Church, and on a faithful soul, whether mockery, or persecution, or gold, or praises, or malediction, it converts all to charity, to patience, to humility, and other virtues *." 66 This is the state which St. Bonaventura describes as the charitative affection for eternal things; the journey by which the human spirit comes to the intrinsic and secret manor of Jesus. Truly this is solemn discourse for the stranger to be caught listening to; but thus it is that the lightest are moved at times to hearken. 66 Love," he says, surpasses science and intelligence. Plus enim diligitur Deus quam intelligatur; et dilectio intrat et appropinquat ubi scientia foris stat. Lest the human spirit," he continues, "should mistake the way of natural affection, or of acquired love for the journey of charitative affection, it is necessary to observe how charitative or gratuitous affection differs from natural affection and acquired love. Natural affection is that which any one bears to his own flesh which no one hates-that of a mother to her child, which she can never forget; that of a man to his domestic, without which he would deny the faith, and be worse than an infidel. This requires to be ruled by reason:-for this affection always suggests soft, sweet, and pleasant things, concerned with what is earthly, voluptuous, and delicate, while it flies in horror from what is austere or contrary to its will, so constituting perverse love, and this is born with a man; whereas charitative affection is imparted by God. Carnal affection is twofold; for in one respect it is neither a virtue nor a vice, but a certain habit of the exterior man, inclining the mind-for when one is of a more elegant form, or of a sweeter voice, or more beautiful countenance, he conciliates affection even from strangers. appeared in Moses, which caused him to be concealed from Pharaoh, and to be adopted by his daughter. This affection does not merit the name of true love, but it is a remote image of true love, and full of anxiety, whereas charitative affection is full of pleasure. Whence Richard says, 'Sicut charitate nihil est melius, ita et nihil est jucundius.' Čarnal affection may be also official, which inclines the mind on account of benefits received, and this, though dangerous, must also be admitted. Carnal affection is also rational, which arises from the consideration of any virtue, and as when we are delighted with the merits of the saints. This is more perfect than the former kinds. Yet it differs from the charitative affection, because it arises by the medium of reason from external examples; whereas the latter is inflamed by the Holy Ghost to love even sinners. There is also a carnal affection which is called spiritual, as arising from spirit, either from the malignant or from the human spirit; for from the * In Ps. Qui Reg. Is. This latter, from an innate ingenuousness, and also from a studious and exercised inquisition there springs a loving affection for the highest good, which closely resembles the charitative or gratuitous affection, from which, however, all these differ-both as to origin and effect-for the latter is imparted supernaturally by God, and its operation is more pure, and fervent, and energetic. This charity, or Divine love, as Rabanus says, is a fire in meditation purifying the mind from the defilement of vices-a light in prayer irradiating the mind with the brightness of virtues; honey in thanksgiving, sweetening the mind with the sweetness of Divine benefits; wine in contemplation, inebriating the mind with joyful delight-and the sun in eternal beatitude, illuminating the mind with the serenest light, and exhilarating it with ineffable gladness in everlasting jubilation *." 66 Lorenzo de Medicis used to wear on his finger a diamond which he inherited from Cosmo, set in three colours, with the word 'semper' inscribed round it. "The diamond," he said, represents man in this life; the three colours, the virtues in which he should shine-faith represented by the white, hope by the green, charity by the red." Such is the supernatural, but yet, as we shall presently see in another sense, the truly natural state to which Catholicism elevates the human nature fallen. “It is a union of contraries," says St. Augustin—“ learned ignorance, rich poverty, refined simplicity, joyful sadness, noble obscurity, eloquent silence, timid confidence, busy leisure, contentious peace, insatiable content †. Here," he continues, "is physical science, since the causes of all natures are in the Creator―here are ethics, since a good life is only formed by loving the things that ought to be loved in God.-Here is logic, since truth and the light of the rational mind are only God-here also is the laudable safety of the state; for only on the foundation of faith and concord can it be raised and preserved, where the common good is loved, which is God ‡.” The supernatural morality of the Catholic religion thus repairs, to a certain extent in man, the image of his Maker, causing his whole existence to shadow forth the perfections of the eternal King, who loves in seraphin as charity; knows in cherubim as truth; sits in thrones as equity; rules in dominations as majesty; reigns in principalities as headship; defends as courage in virtues; strengthens as fortitude in powers; reveals as light in archangels, assists as piety in angels. "If faith be pulled up," says Ives de Chartres, "the whole spiritual edifice is destroyed; and hence it is that when an altar, + Epist. cxxi. * De Sept. Itin. Eternitatis. + Epist. iii. which in the material temple represents faith, has been moved, the whole Church has to be consecrated afresh *." If you will have the supernatural and heroic virtues which attract men on this road, you must have this deep foundation laid from which they can be raised. The acorn, if you will have oaks, must be buried two inches beneath the ground, whereas it suffices to mix the seeds of the pine with the earth, or even to scatter them on the surface. The heroic virtues, pregnant with every good and every charm, spring from the deep root of a heavenly motive, with more or less of consciousness supernatural. Whose source is inexpressibly profound Thou imagest my life. Thy darksome stillness But who are those actuated by a heavenly motive without guile, impressed with a sense of the supernatural end of man? having their attention so strongly fixed on it that even in youth, when at the greatest distance, as the Egyptian pyramid to travellers, it appears to them with a luminous distinctness, as if it were near, beguiling the length of labour and enterprise by which they are to reach it? Avowedly not the rationalists, and often virtually not their allies. And what a melancholy spectacle do the aberrations of all such persons yield!" If we see a man travelling," says Antonio de Guevara," or a pilgrim passing in time of snow, braving perilous gorges, woods, and suspicious mountains, traversing parched-up plains in summer, and rushing waters in winter; and if you ask, 'friend, what is the end of your journey, for which you suffer so much pain and labour?' and he should answer, ' truly, my lord, I do not know any more than you the object of my journey, nor why I suffer so much!" would you not conclude that such an innocent wayfarer was mad †?" 66 Look at those representing a population separated from the Church. Is it they who keep a supernatural end steadily and practically in view?-Similes sunt hominibus expectantibus dominum suum? Yet you must be like men who are practically expecting His coming," says Antonio de Escobar, “that is, whose conduct is regulated by that object, if you would save your soul. Now unquestionably Catholicism trains youth, even while resting on the primrose bank, where natural delights are floating, Ivon. Carnot. Epist. 80. + L'Horloge des Princes, liv. i. while unconsciously it culls time's sweet first-fruits-to live as those expecting Him. How much more, in the stern struggles of maturer life does it keep His advent before the human mind! "The saving the soul," says a modern traveller, "has been made just as primary a consideration in Spain as the curing the body has been in England." No where, as long as the Catholic religion really prevails, are men found to become grossly and permanently insensible and indifferent to losing the glory of creation's work, their soul. On the contrary, it is for saving the soul that all great measures seem ordained. It is for this end that palaces are built, examples proposed, institutions founded, children educated. Recur to historical examples, you find great princes, generals, practical men, lawyers, and soldiers, demonstrating in an unequivocal manner, that this expectation and this wish, whether they formally express them or not, are at the bottom of their hearts. Hear for instance that illustrious François, Duc de Guise, after being mortally wounded by Poltrot, addressing his son, the young Prince de Joinville, and saying to him, "Aye, mon mignon, mon amy, l'amor et crainct de Dieu principalement devant tes yeux et dedans ton cœur; chemine selon ses voies par le sentier droict et estroict, laissant le large et oblique qui conduit à perdition.-Ne te laisse aucunement attirer aux compagnies vicieuses. Ne cherche aucun advancement par voies mauvaises. Attens les honneurs de la libéralité de ton prince par tes services et labeurs. Et ne désire les grandes charges, car elles sont trop difficiles à exercer, mais en celles où Dieu t'appel lera emploie entièrement ton pouvoir et ta vie pour t'en acquitter selon ton devoir, à l'honneur de Dieu et au contentement de ton Roy. Quelque bien qu'il te puisse advenir garde toi d'y mettre ta confiance, car le monde est trompeur et n'y peut être asseurance aucune, ce que tu vois clairement en moy mesme. -Or, mon cher fils, je te recommande ta mère; que tu l'honores et la serves ainsi que Dieu et nature te le commandent. Que tu aimes tes frères comme tes enfants.-Que tu gardes union avec eux. Car c'est le nœud de ta force. Et je prie mon Dieu qu'il te donne sa saincte bénédiction comme je te donne présentement la mienne *." Catholicism is found by experience to keep men more or less familiar with such motives, so that sooner or later they formally express the sense which they always retained of their importance. The Catholic voice re-echoes the celebrated cry of St. Francis, beginning,— 66 Magna promisimus; sed majora promissa sunt nobis. * René de Bouillé, Hist. des Ducs de Guise, tom. ii. Servemus hæc; suspiremus ad illa. St. Thomas of Villanova, commenting on the words, "Ecce ascendimus Hierosolymam," continues, "this is the city to which we ascend-to this joy and this festivity, to this glory we hasten. Let no one complain of the difficulty of the way, but let every one consider the end of the journey and the repose. O how easy and plain the way-that by loving you can come to the place which Laurence gained by suffering! Who is there that cannot love? This is the way, no longer an impurpled ascent, but a royal way. Lo! we ascend to Jerusalem. Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, think of this ;-fix this in your heart; and nothing that can happen will be grievous to you: for the memory of Jerusalem lightens all. For what makes the martyrs to endure such torments, but the memory of Jerusalem? What enables the anchorites to live solitary in the woods, but the memory of Jerusalem? What at the present day fills the monasteries, and gives such force and constancy to cloistered nuns, but the memory of Jerusalem? We often find men contemplative endued with power to utter harmonious words,-words that are puissant over hearts, such as the most learned men are unable to imitate. The reason is, that these citizens of Jerusalem have learned to speak its language, while men of the earth can only speak of earth, and the citizens of Babylon go on muttering the Babylonic jargon, always full of riches, and business, and honours +." Imparting thus to all who accept its influence, a deep impression of having a supernatural end to accomplish, Catholicism provides best for the fulfilment of another obligation resulting from the Christian doctrine, the results of which are observed by all observers; for, when unimpeded, its constant tendency is, to render even imperfect men unworldly, and even, in comparison with many, heroical, unwilling to be conformed to the ambitious world, but consenting to be sweetly, and, as it were, naturally reformed in the newness of their mind. Catholicism fulfils, more or less, in all who partake of its spirit, the conditions involved in the very word Religion, which is composed from 're' and ‘ligo,' meaning a holding back, a binding back—the exact converse of the modern term, to go a-head, to keep pace with the progress of impiety, with the spirit of time, with the world, and its theories of glory, and with the passions of envy and ambition, which in each breast are ever ready to respond to them approvingly. Speculum Vit. S. F. cap. 20. In Dom. Quinq. |