Volume II, Treatise III, Chapter XVI

That the Perfection of Humility and of All Other Virtues, Consists in Performang the Acts Thereof with Pleasure; and of How Great Importance This Is for Our Perseverance in Virtue,

It is the general opinion of philosophers, that the perfection of any virtue consists in performing the acts thereof with pleasure; and when they speak of the signs whereby it may be known, whether any one has acquired the habit of any virtue, they say, that is known when a person performs the acts thereof “readily, easily, and with pleasure,” He who has acquired the habit of some art or science, knows how to reduce the art or science to practice with a-marvellous readiness and facility—An excellent lutanist, who understands music perfectly well, has no need to prepare himself or to consider how to play what he knows; it is so easy to him, that even when he thinks of something else, he plays admirably well, It is the same with those who have acquired the habit of any virtue, they practise it without any pain at all, Would you know, therefore, if you have acquired the habit of humility? See first of all, if you perform the acts thereof “readily and easily,” for if you feel any repugnance and difficulty in the occasions which present themselves to practise it, it is a sign that you have not yet acquired the perfect habit thereof; and if to make use of them as you ought, you have need of preparations and reflections, those reflections and preparations are indeed a good means of attaining the perfection you aim at; but they always shew that you have not as yet attained it. When a man, before he plays upon a lute, considers where he must sometimes put one finger, and sometimes another, what string he is to touch, and what rules have been given him, he does what ought to be done to learn to play well upon the lute; but it shews that be has pot acquired the habit of playing upon it, because he who has acquired that, has no need of considering, in order to be able to play well. Wherefore Aristotle says that, ‘when a man is master of any art in perfection, he can so easily reduce it to practice, that he deliberates no more upon the means,” (Arist. iii. Ethic. ca, 8), and all philosophers hold likewise, as well as he, that the habit of virtue appears not in the actions which are performed with reflection, but only in those which are done without musing thereon; so that in all sudden and unforeseen actions, we act always, according to the habit we have acquired.

Nay, they go still further; for Plutarch, shewing how one may know if a man has acquired the habit and perfection of virtue, points out twelve ways, one of which is that of dreams. If even in a dream you have no idea but what is modest and regular, or if when others come upon you, you find even whilst you are asleep that you are troubled thereat, and that you struggle to resist them, aa if you were awake, it is a sign that virtue is deeply rooted in you; because not only the will, but even the imagination and senses, are in you made subject to reason. Even as horses, says he, when they are broken and taught well to draw, still go on their ordinary peace, though he that drives them leaves them to themselves, or sleeps: 80 when any one has perfectly acquired virtue, and has thoroughly subjected his senses to reason, the senses remain still under subjection, even when reason is drowned in sleep. St. Austin teaches us the same doctrine when he says, “thy commandments, O Lord, are so deeply engraven in us, that we resist temptations even in dreams.”—(Aug. lib, 12.) And indeed there are some who have so much zeal for the law of God, so much zeal for virtue, and so much abborrence for vice, and who are so used to resist temptations when they are awake, that they resist them, even when they are asleep. We read in the life of St. Francis Xaverius, that when he was asleep one night, he struggled so much in resisting the impure illusion of a dream, that by the resistance he made, he threw up a great deal of blood athis mouth. This agrees with the explanation of authors, upon the passage of St. Paul, “whether we are awake or asleep, let us live together with God.”—(1 Thes. v.10.) For according to them, these words do not only signify, “whether we live, or whether we die,” which is the common exposition of the interpreters; but they signify also, that they who are very fervent in the service of God, ought always to be inseparably united to Jesus Christ, not only when they are awake, but even when sleep suspends in them all the functions of their will and reason.

The third and principal mark whereby is known whether one has acquired virtue in perfection, is, when the acts thereof are performed with delight, and therein consists properly the perfection of virtue in us. Will you know then if you have acquired the perfection of humility? Examine yourself upon the rule, which we have set down in the foregoing chapter; see whether injuries and contempt, raise as much joy in you, as the people of the world find in the esteem and praise of men. Nay further, so far from being perfect in virtue without such a disposition, you can scarce persevere therein; perseverance being in a manner utterly impossible, in a thing wherein you take no pleasure. “The ancient fathers,” says St. Dorotheus, “held for a constant maxim, that what the mind does not joyfully embrace, cannot be of any continuance.”—(Dor. doc. seu serm. 10.) You may perhaps keep silence and remain for some time in great recollection; but till it proceeds from the bottom of your heart, and habit has made it natural to you, so that you take pleasure therein, you will be in danger of not persevering; “you will be in a kind of violent state, which consequently cannot last.” Wherefore, it is of great importance to exercise ourselves in virtue, till it has taken so deep root in us, as to seem natural to us, and to proceed from our inclination, that we may perform the acts thereof with delight: for so we may be, in a manner, assured of persevering. ‘Blessed is he,” says the Psalmist, ‘“whose delight is in the law of the Lord.” Another text has it, ‘“he whose pleasure is wholly in the law of the Lord; he shall be like a tree planted by the river’s side, and shall bring forth the fruit of virtue and righteousness in due season.” —(Psal. i. 2, 3.)

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