PROLEGOMENA. xliii. 



Consequently the love of riches, the lusts of the 

 flesh, and the pride of private judgment, must 

 be Avillingly sacrificed, through a life of perpetual 

 penance, for poverty, chastity, and obedience, if 

 we seek perfection. 



It may be asked, must we not have neces- 

 saries, and is not that possession ? I answer, 

 it is, but religious community or brotherhood is 

 an arrangement for the commerce of mutual 

 kindness, in which the poverty of the individual 

 is preserved in spirit, though merged in a com- 

 munity of possession. In the world we may act 

 up to the spirit of this counsel, by giving away 

 all superfluous goods in alms, by regarding the 

 rest as held in common with our families, as the 

 food necessary for our pilgrimage ; abhorring 

 and subduing the least love for them. Again, it 

 may be said perfect celibacy cannot be practised 

 by all, as we must have a succession of people, 

 or we could not save a succession of souls. I 

 answer, St. Francis of Sales, in his introduction 

 to a devout life, has given the world rules for the 

 practice of chastity in the world, in which its 

 spirit may be preserved, and to them I refer the 

 reader. Lastly, if it be said that we must have 

 a will, the result of the prerogative of free will, 

 or the liberty of bending either right upwards 

 to heaven ; or wrong ; and that in the world it is 

 necessary for each man, in some measure, to 



