while we walk daily in these pleasant fields, be constantly culling fresh and never-fading flowers. "When the Psalmist cries out, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and of His greatness there is no end, he wanted to shew," saith St. Augustine," how great He is. But how can this be done? Though he repeated, Great, Great, the whole day, it would have been to little purpose, for he must have ended at last, because the day would have ended; but his greatness was before the beginning of days, and will reach beyond the end of time *." The poet expresses himself admirably well, "I will praise thee, O blessed God with my voice, I will praise thee, also, with silence. For thou, O inexpressible Father, who canst never be known, understandest the silence of the mind, as well as any words or expressions +."

LECTURE XXII.

How to regulate Life according to the Rules of RELIGION.

I HAVE now, at different times, addressed myself to you upon several subjects of great importance and of the utmost necessity; though what I have hitherto said, was only designed as a preface or introduction to what I further proposed. But to attempt to prosecute this design at the very end of the year, would be quite improper, and to little or no purpose: I shall, therefore, altogether forbear entering upon it, and for this time, lay

* Volebat dicere quam magnus sit, sed hoc qui fieri potest? Etsi tota die magnum diceret, parum esset, finiret enim aliquando, quia, finiretur dies, magnitudo autem illius ante dies, et ultra dies.

before you a few advices, which may be useful, not only in order to employ to greater advantage the months of vacation that are now at hand, but also the better to regulate your whole lives.

And my first advice shall be, to avoid too much sleep, which wastes the morning hours, that are most proper for study, as well as for the exercises of religion, and stupefies and enervates the strength of body and mind. I remember that the famous abbot of Clairevaux, (St. Bernard,) when he found the friars sleeping immoderately, used to say, "That they slept like the secular clergy." And though we do not admit of the severe rules to which the monks subjected themselves, we must at least allow, that the measure and degree of sleep and other bodily refreshments, suitable for a young man devoted to study and devotion, is very far different from that excess in which the common sort of mankind indulge themselves.

Another advice, which is akin to, and nearly connected with, the former, shall be, to observe temperance in eating and drinking. For moderation in sleeping, generally follows sobriety in eating and other sensual gratifications; but that thick cloud of vapours that arises from a full stomach, must of necessity overwhelm all the animal spirits, and keep them long locked up in an indolent, inactive state. Therefore, the Greeks, not without reason, express these two duties, to be sober and to be watchful, indifferently by the same term. And the Apostle Peter, that he might make his connexion more evident, uses, indeed, two words for this purpose; but exhorts to these duties as closely connected together, or rather, as if they were, in some respect, but one, Be sober, be vigilant, 1 Pet. v. 8. And in the same Epistle, having substituted another word for sobriety, he expresses watchfulness by the same word he had put for sobriety in the other place, [NT]. Be sober and watch. 1 Pet. iv. 7. Both these dispositions are so applied to the mind, as to include a sober and watchful state of the body and senses; as this is exceeding useful, nay, quite necessary, in order to a

* Seculariter dormire.

correspondent frame of the mind, and that disposition both of body and mind, not only subservient, but also necessary to piety and constancy in prayer: Be sober and watch unto prayer. 1 Pet. iv. 7.

When the body is reduced to its lightest and most active state, still, as it is corruptible, it is, to be sure, a burden to the mind. How much more must it be so, when it is depressed with an immoderate load of meat and drink, and, in consequence of this, of sleep! Nor can the mind rouse itself, or use the wings of contemplation and prayer with freedom, when it is overpowered with so heavy a load: nay, neither can it make any remarkable progress in the study of human literature, but will move slowly and embarrassed, be at a stand, like a wheelcarriage in deep clay. The Greeks very justly expressed the virtue we are now recommending, by the term EwQpooúvn, it being, as your favourite philosopher, [Aristotle] observes in his Ethics, the great preservative of the mind. He is certainly a very great enemy to his own understanding, who lives high and indulges himself in luxury. "A fat belly is seldom accompanied with an acute understanding*." Nor is it my intention in this, only to warn you against drunkenness and luxury; I would willingly hope that such an advice would be superfluous to you: but, in this conflict, I would willingly carry you to such a pitch of victory, that, at your ordinary and least dilicious meals, you would always stop some degrees within the bounds to which your appetite would carry you. Consider that, as Cato said, "the belly has no ears+;" but it has a mouth, into which a brible must be put, and therefore I address not myself to it, but to the directing mind that is set over it, which, for that reason, ought to govern the body with all its senses, and curb them at its pleasure. St. Bernard's words are admirable to this purpose. "A prudent mind, devoted to God, ought so to act in its body, as the master of a family in his own house. He ought not to suffer his flesh to

* Παχεῖα γαστήρ ληπτὸν οὐ τίκτει νόον.

Ventrem non habere aures

e, as Solomon expresses it, like a brawling woman, nor any carnal appetite to act like a rebellious servant; but to inure them to obedience and patience. He must not have his senses for his guides, but bring them into subjection and subserviency to reason and religion. He must, by all means, have his house and family so ordered and well disciplined, that he can say to one, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to his servant the body, Do this, and it doeth what it is bid, without murmuring. The body must also be treated with a little hardship, that it may not be disobedient to the mind*." For he, saith Solomon, that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child, shall have him become a (rebellious) son at last. Prov. xxix. 21. This is what I would have you aspire to, a conquest over your flesh, and all its lusts; for they carry on a deadly war against your souls, and their desires are then most to be resisted, when they flatter most. What an unhappy and dishonourable inversion of nature it is, when the flesh commands, and the mind is in subjection; when the flesh, which is vile, gross, earthly, and soon to be the food of worms, governs the soul, that is the breath of God!

Another thing I would have you beware of, is, immoderate speech. The evils of the tongue are many: but the shortest way to find a way for them all, is to study silence, and avoid, as the poet expresses it, "excessive prating, and a vast desire of speaking +."

He is a perfect man, as the Apostle James expresses it, who offends not in word. Jam. iii. 2. And therefore, doubtless,

*Sic prudens et Deo decatus animus habere se debet in corpore suo, sicut pater familias in domo sua. Non habeat, sicut Solomon dicit, mulierem litigiosam carnem suam, nec ullum appetitum carnis ut servum rebellem, sed ad obedientiam et patientiam assuefactum. Habeat sensus suos non duces, sed rationi et religioni servientes et sequaces; habeat omnem omnino domum vel familiam suam sic ordinatam, et disciplinæ subditam, ut dicat huic vade, et vadat, et alii, Veni, et veniat, et servo corpori, Facito hoc, et sine murmure fiat quod jubetur, et paulo certe durius tractandum est corpus, ne animo male pareat.

+Improba garrulitas, studiumque immane loquendi.

he that speaks least, offends in this respect more rarely. But, in the multitude of words, as the wise man observes, there wants not sin. Prov. x. 19. To speak much, and also to the purpose, seldom falls to the share of one man*. Now, that we may avoid loquacity, we must love solitude, and render it familiar, that so every one may have an opportunity, to speak much to himself, and little to other people. “We must, to be sure," says A. Kempis, "be in charity with all men; but it is not expedient to be familiar with every one +." General and indiscriminate conversation with every one we meet, is a mean and silly thing. Even when we promise ourselves comfort and satisfaction from free conversation, we often return from such interviews with uneasiness; or, at least, have spoken and heard such things as, upon serious reflection, may justly give

us concern.

But, if we would secure our tongues and senses, or keep safe our hearts and all the issues of life, we must be frequent at prayer, in the morning, at noon, and at night, or oftener throughout the day, and continually walk as in the presence of God; always remembering that He observes, not only our words and actions, but also takes notice of our most secret thoughts. This is the sum and substance of true piety; for he who is always sensible that that pure and all-seeing Eye is continually upon him, will never venture to sin with set purpose, or full consent of mind. This sense of the Divine presence, would certainly make our life on this earth, like that of the angels; for, according to our Lord's expression, it is their peculiar advantage, continually to behold the face of our Father who is in heaven. By this means, Joseph escaped the snares laid for him by his imperious mistress; and, as if he had thrown water upon it, extinguished that fiery dart with this seasonable reflection, Shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God. Gen. xxxix. 9. He might have escaped the eyes of men, but he stood in awe of that Invisible Eye from * Χωρὶς τὸ τ ̓ εἴπειν πόλλα καὶ τά κάιρια.

Charitas certe habenda est erga omnes, sed familiaritas non expedit.