The Judgments of God are a great deep !
That excellent king Asa, who "did that which was good and pleasing in the sight of his God, and de- stroyed the altars of foreign worship, and the high places, and broke the statues, and cut down the groves" (2 Par. XIV. 2, 3), he, I say, who was the best of
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kings, yet at the end of his reign corrupted his earlier praise. For a long time he bore himself illustriously, for thirty years he might have been considered a pat- tern for the most excellent princes; but at length, trusting in the king of Syria more than in God, he threw into prison the prophet Hanani who rebuked him for what he had done, slew many of the people, and, being afflicted with a painful disease in his feet, trusted more to the skill of physicians than to the Divine aid. Alas! how little did his end answer to his beginning! How was that holy king changed from himself! And, on the other hand, Manasses, a most wicked king, who disfigured the whole of his life with infamy through his evil deeds, at length came to himself, and crowned his bad beginning with a noble end. Thy Judgments, O my God, are a great deep, — too deep to fathom !
2. What objects of wonder are Saul and David! Both of them at the beginning were deserving of praise; both fell into grievous sins, to the scandal of the whole kingdom; for this both were punished, but with what a different effect ! Saul, a man of obstinate impiety, perished most miserably; David turned his punishment into healing discipline, and thereby became a man after God's Own Heart. And here it is impiety to ask ''zvhy is this?" That "why" came from the school of the devil. Many have been ruined by that querulous "why" and "wherefore." "Why hath God commanded you?" (Gen. iii. i) asked at the begin- ning the subtlest of serpents. To whom they ought to have replied, — "We know that God has commanded,
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but zvhy He has commanded is not for us to inquire. It is the Will of the Lord, and the grounds of this Will are not to be investigated by us." ''For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be made him? For of Him, and by Him, and in Him are all things/' (Rom. xi. 34-36.) But perhaps some one will say, — "Yet it may be law- ful to require some reason for this or that command." From whom ? from God — to Whom alone that which He pleases is lawful, and Whom nothing pleases but that which is lawful?
How wonderful also is it that the Samaritans with the utmost readiness believe our Lord's words, and pray Him to remain with them, while the Gerasens are unbelieving, and pray Him to depart from them ! The faithless Jews cannot be induced by words, or deeds, or by any wonders and miracles to believe in the Truth. Thy Judgments, O Lord, are a great deep !
Julian of Alexandria (Enseb. 6, 34; Niccph. 3, 30), a holy Martyr, being deprived of the use of his feet, was carried in a chair to the judgment-seat by two servants. One of them, renouncing his faith and his master, apostatized most disgracefully; the other, Eu- nus by name, remained faithful to God and his master ; and so both of them, having been placed on camels, and scourged through the whole city of Alexandria, were at length thrown together into a fire, and ended their life most holily. When Besa, a soldier, saw them, and, through pity for the innocent, tried to restrain
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the violence of the wonted crowd, he was accused be- fore the judge and beheaded. In truth he received the reward intended for that traitor. Thy Judgments, O Lord, are a great deep !
'*0 Lord, how great are Thy works ; Thy thoughts are exceeding deep. The senseless man shall not know ; nor will the fool understand these things." (Ps. xci. 6, 7.) Truly Thou art a God that hideth Thyself! In the year 1117, when the whole of Italy was disturbed by earthquakes, it is related that some of the nobles of Milan were sitting in a tower, engaged in business of the state, when a voice was heard outside, which called one of them by name to come out. At first he hesi- tated, and doubted who called, and who it was that was called ; and so he sat still, and waited for a repetition of the summons, when behold ! a stranger presented him- self at the door, and begged him to come out. He had scarcely gone a few steps from the place when the tower fell, and buried them all ! Now why should this man alone, and none of the rest, have been preserved from death? The Judgments of God are a great deep ! Who can fail to see that in this case the miracles of old time were repeated? Thus it was that an angel led out Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom. Thus likewise a thousand others, amid the multitude of those who perished, have been saved from destruc- tion.
In the year 1597, there lived at Monreale, in Sicily, a man abandoned to an evil life, who had been often admonished that he should give up his impure life.
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Still the wretched man persisted in his wickedness, and after the last warning was stabbed in the lap of the wretched companion of his sin. Another man, of similar habits, who for many years had lived in im- purity, when he heard of this sad death, determined to grow wise through another man's sin, and reconciled himself to God. And what can I here exclaim again, but this same, Thy Judgments, O Lord, are past find- ing out!
3. And it was this which hurried away S. Paul into such great wonder. To those twins, Esau and Jacob, when they were not as yet born, and had done no good or evil, it was said, — "J^^ob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? God forbid. O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, why hast Thou made me thus ? Or hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" {Rom. ix. 13, 14, 20, 21.) The goldsmith fashions his silver and gold, the potter the clay, according to his will, although be- tween the potter and the clay there is not even the shadow of such a relationship as exists between God and man, the vilest worm of earth. Who therefore will say to God, "Why dost Thou so?" {Job ix. 12.)
Dorotheus {Serm. de Occult. Dei Jud.) relates that a ship full of slaves for sale once upon a time arrived at a certain city. Now there was in that place a virgin of most saintly life, and who was entirely devoted to
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the care of her soul. She was exceedingly pleased that an opportunity was afforded her of purchasing from the ship a little maid whom she might train, under her own immediate guidance, while she was still of a teachable age, to sanctity of life. And, fortu- nately, the captain had two little damsels, one of whom the lady bought at a high price. She had hardly left the ship when there arrived a woman of profligate manners, who acted plays with a dancing-girl ; and she having bid for the other little maid, when she heard that she might be obtained for a trifling sum, bought her and carried her away. Alas! wretched little one, who hast fallen to a mistress as wicked as the other has to a good one! And who can here search out the depth of the Divine Judgment? Both of these little maids were of an innocent age, both were offered for sale, both were ignorant of the lot which awaited them, both, like a new vase, would preserve the odour of that which they earliest imbibed; and yet the one, from being trained in manners becoming a maiden, without difficulty became accustomed to the practice of virtue from her tenderest years, and in this way worthy of the companionship of Angels; while the other, being instructed by that Fury in every kind of wantonness and profligacy, and imitating too success- fully the abandoned manners of her mistress, became a noble prey for the Devil. And yet she would have been different, if she had had a different mistress. But, ''Thy Judgments, O Lord, are a great deep!"
The experience also of S. Gregory the Great, in his [34]
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own family, is much the same (Horn. 38 in Evang. torn. I. 1644.) This most holy man had three aunts on his father's side, ^miliana, Tarsilla, and Gordiana, all of whom devoted themselves to Christ, and the Society of Holy Virgins. The first two preserved the vow of virginity with the utmost fidelity, and finished their life by a most blessed end. But the third, Gordi- ana, would listen to no admonitions, and so, greedily devouring the baits of sin, burst at length from all re- straint, left the Society, and married a farm-bailiff. "O Lord, Thy Judgments are a great deep!" Let no one try to fathom them! "Behold, God is great, ex- ceeding our knowledge. Who can search out His ways?" {Job xxxvi. 23, 26.) King David is very cautious here, — 'T am become," he says, "as a beast be- fore Thee." {Ps. lxxii. 21.) Into Thy Judgments, O my God, I do not pry ; I behave as Thy beast. It is the part of a beast to obey the command of his master, not to discuss his orders. And what wonder is it that a man who had not been educated in the Schools, but who had passed the earliest days of his youth in tend- ing a flock, should think thus of himself, when the very Seraphim, those most glorious spirits, do the same? For, when question was in heaven concerning the re- jection of the Jews, the Seraphim covered their face and feet with two wings each {Isai. vi. 2), confessing that they could not by their knowledge attain to such a height, as worthily to extol the wonderful works of God; that the Divine Judgments surpass all power of understanding; and that they are therefore content
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to know that the Deity is thrice holy, — holy in Itself, holy in Its Judgments, holy in Its Works. If, then, the most glorious Angels thus adore the secret Judg- ments of God, how much more ought we, who are utterly insignificant men of earth, to exclaim, — "The Lord is faithful in all His words, and holy in all His works?" (Ps. cxLiv. 17.) And here let that most admirable saying of S. Augustine (Cont. Jul. iii. 18) be a comfort to every one : — "God is able to save some without any good deserts, because He is Good. He cannot condemn any without evil deserts, because He is Just."
4. We behold wonderful revolutions in the world, continual changes, events altogether unexpected, and sometimes we say, — "Pray let us see how the thing will end." After a time we do see, and are astonished, muttering to ourselves some such freezing exclamation as "I could not have thought it!" But we know not, miserable creatures that we are, what will follow ; and however things may turn out, the reason of them is not to be asked, — "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts." (Isai. lv. 8, 9.) To inquire the reason of the secret Counsel of God is nothing else, according to S. Gregory, than to wax wanton against His Or- dinance. It becomes us to say at all times with Blessed Paul, — "O the depth of the riches of the Wisdom and of the Knowledge of God ! How incomprehensible are
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His Judgments, and how unsearchable His ways!" (Rom. XI. ^;^.) In this life there are many things which we shall never rightly search out. Let it suf- fice us to know that God is not unjust, and that at the last day there will not be one who will not be con- strained to say, — "Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and true is Thy Judgment." King David, indeed, tried his utmost to search out the secret Judgments of God. "I studied," he says, ''that I might know this thing." (Ps. Lxxii. 1 6.) But at length, not finding any end to his search, — "It is a labour in my sight," he con- fesses, "until I go into the sanctuary of God." This knowledge of secret things must be postponed for a better world.
Let us, therefore, also fold the wings of a curious mind. The regular flow and ebb of the sea has exer- cised all the learning of philosophers, and how can we fathom the most profound recesses of the Divine Judg- ments ? Who can find out why one was born in Tur- key, and another among Christians? Why the Gospel of Christ has come so late into many countries, and meanwhile so many thousands of men have perished while the same Gospel has early been spread in other provinces? What is the reason why one country is throughout its entire length infected with heresy, while another flourishes in entire freedom from all contami- nation of it? Why does the Divine Vengeance pass by some, while it falls upon others? Why are some innocent people overthrown, and why do the sins of ancestors descend to their posterity? Why were so
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many expeditions of kings and emperors undertaken in vain for the recovery of the Holy Land? Let us shrink from asking why God gave to Adam place for repentance, but not to Lucifer. Why Christ showed mercy on Peter, but not on Iscariot. Why one person dies in the cradle, another in old age. Why one per- ishes in depravity, though he has not been depraved for long, while another recovers himself from deprav- ity, though he has for a long time wallowed in vice. Why one is rolling in riches, while another has neither bread nor money. What meanest thou, O wandering mind, by this curious inquiry ? Do you desire to touch that heavenly fire of the Divine Judgment? You will be melted with the heat. Do you wish to scale the citadel of Providence? You will fall. Just as moths and other tiny insects ever and anon in the evening fly round the light of a candle till they are burnt, so the human mind disports itself around that hidden flame. We have the eyes of bats for this sun. We are only human ; we understand not the secret Counsels of God. "The works of the Highest only are wonderful, and His works are hidden." {Ecchis. xi. 4.) There never was a man who could at the same time read a book written within and without. That book of the Divine Judgments is written within full of Predestination, without of Providence. The Eternal, all-wise God has "ordered all things in measure, and number, and weight; and who shall resist the strength of His Arm?" {Wisdom XI. 21, 22.) Let us rest assured of this, that the Cause before all causes is the Will of God^
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and he who seeks a different cause than this is ignorant of the strength and power of the Divine Nature; for it is necessary that every cause should in a certain way be prior to, and greater than, its own effect ; but noth- ing is prior to, nothing is greater than, God and His Will. Of this, therefore, there is no cause. And what more do you now desire? God has permitted, God has willed, God has done! The Will of God is, as Salvian rightly and piously says, Supreme Justice. It is the most consummate wisdom quietly to acquiesce in the Decrees of the Divine Will and Providence.
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CHAPTER IV
HOW THE WILL OF GOD MAY BE RECOGNIZED IN ALL THINGS
IT requires a varying mode of treatment in the man- agement of a nursery full of children, a school full of pupils, a house full of servants, a monastery full of Religious, and a plain full of soldiers, and yet the way of ruling is the same in all — viz. by obedience, which constrains differing wills to unite in one.
A general will not command well unless he is able, either with his mouth or hand, to carry about all his soldiers with him, that is to say, either with his voice or signal to enforce obedience to every order. Things are then managed well, and the discipline is uniform and regular when in a house the master of the family, in a school the tutor, in a monastery the abbot, in a camp the general, leads about with him all who belong to him, either with his tongue or his hand ; that is to say, when he governs with a word or a sign, and con- strains them to go wherever he wishes.
But as it is fitting that a soldier should wait for an order either from the tongue or hand of his general, holding himself in readiness to execute whatever com- mand is given him, in the same way also it is right
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that the Christian should so hang, as it were, on the Tongue or Hand of God, that whatever He wills, says, commands, or in whatever direction He gives a sign, he should immediately will the same, and that he should instantly go in that direction, yea, run, or rather fly. We should all of us exclaim, — *'In the head of the Book it is written of me that I should do Thy Will, O my God! I have desired it, and Thy law in the midst of my heart." (Ps. xxxix. 8, 9.) Yea, of my memory, my understanding, my will. Thy Will,
0 my God, is to me the summing up of all laws ! When Saul had been struck down to the earth by
Christ, his first question was, — *'Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" (Acts ix. 6.) And let this be the never-ceasing question of all good men, 'Tord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Show me, O my good Jesus, by a word or sign, what is Thy Will, and I go,
1 obey, I do whatsoever Thou wiliest me to do.
This question, therefore, must now be answered be- fore all others — viz. in what way the Will of God is to be recognized in all things? And here I will fur- nish some rules by means of which the Divine Will may easily be discovered.
FIRST RULE
Whatever leads away from God is contrary to the Will of God. Whatever attracts towards God is in accordance with the Divine Will. "For this is the Will of God, your sanctification." (i Thess. iv. 3.)
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Therefore, if any one detect any such thing in himself as to be constrained to confess that this business, this society, this trade, this way of living, does not make me more holy, but I am being led away from God, though gradually and by easy steps, it follows that neither that business, nor that society, nor that trade, nor that way of living, is according to the Divine Will.
SECOND RULE
The Will of God is most clearly revealed to us by the law of God and of the Church. In all doubtful cases, therefore, we must not merely inquire what the laws of God and the Church require, but what is more or less conformable to them. Christ long ago pointed out this most excellent interpreter of the Divine Will to that rich young man who asked what was the shortest road to eternal life, when He said, — ''Thou knowest the commandments." (Luke xviii. 20.) Of a truth nothing is better than to have regard to the commandments of the Lord. Abraham points out this messenger between God and men, charged with the Divine Will, when he says to the rich man, — ''They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." (Luke xvi. 29.) Blessed Paul also says, — "Be not conformed to this world, but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect Will of God." (Rom. XII. 2.) The "good" Will of God is contained in the Decalogue — the "acceptable" in the
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evangelical counsels — the "perfect" defines that His Will should be done on earth as it is in heaven.
THIRD RULE
It is commanded by blessed Paul, — ''In all things give thanks; for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all." (i Thess. v. i8.) And here, first of all, it is most noteworthy that ''in all things" we must give thanks, even when things are most full of trouble and adverse. S. Chrysostom {in loc) has well said: — ''Have you suffered some evil? If you ch^se, it is not evil. Give thanks to God, and thou hast already changed the evil into good. This is the part of a philosophic mind." The ancient Germans used to train their children in such an excellent way, that if ever they injured their finger in the fire, they immediately said, "Thanks be to God." It is a short but noble precept. Whatever then, my Christian friend, either presses upon you or afflicts you, say a hundred times, say a thousand times, "Thanks be to God." S. Paul adds, — "Extinguish not the Spirit." Let there be a place for Its Divine Inspirations. God not unfrequently unfolds His Will by means of secret addresses, which are then safely believed to be really Divine, when the Glory of God alone is proposed as the thing to be followed. But S. Paul further adds, — "Despise not prophecies." Hence it is by no means right that commentaries on God's Book, holy sermons in church, or admonitions of faithful men, should be
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despised by him who desires to conform himself to the Divine Will. He who is not willing to hear them, is not willing to understand the Will of God. Last of all, S. Paul commands, — "From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves." As good bankers know false coin either by the ring, or the stamp and inscription, and refuse it, so let us avoid, as contrary to the Divine Will, whatever carries on its face the appearance of even the faintest shadow of sin.
FOURTH RULE
Besides the laws of God and the Church, there are other interpreters also of the Divine Will, chiefly in doubtful matters. Among them are to be reckoned the magistrate, as well civil as religious, and all such as lawfully bear rule over others; to which are to be added parish priests, spiritual pastors and masters. When Saul was now prepared to obey the Divine Will, and had asked, — "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" — the Lord did not burden him with precepts, nor did He suddenly infuse into him all knowledge, but sending him as a disciple to Ananias, said, — "Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts ix. 6, 7.) Ananias was to Paul what Peter was to Cornelius, a most faithful interpreter of the Divine Will.
Thus it pleases God that His Will should be un- folded to man by man. And hence those admonitions which are so frequent, — "Seek counsel always of a
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wise man." (Tobias iv. i8.) "Do thou nothing with- out counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done." (Ecclus, xxxii. 24.) *'Be continually with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to observe the fear of God, whose soul is according to thy own soul : and who, when thou shalt stumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee. And establish within thyself a heart of good counsel ; for there is no other thing of more worth to thee than it. The soul of a holy man dis- covereth sometimes true things, more than seven watchmen that sit in a high place to watch. But above all these things pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth." {Ecclus. xxxvii. 15-19.) In all matters, therefore, where there is doubt con- cerning the Divine Will, from no one must counsel be sought rather than from those to whom we have entrusted our conscience. And here it may generally be affirmed that the entire will of spiritual masters, or superiors, or those in any way set over us, is the Will of God, sin alone being excepted. Whatever, then, the director of any one, or superiors, or those placed in authority have ordered must be received in no other way than as a certain indication of the Divine Will. And here blessed Paul sets us an example. Writing to the Galatians (11. i), he says: — "Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas." And what was the cause of so long a journey? "I conferred with them the Gospel." (11. 2.) Lo! he who for so many years had been the evangelizer of the whole world, now submitted his teaching to inquiry,
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just as if he were the least esteemed of the disciples, and constituted the elder Apostles as his judges, so that whatever they should decree concerning his doc- trine, and approve by common consent, or disapprove of, or add to, or take from, he would accept as that it should be so believed and taught. It is more wonder- ful that he adds, — ''And I went up according to reve- lation/' (ii. 2.) Could not He Who revealed to Paul that this journey was to be undertaken, have just as well revealed what He would effect by it? In good truth God wills that man should he taught by man. S. Paul went to Jerusalem for the purpose of inter- rogating the Apostles about his doctrine, not because he himself stood in any doubt of it, but because others did; and for their confirmation it seemed most pru- dent to interrogate the elder Apostles. Therefore, — ''See and ask for the old paths, which is the good way, and walk ye in it, and you shall find refreshment for your souls." (Jer. vi. i6.)
FIFTH RULE
But if neither time nor place allow of seeking advice, let a man reason with himself, and by an easy process he will be able in this way to unravel every doubt con- cerning knowledge of the Divine Will. Let him care- fully consider which of two things, about which he is doubtful, is the more pleasing to his own will, which is the more gratifying to his carnal appetite, and which is the more desirable in his own estimation. When he
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has ascertained this, which is easily done, and has seriously resolved with himself to conform his actions as closely as possible to the Divine Will, then he will safely choose that which is the less pleasing to his will, which is the less gratifying to his carnal appetite, and which has about it less splendour and show. For the other choice, which is in accordance with the inclina- tion of our own will, or fleshly feelings and thoughts, ought fairly to be held in strong suspicion by every one, and be thought to be closely allied to error; but this, which struggles against one's inclination, may be believed to be, for the most part, the safer : — "While thou dost not," says Isaias, ''thy own ways, and thy own will is not found, to speak a word." (lviii. 13.) A man who' has a troublesome and sluggish digestion may easily be convinced in this way; — that which you most eagerly desire is the least wholesome for you. Melons, cucumbers, mushrooms, snails, iced drinks, undressed fruits and vegetables, and food of this kind, things which irritate the stomach, do the utmost harm, but at the same time they are very often heaped into the stomach greedily. So in the matter before us ; very often that which is pleasing and sweet to the senses of the body is harmful to the spirit; that which pleases the human will is displeasing to God. ''Mortify, there- fore, your members which are upon the earth; forni- cation, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and cov- etousness, which is the service of idols; for which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief." (Col. iii. 5, 6.) Therefore, — "Go not
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after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will," the son of Sirach admonishes you {Ecclus. xviii. 30), that you may conform yourself to the Will of God.
But if the matter be one of entire indifference, as, for instance, if two beggars meet you, both of them in the same state of destitution, but yet your alms are not enough to divide between the two, give to which you please, with the intention of fulfilling the Divine Will, and you will not do amiss. But if the indiflferent thing be one of greater moment, you must have recourse to reflection and prayer. Then if, when considering the propriety of undertaking some one or more things, it is not quite clear what the Divine Will is, do not let any of them be undertaken hastily, until it appear in some way or other that they will not be contrary to the Divine Will. In every deliberation of this kind Reason and Conscience can effect very much; and no bad counsellors are they in a doubtful case, for when they are disposed to examine a thing with care they will easily pronounce what is best to be done. But it may happen that a man of tender conscience may fall into a labyrinth where the spirit and flesh struggle together in such a way, as that he begins to fear lest perhaps he is opposing himself to the Divine Will. And here let the same thing be a solace to him which often is to a preacher. An afternoon preacher (to explain what I mean) sees nearly all of his hearers sleeping. He is greatly vexed at the sight of so many drooping heads, but it seems better than if the same number of people were shamelessly to engage in idle talk. And so long
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as two or three do not sleep, he says to himself, that is enough for me, and is a sufficient reason why I should go on. One must stand for thousands. And so let the other man thus reason with himself, however he may be disturbed. Only let those two eyes, the Reason and the Will, be watchful, only let them carefully observe the Will of God, and I care nothing about other things, for I shall stand firm and unshaken; and although I cannot follow the indications of the Divine Will very closely, yet I will do my best to follow them.
SIXTH RULE
In order to discover the Divine Will it is of the utmost avail to ask with Paul, — ''Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" It was the custom of the saints, in all doubtful cares and perplexities, to take refuge in the safeguard of prayer, as of old Moses and Aaron did in the Tabernacle of the Testimony. And as when the clouds collect in such dense masses that the sky begins to thunder, bells are rung in towers to scatter them; so, as often as the sun of the Divine Will is with- drawn from our eyes, and we know not what is to be done, the best thing is to beat heaven with our prayers. Thus Saul, when overtaken by that sudden tempest in the midst of the open country, cried out, — ''Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" And it is the most fitting time for repeating this little prayer over and over again, when we approach the heavenly feast; then should we redouble our fervour as we exclaim, — "Lord,
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what wilt Thou have me to do?" Yes, every day in the most solemn part of Holy Mass, at the awful mo- ment of the Consecration, let this be the most ardent of all our prayers, — ''Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" for it is highly desirable that a form of heavenly aspiration should be used by devout people every day during celebration. Jacob Lainez was ac- customed to say every day at the end of the Consecra- tion, after the words of the centurion, — "Lord, I am not worthy" — while he held Christ in his hands. — ''May that which I have promised please Thee, O Lord?" And so, in cases of every kind, we ought to pray, while the heavenly Bread is being broken, — "Lord, as Thou wiliest, so do I also will ; that which I have rightly promised I recall not." This daily oblation of self to the Divine Will is the most excellent preparation for the last conflict in death.
But if a person has for a long time asked some- thing of God, and has not yet obtained his desire, let him rest assured that the Father, who is supreme in Goodness, wills not that that should be obtained from Him which His son has for so- long a time sought, or that the most Benignant Father wills that the patience of His child who asks should be exercised so as to ob- tain a greater reward. There can be no doubt but that God in His infinite mercy frequently defers the help that has been sought, in order that He may the more abundantly reward more persevering prayers, and more enduring patience. These of a truth must not unfrequently be wrested from many, just as money is
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DIVINE WILL
from misers. God would demand from us fewer pray- ers and less patience, if He did not in this way urge the slothful forward. And sO' it is often very much to our profit to have obtained nothing by our daily pray- ers ; for oftentimes the benefit of prayers which are so long delayed is greater than it would have been if they had been granted. And it is this which may well bring great comfort to everyone that he has made many prayers, and not a few.
How did King David fast, and weep, and pray, prostrate on the earth before he knew the Will of God concerning his little child who was at the point of death ; but when he heard that he was dead, he discov- ered that the Will of God had ordained that he should die, and so he "arose from the ground, and washed and anointed himself, and when he had changed his apparel, he went into the house of the Lord, and wor- shipped." (2 Kings XII. 20.) Our Lord, after a threefold prayer at the Mount of Olives, being now certain about His Father's Will, said, — ''Sleep ye now, and take your rest : behold the hour is at hand." (Matt. XXVI. 45.) And so, even when prayer is re- jected, its refusal is received with quietude and calm- ness of mind, if only for this reason, that it is now evident what Almighty God wills to be done. Heli the priest, when Samuel related what vengeance God would take both upon himself and his sons, made only this reply, — ''It is the Lord, let Him do what is good in His sight" (i Kings iii. 18) ; just as if he had said, — *'You have told me, Samuel, what is painful for me to
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hear; but, because I am now certain concerning the Divine Will, I cheerfully receive what you have said, however distasteful it may be, and recognize a proof of God's Ordinance. I and my sons deserve to be punished, and we shall suffer punishment since it so seems good to the Divine Will, against which it is im- piety to struggle. Let the Good God do whatever is pleasing to His most holy Will ; we are servants, and He is the Lord; we offend in many ways, and it is a master's prerogative to punish faults." When the peo- ple of Caesarea were endeavouring with their tears to stay Paul as he was setting out for Jerusalem, he said to them, with the utmost earnestness, — ''What do you mean weeping and afflicting my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but to die also at Jeru- salem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when we could not persuade him, we ceased, saying, the Will of the Lord be done." (Acts xxi. 13, 14.) This is true serenit}^ of soul, when we find that our prayers are fruitless, to desire this one thing alone, that the Will of the Lord be done.
SEVENTH RULE
No one discovers the Divine Will with greater cer- tainty than he who with entire sincerity desires to con- form himself to it in all things. This desire is, in truth, the thread for unravelling the mazes of all labyrinths. All uncertainty about the Divine Will is removed, if, when one is ignorant as to what God wills,
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or which of two lawful things He would rather have done, he is yet so disposed in mind as to say, with per- fect sincerity of intention, — "If I knew, O Lord, what Thou willedst to be done by me in this matter, I would immediately do it." After this protestation has been made, let him unhesitatingly do what he will, and cease to disturb himself, for he will not easily offend against the Divine Will. Such a son as this the All- loving Father will not desert, nor will He suffer him to wander far from His Will. If there is no man at hand by whom He may instruct him, He will send an angel, as He did to Joseph, when he was deliberating as to what was best to be done in a weighty matter. Thus also an angel was sent to the three kings from the East, after they had worshipped the Divine Infant in his manger-cradle, to warn them to beware of the treachery of Herod, and to return to their own country by another way. And so to Agar, the handmaid of Abraham. And to numberless others in the same way, either an angel has been sent as a defence against error, or, instead of an angel some faithful man. So true is it that He does not deny a knowledge of His Will to such as truly seek it. "The spirit of Wisdom is benevo- lent" {Wisdom I. 6), and bestows itself without grudg- ing upon all. God is nigh unto all them who seek for Him in sincerity, and reveals His Will, by a way of teaching as wonderful as it is sweet, to all those who with true submission are followers of Him. We best learn to know the Will of God by doing it.
CS3]
CHAPTER V
OF HOW MANY KINDS THE WILL OF GOD IS, AND IN
WHAT THINGS CHIEFLY IT REQUIRES THAT OURS
SHOULD BE CONFORMED TO IT
S CYPRIAN, bishop of Carthage, a man of the . greatest eloquence and holiness of life, as well as a most valiant martyr, has made a kind of summary of what the Divine Will demands from its followers. They are words worthy of Cyprian, and they should be engraven in gold. And would that they were in- scribed on all the churches and houses of Christians! Would that they were engraved also on their hearts, as a comprehensive account of Christian life and per- fection !
'The Will of God," he says {De Oral. Dom. lo), *'is what Christ has done and taught. It is humility in conduct, steadfastness in faith, scrupulousness in our words, rectitude in our deeds, mercy in our works, governance in our habits; it is innocence of injurious- ness, and patience under it, preserving peace with the brethren, loving God with all our heart, loving Him as our Father, and fearing Him as our God; account- ing Christ before all things, because He accounted nothing before us, clinging inseparably to His love,
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being stationed with fortitude and faith at His Cross, and when the battle comes for His Name and honour, maintaining in words that constancy which makes con- fession, in torture that confidence which joins battle, and in death that patience which receives the crown. This it is to endeavour to be co-heir with Christ; this it is to perform the commandment of God, and fulfil the will of the Father."
I. And of these we must specially store in our in- most mind the following, — innocence of injuriousness, patience under it, preserving peace with the brethren, and loving God with all our heart. We wretched mor- tals often deceive ourselves here most grievously; we acknowledge the Will of God with the readiest affec- tion when it rewards us, and loads us with benefits; but when it chastises us we turn away from it, as if it were not the Will of God at all : but as if men, ani- mated with the most malignant feelings, had conspired against our welfare and name, so that they might either destroy us altogether, or grievously harass us, and this as if God either knew nothing about it, or cer- tainly did not command it.
This is downright blindness and madness. Are we to imagine that pleasant things only, and those which suit us are sent from heaven? Nay, but sorrowful things also, and things which tend to our discomfort; nor is anything at all in this vast machine carried on, or disturbed, or thrown out of gear (sin only ex- cepted), of which the cause and origin is not from that First Cause. Jeremias, in his lamentation, says, —
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"Who is he that hath commanded a thing to be done, when the Lord commandeth it not ? Shall not both evil and good proceed out of the mouth of the Highest? Why hath a living man murmured, a man suffering for his sins?" (Lam. iii. 37-39.) How senseless and per- verse is that man who believes that there is anything which God does not either send, or at least does not permit! Cassian (Coll. in. 20) puts it most clearly: — *'It behooves us," he says, "to believe with unshaken faith that nothing at all is done in the world without God; for we must confess that all things are done either by His Will or Permission."
The ancients fabled certain giants who attempted to thrust down the gods from their abode. Let us have done with fables; ye, O querulous ones, ye are those giants; for if all evils which afflict us here are not only permitted by God, but also sent upon us by Him, what are you doing when you chase and fight against them, but doing all that lies in your power to snatch away His sceptre and power in ruling? All created things willingly obey, and submit themselves to that Supreme Law; while man alone, the noblest of all creatures, kicks against his Maker, and resists His Will. Why do we show our anger to so little purpose? Deaths of all kinds are from God, yes all, I repeat, all of them. If an earthquake has in one direction swal- lowed up some cities, it is from the Providence of God. If in another place a pestilence has mown down many thousands, it is from the same. If there is slaughter, war, tyranny, in this or that quarter, it is from the
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same. But, not to dwell on public calamities, if your enemy plunders you of part of your goods, if another assails your fair name, and a third injures you in other ways, it is all of God, Who not only permits, but also sends it upon you by His Divine Wisdom, that you may fully understand that all these things are sent upon you from Heaven. The Divine Will, therefore, not merely demands of us that we should be as averse to inflicting injury upon others, as if we were able to inflict none, but it also requires that we should so endure injuries inflicted by others, as to preserve peace with all men, even though they may not wish to pre- serve it with us.
But that we may more fully understand the mystery of the Divine Will, let me briefly explain that which I have already referred to above.
2. According to Theologians there is a twofold Will of God. One of Sign whereby God commands, for- bids, permits, persuades, or works anything; and this He declares by His laws and precepts. The other of Good-pleasure, whereby it is decreed what He wills in all respects to be done, either with condition or with- out it. He has willed to bestow eternal felicity on angels and men, but on the condition that they do not resist His Will. Other things God wills without any condition being attached. Thus, as He has willed to create the heaven and the earth, so He wills that the order and the government of the universe, whereby He disposes of all things with most consummate Wis- dom, should be perpetual. And this Will of God no
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one can resist; it is subject to no laws; it does nothing at another's command; it obeys none. God Himself declares this by Isaias, when He says, — ''My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done." (Isai xlvi. lo.) ''So shall My Word be which shall go forth from My Mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but i't shall do whatsoever I please." (Isai. lv. ii.) But we, miserable servants that we are, whether we will or not, must bear whatever God has decreed concern- ing us. We are all of us coupled to manifold troubles. With some the chain is of gold and loose; with others it is of vile metal and pinching. But what does it matter? The same bond surrounds us all, and even the binders themselves are bound. Life is altogether servitude; yea, and life is altogether punishment. We must, therefore, accustom ourselves to this condition of existence, and complain of it as little as possible. And here it is a great comfort to know that God wills it so; that it thus seems good to Him, and that there is no one who can resist the Divine Will. Queen Esther proclaimed this when she said, — "O Lord, al- mighty King, all things are in Thy power, and there is none that can resist Thy will." (Esth. xiii. 9.) And this S. Augustine also sets forth most excellent- ly— "These are," he says, "the great works of the Lord, wonderfully designed to fulfil all His Will, and designed with such a depth of wisdom, that, when the angelic and human creation had sinned (that is, had done not what He, but what they, willed), even by that same will of the creature, whereby that which
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the Creator willed not was done, He fulfilled that which He willed, turning to a good account even the evil, as being Himself supremely good." Although, therefore, the wicked fight against the Divine Will, yet by their means God performs His Own Will, and turns their most perverse will to the best account. It is clear from what has been said that though God wills salvation for all, yet all will not attain to it, because they do not fulfil the condition which is required, being rebel- lious against the Divine Commands. And of these our Saviour prophesied with severity when he said, — ^^'Not every one that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doth the Will of My Father who is in heaven." (Matt. vii. 21.) A wise man early transfuses his whole self into the Divine Will.
3. And this being so, we can do nothing better or more profitable than absolutely submit and conform our own will to the Divine, and say* with Heli the priest, — "It is the Lord; let Him do what is good in His sight" (i Kings iii. 18) ; with Joab,— ''The Lord will do what is good in His sight" (2 Kings x. 12) ; with King David, — ''But if He shall say to me, thou pleaseth me not; I am ready, let Him do that which is good before Him" (2 Kings xv. 26) ; with Judas Machabeus, — "As it shall be the Will of God in heav- en, so be it done" (i Mack. iii. 60) ; with Christ our Saviour, — "My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt." {Matt. XXVI. 39.) For if the Son was so obedi-
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ent, as perfectly to fulfil the Will of the Father — for, "1 came down from heaven," he says, "not to do My Own Will, but the Will of Him that sent Me" (John VI. 38) — if this was required of the Son, how much less does it become servants to* refuse to recognize His commands. Let us think it perfectly just that whatever from eternity has pleased God, should please man also. The soldier in camp, when he hears the signal for marching, collects his baggage; but when he hears the trumpet-call for battle, he lays it down, and takes up his arms, being prepared with mind, hand, and eye, to execute every order of his general. And so let it be with ourselves; and in this our war- fare let us follow our Leader cheerfully and with a firm step, wherever He may call us. Whatever hap- pens, let us bear it, not only patiently, but cheerfully, and let us rest assured that difficulties of all seasons are according to the Law of Nature. And as a brave soldier endures wounds, counts his scars, and, though pierced through with spears, still loves the general for whom he falls, so let us keep in mind that old precept — *Tollow God."
I have now pointed out how we are to arrive at a knowledge of the Divine Will. But it is not enough to know it; we must more closely unite our own will to it. But wherein this union consists I will set forth in the following Book.
t6o]
BOOK II
CONCERNING THE CONFORMITY OF THE HUMAN WILL TO THE DIVINE
" Not my will, but Thine, be done."
Luke xxu. 42.
THE HELIOTROPIUM
Book II CHAPTER I
THE COMMENCEMENT OF CONFORMING THE HUMAN WILL TO THE DIVINE
THERE was once upon a time an eminent Divine who for eight years besought God with un- wearied prayers to show him a man by whom he might be taught the most direct way to heaven. One day, when he was possessed of an unconquerable desire to converse with such a man, and wished for nothing so much as to see a teacher of truth so hidden, he thought that he heard a voice coming to him from heaven, which gave him this command : — *'Go to the porch of the church, and you will find the man you seek."
Accordingly he went into the street, and at the door of the church he found a beggar whose legs were cov- ered with ulcers running with corruption, and whose clothes were scarcely worth threepence. The Divine wished him good day. To whom the beggar replied, — 'T do not remember that I ever had a bad one.'* Whereupon the man of letters, as if to amend his for- mer salutation, said, — ''Well, then, God send you good
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fortune." **But I never had any bad fortune/' an- swered the beggar. The Divine was astonished at this reply, but repeated his wish, in case he might have made a mistake in what he heard, only in somewhat different words: — "Say you so? I pray, then, that you may be happy." But again the beggar replied, — *'I never was unhappy." The Divine, thinking that the beggar was playing upon words merely for the sake of talking, answered, in order to try the man's wit, — "I desire that whatever you wish may happen to you." ''And here, also," he replied, 'T have noth- ing to complain of. All things turn out according to my wishes, although I do not attribute my suc- cess to fortune."
Upon this the man of letters, saluting him afresh, and taking his leave, said : — "May God preserve you, my good man, since you hate fortune! But tell me, I pray, are you alone happy among mortals who suffer calamity? If so, Job speaks safely when he declares, — 'Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.' {Job XIV. I.) And how comes it that you alone have es- caped all evil days? I do not fully understand your feelings." To this the beggar replied, — "It is so, sir, as I have said. When you wished me a *good day,' I denied that I had ever had a bad one. I am per- fecdy contented with the lot which God has assigned me in this world. Not to want happiness is my hap- piness. Those bugbears, Fortune and Misfortune, hurt him only who wills, or at least fears, to be hurt
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by them. Never do I offer my prayers to Fortune, but to my Heavenly Father Who disposes the events of all things. And so I say I never was unhappy, in- asmuch as all things turn out according to my wishes. If I suffer hunger, I praise my most provident Father for it. If cold pinches me, if the rain pours down upon me, or if the sky inflicts upon me any other in- jury, I praise God just the same. When I am a laugh- ing-stock to others, I no less praise God. For sure I am that God is the Author of all these things, and that whatever God does must be the best. Therefore, what- ever God either gives, or allows to happen, whether it be pleasant or disagreeable, sweet or bitter, I es- teem alike, for all such things I joyfully receive as from the hand of a most loving Father; and this one thing I will — what God wills. And so all things hap- pen as I will. Miserable is the man who believes that Fortune has any power against him; and truly un- happy is he who dreams of some imaginary unhappi- ness in this world. This is true happiness in this life, to cleave as closely as possible to the Divine Will. The Will of God, His most excellent. His most per- fect Will, which cannot be made more perfect, and cannot be evil, judges concerning all things, but noth- ing concerning it. To follow this Will I bestow all my care. To this one solicitude I devote myself with all my might, so that whatever God wills, this I also may never refuse to will. And, therefore, I by no means consider myself unhappy, since I have so entire- ly transfused my own will into the Divine, that with
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me there is no other will or not will than as God wills or wills not."
''But do you really mean what you say?" asked the Divine; ''tell me, I pray, whether you would feel the same if God had decreed to cast you down to hell?" To which the beggar at once replied, — "If He should cast me down to hell? But know that I have two arms of wondrous strength, and with these I should hold him tightly in an, embrace that nothing could sever. One arm is the lowliest humility shown by the oblation of self, the other, purest charity shown by the love of God. With these arms I would so en- twine myself round God, that wherever He might banish me, thither would I draw Him with me. And far more desirable, in truth, would it be to be out of heaven with God, than in heaven without Him." The Divine was astonished at this reply, and began to think with himself that this was the shortest path to God.
But he felt anxious to make further inquiry, and to draw forth into sight the wisdom which dwelt in such an ill-assorted habitation; and so he asked, — ^'Whence have you come hither?" "I came from God," replied the beggar. To whom again the Di- vine,— "And where did you find God?" "Where I forsook all created things." Again the Divine asked, — "But where did you leave God ?" "In men of pure minds and goodwill," replied the poor man. "Who are you?" said the Divine. "Whoever I am," he re- plied, "I am so thoroughly contented with my lot that
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I would not change it for the riches of all kings. Every one who knows how to rule himself is a king." "Am I, then, to understand that you are a king?" said the other. ''Where is your kingdom?" "There," said the beggar, and at the same time pointed with his finger towards heaven. "He is a king to whom that kingdom on high is transferred by sure deeds of cove- nant." At last the Divine, intending to bring his ques- tions to an end, said,— "Who has taught you this? Who has instilled these feelings into you?" To which the other replied,— "I will tell you. Sir. For whole days I do not speak, and then I give myself up en- tirely to prayer or holy thoughts, and this is my only anxiety, to be as closely united as possible to God. Union and familiar acquaintance with God and the Divine Will teach all this."
The Theologian wished to ask more questions, but thinking it would be better to postpone this to another time, took his leave for the present. As he went away, full of thought, he said to himself ,—"Lo ! thou hast found one who will teach thee the shortest way to God! How truly does S. Augustine (Conf. viii. 8) say,— 'The unlearned start up and take heaven by violence, and we with our learning, and without heart, lo! where we wallow in flesh and blood!' And so Christ, when giving thanks says, — T confess to thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.' (Matt. xi. 25.) Be- neath a filthy garment, forsooth, great wisdom often
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lies concealed. And who would think of seeking for such Divine learning in a man of so mean an appear- ance? Who would believe that so much of the Spirit was hidden under such unlettered simplicity? Lo! those two arms of unconquerable strength, Oblation of Self and Love of God, draw God whithersoever this poor man wills! With these arms God permits Him- self to be closely bound; other embraces He refuses."
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CHAPTER II
WHAT KIND OF HUMAN WILL IS MOST SUITABLE TO THIS CONFORMITY WITH THE WILL OF GOD
IN order that young maidens might be sought for king Assuerus, the most comely that could be found were gathered together from all provinces of the kingdom to Suf a the palace ; and a year was to be spent by them on nothing else but the adornment of their body. And what purifications with unguents, and with sweet odours, and with other things, were there not! How much care and expense were lavished on adorning the person! So great a thing was it es- teemed to find favour in the eyes of the king! And should not the human will, destitute of all preparatory adornment, fear to rush, like a country-woman fresh from the fields, into the embrace ot the Supreme King? Let the will of man know that it can then only find favour in the Divine Eyes, if it tries, not merely to remove from itself even the smallest blem- ishes, but likewise to furnish itself with such adorn- ments as may attract the Divine Will to union with itself. And, therefore, for the sake of preserving a proper arrangement, and avoiding obscurity, I pro- pose so to treat the subject as to apply to the Will
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different names by way of titles, so that it may learn from these what sort of preparation is needed for this conformity to the Divine Will. When a master is going to receive a new servant into his house, he makes many stipulations, and says to him, — *'I wish that my servant should not be a tale-bearer, nor given to finery, nor a gambler, nor quarrelsome, nor a drunk- ard; but it is all important that he should be active, honest, and obedient.'* And if it is the privilege of a master to lay down rules of this kind for his serv- ants, why should not God have the same right, when about to admit the human will into friendship with Himself? Therefore let the will of man know that it must now live according to different laws, and chiefly these that follow : —
I. Let the Will he pure. This is above all things needful, for the Heavenly Spouse is of such purity that He both hates and banishes from His Presence everything that defiles. It is necessary, therefore, that the will which is to be united to Him should also hate every kind of impurity. And it must do this so thoroughly as not merely not to encourage avarice, not to indulge in luxury, not to give way to anger, but even if it feels the smallest leaning and affection towards these polluting habits, at once to expel them bravely, and not merely be unwilling to think of what is impure, but also willing to meditate upon everything that is the contrary.
But my business is not to speak of those things which are clear to every one. Another vice there is,
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of wondrous subtlety, but at the same time of the utmost quickness in its operation, — Envy. From this let the will be pure, and let it keep itself from all con- tagion of this pest. Let the will which desires to be conformed to the Divine Will be altogether free from jealousy. Let it not be affected with envy at another's happiness, nor be oppressed at the envy of its own; for he who is truly united to God sees others abound- ing in Grace and worldly riches, and yet does not envy them, but, turning to God, says, — "Dost Thou will, O Lord, that this or that man should be raised to wealth and honours, while I am left to pine away in contempt? I do not strive against Thee, O my God, nor do I ask of Thee a reason for it. Thy one and only Will is to me cause enough, and abundantly sufficient reason. For most sure am I that unless Thou didst permit it, and it were not for my good, no one would obtain from Thee that which, when Thou grantest it, is obtained with no trouble, and perchance with few words. But in other things also I know that it is by Thy Permission, O my Lord, that one man thus assails me, another deals with me thus, and another thus disturbs me. Never, so far as I know, have I injured them. But in Thy Will I find answer enough for this. Thou hast permitted it. Thou hast ordered it. Be they, then, Semeis to me, and let me be David, if it thus seem good to Thee, O my God!" S. Ignatius, the holy bishop of Antioch and martyr, exclaimed, — "I am Christ's corn, and must be ground by the teeth of wild beasts that I may be found to be
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pure bread." And thus, in truth, God prepares us as Lord's bread for his table. What have we, then, to complain of against men? They are the millstones which grind us the wheat which is spread upon them.. And that we may cause this thought to sink down deeply into our soul it will be advisable every hour sev- eral times to raise our heart towards God by repeat- ing such little prayers as, — "Blessed be God for ever! Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Thy Will be done!" This is the first step in the preparation of the human will — that it should be pure from blemishes, especially from all grudging and envy. But besides this there must be, —
2. A Patient Will. When any one is harassed by adversity let him seek all his help from patience, and say with calmness, — "Whatever I suffer is all from God; but is sent upon me from God by means of this occasion, this man, or this cause; and I am as sure of this as I know I am alive." And here very many come to a standstill, from not having such a firm faith in God as to feel certain that adverse things and all untoward events come from Him, just as much as prosperity and the successes which they have most ardently wished for. If we held this as certain, which in itself is perfectly certain, we should not be so prone to bear things with impatience or objection, nor should we so often need to be urged forward with these words, — "O ye of little faith." But that adversity of all kinds, by whomsoever brought about, comes down to us from God, Christ declares when he says, — "Are
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not two Sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, better are you than many spar- rows." (Matt. X. 29-31.) Does God, then, fall to the ground with an insignificant sparrow? Certainly the Will of God does, and why not God Himself? Who, as He works without ceasing in all created things, swims likewise with the fish, flies with the bird, crawls with the serpent, and walks with the four-footed animal. God forsakes not what He has made. Al- though, therefore, so many thousands of larks are so often caught at the same time in nets, yet none of these, no, not even the smallest, is taken without the Will of God,— 'Wo^ one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father." But, as far as concerns the all-provident Will of God, the same rule applies to the eagle, and the sparrow, and man. If, there- fore, not one of the smallest birds falls into the fowl- er's net without the Will of God, do you think that you, O man, who were made in the Image of your Creator, an heir of the Kingdom, are harassed by any adversity, or afflicted with any injury, loss, or grief, unless God specially wills it? But that we might un- derstand this more fully, and might never rashly say that God shows this care towards things with life only, our Saviour added, — 'The hairs of your head are all numbered." Who could ever count the number of his hairs? And yet God numbers the hairs not only of one man but of all men, and without His Will not
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a single one can be taken away. Whenever, then, in seasons of adversity we cast away our patience, or ut- ter imprecations against others, or fasten the blame on this or that person, and scatter our reproaches broadcast, we display a very great want of faith. Through a deceptive piety, in sooth, we shrink from making God the Author of those things which we call evils. S. John was the only one who recognized Christ on the sea, while the other disciples knew Him not, and exclaimed, — "It is the Lord." (John xxi. 7.) And so there are very many persons who amid the waves of troubles do not acknowledge that God is the cause of the sea being stormy, but are beyond measure exasperated against those whom they con- sider enemies, and say, — "That is a paltry fellow; this is an idle rascal; that is a rogue; this a night prowler; this is a perfect monster of wickedness who devised mischief against me; through that most aban- doned of men this blame has fallen upon me." But far differently is the Patient Will accustomed to speak, — ''All this evil," it confesses, ''is from God. Most justly does God chastise me. It is the Lord, let Him do what is good in His sight." (i Kings iii. 18.) 3. A Cheerful Will. This disposes a man to be perfectly contented as well with food as with all other things which he daily receives from the Hand of God. Such a man as this says, — "Whatever Thou givest me, O my God, is enough, even though it oftentimes seems too little for my greediness; nor have I in any way deserved it. Thou art too bountiful towards me.
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I feel that I am undeserving even of the air I breathe." He who desires to conform himself to the Divine Will is accustomed never to complain. No one will ever hear from him such lamentations as — "I can scarcely earn my livelihood, while others fare luxuri- ously, and yet do not toil half as much as I do. They sow little, and yet reap abundant crops." Well in- deed did the Bard of Venusium long ago ask the ques- tion (HoR. Sat. I. i): — "How comes it, Maecenas, that no one lives contented with the lot which either reason has assigned him, or chance has placed in his way, but praises those who are engaged in pursuits different from his own?" This is the reason, my good Poet, this is the reason, that we so slowly acquiesce in the Divine Will, — our covetousness hurries us first in one direction, then in another, and often to distant objects, nor is there any limit to our desires; but when we do not obtain what we have set our affections on, we give ourselves up to lamentations and murmur- ings. That is but a narrow mind which earthly things so much delight.
Let the Heliotrope be constantly before our eyes, of which Pliny elegantly writes (Nat. Hist. xxii. 21) : — "I have often spoken of the wonderful property of the Heliotrope, which turns itself round with the sun, even on a cloudy day ; so great is its love of that lumi- nary. But at night it closes its azure flower, as if from missing its rays." Observe, my friend, that the Heliotrope even of a cloudy day turns itself round with the sun, through love of it. The Will of God
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is our sun. It is not indeed always shining upon us in a cloudless sky; stormy days, accompanied with rain, and wind, and hail, are mingled with fair-weather days. There is no Christian who does not very often experience this heaviness of the atmosphere and stormy seasons.
But let us, like the Heliotrope, turn ourselves round with our sun, the Divine Will, even on cloudy days, so great let our love of that our luminary be. And it is certain that no tranquillity will ever fall to our lot, but numberless things will disquiet us on all sides ; we shall be satisfied with nothing, w^e shall never be con- tented with our lot, everything will seem to be want- ing, although everything is present; we shall never be free from fear, and shall frequently be overcome with weariness, disturbed in mind, timid and irreso- lute, full of complaints and jealousy; in a word, we shall always be unhappy, as long as we have not turned ourselves round, like the Heliotrope, to this sun, viz. the Divine Will. This sun must ever be gazed upon by us with fixed and unshrinking eye, in whatever direction its course may bend; and this one thing must we ever resolve in our mind, — '^As it pleases God, so does it please me. The Will of God alone is to me the rule of life and death. As it hath pleased the Lord so is it done, and so shall it be done. Blessed be the Name of the Lord." Now, indeed, our sun is hidden by a cloud, but soon it will show its bright face through this mist of sorrow. Look at the course of ages, and see how variously things turn out !
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How often are there cloudy days after a fair sunrise, and how often do fine days follow upon cloudy morn- ings! Let us, then, dispose our minds in such a way as that before every event we should wish for nothing more than to follow the Divine Will. Once upon a time a certain learned Jew, who, it must be confessed, was ready enough with words, when intending to devote himself to Christ, said — ''Master, I will fol- low Thee whithersoever Thou shalt go." {Matt. viii. 19.) And so let us, being perfectly ready to obey every indication of the Divine Will, both in word and deed, follow it whithersoever it may go.
4. A Persevering, Long-suffering Will. We impair nearly all our virtues through want of Perseverance. The children of Israel being tired out with the stay of Moses on the Mount, turned to idols, and made a golden calf for a god, excusing themselves by his long absence. Thus also those two travellers when going to Emmaus said, — "Besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done." {Luke XXIV. 21.) It is, indeed, the third day, but is the third day yet passed? Is there no time left for Him to rise again from the dead? Is your patience so en- tirely worn out ?
If this third day had passed, and if the fourth or fifth had come, you might be thought to have reason to despair; but since you have not yet reached the evening of this third day, why do you so rashly de- spair of your rising Lord?
In our prayers we are only too impetuous, and un- i77^
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less that which we ask is immediately granted we plunge all our hope into impatience, or even into despair. But it is far otherwise with God: — ''The Lord is compassionate and merciful; long-sufferings and plenteous in mercy" (Ps. cii. 8) ; ''Neither will God have a soul to perish, but recalleth, meaning that he that is cast off should not altogether perish." (2 Kings XIV. 14.) A miser before he spends a piece of money turns it over twice or three times in his hand, and so God, who is slow to punish, "recalleth" as it were, before He smites any one with a sentence of judgment, and casts him down to hell.
But we, who are both of small faith and scanty hope, if twice or thrice we have asked for anything from God, and have not obtained our request, cast away all our trust, like beggars, who, if they have sev- eral times sought for alms before a house with clam- our and knocking, but have not been attended to, say, — "No one is at home." Knock, ye idle ones, knock! this door is opened to those who knock. In other things what resolute perseverance do we often show ! Some seek for an office for a number of years, and very often in vain. With what consummate pa- tience is a rich inheritance waited for! And that the heir may not feel the delay too keenly he comforts himself with the reflection that time quickly passes. And yet we fix limits to the Divine Decree, and pre- scribe to it a time ! The helping Hand of God delays too long for us in disease ; and we cry out : — "When wilt Thou come, O Lord? Why dost Thou delay?
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Why dost Thou put off assistance? How long must Thou be entreated? For how many years have I been crying, and yet Thou hearest not ! Unless Thou, O Lord, dost succour me this year I will cease to pray, and think it useless." And in this we certainly are not unlike the citizens of Bethulia, who said to Ozias and the chief of the city : — "God be judge between us and thee, for thou hast done evil against us, in that thou wouldst not speak peaceably with the Assyrians, and for this cause God hath sold us into their hands. And therefore there is no one to help us, while we are cast down before their eyes in thirst, and sad de- struction. And now assemble ye all that are in the city, that we may of our own accord yield ourselves all up to the people of Holof ernes." (Judith vn. 13- 15-) O ye faint-hearted ones! Must your city, then, be surrendered in despair to the enemy ? And is there no help to be looked for from Heaven? But Ozias the priest did little to revive the patience of the citi- zens which had already died out, when, in the midst of his tears, he said, — ''Be of good courage, my breth- ren, and let us wait these five days for mercy from the Lord. For perhaps He will put a stop to His indignation, and will give glory to His own name. But if after five days be past there come no aid, we will do the things which you have spoken." (Judith vn. 23, 24.) But O thou priest Ozias, thy wisdom was not deeper than that of the multitude! Was it your part to measure out a time for God, and to ap- point a day for Him to send help? Was not all per-
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severing trust not merely dead among you, but also buried? But Judith, that woman of noblest spirit, could not endure this, and having sent for the elders she said, — *'What is this word, by which Ozias hath consented to give up the city to the Assyrians, if within five days there come no aid to us? And who are you that tempt the Lord ? This is not a word that may draw down mercy, but rather that may stir up wrath, and enkindle indignation. You have set a time for the mercy of the Lord, and you have appointed Him a day, according to your pleasure." {Judith viii. 10-13.) And what then, O Judith, do you advise to be done? ''Let us ask the Lord with tears, that according to His IVill, so He would shew His mercy to us." {Judith VIII. 17.)
Li such a way, then, the Persevering Will unites man to God, that however much he may be afflicted, he exclaims, — ''According to Thy Will, O Lord, do Thou deal with me in Thy Mercy. Although I have cried to Thee, O Lord, for ten, twenty, thirty, or fifty years, yet will I not cease to cry. I place no limits to Thee : and although I were sure that I should not be heard by Thee at all, yet unswerving faith teaches me that I shall not be sent away from Thee empty. If Thou deniest what is asked, Thou wilt give better things. Therefore, if Thou makest any delay, I will wait for Thee, because Thou wilt surely come, and wilt not be slack." {Hah. 11. 3.)
5. An Ardent Will. This means not merely to will or not will that which God wills or wills not, but
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solely on account of His not willing or willing, to reject the former and to accept the latter with ardent desire, and to have no other reason for doing one thing, and leaving another undone, than the Divine Good- pleasure. If one were to question a man possessed of such a will as to why he does not will one thing but does will another, he will reply that he has no other reason than that he finds that God does not will the one, and does will the other. ''I love," says S. Ber- nard, ^'because I love, and I love that I may love, for He Who is loved is Love." S. Augustine counsels us that we ought to feel that as God has willed that all things should exist on account of Himself, so we also should will that neither we ourselves nor any- thing else should exist, except on account of God and His Will.
When the Old Law was still in force, God willed that every article dedicated to the Altar and Tabernacle should be wrapped in a violet covering, and that when so concealed it should be borne by Levites. The com- mand runs thus : — *'A11 the vessels wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, they shall wrap up in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars." (Numb. iv. 12.) And this was done for the reason which is added — that "they shall not touch the vessels of the sanctuary, lest they die." (Ver. 15.) The bearers of the holy ves- sels, therefore, saw none of those things which they carried, but only felt the weight of them, for the cov- ering of violet concealed everything from their eyes.
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And just In the same way every one who has wholly dedicated himself to God is most sweetly ignorant, and does not so much as desire to know why this or that is permitted or commanded by God. Whatever the burden may be, he takes it on willing shoulders. It Is enough for him to see that burden concealed by the violet veil, that is to say, clothed with the Divine
Will.
6. An All-productive Will. By an all-productive Will, I mean that, which, like the most fruitful soil, brings forth all kinds of the holiest desires, and con- secrates them as its first-fruits to the Divine Will Here the lofty soul, and one which longs for heaven, rises upwards ; here sighs full of love, and overflow- ing aspirations soar on high, such as— ''O my God, how do I desire not only to endure great sufferings for Thee, but also to die for Thy sake, even by a painful death!" By means of such heavenward flights of soul God and man are united so closely in nearly all things, that, from this sweet agreement and con- sent, the most delightful communion of designs, and intimate friendship, arise between them, till at length man can say in regard to all the events of life,— ''Yea, Father: for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight." (Matt. XI. 26.) 'Tf we have received good things at the Hand of God, why should we not receive evil?" (Job II. 10.) And thus with unruffled calmness he receives all things, painful or pleasant alike, as from the Hand of God. And here it is wonderful to think how much light shone upon the old Philosophers.
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Epictetus (Ench. 15), one of their number, gives al- most Divine advice when he says, — ''Never speak of having lost anything; but of having restored it. Has your Httle child died ? He is only given back. Is your estate torn from you? But is not that also restored? Yes; but it was an unprincipled man who seized it, you say. And what does it matter to you by whose agency He Who gave it takes it back? As long as He allows the use of it to you, have a care for it as a thing which belongs to some one else, just as a traveller has of his lodging." And thus let the man who desires to be as closely united to God as possible reason with himself in reference to anything that is taken away; let him not regard the person who takes it from him, but God Who recalls His own. Let him, therefore, repeat without ceasing these words of Christ's — "Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight." Yea, my father; yea!
And here, good reader, attend, I pray you, to a short explanation of these Divine words. The Heav- enly Father, addressing the Son of old by Isaias the Prophet, said, — 'T have given Thee for a Covenant of the people, for a Light of the Gentiles." (Isaias xlii. 6.) Just as if He had said,— 'Tt is too little for Me that Thou shouldest bring the remnant of Israel to Me; but I will that heathen nations also should be taught by Thee." And these words of the Father pre- ceded our Lord's birth of the Virgin by eight hundred years.
This Decree, then, of the Father, proclaimed so [83]
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many years before His Birth, the Son most cheerfully embraced, and answered that He willed the same as His Father. Therefore, S. Matthew (xi. 25) says: — "At that time Jesus answered and said." And to whom did He make answer, when there was none who asked a question? He answered His Eternal Father Who so many ages before had addressed the Son. And behold how joyfully the Son embraces the Will of the Father, and says: — ''Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in Thy sight." 'Whatever Thou hast commanded shall be fulfilled by Me." But as the Heavenly Father spoke to the Son by Isaias so many years before He was born, and the Son made answer to Him, so God has from eternity spoken to each one of us; He has most distinctly and accurately ordained at what time each man should be born, and at what time he should die. He has provided every kind of help for obtaining happiness; He has foreseen what each man would think, say, and do throughout the whole course of his life and in what way he would receive the proffered help. Since, then, God has in this way addressed us so benignantly from all eternity, is it not most fitting that we also, each in his own time, should answer with Christ, — "Yea, Father; yea, my Father, since thus, and thus, and thus it seemed good in Thy sight, yea, Father?" And let us repeat, "Yea, Father," every hour, oftentimes renewing our desire; and let us continue this with unwearying per- severance, even to our latest breath. But more of this hereafter.
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CHAPTER III
IN WHAT WAY THE WILL OF MAN IS TO BE CONFORMED TO THE WILL OF GOD
I HAVE Spoken of the preparation which must pre- cede this union of Wills, and also what sort of human will may be thought to be best adapted to con- formity with the Divine. And now I must proceed to show how the will of man is to be conformed to the Will of God in fact.
I. S. Thomas Aquinas says most admirably that all actions allied to virtue are on this account approved by God, if they are performed with the intention that the Divine Will may be obeyed ; for there is no merit in spending even life and blood, unless it be according to the Pleasure of the Divine Will. Poemen, a holy man, constantly admonishes of this, and says : — "Never set up your own will against the Divine; but let your own will ever be most closely united to the Divine." But if this union is real, it is a thoroughly sincere agreement in all things with the Divine Will, which so instructs man that his constant exclamations are, — "As God wills, so do I will. When it pleases God, then it pleases me also."
Ruth, who is deserving of all praise, when address- [85]
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ing Naomi her mother-in-law, said : — ''Whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. The land that shall receive thee dying, in the same will I die: and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, and add more also; if aught but death part me and thee." (Ruth i. 1 6, 17.) A man who is united in will to God thinks and speaks in the same way as of old Eliseus, when bidden to tarry at Bethel, said to Elias, — ''As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." (4 Kings 11. 2.) And this he repeated three times, intending to cleave as an inseparable companion to his master. Josaphat answered King Joram when he sought for aid from him, — "He that is mine is thine; my people, thy people; and my horses, thy horses." (4 Kings iii. 7.) And in this way let us be joined to God with the closest affection, as Ruth was with Naomi, as Eliseus was with Elias, as Josa- phat was with Joram. Let us say with strong faith, — "Thy Will, O my God, is my will ; Thy Heart is my heart ; I am entirely devoted to Thy Will, O my God." And this union of his own will with the Divine let each person diligently cultivate in everything — in af- fairs of business, in duties, in labour of all kinds, in sickness, and in death itself, ever acquiescing most completely in the Divine Decree, and having nothing more constantly in his mouth or heart than "Thy Will be done." For as all virtues shone forth more brilliantly during the agony of Christ, so especially
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His fervour in prayer. In the hour of His sorest need He exclaimed, — ''Father, if Thou wilt, remove this chalice from Me : but yet not My Will, but Thine, be done." {Luke xxii. 42.) There is not a better, nor a shorter, nor a more perfect form of prayer, nor one more pleasing to God and useful to man, than this: — ''Not my Will, but Thine, be done." "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Let the Will of God be done, even though the world should fall! S. Gertrude was accustomed to repeat three hundred and sixty-three times, — "O my most loving Jesus, Thy Will be done." Cassian {Coll. ix. 20) asks, — "What does it mean to say, 'Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven,* but that men may become like Angels, and as the Will of God is fulfilled by them in heaven, so all those who are on earth should do not their own will but His alone. No one, however, will be able tO' say this with sincerity but he alone who believes that God disposes for our good all things which are seen, whether they be adverse or prosperous, and that He is more provi- dent and anxious for the welfare and salvation of His Own people, than we are for ourselves." And so, ac- cording to the meaning of Cassian, he who thus con- forms his own will to the Divine dwells already in the entrance-hall of Heaven; for in Heaven assuredly the countless millions of the Blessed have but one will. And so Arsenius aptly replied to Marcus the Abbot, when he asked, — "Why do you not come back to visit us. Father?" "I prefer," he said, "to hold intercourse with those who live above us, since they have all the
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same will, while among men there are almost as many wills as there is variety of countenance." He, how- ever, who both in adversity and prosperity fashions himself according to the Divine Will, can well under- stand what the Psalmist meant in the verse, — "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" {Ps. cxxxii. i.) And who are the "brethren" meant? Christ and the righteous man; for the Supreme King is not ashamed to own this feeling of brotherhood.
2. Of old, the Preacher, when about to speak on a weighty matter, said, — "The eyes of a wise man are in his head." (Eccles. ii. 14.) But have fools, then, their eyes in their feet, or elsewhere besides their heads? The explanation of S. Gregory is: — "He who fixes every look on God, and on the Will of God, is truly wise. However many eyes he has, he carries them fixed 'in his head.' "
Epictetus, that planet among philosophers in the age of Nero, Domitian, and Marcus Antoninus, lived wholly above fortune. An old woman was his only attendant; a single earthenware lamp (the whole of his furniture) sufficed for those divine meditations of his. And this lamp was sold at his death for a thou- sand drachmas, that is to say, for a hundred gold Philips, in honour of the memory of so great a man. Lucian, who ridiculed all other philosophers, esteemed him alone. This Epictetus, I say, besides his Disserta- tions, wrote also an Enclnridion which is w^ell worthy of immortality. This treatise contains so much of
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the Spirit of religion, and of hidden wisdom, that you might think that it had been written by a man thor- oughly imbued with Christian feeling. This little book will, at the Day of Judgment, put many a Christian to the blush for having written such filthy productions, and having lived conformably to his writings. But to return. This Epictetus, then, who reduced all phi- losophy to these two great heads, Sustain and Abstain; he, I repeat, philosophizes with almost divine wisdom about following God's Will with all one's power. And here let me quote his words (Epict. Diss. iii. 26) : — ■ "My desire," he says, ''I have yielded to God so as to obey Him. Does He will that I should be afflicted with a fever? I will it myself also. Does He will that I should become possessed of something? I myself also will it. Does He not will it? Then I do not will it. Does He will that I should die? Then I will to die. Who can hinder me, or force me, contrary to my de- termination?" And are you not sad, O rebellious Christian, do you not blush when you hear such words ? And why do we, miserable mortals that we are, fight against the Divine Will? We are enclosed on all sides : if we refuse to be led, we shall be dragged, or forced along. Seneca (Ep. 75), speaking of perfect liberty, says: — "Do you inquire what it is? Not to fear men, nor the Gods; not to wish for what is dis- graceful, or what is in excess of propriety. To have complete mastery over oneself. It is a priceless bless- ing to become one's own." But no one can become his own who does not in the first place become God's in
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such a way as. that he either wills, or wills not, all things with God. *'The soul which desires to be mas- ter of itself must be entirely withdrawn from all ex- ternal objects towards itself. Let it remove itself as far as possible from things which concern others, and devote its care to itself. Let it not feel losses, and let it put a favourable interpretation even on adverse things." (Sen. De Tranquil. 14.) This soul begins to be its own; this is true liberty. And so S. Augus- tine {De Civ. IV. 3) says: — ''The good man, even though he is a servant, is free : the wicked man, even though he is a king, is a servant. He has as many masters as he has vices."
3. That most valiant hero, Judas Machabeus, in order to inflame his soldiers against the enemy, cried out, — ''Gird yourselves, and be valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may fight with these nations. Nevertheless, as it shall be the Will of God in heaven, so be it done." (i Mach. in. 58, 60.) Joab, too, when about to engage in a very haz- ardous battle, said to Abisai, his brother, — '"Be of good courage, and let us fight for our people, and for the city of our God; and the Lord will do what is good in His sight." (2 Kings x. 12.) It is of the ut- most importance so to discipline the mind in all things as for it to ascribe every event to Divine Providence. For it not unfrequently happens that men who are learned, wise, warlike, and holy, act both with bravery and skill, and yet without success; but this is no less to be ascribed to the Providence of God than the most
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prosperous event. And, for this reason, the Preacher says, — "1 saw that tinder the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skillful; but time and chance in all." (Ecclcs. ix. ii.) He calls that ''chance" which seems to us to be such, but not to God. It is no uncommon thing, in truth, that an intelligent and industrious man should be dis- appointed of his hope; and this we esteem an evil chance. But S. Thomas Aquinas rightly affirms that it may be gathered from the words of the Preacher that nothing exists by chance, or without the Will and Foreknowledge of the First Cause. For chances are found in things amenable to time, and subject to hu- man knowledge ; but the Divine Power and Providence has foreknown all things from all eternity : it rules all things as the world rolls on, and directs them towards fixed and certain ends, whilst it has assigned a proper time to everything, and a due variety to human efforts, that even in this way those who are unmindful of Divine Providence may learn, from unexpected chances and adverse events, not to ascribe too much to their own powers, and assure themselves that all things de- pend on the Divine Pleasure. What then is Fortune, which was so much worshipped by the ancients? It is a fickle, but an empty, apparition from the lower world. That Divinity which disposes all things for mortals, adverse and prosperous alike, according to its Will, is none other than the Providence of God. God, by means of His Holy Will and Providence, causes hu-
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man affairs to revolve like a v^^heel in motion. Those conditions of men which are dark and uncertain He regulates Himself. ^'I am the Lord, and there is none else; there is no God besides Me. I form the light, and create darkness : I make peace, and create evil ; I the Lord that do all these things." (Isaias xlv. 5, 6.) Among the ancients Fortune was of two colours, for they moulded her statue with a double face, the one in front being white and shining, while the hind- er one was black, as became one in whose will rested the power of good and evil. But this is only the trifling of children. "Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God." (Ecclits. XI. 14.) Seneca (De Tranquil, xv) speaks to the point, when he argues with himself, and then disposes of his own objections : — ''There follows a considera- tion," he says, "which is not unreasonably wont to sadden one, and to lead to solitude, — viz. when the deaths of good men are surrounded with so much that is evil. For example, Socrates is compelled to die in prison, Rutilius to live in exile, Pompey and Cicero to be assassinated, and so on. And, after this, what can one expect for himself, when he sees the best of men suffering the worst evils?" But listen to his answer. "What then is to be done? See how each of them bore his troubles: and if they were brave, then desire to imitate their courage; but if they died in a cowardly way, and like women, why, then nothing died. Either they are worthy to have their courage approved by you, or unworthy to have their cowardice
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imitated." And this is the self-same complaint about the prosperity of the wicked, and the troubles of the just, as well as of the early and painful death of the Saints, which is made by Job, David, Jeremias, JIabacuc, and the other Prophets. But here Chance and Fortune have nothing which they can call their own. All such things are most wisely disposed, within cer- tain fixed limits, by an All-Provident God.
4. When the children of Israel were about to attack the Benjamites, on account of their shameful deed, they consulted God as to who should go up first to the battle. "And the Lord answered them: Let Juda be your leader." {Judges xx. 18.) Joyful at the re- ceipt of this response, and now all but certain of vic- tory, they advanced against the Benjamites with a vast army, and with good courage, and yet they were most disgracefully routed, and lost twenty-two thou- sand of their men, who were slain in one battle. And a second time they consulted the Lord, intending to hazard another battle, and this time not without long prayer and fasting, for they went up and wept before the Lord even until even. And again the answer was, — "Go up against them and join battle." They obeyed, and because they were now going forth to battle by the direct command of God, they promised themselves a most successful issue, and commenced the fight with thoughts fully bent on victory, and yet they were again routed and slain by the Benjamites as be- fore, eighteen thousand men of Israel having fallen in the battle. And how was this? Twice did God
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command His people to fight, and yet in neither battle did they gain the victory, but lost forty thousand chosen men. Who can understand these commands of God? But a third time, "All the children of Israel came to the House of God, and sat and wept, before the Lord, and they fasted that day till the evening, and offered to Him holocausts and victims of peace- offerings. And they consulted the Lord, and said, Shall we go out any more to fight against the chil- dren of Benjamin, our brethren, or shall we cease? And the Lord said to them. Go up; for to-morrow I will deliver them into your hands." (Judges xx. 26-28.) And here it was easy for cowardice to have argued, — "Twice already has the Lord induced us to fight, but each time with a most disastrous result; who, therefore, will rush any more to destruction? Let him fight who will, it is safest to remain quietly at home." But their trust in God prevailed, and this bade them have recourse to arms afresh, with a pros- perous issue at last, for twenty-five thousand of the Benjamites were slain. And here there are two things very worthy of observation. First, the hidden Judg- ments of God, which are not to be examined into by any mortal. Secondly, persevering trust in God, con- cerning which I shall speak further at the proper place. And in all these things we must look with un- flinching and steadfast eye at the Will of God alone. Let no one be disturbed if an unfavourable result fol- lows upon a good cause, or if the most excellent begin- nings turn to an unlucky end. Disease attacks the
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most temperate, consumption the strongest, punish- ment falls on the most innocent, excitement on the most retired. And here we must acquiesce in the Will of God alone. In other things it may be lawful to say ''still further," but in this, ''no further," "for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to accomplish, according to His good Will." (Phil. IL
13.)
5. Pelagius, an ancient writer, relates how that one Joseph asked Pastor the Abbot the following ques- tion : — "Tell me. Father, how can I become a monk ?" To whom he replied, — "If you desire to find rest in this world and the next, say upon all occasions, Who am I that I should prefer my own will or judgment to the Divine? Then take care whom you judge, for God has His Own saints here in every condition of life." Most wholesome counsel indeed! God of a truth receives laws from no one, and renders to no one an account of His actions. Here, therefore, let the wisdom of all men keep a profound silence, and let it everywhere adore at a distance the indications of the Divine Will, because God will do whatever He wills, and His words are full of power, and no one can say to Him, Why doest Thou thus?
As it is usual in cities to regulate all clocks by one chief clock, so it is most fitting that we should regu- late our little time-pieces, or, in other words, each his own will, according to that Supreme and Heavenly Horologe of infinite magnitude, that is to say, accord- ing to the Divine Will.
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But, in order that we may fully see how the hu- man will is to be united to the Divine, behold a most illustrious example of such a union. Francis Borgia, Duke of Gandia, passed two-and-twenty years with his wife Leonora in wonderful happiness. But when she fell sick, because he saw that he was about to be deprived of half of himself, he devoted himself very earnestly to prayer (inviting also the intercession of good men), as well as alms and fasting. Upon one occasion he entered his chamber alone, when all wit- nesses had been removed, and earnestly besought God with plentiful tears that He would grant that his wife should recover her health and live, when behold! he distinctly heard a voice within, as he himself related afterwards, which said, — *'If you desire that your wife should live longer, let it be as you will; but it is not good for you." And being troubled at this, he doubted not but that it was the Voice of God, and that he was being silently rebuked for asking that of which he was ignorant. And so, bursting into tears again, he poured forth these words from his inmost heart, — "Whence is it, O Lord my God, that Thou committest to my will that which is in Thy Power alone? It is of the highest consequence to me to follow Thy Will in all things. For who knows better than Thou, O my God, w^hat would come from my request? And, therefore. Thy will be done; and not merely concerning my wife, but concerning my children also and myself do Thou ordain, I pray, whatever is pleasing to Thee. Thy Will be done." It was noticed at that time that
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the disease of his wife remained at such a critical point that the physicians were doubtful whether she would grow better or worse, but that after this prayer it began to be past all hope.
6. And thus in all circumstances, however perplex- ing, our own will is to be conformed to the Divine. And behold another example of this conformity, much* more remarkable than the former! King David, the son of Jesse, had united his will to the Divine by so close a bond of agreement, that God declared, as if congratulating Himself on such a man, — *'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My Own Heart, who shall do all My Wills." (Acts xin. 22.) *'I have found/' He says, as if He had sought anxious- ly, and had waited a long time, until He had found him. And this commendation, awarded by God to the king at Hebron, surpassed all his other titles of honour.
Christ, Who was perfectly obedient to His Father in all things, has encouraged us to this virtue by His Own example : — "Because I came down from heaven," He says, "not to do My Own Will, but the Will of Him that sent Me." (John vi. 38.) And,— "My meat is to do the Will of Him that sent Me, that I may perfect His work." (John iv. 34.) And lest perchance any one should complain, — "He spares His son, but a servant He spares not;" behold! the Son is before us! And see what commands the Father is about to lay upon Him ! Not even the lowest of serv- ants would perform commands of the same kind! Upon which one of you, O ye wilful ones, has He
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enjoined such toil as upon the Son? Whom has He ever exposed to such mockings, and false accusations, and sufferings, as the Son, Who was obedient to the Father, even to the Hall of Pilate, even to the cruel Pillar of Scourging, even to the Hill of Golgotha, even to the most shameful Cross and most painful Death, even to the Sepulchre which was not His Own, even to the Prison of departed souls? For this. He proclaims, I came down from heaven, that I might submit Myself most perfectly to this Will of My Father. What, then, shall servants do, if the Son did this ? And so our Lord, summing up all His precepts under one head, says, — ''Not every one that saith to me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heav- en, but he that doth the Will of My Father Who is in heaven." (Matt. vii. 21.)
He who has so disciplined himself as most thorough- ly to yield himself to the Divine Will begins already to dwell on the summit of a mountain inaccessible to danger, and has beneath his feet clouds, and storms, and lightnings, and every disturbance of the elements, and all the changes of this mortal life; and there he is placed beyond the reach of all fear, except it be that he fear this alone, — that he be not united closely enough to the Divine Will, and so he exclaims with- out ceasing, — "Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven!"
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CHAPTER IV
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH^ AS IT IS IN HEAVEN !"
WHEN the disciples besought their Divine Master — "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke xi. i), He assented, and ''said to them, when you pray, say, 'Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come ; Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven,' " &c. But how hard is this prayer, O my God! There is too much dissimilarity between those blessed spirits in heaven and us exiles in this vale which is so pro- ductive of wormwood. To those blessed ones above all things happen according to their wish, nor is there anything which cannot please them; but in our case, we, who are still banished from heaven, can scarcely find anything which does entirely please us.
There is disgust and loathing everywhere, and scarcely even a few things, and these only very sel- dom, turn out according to our wishes; while there are numberless things which displease us every day, and excite our anger. But in heaven it is most pleas- ant, as it is also most easy, to attune oneself to the
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Divine Will, for there no adversity disturbs; but here a thousand vexations harass us : v^e are weighed down with cares; there is scarcely the smallest time for re- covering breath; conflict follows upon conflict; our misfortunes are linked together; and a continuous chain of calamities scarcely allows us time to pray without distraction. As, therefore, the full and the hungry do not sing on equal terms, nor do they who have just risen from a sumptuous feast, and they who have kept a long fast, dance on equal terms, so neither can we pray with the same readiness as the blessed, — "Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven." Our condition and theirs are too different for this ; but remove us thither, O Lord, and we will equally with them unite our desires and acts to Thine. But may God forgive such words, my Christian friends! We are but the idlest of mendicants, and not as ready as might be, even with our tongue. How quickly, alas! do we succumb before things which certainly are not so very difficult; a gentle breeze overthrows us; we shrink from whatever cannot be accomplished agree- ably. Christ, O ye timid ones, taught us to do nothing which might not be done. This at least let us do, and strive with all our might to fulfil the Divine Will on earth, as the angels do in Heaven. If in reality we are able to do less, let us at least be liberal in our wishes. S. Cyprian {De Hah. Virg. 2^) says, excel- lently,— "Christ taught us to pray, *Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven;' and this, not that God should do what He Himself wills, but that we should
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be able to do what He wills." Whoever, therefore, wishes to follow the example of prayer which Christ sets him, must not repeat the words indistinctly be- neath his breath, but should say out fearlessly, — 'Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven." But let him attend carefully to what I am about to add; and let him pray that he may have the power to fulfil the Divine Will—
I. (i ) With perfect Purity of Intention. Thy Will be done! For this I have determined to follow, not for the sake of gain, nor because Thou hast fenced me in with blessings, as Satan slanderously said of Job {Job I. lo) ; nor yet from fear of punishment, lest I should be banished into hell; but with a single eye I regard Thy Will alone. I will because Thou wili- est, O my God.
(2) Lovingly. Thy will be done! This is my only care, that what I do may be pleasing to Thee, and that even in this way the name of Thy Majesty may be made known by me, a most unprofitable servant. Thy pleasure, O my God, I esteem so highly, that I should think it reward enough to have pleased Thee; and so I agree with Chrysostom when he affirms, — "You know not of a truth what it means to please God, if you seek for any other reward."
(3) Readily. Thy Will be done! Slowly to will is the part of one who wills not. Most acceptable are those acts of obedience which are prompt, ready, and where there is no delay. It is a sign of one who does a thing willingly, to do it quickly. Favour is taken
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away from an act of kindness in proportion as there is an increase of delay; therefore, — ''My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready!" {Ps. cvii. i), to perform all Thy Will.
(4) Cheerfully. Some things we do quickly enough, but not with sufficient good-will. *'Not with sadness or of necessity," says S. Paul, "for God loveth a cheer- ful giver." (2 Cor. ix. 7.) He who has set the Will of God before himself as his end and aim, if trouble or sorrow intervene he swallows them without diffi- culty ; for he is longing for such dainties as to be able to say, — "My meat is to do the Will of Him That sent me;" therefore, — "Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven!"
(5) Perfectly. Thy Will be done! Not even the smallest indication of it being omitted. A man who is really anxious to yield himself to the Divine Will does not seek for exceptional cases, nor does he use such language as, — "I will, O Lord, but not yet; I obey, O Lord, only command not that particular thing ; I will wash, and even kiss, the feet of all men, only let me not be compelled to perform this office to mine enemy; I will endure being despised, only let me not be put to shame in public ; I am prepared for all things, if Thou wilt only not require that particular thing from me." But not so the man who really loves the Divine Will. He makes no exceptions; he withdraws himself from no blows. On the other hand, he rather says, — ^"Dost Thou will, O my Lord, that I should suffer more, and still more bitter things ? Behold me !
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I am ready, I am prepared. Lay upon me heavier commands; chastise me more severely; only Thy Will be done!"
(6) Perseveringly. Thy Will be done! After the first, after the second, the third, and the fourth decade of my life Thy Will be done ; and be it done for ever. *T have inclined my heart to do Thy justifications for ever, for the reward." (Ps. cxviii. 112.) Dost Thou will, O Lord, that I should suffer something for a hundred or a thousand years? If Thou wiliest, I will. And this is the way to recite the Lord's Prayer with devout intention. These are the wings of the seraphim by which we are borne on high to a knowledge of the Divine Will.
2. And here we must specially observe that the blessed in heaven rejoice more fully in the perform- ance of the Divine Will than in the greatness of their own glory. And so they are all most perfectly con- tented with their own reward, and none is displeased because he has less than another. For they who see God are not merely conformed to the Divine Will, but are also absorbed in it, and are transformed into it, so as henceforward to will the Will of God alone ; and they rejoice more that it is the Will of God that they should be blessed, than that they enjoy this blessed- ness. And upon this conformity of the human will with the Divine there follows a most excellent effect of love, which may be called not so much conformity, as actual union of the human will with the Divine; and this so influences the blessed that with all their
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powers, and with the utmost possible ardour, they de- sire that God should be as He is, as Wise and Pow- erful, as Merciful and Just, as w^orthy of all fulness of Honour and Glory and Majesty. Just as a son who has been well brought up does not grudge happiness to his father any more than to himself, and desires that his parent should be honoured as much as himself, or even more than himself; so the blessed rejoice in the blessedness which God enjoys, as much as they do in their own. And hence those songs in heaven so full of joy, — "Alleluia; Salvation, and Glory, and Power is to our God; for true and just are His Judgments. Alleluia; for the Lord our God the Almighty hath reigned. Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give glory to Him." (Apoc. xix. i, 2, 6, 7.)
And this, which I will not call conformity to, but union with, the Divine Will amongst the blessed, we too can imitate in our prayers in this way. Let the understanding contemplate, like a most attentive spec- tator, God's Power, Eternity, Wisdom, Beauty, and infinite Blessedness; but let the will rejoice that God is Infinite Good, the Fount of all riches, Who wants nothing, Who can do all things. Who is liberal towards all. Who is present in everything. Theologians hold that this is the greatest and most perfect act of Di- vine love; for as no love can be greater than that wherewith God loves Himself, so our love also cannot be better than by daily being made more conformable to that Divine love. It is a saying of philosophers, that to love is nothing else than to desire good for
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some one. And if this principle is established, it fol- lows that the more good we desire for any one, the more we love him. But we cannot wish any greater good to God than what He is Himself, the most bound- less Good of all goods; and so we cannot love God more ardently than by wishing Him all His Own good. And, therefore, in this way especially the Will of God will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
3. And they whose wills are thus closely united with God's Will are the lightnings of which Job speaks, — "Canst thou send lightnings, and will they go, and will they return, and say to thee. Here we are?" {Job xxxviii. 35.) Lightning and thunderbolts being fire of the utmost subtlety, rise upwards by their own nature; but because God sends them downwards to the earth, forgetful of their own properties, they rush below with incredible swiftness, cleaving a way through iron, rocks, and whatever resists their course. And yOu may call those the lightnings of Christ who tram- ple under foot their own will that they may obey the Divine Will. They would soar on high indeed, if they followed their own aspirations, but because God wills otherwise, they let themselves down even to the lowest depths, not unwillingly, but with the utmost readiness ; they break through difficulties and impedi- ments of every kind; they are not wearied with such constant motion, but when their mission is accom- plished they return like lightnings, and stand before their Lord, and say, — ''Lo! here we are! What shall we now do? We are ready even to die. Command
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what Thou wilt." As, moreover, the lightnings leap (a thing to be observed), not from the water, or from the earth, but from a dense and well-closed cloud; so the will which is ready, and easily led to obedience in everything, issues forth from prayer and meditation, which soar on high like clouds, while the senses of the body are safe closed up on all sides. For if any one attentively considers with what wonderful obedience so many millions of angels in heaven serve the Deity, and how the Son of God Himself embraced the Will of His Father in the manger, coarse swaddling-clothes and straw, in journeyings, in agony, and on the Cross, he will not be able to restrain himself, but like light- ning he will promise the most ready obedience, and will closely unite his own will to the Divine. And then at last he will with sincerity say the Lord's Prayer, and particularly the clause, — "Thy Will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven."
4. That most famous passage of S. Augustine's is well worthy of attention, where, when examining the command given to the first Pair not to touch the Apple, he assumes the character of Adam and asks, — *' Tf the tree is good, why may I not touch it? But if it is bad, what place has it in Paradise?' And to him God replies, — Tt is in Paradise because it is good ; but I forbid you to touch it because I desire that you should be an obedient and not a rebellious servant.' 'And why is this?' 'Because you are the servant, and I am the Lord.' " And here you have a thousand reasons contained in this one: — Because God is our
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Lord, and has set before us His Will to be obeyed by us, and not to be questioned, and we are servants; it is therefore most fitting that we should walk in the way in which the Will of God leads us.
The apostate angel most craftily and wickedly asked in Paradise, — "Why hath God commanded?" (Gen. III. I.) He ought to have asked, — Why do you not eat of the fruit of this tree? For to this question there would have been an immediate answer, — Be- cause God has commanded us not to eat of it. But the most subtle serpent anticipated the reply, and framed his question, — ''Why hath God commanded?" As of- ten, then, as it is ascertained that God wills anything we must not after this inquire, — ''Why is this?" There is a reason, the most urgent of all reasons, — God so WILLS. When Abraham was bidden to slay his son, what excuses might he not have devised and urged! but he was silent and obeyed. This one reason was enough for him, — God so wills.
5. Parents occasionally ask, in order to test the dis- position of their children, whether they would not like, as the day is so fine, to go into the garden, or take a trip into the country? Supposing (they say) we put aside books for to-day, and look at some pictures in- stead. If the children answer, — ''Just as our master and parents please," they exhibit a proof of excellent training, and sound discretion. But if they do not dis- guise their eager desire for walks and play, and before their parents have given their consent, fly out into the sunshine, they show a disposition of an inferior order ;
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and then the father very properly says, — "Stop, my boy; put away your playthings, you must go to school to-day." And then follow dejected looks, tears, and mutterings; no attention is paid to books, but the thoughts wander idly; oftentimes, too, there are fits of crying, and complaints against the tyranny of par- ents. Look at these silly children, so little inclined to yield to the wishes of their parents ! And such very often are we ourselves! Most entirely given up to all sorts of fleeting pleasures, and instantly complaining when God, our Supreme Father, either disturbs our play, or calls us away to work. If we are wise we shall try to imitate children who are well brought up, and shall say nothing else than, — ''J'-^st as it pleases the Lord, our Father, are we ready and prepared to go, or not to go ; to do, or not to do ; to labour, or to suffer, according as our Father wills."
And here John Tauler appositely remarks, — "If God were to give you a choice, and say, 'Do you desire that I should exempt you from all the ills of body and mind, and restore you to paradise?' You ought to make no other reply than this, — 'Thou art able, O Lord, both to take away sufferings and to leave them, according as Thou wiliest ; but that will be most pleas- ing to me which is most agreeable to Thy Will.' " In this way of a truth we attain a fuller measure of grace than if we grasp at the greatest gifts, when follow- ing our own will. God is, certainly, no light exactor of virtues, but, like strict parents, He is wont to train His children in a severer way; and so when you see
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men who are good and pleasing to God, labouring, and toiling, and ascending by a steep road, while the evil are taking their ease, and are filled to overflowing with pleasure, reflect that the former are pleased with the moderation of sons, the latter with the licence of serv- ants ; that the one are restrained by a severe discipline, while the audacity of the other is encouraged. God does not allow one who is dear to Him to remain in the midst of pleasures; He puts him to the trial, and makes him endure hardship, and thus prepares him for Himself. We grow wiser in adversity ; prosperity takes away right judgment.
And so, let us offer ourselves as empty baskets to God, either to be filled according to the Divine Will, or to be left empty. S. Jerome, rebuking Julian, says, — **You fancy that you are standing on the very pinnacle of virtues if you offer a portion from the whole. The Lord desires yourself as a living victim; give to God yourself, not yours."
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CHAPTER V
WHAT ARE THE MARKS AND SIGNS OF A HUMAN WILL CONFORMED TO THE DIVINE
THE Romans thought nothing of a soldier who had not firm-set ribs, and arms muscular enough to carry any weight. And besides this it was needful that he should have polished and glittering weapons, and the most complete confidence in his general. And so, let no one vaunt himself as a soldier of Christ, let no one think that he is devoted to the Divine Will, un- less he can detect in himself certain indications that his own will hangs entirely on the Divine Will in all things. And that every one may be able to put himself to the proof in this matter, let him look for the following marks or signs : —
I. The First Sign. To desire to do all things at the bidding of the Divine Will, and, therefore, to set about nothing without first imploring the Divine Aid. He who truly follows the Will of God takes no busi- ness in hand without first asking God to be his Helper. But if anything seems to be of more than usual im- portance, or of more than common difficulty in execu- tion, he so much the more frequently implores aid from God. And let this be a fixed rule for those who have
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to deal with weighty matters, and are entrusted with government, never to undertake anything hastily, with- out first asking counsel of God. No man living can easily estimate how much damage the whole world suf- fers from this cause : how many households are badly managed; how many kingdoms and provinces are im- properly governed; how many unjust wars are under- taken; how many injuries are inflicted by one on an- other, through the neglect of this law. This is the most prolific source of evils; because masters of fami- lies, governors, rulers, and kings oftentimes are self- willed and arbitrary, and do not act according to rea- son, but by impulse; and do not consult the Mouth of the Lord, but follow impetuosity as their guide, and lean to their own understanding, and trust to their own shoulders, being very Atlases in their own eyes: and hence often arises a chaotic and disgraceful confusion of business to the injury of very many.
The princes of Israel sinned grievously, because they made a treaty with the Gabaonites, "and consulted not the Mouth of the Lord." (Josue ix. 14.) And we are none the more inclined to take warning on account of their error, but often plan great undertakings, "and consult not the Mouth of the Lord." We seek for the priesthood, we contract matrimony, we mix our- selves up in worldly business, and yet we "consult not the Mouth of the Lord." But far otherwise those noble generals, the Machabees, who never engaged in any battle without first having "consulted the Mouth of the Lord" more than once. For not only before
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the battle did they exhort their soldiers to prayer, and joined with them in their devotions, but they also continued this combined prayer even while they were fighting. And so Judas Machabeus, looking upon the hostile array before him, ^'stretching out his hands to heaven, called upon the Lord that worketh wonders. Who giveth victory to them that are worthy, not ac- cording to the power of their arms, but according as it seemeth good to Him." (2 Mack. xv. 21.) Nor did Machabeus only before the battle ''consult the Mouth of the Lord" with the utmost earnestness in prayer, but by his example he inflamed his soldiers also to do the same, and so he and "they that were with him encountered the enemy, calling upon God by prayers." (Ver. 26.) And not merely at the begin- ning of the battle, but also in the very heat of the con- flict they constantly called upon God, and so, fighting indeed with their hands, but praying to God with their hearts, they slew no less than thirty-five thousand, "being greatly cheered with the presence of God." (Ver. 27.) That is to say, they solemnly "consulted the Mouth of the Lord."
It is the advice of Cassian that before every action these versicles of the Church should be used, — "O God, make speed to save me. O Lord, make haste to help me." It was the practice of S. Pambo, whenever his advice was asked, to require time for commending so great a thing to God, nor could he endure to give any reply until he had first "consulted the Mouth of the Lord." And this practice was of so great use to
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him, that, when he was now near death, he affirmed that he did not remember that anything had ever been said by him of which he was sorry. Of a truth God immediately answers those who seek counsel of Him. *'Thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart." (Ps. IX. 17.) That man does not trust in God, nor does he carefully search out the Divine Will, who does not derive the beginning of all his actions from God. We must consult the Mouth of the Lord in all things without exception.
2. The Second Sign. It is a mark of true devotion towards the Divine Will, not merely not to shrink from sorrows and calamities when they are present, but will- ingly to seek them when they are absent, and for this reason, because God is far nearer by His Grace to those who are afflicted in various ways, than to those who enjoy uninterrupted prosperity. With great de- light the Psalmist, Jesse's son, sings, — ''Thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness." (Ps. xl. 4.) And this, according to S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostom, means that God soothes a sick person, or one who is otherwise afflicted, with such consolations, as if He prepared for him the softest bed. As ladies of rank sometimes wait on the sick from a sweet feeling of pity, so Christ our Lord exercises a special guardian- ship over such as are afflicted either with disease or any other calamity, if they only show themselves worthy of this heavenly protection. The Roman phi- losopher ( Seneca, de Provid. 4. 5 ) moralizes very de- voutly on this subject : — ''Cease, I pray you," he says,
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"to dread those things which the Immortal God ap- plies to your souls to urge them onwards. Calamity gives occasion to virtue. One may truly call those people wretched who are indolent through excess of prosperity, and whom a sluggish tranquillity holds fast as it were on an unruffled sea. And so those whom He loves God tries, and causes them to endure hard- ships, and corrects them, and disciplines them; but those whom he appears to deal gently with, and to spare, he is reserving for evils to come. For you are mistaken if you think that any one is excepted. His own share of troubles will befall him who has been prosperous for a long time. Whoever seems to be in a low estate has his happiness deferred. But why does God afflict all good men either with ill-health or other troubles? Why, too, it may be asked, in a camp are the most perilous posts assigned to the bravest? A general sends his picked soldiers to attack the enemy in an ambush by night, or to examine the line of march, or to dislodge a garrison from some particular position. Not one of those who go forth says, — 'The general deserves no thanks from me!' but, — 'He has made a good choice.' And in the same way let those who are bidden to suffer things which to the fearful and slothful are subjects for tears, say, — *We seem to God to be thought worthy to have the trial made in us as to how much human nature is capable of endur- ing.' "
And how agreeable is this to that which Wisdom proclaims, — "For God hath tried them, and found
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them worthy of Himself." (Wisdom iii. 5.) There- fore, fly from pleasures, fly from that enervating hap- piness whereby men become effeminate, unless some- thing interposes which may admonish them of the human lot, like those who are stupefied with perpetual drunkenness. God, therefore, follows the same plan with good men, as a master does with his scholars, who exacts a larger share of work from those from whom he feels more sure of getting it.
Do you think that their own children were objects of hatred to the Spartans because they tried their dis- position by lashes inflicted in public, while their parents themselves encouraged them to bear the strokes of the whip bravely, and asked them, when they were lacer- ated and half dead, whether they should go on adding gash to gash ? And what wonder is it if God severely tries noble souls? There is no such thing as an easy and gentle proof of virtue. Does Fortune lash and tear us? Let us endure it; it is not cruelty, it is a conflict, in which the oftener we engage the stronger we shall be. It is by endurance that the soul arrives at despising the power of evils. Fire tries gold, and misery tries brave men. Why are you astonished that good men are shaken in order that they may be strengthened? A tree is not firm and strong unless the wind constantly blows against it; for by the very disturbing force of the blast it is strengthened, and fastens its roots more surely to the earth. Frail are those trees which have grown in a sunny valley.
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will which is transfused, as it were, into the Divine, if it does not refuse to follow it even through rough and difficult places. Whosoever, therefore, has welcomed to himself the Divine Will with a hearty embrace will exclaim in the midst of troubles, with more earnest- ness even than Demetrius, — "This one thing, O my God, I can complain of concerning Thee, that Thou hast not earlier made known to me Thy Will; for I should have arrived before this at that point to which I have now attained when called by Thee. Dost Thou will to take away from me wealth or reputation? I was ready long ago to offer them. Dost Thou will to deprive me of my children? I have already put them aside for Thee. Dost Thou will to take any part of my body ? Take it. It is no great offer which I make, for in a short time I shall relinquish the whole of it. Dost Thou will to take my spirit? And why not? I do not object that Thou shouldest receive what Thou hast given. Thou wilt take from a willing person whatever Thou shalt demand. I am driven to nothing, I suffer nothing against my will; nor do I serve Thee, O my God, but I agree with Thee." This is the true union of two wills.
3. The Third Sign. The greatest possible distrust of self. This is pre-eminently a Christian virtue, and one which was scarcely known at all to the heathen of old time. He who distrusts himself ascribes even his most prosperous successes not to his own strength or diligence, but entirely to the Divine Power and Goodness; but his errors, and whatever arises from
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them, he imputes to himself, and he observes most faithfully the precept of S. Augustine, — "Let God be all Thy presumption, so as to acknowledge that with- out Him you can do nothing at all, but all things in Him." Nevertheless the man who is entirely distrust- ful of self, and hopes not for success through his own powers, does not neglect to do what he can, relying with all the surer trust in God in proportion as he has none in himself. He knows that he can do noth- ing, and yet that he can do all things, but only with God. He works, indeed, with all his might, but he looks to the Divine Will for all the fruit of his labour, accepting with composure all those things which are only ills to one who bears them ill. But how different with those who trust in themselves, their own strength, their own skill, their own prudence, and their own schemes! How eloquent they are in extolling their own performances; with what unsparing tongue do they speak their own praises ; and in the meantime how carelessly do they behave in many things through ex- cessive self-confidence! But he who rests entirely on the Divine Will is like a pair of scales, he descends the lower on one side in proportion as he ascends higher on the other. A general who has undertaken the defence of a fortified camp examines weak and ill- defended points before the enemy advances, he pro- vides for the commissariat, he arranges his artillery, he prepares against every kind of attack, for he knows that he cannot trust the enemy. And in the same way the Christian says, — "I will not trust disease and
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death; I will fortify myself beforehand with sacra- ments; I will furnish myself with prayer and fasting as weapons ; I trust neither myself nor death." But he who is presumptuous, and confident in his own strength, thinks that he is well enough prepared to meet all the attacks of his enemies ; or at least hopes that it will be easy enough to prepare when occasion arises. He trusts himself and Death! And well does Solo- mon say concerning each of these, — "A wise man feareth, and declineth from evil ; the fool leapeth over and is confident." {Prov. xiv. i6.)
4. The Fourth Sign. Most complete trust in God, whence it comes that when any one is injured or ofTended he does not immediately plan vengeance, but says to himself, — *'God has seen and heard this, and He will avenge in His Own time." And by means of this one thing he rises superior to all his enemies, be- cause he feels certain that even if they were to move hell itself against him, they could not harm him more than God permitted. But you may say, — "There are some who neglect no opportunity of doing harm to others. If they cannot inflict actual injuries they at least try to hinder their neighbours' profit." It is so, I admit; but he who trusts in God so acts as that no amount of diligence should be wanting on his part; but everything else he commits to Divine Providence. And fruitlessly do the wicked attempt to strive against it, — *'There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord." {Prov. xxi. 30.) How dishonestly did Laban deal with Jacob his son-in-
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law! He changed his wages ten times that he might diminish his possessions; but it was to no purpose, since all things turned out to Jacob's advantage, for God suffered him not to hurt him. (Gen. xxxi. 7.)
Sennacherib threatened direst vengeance against Jerusalem; but neither he himself, nor his army, could escape the avenging Hand of God. An angel slew the army, and his sons slew him : — ''And the Lord saved Ezechias and the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of the hand of Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians, and out of the hand of all, and gave them treasures on every side." (2 Par. xxxii. 22.) And so, my Christian friend, trust in God, and leave all vengeance to Him, for He is the Lord of vengeance. And let even the heathen teach you this. Tissaphernes, the Persian general, concluded a peace with Agesilaus; but it was only in pretence and not in reality, for he afterwards came with a vast army and summoned the Greeks to withdraw from Asia. But to the threats of the ambassadors Agesilaus dauntlessly replied, — *'Tell your general that I heartily thank him for hav- ing broken the treaty, and so made both gods and men his enemies. My forces will swell through the per- fidy of my foe!" Words almost worthy of a Chris- tian! It is as if he had said, — that we should be saved ''from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us." (Luke i. 71.) He who trusts in God has all his enemies as vassals, because he has God on his side.
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first of all seeks it from God. And here he lays down this rule for himself, — It either is good for me that the thing which I seek should be granted, or it is not good, but which of the two it is God knows best. If it is good for me, God will either grant it immediately, or at some more fitting time, in order that in the mean- time my patience may be exercised; if, however, God refuses me what I have asked, I am perfectly certain that my request was not for my good. In this way alone, and never in any other, does he who has yielded himself absolutely to the Divine Will present his peti- tions to God. They, on the other hand, who are ig- norant of this mystery of the Divine Will, either do not implore God's aid, or do so sluggishly and care- lessly, and before they do this weary out the patience of all their friends, and court the favour of as many as they can; and if they cannot effect their object in any other way, they even try to procure this favour by bribes, and they buy interest and honours, just as they would in the market.
S. John, who may be called the eye of the Lord, saw Christ carrying in His Right Hand seven stars. (Apoc. I. 1 6.) And what are these stars in His Hand? John himself, when unfolding this mystery, says, — 'The seven stars are the angels of the seven Churches" (Apoc. I. 20), or the seven bishops of Asia. Behold, then, bishops and their mitres are in the Hand of Christ! But if a mitre anywhere wants an owner, there are numbers who offer their head for it; but they do not first hasten straight to the Hand of Christ.
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They run indeed but oftentimes they reach the hands of kings and princes before they run to Christ. And the same thing happens in the pursuit of other offices and honours ; human interest is sought, but the Divine favour only by a few, or after that of man. It is a transparent error; we ought to do the reverse: the Divine Favour and Will should be sought before all things. Sceptres and crowns are in the Hand of God ; He apportions offices, dignities, places of trust, and magistracies; from Him, in the first instance, must all these be sought: — "As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord : whither- soever he will he shall turn it." (Prov. xxi. i.) As a gardener who has a little stream of water at his command in his garden does not always guide it to the nearest or best tree, but oftentimes to one of feebler growth, or in whatever direction he pleases; so the heart of the king, like a stream, contains offices and preferment of every kind : but God, like a gardener, guides the water from this stream towards those whom He Himself has chosen, without, however, forcing man's free-will. And therefore they act with consum- mate folly who throw away so many prayers and bribes into the ears and hands of others, while God is saluted only in a cold and distant way. Oh! the madness of men ! More purely are waters sought from the Fount itself.
5. The Fifth Sign. To be able to endure all things in noble silence. Consider, I pray you, the most pa- tient Jesus, so nobly keeping silence amidst numberless
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reproaches and torments. The Jewish priests stood and constantly accused Him, but Jesus held His peace. They laid various crimes to His charge, but Jesus held His peace. They grew vehement against Him with loud cries, and demanded that He should be crucified, but Jesus held his peace. While He was hanging on the Cross they ceased not to revile Him with most bitter reproaches, but Jesus held his peace. And so, too, the mother of our Lord was perfectly silent amidst the greatest difficulties. S. Joseph per- ceived that she was with child, and therefore deter- mined to put her away; and here the mother acted as her Son did, so that it may be truly said of her — but Mary held her peace, and committed all this to the Divine Will and Providence. She heard that the Man Who was so inexpressibly dear to her, her own Flesh and Blood, was assailed with innumerable calumnies; but Mary held her peace. She saw her son. Who was perfect in innocence, fainting beneath the weight of the Cross, she heard him groaning on it, she saw Him dying in most bitter agony; but Mary held her peace. This Son, and this mother, very many have imitated successfully, for even when accused of the most griev- ous crimes they held their peace. David, that meek- est of kings, understood the wondrous power of this silence when he said, — *T was dumb and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed." (Ps. xxxviii. 3.) And again, — "I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; because Thou hast done it." (Ver. 10.) He brings forward no
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other reason for his silence than this, — ''because Thou hast done it." Therefore I hold my peace because I perceive that it is Thy Will. Thy Will, O my God, has pointed out this silence to me!
It sometimes happens that a master of excitable dis- position goes into the servant's room, and disarranges the furniture, and throws everything into confusion, and then goes away lest he should be caught in the act. When the servant comes home and finds all the fur- niture in disorder he grows very angry; but when he hears that it has been done by his master, he holds his tongue and restrains his rage. And so David says of himself, — "I held my tongue, and spake nothing." And why? ''Because Thou hast done it." And in the same way he who has yielded himself unreservedly to the Divine Will is conscious indeed of adversity, but com- forts himself with the thought of Divine Providence; and knowing that he will do no good by idle com- plaints, he says, — 'T have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me. My help is from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth." {Ps. cxx. 1,2.)
When King Assuerus and Aman sat down to their feast all the Jews were weeping. (Esth. in. 15.) But how quickly did this bloody tragedy change, and the evil which he had devised for others recoil upon its author! If a monthly want of light did not obscure the moon, which changes as it waxes and wanes. Phi- losophers would not know that it borrows its light from the sun; and thus we, too, from the daily want
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of things, learn that every blessing comes from God. Is any one sick? For the first time in his life he now knows how to value health, which he never would have prized so highly if he had not lost it. This is human nature, that nothing pleases so much as that which is lost. Does any one suffer from calumny? He now understands what a serious thing it is to in- jure the reputation of another, which he may often have done, and yet have thought it a trifling matter. Has any one been reduced to want? He now begins to recollect how he formerly bore himself towards those who were in need. And so he holds his peace, and, pondering on this, commits himself to the Divine Will.
But perhaps it is with difficulty that you hold your peace. Speak then; but only with your heart, and to God. Let the tongue be silent, and let the mind pray. Meditate upon the silence of Christ before the High Priest, upon the silence of Mary before those wicked citizens, upon the silence of David before his enemies. A person of greater dignity and influence than yourself reproaches you — hold your peace ! An equal reproaches you — hold your peace! An inferior reproaches you — and even then hold your peace ? This may be harder than the rest, but it is more noble. Leave him alone, and draw near to God. Pray for your enemy, as David did, according to that saying of his — "Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me ; but I gave myself to prayer." (Ps. cviii. 3.) He was accustomed to conciliate his adversary by silence, and
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God by prayer. Therefore hold your peace, and com- mend yourself most absolutely to the Divine Will, con- stantly keeping before your mind the saying — ''Because Thou hast done it."
6. The Sixth Sign. To attempt for the honour of God things which are difficult, and which are supposed to be scarcely possible. And how courageous was S. Paul in this! 'T know," he says, "both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound (everywhere and in all things I am instructed), both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. / can do all things in Him Who strengtheneth me." (Phil. IV. 12, 13.) And with an equally great and exalted mind, David says, — "Through God I shall go over a wall." (Ps. xvii. 29.) So that let Pericles come to life again, and build his walls to the Piraeus, forty cubits high, and so broad that two chariots yoked together would have room enough to pass, and yet I, says David, will leap over them. Let the Carthaginians re-appear, and raise their triple wall, famous in every age, and I will leap over it. Let the architects of Babel come back, and build a tower whose top shall reach to heaven (Gen. xi. 4), and with the help of my God, I will leap over it; for by Him shall I be deliv- ered from temptation. But David, promising still greater and more difficult things, says, — "In Thee I will run girded; in my God I will leap over the wall." (2 Kings XXII. 30.) It was too little for him to run and toil, but he desires to run even when clad in mail, and armed from head to foot. It was too little
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for him to pass over a wall, however wide or high, but now he desires to pass over a barrier, even if it reaches as high as heaven. There can scarcely be a higher and wider wall put in the way as an obstacle than his ozvn will is to each individual. But this wall he must cross and leap over. Let each one reflect thus: — "God desires that I should be patient, and chaste, and that I should quickly forgive my enemies; He wills that I should think and speak well of others. And why do I not will the same? Truly my will stands like a wall in the w^ay of my doing this. But that wall need not terrify me. I shall pass over it; I shall leap over it, I can do all things through Him Who strengtheneth me."
He who meditates upon the acts of the saints will very often give utterance to those words of the royal Psalmist, — ''God is glorified in the assembly of the saints." {Ps. Lxxxviii. 8.) ''The Lord will give strength to His people." {Ps. xxviii. lo.) Yea, He has given strength to His saints! And not to speak of ancient times, how great things did Francis Xavier, the apostle of Japan, dare to do for God ! What won- ders did he work! What walls did he not pass over! What fortresses did he not scale! You might say that he flew, if he could not approach his object in any other way. A thirsty man is sometimes wont to complain that a whole village seems to be on fire in- side him, so fearfully does thirst oppress him; but the world itself might have been thought to be burn- ing in the breast of Xavier, so ardently did he thirst
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for the salvation of all men. And what a fire did Xavier carry about in his soul, when with separate leaps, as it were, he passed from Italy to Portugal, from Portugal to India, from India to Japan, and from thence penetrated even to the most extreme borders of China, traversing country after country, and cross- ing sea after sea! Do you place in his way perils of land and sea? But such things, he says, the man does not fear who trusts in God. Or darkness of forests? A flame shines brightly enough in his breast. Or the raging ocean? Many waters cannot quench love. Or the secret attacks of robbers and pirates? But he is not safe, even at home, whom the Divine Will protects not. And so, trusting in God, he leapt over every wall, and in this way added to Christ, as Bozius affirms, three hundred thousand heathen. No one is ignorant, I suppose, that when meditating better things he is usually kept back by a thousand hindrances; but he must break through them by force, and must struggle upwards, even though Satan, with all his furies and appliances, stand in the way. Christ encouraging us to this says, — "If you have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain. Remove from hence hither; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you/' (Matt. xvii. 19.) Whosoever then has yielded himself absolutely to the Divine Will is confident that he can do all things.
7. In order that what I have said, as well concern- ing the knowledge of the Divine Will, as concerning
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the conformity of the human will to it, may be per- fectly clear to an understanding however uncultivated, I will now proceed to condense what precedes under this short summary.
Whatever is done in the world (sin excepted), by whomsoever or howsoever it is done, must be said to be done by the Divine Will. All things that are done, God wills to be done; but whatever God does not will most surely is not done. *'How could any- thing endure, if Thou wouldst not?" exclaims Wisdom. (Chap. XI. 25.) Sin alone God wills not,