If- ' P: t, 1 i CHAPTER XVIII, Cf the Examphs cf the Holy Father. Look upon the lively examples, of the I.oly Father:-', in whom shone real perfection per-fection and the religious life-, and thou wilt see how little it is, and almost nothing, that we do. Alas, what is our. life, if it be com- ! pared with theirs! ! Saints., and friends of Christ, they I served our Lord in hunger and thirst, . in wiu ci.iu iiai.punessi labor ana weariness, weari-ness, in wa tchings and fastings, in prayers and holy meditations, in frequent fre-quent reproaches and persecutions. Oh, how many and grievous tribulations tribula-tions did the Apostles suffer, and the Martyr:, and Confcjsors and Virgins, and all the rest who resolved to follow the steps cf Christ! For they hated their lives in: this world, that they might keep them unto life eternal. Oh what a strict and self-renouncing life the Holy Fathers cf th& desert led! What long and grievous griev-ous temptations did they bear! How often were they harassed by the enemy! en-emy! What frequent and fervent prayers pray-ers they offered up to God! What rigorous rig-orous abstinence did they practice! W'hat great zeal and fervor had they for r.piritnal progress! What a valiant I content waged they to subdue their i temptations! What purity and straightforwardness cf purpose kept ' they toward God! By day they labored and much of the night they spent in prayer; though while; they labored they were far from leaving mental prayer. They spent all their time profitably, every hour seemed Short to spend with God; and even their necessary bodily! reflection was forgotten in the great sweetness of contemplation. They renounced all riches, dignities, honors, friemla and kindred; they hardly hard-ly took what was necessary for life: it grieved them, to serve the body even ' in its necessity. ' Oh. how great was their devotion in prayer! How great their zeal for virtu?! How vigoro-jM the discipline that was kept up! W'hat reference and obedience, under the rule cf the superior, flourished in all! Their traces that remain still bear witnev-3. that they were truly holy and perfect men who did battle so stoutly and trampled the world under their .teet. Now he is thought great who is not a transgressor: and who can with patience- en ,lu re- what he hath undertaken. Ah. the lukewarmnesA and negligence of cur state! and that we so;n fall away from, our first fervor, ami are even new tired cf life from s.'.othfulntss and tenedity. Oh, that advancement in virtue- be not asleep in thee, who hast often, seen the manifold examples cf the devout! Accordingly, they weTe- poor in earthly earth-ly things, but very rich in grace and virtue?.. Outwardly they suffered want, but within they were refreshed with grace and divine consolation. They were aliens to the world, but they were very near and' familiar friends of God. To themselves they seemed as nothing, noth-ing, and the world despised them, but they were precious and boioved in the eyes cf God. They persevered ini true humility, they lived in simple obedience, they walked in charity and patience: and so every day they advanced in spirit, and gained great favor with God. They were given for an example to all religions: and ought more to excite usi to advance in good, than the number num-ber of the lukewarm induce us to grow remlss. Oh. how great was thei fervor of all religions in thft hee-inninf n,f ttioir- Vi.-or lnstituta! (To be Continued.)