Part V, Chapter XVII

An Answer to Two Objections Which May Be Made to This Introduction

The world will perhaps tell you, Philothea, that these exercises and advices are so numerous, that he who would practise them must apply himself to nothing else. Alas! Philothea, should we do nothing else, we should do enough, since we should do all that we ought to do in this world. But do not you perceive the delusion? If they were all to be necessarily performed every day, they would then, indeed, constitute our whole occupation; but it is not requisite to perform them otherwise than in their proper time and place, as occasions may present themselves. How many civil laws and regulations there are which must be observed, but it is universally understood that they are to be executed on proper occasions, and no one imagines that they are all to be put in force every day. David was a king charged with the most difficult affairs, yet he performed many more exercises than I have prescribed to you. St. Lewis was a prince admirable both in war and peace, and one who administered justice, and managed his affairs with the most assiduous attention, yet he heard two masses every day, said vespers and compline with his chaplain, made his meditation, visited hospitals every Friday, confessed and took the discipline, heard sermons frequently, and held very often spiritual conferences; yet, notwithstanding all this, he never saw an occasion of promoting the public good which he did not improve, and diligently put in execution; and his court was more splendid and flourishing than it had ever been in the time of his predecessors. Perform, then, these exercises as I have marked them out for you, and God will give you sufficient leisure and strength to perform all your other duties, although he should make the sun stand still for you, as he did for Josue. We always do enough when God works with us.

The world will perhaps say that I suppose, almost throughout the whole work, that Philothea has the gift of mental prayer; and yet every one has it not; so that this introduction will not serve for all. It is true I have made this supposition; it is also true that every one has not this gift; but it is no less true that almost all, even the most ignorant, may have it, provided they have good guides, and are willing to take as much pains to obtain it as it deserves. But, should there be some who have not this gift in any degree whatever, which I think almost impossible, a prudent spiritual director will easily supply that defect, by teaching them to read, or to hear others read, the considerations included in the meditations with profound and close attention.

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