Zlii. PROLEGOMENA. 



poverty, giving all to the poor, lias proverbially 

 made a Friar the poor mail's friend. The 

 combination of these two qualities, that is inward 

 retirement in Deum, with the labour of mercy 

 inter homines, as consummated in the rule of 

 St. Ignatius of Loyola, will ever make his rule 

 the model of perfect charity. The question may 

 be thus logically stated, and I know the philo- 

 sophers affect the love of logic, that is a building 

 of words. Christ positively asserts that there 

 is only one straight gate and narrow way to heaven, 

 and that those who go there must follow him and 

 carry the cross, and that, too, in the spirit of 

 poverty, chastity, and obedience. But whoever 

 voluntarily does less than Christ falls short of 

 perfection, because he has not the will of perfect 

 imitation, which is necessary even for those who 

 have imperfection to encounter. Our duty is 

 that which is owed: like devoir or debito, it comes 

 from the verb debere, and signifies in religion 

 a debt to God. Remember therefore that we 

 are assured that the uttermost farthing must be 

 paid. Our aim ought to be at perfection, which, 

 though in the creature, like the asymptote 

 to the hyperbola, it may never reach the per- 

 fection of the creator, is nevertheless always 

 to be sought by the severest employment of 

 those means of perfection laid down and ex- 

 emplified by Christ the model of perfection. 



